Aromatic compounds from the seeds of Dolichos lablab L. with anti-inflammatory activity.

Twenty-four aromatic compounds including five novel ones, dolilabphenosides A (1), B1 (2), B2 (3), C1 (4), and C2 (5) were obtained from the seeds of Dolichos lablab L. Their structures were established based on spectroscopic analyses and chemical reactions. Among the known compounds, 9, 10, 14, 17, 19, and 22-24 were gained from the family Leguminosae for the first time, and 6, 8, 11-13, 15, 16, 18, 20, as well as 21 were firstly identified from Dolichos genus. Moreover, the inhibitory effect evaluation of all the isolates against LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 macrophages suggested that compounds 1-3, 6, 7, 11-15, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24 exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, the novel compounds, dolilabphenosides A (1), B1 (2), B2 (3) were found to inhibit the secretion of inflammatory cytokine IL-1ß.

In-vitro anti-inflammatory activity of serine protease inhibitor from Cassia siamea and Dolichos biflorus: A comparative study.

Cassia siamea is a nonedible legume belonging to Fabaceae. The seed of C. siamea contains ~16% of protein. The study reports the biochemical characterization of purified novel serine protease inhibitor from seeds of C. siamea, aimed with assessing the anti-inflammatory activity. The seed extract was subjected to ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC)-anion exchange chromatography and affinity-chromatography to obtain a relative pure protease inhibitor. Thirty-fivefold purification with the specific activity of 250 U/mg of trypsin inhibitory unit was obtained. The characterization of protease inhibitor for optimum temperature, pH, and metal ions were measured using N-α-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) assay and casein zymogram. The C. siamea trypsin inhibitor (CsTI) has a relative molecular mass of 25.540 kDa. Purified CsTI and Dolichos biflorus were tested for anti-inflammatory efficacy against A549 and RAW264.7 cell lines. The inhibitory activity of both purified inhibitors are comparable and are potent toward anti-inflammatory activity. The purified inhibitor shows to be a promising candidate as anti-inflammatory agent by targeting the serine proteases.

The effects of Cynodon dactylon (Poaceae family) and Dolichos biflorus (Fabaceae family) extracts on decreasing size and excretion of kidney and urinary tract stones: a randomized, double-blind controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Given high and growing prevalence rate of urolithiasis in most societies as well as the problems caused by this issue, it is necessary to apply more cost-effective and safer therapeutic methods, which are accessible for all the individuals worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate efficacy of herbal medicines named Cynodon dactylon and Dolichos biflorus on solving and excretion of renal and urinary tract stones in patients with urolithiasis. METHODS: This study included 96 patients with urolithiasis who were randomly allocated into three groups. The first group received the extract of D. biflorus seeds (1,600 mg), the second group received extract of C. dactylon rhizome (1,600 mg) and the third group received placebo for 21 days. In this study, we used an hydroalcoholic extract of D. biflorus and C. dactylon prepared by Soxhlet method. For each patient, the size of the stones, the amount of calcium in the urine, the number of stones excreted and their chemical substance type were measured. RESULTS: In this study, changes were observed at the significance level in the interventions groups of 1 and 2, and the placebo group in the left kidney, so that changes in size of the stone in left kidney as intergroup were significantly different in these three groups (p=0.02). The mean of changes in stone size in left kidney in the group C. dactylon was 3.78 ± 7.1 and in the group D. biflorus, it was 0.27 ± 0.6. CONCLUSIONS: A significant difference in the results of this study show that C. dactylon rhizome and D. biflorus seed extracts are able to decrease the size of the stone and can be effective on kidney stones excretion.

Isolation and structure characterization of glucuronoxylans from Dolichos lablab L. hull.

