A scientific validation of In vitro anti-inflammatory activity of Punica granatum L. by human red blood cell membrane stabilization

Background: In recent years there has been growing interest in therapeutic use of natural products, especially those derived from plants. P. granatum is very common dietary ingredient in many parts of India and has remarkable biological and medicinal properties.Methods: In the present study, the methanolic extract of fruit peels of Punica granatum Linn. (MEPG) were investigated for anti-inflammatory activity by simple, reliable, less toxic and less time consuming HRBC membrane stabilization method. The presentation of hypo tonicity induced HRBC membrane lysis was taken a measure of anti-inflammatory activity. Their activities were compared with standard drug diclofenac.Results: The results of the study demonstrated that P. granatum contains active constituents, which possess anti-inflammatory activity which is probably related to the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis.Conclusions: It is concluded that methanolic extract of P. granatum fruit peel possesses significant anti-inflammatory activity and this is a possible rationale for its folkloric use as an anti-inflammatory agent

The protective effect of L. siceraria against depression using behavioural despair animal models

Background: In recent years, the search for novel pharmacotherapy from medicinal plants for psychiatric illness was significantly progressed. The present study was performed to evaluate the antidepressant activity of ethanolic extract of Lagenaria siceraria in animal models.Methods: The antidepressant activity of ethanolic extract of the fruit of L. siceraria in rats was assessed using forced swim test and tail suspension test. Imipramine at 15 mg/kg was used as standard antidepressant drug.Results: The ethanolic extract of L. siceraria fruit (EELS) was significantly and dose-dependently reduced the duration of immobility after repeated treatment for 7 days in Forced swim test and Tail suspension Test. But combination of L. siceraria (200mg/kg) with Imipramine gave a highly significant result (p<0.001) in reduction of immobility duration and the effect of high dose (400mg/kg) with imipramine (15mg/kg) did not decrease the duration of immobility period in both animal models at end of the study. In this work the dose of 400mg/kg afforded more protection than the imipramine.Conclusions: The results obtained from this study was indicate that the antidepressant activity of L. siseraria