Toxicity Evaluation of Purna Cantirotaya Centuram, a Siddha Medicine in Wistar Rats.

Purna Cantirotaya Centuram (PCC), a herbometallic formulation of Siddha medicine, consists of mercury, sulphur, and gold, processed with red cotton flower and plantain stem pith juices. To evaluate its safety, acute and 28-day repeated oral toxicity studies were performed following OECD test guidelines 423 and 407, respectively. In acute study, PCC was administered orally at 5, 50, 300, and 2000 mg/kg body weight. Animals were observed for toxic signs for 14 days. Gross pathology was performed at the end of the study. In repeated dose toxicity study, PCC was administered at 2.5, 25, and 50 mg/kg body weight daily for 28 days. Satellite groups (control and high dose) were also maintained to determine the delayed onset toxicity of PCC. In acute toxicity study, no treatment related death or toxic signs were observed. It revealed that the LD50 cut-off value of PCC is between 2000 and 5000 mg/kg body weight. The repeated dose study did not show evidence of any treatment related changes in all observations up to the high dose level, when compared with the control. Histopathological examination revealed no abnormalities except mild hyperplasia of stomach in high dose group. This study provides scientific validation for the safety of PCC.

Simultaneous delivery of Nifedipine and Metoprolol tartarate using sandwiched osmotic pump tablet system.

The sandwiched osmotic tablet system that could deliver Nifedipine and Metoprolol tartarate simultaneously for extended period of time was developed in order to reduce the problems associated with multidrug therapy of hypertension. This system composed of a middle push layer and attached drug layers of Nifedipine and Metoprolol. The advantage of the sandwiched osmotic tablet system over the commercialized push-pull osmotic tablet system is its simplicity of preparation, as the surface identification was avoided. Polyethylene oxide 600,000 and 8,000,000 g/mole were used as thickening agent of drug layer and the expandable hydrogel of push layer, respectively. It has been observed that amount of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and KCL of the drug and push layer had profound influence on Nifedipine and Metoprolol release. Further, the release of drugs was optimized by the size of the delivery orifice, level of plasticizer and membrane thickness. The optimal osmotic pump tablet was found to deliver both drugs at a rate of approximately zero order for up to 16 h independent of pH and agitational intensity, but dependent on the osmotic pressure of the release media. The formulations were found to be stable after 3 months of accelerated stability studies. Prediction of steady-state levels showed the plasma concentrations of Nifedipine and Metoprolol to be within the desired range. Further sandwiched system had a good sustained effect in comparison with the conventional product. Hence the prototype design of the system could be applied to other combinations of drugs used for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, etc.

Antiinflammatory, analgesic and antiperoxidative efficacy of Barleria lupulina Lindl. extract.

A study was undertaken to investigate the antiinflammatory efficacy of methanol extract of aerial parts of Barleria lupulina Lindl. [MEBL] (Family: Acanthaceae) in acute and sub-acute inflammation models of albino rats. The MEBL in all the tested dose levels exhibited significant inhibition of carrageenin and serotonin induced paw oedema volumes when compared with the untreated (control) group. The MEBL also exerted a significant reduction in granuloma weight in the cotton pellet induced granuloma model. These potentials were comparable to that of the standard drug (indomethacin). The plant extract was also tested for its analgesic, ulcerogenic and antiperoxidative potential. The extract also demonstrated protection against CCl(4) induced lipid peroxidation and acetic acid induced writhing. Acute administration of MEBL (300 mg/kg) did not produce any gastric lesion in rats.

