Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy's Extraction, Chemical Characterization and Evaluation of the Potential Effects on Glycaemic Balance in a 3T3-L1 Adipocyte Cell Model.

Convolvulus pluricaulis (CP) is a common Indian herb, largely employed in Ayurvedic medicine and known for its neuroprotective and neuroinflammatory action. Its effectiveness against several pathologic/sub-pathologic conditions is widely accepted, but it is not yet completely chemically characterized. In recent years, several researchers have pointed out the involvement of CP and other Convolvulaceae in lipidic and glucidic metabolism, particularly in the control of hyperlipidaemia and diabetic conditions. In this scenario, the aim of the study was to chemically characterize the medium polarity part of the CP whole plant and its fractions and to shed light on their biological activity in adipocyte differentiation using the 3T3-L1 cell model. Our results demonstrated that the CP extract and fractions could upregulate the adipocyte differentiation through the modulation of the nuclear receptor PPARγ (Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ), broadly recognized as a key regulator of adipocyte differentiation, and the glucose transporter GLUT-4, which is fundamental for cellular glucose uptake and for metabolism control. CP also showed the ability to exert an anti-inflammatory effect, downregulating cytokines such as Rantes, MCP-1, KC, eotaxin, and GM-CSF, which are deeply involved in insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. Taken together, these data suggest that CP could exert a potential beneficial effect on glycemia and could be employed as an anti-diabetic adjuvant or, in any case, a means to better control glucose homeostasis.

Dereplication and Quantification of Major Compounds of Convolvulus arvensis L. Extracts and Assessment of Their Effect on LPS-Activated J774 Macrophages.

Convolvulus arvensis is used in Pakistani traditional medicine to treat inflammation-related disorders. Its anti-inflammatory potential was evaluated on hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and aqueous extracts of whole plant on pro-inflammatory mediators in LPS-activated murine macrophage J774 cells at the non-cytotoxic concentration of 50 µg/mL. Ethyl acetate (ARE) and methanol (ARM) extracts significantly decreased mRNA levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1, COX-2, and iNOS. Furthermore, both extracts dose dependently decreased IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1 secretion. Forty-five compounds were putatively identified in ARE and ARM by dereplication (using HPLC-UV-HRMSn analysis and molecular networking), most of them are reported for the first time in C. arvensis, as for example, nineteen phenolic derivatives. Rutin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, chlorogenic acid, 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, N-trans-p-coumaroyl-tyramine, and N-trans-feruloyl-tyramine were main constituents identified and quantified by HPLC-PDA in ARE and ARM. Furthermore, chlorogenic acid, tyramine derivatives, and the mixture of the six identified major compounds significantly decreased IL-6 secretion by LPS-activated J774 cells. The activity of N-trans-p-coumaroyl-tyramine is shown here for the first time. Our results indicate that ARE, ARM and major constituents significantly inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, which supports the use of this plant to treat inflammatory diseases.

Apoptotic Activity and Cytotoxic Effect of Convolvulus spicatus on Human Breast Cancer Cell Line (MCF-7).

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Despite advancements in modern therapeutic strategies, breast cancer still the most common cause of the high death rate among women worldwide. Wild plants and their extracts have been used in traditional medicine because of their efficient anti-cancer properties. This study aims to investigate <i>in vitro</i> the anti-cancer, anti-proliferative and potential therapeutic effects of <i>Convolvulus spicatus </i>(<i>C. spicatus</i>) methanolic extract against human breast cancer cell line Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7), besides putting shed on the mechanism of action of this extract. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> MTT (dimethylthiazol-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) cytotoxicity assay was done to evaluate <i>C. spicatus</i> methanolic extract's cytotoxic effects and its therapeutic potentiality against MCF-7 cells. Flow cytometry was used to clarify the potential impact of the different concentrations of the extract against the cell cycle's evolution. Nuclear densification and apoptotic changes were also analyzed and the Annexin V/propidium iodide staining method was used to ensure the anti-proliferative effect of <i>C. spicatus </i>extracts. The expression level of the apoptotic regulatory gene (Bax gene) was evaluated. <b>Results:</b> The results proved that cytotoxicity was significantly elevated in a dose-dependent manner under various concentrations. preG1 apoptosis and cell growth arrest at the G₂/M phase was noticed. Bax gene was upregulated at its mRNA level by a 5.6-fold increase, compared to the untreated MCF-7 cells. <b>Conclusion:</b> This study gives deep insight into evaluating natural extracts and/or bioactive ingredients derived from the <i>C. spicatus</i> plant and eventually exhibited a promising apoptosis-inducing anti-cancer agent.

Two Medicinal Plants (Alkanna trichophila and Convolvulus galaticus) from Turkey: Chemical Characterization and Biological Perspectives.

The aim of the present study was to quantify selected phenolic compounds, determine antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibitory effects of the aerial parts of Alkanna trichophylla Hub.-Mor. (A. trichophylla) and Convolvulus galaticus Rost.ex Choisy (C. galaticus) extracts prepared by homogenizer-assisted extraction (HAE), maceration (MAC) and infusion techniques. This is the first time such study has been designed to validate the phytochemical composition and bioactivity of these plants. Multivariate analysis was conducted on collected data. Rutin and caffeoylquinic acid derivatives were the most significant compounds in A. trichophylla and C. galaticus, respectively. The highest antioxidant activity of A. trichophylla was mostly exhibited by HAE/methanolic extracts as determined by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP (51.39, 112.70 and 145.73 mg TE/g, respectively) and phosphomolybdenum (2.05 mmol TE/g) assays. However, significant antioxidant activities varied within the extracts of C. galaticus. HAE/methanolic extract of A. trichophylla significantly depressed AChE (2.70 mg GALAE/g), BChE (5.53 mg GALAE/g) and tyrosinase (26.34 mg KAE/g) activities and that of C. galaticus inhibited AChE (2.04 mg GALAE/g), tyrosinase (31.25 mg KAE/g) and α-amylase (0.53 mmol ACAE/g) activities significantly. We concluded that HAE was the most efficient extraction technique as high yield of compounds and promising bioactivities were recorded from extracts prepared. Multivariate analysis showed that types of solvents influenced recovery of compounds and biological activities. This research study can be used as one methodological starting point for further investigation on these plants as all results are clearly promising and open the door to further research challenges such as cytotoxicity evaluation, molecular docking analysis, and more screening of pharmacological actions.

Arvensic acids K and L, components of resin glycoside fraction from Convolvulus arvensis.

Alkaline hydrolysis of the resin glycoside fraction of the whole plants of Convolvulus arvensis gave two new glycosidic acids, named arvensic acids K and L (1 and 2). Their structures were characterized on the basis of spectroscopic data as well as chemical evidence. They possessed a same pentasaccharide chain, composed of one D-fucose, three D-glucose and one L-rhamnose units. The aglycone of compound 1 was identified to be rarely existing 11S-hydroxyheptadecanoic acid, while compound 2 possessed 11S-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid as the aglycone. Their cytotoxic and anti-migration activities were also evaluated.

Phytochemical profile of fennel essential oils and possible applications for natural antioxidant and controlling Convolvulus arvensis L.

The natural compounds such as essential oils are getting more attention due to their potential usage in pharmaceuticals and possibly as natural herbicides. This study was conducted to identify the chemical compositions of essential oils from Foeniculum vulgare Mill. populations collected from different regions of Iran, Turkey, and Germany, and their antioxidant (DPPH·, ABTS·+ and reducing power methods) and phytotoxic activity (against Convolvulus arvensis L.). The results exhibited a significant variation in essential oils content (1.74-2.97%). The main compounds in essential oils were trans-anethole (15.23%-90.11%), estragole (4.00-63.72%), fenchone (0.03-12.62%) and limonene (1.05-13.04%). The results revealed that the essential oils have considerable antioxidant (IC50 values in the range of 11.83-36.90 mg mL-1 in DPPH, 7.65-20.13 mg mL-1 in ABTS·+ and EC50 values in the range of 3.65-15.24 mg mL-1 in reducing power assay) and phytotoxic activity. The results of this study can help in the development of natural antioxidants and herbicides.

Enhanced catalytic and antibacterial efficiency of biosynthesized Convolvulus fruticosus extract capped gold nanoparticles (CFE@AuNPs).

