16 research outputs found
Hepatoprotective studies of aqueous leaf and root extracts of Barringtonia acutangula (L.) Gaertn. against ethanol induced hepatic stress in rats
Full text linkThe liver is of vital importance in intermediary metabolism and in the elimination of toxic substances. To maintain the liver in a healthy condition is crucial for overall wellbeing of an individual. A number of plants have been the sources of raw materials for various drug formulations used to treat liver ailments. Barringtonia acutangula (L.) Gaertn., is one of the medicinal plant used in Ayurveda which is well-known to have hepatoprotective property. In the present study, the hepatoprotection of aqueous leaf (LWBA) and root (RWBA) extracts of B. acutangula, at doses 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg were evaluated on ethanol induced hepatic damage in Wistar strain, male albino rats (150-200 g body weight). The liver protective efficacy of the extracts was indicated by reduced levels of serum enzymes, bilirubin, lipid peroxidation and improvement in glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase and protein content in a dose dependent manner. The results obtained in the enzyme assays were supported by the histopathological observations. The findings shows that the LWBA extract has better hepatoprotection against ethanol induced liver injury than RWBA extract and also justify the Ayurvedic applications of B. acutangula in the management of liver diseases
Gallic acid: A promising genoprotective and hepatoprotective bioactive compound against cyclophosphamide induced toxicity in mice
No full textGenoprotective effects of gallic acid against cisplatin induced genotoxicity in bone marrow cells of mice
No full textGallic acid is a natural polyhydroxy-phenolic compound. The objective of this study is to evaluate the protective effects of gallic acid against chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin induced damage in bone marrow cells of mice.</p
Immunomodulatory effect of leaf extracts of <em>Barringtonia acutangula</em> (L.) Gaertn.
No full text689-693The presence of immunostimulant compounds in higher plants has been extensively reviewed but only a limited number of immunomodulatory products of plant origin have been reported. The present investigation was designed to get an in depth understanding of the efficacy of crude extracts of leaf of Barringtonia acutangula as immunomodulatory agent on experimental rats. The oral administration of aqueous and methanolic leaf extracts (LWBA and LMBA) of B. acutangula for 14 days was found to stimulate the non specific arm of immunity. Haemagglutinating antibody (HA) titre test was performed to know humoral antibody response of LWBA and LMBA extracts at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg doses. Results obtained showed significant (p < 0.001) increase in antibody production in response to sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) at both doses when compared with Cyclophosphamide treated control group. Cyclophosphamide induced suppression of humoral immune response was significantly attenuated by daily oral treatment of LWBA and LMBA extracts at a dose of 400 mg/kg. LWBA extract showed slightly more HA titre than LMBA extract. The results justify that the LWBA and LMBA extracts of B. acutangula have a strong potential to be explored further as an immune-based herbal therapy
Reversal of restraint stress caused dendritic atropy in rats by Nardostachys jatamansi
No full text353-361Hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of brain have distinct role in encoding and retrieval of memories. Uncontrollable
stress may influence the structural alterations of limbic brain regions and atropy of neurons mainly in the regions like the
prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Nardostachys jatamansi (D. Don) DC (NJE) is a perennial herb and is known for its
anti-Parkinson’s, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, hypotensive and anti-diabetic activities. Even though, it is an effective
therapeutic intervention for memory impairment but, its effect on the neurons of the hippocampus is not clear. In this
context, the effect of NJE on chronic restraint stress induced dendritic atropy in rats was studied. Male Wistar rats
underwent 21 days of restraint stress in a close fitting rodent restrainer. In combined treatment groups rats were treated with
alcoholic extract of NJE at dosage of 200 mg/kg bw for 21 days along with chronic restraint stress. The dendritic
morphology of neurons was studied in Golgi-impregnated sections. Stress produced dendritic atropy significantly increased
the dendritic branching and intersections in experimental rats. Interestingly, treatment of stressed rats with NJE extract
resulted in the reversal of stress induced the dendritic atrophy. These results demonstrate that atrophy of dendritic neurons
caused by chronic restraint stress may be responsible for learning and memory impairment. Co-treatment of rats with NJE
showed enhancement in the dendritic branching in the hippocampus. Furthermore, NJE treatment significantly increased
superoxide dismutase activity and total antioxidant capacity in frontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum regions of brain.
