Preliminary phytochemical screening and Evaluation of hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic extract of whole plant of Evolvulus alsinoides using CCl4 induced model in experimental animals

Present study was conducted to evaluate the preliminary phytochemical screening and hepatoprotective activity of whole plant of Evolvulus alsinoides. The whole plant was defatted with petroleum ether and then extracted with 90 % ethanol. The phytochemical screening was done for ethanol extract using standard procedures. Acute toxicity was done using OECD 423 guidelines and the extract was found to be practically non-toxic upto a dose of 1500mg/kg b.w. when given orally. Hepatoprotective activity was evaluated using Carbon tetra chloride induced model in rats. In CCl4 induced mothod of 90% Ethanolic extract of whole plant of Evolvulus alsinoides (75 & 150mg/kg b.w.) produced significant dose dependent hepatoprotective activity. Histopathological studies could be carried out to assess the degree of damage. The hepatoprotective effect of the aforesaid extract was substantiated by pentobarbital sleeping time experiment in mice. The effect of the extracts at 150 mg/kg was compared to that of the reference drug, Silymarin (50 mg/kg). In vitro antioxidant studies were conducted to confirm the antioxidant mechanism involved in their hepatoprotective activity in CCl4-induced in rats. The presence of flavonoids could be responsible for hepatoprotective activity

ASSESSMENT ON KNOWLEDGE OF DIABETIC PATIENTS ON THEIR DISEASE AND THERAPEUTIC GOAL AT AYDER REFERRAL HOSPITAL, MEKELLE, ETHIOPA

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic illness that requires continuing medical care and patient self-management education to prevent acute and long term complications. The aim of this study was to assess diabetic patients’ knowledge of their disease and therapeutic goals at Ayder referral Hospital. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted on139 diabetic patients, who attended outpatient Diabetes clinic of Ayder Referral Hospital. Data was collected through face-to-face interview using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. SPSS version 16 was used to analyze the data. The result showed that out of 139 patients, Seventy six (54.7%) of them were men. Overall the general knowledge of patients was found as; 41(29.5%) scored good, 32(23%) scored moderate and 66(47.5%) scored poor. From all the patients, 38 (27.3%) had good knowledge, 30(21.6%) had moderate and 71(51.1%) scored poor on disease related questions and 38 (27.3%) scored good, 49(35.3%) moderate and 52(37.4%) scored poor on therapeutic goal related question types. In this study patients had Knowledge deficit about their disease, which limits their involvement in the management of their disease. This study emphasizes the need for diabetes education at all levels to tackle diabetes-related complications. Key words: Knowledge, disease, diabetes, self-management, therapeutic goal Ayder Referral Hospita

Evaluation of the Effect of Hydroethanolic Root Extract and Solvent Fractions of Cyphostemma adenocaule (Steud. ex A. Rich) Descoings ex Wild & Drummond on Cell-Mediated Immune Response and Blood Cell Count in Mice

Introduction. Cyphostemma adenocaule (Steud. ex A. Rich) Descoings ex wild & Drummond (Vitaceae) has been used in traditional medicine for the management of various immunological and hematological disorders in different areas of Ethiopia and the rest of the world. In Ethiopia, the plant is used for the management of enlarged spleen, rabies virus, helminthic infection, snake bite, and various types of tumors. Objective. To evaluate the effect of hydroethanolic root extract and solvent fractions of Cyphostemma adenocaule on cell-mediated immunity (delayed-type hypersensitivity), organ index (spleen and liver), and blood cell count in Swiss albino mice. Materials and Methods. Acute oral toxicity test was conducted using nulliparous and nonpregnant Swiss albino mice following OECD 425 limit test method. Delayed-type hypersensitivity model was used to evaluate the effect on cell-mediated immunity. The experimental animals were divided into twelve groups which were sensitized and challenged with sheep red blood cells on day 0 and day 7, respectively. Levamisole 50 mg/kg was used as stimulant control, whereas cyclophosphamide 30 mg/kg was used as suppressant control. Hydroethanolic root extract (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg), aqueous fraction (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg), and n-butanol fraction (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg) were administered for seven days. The paw volume was measured using a digital plethysmometer before challenge and 24 hours after challenge. Blood was collected, and organs (spleen and liver) were isolated from each challenged mouse to determine blood cell count and organ index, respectively. Results. No mortality and noticeable behavioral changes were observed among all mice receiving hydroethanolic root extract and solvent fractions at a dose of 2000 mg/kg. Hydroethanolic root extract and solvent fractions of Cyphostemma adenocaule showed enhancement of delayed-type hypersensitivity, organ index, and blood cell count. Hydroethanolic root extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg showed the highest and statistically significant stimulation of delayed-type hypersensitivity (0.123 ± 0.010) and blood cell count compared to the vehicle. Conclusion. Hydroethanolic root extract and solvent fractions of Cyphostemma adenocaule showed a stimulatory effect on cell-mediated immunity and hematopoiesis

Antimalarial Activity of Meriandra dianthera Leaf Extracts in Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice

Objective. To evaluate the antimalarial effect of aqueous methanolic extract and solvent fractions of Meriandra dianthera leaves against Plasmodium berghei in mice model. Method. M. dianthera leaves were extracted with 80% methanol and dried. The dried crude extract was then defatted and further fractionated with chloroform, ethyl acetate, and butanol. Acute oral toxicity test was performed as per the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development guideline 425. Peter’s 4-day suppressive test was used to determine the in vivo antimalarial activity of the extract and fractions. Result. The crude leaf extract of Meriandra dianthera showed parasite inhibition of 42.28% and 45.52% at doses of 400 and 600 mg/kg, respectively, as compared to the negative control. Moreover, the mice which received chloroform and aqueous fractions at the dose of 400 mg/kg/day showed significant (P<0.001) chemosuppression compared to the negative control. Both the extract and fractions were able to prevent P. berghei induced body weight loss and body temperature reduction and also increased the survival time of the mice as compared to the negative control. The aqueous methanolic leaf extract of M. dianthera showed no gross signs of toxicity or mortality in mice until a single oral dose of 2000 mg/kg. Conclusion. The extracts of M. dianthera leaves showed promising antimalarial activity, with no sign of toxicity and therefore may support its traditional use for the treatment of malaria

Organoruthenium(II) compounds with pyridyl benzoxazole/benzthiazole moiety: studies on DNA/protein binding and enzyme mimetic activities

<p>We report herein synthesis and characterization of four new organoruthenium(II) complexes of the type [RuH(CO)(PPh₃)₂(<b>L</b>_<b>1,2</b>)]Cl (<b>1</b>, <b>3</b>) and [Ru(CO)(Cl)₂(AsPh₃)(<b>L</b>_<b>1,2</b>)] (<b>2</b>, <b>4</b>) derived from the reaction of [RuHCl(CO)(EPh₃)₃] (E = P or As) with 2-(pyridine-2yl)benzoxazole (<b>L</b>_<b>1</b>) and 2-(pyridine-2yl)benzthiazole (<b>L</b>_<b>2</b>). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction data of <b>2</b> proved octahedral geometry of the complexes with a 1 : 1 ratio between the metal and the coordinated ligands. The binding affinities of <b>1</b>–<b>4</b> toward calf-thymus DNA (CT-DNA) and BSA were thoroughly studied by various spectroscopic techniques. Furthermore, the coordination compounds exhibit catecholase-like activities in the aerial oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol to the corresponding <i>o</i>-quinone and phosphatase-like activities in the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl phosphate to 4-nitrophenolate ion. The kinetic parameters have been determined using Michaelis–Menten approach. The highest <i>k</i>_cat values suggested that coordination compounds exhibit higher rates of catalytic efficacy.</p