• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.252-259
• /
• 2008

The chloroform extract of Croton roxburghii (Family: Euphorbiaceae) was evaluated for its antipyretic effects in Brewer's yeast induced hyperthermia in rats. The anti-inflammatory effect of the Croton roxburghii was also evaluated by using carrageenan, dextran, histamine, serotonin induced rat paw oedema and cotton pellet induced granuloma (chronic) models in rats. The chloroform extract of Croton roxburghii (CECR) exhibited significant anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory effect at the dose 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Maximum inhibition (55.32%) was notedat the dose of 200 mg/kg after 3 h of drug treatment in carrageenan induced paw oedema, whereas the Indomethacin (standard drug) produced 61.33% of inhibition. The extract exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in dextran induced paw edema in a dose dependent manner. In the chronic model (cotton pellet induced granuloma) the CECR (200 mg/kg) and Indomethacin (10 mg/kg) showed decreased formation of granuloma tissue by 52.32% and 56.32% respectively. The extract also exhibited a significant antipyretic response in Brewer's yeast induced pyrexia in rats. Thus, the present study revealed that the CECR exhibited significant antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activity in the tested animal models.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.339-349
• /
• 2009

An attempt has been made to assess whether the dose dependent effect of benzene extract of Ocimum sanctum leaves on the morphological changes in the cauda epididymal spermatozoa and sperm parameters in male albino rats. Scanning Electron Microscope observations illustrate the disturbance in plasma membrane as well as acrosomal membrane. Most of the sperms appear morphologically abnormal in the mid region of the tail; there is formation of balloon like cytoplasmic droplet. Sperm parametric study exhibits decrease in the total sperm count, sperm motility, forward velocity and increase in the percentage of abnormal sperms in dose dependent manner on treatment benzene extract of Ocimum sanctum leaves. The results suggest that the effects may have resulted from a general disturbance in the proteins and alteration in cauda epididymal milieu probably due to androgen deficiency consequent upon antiandrogenic property of Ocimum sanctum leaves.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.191-195
• /
• 2003

Euphorbia hirta, locally called 'ara tanah' or 'susun nabi' in Malaysia is a small annual herb common to the tropical countries and belongs to the same family as the tic and tapioca. E. hirta has had a long history of usage in the treatment of various ailments. In this current study, in vitro sensitivity test of crude aqueous and ethanol extracts of leaves and barks of E. hirta was carried out against bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylocccus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and fungi (Microsporum canis, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis) using the discs diffusion method. The extract-impregnated discs (20, 40 and $80\;{\mu}g/{\mu}l$), the E. hirta extracts inhibited the growth of all the bacteria tested. The growth of C. albicans was inhibited in a concentration dependent manner by the aqueous leaves and barks extracts. C. tropicalis was found to be sensitive to the aqueous leaves extracts. The results were compared to antibacterial drugs of chloramphenicol, ampicilin, penicillin G, and enrofloxacine; and to antifungal drug of ketoconazole, itraconazole and miconazole. In this current study, it can be concluded that this plant has antimicrobial activity that is as potent as the standard antimicrobial drugs against certain microorganisms.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.178-186
• /
• 2008

In this study, ionotropic gelation method was used for the preparation of ibuprofen-loaded calcium alginate (CALG) and ethylenediamine (EDA) treated calcium alginate (EDA-CALG) microspheres. The effect of EDA-treatment on drug entrapment efficiency, particle size, morphology, swelling behavior and in vitro release characteristics of the microspheres was investigated by varying its concentration from 0.5 to 2% (v/v). The reduction in drug entrapment efficiency by a maximum of 44.60% was noted for EDA-CALG microspheres compared to untreated CALG microspheres. The particle size and swelling index of EDA-CALG microspheres were reduced with increasing EDA concentration. All the microspheres were observed to retain their spherical shapes with rough surfaces. EDA-CALG microspheres prepared using 1% and 2% v/v EDA, released almost all of its content within 7 h in pH 6.8 phosphate buffer, however, CALG microspheres were found to release the same within 3 h. The intensity of melting endothermic peak of ibuprofen reduced significantly at lower drug load as experienced from DSC thermograms. The FT-IR spectrum of pure ibuprofen, ibuprofen-loaded CALG and EDA-CALG microspheres showed the characteristic band of C = O stretching vibration of ibuprofen. Hence, this study revealed that EDA can be employed for the preparation of ibuprofen-loaded CALG microspheres to retard the drug release to some extent.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.58-66
• /
• 2009

Allergic conjunctivitis is the most common allergic disease. These diseases are severe & frequent which requires search of new treatments. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of Tinospora cordifolia (TC), Rubia cordifolia Linn. (RC) on experimentally induced allergic conjunctivitis in rats. In this study, dried water soluble extracts of TC and RC. (250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o. for 7 days) were evaluated for their antiallergic activity in Wistar rats. They were tested for inhibition of egg albumin-induced vascular permeability, inhibition of histamine release from the rat conjunctiva as well as in histamine content in tears. TC and RC showed significant (P < 0.05) inhibition in vascular permeability, inhibition in histamine release from the rat conjunctiva which is reflected by reduced level of histamine content in tears. The activities were found to be comparable to azelastine hydrochloride. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect on egg albumin-induced experimental allergic conjunctivitis in rat may be due to the antihistaminic activity of TC and RC. Our studies provide evidence that TC and RC may be beneficial in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.90-99
• /
• 2003

There are several data in the literature indicating a great variety of pharmacological activities of Polypodium genus, which exhibit antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. Since one of our main interests is to obtain natural immunoregulatory agents devoid of pharmacological adverse effects, we used flow cytometry analysis to highlight relative contributions of a water-soluble fraction of different concentrations of Polypodium rhizome extracts on lymphocyte subpopulations, NK and LAK activity. To measure their potential immunoregulatory activity a T cell proliferation assay in response to phytohemaglutinin (PHA) and mixed lymphocyte reactions were chosen. As a confirmatory bioassay we studied the effect of our extracts on CD45RO and CD95 antigen expressions. The results indicate that CD95 expression dramatically increases after peripheral blood lymphocyte activation and treatment with Polypodium leucotomus, cambricum and vulgare extracts, suggesting a powerful intrinsic pro-apoptotic effect.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.225-231
• /
• 2009

The present study deals with the amelioration by Lagerstroemia speciosa Linn. leaf extract against hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$), which was evaluated in terms of serum marker enzymes like serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, serum total bilirubin, total protein levels along with concomitant hepatic and antioxidants like superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and lipid peroxidation enzymes were monitored. These biochemical parameters altered by the single dose level of $CCl_4$ (0.75 ml/kg body weight, i.p). Pre treatment with L. speciosa prior to the administration of $CCl_4$, at the doses of 50 and 250 mg/kg. body weight/day, p.o. for 7 days, significantly restored all the serum and liver tissue parameters near to the normal levels, respectively. Silymarin was used as a reference standard, prior to the administration of $CCl_4$ to rats. These findings indicate the protective potential of L. speciosa against hepato toxicity which possibly involve mechanism related to its ability of selective inhibitors of (reactive oxygen species like antioxidants brought about significant inhibition of TBARS suggesting possible involvement of $O_2{\cdot}-$, $HO_2{\cdot}$, and ${\cdot}OH$. In conclusion, the amelioration may be attributed to the synergistic effects of its constituents rather than to any single factor as the leaves are rich in tannins, sterols, flavonoids, saponins etc.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.17-22
• /
• 2008

Sopungsan (SS) is a traditional Korean decoction used for the treatment of dermatitis. The aim of this study is to confirm whether or not SS has a preventive effect on the development of atopic dermatitis in dinitrochlorobenzene-applied Nc/Nga mice. SS was administered orally to Nc/Nga mice, which led to the remarkable suppression of the development of dermatitis, as determined by a histological examination and the serum IgE levels. Moreover, SS inhibited the production of thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) and its mRNA expression in a keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT, which had been stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$). Activation of the nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) or activator protein-1 (AP-1) is one of key steps in the signaling pathways mediating induction of TARC. In this study, SS selectively suppressed NF-${\kappa}B$ activation which may be essential for TARC expression in $TNF-{\alpha}/IFN-{\gamma}$ treated keratinocytes. The inhibitory effect of SS on NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and TARC production might be associated with the anti-dermatitic effects of SS.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.164-170
• /
• 2008

The hepatoprotective activity of the alcoholic extract of Rosa damascena was studied against paracetamol induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats. Liver damage was assessed by estimating serum enzyme activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and histopathology of liver tissue. Pre- and post-treatment with ethanolic extracts showed a dose-dependent reduction of paracetamol induced elevated serum levels of enzyme activity. The mechanism underlying the protective effects was assayed in vitro and the R. damascena extracts displayed dosedependent free radical activity using DPPH ($IC_{50}=162.525\;{\mu}g/ml$) and TBA method. The hepatoprotective action was confirmed by histopathological observation. The ethanolic extracts reversed paracetamol induced liver injury. These results suggest that the hepatoprotective effects of R. damascena extracts are related to its antioxidative activity.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.659-665
• /
• 2020

Adenophorae Radix (AR) has been used as a traditional medicine for various diseases. However, the regulatory mechanisms of AR in allergic inflammation are not yet understood. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect and mechanisms of AR on the mast cell-mediated allergic response. To determine the pharmacological mechanisms of AR in allergic inflammation, we evaluated the effects of AR on the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and IL-8 as well as the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and caspase-1 in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate plus calcium ionophore A23187 (PMACI)-stimulated human mast cells (HMC-1). Our results demonstrated that AR effectively attenuated the PMACI-induced production of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and IL-8 in stimulated HMC-1. Additionally, we showed that the inhibitory effect of AR on inflammatory cytokines in PMACI-stimulated HMC-1 cells involved the suppression of the activation NF-kB/caspase-1 in PMACI-stimulated HMC-1. Collectively, these findings provide experimental evidence that AR may be a useful candidate for the treatment of allergic inflammation.