Kuntal Maiti

Enhanced therapeutic potential of naringenin‐phospholipid complex in rats

Naringenin is a naturally occurring flavanone, possessing a variety of biological activity. Due to its rapid elimination, naringenin needs frequent administration to maintain an effective plasma concentration. We have evaluated the therapeutic potential of naringenin‐phospholipid complex under oxidative stress conditions compared with free naringenin. Naringenin‐phospholipid complex was prepared and assessed for antioxidant activity in carbon tetrachloride intoxicated rats at a dose level of 100 mg kg−1 (p.o.). Liver function tests were studied by assessing serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, serum alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin. Marker enzymes of liver, namely glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, were measured to evaluate the antioxidant potential at the same dose level. The plasma concentration of naringenin was also measured. It was observed that the naringenin‐phospholipid complex enhanced the antioxidant activity of the biomolecule and protected the liver significantly for a longer time as compared with free naringenin at the same dose level. Phospholipid complex of naringenin produced better antioxidant activity than the free compound with a prolonged duration of action, which may be helpful in reducing the fast elimination of the molecule from body.

Enhanced Oral Bioavailability and Antioxidant Profile of Ellagic Acid by Phospholipids

Ellagic acid (EA) has been reported as a potent antioxidant from natural resources with several nutritional benefits. The major disadvantage of this phytoconstituent is its rapid elimination from the body after administration. To overcome this limitation, a novel dietary formulation of EA with phospholipid was developed to investigate the effect of this complex on carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in rats. The antioxidant activity of the complex (equivalent of EA = 25 and 50 mg/kg of body weight) and free EA (25 and 50 mg/kg of body weight) was evaluated by measuring various enzymes in oxidative stress condition. The complex significantly protected the liver by restoring the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and liver glutathione, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances with respect to the carbon tetrachloride treated group (P < 0.05 and < 0.01). The complex provided better protection to rat liver than free EA at the same dose. The serum concentration of EA obtained from the complex (equivalent to 80 mg/kg of EA) was higher (C(max) = 0.54 microg/mL) than that of pure EA (80 mg/kg) (C(max) = 0.21 microg/mL), and the complex maintained effective concentration for a longer period of time in serum. The experimental outcome highlighted better hepatoprotective activity of the EA complex due to its potential antioxidant property compared with the free EA tested at the same dose level.

Enhancing bioavailability and hepatoprotective activity of andrographolide from Andrographis paniculata, a well-known medicinal food, through its herbosome.

BACKGROUND Andrographis paniculata is a health food used extensively in Southeast Asia, India and China and contains the pharmacologically important phytochemical andrographolide. Although andrographolide has antihepatotoxic activity, its bioavailability from A. paniculata is restricted by its rapid clearance and high plasma protein binding. The aim of this study was to formulate a herbosome of andrographolide with a naturally occurring phospholipid in order to enhance the bioavailability and hepatoprotective activity of andrographolide in rats. RESULTS Andrographolide herbosome equivalent to 25 and 50 mg kg(-1) andrographolide significantly protected the liver of rats, restoring hepatic enzyme activities with respect to carbon tetrachloride-treated animals (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 respectively). The rat plasma concentration of andrographolide obtained from the complex equivalent to 25 mg kg(-1) andrographolide (C(max) = 9.64 microg mL(-1)) was higher than that obtained from 25 mg kg(-1) andrographolide (C(max) = 6.79 microg mL(-1)), and the complex maintained its effective plasma concentration for a longer period of time. CONCLUSION The results proved that the andrographolide complex produced by this method has better bioavailability and hence improved hepatoprotective activity compared with andrographolide at the same dose. Andrographolide complexation is therefore helpful in solving the problem of rapid clearance and low elimination half-life associated with andrographolide from A. paniculata.

Antidiarrhoeal activity of Strychnos potatorum seed extract in rats

The antidiarrhoeal activity of the methanol extract of the dried seeds of Strychnos potatorum (MESP) has been evaluated out in rats using different models (castor oil-induced diarrhoea, effects on gastrointestinal motility and on PGE(2)-induced gastric enteropooling. MESP (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly (P<0.001) inhibited the frequency of defaecation and reduced the wetness of faecal droppings in castor oil-induced diarrhoea, decreased the propulsion of charcoal meal through the gastrointestinal tract, and also reduced the PGE(2)-induced enteropooling.

Antibacterial activity of Bergenia ciliata rhizome

The methanol extract of Bergenia ciliata (tested at 200--1000 microg/disc) showed a wide spectrum of concentration-dependent antibacterial activity.

Study on the diuretic activity of Strychnos potatorum Linn. seed extract in albino rats

Methanol extract of Strychnos potatorum Linn. seeds (SPSE) was evaluated for its diuretic activity in Wistar albino rats. The SPSE was administered at the graded doses of 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight. The parameters which were taken into account during the experimental on each rat were: total urine volume (corrected for water intake during the test period), body weight before and after the experiment, and the concentration of sodium, potassium, and chloride ions in urine. The total urine volumes of the SPSE (600 mg/kg)-treated rats were evaluated nearly two and half fold then compared with the control (saline treated) group. Excretion of cations (sodium and potassium ions) and anions (chloride ions) also increased significantly with respect to the control group. The diuretic effect was comparable with that of the standard drug Furosemide. The increase of cations in the urine on treatment with Strychnospotatorum seed extract (SPSE) was dose-dependent. This effect supports the use of the Strychnos potatorum seeds as a diuretic in folk remedies.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory potential of Bergenia ciliata Sternb. rhizome extract in rats.

The methanol extract of the rhizome of Bergenia ciliata Sternb. (Saxifragaceae) has been evaluated for anti‐inflammatory potential using two acute rat models (carrageenan‐ and serotonin (5‐HT)‐induced rat paw oedema) and a chronic rat model (cotton pouch‐induced granuloma). Phenylbutazone (100 mg kg−1), a non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory agent, was used as a standard. The methanol extract (100, 200 or 300 mg kg−1) exhibited significant (P < 0.05) anti‐inflammatory activity in all the animal models. At 300 mg kg−1 the methanol extract exhibited maximum inhibition of 32.4 ± 2.89% in carrageenan‐induced rat paw oedema while the standard showed an inhibition of 44.1 ± 2.7% after 3 h of drug treatment. In the serotonin‐induced rat paw oedema model, 300 mg kg−1 methanol extract suppressed oedema by 45.33 ± 2.09%, whereas the standard produced an inhibition of 53.5 ± 4.3%. In the cotton pouch granuloma model the methanol extract inhibited significantly (P < 0.001) the granuloma weight in a dose‐dependent manner. In this model, 300 mg kg−1 extract produced a maximum inhibition of 31.4 ± 1.09% in granuloma weight compared with 41.1 ± 1.32% reduction in granuloma weight for the standard. The methanol extract of B. ciliata exhibited significant anti‐inflammatory potential at the dose levels examined.