Current Issue : January - March Volume : 2012 Issue Number : 1 Articles : 10 Articles
In vitro assays are economical and easy to perform but to establish relevance of their results to real clinical outcome in animals or human, pharmacokinetics is prerequisite. Despite various in vitro pharmacological activities of extracts of Piper sarmentosum, there is no report of pharmacokinetics. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate ethanol extract of fruit of the plant in dose of 500?mg kg-1 orally for pharmacokinetics. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into groups 1, 2, and 3 (each n = 6) to study absorption, distribution and excretion, respectively. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet detection was applied to quantify pellitorine, sarmentine and sarmentosine in plasma, tissues, feces and urine to calculate pharmacokinetic parameters. Pellitorine exhibited maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) 34.77?ng?mL-1 �± 1.040, time to achieve Cmax (Tmax) 8?h, mean resident time (MRT) 26.00 �± 0.149?h and half life (t1/2) 18.64 �± 1.65?h. Sarmentine showed Cmax 191.50 �± 12.69?ng mL-1, Tmax 6?h, MRT 11.12 �± 0.44?h and t1/2 10.30 �± 1.98?h. Sarmentosine exhibited zero oral bioavailability because it was neither detected in plasma nor in tissues, and in urine. Pellitorine was found to be distributed in intestinal wall, liver, lungs, kidney, and heart, whereas sarmentine was found only in intestinal wall and heart. The cumulative excretion of pellitorine, sarmentine and sarmentosine in feces in 72?h was 0.0773, 0.976, and 0.438?�µg, respectively. This study shows that pellitorine and sarmentine have good oral bioavailability while sarmentosine is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract....
This investigation examined the molluscicidal and larvicidal activity of eight plants that are used in the traditional medicine of the Pankarar�© indigenous people in the Raso da Catarina region, Bahia state, Brazil. The tested plants were chosen based on the results of previous studies. Only those plants that were used either as insect repellents or to treat intestinal parasitic infections were included in the study. Crude extracts (CEs) of these plants were tested for their larvicidal activity (against Aedes aegypti larvae in the fourth instar) and molluscicidal activity (against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata). The plant species Scoparia dulcis and Helicteres velutina exhibited the best larvicidal activities (LC50 83.426?mg/L and LC50 138.896?mg/L, resp.), and Poincianella pyramidalis, Chenopodium ambrosoides, and Mimosa tenuiflora presented the best molluscicidal activities (LC50 0.94?mg/L, LC50 13.51?mg/L, and LC50 20.22?mg/L, resp.). As we used crude extracts as the tested materials, further study is warranted to isolate and purify the most active compounds....
Glucose uptake-enhancing activity of the ethanolic extract of Dalbergia sissoo (DS) was investigated using dexamethasone induced insulin resistance in mice. DS showed the presence of tannins and flavonoids which chemical constituent may be responsible for activity. Mice were treated with dexamethasone 10 mg/kg for 21 days and effect of DS at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o. on plasma blood glucose level, serum triglyceride level, levels of hepatic antioxidant enzymes (LPO, GSH, SOD and catalase) and body weight were observed. DS 250mg/kg, p.o. showed less significant (p < 0.05), while 500mg/kg, p.o. showed significant (p < 0.01) decrease in plasma glucose and serum triglyceride levels. The levels of antioxidant enzymes GSH, SOD, and catalase were significantly increased (p < 0.01) and there was significant decrease (p < 0.01) in level of LPO. In conclusion, Dalbergia sissoo may prove to be effective in the treatment of Type-II Diabetes mellitus owing to its ability to decrease insulin resistance....
In present investigation immunomodulatory activity of Plumbago zylanica was assessed. Extraction was performed using petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone and ethanol. In-vitro investigation revealed that chloroform fraction showed best effect on phagocytosis. On the basis of chloroform extract was selected for further in-vivo investigation. On the basis of acute oral toxicity studies toxicity LD 50 of chloroform extract was found to be 1000 mg/kg. Effect of extract on Delayed Type Hypersensitivity (DTH) and hemaglutination titer was observed at 200 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg. At all selected dose extract showed significant immunomodulatory activity in both of the selected models for study....