Polysaccharides were extracted by hot water and alkali in sequence from Dolichos lablab L. hull, and further purified by ion-exchange and gel columns. Hot water extracted D. lablab hull polysaccharide (DLHP) was rich in glucuronoxylan and pectin, and alkali extracted polysaccharide (DLHAP) mostly embraced glucuronoxylan. The structures of purified glucuronoxylans from DLHP and DLHAP were mainly analyzed by HPAEC-PAD, methylation combined with GC-MS, NMR and SEC-MALLS. DLHP-1 was identified as acetylated glucuronoxylan containing →4)-ß-Xylp-(1→ backbone with substitution at O-2 site by α-GlcpA/4-O-methyl-α-GlcpA. The molar ratio of ß-Xylp to α-GlcpA was 6.9:1, and acetylation was mainly at O-3 site of ß-Xylp with acetylation degree of 21.5%. DLHP-1 and DLHP-2 had similar physicochemical properties, except for molecular weight (Mw). DLHAP-1 was the non-methylated glucuronoxylan almost without acetylation, and it had the molar ratio of ß-Xylp to α-GlcpA of 5.6:1. Besides, DLHP-1 (Mw of 20.0 × 103 g mol-1) adopted semi-flexible chain, while DLHAP-1 (Mw of 15.4 × 103 g mol-1) showed flexible chain. These results provided a structural basis for study on polysaccharides from D. lablab hull, which was benefit for understanding biological activities and developing functional food or pharmaceuticals of D. lablab.

Noroleanane-type triterpenoids from Dolichos trilobus L. and their anti-α-glucosidase activities.

Falcatane A (1) and B (2), 4-oxo-3,24-dinor-2,4-secooleanane- and 3-oxo-24- noroleanane-type triterpenoids, together with seven known triterpenoids involving 2-hydroxy-3-oxo-24-noroleana-1,4,12-trien-28-oic acid (3) and oleanolic acid (4), were separated from the ethyl acetate roots extract of Dolichos trilobus using the column chromatography of silica gel, MCI gel, and Sephadex LH-20. The compounds were determined by analysis of IR, NMR spectroscopic data and mass spectrometry. In the bioassay, all isolates showed varying degree of the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity except compound 2.

Phytochemical Fingerprinting and Activity of Extracts from the Leaves of Dolichos kilimandscharicus (Fabaceae) on Jurkat-T Cells.

Plants are a source of over a quarter of the prescription drugs currently in use worldwide. Zimbabwe has a rich plant biodiversity with only a limited number reported for the treatment of cancer. The leaf extracts of Dolichos kilimandscharicus were selected for the screening of their antiproliferative efficacy and cytotoxicity effects. This plant has increasingly been used by local folk as a treatment for cancer or cancer-related symptoms though its bioactivity has not been scientifically determined. This investigation also sought to identify constituent compounds in the crude extract preparations responsible for their antiproliferative efficacy. The antiproliferative effects of six-leaf extracts on Jurkat-T in vitro were investigated using the Trypan blue exclusion assay. The extracts were tested with increasing concentration, using chlorambucil as a standard anticancer drug. Cytotoxicity of extracts was determined against RAW 264.7 cells using a colorimetric tetrazolium-based assay. In additionthe ability of the extracts to induce apoptosis was determined for the most potent leaf extracts. The order of potency of the leaf extracts of D. kilimandscharicus against Jurkat-T cell line was found to be MeOH < Ethyl Acetate < DCM: MeOH < EtOH with IC50s of 33.56, 30.44, 22.93, and 21.59 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the most potent extracts exhibited very low cytotoxicity against all the tested cells. D. kilimandscharicus leaf extracts induced apoptosis in the Jurkat-T cells as was shown by DNA fragmentation. UPLC-MS analysis of crude extracts led to the identification of 23 compounds from the ethanol extract and these may be responsible for the observed antiproliferative effects. Rutin, quercetin, luteolin, apigenin, hispidulin, kaempferol derivatives, as well as caffeoylquinic acid are some of the compounds identified in the extracts. The results of this study showed that the ethanol and ethyl acetate leaf extracts of D. kilimandscharicus have antiproliferative activity against Jurkat-T cells and may act by inducing apoptosis.. The current findings offer supporting evidence for the use of these plant species in the treatment of cancer in ethnomedicinal practices.

Triterpene Glycosides from the Seeds of Dolichos lablab.

Two new triterpene glycosides (1 and 2), together with nine known triterpene glycosides (3-11), were isolated from the seeds of Dolichos lablab (Leguminosae). The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic analysis, including two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, and chromatographic analysis of the hydrolyzed products. The isolated compounds did not show cytotoxicity against HL-60 human leukemia cells and HepG2 human hepatoma cells at sample concentrations of 20 µM.

α-Glucosidase Inhibitory and Anti-Inflammatory Coumestans from the Roots of Dolichos trilobus.

Four new coumestans dolichosins A - D (1: -4: ) were isolated from the roots of Dolichos trilobus, together with four known compounds: isosojagol (5: ), phaseol (6: ), psoralidin (7: ), and 4″,5″-dehydroisopsoralidin (8: ). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data interpretation, mass spectrometric analyses, and the comparison with literature data of related compounds. The anti-inflammatory activity of these compounds (1: -8: ) was evaluated through the inhibition of nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells, in which compounds 1: and 6: displayed moderate inhibitory activity and no cytotoxic effects. In a α-glucosidase inhibitory assay, compounds 1: and 5: -8: exhibited appreciable inhibition on α-glucosidase. Especially compounds 1, 7: , and 8: showed IC50 values lower than 20.0 µM.

Utilization of extracts of Musa paradisica (banana) peels and Dolichos lablab (Indian bean) seeds as low-cost natural coagulants for turbidity removal from water.

In this study, aqueous extracts of Musa paradisica (banana) peels and Dolichos lablab (Indian beans) seeds were prepared and tested as natural coagulants for turbidity removal from simulated turbid water. Effects of extraction time (15, 30, and 45 min), dosage (0.2 to 1.0 mL/L), and water pH on turbidity removals by the natural coagulants were evaluated. In both cases, the extraction time of 45 min for the preparation of aqueous extract and dosage of 0.6 mL/L gave the best results in terms of turbidity removal. Natural coagulants from M. paradisica peels powder could efficiently remove turbidity (> 83%) at all tested pH values (3.0 to 12.0) with maximum turbidity removal of 98.14% at pH 11. In the case of D. lablab seeds, low turbidity removal (71-74%) was observed at pH between 5.0 and 9.0. The maximum turbidity removal (98.84%) was obtained at pH 11. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the settled flocs revealed that more compact flocs formed using M. paradisica peels extract than those developed using D. lablab seeds extract. The chemical analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of the extracts revealed that polymeric substances (carbohydrate and proteins) having functional groups -OH, C-N, C-C, -COOH, and N-H might be responsible for the coagulation activity. The zeta potential measurements of natural coagulants revealed that the possible coagulation mechanism would be adsorption and bridging between particles. This study demonstrated the potential use of aqueous extracts of M. paradisica peels and D. lablab seeds as low-cost natural coagulants for turbidity removal.

Alleviation of Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Like Symptoms and Control of Gut and Brain Responses with Oral Administration of Dolichos lablab L. in a Mouse Model.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder manifesting as unexplained abdominal pain and bowel habit changes. The pathogenesis of post-infectious IBS is associated with gut⁻brain axis dysfunction, including low-grade colonic inflammation and anxiety-related long-term brain changes. This study analyzed the efficacy of a standardized extract of Dolichos lablab L. extract (DL), a bean species, in an IBS mouse model resembling post-infectious, diarrhea-dominant IBS. Using a zymosan-induced animal IBS model, we found that oral administration of DL significantly attenuated zymosan-induced increases in colonic macroscopic scores and minimized weight loss without affecting food intake. In the DL-treated mice, the mast cell count and tumor necrosis factor-α level in the colon markedly decreased, similar to results in sulfasalazine-treated mice and in mice with lipopolysaccharide-stimulated bone marrow-derived mast cells. The number of visceral pain-related behaviors was much lower in the DL-treated mice. Anxiety-like behaviors significantly improved, comparable to that after treatment with amitriptyline. The c-Fos expression level in the prefrontal cortex was significantly reduced. Our data suggest that DL could be beneficial for treating IBS by acting on the gut and brain.

Anti-Obesity Activities of Chikusetsusaponin IVa and Dolichos lablab L. Seeds.

