Tara Shanbhag

Antiovulatory and abortifacient effects of Areca catechu (betel nut) in female rats.

Objectives: To study the antiovulatory and abortifacient effects of ethanolic extract of Areca catechu in female rats. Materials and Methods: For antiovulatory effect, ethanolic extract of A. catechu at 100 and 300 mg/kg doses was administered orally for 15 days. Vaginal smears were examined daily microscopically for estrus cycle. Rats were sacrificed on 16th day. Ovarian weight, cholesterol estimation, and histopathological studies were done. Abortifacient activity was studied in rats at 100 and 300 mg/kg doses administered orally from 6th to 15th day of pregnancy. Rats were laparotomised on 19th day. The number of implantation sites and live fetuses were observed in both horns of the uterus. Results: The extract of A. catechu showed a significant decrease in the duration of estrus at 100 mg/kg (P = 0.015) and 300 mg/kg doses (P = 0.002) as compared with control. Metestrus phase was also significantly reduced at 100 mg/kg (P = 0.024) and 300 mg/kg doses (P = 0.002). There was a significant increase in proestrus (P < 0.001) phase. However, diestrus phase was unchanged. Histopathological study of the ovaries showed mainly primordial, primary, and secondary follicles in the test groups as compared to control. There was also a significant (P = 0.002) decrease in ovarian weight and a significant (P = 0.021) increase in ovarian cholesterol level at 100 mg/kg dose. In the study to evaluate abortifacient effect, the mean percentage of abortion with 100 and 300 mg/kg doses were 75.5% and 72.22%, respectively, which was significantly (P = 0.008 and P = 0.006, respectively) increased when compared with control. Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of A. catechu at doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg has antiovulatory and abortifacient effects.

Evaluation of antiinflammatory activity of Tephrosia purpurea in rats

Objective: To evaluate the antiinflammatory activity of orally administered ethanolic extract of Tephrosia purpurea in acute and subacute inflammation in rats. Methods: An ethanolic extract of Tephrosia purpurea was prepared. Carrageenan induced paw edema and cotton pellet granuloma were the models for acute and subacute inflammation respectively. Four groups of rats in each model were treated orally with 2% gum acacia, 100 mg /kg of aspirin, 500 mg/kg and 1 000 mg/kg of ethanolic extract of Tephrosia purpurea respectively. In carrageenan induced paw edema model, subplantar injection of 1% carrageenan was made into the hind paw of the rats sixty minutes after the administration of the respective drugs. The paw volume was measured immediately after injection of carrageenan, at 3 hours and at 6 hours. Then percentage inhibition of edema was calculated. In the cotton pellet granuloma model,animals were administered drugs for six days after placing cotton pellets in the axilla on each side. On the 7th day, dry weight of granuloma was calculated. Results: The rats treated with Tephrosia purpurea did not exhibit any significant decrease in paw volume and serum ceruloplasmin levels as compared to the control and aspirin treated groups in the acute inflammation model; while, there was a significant (P < 0.01) decrease in the weight of granuloma in Tephrosia purpurea and aspirin treated groups as compared to control in subacute inflammation. Conclusions: The ethanolic extract of orally administered Tephrosia purpurea shows significant antiinflammatory effect in subacute inflammation but not in acute inflammation in rats.

Effect of Phyllanthus niruri. Linn on burn wound in rats

Objective: To evaluate the effect of ethanolic extract of Phyllanthus niruri. Linn (Euphorbiaceae) on experimentally induced burn wound model in rats and to evaluate whether it reverses the wound healing in steroid suppressed rats. Methods: Two models including burn wound model and dexamethasone suppressed burn wound model were used in the study. The formulations of ethanolic extract of Phyllanthus niruri were prepared in gum acacia at 8% and in ointment base at 10% and were administered orally (400 mg/kg) and externally respectively. The parameters studied were the wound contraction and the period of epithelialisation. Results: In burn wound model, oral and topical administration of Phyllanthus niruri did not show any significant effects in wound contraction and period of epithelialisation when compared to control. In dexamethasone suppressed hum wound model, wound contraction rate was increased significantly by topical (P＜0.001) and oral (P＜0.001) administrations of Phyllanthus niruri by about 47.57% and 26.16% respectively. Topical administration has shown significant (P＜0.05) enhancement of wound contraction than oral dosage form. Dexamethasone depressed epithelialisation period was reversed significantly by topical (P＜0.0001) and oral (P＜0.001) administrations of Phyllanthus niruri by about 32.5% and 21.3% respectively. Conclusions: Both topical and oral administrations of ethanolic extract of Phyllanthus niruri are found to reverse dexamethasone suppressed burn wound healing.