Immunomodulatory activity of butanol fraction of Gentiana olivieri Griseb. on Balb/C mice

Objective:To explore the immunomodulatory properties of 80% ethanol extract and butanol fraction of Gentiana olivieri(G. olivieri) Griseb on Balb/C mice.Methods:The study was performed with basic models of immunomodulation such as the humoral antibody response(hemoglutination antibody titres), cell mediated immune response(delayed type hypersensitivity and in vivocarbon clearance or phagocytosis). Ethanol(80%) extract of flowering aerial parts of G.olivieriand its butanol fraction were administered p.o.(orally) to the mice. Levamisole, 2.5 mg/kg was used as standard drug.Results:There was a potentiation of immune response to sheep red blood cells by cellular and humoral mediated mechanisms comparable to levamisole(2.5 mg/kg) by both 80% ethanol extract and the butanol fraction at doses of 50-200 mg/kg in male Balb/C mice. Both significantly(P<0.01) potentiated the humoral immune response in cyclophosphamide(250 mg/kg)immunosupressed mice at 100 and 200 mg/kg of each extract and fraction as compared to control.The potentiation of delayed type hypersensitivity response was statistically significant(P<0.01) at200 mg/kg of ethanol extract and 100, 200 mg/kg of butanol fraction as compared to control. The phagocytosis was significant at 200 mg/kg with butanol fraction ofG. olivieri.Conclusions:The results reveal the immunostimulant effects of plantG. olivieriin mice by acting through cellular and humoral immunity in experimental models of immunity in mice. Butanol fraction is the most effective at a dose level of 200 mg/kg.

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of methanolic extract of flowers of Nerium oleander against CCl_4-induced liver injury in rats

Objective:To investigate the antioxidant and hepatoproteetive activity of methanolic flower extract of Nerium oleander against CCl4—induced hepatotoxicity in rats.Methods:In vitro antioxidant activity of methanolic extract of dowers of Nerium oleander（MENO-F） was evaluated by various assays,including reducing power,lipid peroxidation.DPPH.ARTS,superoxide anion,hydroxyl radicals and metal chelation.The hepatoproteetive and in vivo antioxidant activity of MENO-F were evaluated against CCl4-induced hepatic damage in rats.The MENO-F at dose of 100.200 and 400 mg/kg were administered orally once daily for seven days.Serum enzymatic levels of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase（AST）,serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase（ALT）,serum alkaline phosphatase（ALP） and total bilirubin were estimated along with estimation of superoxide dismutase（SOD） and malondialdehvde（MDA） levels in liver tissues.Further histopathological examination of the liver sections was carried out to support the induction of hepalotoxicity and hepatoproteetive efficacy.Results:The extract showed potent activities on reducing power,lipid peroxide.DPPH.ABTS.superoxide anion,hydroxyl radical and metal chelation.The substantially elevated serum enzymatic levels of AST,ALT.ALP and total bilirubin were found to he restored towards normalization significantly by the MENO-F in a dose dependent manner with maximum hepatoprotection at 400 mg/kg dose level.The histopathological observations supported the biochemical evidences of hepatoprotection.Elevated level of SOD and decreased level of MDA further strengthen the hepatoproteetive observations. The results of the present study strongly reveal that MENO-F has potent antioxidant activity and hepatoproteetive activity against CCl4—induced hepatic damage in experimental animals.

Plants Used as Antihypertensive

Hypertension is a critical health problem and worse other cardiovascular diseases.It is mainly of two types:Primary or essential hypertension and Secondary hypertension.Hypertension is the primary possibility feature for coronary heart disease,stroke and renal vascular disease.Herbal medicines have been used for millions of years for the management and treatment of hypertension with minimum side effects.Over aim to write this review is to collect information on the anti-hypertensive effects of natural herbs in animal studies and human involvement as well as to recapitulate the underlying mechanisms,from the bottom of cell culture and ex-vivo tissue data.According to WHO,natural herbs/shrubs are widely used in increasing order to treat almost all the ailments of the human body.Plants are the regular industrial units for the invention of chemical constituents,they used as immunity booster to enhance the natural capacity of the body to fight against different health prob-lems as well as herbal medicines and food products also.Eighty percent population of the world(around 5.6 billion people)consume medicines from natural plants for major health concerns.This review provides a bird’s eye analysis primarily on the traditional utilization,phytochemical constituents and pharmacological values of medicinal herbs used to normalize hypertension i.e.Hibiscus sabdariffa,Allium sativum,Andrographis paniculata,Apium graveolens,Bidenspilosa,Camel-lia sinensis,Coptis chinensis,Coriandrum sativum,Crataegus spp.,Crocus sativus,Cymbopogon citrates,Nigella sativa,Panax ginseng,Salviaemiltiorrhizae,Zingiber officinale,Tribulus terrestris,Rauwolfiaserpentina,Terminalia arjuna etc.

Benzimidazole derivatives: search for GI-friendly anti-inflammatory analgesic agents

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) have been successfully used for the alleviation of pain and inflammation in the past and continue to be used daily by millions of patients worldwide. However, gastrointestinal(GI) toxicity associated with NSAIDs is an important medical and socioeconomic problem. Local generation of various reactive oxygen species plays a significant role in the formation of gastric ulceration associated with NSAIDs therapy. Co-medication of antioxidants along with NSAIDs has been found to be beneficial in the prevention of GI injury. This paper describes the synthesis and biological evaluation of N-1-(phenylsulfonyl)-2-methylamino-substituted-1H-benzimidazole derivatives as anti-inflammatory analgesic agents with lower GI toxicity. Studies in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that the antioxidant activity of the test compounds decreased GI toxicity.