Anti-nephrotoxic activity of some medicinal plants from tribal rich pockets of Odisha.

BACKGROUND: Gentamicin, a strong cationic drug accumulated at biological membranes causes net increase in oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation leading to necrotic changes in renal tubles and consequently precipitates acute nephrotoxicity. Several phytoconstituents and plants extracts demonstrated significant anti-oxidant and cyto-protective activities. Vitex negundo Linn. (VN), Oroxylum indicum Vent. (OI) and Barringtonia acutangula Linn. (BA) are widely found throughout the Asian sub-continent including India, used extensively in different forms of Indian traditional medicine like Ayurveda and Unani. OBJECTIVE: Nephroprotective activity of extracts of VN roots, OI whole plant and BA leaves were investigated against experimentally induced acute nephrotoxicity [Gentamicin (i.p; 80mg/kg for 7 days)] in Wistar rats as test animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats were treated with Cystone (5 mL/kg; p.o) taken as positive control and methanol-dichloromethane (1:1) extracts of VN, OI and BA (200 mg/kg; p.o) as test drugs for 7 days. Following the said treatments, biochemical parameters of urine (volume, creatinine and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) and serum (urea, creatinine, albumin and total protein) were estimated. Renal anti-oxidant markers viz., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in renal tissue were assayed. Tissue sections of kidneys from different groups were made and histopathological features were observed. RESULT: The extracts of VN, OI and BA significantly attenuated the nephrotoxicity by elevation of body weight, CAT, GPx and SOD or lowering urine LDH and creatinine, serum urea; serum creatinine and LPO respectively. Histopathological score of VN, OI and BA treated groups were 1+, 2+ and 2+ respectively against 4+ of the toxic group. CONCLUSION: The findings suggested the significant nephroprotection of VN roots followed by OI whole plant and BA leaves.

Pharmacological efficacy of argemone mexicana plant extract, against cysteamine-induced duodenal ulceration in rats.

OBJECTIVE: The plant Argemone mexicana is traditionally used as diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal agent, and has wound-healing property. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of A. mexicana aerial part of the plant (methanolic and aqueous extract p.o.) on duodenal ulceration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out on the duodenal ulceration model by using cysteamine hydrochloride. Ranitidine (20 mg/kg) was used as standard drug. RESULTS: Both the extracts of the plant A. mexicana produced a significant activity in cysteamine-induced duodenal ulceration. The aqueous extract at the dose-dependent manner showed the potent activity than methanolic extract. CONCLUSION: The plant A. mexicana Linn. Increased healing of gastric ulceration and prevented the development of experimentally induced duodenal ulceration in rats.

Antimycotic potential of Crataeva religiosa Hook and Forst against some selected fungal pathogens.

Crataeva religiosa Hook and Forst belonging to family Capparidaceae (Cappaceae) was selected based on its ethnopharmacological uses like diuretic, laxative, lithonotriptic, antirheumatic, antiperiodic, bitter tonic, rubifacient and counterirritant and was investigated to evaluate in vitro antimycotic potential of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanolic and aqueous extracts against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Cryptococcus marinus and Aspergillus niger by disc diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of C. religiosa extracts were found in the range of 0.062 - 0.5 mg/disc. The ethanolic extract significantly inhibits the growth of selected fungal pathogens, whereas aqueous extract do not show zone of inhibition against the tested Candida species. The results indicate the possible therapeutic uses of the plant as a potent antifungal agent.