Protective effect of catechin on humoral and cell mediated immunity in rat model.

The present study was focused on examining the effect of catechin on the cellular and humoral immunity in rat model. Immunomodulatory effect of catechin was determined by delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response, carbon clearance assay, leucocyte mobilization test and cyclophosphamide-induced myelosuppression and hemagglutinating antibody (HA) titer assay. Catechin in experimental dose (25, 50 and 100mg/kg, p.o.) elevated a significant increase in antibody titer in the hemagglutination test with increased levels of immunoglobulin. There was an enhancement in the delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction produced by sheep red blood cells. There was also restoration in the functioning of leucocytes in cyclophosphamide-treated rats with an increased clearance of carbon particles. The results of the present study signify that catechin possesses sufficient potential for modulating immune activity by cellular and humoral mechanisms.

Evaluation of analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of Bridelia retusa (Spreng) bark.

Several species of Bridelia have been used in the condition of pain & arthritis in Indian folk medicine. Present study revealed the preliminary phytochemical investigation and evaluation of analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity as well as underlying mechanism of bark of Bridelia retusa Spreng. (Euphorbiaceae). The bark was subjected to extraction using pet.ether, ethyl acetate and acetone. All the extracts were significantly inhibit abdominal writhings response and licking time in late phase of formalin test. Extracts could also significantly inhibit mean paw edema of rats induced by carrageenan & histamine at dose of 200 & 400 mg/kg, i.p. Test materials also showed significant dose dependent reduction in cotton pellet granuloma & acetic acid induced vascular permeability at 400 mg/kg. Oral administration of B. retusa fractions in CFA induced arthritic rats, physical, biochemical and hematological parameters observed in arthritic animals were altered significantly to near normal condition. The maximum paw edema inhibition at day 21 was observed at 400 mg/kg. It also proved significant protection against protein denaturation & RBC membrane damage. The GC-MS analysis of EA extract revealed the presence of ß-sitosterol, stigmasterol, lupeol and friedelin (Pentacyclic triterpenoid). Therefore present study has demonstrated the analgesic; anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activities of B. retusa bark and suggested that the molecular membrane might be associated with inhibition of biochemical and hematological parameters. Overall bioactive profile of B. retusa used phytomedicine in future for inflammatory conditions.

Protective effect of rutin on humoral and cell mediated immunity in rat model.

Diet and dietary intake can persuade the development, safeguard and proper functioning of immune system. Ruin, an important bioflavonoid, is abundantly found in various foodstuffs. Rutin has been acknowledged for its protective and beneficial effects on various aspects of the biological system. The present study was aimed to examine the effect of rutin on the regulation of the immune response in experimental animal models. Effect of rutin of cellular immunity was determined by delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response, carbon clearance assay, leucocyte mobilization test, and cyclophosphamide-induced myelosuppression, whereas humoral immunity was analyzed by the haemagglutinating antibody (HA) titre assay. Rutin (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) evoked a significant increase in antibody titre in the haemagglutination test, increased immunoglobulin levels, and enhanced the delayed type hypersensitivity reaction induced by sheep red blood cells. It also significantly restored the functioning of leucocytes in cyclophosphamide treated rats and augmented phagocytic index in the carbon clearance assay. The outcomes from the present study indicate that rutin possesses sufficient potential for increasing immune activity by cellular and humoral mediated mechanisms.

The Pharmacological Potential of Rutin.

The contemporary scientific community has presently recognized flavonoids to be a unique class of therapeutic molecules due to their diverse therapeutic properties. Of these, rutin, also known as vitamin P or rutoside, has been explored for a number of pharmacological effects. Tea leaves, apples, and many more possess rutin as one of the active constituents. Today, rutin has been observed for its nutraceutical effect. The present review highlights current information and health-promoting effects of rutin. Along with this, safety pharmacology issues and SAR of the same have also been discussed.

Further studies on membrane stabilizing, anti-inflammatory and FCA induced arthritic activity of various fractions of bark of Machilus macrantha in rats