Antiulcer activity of methanol fraction of Barleria lupulina Lindl. in animal models.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the gastric cytoprotective activity of the methanol extract of aerial parts of the plant Barleria lupulina Lindl (Acanthaceae) in albino rats using various models of ulcers such as drug induced ulcers, restraint ulcers, duodenal ulcers and pylorus ligated ulcers. The effect of the extract on gastric secretion and lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reacting substances TBARS) was also studied in rats. The extract at the tested dose of 200 mg/kg significantly reduced the volume of gastric juice, total acidity and the ulcer index in pylorus ligated rats. It also afforded significant protection against alcohol and indomethacin induced ulcer as well as stress induced ulceration. TBARS in the stomach of indomethacin treated rats was also reduced. In addition, it gave protection against duodenal ulcers. The study suggests that the methanol extract of aerial parts of Barleria lupulina Lindl. has a protective effect against experimental gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Anti-diabetic potential of Barleria lupulina extract in rats.

We have undertaken a study to evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic effect of a methanol extract of aerial parts of Barleria lupulina Lindl. (Acanthaceae) in streptozotocin-diabetic rats, based on folkloric reports its use as an anti-diabetic agent. The extract exerted significant (p < 0.05) anti-hyperglycemic efficacy at all levels tested from 4 h after its administration, as compared with the control group, and the effect was also prolonged up to 12 h. The extract at doses of 200 mg kg(-1) body wt. and above exhibited a maximum activity (p < 0.001) at 12 h after administration. The most significant activity (15.35% blood glucose reduction) was observed for the group administered 300 mg kg(-1) body wt. at 12 h after administration, while the standard drug glibenclamide (10 mg/kg(-1) body wt.) showed an 18.80% reduction of blood glucose at the same time interval. Based on our current results, it appears that the methanol extract of aerial parts of Barleria lupulina Lindl. shows a pronounced blood-glucose-lowering potential in streptozotocin hyperglycemic rats, and is thus provided with a pharmacological support of the folklore claims of anti-diabetic activity.

Antidiabetic potential of Barleria lupulina extract in rats.

The methanol extract of aerial parts of Barleria lupulina orally tested at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg exerted significant antihyperglycemic effect in streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia in rats [correction].

Neuropharmacological profile of Barleria lupulina Lindl. Extract in animal models.

Barleria lupulina Lindl. is a popular medicinal plant distributed in mountains of southern and western India. In the present work, the effect of methanolic extract of aerial parts of B. lupulina on CNS activity has been evaluated. The CNS activity was tested in several experimental models, in mice and rats: general behavior, exploratory behavior, muscle relaxant activity, conditioned avoidance response and phenobarbitone sodium-induced sleeping time tests. The aerial parts of the plant B. lupulina was extracted with methanol and the solvent was removed by vacuum distillation. The methanol extract (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg) showed reduction in general behavioral pattern (spontaneous activity, alertness, awareness, pain response and touch response) in a dose dependent manner. The extract was found to produce a significant reduction of the exploratory behavioral profile (Y-maze test, head dip test) and conditioned avoidance response with all the tested doses. The methanolic extract showed significant motor incoordination and muscle relaxant activity. The extract also potentiated phenobarbitone sodium induced sleeping time. Preliminary investigation showed that the methanol extract of B. lupulina has significant psychopharmacological activity.

Effect of Trichodesma indicum extract on cough reflex induced by sulphur dioxide in mice.

The effect of methanol extract of whole plants of Trichodesma indicum R. Br. has been investigated on sulphur dioxide (SO2) induced cough reflex in Swiss albino mice. The extract has demonstrated significant (p < 0.001) inhibition in frequency of cough in all the tested doses when compared with untreated control group. The effect persisted up to 90 min of its oral administration and also comparable to that of the effect exhibited by the standard drug (Codeine phosphate). This study confirmed the traditional use of this plant in the treatment of cough. Determination of underlying mechanism of beneficial effect is major topic requiring further comprehensive investigation.

Preliminary studies on the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of the methanolic fraction of the root extract of Tragia involucrata Linn.

Tragia involucrata has been widely used in the traditional medicinal system for the treatment of a variety of diseases. The effect of methanolic extract of T. involucrata was studied in different experimental animal models and it was revealed that the extract possesses significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity.