22 research outputs found
Ficus racemosa Stem Bark Extract: A Potent Antioxidant and a Probable Natural Radioprotector
Ethanol extract (FRE) and water extract (FRW) of Ficus racemosa (family: Moraceae) were subjected to free radical scavenging both by steady state and time resolved methods such as nanosecond pulse radiolysis and stopped-flow spectrophotometric analyses. FRE exhibited significantly higher steady state antioxidant activity than FRW. FRE exhibited concentration dependent DPPH, ABTS•−, hydroxyl radical and superoxide radical scavenging and inhibition of lipid peroxidation with IC50 comparable with tested standard compounds. In vitro radioprotective potential of FRE was studied using micronucleus assay in irradiated Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells (V79). Pretreatment with different doses of FRE 1h prior to 2 Gy γ-radiation resulted in a significant (P < 0.001) decrease in the percentage of micronucleated binuclear V79 cells. Maximum radioprotection was observed at 20 μg/ml of FRE. The radioprotection was found to be significant (P < 0.01) when cells were treated with optimum dose of FRE (20 μg/ml) 1 h prior to 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4 Gy γ-irradiation compared to the respective radiation controls. The cytokinesis-block proliferative index indicated that FRE does not alter radiation induced cell cycle delay. Based on all these results we conclude that the ethanol extract of F. racemosa acts as a potent antioxidant and a probable radioprotector
Adaptogenic and <i style="">in vitro</i> antioxidant activity of flavanoids and other fractions of <i style="">Argyreia speciosa</i> (Burm.f) Boj. in acute and chronic stress paradigms in rodents
53-60Argyreia speciosa (sweet) (Burm.f.) Boj. is an Ayurvedic rasayana plant used as an adaptogen. The present study reports the investigations done on the adaptogenic property of ethanol (EtAS; 100 and 200 mg/kg; po), ethyl acetate (EAAS; 100 and 200 mg/kg; po) fraction and flavanoids such as quercetin and kaempferol (25 mg/kg; po) of the root. Immobilization induced acute stress (AS; 3 days) and chronic stress (CS; 7 days) and swimming induced stress models were used to screen the anti-stress effect of the plant fractions and isolated flavanoids. The tested doses of EtAS and isolated flavanoids were able to produce significant effects in normalizing altered serum biochemical parameters and the severity of ulcer in both AS and CS models. Higher dose of EtAS, quercetin and kaempferol (25 mg/kg; po) were found to be significant in restoring the hypertrophy of adrenal gland and atrophy of spleen and thymus gland only in CS model. Greater swimming time was noted in the mice pretreated with tested doses of flavanoids and EtAS. In addition, levels of adrenal ascorbic acid and cortisol were restored compared to stress control group. EtAS exhibited significant scavenging effect of DPPH, hydroxyl radical and LPO. Thus, EtAS, quercetin and kaempferol are capable of increasing the capacity to tolerate non-specific stress in experimental animals, as evident from restoration of large number of parameters in the stress models studied. Bioactivity of EtAS may be due to the synergetic action of isolated flavanoids. Improvement in stress markers may be due its prolong effect of resistance to stress and partly due to free radical scavenging activity
Antidiabetic effect of <i style="">Dodonaea viscosa </i>(L). Lacq. aerial parts in high fructose-fed insulin resistant rats: A mechanism based study
800-810To study the effect and mode of action of water extract (DVW) and polar
fraction of ethanol extract (DVE-4) of D.
viscosa in high-fructose diet induced insulin resistance in male Wistar
rats. D. viscosa’s effects
were evaluated on a battery of targets involved in glucose homeostasis (in vitro studies). Rats were rendered insulin
resistant by feeding 66% (w/w) fructose and 1.1% (v/w) coconut oil mixed with
normal pellet diet (NPD) for six weeks. DVW and DVE4 at different doses
were administered simultaneously. At the end of the study, blood glucose, oral
glucose tolerance test, lipid profile and insulin were estimated and
homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) levels were calculated. In addition, enzymatic and non-enzymatic
liver antioxidant levels were also estimated. Quantification of biomarker
quercetin was done using HPLC. Fructose diet with DVW, DVE-4 significantly
reduced blood glucose, serum insulin, HOMA, lipid profiles and significantly improved
glucose tolerance and HDL-c levels. In addition, these extract and fraction
also decreased oxidative stress by improving
endogenous antioxidants. In different bioassays, DVW and DVE-4 inhibited protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B with IC50
65.8 and 54.9 g/ml respectively and showed partial inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV.
Moreover, DVW and
DVE-4, at 10 mg/ml showed 60 and 54.2% binding to peroxisome proliferator-activated
receptor-g. Further, 2.1% (w/w) of quercetin was quantified in bioactive-DVE-4 using
HPLC method. The results provide
pharmacological evidence of D. viscosa
in treatment of prediabetic conditions and these effects may be mediated by interacting
with multiple targets operating in diabetes mellitus
Hepatocurative potential of sesquiterpene lactones of Taraxacum officinale on carbon tetrachloride induced liver toxicity in mice
The hepatocurative potential of ethanolic extract (ETO) and sesquiterpene lactones enriched fraction (SL)
of Taraxacum officinale roots was evaluated against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatotoxicity
in mice. The diagnostic markers such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase
(AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin contents were significantly elevated, whereas significant
reduction in the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and enhanced hepatic lipid peroxidation, liver
weight and liver protein were observed in CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Post-treatment with ETO
and SL significantly protected the hepatotoxicity as evident from the lower levels of hepatic enzyme
markers, such as serum transaminase (ALT, AST), ALP and total bilirubin. Further, significant reduction
in the liver weight and liver protein in drug-treated hepatotoxic mice and also reduced oxidative stress by
increasing reduced glutathione content and decreasing lipid peroxidation level has been noticed. The
histopathological evaluation of the liver also revealed that ETO and SL reduced the incidence of liver
lesions induced by CCl4. The results indicate that sesquiterpene lactones have a protective effect against
acute hepatotoxicity induced by the administration of CCl4 in mice. Furthermore, observed activity of SL
may be due to the synergistic action of two sesquiterpene lactones identified from enriched ethyl acetate
fraction by HPLC method