Scientists are interested in biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles owing to their catalytic and biological features. In this research, the extract of Convolvulus fruticosus (C. fruticosus; CFE) extract was applied to synthesize spherical-like gold nanoparticles (CFE@AuNPs). As-prepared CFE@AuNPs was characterized by TEM, FE-SEM, XRD, FT-IR, EDS, UV-Vis and DLS analysis. Identification analysis revealed that the properties of as-prepared CFE@AuNPs with spherical morphology were homogeneous, regular, high dispersibility and low agglomeration. The particle size of biogenic gold nanoparticles (about 35 nm) was obtained using FE-SEM, TEM and DLS techniques. Photocatalytic experiment of CFE@AuNPs determined by degradation of basic violet 10 (BV10), basic blue 9 (BB9) and acid red 51 (AR51) pollutants with percent degradation of 94.3%, 90.2%, 85.4% under UV and 80.6%, 79.8%, 73.3% under visible light irradiation, respectively. As well as, as-prepared CFE@AuNPs illustrated as a significant inhibitory influence against ATCC strain for both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Owing to the antibacterial results, CFE@AuNPs enhanced antibacterial activity against E. coli, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, K. pneumonia, P. mirabilis and E. faecalis with MIC of 0.075, 0.075, 0.075, 0.075, 0.15, 0.075 and 0.037 mg/ml, respectively. All in all, results of the findings showed that C. fruticosus capped gold nanoparticles can find applications in the various arena including biological and removal of toxic pollutants for water purification.

On-line screening and identification of polyphenolic antioxidant compounds of Convolvulus trabutianus.

Convolvulus trabutianus Schweinf. & Muschl. is an endemic plant from northern Sahara used in folk medicine. Herein we report, the isolation, characterization and evaluation of the radical scavenging properties of twenty three compounds from different extracts of this species by on-line HPLC-ABTS•+ screening. These compounds include nine phenolic acids: 2, 6, 10-16, two phytosterols: 3-4, four coumarins: 5, 7-9, two quinic acids: 21 and 22 and six flavonoids: 1, 17-20 and 23 among which the most active were: 10, 16, 21 and 22. All the extracts showed a significant antioxidant activity on-line. These results were validated off-line by ORAC and TEAC assays. Four compounds: 1, 5, 18 and 19 were described for the first time from the Convolvulaceae family, whereas compounds 2, 6, 8, 10, 13 and 21 were new for the genus Convolvulus.

Convolvulus plant-A comprehensive review from phytochemical composition to pharmacy.

Convolvulus genus is a representative of the family of Convolvulaceae. Convolvulus plants are broadly distributed all over the world and has been used for many centuries as herbal medicine. Convolvulus genus contains various phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, mucilage, unsaturated sterols or terpenes, resin, tannins, lactones, and proteins. This review highlights the phytochemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, application as food preservative, traditional medicine use, anticancer activities, and clinical effectiveness in human of Convolvulus plants. All the parts of Convolvulus plants possess therapeutic benefits; preliminary pharmacological data validated their use in traditional medicine. However, further preclinical and clinical experiments are warranted before any application in human health.

Development and Validation of a Novel, Rapid Gradient HPLC Method for Simultaneous Estimation of Bioactive Marker Compounds in a Mixture of Convolvulus pluricaulis, Withania somnifera and Bacopa monnieri Extracts.

The use of herbs as medicine is an ancient form of healthcare known to mankind. Standardization of herbal medicines is however a challenging task and is the major bottleneck in their acceptance as the primary therapeutic option. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a simple, rapid HPLC method for standardizing the mixture of extracts of three Medhya Rasayanas (neurotonic), Convolvulus pluricaulis, Withania somnifera and Bacopa monnieri. Simultaneous estimation of the respective bioactive markers of these plants viz., scopoletin, withaferin A, bacoside A 3, bacopaside II, jujubogenin and bacosaponin C has been reported for the first time. The method was developed using Waters Hybrid X-Bridge shield with BEH technology 2.5 µm, 4.6 × 75 mm column and validated according to ICH guidelines. The 20 minutes run time makes the method eco-friendly. The method was linear over a range of 12.5-400 ng/10 µL for scopoletin and 62.5-2,000 ng/10 µL for withaferin A, bacoside A 3, bacopaside II, jujubogenin and bacosaponin C with detection limits of 8.0, 48.3, 30.4, 40.7, 15.6 and 18.9 ng/10 µL and quantification limits of 24.5, 146.5, 92.2, 123.4, 47.4 and 57.4 ng/10 µL, respectively. The correlation coefficient for each analyte was >0.999. The intra-day and inter-day precision was <2%. These results confirmed the precision, accuracy and robustness of the proposed method.

