Neurotrophic Factor Mediated Neurorestorative Effect of Pongamia pinnata Against Transient Cerebral Hypoperfusion and Reperfusion in Rats: Preliminary Histological and Molecular Level Evidence / Efecto Neurorestaurador Mediado por Factor Neurotrófico de Pongamia pinnata Contra la Hipoperfusión y Reperfusión Cerebral Transitoria en Ratas: Evidencia Preliminar de un Estudio a Nivel Histológico y Molecular

SUMMARY: Stroke is the leading cause of acquired physical disability in adults and second leading cause of mortality throughout the world. Treatment strategies to curb the effects of stroke would be of great benefit. Pongamia pinnata is a recent attraction in medicine, owing to its abundant medicinal benefits with minimal side effects. The present study aimed to examine acute and subacute effect of Pongamia pinnata leaf extract on transient cerebral hypoperfusion and reperfusion (tCHR) in Wistar rats. 24 adult Wistar rats (12 each for acute and subacute study) were divided in to four groups each viz normal control group, tCHR + NS group, tCHR + 200mg/kg bw and tCHR + 400mg/kg bw groups. Cerebral ischemia induction was carried out by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion and reperfusion. Ethanolic extract of Pongamia pinnata leaves were orally administered for 7 days and 21 days after the surgical procedure for acute and subacute study respectively. Behavioural analysis, histological assessment, and estimation of mRNA levels of HIF-1, GDNF, BDNF and NF-kB were performed. In both acute and subacute study, there was significant improvement in the beam walking assay, neuronal count, decreased neuronal damage in histological sections and higher mRNA expression of BDNF and GDNF in the treatment groups. There was no significant difference in the expression of HIF1 and NF-kB. Thus, Pongamia pinnata has excellent neurorestorative property reversing many of the effects of ischemic stroke induced by tCHR in rats with the underlying mechanism being an improvement in the expression of neurotrophic factors GDNF and BDNF.

El ataque cerebrovascular es la principal causa de discapacidad física adquirida en adultos y la segunda causa de mortalidad en todo el mundo. Las estrategias de tratamiento para frenar los efectos del ataque cerebrovascular serían de gran beneficio. Pongamia pinnata es una atracción reciente en la medicina, debido a sus abundantes beneficios medicinales con mínimos efectos secundarios. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo examinar el efecto agudo y subagudo del extracto de hoja de Pongamia pinnata sobre la hipoperfusión y reperfusión cerebral transitoria (tCHR) en ratas Wistar. Se dividieron 24 ratas Wistar adultas (12 cada una para el estudio agudo y subagudo) en cuatro grupos, el grupo control normal, el grupo tCHR + NS, los grupos tCHR + 200 mg/kg de peso corporal y tCHR + 400 mg/kg de peso corporal. La inducción de la isquemia cerebral se llevó a cabo mediante oclusión y reperfusión bilateral de la arteria carótida común. El extracto etanólico de hojas de Pongamia pinnata se administró por vía oral durante 7 días y 21 días después del procedimiento quirúrgico para estudio agudo y subagudo respectivamente. Se realizaron análisis de comportamiento, evaluación histológica y estimación de los niveles de ARNm de HIF-1, GDNF, BDNF y NF-kB. Tanto en el estudio agudo como en el subagudo, hubo una mejora significativa en el ensayo de desplazamiento del haz, el recuento neuronal, una disminución del daño neuronal en las secciones histológicas y una mayor expresión de ARNm de BDNF y GDNF en los grupos con tratamiento. No hubo diferencias significativas en la expresión de HIF1 y NF-kB. Por lo tanto, Pongamia pinnata tiene una excelente propiedad neurorestauradora que revierte muchos de los efectos del ataque cerebrovascular isquémico inducido por tCHR en ratas, siendo el mecanismo subyacente una mejora en la expresión de los factores neurotróficos GDNF y BDNF.

In Vitro Screening of Anti-lice Activity of Pongamia pinnata Leaves

Growing patterns of pediculocidal drug resistance towards head louse laid the foundation for research in exploring novel anti-lice agents from medicinal plants. In the present study, various extracts of Pongamia pinnata leaves were tested against the head louse Pediculus humanus capitis. A filter paper diffusion method was conducted for determining the potential pediculocidal and ovicidal activity of chloroform, petroleum ether, methanol, and water extracts of P. pinnata leaves. The findings revealed that petroleum ether extracts possess excellent anti-lice activity with values ranging between 50.3% and 100% where as chloroform and methanol extracts showed moderate pediculocidal effects. The chloroform and methanol extracts were also successful in inhibiting nymph emergence and the petroleum ether extract was the most effective with a complete inhibition of emergence. Water extract was devoid of both pediculocidal and ovicidal activities. All the results were well comparable with benzoyl benzoate (25% w/v). These results showed the prospect of using P. pinnata leave extracts against P. humanus capitis in difficult situations of emergence of resistance to synthetic anti-lice agents.

Effect of ethanolic extract of root of Pongamia pinnata (L) pierre on oxidative stress, behavioral and histopathological alterations induced by cerebral ischemia--reperfusion and long-term hypoperfusion in rats.

Possible effect of an ethanolic root extract of Pongamia pinnata (L) Pierre (P. pinnata) on oxidant-antioxidant status and histopathological changes in acute ischemia-reperfusion injury in the rat forebrain have been investigated. Further, its effect was also assessed on long-term cerebral hypoperfusion-induced changes in anxiety, cognitive and histopathological parameters. Cerebral post-ischemic reperfusion is known to be associated with generation of free radicals. In the present study, bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) for 30 min followed by 45 min reperfusion produced increases in lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and a fall in the total tissue sulfhydryl (T-SH) levels. The ethanolic extract of roots of P. pinnata (50 mg kg(-1), po for 5 days) attenuated the ischemia-reperfusion-induced increase in lipid peroxidation, SOD activity and a fall in T-SH levels. The extract also ameliorated histopathological changes and inflammatory cell infiltration in the frontoparietal region of the rat brain. The extract (50 mg kg(-1), po for 15 days) was also found to alleviate the long-term hypoperfusion-induced anxiety and listlessness (open field paradigm). There was an improvement of learning and memory deficits (Morris' water maze testing). It also attenuated reactive changes in forebrain histology like gliosis, lymphocytic infiltration, astrocytosis and cellular edema. Results suggest protective role of P. pinnata in ischemia-reperfusion injury and cerebrovascular insufficiency states.

Evaluation of Pongamia pinnata root extract on gastric ulcers and mucosal offensive and defensive factors in rats.

Effect of methanolic extract of P. Pinnata roots (PPRM) was studied against various experimental gastric ulcer models and offensive and defensive gastric mucosal factors in rats. An initial dose-response study using 12.5-50 mg/kg P. Pinnata root extract, when given orally in two divided dose for 4 days + 5th full dose on the day of experiment 60 min before the experiment, indicated 25 mg/kg as an optimal regimen and was used for further study. PPRM showed significant protection against aspirin and 4 hr PL, but not against ethanol-induced gastric ulceration. It showed tendency to decrease acetic acid-induced ulcer after 10 days treatment. Ulcer protective effect of PPRM was due to augmentation of mucosal defensive factors like mucin secretion, life span of mucosal cells, mucosal cell glycoproteins, cell proliferation and prevention of lipid per oxidation rather than on the offensive acid-pepsin secretion.