In Vivo Anticancer Activity of Vanillin Semicarbazone.

In vivo anticancer activity of vanillin semicarbazone.

Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2012 Jun; 2(6): 438-42
Ali SM, Azad MA, Jesmin M, Ahsan S, Rahman MM, Khanam JA, Islam MN, Shahriar SM

To evaluate the anticancer activity of vanillin semicarbazone (VSC) against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells in Swiss albino mice.The compound VSC at three doses (5, 7.5 and 10 mg/kg i.p.) was administered into the intraperitoneal cavity of the EAC inoculated mice to observe its efficiency by studying the cell growth inhibition, reduction of tumour weight, enhancement of survival time as well as the changes in depleted hematological parameters. All such parameters were also studied with a known standard drug bleomycin at the dose of 0.3 mg/kg (i.p.).Among the doses studied, 10 mg/kg (i.p.) was found to be quite comparable in potency to that of bleomycin at the dose of 0.3 mg/kg (i.p.). The host toxic effects of VSC was found to be negligible.It can be concluded that VSC can therefore be considered as potent anticancer agent. HubMed – drug

 

Immunomodulatory activity of butanol fraction of Gentiana olivieri Griseb. on Balb/C mice.

Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2012 Jun; 2(6): 433-7
Singh S, Cps Y, Noolvi MN

To explore the immunomodulatory properties of 80% ethanol extract and butanol fraction of Gentiana olivieri (G. olivieri) Griseb on Balb/C mice.The study was performed with basic models of immunomodulation such as the humoral antibody response (hemoglutination antibody titres), cell mediated immune response (delayed type hypersensitivity and in vivo carbon clearance or phagocytosis). Ethanol (80%) extract of flowering aerial parts of G. olivieri and its butanol fraction were administered p.o. (orally) to the mice. Levamisole, 2.5 mg/kg was used as standard drug.There was a potentiation of immune response to sheep red blood cells by cellular and humoral mediated mechanisms comparable to levamisole (2.5 mg/kg) by both 80% ethanol extract and the butanol fraction at doses of 50-200 mg/kg in male Balb/C mice. Both significantly (P<0.01) potentiated the humoral immune response in cyclophosphamide (250 mg/kg) immunosupressed mice at 100 and 200 mg/kg of each extract and fraction as compared to control. The potentiation of delayed type hypersensitivity response was statistically significant (P<0.01) at 200 mg/kg of ethanol extract and 100, 200 mg/kg of butanol fraction as compared to control. The phagocytosis was significant at 200 mg/kg with butanol fraction of G. olivieri.The results reveal the immunostimulant effects of plant G. olivieri in mice by acting through cellular and humoral immunity in experimental models of immunity in mice. Butanol fraction is the most effective at a dose level of 200 mg/kg. HubMed – drug

 

Antidiarrhoeal activity of leaf methanolic extract of Rauwolfia serpentina.

Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2012 Jun; 2(6): 430-2
Ezeigbo I, Ezeja M, Madubuike K, Ifenkwe D, Ukweni Ia, Udeh N, Akomas S

To evaluate the antidiarrhoeal property of methanol extract of the leaves of Rauwolfia serpentina (R. serpentina) in experimental diarrhoea induced by castor oil in mice.Doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg R. serpentina leaf methanol extracts were administered to castor oil induced diarrhoea mice to determine its antidiarrhoeal activity.All doses of the extract and the reference drug atropine sulphate (3 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a dose-dependent reduction in intestinal weight and fluid volume. The extracts also significantly reduced the intestinal transit in charcoal meal test when compared to diphenoxylate Hcl (5 mg/kg, p.o.).The results show that the extract of R. serpentina leaves has a significant antidiarrhoeal activity and supports its traditional uses in herbal medicine. HubMed – drug

 

Diabetes mellitus: An overview on its pharmacological aspects and reported medicinal plants having antidiabetic activity.

Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2012 May; 2(5): 411-20
Patel D, Kumar R, Laloo D, Hemalatha S

Diabetes mellitus is not a single disease but is a group of metabolic disorders affecting a huge number of population in the world. It is mainly characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, resulting from defects in insulin secretion or insulin action. It is predicated that the number of diabetes person in the world could reach upto 366 million by the year 2030. Even though the cases of diabetes are increasing day by day, except insulin and oral hypoglycemic drugs no other way of treatment has been successfully developed so far. Thus, the objective of the present review is to provide an insight over the pathophysiological and etiological aspects of diabetes mellitus along with the remedies available for this metabolic disorder. The review also contains brief idea about diabetes mellitus and the experimental screening model with their relevant mechanism and significance mainly used nowadays. Alloxan and streptozotocin are mainly used for evaluating the antidiabetic activity of a particular drug. This review contain list of medicinal plants which have been tested for their antidiabetic activity in the alloxan induced diabetic rat model. From the available data in the literature, it was found that plant having antidiabetic activity is mainly due to the presence of the secondary metabolite. Thus, the information provided in this review will help the researchers for the development of an alternative methods rather than insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, which will minimize the complication associated with the diabetes and related disorder. HubMed – drug

 

In vitro antibacterial activity of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis flower extract against human pathogens.

Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2012 May; 2(5): 399-403
Ruban P, Gajalakshmi K

To access the in vitro antibacterial activity of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (H. rosa- sinensis) flower extract against human pathogens.Antibacterial activity was evaluated by using disc and agar diffusion methods. The protein was run through poly acrylmide gel electrophoresis to view their protein profile.The results showed that the cold extraction illustrates a maximum zone of inhibition against Bacillus subtillis (B. subtillis), Escherichia coli (E. coli) viz., (17.00 ± 2.91), (14.50 ± 1.71) mm, followed by hot extraction against, E. coli, Salmonella sp. as (11.66 ± 3.14), (10.60 ± 3.09) mm. In methanol extraction showed a highest zone of inhibition recorded against B. subtillis, E. coli as (18.86 ± 0.18), (18.00 ± 1.63) mm pursued by ethanol extraction showed utmost zone of inhibition recorded against Salmonella sp. at (20.40 ± 1.54) mm. The crude protein from flower showed a maximum inhibitory zone observed against Salmonella sp., E. coli viz., (16.55 ± 1.16), (14.30 ± 2.86) mm. The flower material can be taken as an alternative source of antibacterial agent against the human pathogens.The extracts of the H. rosa-sinensis are proved to have potential antibacterial activity, further studies are highly need for the drug development. HubMed – drug