Effects of Melothria maderaspatana leaf extract on antioxidant status in sham-operated and uninephrectomized DOCA-salt hypertensive rats.

The present study was designed to investigate the antihypertensive and antioxidant effect of Melothria maderaspatana leaf extract (MME) on sham-operated and DOCA-salt (deoxycorticosterone acetate) induced hypertensive rats. Administration of DOCA-salt significantly increased the systolic (from 127 to 212 mm Hg) and diastolic (from 91 to 174 mm Hg) blood pressure compared to sham-operated control rats, while treatment with MME significantly reduced the systolic (from 212 to 135 mm Hg) and diastolic (from 174 to 96 mm Hg) blood pressure compared to hypertensive control. In DOCA-salt rats, the plasma and tissue concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH) significantly increased and administration of MME significantly reduced these parameters towards the levels in sham-operated control. In hypertensive rats, activities of the enzymatic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E and reduced glutathione (GSH) decreased significantly in the plasma and tissues. Administration of MME returned the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants towards sham-operated control. MME shows both antihypertensive and antioxidant properties in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats and, among the three different doses tested, 200 mg/kg caused the maximum effect.

In vivo antioxidant and hypolipidemic effect OF Cardiospermum halicacabum leaf extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

In this study we investigated the antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic of an ethanolic leaf extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum (CHE) in plasma and tissues of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The plasma and tissue concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid hydroperoxide were significantly elevated in STZ diabetic rats. CHE administration decreased TBARS and lipid hydroperoxide levels. The plasma vitamin E level increased and the vitamin C level decreased. The reduced glutathione level significantly decreased in plasma and tissues, as did the activities of enzymatic antioxidants. The enzymatic and non enzymatic alterations reversed toward normalcy after treatment with CHE. STZ-induced diabetic rats showed significant increases in plasma total cholesterol, phospholipids, triglycerides, and free fatty acids, which returned to near normalcy in CHE-treated animals. Plasma LDL-C and VLDL-C increased and HDL-C decreased and both reverted to near normalcy following CHE treatment. We conclude that CHE possesses antioxidant and hypolipidemic effects in diabetic rats, which may be due to the presence of flavonoids, such as apigenin and luteolin in the extract.

Antihypertensive efficacy of Melothria maderaspatana leaf extract on sham-operated and uninephrectomized DOCA-salt hypertensive rats.

The plant Melothria maderaspatana (MME) has been used traditionally as antihypertensive and has been proven scientifically to possess high antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity. The present study has been designed to investigate the antihypertensive effect of ethanolic extract of MME leaves on sham-operated and uninephrectomized DOCA-salt-induced hypertensive male albino Wistar rats. A midscapular incision was made on each rat and the left kidney was excised after ligation of the renal artery. The surgical wound was closed using a suture. After one week recovery period, hypertension was induced by subcutaneous injection of DOCA-salt solution, twice a week, and the rats received a 1% sodium chloride solution as drinking water throughout the experimental period. After 6 weeks injection of DOCA-salt, systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure was significantly elevated as compared with sham-operated control. Treatment with MME significantly decreased theblood pressure. Thus, the results show that MME possesses antihypertensive activity in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats.

Influence of chrysin on hepatic marker enzymes and lipid profile against D-galactosamine-induced hepatotoxicity rats.

Chrysin is a flavonoid that exists in nature and is the major component of some traditional medicinal herbs. We investigated the hepatoprotective and antihyperlipidaemic potential of chrysin against D-galactosamine (a single intraperitoneal injection 400 mg/kg BW) induced hepatotoxicity in male albino Wistar rats. D-GalN rats exhibited an increased hepato and nephro toxicity marker activities aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase and total bilirubin level while urea, uric acid and creatinine and lipid profile. It also negatively affected the serum total protein, albumin and A/G ratio. Rats treated with chrysin at different concentrations (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg BW) caused a significant improvement in serum protein level, decreased hepato and nephro toxicity markers. It also decreased the levels of very low density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol while high density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly increased. It also decreased the levels of total cholesterol, phospholipids, triglycerides, free fatty acids in the plasma and tissues of liver and kidney. The effect of chrysin (25 mg/kg) is comparable with silymarin, a known hepatoprotective drug. Chrysin thus exhibits hepatoprotective and antihyperlipidaemic activity.

Effect of chrysin on hepatoprotective and antioxidant status in D-galactosamine-induced hepatitis in rats.

Chrysin is a natural, biologically active compound present in many plants and possesses potent anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antioxidation properties. This work was designed to investigate the effect of chrysin, on the hepatoprotective efficacy in d-galactosamine-intoxication rats. d-galactosamine-induced toxicity was manifested by the elevation of serum hepatic marker enzyme activities (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) and the lipid peroxidation process and by decreasing the antioxidant capacity of the plasma, erythrocyte and tissues. Treatment with chrysin (25, 50 and 100mg/kg body weight) decreased hepatic marker enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation products such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, lipid hydroperoxides and conjugated dienes, increased the activities of free-radical scavenging enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase and the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants reduced glutathione, vitamin C and vitamin E. These findings demonstrate that chrysin acts as a hepatoprotective and antioxidant agent against d-galactosamine-induced hepatotoxicity.

Effect of Piper betle on plasma antioxidant status and lipid profile against D-galactosamine-induced hepatitis in rats.

Betle leaf chewing is an old traditional practice in India and other countries of East Asia. We have investigated the antioxidant and antihyperlipidaemic potential of an alcoholic leaf-extract of Piper betle against D-galactosamine (D-GalN; 400 mg/kg body weight, i.p. single dose) intoxication in male albino Wistar rats. Rats were treated with leaf-extract (200 mg/kg body weight) by intragastric intubations daily for 20 days. The animals were divided randomly into five groups of six animals each as control, control plus extract, D-GalN control, D-GalN-rats on treatment with extract or silymarin, a standard drug. We observed an increase in the plasma levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), lipid hydroperoxides, and a decrease in vitamin C, vitamin E and reduced glutathione concentrations. Very low density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol increased significantly while high density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased. Further, increase in the levels of total cholesterol, phospholipids, triglycerides, free fatty acids in the plasma and tissues of liver and kidney were observed in D-GalN-treated rats. Administration of P. betle leaf-extract prevented the increase or decrease of these parameters and brought towards normality. These results suggest that P. betle could afford a significant antioxidant and antihyperlipidaemic effect against D-GalN-intoxication.

Influence of Piper betle on hepatic marker enzymes and tissue antioxidant status in D-galactosamine-induced hepatotoxic rats.

D-galactosamine is a well-established hepatotoxicant that induces a diffuse type of liver injury closely resembling human viral hepatitis. D-galactosamine by its property of generating free radicals causes severe damage to the membrane and affects almost all organs of the human body. The leaves of Piper betle L., a commonly used masticatory in Asian countries, possess several biological properties. Our aim is to investigate the in vivo antioxidant potential of P. betle leaf-extract against oxidative stress induced by D-galactosamine intoxication in male albino Wistar rats. Toxicity was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine, 400 mg/kg body weight (BW) for 21 days. Rats were treated with P. betle extract (200 mg/kg BW) via intragastric intubations. We assessed the activities of liver marker enzymes (aspartate amino-transferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase) and levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), lipid hydroperoxides, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, vitamin C, vitamin E, and reduced glutathione. The extract significantly improved the status of antioxidants and decreased TBARS, hydroperoxides, and liver marker enzymes when compared with the D-galactosamine treated group, demonstrating its hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties.