EVALUATION OF IN VITRO CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF PETROLEUM ETHER AND METHANOL EXTRACT OF MENTHA ARVENSIS (WHOLE PLANT) ON HUMAN CANCER CELL LINES

Objective: Mentha arvensis (MA) commonaly known as Mint or Pudina, belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It is an aromatic herb traditionally used as an antiseptic, antihelmintic, diuretic, digestive, expectorant and cardio tonic. The objective of the present investigation was to examine in vitro cytotoxic activity of crude whole plant extracts of MA. Methods: Crude extracts were prepared from whole dried plant of MA by Soxhlet apparatus, using solvents petroleum ether (60°- 80°) and methanol successively. In vitro cytotoxic activity of crude extracts was evaluated by Sulforhodamine B assay on three human cancer cell-lines of different tissues i.e. A-549 (lung), MCF-7 (breast) and COLO-205 (colon). Hemolytic activity of crude extracts of MA on human RBCs was also checked. Results: Methanol extract of MA was observed to be significantly more cytotoxic in dose dependent manner than Petroleum ether extract of MA with IC50 ranging from 120-165µg/ml for selected cell lines. Methanol and petroleum ether extracts of MA were found to have no hemolytic effect on RBCs suggesting membrane destabilization is not the mechanism of action for their cytotoxic activity. Conclusion: This study suggests potential anti-tumor activity of Mentha arvensis and a need for further studies to identify the active component/s and to understand their mechanism/s of action

Synthesis and antifungal potential of 1,2,3-triazole and 1,2,4-triazole thiol substituted strobilurin derivatives

908-917<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-US">β-Methoxyacrylate group is an important pharmacophore of commercially used strobilurin fungicides. In the present study, a total of seventeen 1,2,4-triazole thiols 8a-h and 1,2,3-triazole substituted 10a-i strobilurin derivatives have been synthesized. 1,2,4-Triazole thiol substituted strobilurin derivatives 8a-h have been found to inhibit the growth of plant pathogens such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Fusarium oxysporum, Magnaporthe grisea, Drechslera oryzae and human pathogens <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Aspergillus fumigatus and different strains of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Cryptococcus neoformans, with MIC in the range of 16-256 μg/mL. In case of Candida albicans tested strain, the MIC is > 256 μg/mL. p-Chlorophenyl substituted 1,2,4-triazole thiol strobiulrin derivative <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">8e is the most potent inhibitor with MIC of 16-64 μg/mL against most of the tested pathogens. Antifungal action of the compounds is due to inhibition of mitochondrial respiration. In the resazurin reduction assay, EC50 for inhibition of RZ reduction in D. oryzae by azoxystrobin and 8e are 3.42±0.03 μg/mL and 3.63±0.21 μg/mL, respectively; while in case of C. neoformans, EC50 of azoxystrobin and 8e are between 0.65-0.85 µg/mL. In a non-pathogenic model Benjaminiella poitrasii, though the MIC for all the synthesized compounds 8a-h and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">10a-i are > 256 µg/ml, yeast to hypha transition is inhibited in the range of 21-75% at 4 μg/mL concentration while EC50 for inhibition of RZ reduction by azoxystrobin and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">8e are 31.5 ±0.4 μg/mL and 17.95 ± 0.7 μg/mL, respectively. The 50% germ tube formation inhibition in case of C. albicans is observed at 108.49 µg/mL. 1,2,4-Triazole thiol substituted strobilurin derivatives hold promise for the control of pathogenic fungi in agriculture and health care.</span

Gastroprotective effect of Oxalis corniculata (whole plant) on experimentally induced gastric ulceration in Wistar rats

The objective of the present study was to investigate the antiulcer activity of methanol extract of Oxalis corniculata (whole plant) using pylorus ligation and indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration in Wistar rats. The extract was preliminary evaluated for acute oral toxicity test using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development guidelines 423. Further, it was studied for antiulcer potential at the dose levels of 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg. Ranitidine was used as a standard drug (100 mg/kg). Acid secretory parameters like gastric volume, pH, total acidity and free acidity were measured in pylorus ligation model, whereas numbers of ulcers, ulcers score and ulcer index was measured in pylorus ligated and indomethacin treated rats. Pretreatment of test extract significantly (p<0.05) decreased the gastric volume, total acidity, free acidity and increase in the pH of the gastric fluid in pylorus-ligated rats. It also showed significant (p<0.05) decrease in number of ulcers, ulcers score and ulcer index in pylorus ligated and indomethacin treated rats. Results of the study suggest that, the methanol extract of Oxalis corniculata possesses significant antisecretory and antiulcer effects and justify the traditional usage of this herb to treat peptic ulcers