Silymarin improves the behavioural, biochemical and histoarchitecture alterations in focal ischemic rats: a comparative evaluation with piracetam and protocatachuic acid.

Comparative neuroprotective potential of silymarin, piracetam and protocatechuic acid ethyl ester (PCA) was evaluated in focal ischemic rats. Various pharmacological, biochemical (lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, catalase, nitrite content, brain water content) and behavioural (memory impairment, motor control, neurological score) including infarct size and histopathological alterations were evaluated. Silymarin (200mg/kg) and PCA treatment significantly improved behavioural, biochemical and histopathological changes, and reduced water content and infarct size. However, piracetam only improved behavioural and histopathological changes, reduced water content and infarct size. The findings indicate that silymarin exhibits neuroprotective activity better than PCA and piracetam in focal ischemia/reperfusion reflected by its better restoration of behavioural and antioxidant profile.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of protocatechuic acid in rats and mice.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of protocatechuic acid (PCA), a natural product, was evaluated in different rat models (viz., carrageenan-induced paw oedema, cotton pellet-induced granuloma and Freund's adjuvant arthritis) of inflammation and chemical and heat induced mouse models of pain. Treatment with PCA inhibited significantly different biological parameters like hind paw oedema, granuloma exudates formation and arthritis index in carrageenan oedema, cotton pellet granuloma and Freund's adjuvant arthritis, respectively. The biochemical changes viz., glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, lipid peroxidation and NO in oedematous or in liver tissues and serum alanine aminotransferase and lactic dehydrogenase occurred during different types of inflammation were either significantly restored or inhibited with PCA pretreatment. Present experimental findings demonstrate promising anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of PCA which is comparable with that of standard drugs used.

Potential analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of hydroalcoholic extract of Areca catechu L. nut.

The hydroalcoholic extract of Areca catechu L. (ANE) nut was screened for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and in vitro antioxidant potential. Three doses of ANE (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg orally) were tested for analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. Evaluation of analgesic activity of ANE was performed using hot plate and formalin test in mice. ANE showed maximum increase in hot plate reaction time (56.27%, p<0.01), while reduced the duration of licking/biting behaviors in first (39.45%, p<0.05) and second (92.71%, p<0.01) phases of the formalin test indicating significant analgesic activity. ANE reduced the paw edema considerably (86.79% inhibition after 24h, p<0.01) in dose-dependent manner compared to carrageenan-induced rat. In addition, in vitro antioxidant activity of ANE was investigated by total phenolic content (TPC) and hydrogen peroxide assay. The IC(50) observed in hydrogen peroxide assay was 83.14 µg/ml and TPC 120.56±21.09 mg QE/g. Altogether, these results suggest that the hydroalcoholic extract of Areca catechu could be considered as a potential analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent.