Fumaric acid incorporated Ag/agar-agar hybrid hydrogel: A multifunctional avenue to tackle wound healing.

Wound and its treatment is one of the major health concerns throughout the globe. Various extrinsic and intrinsic factors can influence the dynamics of healing mechanism. One such extrinsic factor is moist environment in wound healing. The advantages of optimum hydration in wound healing are enhanced autolytic debridement, angiogenesis and accelerated cell proliferation and collagen formation. But hydrated wounds often end up with patient's uncomfortability, associated infection, and tissue lipid peroxidation. Healing process prefers antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and optimum moist microenvironment. Here, we have synthesized fumaric acid incorporated agar-silver hydrogel (AA-Ag-FA); characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and TEM. The surface morphology is evaluated through SEM. The size of the silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was found to be 10-15 nm. The hydrogel shows potential antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa which are predominantly responsible for wound infection. The gel shows reasonable antioxidant property evaluated through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Topical application of the gel on the wound site heals the wound at much faster rate even compared to standard (Mega heal, Composition: Colloidal silver 32 ppm hydrogel) gel. Histological analysis reveals better tissue proliferation (i.e. epithelialization), more granulation tissue formation, neovascularisation, fibroblast and mature collagen bundles. The lipid peroxidation of wound tissue estimated through malondialdehyde (MDA) assay was found to be reasonably less when treated with AA-Ag-FA hydrogel compared to standard (Mega heal). Cytotoxicity of the samples tested through MTT assay and live-dead cell staining shows its nontoxic biocompatibility nature. In our hydrogel scaffold, the bio-degradable agar-agar provides the moist environment; the Ag NPs inside the gel acts as bactericidal agent and fumaric acid facilities the antioxidant and angiogenesis path implicitly.

Lipid lowering activity of Eclipta prostrata in experimental hyperlipidemia.

The plant Eclipta prostrata is used in the traditional medical practices of India to treat hepatic diseases and hyperlipidemia. The total alcoholic extract of the plant when tested for antihyperlipidemic potential, exhibited a dose-dependent activity in albino rats when compared to standard drugs. The activity was assessed by studying the lipid profiles of serum, liver and heart of the control and drug-treated animals. The results lend support to the traditional use of Eclipta prostrata in the treatment of hyperlipidemia.

Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of Trewia polycarpa roots.

The alcoholic extract of Trewia polycarpa roots, when administered orally to rats at doses of 50-400 mg/kg, exhibited a dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity in both acute and chronic models. It also showed a significant antinociceptive action mice in the dose range of 25-200 mg/kg. The extract did not reveal any toxicity in rats up to a dose of 3.2 g/kg (p.o.). It showed the presence of terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, quinones and glycosides on phytochemical screening.

Antibacterial and antifungal activities of Trewia polycarpa roots.

The total alcoholic extract, its chloroform soluble and aqueous fractions of the roots of the plant Trewia polycarpa exhibited varying degrees of antibacterial and antifungal activities when tested with six bacterial and four fungal strains.

Free radical scavenging activity of the alcoholic extract of Trewia polycarpa roots in arthritic rats.

The alcoholic extract of Trewia polycarpa roots (TPE), which exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity, was evaluated for the possible mode of action by studying its antioxidant potential in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats. The biological defence system constituting the superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, ascorbic acid showed a significant increase while the lipid peroxide content was found to decrease to a large extent on TPE treatment thereby indicating the extracts free radical scavenging property. Histopathological studies too supported anti-arthritic potential of the roots of Trewia polycarpa.

Antibacterial activity of embelin.

Embelin, a benzoquinone-derivative isolated from Embelia ribes, when tested for its antibacterial potential exhibited significant inhibition against five and moderate activity against three strains of the 12 bacteria tested.

Antipyretic, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of Premna herbacea roots.

The alcoholic extract of the roots of Premna herbacea was investigated for its antipyretic, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory potential in animal models. The extract, when administered orally to mice has been found to be safe up to a dose of 8.0 g/kg. A significant antipyretic effect has been observed in rabbits while mild antinociceptive effects were evidenced in mice when tested by chemical as well as thermal methods. The extract did not exhibit any anti-inflammatory activity in acute but significantly reduced the chronic inflammation.

Anti-inflammatory activity of (+)-usnic acid.

(+)-Usnic acid, isolated from the lichen Roccella montagnei, showed a dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity when tested on rats, employing acute and chronic models.

Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects of ethanol extract of Clerodendron serratum roots in experimental animals.

The alcoholic extract (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o) of Clerodendron serratum roots produced a significant antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities in animal models. The results support the traditional claims of C. serratum as a remedy for pain, inflammation and fever.

Studies on melothria maderasapatana (linn). Cogn.

This communication is a report of some preliminary studies followed by chemical investigations done on the aerial parts of Melothria maderaspatana (Linn) Cogn., a plant drug used in traditional system of medicine in India against a variety of diseases.