Assessment of in vitro biological activities of Terminalia arjuna Roxb. bark extract and Arjunarishta in inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer

306-313Alternative or complementary therapies for several inflammatory disorders have gained considerable acceptability and popularity in recent years. The Arjuna tree, Terminalia arjuna Roxb. (Combretaceae) holds antidiarrheal and antioxidant potential useful in management of inflammatory gastro intestinal ailments. Here, we evaluated the possible effect of T. arjuna hydroalcoholic extract (TAHA) and traditional Ayurvedic formulation Arjunarishta (AA) for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer. The phytochemical profile of test materials was confirmed via investigation of total phenolic and flavanoid content and standardized by HPLC-PDA method. In vitro antioxidant activity was carried out using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay. Antimicrobial potential was tested against clinical isolates of IBD patients (HM95, HM233, HM251, HM615). Cytotoxicity was determined against human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco2, COLO.205), whereas, cytocompatibility against normal rat intestinal epithelial (IEC-6) and mouse fibroblast cells (L929). Additionally, in vitro oxidative cell damage stress was estimated by lipid peroxidation biomarker. TAHA displayed higher antioxidant capacity as compared to AA formulation. Different sensitivities were observed against different study cell lines in dose dependant manner. Similarly, significant (P <0.05) enhanced malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in test materials and 5-FU treated colorectal adenocarcinoma cells was detected as compared to control cells. TAHA and AA exhibited antimicrobial activity against IBD associated clinical isolates. These findings provide biological evidence for therapeutic application of TAHA and AA in IBD and colorectal cancer treatment

INHIBITORY EFFECT OF A STANDARDIZED HYDROETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF TERMINALIA ARJUNA BARK ON ALPHA-AMYLASE ENZYMEINHIBITORY EFFECT OF A STANDARDIZED HYDROETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF TERMINALIA ARJUNA BARK ON ALPHA-AMYLASE ENZYME

 Objective: The present study was initiated to screen the hydroethanolic bark extract for α-amylase inhibitory activity and standardization of the Terminalia arjuna for polyphenolic phytochemicals using high-performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array (HPLC-PDA) method.Methods: The T. arjuna bark sample was extracted with ethanol: water (70:30 v/v) using Soxhlet extraction. A Dionex P680 HPLC system was used to acquire chromatograms. The screening of extract of T. arjuna bark has performed for in vitro α-amylase inhibitory assay. Each experiment was repeated 3 times. All values were expressed mean ± standard deviation.Results: The content of arjunetin, arjungenin, gallic acid, ellagic acid, and quercetin was 0.47, 8.22, 2.443, 7.901, and 3.20 mg/g, respectively, in a hydroethanolic extract of T. arjuna. The hydroethanolic extract of T. arjuna bark and acarbose has shown an inhibitory activity with an IC50 value 145.90 and 62.35 μg/mL, respectively.Conclusion: The hydroethanolic extract T. arjuna bark demonstrates α-amylase inhibitory activity due to a synergistic effect of the phytochemical constituents present in it. This study suggests that one of the mechanisms of this plant for antidiabetic activity is through the inhibition of α-amylase enzyme

Phytochemical characterization of <em>ayurvedic</em> formulations of <em>Terminalia arjuna</em>: A potential tool for quality assurance

127-132Ayurveda has gained worldwide attention due to its efficacy. With the growing need for safer drugs, attention has been drawn to their quality and standards of the Ayurvedic formulations. Ayurveda describes the formulation of Terminalia arjuna (T. arjuna) as a potent drug for dyslipidemia, cardiac disorders, and diabetes. It is administered as arishta, ghritah (medicated ghee) or as a powder. Thus, the main objective of the present work was to characterize Arjunarishta (AA) and Arjuna ghritah (AG) - ayurvedic formulations using arjunetin and arjungenin by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array Detector (HPLC-PDA) method. The presence of marker contents in the AA, AG, and T. arjuna hydroalcoholic extract (TAHA) was identified using retention time (Rt) and UV spectra matching with corresponding reference standards. The content of arjunetin and arjungenin was 0.47 and 8.22 mg/g in TAHA; 206.38 and 0.00 µg/mL in AA; 190.58 and 285.48 µg/mL in AG. These quantitative estimations were consistent with earlier reports on TAHA. The results of the present study indicate the charecterization of Arjunetin and Arjungenin phytochemical markers in AG, and AA formulations, which have not been, reported so far. These finding will certainly help in the quality assurance during manufacturing of AG and AA formulations

Anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidaemic effect of Arjunarishta in high-fat fed animals

Background: Arjunarishta (AA), a formulation used as cardiotonic is a hydroalcoholic formulation of Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight and Arn. (TA) belonging to family Combretaceae. Objective: To evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effect of Arjunarishta on high-fat diet fed animals. Materials and methods: High-fat diet fed (HFD) Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups and treated with phytochemically standardized Arjunarishta (1.8 ml/kg), and hydroalcoholic extract of T. arjuna (TAHA) (250 mg/kg) and rosuvastatin (10 mg/kg), for 3 months. Intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test, blood biochemistry, liver triglyceride and systolic blood pressure were performed in all the groups. Effect of these drugs on the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and peroxisome proliferators activated receptor γ coactivator 1-α (PGC-1α) were studied in liver tissue using Quantitative Real-time PCR. Results: HFD increased fasting blood glucose, liver triglyceride, systolic blood pressure and gene expression of TNF-α, IRS-1 and PGC-1α. Treatment of AA and TAHA significantly reduced fasting blood glucose, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These treatments significantly decreased gene expression of TNF-α (2.4, 2.2 and 2.6 fold change); increased IRS-1 (2.8, 2.9 and 2.8 fold change) and PGC-1α (2.9, 3.7 and 3.3 fold change) as compared to untreated HFD. Conclusion: Anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic effect of Arjunarishta may be mediated by decreased TNF-α and increased PGC-1α and IRS-1. Keywords: Rosuvastatin, Type 2 diabetes, Insulin sensitizer genes, Arjunarisht