ANTIBACTERIAL POTENTIAL OF ESSENTIAL OILS DERIVED FROM NATURAL, CALLUS AND IN-VITRO PROPAGATED SOURCES OF MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA AGAINST COMMON BACTERIAL PATHOGENS

Objective: Melaleuca alternifolia (M. alternifolia) and its essential oil (EO) fractions have been used widely and traditionally in the treatment of various infectious diseases and hence its antibacterial potential is investigated in the present study. Methods: The antibacterial activity was studied through the agar disc diffusion method and broth dilution method, DNA fragmentation studies and confocal microscopy morphological studies were done. In-silico molecular interaction was studied against microbial target using docking software. Results: The inhibitory concentration of the EOs was recorded at 75% dilution with larger inhibition zones. The DNA fragmentation analyzed in the essential oil derived from in-vitro propagated leaves (EOIPL) of M. alternifolia treated bacterial cultures was compared with negative and positive controls. In Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of EOIPL treated Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) showed time-dependent growth inhibition. The DNA content in the EOIPL treated bacterial cultures was comparatively less than in control cultures. The cell morphology changes of S. aureus cells were studied through confocal laser scanning microscopic analysis which showed a significant decrease in viable bacterial cells. The active component, terpinen-4-ol docked to autolysin receptor revealed stable interaction with the microbial target. Conclusion: Thus EOIPL was explored to possess bactericidal activity against common infectious bacteria and could in incorporated in therapeutic natural antibiotic formulations as with future studies

ROLE OF EBSELEN, A SELENOORGANO COMPOUND IN CISPLATIN INDUCED NEPHROTOXICITY IN WISTAR RATS

Objective: Nephrotoxicity is encountered worldwide, irrespective of several factors, but drug induced nephrotoxicity is a complication that is attributed to the high dose and even low dose of drugs. Cisplatin, a platinum complex used in the chemotherapy of several solid tumors was found to have a chief dose limiting side effect namely nephrotoxicity, which occurred due to lipid peroxidation and formation of reactive oxygen species. Ebselen, a eleno organo compound, a glutathione peroxidase mimic with anti-oxidant activity was used in our study to evaluate its nephro protective potential. Methods: Male wistar rats, 6-8 wks old, weighing 180-200 grams were used for the study, which was carried out for a period of 7 wks. Animals were divided into five groups; each group consisting of 6 animals. Group I served as control. Group IV & V received the test drug Ebselen in doses of 10 mg/kg & 20 mg/kg respectively. Group III received Amifostine at 50 mg/kg. The drugs were administered once a week intraperitoneally for 5 wks. Nephrotoxicity was induced at a dose of 5 mg/kg single dose for groups II to V in the 6th wk and the drugs in group III, IV & V continued for 5 days post induction. In the 7th wk blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis and kidney tissues for histopathological study. Results: The serum urea, creatinine levels were significantly increased in Cisplatin group compared to other groups. The estimation of antioxidant levels (catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidise) was significantly decreased in cisplatin group and increased in other groups. The estimation of Malondialdehyde an indicator of lipid peroxidation was significantly increased in group II and decreased in drug treated group. Histopathology results of animals treated with Cisplatin showed inflammatory changes such as tubular degeneration, edema, and necrosis, infiltration of cells in tubular interstitum, mild intertubular hemorrhage and atrophy of glomeruli which was severe in group II. Some changes were also observed in Group III, IV and V animals but with less severity. Conclusion: The result of our study effectively proves the antioxidant potential of Ebselen in ameliorating Cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity

Study on nephroprotective effect of Ebselen in cisplatin induced renal damage in rats

