Boerhaavia diffusa Extract Acts as a Specific Antituberculosis Agent in Vitro Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv Infection.

The present study investigated Boerhaavia diffusa extract against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (M.tb) infection in vitro and explored the underlying mechanism. The study demonstrated that Boerhaavia diffusa extract significantly (p < 0.05) reduced RAW 264.7 and A549 cell viability in concentration dependent manner. In BEAS-2B, NuLi-1 cells and splenocytes no significant (p > 0.05) reduction in viability was observed on treatment with 2.5 to 20 mg/L concentrations of Boerhaavia diffusa. The M. tb­induced increase in TNF­α expression was significantly (p < 0.05) reversed by Boerhaavia diffusa treatment in RAW 264.7 and BEAS-2B cells. Moreover, Boerhaavia diffusa treatment significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited M.tb­induced increase in IL-6 and IL­1ß expression in RAW 264.7 and BEAS-2B cells. Boerhaavia diffusa treatment of RAW 264.7 and BEAS-2B cells significantly (p < 0.05) reversed M.tb­induced increase in iNOS and COX­2 expression. Additionally, in Boerhaavia diffusa treated cells M.tb­induced increase in NO release was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced compared to untreated cells. In summary, Boerhaavia diffusa treatment inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokine production, NO release and regulate immunomodulatory mediators in M.tb­infected RAW 264.7 and BEAS-2B cells. Therefore, Boerhaavia diffusa may be developed as a therapeutic agent for treatment of M.tb­infection.

Safety assessment and attenuation of cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity by tuberous roots of Boerhaavia diffusa.

Cisplatin (Cis-diaminedichloroplatinum II) is a chemotherapeutic agent having well documented adverse effect as nephrotoxicity. This study was designed to evaluate the nephroprotective role of Boerhaavia diffusa in cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury. Wistar rats (n = 6) were allocated into six groups constituting normal control, cisplatin-induced, Boerhaavia diffusa root extract in doses 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg and Boerhaavia diffusa per se group, administered orally for a period of ten days. Intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin was administered on day 7, to all groups except normal control and Boerhaavia diffusa per se group. On day 10, cisplatin resulted in substantial nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats with significant (p < 0.001) elevation in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, decline in the concentrations of reduced glutathione and superoxide dismutase, elevation in TNF-α level in renal tissues. Boerhaavia diffusa at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight significantly (p < 0.001) ameliorates increased in serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, oxidative stress and inflammatory markers. In parallel to this, it also exhibits antiapoptotic activity through the reduction of active caspase-3 expression in kidneys. Findings indicate that Boerhaavia diffusa is effective in mitigating cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and thus, for this the acute and sub-acute toxicity studies conducted to evaluate the safety profile of Boerhaavia diffusa. The no-observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of tuberous roots of Boerhaavia diffusa root extract was 1000 mg/kg.

Efficient micropropagation and assessment of genetic fidelity of Boerhaavia diffusa L- High trade medicinal plant.

Boerhaavia diffusa L is a medicinal herb with immense pharmaceutical significance. The plant is used by many herbalist, Ayurvedic and pharmaceutical industries for production biopharmaceuticals. It is among the 46 medicinal plant species in high trade sourced mainly from wastelands and generally found in temperate regions of the world. However, the commercial bulk of this plant shows genetic variations which are the main constraint to use this plant as medicinal ingredient and to obtain high value products of pharmaceutical interest from this plant. In this study, we have regenerated the plant of Boerhaavia diffusa L through nodal explants and evaluated genetic fidelity of the micropropagated plants of Boerhaavia diffusa L with the help of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The results obtained using RAPD showed monomorphic banding pattern revealing genetic stability among the mother plant and in vitro regenerated plants of Boerhaavia diffusa L.

Quantitative analysis of boeravinones in the roots of Boerhaavia Diffusa by UPLC/PDA.

