Cytisus scoparius link - A natural antioxidant

BACKGROUND: Recent investigations have shown that the antioxidant properties of plants could be correlated with oxidative stress defense and different human diseases. In this respect flavonoids and other polyphenolic compounds have gained the greatest attention. The plant Cytisus scoparius contains the main constituent of flavone and flavonals. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant activities of extract of aerial part of Cytisus scoparius. METHODS: The plant extract was tested for DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl, 2-picryl hydrazyl) radical scavenging, nitric oxide radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, antilipid peroxidation assay, reducing power and total phenol content. RESULTS: The extract exhibited scavenging potential with IC(50 )value of 1.5 μg/ml, 116.0 μg/ml and 4.7 μg/ml for DPPH, nitric oxide and superoxide anion radicals. The values were found to lesser than those of vitamin C, rutin, and curcumin, as standards. The extract showed 50% protection at the dose of 104.0 μg/ml in lipid peroxidation induced by Fe(2+)/ ascorbate system in rat liver microsomal preparation. There is decrease in hydroxyl radical generation with IC(50 )value of 27.0 μg/ml when compared with standard vitamin E. The reducing power of the extract depends on the amount of extract. A significant amount of polyphenols could be detected by the equivalent to 0.0589 μg of pyrocatechol from 1 mg of extract. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in the present study indicate that hydro alcoholic extract of aerial part of Cytisus scoparius is a potential source of natural antioxidants

Marker analysis of polyherbal formulation, Triphala – A well known Indian traditional medicine

379-383Triphala is one of the ages old; most commonly used polyherbal preparation in Indian System of Medicine (ISM) particularly in Ayurveda. A rapid, simple, and accurate method with high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) has been developed to standardize Triphala and its individual component using gallic acid (GA) as analytical marker compound. Methanol extracts of Triphala, Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia belerica were used for HPTLC on silica gel plates. The Rf of GA was found to be 0.80 with densitometric scanning at 254 nm and the calibration plot was linear in the range of 400 ng to 1800 ng of GA. The correlation coefficient, 0.999, was indicative of good linear dependence of peak area on concentration. The GA content in Triphala with its individual constituents like Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia belerica, was found to be 14.38, 17.50, 16.60 and 11.92 mg g⁻¹. This method permits reliable quantification of GA with good resolution and separation of the same from other constituents of extracts of Triphala and its constituents. Recovery values from 96.86 to 98.71% showed the reliability and reproducibility of the method. The proposed HPTLC method for quantitative monitoring of GA in Triphala and its constituents can be used for routine quality testing and similar methods can be developed for other herbal formulations

<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Ocimum sanctum </i>L. a potential angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor useful in hypertension

83-87The main objective of this study was to determine the in vitro Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibition and antioxidant activity of standardized extract of the Ocimum sanctum L. leaves and its fractions. The ACE inhibition activity and antioxidant activity were investigated by UV method. In ACE inhibition method, the synthetic substrate hippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine was allowed to react with a test sample containing ACE, to produce hippuric acid. Dried hippuric acid was dissolved in distilled water, the absorbance of the solution was determined in the ultraviolet region and from the concentration of hippuric acid and the ACE inhibition activity was calculated. The antioxidant activity of the plant extract/fractions were examined on the basis of the scavenging effect on the stable DPPH free radical activity. Different concentrations of methanol extract of O. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">sanctum L. and eugenol were subjected to HPLC analysis using the mobile phase (methanol: water: acetic acid; 60 %: 40 %: 1 %). O. sanctum L. oil, eugenol and ethyl acetate fractions showed the maximum ACE inhibition activity in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 value of 32.11 ± 3.6, 42.16 ± 2.7 and 56.83 ± 2.8 µg/mL, respectively. Strong DPPH radical scavenging was also found in O. sanctum L. oil, methanol extract and ethyl acetate fractions, showing IC50 value of 40.31± 3.5µg/mL, 105.62 ± 4.6 and 145.31 ± 5.8µg/mL, respectively. O. sanctum L. extract/fractions, eugenol and O. sanctum L<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">. oil inhibited ACE in concentration-dependent manner

Evaluation of Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition and anti-oxidant activity of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Piper longum </i>L.

478-482The present study was aimed to investigate the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibition and antioxidant activity of the standardized hydro alcoholic extract of Piper longum <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic" lang="EN-GB">L. fruits, its fractions and isolated piperine. Extract and its fractions were standardized with reference to marker piperine by HPLC method. ACE inhibition activity was estimated using hippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine (HHL) as substrate. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH radical scavenging method. Among all the fractions tested, ethyl acetate and butanol fractions showed the maximum ACE inhibitory activity in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 value of 1.40 ± 0.07 mg/ml and 1.75 ± 0.43 mg/ml respectively. Potential DPPH radical scavenging effect was elicited by the extract and ethyl acetate fraction with IC50 value of 193.12 ± 0.43 µg/ml and 247.78 ± 0.20 µg/ml, respectively. Though piperine showed ACE inhibition and scavenging of DPPH radical but not significant compared to the ethyl acetate fraction. <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: " ms="" mincho";mso-fareast-language:ja;mso-bidi-language:bn"="" lang="EN-GB">P. longum can be explored further as a functional food to be useful as antihypertensive. The present experiment justifies its traditional claim as antihypertensive agent. </span

Ocimum sanctum L. a potential angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor useful in hypertension

The main objective of this study was to determine the in vitro Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibition and antioxidant activity of standardized extract of the Ocimum sanctum L. leaves and its fractions. The ACE inhibition activity and antioxidant activity were investigated by UV method. In ACE inhibition method, the synthetic substrate hippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine was allowed to react with a test sample containing ACE, to produce hippuric acid. Dried hippuric acid was dissolved in distilled water, the absorbance of the solution was determined in the ultraviolet region and from the concentration of hippuric acid and the ACE inhibition activity was calculated. The antioxidant activity of the plant extract/fractions were examined on the basis of the scavenging effect on the stable DPPH free radical activity. Different concentrations of methanol extract of O. sanctum L. and eugenol were subjected to HPLC analysis using the mobile phase (methanol: water: acetic acid; 60 %: 40 %: 1 %). O. sanctum L. oil, eugenol and ethyl acetate fractions showed the maximum ACE inhibition activity in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 value of 32.11 ± 3.6, 42.16 ± 2.7 and 56.83 ± 2.8 µg/mL, respectively. Strong DPPH radical scavenging was also found in O. sanctum L. oil, methanol extract and ethyl acetate fractions, showing IC50 value of 40.31± 3.5µg/mL, 105.62 ± 4.6 and 145.31 ± 5.8µg/mL, respectively. O. sanctum L. extract/fractions, eugenol and O. sanctum L. oil inhibited ACE in concentration-dependent manner

Amitriptyline-induced ventricular tachycardia: a case report

Abstract Background In Bangladesh, each emergency physician faces amitriptyline overdose nearly a day. An acute cardiovascular complication, one of the worst complications is mainly responsible for the mortality in tricyclic overdose. Recently, we managed ventricular tachycardia in a young female presented with an impaired consciousness 10 h after intentionally ingesting 2500 mg amitriptyline. Here, we report it, discuss how the electrocardiography is vital to acknowledge and predict it and its’ complications and also the recent update of the management of it. Case presentation A young married Bangladeshi-Bengali girl, 25-year-old, having a history of disharmony with her husband, came with an impaired consciousness after intentionally ingesting 2500 mg amitriptyline about 10 h before arrival. There was blood pressure 140/80 mmHg, heart rate 140 beats-per-min, temperature 103 °F, Glasgow coma scale 10/15, wide complex tachycardia with QRS duration of 178 ms in electrocardiography, blood pH 7.36. Initially, treated with 100 ml 8.4% sodium bicarbonate. After that, QRS duration came to 100 ms in electrocardiography within 10 min of infusion. To maintain the pH 7.50–7.55 over the next 24 h, the infusion of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate consisting of 125 ml dissolved in 375 ml normal saline was started and titrated according to the arterial blood gas analysis. Hence, a total dose of 600 mmol sodium bicarbonate was given over next 24 h. In addition to this, gave a 500 ml intravenous lipid emulsion over 2 h after 24 h of admission as she did not regain her consciousness completely. Afterward, she became conscious, though, in electrocardiography, ST/T wave abnormality persisted. So that, we tapered sodium bicarbonate infusion slowly and stopped it later. At the time of discharge, she was by heart rate 124/min, QRS duration 90 ms in electrocardiogram along with other normal vital signs. Conclusion Diagnosis of amitriptyline-induced ventricular tachycardia is difficult when there is no history of an overdose obtained. Nevertheless, it should be performed in the clinical background and classic electrocardiographic changes and wise utilization of sodium bicarbonate, intravenous lipid emulsion, and anti-arrhythmic drugs may save a life

Clinical Study of 'Triphala' – A Well Known Phytomedicine from India

Triphala' is an age old commonly used Ayurvedic powdered preparation in Indian systems of medicine. This well known formulation is made by combining Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belarica and Emblica officinalis, in equal proportions based on the observation of Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). The formulation is prescribed in the first line treatment of many aliments and is used as laxative, detoxifying agent and rejuvenator. To establish its clinical validity the present work was undertaken to evaluate its therapeutic potentials and adverse effects. The Triphala formulation was standardized by HPTLC (High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography), using Gallic acid as a marker and was subjected to clinical studies. After proper screening 160 patients of age between 16–52 years were selected for 45 days clinical study. The effectiveness of trial drugs were judged on the basis of the subjective and objective parameters. It was observed that the amount, frequency and consistency of stool were improved in Triphala treated group. The changes of odor, mucous, flatulence, belching and abdominal pain where also taken into account. The well being was assessed on the basis of the parameters like concentration, appetite, thirst, sleep, hyperacidity in arbitrary scoring system. Triphala was found to have good laxative property, help in management of hyperacidity and also improve appetite. No adverse effect was observed in the treated group when compared to normal patients. Triphala can be used effectively in the treatment of constipation and other gastric problems

Exploring the Effect of Hesperetin–HSPC Complex—A Novel Drug Delivery System on the In Vitro Release, Therapeutic Efficacy and Pharmacokinetics

Hesperetin is known to exhibit a variety of pharmacological activities in mammalian cell systems. Although it shows appreciable bioavailability when administered orally, its faster elimination from body creates the need of frequent administration to maintain effective plasma concentration. To overcome this limitation, a phospholipid complex of hesperetin was prepared and evaluated for antioxidant activity and pharmacokinetic profile. The hesperetin content of the complex was determined by a spectrophotometer and the surface characteristics of the complex were studied by means of microscope. The antioxidant activity was evaluated in carbon-tetrachloride-intoxicated rats at a dose level of 100 mg/kg body weight, p.o. The complex was studied for in vitro drug release characteristics and effect of complexation on serum concentration of hesperetin in rats was also studied along with main pharmacokinetic parameters. The results showed that the complex has a sustained release property and enhanced antioxidant activity (P < 0.05 and <0.01) as compared to free hesperetin at the same dose level. Pharmacokinetic study depicted that the complex has higher relative bioavailability and acted for a longer period of time. The study therefore suggests that phospholipid complex of hesperetin produced better antioxidant activity than free drug at the same dose level and the effect persisted for a longer period of time, which may be helpful in solving the problems of faster elimination of the molecule