The galls of Quercus infectoria are commonly used in Malay traditional medicine to treat wound infections after childbirth. In India, they are employed traditionally as dental applications such as that in treatment of toothache and gingivitis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of galls of Quercus infectoria Olivier against oral bacteria which are known to cause dental caries and periodontitis. Methanol and acetone extracts were screened against two Gram-positive bacteria (Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175 and Streptococcus salivarius ATCC 13419) and two Gram-negative bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 and Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 25586). The screening test of antibacterial activity was performed using agar-well diffusion method. Subsequently, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by using twofold serial microdilution method at a concentration ranging between 0.01?mg/mL and 5?mg/mL. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was obtained by subculturing microtiter wells which showed no changes in colour of the indicator after incubation. Both extracts showed inhibition zones which did not differ significantly (p < 0 . 0 5) against each tested bacteria. Among all tested bacteria, S. salivarius was the most susceptible. The MIC ranges for methanol and acetone extracts were the same, between 0.16 and 0.63?mg/mL. The MBC value, for methanol and acetone extracts, was in the ranges 0.31ââ?¬â??1.25?mg/mL and 0.31ââ?¬â??2.50?mg/mL, respectively. Both extracts of Q. infectoria galls exhibited similar antibacterial activity against oral pathogens. Thus, the galls may be considered as effective phytotherapeutic agents for the prevention of oral pathogens....
Leea indica is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat cancer. Through bioassay-guided approach, we isolated mollic acid arabinoside (MAA), for the first time from Leea indica. Here, we present the apoptosis-inducing effect of MAA on Ca Ski cervical cancer cells. Based on DAPI staining, MAA-treated cells manifested nuclear shrinkage, condensation, and fragmentation. We further confirmed the fragmentation of DNA using TUNEL assay. During early apoptosis, MAA caused the perturbation of plasma membrane through externalization of PS, followed by the formation of apoptotic blebs. Prior to these events, MAA triggered rapid dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential. In the upstream, MAA increased the expression of Bax, decreased the expression of Bcl-2, and augmented the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. These findings suggested that MAA induced mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in Ca Ski cells and thus provide the scientific explanation for the traditional application of this herbal medicine in cancer treatment....
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways projected as a serious public health problem with over 300 million sufferers worldwide and creates a burden in health care costs, lost productivity and reduced participation in family life. Prevalence is increasing, most rapidly in children especially where urbanization is taking place. Regardless the recent advances in modern medicines leading to better management of the disease, the current modes of therapy do not offer the cure of the disease but control the symptoms with significant side effects reasonably leads to high prevalence of usage of traditional medicine in the management of asthma. Herbal preparations have been cited as the third most popular complementary treatment modality by asthma sufferers. A comprehensive literature search was performed to scale up the series of studies performed on various Indian medicinal plants identified as bronchodilators, antagonist of various asthma mediators such as histamine and platelet activating factor, corticosteroid levels, and clearance of mucus. The present review summarizes the plethora of traditional medicinal plants role in the treatment of various aspects of asthma which need to be investigated further to explore the novel medicines in the armament of asthma treatment....
Antiulcer potential of hydroalcoholic extract of Flucourtia indica (FIE) was investigated in this study. Protective potential was assessed against pylorus ligation and pylorus ligation with aspirin model of ulcer in rats. FIE was investigated at 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg. Evaluation was one the basis of total gastric volume, pH, total acidity, free acidity, ulcer index and percentage protection. It was observed that FIE produced significant antiulcer activity at all selected doses....
Many medicinal herbs have been used traditionally to improve memory and cognitive function and to treat neurodegenerative disease. Search for newer herbal therapeutic agents for prevention , treatment of memory disorder is increasing due to prevalence of this condition in present stressful life style. This review on herbal drugs used in cognitive dysfunction will provide scientific documentation of herbal drugs for the progress of research in cognitive disorders and provide an insight for development of template of phytoconstituents from traditional system of medicine to protect the people suffering from dementia...
The wound healing effect of herbal ointments formulated with tannin fraction of Ficus racemosa embedded in ointment bases has been evaluated in vivo using the excision wound healing model, on rats. The tannin fraction was extracted by using the standard procedure for separation of tannins. The semisolid herbal Formulations containing 5% and 10% tannin fraction were prepared and applied topically three times a day to open wounds for 14 days post-operatively and compared with base control. The formulation containing the most active phytoconstituent tannins was packed in air tight bottle and evaluated for its stability. The ointment was stored at 00 ,300, 450 at different predetermined intervals i.e. 30, 60 and 90 days and was evaluated for its appearance, spreadability, texture, pH and phase separation. .There was no change in color, pH and no phase separation at 00 and 300 for 90 days. The pH of the ointment was found to be in the range of 5.95-6.36 .The spreadability of the formulation was found to lie between 33.92- 52.77 and the spreading time ranges between 18 sec to 28 sec. The texture of the ointment remained smooth through out the stability studies. The treated wounds showed a faster rate of wound contraction compared with controls. The wound contraction studies revealed that the wound contractions increase with an increase in the herbal extract concentration. The semisolid formulations produced better healing compared with the ointment bases. The results obtained were encouraging semisolid formulations produced better wound healing....
Loading....