Background: Renal dysfunction arises as a result of exposure to medicines, industrial or environmental chemicals. Cisplatin is a major antineoplastic drug used for the treatment of solid tumors. Its chief dose limiting side effect is nephrotoxicity; 20% of patients receiving high-dose cisplatin have severe renal dysfunction. Ebselen a promising antioxidant, was used to explore the nephroprotective effect.Methods: The rats were divided into five groups; each group consisting of 6 animals. The experimental design included one control group and four experimental groups. The study was carried out for a period of 7 wks. The test drug Ebselen in group 4 and 5 and the reference standard drug Amifostine in group 3 was administered once a week intraperitoneally for 5 weeks. Nephrotoxicity was induced by cisplatin (5mg/kg IP) in the 6th week, following this the drug Amifostine in group 3 and Ebselen in group 4 and 5 will be continued twice a day for 5 consecutive days post induction. Urine samples were collected and sent for determination of urine creatinine and albumin.Results: The Urine creatinine level and albumin level estimation in group II show significant renal damage as compared to control group. The statistical reduction in urine creatinine and urine albumin level in Ebselen treated group I (10mg/kg), Ebselen group V (20mg/kg) as compared to Cisplatin group II show a potential reduction in renal damage. Ebselen treated group V showed a reduction in urine creatinine and urine albumin as same as in group III.Conclusions: This study brings to a close that Ebselen lessens Cisplatin induced renal damage

Natural plant resources in anti-cancer therapy-A review

Cancer is one of the most common devastating disease affecting millions of people peryear. Cancer has been estimated as the second leading cause of death in humans. So therehas been an intense search on various biological sources to develop a novel anti-cancer drugto combat this disease. Plants have proved to be an important natural source of anti-cancertherapy for several years. About 30 plant derived compounds have been isolated so far andare currently under clinical trials. These anti-cancer compounds have been found to beclinically active against various types of cancer cells. Further research in this area may leadto better treatment of cancer

ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIALS AND SIMULTANEOUS ESTIMATION OF QUERCETIN, RUTIN, AND GALLIC ACID IN CURCUMA SPECIES

Objective: This study was designed to provide simple and cost-effective methods to quantify the biologically active phenolic compounds such as rutin, quercetin, and gallic acid from Curcuma species and evaluation of the antioxidant potentials of different parts with different solvent extracts of Curcuma species.Methods: Ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer was used for the analysis of quercetin, rutin, gallic acid and total flavonoid content of Curcuma species extracts. Antioxidant potentials of Curcuma species extracts were evaluated using 2-2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity.Results: Ethyl acetate extract of Curcuma aromatica rhizome, aerial part contain higher quantity of quercetin and rutin compared to the other extracts, and also Curcuma species such as Curcuma longa and Curcuma amada contains high antioxidant capacity. The total flavonoid content was high in ethyl acetate extract of Curcuma aromatica as 88.35±0.25 μg/g dry weight of quercetin equivalents.Conclusion: Different extracts of Curcuma species possess good free radical scavenging activity and the IC50 of Curcuma amada aerial part, Curcuma longa aerial part, and Curcuma aromatica rhizome was 61.65±1.75, 62.95±1.85, and 89.40±0.15 (μg/ml), respectively. The Curcuma species contains high total phenolic compounds and antioxidant potentials

NEPHROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF LYCOPENE IN HYPERGLYCEMIA INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS IN MALE WISTAR RATS

Objective: Diabetes mellitus is the chronic metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia associated with absolute or relative deficiency in insulin secretion or insulin action. The most commonly accepted cause of diabetes is the oxidative damage that is caused by free radicals generation. Free radicals have high ability to attract electrons from macromolecules such as carbohydrates, protein, lipid and DNA. Excessive Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can cause structural deterioration and instability of the macromolecules, consequently affecting proper cellular signaling pathways, gene regulation and function. The present study was conducted to investigate the nephroprotective effect of lycopene in alloxan induced type I diabetes. Methods: Male wistar rats were divided in to 5 groups 6 in each. Group1 as control, Group II. III,IV and V were diabetic groups. Group II diabetic control, Group III treated with protamine zinc insulin 0.9 u/100 gm s. c. Group IV and V treated with 2.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg of lycopene. After 3 weeks blood samples were collected from all the groups of animals to measure Lipid peroxidation. Serum glucose, urea and creatinine. Results: The serum Glucose, urea and creatinine were significantly increased in untreated diabetic rats. In addition, there was significant rise in lipid peroxidation. Conclusion: In this study, oxidative damage with diabetes was ameliorated with administration of lycopene. The results of this study indicate that lycopene is an effective nutritional component to alleviate or prevent the complications