INTRODUCTION: Boerhaavia diffusa is a perennial herb belonging to Nyctaginaceae. Various classes of chemical constituents such as phenolics (boeravinones), terpenoids and organic acids have been reported in B. diffusa roots. As boeravinones have been proposed as putative active constituents for the anti-cancer, spasmolytic and anti-inflammatory activities exhibited by B. diffusa extracts, it is worthwhile developing and validating an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method for analysis of boeravinones in B. diffusa roots. OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a simple, accurate, robust and rapid UPLC analytical method for quality control of B. diffusa roots. METHODS: Samples for analysis were prepared by refluxing powdered root material with methanol for 2 h. The extracts were concentrated, dried and stored at -20°C until their use. A UPLC with photodiode array (PDA) method was developed and validated for the quantification of boeravinones in the roots of B. diffusa. The separation of boeravinones was achieved using a BEH Shield C18 -column (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.7 µm) with gradient elution of methanol and water (0.1% acetic acid), at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min and detection was carried out at λmax 273 nm. RESULTS: The UPLC method developed showed good linearity (r(2) ≥ 0.9999), accuracy and precision. CONCLUSION: The UPLC method developed provided a selective, sensitive and rapid analytical method for the quantification of boeravinones in B. diffusa roots. All the validation parameters were found to be within the permissible limits as per International Conference on Harmonisation guidelines.

Ethnomedicinal values of Boerhaavia diffusa L. as a panacea against multiple human ailments: a state of art review.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Therapeutic botanicals (plants and derivatives) are in use since antiquity for various health ailments. The ethnic community is the repository of the information, the multifactorial therapeutic applications of which may often need scientific validation. The spreading hogweed or Boerhaavia diffusa L., also known as Punarnava, is a reassuring medicinal herb with diverse pharmacological benefits. It is used in Ayurveda in Asia and Africa as a rejuvenator or "Rasayan" for its excellent antiaging and antioxidant properties. Aim: The study aimed at compiling the state-of-art knowledge of the medicinal benefits of Boerhaavia diffusa L. and unraveling the unexplored commercially useful bioactive constituents by establishing their possible pharmacological benefits. Methods: The data from published literature, confined to pharmacological manifestations of various phytocomponents of Boerhaavia diffusa L. or its parts like root, leaf and stem were extracted from scientific databases, Google, Science Direct, PubMed, etc. using its antifungal, antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, renoprotective, antifertility benefits and molecular docking study as search strings and keywords. Further, the reported in silico studies for bioactivity and bioavailability are detailed. Results: The botanicals possess numerous bioactive compounds, the most widely reported ones being phenolic (punarnavoside, trans-caftaric acid, boerhavic acid), rotenoid (boeravinones A-J), flavonoid (borhaavone, quercetin, kaempferol), isoflavonoid (2'-O-methyl abronisoflavone), alkaloid (punarnavine), steroid (boerhavisterol, ß-Ecdysone), anthracenes and lignans (liriodendrin, syringaresinol mono-ß-D-glucoside). Some of the reported reassuring benefits of their purified forms or even the crude extracts are antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, cardioprotective, antifertility, etc. Conclusion: The article provides an extensive study on such pharmacological utility to support the ethnomedicinal use of Boerhaavia diffusa L. and propose possible mechanism of the various bioactive compounds in optimising metabolic dysfunctions, healing and protecting vital body organs, often related to the magnificent antioxidant property of this ayurvedic panacea. Further, establishing specific roles of its yet-to-explore bioactive constituents for diverse pharmacological applications is suggested.

Biochemical and molecular docking-based strategies of Acalypha indica and Boerhavia diffusa extract by targeting bacterial strains and cancer proteins.

Antibiotic-resistant microbes have emerged around the world, presenting a risk to health. Plant-derived drugs have become a potential source for the production of antibiotic-resistant drugs and cancer therapies. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial, cytotoxic and antioxidant properties of Acalypha indica and Boerhavia diffusa, and conducted in silico molecular docking experiments against EGFR and VEGFR-2 proteins. The metabolic extract of A. indica inhibited Streptococcus iniae and Staphylococcus sciuri with inhibition zones of 21.66 ± 0.57 mm and 20.33 ± 0.57 mm, respectively. The B. diffusa leaf extract produced inhibition zones of 20.3333 ± 0.5773 mm and 20.33 ± 0.57 mm against Streptococcus iniae and Edwardsiella anguillarum, respectively. A. indica and B. diffusa extracts had toxicities of 162.01 µg/ml and 175.6 µg/ml, respectively. Moreover, B. diffusa (IC50 =154.42 µg/ml) leaf extract exhibited moderately higher antioxidant activity compared with the A. indica (IC50 = 218.97 µg/ml) leaf extract. Multiple interactions were observed at Leu694, Met769 and Leu820 sites for EGFR and at Asp1046 and Cys1045 sites for VEGFR during the molecular docking study. CID-235030, CID-70825 and CID-156619353 had binding energies of -7.6 kJ/mol, -7.5 kJ/mol and -7.6 kJ/mol, respectively, with EGFR protein. VEGFR-2 protein had docking energies of -7.5 kJ/mol, -7.6 kJ/mol and -7.3 kJ/mol, respectively, for CID-6420353, CID-156619353 and CID-70825 compounds. The MD simulation trajectories revealed the hit compound; CID-235030 and EGFR complex, CID-6420353 and VEGFR-2 exhibit stable profile in the root mean square deviation (RMSD), radius of gyration (Rg), solvent accessible surface area (SASA), hydrogen bond and root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) and the binding free energy by MM-PBSA method. This study indicates that methanol extracts of A. indica and B. diffusa may play a crucial role in developing antibiotic-resistant and cancer drugs.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Biochemical and molecular anticancer approaches for Boerhaavia diffusa root extracts in oral cancer.

Background: Boerhaavia diffusa is a medicinal herb with anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, anticancer, and immunomodulatory properties, found across India. Aim and Objectives: The present study is designed to investigate the therapeutic potential for B. diffusa root extracts in oral cancer cell line. Materials and Methods: The aqueous and methanolic extracts of B. diffusa were prepared using Soxhlet apparatus. In order to determine the phytochemical constituents of B. diffusa, the extracts were subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The antioxidant potential of B. diffusa extracts was assessed by 2,2-Diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl, ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power, catalase and peroxidase assays. The effective concentration of B. diffusa root on cell viability was analyzed by [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. The ability of B. diffusa root extracts to modify the cell-cycle phases was performed by FACS analysis. The apoptotic inducing potential of B. diffusa in oral cancer cells was confirmed by acridine orange-ethidium bromide and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining. The protein profile of apoptotic processes was validated by the Western blot analysis; docking studies were also performed. Results: We observed that antioxidant activity was higher in B. diffusa methanolic extract compared with aqueous extract. The results showed that the methanolic and aqueous extracts of B. diffusa exhibited significant cytotoxic effect with IC50 value of 36 µg/ml and 30 µg/ml, respectively. The apoptotic DNA fragmentation and the apoptotic inducing potential in KB oral cancer cell line were higher for the methanolic extract compared with the aqueous extract. These results were also confirmed by in-silico analysis. Conclusion: The results indicate that extracts obtained from the roots of B. diffusa inhibit the progression of oral cancer. These compounds of pharmacological importance can be either used alone or in combination with other drugs to treat oral cancer.

A Review on Rotenoids: Purification, Characterization and its Biological Applications.

