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INTRODUCTION: The objective of the study was to evaluate the estrogenic activity of four Indian medicinal plants Saraca indica (Si), Symplocos racemosa (Sr), Cyperus rotundus (Cr), Terminalia arjuna (Ta), a marketed preparation of Si (Asokarista) and a combination of Si + Sr using an experimental model of estrogenicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After approval of the institutional animal ethics committee, 22 day old female rats (n = 54) were randomly allocated to 9 groups - Group 1 and Group 2: Vehicle controls, Group 3: Ethinyl estradiol, Group 4: Si (270 mg/kg), Group 5: Sr (270 mg/kg), Group 6: Cr (540 mg/kg), Group 7: Ta (270 mg/kg), Group 8: Ashokarishta (4 ml/kg), Group 9: Si + Sr (135 mg/kg). Variables studied were: Body weight, uterine weight, relative uterine weight, presence of vaginal opening, histomorphology of the uterus and total uterine glycogen content. Parametric data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and the categorical data were analyzed using Chi-square test. RESULTS: All animals in the ethinyl estradiol group showed a significant change in all the variables. None of the individual test drugs, neither the marketed preparation produced change in any of the variables. The plant drug combination also did not produce a change in any of the variables studied except in histomorphology wherein it caused a slight increase in the height of the luminal epithelium of the uterus (P < 0.05 vs. Group 1). CONCLUSION: The plant drugs Si, Sr, Cr, Ta and Asokarista did not demonstrate estrogenic activity in the immature rat model. The plant drug combination Si + Sr showed questionable estrogenic activity which needs to be evaluated in further studies.
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BACKGROUND: There has been a steady rise in number of patients suffering from dementia including dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease. Effective treatment of Alzheimer's disease dementia is an unmet medical need. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effects of formulation containing combination of Phyllanthus emblica (Pe) and Tinospora cordifolia (Tc) with and without Ocimum sanctum (Os) on learning and memory performance of normal and memory impaired rats in complex maze and compare with effects of Tinospora cordifolia and Phyllanthus emblica alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wistar rats; either sex (100-150 g) were divided in seven groups Control, Piracetam, Rivastigmine, Tc, Pe, Formulation 1 (Tc + Pe), and Formulation 2 (Tc + Pe + Os). The study was divided in four parts: In part 1 memory enhancement was tested in normal rats. In part 2, 3, and 4 the effects of drugs were tested in Scopolamine-, Diazepam-, and Cyclosporine-induced amnesia. Hebb-Williams maze was used to test for learning and memory. Time required to trace food and number of errors in maze were noted. RESULTS: In normal rats, all test drugs showed significant reduction in time required to trace the food and number of errors after 24 h compared with vehicle control. Formulations 1 and 2 reduced the time required to trace food and number of errors and the results were comparable with positive control groups and comparators Tc and Pe. Formulations 1 and 2 reversed amnesia produced by Scopolamine, Diazepam, and Cyclosporine when compared with vehicle control and showed comparable results with those of positive control groups and comparators Tc and Pe. CONCLUSION: Formulations 1 and 2 demonstrated nootropic activity and both the formulations showed comparable nootropic activity with that of Tc and Pe alone.
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OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of a nonselective ß-blocker (propranolol) and cardioselective ß-blocker (metoprolol) on wound healing in rats using incision and excision wound models and to compare the effect of these drugs on wound healing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Propranolol and metoprolol were given orally. Sprague Dawley rats of either sex were used. Incision and excision wound models were used to evaluate the wound-healing activity. Effects of metoprolol and propranolol on tensile strength, period of epithelialization, and hydroxyproline content were observed. Histological analysis was done to see collagen deposition and inflammatory infiltrate. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The data was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Scheffe's test. P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software version 15.0. RESULTS: Administration of propranolol or metoprolol was shown to decrease tensile strength, delay wound contraction and re-epithelialization, increase inflammatory infiltrate, and reduce collagen density and hydroxyproline levels. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that nonselective and cardioselective ß-blockers delay wound healing and these effects are mediated by ß1-receptors.