Saleemulla Khan

Antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant activities of methanolic extract of Amaranthus viridis Linn in alloxan induced diabetic rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant activities of methanolic extract of whole plant of Amaranthus viridis (MEAV) in alloxan (ALX) induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was confirmed after 5 days of single intraperitoneal injection of ALX (140 mg/kg) in albino Wister rats. MEAV (200 and 400 mg/kg) and glibenclamide (10 mg/kg, p.o.) orally administered daily for 15 days, blood was withdrawn for glucose determination on 0, 1, 10 and 15 days respectively. On the 15th day, overnight fasted rats were sacrificed and blood was collected for the determination of high density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), total glycerides (TG) and total proteins (TP). For in vivo antioxidant activity of MEAV, liver tissues were homogenized and the assay of lipid peroxidation and was measured as Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and total thiols (TT) were performed in control, ALX and MEAV treated rats. MEAV at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg showed significant reduction is blood glucose, lipid profiles and significant improvement in MDA, GSH, CAT and TT when compared to diabetic control group. In vitro α-amylase inhibition activity of MEAV was also studied. We concluded that MEAV possess antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant activities.

Pharmacognostical studies of Portulaca oleracea Linn

Portulaca oleracea Linn, belongs to family Portulaceae and is a widely distributed weed. It has been used as a folk medicine in many countries as diuretics, febrifuge, antiseptic, antispasmodic and vermifuge. This paper deals with the microscopic study of leaf; stem and root of Portulaca oleracea, along with the physico-chemical and preliminary phytochemical analyses that were also studied.

In vitro Free Radical Scavenging Potential of Defatted Ethanolic Extract of the Seeds of Lepidium sativum Linn.

Abstract Aim The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the defatted ethanolic extract of the seeds of Lepidium Sativum Linn. Methods Different in vitro chemical assays viz . DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging, ABTS (2, 2- azinobis- (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonate) radical scavenging, iron chelation, lipid peroxidation, superoxide scavenging and non-enzymatic haemoglobin glycosylation assay were used. The total antioxidant capacity of the extract was determined spectrophotometrically by phosphomolybdic acid method. Results & Conclusion The defatted lepidium seed extract showed significant free radical scavenging activity in ABTS and non-enzymatic glycosylation assays, and a moderate activity in all the other assays. IC 50 of the extract in the DPPH, ABTS, iron chelation, lipid peroxidation and super oxide scavenging assays were found to be 171.13, 38.64, 128.94, 71.39 and 206.09 μg·mL −1 respectively. The haemoglobin glycosylation assay of the extract showed a percentage scavenging of 46.60% and 74.88%, at 0.5 and 1.0 μg·mL −1 , concentrations, respectively. Total antioxidant capacity of ethanolic extract of L. sativum (10 mg·mL −1 ) was found to be equivalent to 58.38 μg·mL −1 of ascorbic acid.

Methanol extract of dried exudate of Commiphora mukul prevents bone resorption in ovariectomized rats.

Context: Gum guggul, a resinous exudate of the plant Commiphora mukul Engl. (Burseraceae), has been found efficacious in the treatment of bone fractures, arthritis, and hyperlipidemic disorders. Objective: The present study is an effort to explore the anti-bone-resorptive potential of the dried methanol extract of the gummy exudate of C. mukul (MECM) in ovariectomized rat model. Materials and methods: The animals were randomly divided into five groups of equal size (n = 6). Animals in all the groups were ovariectomized except group 1, which was sham operated. Groups 3, 4 and 5 were treated with Raloxifene, MECM 250 mg/kg and MECM 500 mg/kg, respectively. The 2nd group was fed with vehicle. Assessment: biochemical estimations, viz., alkaline phosphatase (ALP), tartarate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), serum calcium (Ca); biomechanical evaluations, and histopathological examinations. Results: The LD50 of MECM was found to be > 2500 mg/kg orally. A significant elevation was observed in the ALP, TRAP, Ca and cholesterol levels in the 2nd group with a significant reduction in biomechnical strength. Groups 3, 4 and 5, showed a significant reduction in TRAP and ALP levels (p < 0.001). The Ca levels were normalized in the groups 4 and 5, while cholesterol levels dropped in group 5. The bone strength, however, was normalized in all the groups (p < 0.001) along with the histopathology. Discussion and conclusion: Findings suggested a significant gain in bone strength and nearly complete restoration of bone microarchitecture along with lowered levels of TRAP indicating the anti-bone resorptive potential of the extract.

A report on the quality control parameters of aerial parts of Pluchea lanceolata (DC.) Oliv. & Hiern, Asteraceae

Pluchea lanceolata (DC.) Oliv. & Hiern, Asteraceae, is a weed that has been used as an indigenous medicine in India as an antipyretic, analgesic, anti-rheumatic and nervine tonic. This paper aims at setting the morphological and anatomical standards and to characterize the extract(s) of P. lanceolata by preliminary phytochemical screening as quality control parameter for the raw material.

Preliminary studies on chemical constituents and antimicrobial activities of Psidium guajava Linn

Guava is a phytotherapic plant used in folk medicine and it is having active constituents that help to treat and manage various conditions like malaria, vomiting, diarrhea and inflamed gums etc. Present study is aimed to evaluate the anti-microbial activity of quercetin isolated from the P. guajava leaves, against Escherichia coli (Gram negative) and Bacillus subtilis (Gram positive) which can cause foodborne infection and damage. Dried guava leaves were extracted with 70% methanol, followed by washing of the dried extract with chloroform. Quercetin was isolated by column chromatography from the ethyl acetate layer, which was obtained after partitioning of the initial extract. The efficacy of quercetin was tested by well diffusion and MIC methods where 50 �L solution per well and zone of inhibition was calculated after 72 hrs of incubation. Quercetin has shown anti-bacterial activity in both bacteria with a mean zone of inhibition of 16.5 mm and 13.75 against B. subtilis and E. coli, respectively. The claimed uses of leaves of guava in the traditional system of medicine to treat various infectious disease caused by the microbes was justified by the present study. Still, to evaluate the potential effectiveness of quercetin as a antimicrobial agent further studies are needed.