Phytochemicals play a vital role as drugs for the treatment of various autoimmune, viral, and cancerous diseases. Rotenoids, a type of isoflavone compounds present in plants genus Boerhaavia sp., Mirabilis sp. and Abronia sp. which belong to the Nyctaginaceae family, are traditionally used as pesticides and insecticides. Boeravinones are groups of rotenoid compounds widely used as drugs or drug adjuvants for the treatment of various diseases. Extraction of rotenoids in various solvents, purification of rotenoids in various chromatographic technique studies, and the characterization of functional groups of rotenoids in various spectroscopic techniques have been reported. Biological applications of rotenoids such as anti-cancerous, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities have been discussed. This review summarizes the extraction, isolation, purification, and characterization of rotenoid compounds and their effect on the treatment of cancer, inflammatory, spasmolytic, autoimmune, and microbial diseases.

Boerhaavia diffusa inhibits key enzymes linked to type 2 diabetes in vitro and in silico; and modulates abdominal glucose absorption and muscle glucose uptake ex vivo.

The present study investigated the in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant, anti-diabetic and anti-obesogenic potentials of different solvent (ethyl acetate, ethanol and water) extracts from the aerial parts of Boerhaavia diffusa. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DPPH scavenging activity and the ameliorative effects of the extracts on Fe2+-induced oxidative injury was investigated both in vitro and ex vivo. Alpha glucosidase and pancreatic lipase inhibitory potentials of the extracts were examined in vitro, while the effects of the ethanol extract on abdominal glucose intake and muscle glucose uptake were determined in freshly harvested tissues ex vivo. The extracts were subjected to Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis to identify their possible bioactive components. The ethanol extract showed the most potent FRAP and DPPH radical scavenging activities compared to other extracts. All extracts increased catalase and SOD activities, and GSH levels in oxidative pancreatic injury. Both ethanol and aqueous extracts exhibited remarkable enzyme inhibitory activities, which was significantly higher than ethyl acetate extract and acarbose but was not comparable to orlistat. The ethanol extract portrayed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on jejunal glucose uptake and enhancement of muscle glucose uptake. 9-(4 methoxyphenyl) xanthene, xanthone and stigmasterol showed strong binding affinities for α-glucosidase and lipase enzymes tested. Data from this study suggest that aerial parts of B. diffusa (particularly the ethanol extract) may not only exhibit antioxidant potentials but may also mediate anti-lipidemic and anti-hyperglycemic effects via inhibiting fat and carbohydrate digestion as well as abdominal glucose intake and enhancing muscle glucose uptake.

Neutralization of Inflammation by Inhibiting In vitro and In vivo Secretory Phospholipase A2 by Ethanol Extract of Boerhaavia diffusa L.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is a normal and necessary prerequisite to healing of the injured tissues. Inflammation contributes to all disease process including immunity, vascular pathology, trauma, sepsis, chemical, and metabolic injuries. The secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) is a key enzyme in the production of pro-inflammatory mediators in chronic inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. The sPLA2 also contribute to neuroinflammatory disorders such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Crohn's disease. AIMS: The present study aims to investigate the inhibition of human sPLA2 by a popular medicinal herb Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. as a function of anti-inflammatory activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The aqueous and different organic solvents extracts of B. diffusa were prepared and evaluated for human synovial fluid, human pleural fluid, as well as Vipera russelli and Naja naja venom sPLA2 enzyme inhibition. RESULTS: Among the extracts, the ethanol extract of B. diffusa (EEBD) showed the highest sPLA2 inhibition and IC50 values ranging from 17.8 to 27.5 µg. Further, antioxidant and lipid peroxidation activities of B. diffusa extract were checked using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical, thiobarbituric acid, and rat liver homogenate. The antioxidant activity of EEBD was more or less directly proportional to in vitro sPLA2 inhibition. Eventually, the extract was subjected to neutralize sPLA2-induced mouse paw edema and indirect hemolytic activity. The EEBD showed similar potency in both the cases. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the bioactive molecule/s from the EEBD is/are potentially responsible for the observed in vitro and in vivo sPLA2 inhibition and antioxidant activity. SUMMARY: The present study aims to investigate the inhibition of human sPLA2 by a popular medicinal herb Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. as a function of anti inflammatory activity. Abbreviation Used: EEBD: Ethanolic extract of boerhaavia diffusa, sPLA2: Secretory phospholipase A2, HSF: Human synovial fluid, HPF: Human pleural fluid, VRV-PLA2-V: Vipera russelli phospholipase A2, NN-PLA2-I: Naja naja phospholipase A2.

Attenuation of Oxidative Damage by Boerhaavia diffusa L. Against Different Neurotoxic Agents in Rat Brain Homogenate.

Due to a high rate of oxidative metabolic activity in the brain, intense production of reactive oxygen metabolite occurs, and the subsequent generation of free radicals is implicated in the pathogenesis of traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, and ischemia as well as chronic neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, protective effects of polyphenol rich ethanolic extract of Boerhaavia diffusa (BDE), a neuroprotective edible medicinal plant against oxidative stress induced by different neurotoxic agents, were evaluated. BDE was tested against quinolinic acid (QA), 3-nitropropionic acid (NPA), sodium nitroprusside (SNP), and Fe (II)/EDTA complex induced oxidative stress in rat brain homogenates. QA, NPA, SNP, and Fe (II)/EDTA treatment caused an increased level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in brain homogenates along with a decline in the activities of antioxidant enzymes. BDE treatment significantly decreased the production of TBARS (p < .05) and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes like catalase and superoxide dismutase along with increased concentration of non-enzymatic antioxidant, reduced glutathione (GSH). Similarly, BDE caused a significant decrease in the lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the cerebral cortex. Inhibitory potential of BDE against deoxyribose degradation (IC50 value 38.91 ± 0.12 µg/ml) shows that BDE can protect hydroxyl radical induced DNA damage in the tissues. Therefore, B. diffusa had high antioxidant potential that could inhibit the oxidative stress induced by different neurotoxic agents in brain. Since many of the neurological disorders are associated with free radical injury, these data may imply that B. diffusa, functioning as an antioxidant agent, may be beneficial for reducing various neurodegenerative complications.

Advances in Boerhaavia diffusa hairy root technology: a valuable pursuit for identifying strain sensitivity and up-scaling factors to refine metabolite yield and bioactivity potentials.

The present study reports the Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated hairy root induction in of an ethno-medicinally significant herb-Boerhaavia diffusa L., for elucidating the underlying competence regarding its biosynthetic (i.e. boeravinone B and eupalitin) and bioactivity (antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory) potentials. Host plant-specific receptiveness towards A. rhizogenes strains and disparity in compatibility threshold of leaf and nodal explants were evident. Only leaf explants responded, attaining hairy root induction with the ATCC 15834 followed by A4 and SA79 strains in reducing order of transformation efficiency. The growth behaviours differed amongst independent rhizoclones, and two clones of A4 (RBH) and ATCC 15834 (RBT8) origin demonstrated higher growth potentials. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of rol genes confirmed their transformed nature. Optimization of the appropriate solvent and reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography parameters relating to the targeted metabolite production in the selected RBH and RBT8 clones revealed higher accumulation of eupalitin with the RBH clone having the best result of 1.44 times greater yield over the control root. Compared to the selected rhizoclones, the control roots however showed higher boeravinone B content. Devising a modified "stirred-tank" reactor through equipping with marine impellers and ring spargers facilitated high-density RBH root biomass yield with 6.1-fold and 1.15-fold yield increment of the boeravinone B and eupalitin respectively compared to shake-flask cultures. Considering the control roots, the RBH clone revealed analogous antioxidant/antibacterial activities with improved anti-inflammatory potential. The hairy root mediated higher production of boeravinone B and eupalitin could be achieved for the first time in bioreactor.