Thus, our findings suggest that NJE is a potential neuroprotector, which might be beneficial in the treatment of stress
induced memory impairment
The modulatory effect of septilin on cytotoxicity of cisplatin in a human breast adenocarcinoma cell line
Full text link435-441Cisplatin (Csp) is a recurrently used chemotherapeutic drug but its use is inadequate due to undesirable adverse effects. In search of alternative medicine more attention has been given to phytochemicals. Septilin (Spt), a polyherbal drug and its therapeutic potential is huge but there is a scarcity of studies on its cytotoxic potential on cancer cells. The current study was designed to examine the effects of Spt in combination with Csp on human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and normal human breast epithelial (MCF-10A) cell lines. Cell viability for Spt treated cells was studied using MTT assay. IC50 value of Csp on MCF-7 cells was found to be 10 µg/mL at 24 h. This dose was further used to study the combined effects of Csp with Spt on MCF-7 and MCF-10A cell lines. Maximum cytotoxicity of Spt on MCF-7 cells was observed at Spt 5 µg/mL. The mechanism of Spt induced cytotoxicity was studied using apoptosis assay. Spt did not show any cytotoxic effects on MCF-10 A normal human breast epithelial cells, indicating Spt has no effect on normal cells. Our findings suggest that Spt can be used in combination with an anticancer drug Csp to increase its efficacy and/or to minimize its side effects on normal cells
Gamma Radiation-Induced DNA Damage in Adults of the Coffee Berry Borer, Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
No full textUsing comet assay DNA damage in the cells of Hypothenemus hampei adults was assessed following irradiation from a 60Co source at gamma radiation doses 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, 1600 and 3200 Gy. The survival of exposed adults at different interval of time was assessed for the same doses of radiation. Radiation-induced DNA damage measured by increased strand breaks at higher doses was significantly different from intact cells found in control, where the increase in damage was dose-dependent. The survival of the exposed adults was dose-dependent. Doses of 1600 and 3200 Gy resulted in 100% mortality within 15 days of irradiation. The absence of significant radiation induced changes in DNA damage and survival of adults at lower doses indicates greater tolerance to radiation. The study provides useful information about the radiation sensitivity of H. hampei to develop an effective method for the control of the borer in harvested coffee
Stent Thrombogenicity Early in High Risk Interventional Settings is Driven by Stent Design and Deployment, and Protected by Polymer-Drug Coatings
Full text linkAuthor Manuscript: 2012 April 5Background—Stent thrombosis is a lethal complication of endovascular intervention. Concern has been raised about the inherent risk associated with specific stent designs and drug-eluting coatings, yet clinical and animal support is equivocal.
Methods and Results—We examined whether drug-eluting coatings are inherently thrombogenic and if the response to these materials was determined to a greater degree by stent design and deployment with custom-built stents. Drug/polymer coatings uniformly reduce rather than increase thrombogenicity relative to matched bare metal counterparts (0.65-fold; P=0.011). Thick-strutted (162 μm) stents were 1.5-fold more thrombogenic than otherwise identical thin-strutted (81 μm) devices in ex vivo flow loops (P<0.001), commensurate with 1.6-fold greater thrombus coverage 3 days after implantation in porcine coronary arteries (P=0.004). When bare metal stents were deployed in malapposed or overlapping configurations, thrombogenicity increased compared with apposed, length-matched controls (1.58-fold, P=0.001; and 2.32-fold, P<0.001). The thrombogenicity of polymer-coated stents with thin struts was lowest in all configurations and remained insensitive to incomplete deployment. Computational modeling–based predictions of stent-induced flow derangements correlated with spatial distribution of formed clots.
Conclusions—Contrary to popular perception, drug/polymer coatings do not inherently increase acute stent clotting; they reduce thrombosis. However, strut dimensions and positioning relative to the vessel wall are critical factors in modulating stent thrombogenicity. Optimal stent geometries and surfaces, as demonstrated with thin stent struts, help reduce the potential for thrombosis despite complex stent configurations and variability in deployment
Reversal of restraint stress caused dendritic atropy in rats by Nardostachys jatamansi
Full text linkHippocampus and prefrontal cortex of brain have distinct role in encoding and retrieval of memories. Uncontrollable stress may influence the structural alterations of limbic brain regions and atropy of neurons mainly in the regions like the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Nardostachys jatamansi (D. Don) DC (NJE) is a perennial herb and is known for its anti-Parkinson’s, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, hypotensive and anti-diabetic activities. Even though, it is an effective therapeutic intervention for memory impairment but, its effect on the neurons of the hippocampus is not clear. In this context, the effect of NJE on chronic restraint stress induced dendritic atropy in rats was studied. Male Wistar rats underwent 21 days of restraint stress in a close fitting rodent restrainer. In combined treatment groups rats were treated with alcoholic extract of NJE at dosage of 200 mg/kg bw for 21 days along with chronic restraint stress. The dendritic morphology of neurons was studied in Golgi-impregnated sections. Stress produced dendritic atropy significantly increased the dendritic branching and intersections in experimental rats. Interestingly, treatment of stressed rats with NJE extract resulted in the reversal of stress induced the dendritic atrophy. These results demonstrate that atrophy of dendritic neurons caused by chronic restraint stress may be responsible for learning and memory impairment. Co-treatment of rats with NJE showed enhancement in the dendritic branching in the hippocampus. Furthermore, NJE treatment significantly increased superoxide dismutase activity and total antioxidant capacity in frontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum regions of brain. Thus, our findings suggest that NJE is a potential neuroprotector, which might be beneficial in the treatment of stress induced memory impairment.
Effect of gamma radiation as a post-harvest disinfestation treatment against life stages of the coffee berry borer, <i>Hypothenemus hampei</i> (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
No full textPurpose: Gamma radiation is mainly used for disinfesting insect pests as an alternative for harmful fumigants. The specific dose of radiation is known to affect different developmental stages of insect pests. The study was conducted to determine the effective irradiation doses for inhibition of developmental stages and adult longevity of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari). Materials and methods: Irradiation was carried with the following doses: five levels between 0.01 and 0.16 kGy for eggs, seven levels between 0.10 and 2.00 kGy for larva and prepupa, six levels between 0.10 and 1.60 kGy for pupa and ten levels between 0.10 and 3.20 kGy for adults. Results: Egg development was completely arrested at 0.160 kGy. A dose of 2.00 kGy caused 100% mortality in the first and second instar larva and 98.99% mortality in prepupa. The dose of 1.60 kGy prevented adult eclosion from the irradiated pupa. The adult mortality was 100% at 3.20 kGy. Conclusion: A dose of 3.20 kGy could successfully provide complete security from all developmental stages of H. hampei and prevent yield loss in green coffee as well as the spread of the pest. Mortality rate of egg, larva, prepupa, pupa and adult of Hypothenemus hampei at different doses of radiation.</p
