RESUMO
The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of standardized aqueous extract of Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth. on diabetes. Diabetes mellitus was induced with streptozotocinnicotinamide and rats found diabetic were orally administered standardized aqueous extract of Picrorhiza kurroa (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) or glibenclamide (10 mg/kg, p.o.) or vehicle (0.3% carboxy methyl cellulose suspension) for 14 days. Fasting blood glucose levels and lipid profiles were measured in control as well as diabetic rats after two week treatment. In addition, liver glycogen level of Picrorhiza kurroa extract (PkE) treated diabetic rats were compared to that of control and diabetic control rats. Oral glucose tolerance test was also performed on nondiabetic normal rats. Statistical analyses were performed by one way analysis of variance followed by Tukey-Kramer multiple comparisons test. PkE treatment induced significant reduction (p < 0.001) in elevated fasting blood glucose level in streptozotocinnicotinamide induced type-2 diabetic rats. In oral glucose tolerance test, oral administration of PkE increased the glucose tolerance. PkE treatment also significantly (p < 0.001) reversed the weight loss associated with streptozotocin treatment. These findings provide in vivo evidence that standardized extract of Picrorhiza kurroa possess significant antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type-2 diabetes mellitus in rats.
RESUMO
The aim of present study was to investigate the in vivo antiaggressive activity of hyperforin using defensive and offensive behavioral models in rodents. Adult male rats and mice were used for the present study. Animals were divided into three groups, with 6 animals in each. Lorazepam was used as standard antiaggressive agent. Animals were treated once daily, for seven consecutive days. Hyperforin (10 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected in a volume of 10 mL/kg for seven consecutive days. Standard group was treated with lorazepam (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.). The control group was treated with equal volume of vehicle (0.3% carboxy methyl cellulose suspension, i.p.). Animals were screened for aggressive behavior before dividing them into groups. At the end of 7 days, experiments were performed. Antiaggressive activity was evaluated using following validated models of aggression viz. foot shock-induced aggression, isolation-induced aggression, resident-intruder aggression and water competition test. Hyperforin treatment significantly (p < 0.001) reduced various aggressive parameters viz. latency to first attack and number of fights in isolation induced aggression, resident intruder aggression and foot shock induced aggression tests. In water competition test, hyperforin treatment significantly (p < 0.001) reduced the duration of water consumption and frequency of water spout possession. We conclude that hyperforin, the major lipophilic compound contained in extracts of Hypericum perforatum, is thus responsible for the antiaggressive activity, suggesting the therapeutic potential of hyperforin as an antiaggressive agent.
RESUMO
The main aim of this study was to test the therapeutic potential of a standardized Hypericum perforatum extract in treating metabolic disturbances commonly associated with type-2 diabetes mellitus. Daily oral administration of the Hypericum perforatum extract (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg/day) for 14 consecutive days counteracted in a dose-dependent manner the alterations in blood glucose levels and lipid profile as well as liver glycogen content and body weight changes observed in a rat mode of nicotinamide-streptozotocininduced diabetes. In general, effects of the highest dose of the extract in this model were quite similar, but not identical, to those of a 10 mg/kg/day dose of glibenclamide. The effects of single oral doses of the extract in a rat oral glucose tolerance test conducted in fasted animals were also analogous to those of an antidiabetic drug therapeutic use. These observations not only further expand the therapeutic potentials of Hypericum extracts but also indicate that stimulation of insulin release could be involved in their modes of actions. The importance of an extract with diverse, therapeutically interesting pharmacological properties is also briefly discussed.
