In Vitro Antioxidant and In Vivo Hepatoprotective Properties of Wissadula periplocifolia Extract.

Wissadula periplocifolia (L.) Thwaites is a traditional medicinal plant belonging to the family Malvaceae, used in folk medicine for inflamed snake bites and bee stings. The current study was designed to investigate the in vitro antioxidant and in vivo anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of 80% ethanol extract of W. periplocifolia and its different fractions. The crude ethanolic extract (CEE) was then serially fractionated with petroleum ether fraction (PEF), chloroform fraction (CHF), and aqueous fraction (AQF). The antioxidant activity was assessed using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical assay, anti-inflammatory activity was determined in the xylene-induced ear edema model, and hepatoprotective activity was measured in the paracetamol-induced hepatic injury model. PEF showed a significant scavenging effect with an IC50 value of 33.5 µg/mL, followed by CEE (IC50 = 42.2 µg/mL), CHF (IC50 = 77 µg/mL), and AQF (IC50 = 80 µg/mL), compared to standard butylated hydroxytoluene (IC50 = 14.8 µg/mL). Both doses of CEE (250 and 500 mg/kg) could reduce ear edema by 41.3 and 50%, respectively, compared to standard diclofenac sodium (76.09%). Moreover, CEE significantly reduces the elevated liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and ALP), compared to control. Nevertheless, it elevated blood protein and reduced the blood bilirubin level (p < 0.01), compared to control. Histopathological studies also indicated significant protection of the liver from paracetamol-induced liver damage. In conclusion, W. periplocifolia could be a good source of antioxidant and hepatoprotective phytochemicals; meanwhile, toxicological and pharmacokinetic studies are recommended.

Mikania micrantha Kunth: An Ethnopharmacological Treasure Trove of Therapeutic Potential.

Mikania micrantha is utilized as a therapeutic for the treatment of various human ailments including insect bites, rashes and itches of skin, chicken pox, healing of sores and wounds, colds and fever, nausea, jaundice, rheumatism, and respiratory ailments. This study aimed at summarizing the traditional uses, phytochemical profile, and biological activities of M. micrantha based on obtainable information screened from different databases. An up-to-date search was performed on M. micrantha in PubMed, Science Direct, clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar databases with specific keywords. No language restrictions were imposed. Published articles, theses, seminar/conference papers, abstracts, and books on ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacological evidence were considered. Based on the inclusion criteria, this study includes 53 published records from the above-mentioned databases. The results suggest that fresh leaves and whole plant are frequently used in folk medicine. The plant contains more than 150 different phytochemicals under the following groups: essential oils, phenolics and flavonoids, terpenes, terpene lactones, glycosides, and sulfated flavonoids. It contains carbohydrates and micronutrients including vitamins and major and trace minerals. M. micrantha possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-dermatophytic, anti-protozoal, anthelmintic, cytotoxic, anxiolytic, anti-diabetic, lipid-lowering and antidiabetic, spasmolytic, memory-enhancing, wound-healing, anti-aging, and thrombolytic activities. No clinical studies have been reported to date. M. micrantha might be one of the potential sources of phytotherapeutic compounds against diverse ailments in humans. Studies are required to confirm its safety profile in experimental animals prior to initiating clinical trials. Moreover, adequate investigation is also crucial to clarify exact mechanism of action for each biological effect.

The Long-Term Clinical Course of Canine Degenerative Myelopathy and Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin.

Canine degenerative myelopathy (DM), recognized as a spontaneous model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is known as a late-onset progressive degenerative disease of the spinal cord. Because of the progressive nature of DM, many dogs are elected to be euthanized, resulting in limited information on the end-stage clinical presentation. We investigated the long-term clinical course from diagnosis to natural death to further deepen our understanding of the entire clinical picture of this disease. Because curcumin was administered in some cases, the therapeutic effect of curcumin on DM was also examined. Forty dogs included in this study were client-owned Pembroke Welsh Corgis with a definitive diagnosis of DM by necropsy and histopathology. Dogs were excluded from this study if they died from another disease or were elected to be euthanized. Information on the long-term clinical symptoms of DM was investigated based on a questionnaire, which was collected from the dog owners. Urinary incontinence and respiratory disorder were observed in most dogs, as was respiratory impairment-correlated death. In contrast, signs consistent with brainstem dysfunction were noticed at the terminal stage in a small portion of dogs. Although further studies with more cases are needed, the results of this study suggest that administration of curcumin is effective in slowing the progression of DM.

Potency of spirulina (Spirulina platensis) on arsenic-induced lipid peroxidation in rat.