Evaluation of the effect of Boerhavia diffusa on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

BACKGROUND: Ayurvedic literature claims that Boerhavia diffusa possesses rejuvenative properties especially related to the urinary system. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effect of aqueous extract of root of Boerhavia diffusa in gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study was conducted in two parts, using 40 rats in each part. Rats were equally divided into five groups for each part. Group 1: Normal control, Group 2: Disease control and Groups 3, 4, and 5: α-lipoic acid (ALA) and 200 and 400 mg/kg of B. diffusa, respectively. All groups, except Group 1, concomitantly received gentamicin 150 mg/kg/day for 10 days. Parameters measured in part I were blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, kidney malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) levels, kidney injury on histopathology; in part II, paraaminohippurate (PAH) clearance. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Mean ± SD of body weight, creatinine, BUN, MDA, GSH and PAH clearance were compared using parametric tests. Median histopathology scores were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test. 'P' value of < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: High dose of gentamicin caused significant elevation in BUN, serum creatinine and kidney MDA, fall in kidney GSH and histopathological damage in disease control group as compared with normal control (P < 0.05). Treatment with B. diffusa prevented changes in above parameters, comparable to ALA. Effects of both doses of B. diffusa were significantly better than disease control (P < 0.05).B. diffusa did not show significant improvement in PAH clearance, which was reduced due to gentamicin damage. CONCLUSION: B. diffusa exerted protection against structural and functional damage induced by gentamicin possibly due to its antioxidant properties.

Phytochemical profile and bioactivity of traditional ayurvedic decoctions and hydro-alcoholic macerations of Boerhaavia diffusa L. and Curculigo orchioides Gaertn.

Decoctions (DECs) and hydro-alcoholic extracts (HEs) prepared from roots of Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Nyctaginaceae) and Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. (Hypoxidaceae) were phytochemically characterised by HPLC-DAD and profiled for their antioxidant, antigenotoxic and cytotoxic activities. B. diffusa DEC was rich in ferulic acid and vanillin, while the HE also contained boeravinone B and eupalitin. Both C. orchioides HE and DEC displayed the main occurrence of orcinol-ß-d-glucoside and curculigoside A. Antioxidant activity was assayed through spectrophotometric DPPH, ABTS and ß-carotene bleaching test, and using (HP)TLC bioautographic strategies. For both crude drugs, HE was the best performing preparation. Properly modified SOS-Chromotest evidenced a 10% inhibition by phytocomplexes against 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide, and a higher bioactivity for vanillin (36.60 ± 1.68%) and ferulic acid (35.09 ± 1.53%). C. orchioides HE was the preparation which showed higher cytotoxicity against drug-sensitive human T-lymphoblastoid cell line (CCRF-CEM) and multidrug-resistant leukaemia cell line (CEM/ADR5000), and eupalitin was the only pure compound to exhibit an IC50 value.

Effect of hydrothermal processing on total polyphenolics and antioxidant potential of underutilized leafy vegetables, Boerhaavia diffusa and Portulaca oleracea.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of different processing methods on antioxidant properties of acetone extract of aerial parts from Boerhaavia diffusa and Portulaca oleracea. METHODS: The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined by Folin-Ciocalteau and aluminum chloride method, respectively. FRAP, metal chelating activity, DPPH, ABTS, nitric oxide, hydroxyl and superoxide radical scavenging activities, carotene/linoleic acid bleaching activity were used for the determination of antioxidant capacity. RESULTS: The total phenolics in Boerhaavia diffusa (82.79-162.80 mg GAE/g extract) were found to be higher when compared to that of Portulaca oleracea (22.94-10.02 mg GAE/g extract). Hydrothermal processing enhanced the level of inhibition on synthetic radicals such as DPPH (3 439-309 549 mmol TE/g extract) and ABTS (17 808-53 818 mmol TE/g extract) as well as biologically relevant radicals such as superoxide anion (70%-90%) and nitric oxide (49%-57%). In addition, boiling of the vegetables were found to be maximum capacity of FRAP (6 404.95 mmol Fe (II)/g extract) and metal chelating activity (1.53 mg EDTA/g extract) than the respective raw samples. CONCLUSIONS: The present investigation suggests that the processing enhance the functionality and improves the availability of bioactive substances of these vegetables. In addition, they also exhibited more potent antioxidant activity. Therefore these natural weeds from the crop land ecosystem could be suggested as cost effective indigenous green vegetables for human diet and potential feed resources for animals. Further extensive studies on role and importance of those weeds in sustaining the agro biodiversity are also needed.