Machilus macrantha Nees, Lauraceae, bark is traditionally used in the treatment of asthma, tuberculosis and rheumatoid arthritis. In order to validate, mechanism based anti-inflammatory activity of fractions M. macrantha bark are investigated for first time. Test materials viz. petroleum ether (PE), alkaloidal fraction (CH), acetone extracts (TAN) and mucilage (MM) (250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o.) obtained from M. macrantha bark were tested for membrane stabilizing, anti-nociceptive; anti inflammatory and Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) induced arthritis activity. Diclofenac sodium and morphine were used as the reference standards in pharmacological assay. Test materials have significantly (p<0.01) inhibited paw edema after Carrageenan and histamine induction at higher doses. Administration of test materials of M. macrantha (250 and 500 mg/kg b.w.) significantly reduced abdominal writhing, formalin nociception, cotton pellet granuloma and vascular permeability in experimental animal. In addition to this, bark of M. macrantha showed chronic anti-rheumatic effect by suppressing the swelling volume, arthritis index, hematological and biochemical parameters (ESR, RA factor, CRP, liver transferase enzyme) in FCA-induced arthritis. It also significantly inhibited protein denaturation, heat-induced haemolysis of RBC and reduction in total leukocyte migration. Bioassay guided fractionation of the pet. ether extract of bark of M. macrantha led to isolation and characterization of β-sitosterol and stigma sterol confirmed by its HPLC, NMR and GC-MS study. In conclusion, extracts of M. macrantha bark can be explored as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of acute and chronic arthritis.

Estimation of catechin in Ayurvedic oil formulations containing Acacia catechu.

A sensitive, simple, rapid, and efficient HPTLC method was developed and validated for the analysis of catechin in marketed Ayurvedic oil formulations containing Acacia catechu. Chromatography of methanolic-0.1% formic acid (7:3, v/v) extracts of these formulations was performed on silica gel 60 F254 aluminum-backed TLC plates of 0.2 mm layer thickness. The plate was developed up to 85 mm with the ternary-mobile phase chloroform-acetone-0.1% formic acid (7.7 + 1.5 + 0.8%, v/v/v) at 22 +/- 2 degrees C with 20 min of chamber saturation. The system produced compact spots of catechin at an Rf value of 0.36. The marker, catechin, was quantified at its maximum absorbance of 296 nm. The limit of detection and quantitation values were 6 and 20 ng/spot, respectively. The linear regression analysis data for the calibration plot showed a good linear relationship with a correlation coefficient of 0.9993 in the concentration range of 200-1200 ng/spot for catechin with respect to peak area. Repeatability of the method was 0.88% RSD. Recovery values from 97 to 102% indicate excellent accuracy of the method. The developed HPTLC method is accurate, precise, and cost-effective, and it can be successfully applied for the determination of catechin in marketed Ayurvedic oil formulations containing Acacia catechu.

Determination of psoralen and plumbagin from its polyherbal oil formulations by an HPTLC densitometric method.

Many polyherbal oil formulations in Indian and Chinese traditional systems of medicine used for control of skin diseases contain seeds of Psoralea corylifolia and roots of Plumbago zeylanica L. Psoralen and plumbagin are the reliable markers for Ps. corylifolia and Pl. zeylanica, respectively. However, no attempt is made to standardize the polyherbal oil formulations containing Ps. corylifolia and Pl. zeylanica in terms of their active ingredients or marker compounds. In this paper, a simple, rapid, and sensitive HPTLC method is described for the first time to identify and quantify psoralen and plumbagin from such polyherbal oil formulations. The methanolic extract of oil formulations was used for analysis of markers. Psoralen gives a sharp UV absorbance peak at 302 nm and plumbagin at 275 nm. Good resolution of psoralen (Rf = 0.37) and plumbagin (Rf = 0.77) was attained using toluene-ethyl acetate (7.5 + 2.5, v/v) mobile phase. The method was validated in terms of calibration curve, limits of detection and quantification, precision, accuracy, and robustness following a standard protocol. Polyherbal oil formulations were analyzed with reasonable accuracy, and no matrix interference was observed. The method developed can be used for marker-based quality assurance of oil formulations containing Ps. corylifolia and Pl. zeylanica as one active ingredient.

Selective determination of aconitine in polyherbal oils containing Aconitum chasmanthum using high-performance thin-layer chromatography.

Many polyherbal oil formulations in traditional systems of medicine contain aconite root. This paper reports the development and validation of a simple, rapid, and sensitive HPTLC method for identification and quantification of aconitine from polyherbal oil formulations. Chromatography of methanolic extract of these formulations was performed on silica gel 60F254 aluminum-backed HPTLC plates with a 0.2 mm layer thickness. The plates were developed up to 85 mm with the binary mobile phase ethyl acetate-ethanol (7.5 + 2.5, v/v) at 22 +/- 2 degrees C with 20 min of chamber saturation. The system produced a compact band of the marker aconitine at an R(f) value of 0.33 that was quantified at its maximum absorbance of 238 nm. The LOD and LOQ values were found to be 20 and 70 ng/band, respectively. The linearity with respect to peak area was in the range of 300 to 1800 ng/band with an r of 0.9991. Polyherbal oil formulations were analyzed with reasonable accuracy, and no matrix interference was observed. The developed HPTLC method is accurate, precise, and cost-effective, and can be used for marker-based QA of polyherbal oil formulations containing Aconitum chasmanthum as one of the active ingredients.