Journal of herbal pharmacotherapy最新文献

The antihypertensive and diuretic effects of the aqueous extract of Retama raetam Forssk. (RR) leaves were studied in both normotensive (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In SHR rats, daily oral administration of RR (20 mg/kg) for three weeks exhibited a significant reduction in blood pressure. The systolic blood pressure decreased significantly from the seventh day (P < 0.01) and persisted through the end of treatment (P < 0.001) in SHR rats. The RR significantly enhanced the diuresis in WKY rats (P < 0.001). Furthermore, oral administration of RR at a dose of 20 mg/kg produced a significant increase on urinary excretion of sodium (P < 0.05), potassium (P < 0.01) and chlorides (P < 0.01) in SHR rats. In WKY rats, RR treatment induced a significant increase on urinary potassium elimination (P < 0.05) without affecting sodium and chloride excretion. Irbesartan (Avapro) 20 mg/kg (body weight), an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, was used as reference drug. No significant changes were noted in heart rate after RR treatment in SHR as well as in WKY rats. Glomerular filtration rate showed a significant increase after RR administration in WKY rats (P < 0.01) and a no significant increase in SHR rats. These results suggest that oral administration of aqueous RR extract exhibited antihypertensive and diuretic effects in SHR rats and diuretic action in WKY rats.

This study is an evidence-based systematic review including written and statistical analysis of scientific literature, expert opinion, folkloric precedent, history, pharmacology, kinetics/dynamics, interactions, adverse effects, toxicology, and dosing.

Diabetes was induced in Groups II, III and IV rats by alloxan monohydrate at the rate of 180 mg/kg body weight. Body weight increased significantly (p < 0.05) after Coldenia procumbens treatment. Treatment with C. procumbens significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the blood glucose level from 394.17 +/- 10.52 (mg/dl) to 152.83 +/- 2.15 (mg/dl) in rats when compared with diabetic control group of rats. Serum triglyceride levels decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from 152.33 +/- 2.75 (mg/dl) to 109.17 +/- 1.74 (mg/dl) in C. procumbens-treated rats. Treatment with C. procumbens significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the serum cholesterol level from 59.83 +/- 1.01 (mg/dl) to 44.33 +/- 1.96 (mg/dl) in rats. The analysis of data indicates that the test drug has good hypoglycemic effect in diabetic rats.

This study was done to investigate the antimicrobial potentiality of the marine algae collected from different coastal regions of Gujarat and screened for the same. Twenty-six marine algae belonging to Rhodophyceae, Chlorophyceae and Phaeophyceae were screened for their potential antibacterial activity against five clinically important bacterial strains, namely Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus flavus, Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas testosterone. Acetone and methanol were used for extraction; and the extracted yield was more when the solvent used was methanol. The antibacterial activity was done by both Agar disc diffusion method and Agar ditch method. The five bacterial strains showed varied response towards marine algal extracts. The most susceptible bacteria was B. cereus followed by K. pneumoniae and C. freundii while the most resistant bacteria were M. flavus and P. testosteroni. Among the 26 algae screened, E. intestinalis was the most potent alga and thus, this alga was selected for further studies. E. intestinalis was extracted in petroleum ether, 1,4-dioxan, acetone, methanol and DMF, and their antibacterial activity was studied against the above-stated five bacterial strains using agar disc method. Maximum extractive value of E. intestinalis was in methanol (2.05%) and minimum was in acetone (0.38%). The most susceptible bacteria was K. pneumoniae and maximum antibacterial activity was shown by petroleum ether extract and minimum was shown by 1,4-dioxan extract. The most resistant bacteria were M. flavus and C. freundii. The MIC values of E. intestinalis extracts ranged from 2500-9.765 microg/0.5 ml against B. cereus and K. pneumoniae. From these results it is concluded that the acetone extract of E. intestinalis is the most potent extract and can be used as a lead molecule in drug discovery in inhibiting some of the bacterial strains. E. intestinalis can be used as a promising novel marine antimicrobial agent in the coming years.

In the present work, we demonstrated that the mixture of alpha- and beta-amyrin (AMI) from Protium heptaphyllum has antinociceptive activity as was evident from the writhing and formalin tests in mice. AMI (10 and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) inhibited writhing in 73 and 94%, respectively, while preferentially inhibiting the 2nd phase of the response (37 and 51; and 60 and 73% inhibitions of the 1st and 2nd phases, respectively) to the formalin test. Naloxone, an opioid antagonist, did not reverse the antinociceptive effect. AMI (50 mg/kg, i.p.) was also active in the hot plate test, increasing the reaction time to thermal stimulus after 30 and 60 min, by 62 and 71%, respectively. A preventive antiedematogenic effect was observed in mice that had a carrageenan-induced paw edema. Paw volume was significantly and dose-dependently decreased by 39, 42 and 53%, three hours after administration of 10, 25 and 50 mg/kg doses, i.p., respectively. AMI (25 and 50 mg/kg, i.p.) was also able to reverse the edema already induced by carrageenan (curative effect). AMI (10 and 25 mg/kg, i.p.) was equally effective in the dextran- induced paw edema (preventive effect), reducing the paw volume by 50 and 60% at the 2nd hour, and by 63 and 73% at the third hour post-dose. AMI (50 mg/kg, i.p.) reverted the edema already formed after the dextran injection (curative effect). In conclusion, AMI demonstrated peripheral and central analgesic effects independent of the opioid system, and also showed a potent anti-inflammatory activity. The antiinflammatory activity was potentiated by both indomethacin and thalidomide, suggesting a potential involvement of prostaglandins and TNFalpha inhibitions.