Effect of Boerhaavia diffusa in experimental prostatic hyperplasia in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Present investigation was undertaken to study the effectiveness of hydroalcoholic extract of roots of Boerhaavia diffusa in experimental benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in rats using various animal models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BPH in rats was induced by subcutaneous injection of testosterone (5 mg/kg) daily for 28 days. Rats were divided in to five groups (six rats each). A negative control group received arachis oil (1 ml/kg s.c.) and four groups were injected testosterone. These four groups were further divided into reference group (finasteride 1 mg/kg), model group (testosterone), study group A (B. diffusa 100 mg/kg), and study group B (B. diffusa 250 mg/kg). On the 29(th) day, rats were sacrificed and body weight, prostate weight, bladder weight, and serum testosterone level were measured and histological studies were carried out. Further in vitro analysis of B. diffusa extract on contractility of isolated rat vas deferens and prostate gland, produced by exogenously administered agonists were carried out. All results were expressed as mean ± SEM. 0 Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's test. RESULTS: B. diffusa (100 mg/kg) treatment for 28 days resulted in significant inhibition of prostate growth (P < 0.05). Drug extract did not have significant change on serum testosterone level. Histopathological analysis of prostate gland supported above results. Results of in vitro experiment suggest that extracts had attenuated the contractile responses of isolated vas deferens and prostate gland to exogenously applied agonists. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that treatment with B. diffusa may improve symptoms of disease and inhibit the increased prostate size. In vitro study implies that herbal extracts has the machinery to produce beneficial effect on prostatic smooth muscle, which would relieve the urinary symptoms of disease. B. diffusa could be a potential source of new treatment of prostatic hyperplasia.

Effect of Unex on ethylene glycol-induced urolithiasis in rats.

This study was aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Unex capsule on albino rats as a preventive agent against the development of kidney stones. The Unex capsule is a marketed product of Unijules Life Sciences, Nagpur, containing the extracts of Boerhaavia diffusa and Tribulus terrestris. Activity of Unex was studied using the ethylene glycol-induced urolithiasis model. Standard drug used was Cystone. Several parameters were used including urinary volume, urine pH, urine analysis, and serum analysis to assess the activity. The results indicated that the administration of Unex to rats with ethylene glycol-induced lithiasis significantly reduced and prevented the growth of urinary stones (P < 0.01). Also, the treatment of lithiasis-induced rats by Unex restored all the elevated biochemical parameters (creatinine, uric acid, and blood urea nitrogen), restored the urine pH to normal, and increased the urine volume significantly (P < 0.01) when compared to the model control drug. This study supports the usage of Unex in urolithiasis and the utility could further be confirmed in other animal models.

Toxicological Evaluation of Pooled Selected Fractions of Mimosa invisa and Protective Effect of Herbal Decoction.

The study was undertaken to evaluate the toxicity produced by the pooled selected fractions of Mimosa invisa in rabbits. An attempt was made to protect the animal from the toxicity using a decoction containing Hygrophila auriculata, Tribulus terrestris and Boerhaavia diffusa. Eighteen adult rabbits were divided into three groups of six animals each. Group I served as control. Group II received pooled fraction of M. invisa at 0.4 g/kg orally. Group III was administered with pooled fraction along with the decoction containing H. auriculata, T. terrestris and B. diffusa equivalent to 5 g/kg. The experiment was conducted for 20 days. Group II showed significant increase in biochemical parameters like alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, gamma glutamyl tranferase, creatine kinase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine and urea, suggesting liver and kidney toxicity. Histopathological examination of the liver and kidney supported these findings. Heart also showed mild histopathological changes. Administration of decoction reversed the biochemical and histopathological changes, indicating the protective effect of decoction.