Antiasthmatic activity of Nyctanthes arbortristis leaves

Nyctanthes arbortristis Linn. (Oleaceae) is one of the well known medicinal plants. It is commonly known as "Night Jasmine". As traditionally the plant is used in the treatment of asthma and cough it was our objective to study its antiasthmatic potential using suitable models. Various extracts of the plant were screened for antihistaminic activity by studying the effect of the extracts on clonidine and haloperidol-induced catalepsy in mice. Antiallergic effect was studied by checking effect of the extracts on milk-induced leukocytosis and eosinophilia. Mast cell stabilization by the extracts was studied in mice. Results showed that petroleum ether extract had better antihistaminic, antiallergic and mast cell stabilization property than other extracts. β-sitosterol was identified from the petroleum ether extract having antiasthmatic activity, so we can say that the antiasthmatic activity of N. arbortristis leaves is may be due to presence of β-sitosterol.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Bioactive components from Gynandropsis gynandra leaves for antinociceptive activity

Gynandropsis gynandra Linn. (Capparadiaceae) leaves are used in the treatment of pain traditionally. In order to evaluate its scientific validity, leaves were extracted successively to produce various extracts. These extracts were screened for antinociceptive activity using hot plate test and acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice at the dose of 100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally. Aqueous extract was found most active in both the tests. Further it was fractionated into four major fractions and were screened by the same tests at the dose of 25 mg/kg, i.p. Results showed that AQI fraction is most active and may responsible for the antinociceptive action. GC-MS analysis of AQI fraction showed that it is a mixture of benzene acetic acid ethyl ester, octaneoic acid, dodecanal, and cholest-4-en-26-al, 3-oxo-, cyclic 26-(ethylene acetate).Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Bioactive components from Gynandropsis gynandra leaves for antinociceptive activity

Gynandropsis gynandra Linn. (Capparadiaceae) leaves are used in the treatment of pain traditionally. In order to evaluate its scientific validity, leaves were extracted successively to produce various extracts. These extracts were screened for antinociceptive activity using hot plate test and acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice at the dose of 100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally. Aqueous extract was found most active in both the tests. Further it was fractionated into four major fractions and were screened by the same tests at the dose of 25 mg/kg, i.p. Results showed that AQI fraction is most active and may responsible for the antinociceptive action. GC-MS analysis of AQI fraction showed that it is a mixture of benzene acetic acid ethyl ester, octaneoic acid, dodecanal, and cholest-4-en-26-al, 3-oxo-, cyclic 26-(ethylene acetate).Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Hepatoprotective fraction from aerial parts of Delonix regia

The present study deals with the amelioration by Delonix regia aerial parts extract against hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), which was evaluated in terms of serum marker enzymes like aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, albumine, total protein, direct bilirubine and total bilirubine. These biochemical parameters were alter by the single dose of CCl4 (2 ml/kg, p.o.). Pretreatment with D. regia extracts prior to administration of CCl4, at the dose of 400 mg/kg p.o. per day for 7 days, significantly restored all the serum and liver tissue parameters near to the normal levels. Silymarine was used as reference standard. Amongst all the fractions, ethyl acetate fraction showed best protective potential of D. regia aerial parts against hepatotoxicity.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Bioactive components from Gynandropsis gynandra leaves for antinociceptive activity

Gynandropsis gynandra Linn. (Capparadiaceae) leaves are used in the treatment of pain traditionally. In order to evaluate its scientific validity, leaves were extracted successively to produce various extracts. These extracts were screened for antinociceptive activity using hot plate test and acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice at the dose of 100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally. Aqueous extract was found most active in both the tests. Further it was fractionated into four major fractions and were screened by the same tests at the dose of 25 mg/kg, i.p. Results showed that AQI fraction is most active and may responsible for the antinociceptive action. GC-MS analysis of AQI fraction showed that it is a mixture of benzene acetic acid ethyl ester, octaneoic acid, dodecanal, and cholest-4-en-26-al, 3-oxo-, cyclic 26-(ethylene acetate).Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Immunomodulating activity of Celosia argentea Linn aerial parts

Aerial parts of Celosia argentea Linn. (Amaranthaceae) were extracted with 70 % ethanol and water to produce respective extracts. These extracts were screened for delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH), neutrophil adhesion test and cyclophosphamide-induced myelosuppression to assess the effect on immunity in Swiss albino mice at the dose of 50 and 100 mg/kg, i.p. Results showed significant immunomodulating activity of aqueous extract.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Anticataleptic activity of various extracts of the aerial parts of Achyranthes aspera

Achyranthes aspera is traditionally used in the treatment of cough and bronchitis and therefore it was our objective to study the effect various extracts of the plant on clonidine and haloperidol induced catalepsy to study its antihistaminic effect. Petroleum ether extract (200 mg/kg, i.p.) of the plant significantly inhibited clonidine-induced catalepsy but not inhibited haloperidol-induced catalepsy. This proves the antihistaminic activity of the plant. The extract was standardized by HPTLC in presence of standard β-sitosterol, which proves that the antihistaminic activity may be due to β-sitosterol.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Effect of Tephrosia purpurea roots extracts on acetic acid induced colitis in mice

Tephrosia purpurea L. (Leguminosae), commonly known as Unhali in Marathi is a copiously branched perennial herb. Traditionally the roots of this plant are used in the treatment of ulcer and colic pain. So the present work was undertaken to validate its use in the treatment of ulcerative colitis by using suitable scientific methods. Shade dried and coarsely powdered roots were subjected to successive extraction with ethanol and water. The dried extracts (100 and 200 mg/kg) were screened for ulcerative colitis using the method acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis in mice. Macroscopical study of the colon, level of myeloperoxidase in colon and histopathology of the colon tissue were studied for the assessment of the activity. Results showed that aqueous extract was significantly effective in the treatment of ulcerative colitis at dose of 200 mg/kg. It can be concluded that the polar constituents of T. purpurea L. may be useful in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

In vitro studies of antistress and antiallergic effects of semecarpus anacardium fruit in asthma

Semicarpus anacardium Linn. (Anacardiaceae) is a deciduous moderate sized tree. The plant is commonly known as Ballataka (Sanskrit), Bhela (Hindi) and marking nut in English. Fruits are acrid and sweet and used traditionally in the treatment of asthma. Allergy and stress are important contributing factors in asthma; hence, our objective was to study the effect of plant extracts on milk-induced leucocytosis (antistress) and milk-induced eosinophilia (antiallergic) as no work is done in this direction and to check a possible antiasthmatic role of the plant. Extracts were given at the dose of 50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o., to mice. Ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts showed significant decrease in leukocytes and eosinophils count. These results confirm the use of S. anacardium fruits as antistress and antiallergic agents in the treatment asthma.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Applications of raman spectroscopy in dentistry part II: Soft tissue analysis

Raman spectroscopy is rapidly moving from an experimental technique for the analysis of biological molecules to a tool for the real-time clinical diagnosis and in situ evaluation of the oral tissue in medical and dental research. The purpose of this study is to identify various applications of Raman spectroscopy, to evaluate the contemporary status and to explore future directions in the field of dentistry. Several in-depth applications are presented to illustrate Raman spectroscopy in early diagnosis of soft tissue abnormalities. Raman spectroscopy allows to analyze histological and biochemical composition of biological tissues. The technique not only demonstrates its role in the disclosure of dysplasia and malignancy but also in performing guided biopsies, diagnosing sialoliths, and assessment of surgical margins. Raman spectroscopy is used to identify the molecular structures and its components to give substantial information about the chemical structure properties of these molecules. In this paper, we acquaint the utilization of Raman spectroscopy in analyzing the soft tissues in relation to dentistry