Neuroprotective effect of Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy in oxidative stress model of cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury and assessment of MAP2 in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy commonly known as Shankhapushpi, is traditionally prescribed for nerve debility, loss of memory, epilepsy and as nervine tonic. Plant also proved to have diverse pharmacological activity but the neuroprotection in ischemic stroke were not found. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the effect of Convolvulus pluricaulis against bilateral common carotid artery (BCCA) occlusion induced cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The neuroprotective activity of Convolvulus pluricaulis against bilateral common carotid artery (BCCA) occlusion induced cerebral ischemic reperfusion (I/S) injury. Sprague-Dawley rats of either sex (200-250 g) were divided into nine groups of 8 rats each. Sham and control group, saline treated 10 ml/kg orally. Third group treated with Quercetin 25 mg/kg orally and fourth to ninth groups treated with chloroform and ethanol extract of Convolvulus pluricaulis 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg (p.o.) respectively. Control, Quercetin and extract treated groups underwent 30 min BCCA occlusion and 24 h reperfusion on 10th day but sham underwent same surgery without BCCA occlusion and 24 h reperfusion on 10th day. The antioxidant enzymatic and non-enzymatic levels were estimated by UV spectroscopic method and cerebral infarction area, Blood brain barrier disruption, microtubule-associated protein 2 immunohistochemical and histopathological studies were carried out. RESULTS: The results of the study indicate that the chloroform and ethanol extract of Convolvulus pluricaulis showed neuroprotective activity by a significant decrease in lipid peroxidation (p < 0.001) and an increase in superoxide dismutase (p < 0.01, p < 0.001), catalase (p < 0.01, p < 0.001), glutathione (p < 0.001), and total thiol (p < 0.001) levels in extract-treated groups as compared to control group. Measurement of cerebral infarction area, blood brain barrier disruption, microtubule-associated protein 2 immunohistochemical and histopathological studies further supported the protective effect of the extract. CONCLUSIONS: Present study revile that Convolvulus pluricaulis has potent neuroprotection against bilateral common carotid artery (BCCA) occlusion induced cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury.

Glycosidic Acids with Unusual Aglycone Units from Convolvulus arvensis.

Six new glycosidic acids, arvensic acids E-J (1-6), were obtained from a glycosidic acid fraction afforded by alkaline hydrolysis of the crude resin glycosides from Convolvulus arvensis whole plants. Their structures were established from the spectroscopic data obtained and by chemical evidence. They were defined as heptasaccharides or hexasaccharides, comprising d-fucose, d-glucose, and l-rhamnose units. Compounds 1, 3, and 5 were assigned the 11 S-hydroxyheptadecanoic acid as the aglycone, while compounds 2, 4, and 6 were found to possess 11 S-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid as the aglycone. Compounds 1, 3, and 5 are the first representatives of resin glycosides with 11 S-hydroxyheptadecanoic acid as the aglycone.

Arvensic acids A-D, novel heptasaccharide glycosidic acids as the alkaline hydrolysis products of crude resin glycosides from Convolvulus arvensis.

In this study, a resin glycoside fraction with cytotoxic activity was isolated from the alcoholic extract of C. arvensis whole plants. To describe the chemical feature of the resin glycosides, the fraction was alkaline hydrolyzed and four novel glycosidic acids, named arvensic acids A-D (1-4), were isolated. Their structures were thoroughly elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data and chemical evidences. They all possess a same heptasacharride core, consisting of one D-fucose, two L-rhamnose and four d-glucose units. The difference among these glycosidic acids was placed on the aglycone, which is 12S-hydroxypentadecanoic acid for 1, 12S-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid for 2, 3S,12S-dihydroxypentadecanoic acid for 3, and 3S,12S- dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid for 4. These aglycones are rarely found in the structures of resin glycosides and are firstly identified in the genus Convolvulus.

Pharmacological evaluation of Convolvulus pluricaulis as hypolipidaemic agent in Triton WR-1339-induced hyperlipidaemia in rats.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Convolvulus pluricaulis (CP; C. pluricaulis) methanolic extract on Triton WR-1339-induced hyperlipidaemia in rats. METHODS: The study comprised of six groups namely normal control, experimental control and treatment groups (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of C. pluricaulis, and 65 mg/kg of Fenofibrate). Hyperlipidaemia was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of Triton WR-1339 400 mg/kg in rats. Parameters such as lipid profile, oxidative stress, histological analysis and atherogenic index were evaluated. The plant extract was further studied by HPLC and LCMS, for analyses of active phytochemicals. KEY FINDINGS: The result of the study showed that C. pluricaulis significantly decreased total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-c, MDA levels and atherogenic index while the levels of HDL-c and GSH were found to be raised. Plant extract at the dose of 400 mg had a consistent effect on all lipid profile parameters. Lower doses (100 and 200 mg) did not produce a statistically significant reduction in LDL-c. In addition, the protective effect of C. pluricaulis was confirmed by histological analysis. Further, the findings of the study were found to be comparable with fenofibrate. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, the present study suggests that C. pluricaulis has the potential for the treatment of hyperlipidaemia.

Catalytic potential of bio-synthesized silver nanoparticles using Convolvulus arvensis extract for the degradation of environmental pollutants.

Herein, we reported a facile, green and environmental friendlier biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using the Convolvulus arvensis extract. The influences of various physicochemical factors such as the concentration of the plant extract, reaction time, and different pH levels were investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The UV-Visible absorption spectrum of biogenic silver nanoparticles at λmax around ~400 nm suggested the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was employed to confirm the chemical transformation and role of various phyto-reductants in the conversion of Ag+ to Ag0. The surface morphology, topography, and elemental composition were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, respectively. X-ray diffraction corroborated the face-centered cubic crystalline structure. The dynamic light scattering and zeta potential demonstrate the size distribution (90.9 nm) and surface charge (-18.5). Finally, the newly developed C. arvensis based silver nanoparticles were exploited as a catalyst for the catalytic reduction of azo dyes in the presence of NaBH4 as a reducing agent, and reducing the activity of C. arvensis based silver nanoparticles was evaluated by a decrease in optical density using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The nanoparticles developed herein displayed potential efficiency for the degradation of all the tested dye pollutants. Conclusively, plant-based synthesis of nanoparticles provides an environmentally-responsive option for the reduction of highly environmental-polluted organic compounds including toxic azo dyes as compared to chemical and physical methods.

Evaluation of the catalytic, antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities of the Convolvulus arvensis extract functionalized silver nanoparticles.

In this study, a rapid green synthesis of the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using leaves extract of Convolvulus arvensis was investigated. UV-Visible spectra showed the SPR band at around 430nm which proved the AgNP formation. The reduction of silver ions to nanoparticles was completed within 150min. Particle size analysis verified the formation of AgNPs with average size of 28nm, while their PDI was 0.2. XRD patterns verified the crystalline nature of produced AgNPs. SEM images verified the presence of spherical nanoparticles with no evidence of aggregations. FTIR analysis verified the involvement of the phenolic compounds in AgNP formation. It was found that the biosynthesized AgNPs have the antibacterial activity against human pathogen E. coli. Also, nanoparticles exhibit biofilm degrading activity against both bacterial strains of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, the synthesized AgNPs prevented the coagulation of blood samples. The accelerated reduction of methylene blue (MB) in the presence of AgNPs with rate constant of 0.108min-1, confirmed the catalytic potential of nanoparticles.

Novel Compounds with new Anti-Ulcergenic Activity from Convolvulus pilosellifolius Using Bio-Guided Fractionation.

Oral administration of the total alcohol extract of Convolvulus pilosellifolius Desr. (250 and 500 md/kg) showed potent anti-ulcerogenic activity in absolute ethanol-induced ulcer model in rats; it showed percent protection of control ulcer by 69.2 and 84.6%, respectively, while standard ranitidine (100 mg/kg) exhibited 46.2%. Bio-guided work leads to isolation of two novel compounds (1 and 2), which were identified through 1 H, 13 C NMR, HMPC, HMQC and DEPT as: methyl 2-(hydroxymethyl) octanoate, named as amanitate, and 16-amino-9,13-dimethyl-17-(prop-1-en-2-yl)-hexadecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a] phenanthren-3-ol, named as asmatol. Both compounds (50 mg/kg) possessed anti-ulcerogenic activity with 95.4% and 55.84% protection, respectively. Two known compounds (3 and 4) were also isolated and identified through comparison with authentic samples and confirmed through different NMR techniques as kampeferol and quercetin. These compounds also showed anti-ulcerogenic activity with 78.38% and 5.38% protection, respectively. The cytoprotective mechanism explains the potent anti-ulcerogenic activity of the total alcohol extract and the isolated compounds. The extract was highly safe as the LD50 was more than 5000 mg/kg. These results were well supported by the sub-chronic toxicity study, as the extract (500 mg/kg) administrated orally to rats for 35 consecutive days showed no alteration in the liver and kidney functions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Extraction and characterization of triglycerides from coffeeweed and switchgrass seeds as potential feedstocks for biodiesel production.

BACKGROUND: Although switchgrass has been developed as a biofuel feedstock and its potential for bioethanol and bio-oil from fast pyrolysis reported in the literature, the use of the seeds of switchgrass as a source of triglycerides for biodiesel production has not been reported. Similarly, the potential for extracting triglycerides from coffeeweed (an invasive plant of no current economic value) needs to be investigated to ascertain its potential economic use for biodiesel production. RESULTS: The results show that coffeeweed and switchgrass seeds contain known triglycerides which are 983 and 1000 g kg(-1) respectively of the fatty acids found in edible vegetable oils such as sunflower, corn and soybean oils. In addition, the triglyceride yields of 53-67 g kg(-1) of the seed samples are in the range of commercial oil-producing seeds such as corn (42 g kg(-1) ). CONCLUSION: The results also indicate that the two non-edible oils could be used as substitutes for edible oil for biodiesel production. In addition, the use of seeds of switchgrass for non-edible oil production (as a feedstock for the production of biodiesel) further increases the total biofuel yield when switchgrass is cultivated for use as energy feedstock for pyrolysis oil and biodiesel production. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Phytoremediation and absorption isotherms of heavy metal ions by Convolvulus tricolor (CTC).

In recent years, use of plants for remediation of contaminated soils, especially removal of heavy metals, is considered. The current study tends to investigate the removal of lead and nickel ions by the Convolvulus tricolor (CTC), was grown for 30 days in different concentrations of lead and nickel ions. Then concentration of them in soil and different organs of the plant was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. The highest absorbed of them occurred in concentration 0.001N, which highest Pb(2+) accumulation is in the aerial parts of the plant: leaf > stem > root and for Ni(2)+: root > stem > leaf. No ion was observed into the flowers and nickel ion absorption is more of lead ion in different plant organs of CTC. The experimental isotherm data were investigated using isotherms of Langmuir, Freundlich, BET, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich (DRK). The correlation coefficient for all of them is calculated that show the best correlation coefficient for Ni(2+) adsorption is obtained BET model, whereas for Pb(2+) adsorption in root is Freundlich model but for its leaf and stem is BET model. The results show, CTC is suitable for Pb(2+) and Ni(2+) and this technique is in-situ method, simple, and low cost.

Neuroprotective potential of antioxidant potent fractions from Convolvulus pluricaulis Chois. in 3-nitropropionic acid challenged rats.

OBJECTIVE: To isolate the neuroprotective component from Convolvulus pluricaulis Chois. (Convolvulaceae) which can be used as a lead molecule in the treatment of Huntington's disease (HD). METHODS: The methanolic extract of whole plant was fractionated into four fractions; chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and aqueous fraction. The chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions were pooled on the basis of antioxidant activity and TLC profile and charged into silica gel column. Four subfractions were collected from column (FrA, FrB, FrC, and FrD) and further assessed for antioxidant potential by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl in vitro assay. 3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NP) was administered to Wister rats for induction of HD. Different fractions were administered for 14 days. Different behavioral alterations were assessed in between study period. Animals were euthanized immediately following the last behavioral session, and biochemical parameters were measured. RESULT AND DISCUSSION: Systemic administration of 3-NP showed marked motor deficits and oxidative damage in rats. Only FrB showed significant antioxidant activity and on further purification gave pure compound (scopoletin). Our study showed that FrB (20 mg/kg) pre-treatment significantly attenuated the loss in body weight, improved the locomotor activity, grip strength, and gait abnormalities. It also has attenuated the increased malondialdehyde and nitrite levels, and restored superoxide dismutase and reduced GSH enzyme activity in the striatum and cortex in 3-NP-treated groups. These results suggest that C. pluricaulis Chois. exhibits a neuroprotective effect by accelerating brain antioxidant defense mechanisms in 3-NP-treated rats.