OBJECTIVE: Natural substances found in dietary sources and medicinal plants have attracted considerable attention in recent years as chemopreventive agents. Spirulina is a blue-green alga that possesses chemopreventive properties. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of spirulina on rats with inorganic arsenic (As) [sodium arsenite (NaAsO2)]-induced lipid peroxidation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 120 rats were randomly assigned to 10 groups and designated T0, T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, and T9. One group was kept as a control (T0) that received no treatment. The seven groups received 3.0 mg of NaAsO2/kg body weight in drinking water and were given spirulina ad libitum. T1 was treated with NaAsO2 but not with spirulina. Two groups of rats (T2 and T3), on the other hand, were treated with spirulina without receiving any As (NaAsO2). T2 received agro-based spirulina (Ab-Sp; grown in 1.5% soybean meal media and harvested on day 12 of seed inoculation) at 2.0 gm/kg feed, whereas T3 received commercially available spirulina (Com-Sp) at 2.0 gm/kg feed. T4, T5, and T6 were concurrently treated with Ab-Sp at 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 gm/kg of feed. On the other hand, T7, T8, and T9 induced by NaAsO2 were concurrently treated with Com-Sp at 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 gm/kg feed. All groups received treatment for 90 days. RESULTS: The efficacy of both spirulina in preventing lipid peroxidation caused by As was determined quantitatively by measuring the rats' serum malondialdehyde (MDA). The results indicated that As supplementation increased serum MDA levels, whereas both types of spirulina significantly decreased them. The highest dose of Ab-Sp (2.0 gm/kg feed) was found to be the most effective in preventing lipid peroxidation in rats treated with inorganic As. CONCLUSION: Ab-Sp could be a natural, cost-effective, and safe measure to mitigate As toxicity.

Arsenic and cadmium load in rice tissues cultivated in calcium enriched biochar amended paddy soil.

Arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) are unnecessary metal(loids) toxic at high concentration to plants and humans, hence lessening their rice grain accumulation is crucial for food security and human healthiness. Charred eggshell (EB), corncob biochar (CB), and eggshell-corncob biochar (ECB) were produced and amended to As and Cd co-polluted paddy soil at 1% and 2% application rates to alleviate the metal(loids) contents in rice grains using pot experiments. All the amendments increased paddy yields at 1%, while EB at 2% significantly reduced the yields compared to untreated control. The resulting yield loss in 2%EB was from the combined effects of its high CaCO3 supplementation, and the increment of rhizosphere soil pH which could insolubilize plant nutrients. The amendments were inefficient in decreasing rice grain As (AsGrain), but all the treatments significantly reduced the rice grain Cd (CdGrain) at both 1% (44.4-77.1%) and 2% (79.8-91.5%) application rates compared to that of control. Regression analysis for contribution weights of control factors revealed that rhizosphere soil Eh and pH were vital influential factors regulating the AsGrain, whereas porewater Cd was main factor controlling CdGrain accumulation. These investigations indicated that the Ca-enriched eggshell-corncob biochar even at high application rate (i.e., 2%ECB) could be a potential tactic for grain accumulation remediation of the cationic pollutant (i.e., Cd) from the paddy soil to rice grain scheme with concurrent increase in rice yields.

Investigation of the Pharmacological Properties of Lepidagathis hyalina Nees through Experimental Approaches.

Lepidagathis hyalina Nees is used locally in Ayurvedic medicine to treat coughs and cardiovascular diseases. This study explored its pharmacological potential through in vivo and in vitro approaches for the metabolites extracted (methanolic) from the stems of L. hyalina. A qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of numerous secondary metabolites. The methanol extract of L. hyalina stems (MELHS) showed a strong antioxidative activity in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and reducing power assays, and in the quantitative (phenolic and flavonoid) assay. Clot lysis and brine shrimp lethality bioassays were applied to investigate the thrombolytic and cytotoxic activities, respectively. MELHS exhibited an expressive percentage of clot lysis (33.98%) with a moderately toxic (115.11 µg/mL) effect. The in vivo anxiolytic activity was studied by an elevated plus maze test, whereas the antidepressant activity was examined by a tail suspension test and forced swimming test. During the anxiolytic evaluation, MELHS exhibited a significant dose-dependent reduction of anxiety, in which the 400 mg/kg dose of the extract showed 78.77 ± 4.42% time spent in the open arm in the elevated plus maze test. In addition, MELHS demonstrated dose-dependent and significant activities in the tail suspension test and forced swimming test, whereas the 400 mg/kg dose of the extract showed 87.67 ± 6.40% and 83.33 ± 6.39% inhibition of immobile time, respectively. Therefore, the current study suggests that L. hyalina could be a potential source of anti-oxidative, cytotoxic, thrombolytic, anxiolytic, and antidepressant agents. Further study is needed to determine the mechanism behind the bioactivities.

Biological abilities of rice bran-derived antioxidant phytochemicals for medical therapy.

Rice bran contains important bioactive phytochemicals. Among these phytochemicals, steryl ferulates including γ-oryzanol and its major components such as cycloartenyl ferulate (CAF), 24-methylenecycloartanyl ferulate (24-mCAF), ß-sitosteryl ferulate (ß-SF), and campesteryl ferulate have been intensively studied due to their crucial roles in pathological processes. On the basis of experimental studies published during the last decade in relation to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerogenic, hypolipidemic, anti-neoplastic, anti-diabetic, and anti-allergic phenomena, these bioactive phytochemicals are reviewed in this paper. Particularly, in vivo and in vitro studies have clarified that rice bran phytosteryl ferulates mediate anti-inflammatory effects by down-regulating the inflammatory transcription factor, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), which in turn reduces expression of inflammatory enzymes such as COX-2 and iNOS, and proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α. Moreover, rice bran phytosteryl ferulates up-regulate blood adiponectin levels via indirect activation of peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) through NF-κB inhibition. In this review, we discuss potential pharmacological aspects of rice bran phytosteryl ferulates in the clinical setting.