Obesity, a condition where excess body fat accumulates to the extent, causes a negative effect on health. Previously, we reported the extract of Dolichos lablab L. (DLL-Ex) inhibited high-fat diet (HFD)-induced increases in body weight and body fat mass and ameliorated increases in body weight. In the present work, we studyed the molecular mechanism for the inhibitory effect of DLL-Ex or Chikusetsusaponin IVa (CS-IVa), as isolated from Dolichos lablab L. (DLL) seeds extract, on adipocyte differentiation. We evaluated the effect of DLL-Ex, an anti-obesity agent, and CS-IVa, an active component of DLL-Ex, on 3T3-L1 cell differentiation via Oil red O assay and Q-PCR, along with their effects on CCAAT element binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) mRNA transcriptions. FAS and FABP4 protein expression levels after exposure to CS-IVa were also tested. The results showed that DLL-Ex and CS-IVa have potent inhibitory activity on adipocyte differentiation. Therefore, DLL and CS-IVa may be developed as a functional food material to treat obesity.

Structural basis of noncanonical polyphenol oxidase activity in DLL-II: A lectin from Dolichos lablab.

Lectins known to possess an additional enzymatic function are called leczymes. Previous studies reported a unique polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity in DLL-II-a leczyme from Dolichos lablab. DLL-II shares a high sequence and structural homology with DBL-another leczyme from Dolichos biflorus. Incidentally, DBL possesses lipoxygenase activity, but not the PPO activity. Legume lectins usually possess two metal-binding sites A and B. Although these sites are conserved in both DBL and DLL-II, site A in DLL-II is occupied by Mn2+ and site B by Ca2+ . In contrast, DLL-II binds Cu2+ and Ca2+ at sites A and B, respectively. Here, investigating the structural basis of PPO activity in DLL-II, we find that the PPO activity is only dependent on Cu2+ , but not Ca2+ ; and the lectin activity requires only Ca2+ . Further, our analysis suggests that an alternative mechanism of PPO reaction may be operative in DLL-II, which involves a mononuclear Cu2+ metal center; this is in contrast to the bi-nuclear Cu2+ metal center commonly observed in all PPOs. Importantly, structural and computational approaches employed here, we hypothesize possible PPO binding sites and the corresponding migration channels for accessing the active site.

Dolichos lablab Protects Against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Mice Fed High-Fat Diets.

Hyacinth bean, Dolichos lablab or Lablab purpureus, has been used for centuries in India and China as an edible pod and animal forage, as well as to treat diarrhea and other gastrointestinal disease in traditional Korean medicine. Recently, we have demonstrated that D. lablab extract (DLL-Ex) prevented free fatty acid-induced lipid accumulation in an in vitro cellular nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) model. In this study, we, thus, aimed at clarifying the hepatoprotective effects of DLL-Ex in a high-fat diet-induced in vivo animal NAFLD model, as well as at elucidating underlying mechanisms of identified effects. Sixty, 6-week-old, male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into six groups: a control group fed a low-fat diet, four high-fat diet (HFD) groups, three receiving daily oral supplementation of DLL-Ex (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg/day), and one HFD group receiving daily oral supplementation of MILK (100 mg/kg/day). Effects of DLL-Ex supplementation were evaluated by histopathological and histochemical assessments. DLL-Ex supplementation inhibited HFD-induced increases in body weight and body fat mass and ameliorated increases in body weight, manifested as decreased liver function tests, lower serum triglycerides and cholesterol levels, and increased serum adiponectin levels. The expression of hepatic genes involved in lipid droplet accumulation and in fatty acid uptake was also decreased. We provide evidence of a protective effect of DLL-Ex against HFD-induced fatty liver disease in an animal model.

Doliroside A from Dolichos falcata Klein suppressing amyloid ß-protein 42 fibrillogenesis: An insight at molecular level.

A bioactive chemical constituent, doliroside A, from Chinese traditional herbal medicine Dolichos falcata Klein was isolated, purified and identified by 60% ethanol extraction, thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Molecular interaction mechanism between doliroside and amyloid ß42 protein was evaluated by thioflavin T fluorescence (ThT), circular dichroism (CD), atomic force microscope (AFM), and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) from the aspects of kinetics, secondary structure, morphology, and thermodynamics, respectively. Results show that the purity of doliroside A is 99.9% by HPLC, and its chemical structure is identified by 1H- and 13C-NMR. Doliroside A is observed to be concentration-dependent inhibiting the fibrillation of Aß42 with the IC50 value of 26.57 ± 1.6 µM. CD and DSC results imply that doliroside A can bind to the nuclei and oligomers of Aß42 to form a stable complex and suppress Aß42 fibrillation. AFM images show that doliroside A, after bound to the nuclei and oligomers, redirect Aß42 into off-pathway, amorphous oligomers. These findings not only provide a full insight into the molecular interaction mechanisms between Aß42 and doliroside A, but also facilitate the development of new native anti-AD drug of doliroside A compound.

In vivo metabolomic interpretation of the anti-obesity effects of hyacinth bean (Dolichos lablab L.) administration in high-fat diet mice.

SCOPE: The esoteric anti-obesity effects of hyacinth bean (Dolichos lablab L) have largely remained unexplored. Herein, we investigated the anti-obesity mechanisms of hyacinth bean compared to milk thistle, a natural herb employed for ameliorating obesity-related diseases, using high-fat diet (HFD) fed mice towards unfolding the perplexing mechanisms. METHODS AND RESULTS: C57BL/6J mice were orally administered hyacinth bean (25 mg/kg/day) and milk thistle (100 mg/kg/day) for 9 weeks along with HFD. Intriguingly, a number of anti-obesity mechanisms indexed through clinical parameters, suppression in weight gains and liver steatosis were found similar to some disparity. Furthermore, the corresponding metabolic implications were studied through MS-based metabolite profiling, and using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes for metabolic pathways revealing that hyacinth bean or milk thistle administration effectively attenuates the HFD-induced lipid, glucose, and bile acid metabolism, with former specifically attenuates pyruvate-derived amino acids metabolism. Among them, valine, asparagine, and lysine displayed high correlation with blood clinical parameters. CONCLUSION: A lower dose of hyacinth bean resulted in similar anti-obesity effects as milk thistle, as confirmed by both clinical and metabolomics analyses. Equivocally, we conjecture that hyacinth bean could be used as a potent anti-obesity herbal functional food.

DNA and BSA damage inhibitory activities, and anti-acetylcholinesterase, anti-porcine α-amylase and antioxidant properties of Dolichos lablab beans.

The underutilized Kenyan variety of Dolichos lablab bean seeds serve as a good source of natural antioxidants, which can probably be effective in reducing the risk of occurrence of several diseases. This study was undertaken for the first time to address the limited knowledge regarding the antioxidant activities of lablab beans. Moreover, their DNA damage inhibitory activity, bovine serum albumin (BSA) damage inhibitory activity, and the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and porcine α-amylase were also investigated. The antioxidant capacity of Dolichos lablab bean seeds extracted with methanol, water or methanol/water combination was evaluated by the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, free radical-scavenging activity, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide (NO) radical-scavenging assay, and 2,20-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS). Results reported in the present study indicate that water, methanol and water/methanol extracts of lablab bean flour exhibited good antioxidant activity by effectively scavenging various free radicals, such as DPPH, NO, and ABTS radicals. The extracts also exhibited protective effects against DNA and BSA damage and inhibitory effects on porcine α-amylase. Findings of this study suggest that extracts from the lablab bean flour would have potential application in food supplements, and pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Functional, bioactive, biochemical, and physicochemical properties of the Dolichos lablab bean.

The underutilized Kenyan variety of Dolichos lablab bean seeds serves as a good source of nutrients. This study was undertaken for the first time to address the limited knowledge regarding the bioactive, biochemical, physicochemical, and functional properties of Dolichos lablab beans. Proximate analysis, mineral, total and free amino acid profiles, total protein, total dietary and profile of fiber, carotenoids and fat soluble vitamins, total phenolics, and total flavonoids were evaluated. The results clearly show that Dolichos lablab beans contain many health-promoting components, such as fiber, proteins, minerals, and numerous phytochemicals endowed with useful biological activities, that allow it to contribute in a relevant way to the daily intake of these nutrients.

Water Extract of Dolichos lablab Attenuates Hepatic Lipid Accumulation in a Cellular Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Model.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease that is rising in prevalence worldwide. Therapeutic strategies for patients with NAFLD are limited by a lack of effective drugs. In this report, we show that Dolichos lablab water extract (DLL-Ex) protects against free fatty acid (FFA)-induced lipid accumulation and attenuates expression of genes involved in lipid droplet accumulation in cellular NAFLD models. The hepatoprotective effects and underlying mechanism of DLL-Ex were assessed using an in vitro cellular model in which NAFLD was simulated by inducing excessive FFA influx into hepatocytes. HepG2 cells were treated with DLL-Ex and FFAs for 24 h, after which intracellular lipid content was observed by using Nile Red and Oil Red O staining. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure expression levels of genes related to FFA-mediated cellular energy depletion. Western blotting was used to measure protein levels of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase, AMP-activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKα), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1 alpha. In HepG2 cells, DLL-Ex inhibited expression of CD36, which regulates fatty acid uptake, as well as BODIPY-labeled fatty acid uptake. Additionally, DLL-Ex significantly attenuated FFA-mediated cellular energy depletion and mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Furthermore, DLL-Ex enhanced phosphorylation of AMPK, indicating that AMPK is a critical regulator of DLL-Ex-mediated inhibition of hepatic lipid accumulation, possibly through its antioxidative effect. These results demonstrate that DLL-Ex exerts potent anti-NAFLD activity, suggesting that it could be a potential adjuvant treatment for patients with NAFLD.

Biological activity of Dolichos biflorus L. trypsin inhibitor against lepidopteran insect pests.

Protease inhibitors confer resistance in plants against insect pests by inhibiting larval gut proteases. Cultivars of Dolichos biflorus were screened for their inhibitory activity against midgut proteases of Pieris brassicae larvae. Seed extracts of developing and germinating seeds of HPK4 cultivar inhibited larval gut proteases of Spodoptera littoralis efficiently. Neonate larvae of P. brassicae fed on cabbage leaf discs coated with 0.025-2.50 mg protein (seed extract) resulted in 10-80% larval mortality and significantly reduced leaf area eaten and faecal matter as compared to control. The treated larvae had 40% less soluble proteins per mg faecal matter and there was similar decline in midgut proteases of treated larvae (@ 2.5 mg protein) compared to untreated ones after 5 days. The LC50 and LT50 value was calculated to be 1.05 mg/leaf disc and 4.8 days (2.5 mg protein), respectively for neonate larvae of P. brassicae. Significant reduction in egg hatching (75%) was observed in egg mass treated with 5.3 mg of crude inhibitor protein of mature seeds. This could be due to the inhibition of proteases involved in the hydrolysis of egg chorion proteins. The studies demonstrated the insecticidal activity of D. biflorus seed extracts.

Antinephrolithiatic and antioxidative efficacy of Dolichos biflorus seeds in a lithiasic rat model.

CONTEXT: Dolichos biflorus sensu auct non L. (Fabaceae) is widely used for the treatment of kidney stones, leucorrhoea, urinary disorders, and menstrual troubles, and is known for its antioxidant activity. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the preventive effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Dolichos biflorus seeds (DBE) in ethylene glycol induced nephrolithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vitro antioxidative capacity of DBE was estimated in terms of reducing power, superoxide radical, 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical, and nitric oxide scavenging activity. A validated HPLC method was used for standardization using quercetin as a marker. Adult female Wistar rats were administered with DBE (150 and 300 mg/kg body weight/day) along with ethylene glycol (0.75%, v/v) for 28 d. The various biochemical parameters were measured in urine, serum, and kidney followed by histochemistry. RESULTS: Ethylene glycol caused a significant increase in calcium, oxalate, phosphate, and total protein in urine as well as in kidney whereas decrease in calcium, sodium, and magnesium in serum was observed (p < 0.001). Ethylene glycol also caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and concurrent decrease in activities of antioxidant enzymes in kidney (p < 0.001). However, the seed extract of D. biflorus caused significant restoration of all these parameters (p < 0.001). Histopathological and histochemical studies also showed the reduced calcifications in kidney of seed extract treated rats. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These results indicated that seeds of D. biflorus have significant prophylactic effect in preventing the nephrolithiasis, which might be due to the antioxidant activity of the active compounds of the plant.