Journal of Natural Remedies

S. Sudha , S. Kumaresan , A. Amit , J. David , B. V. Venkataraman

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate anti-convulsant profile of different extracts of Centella asiatica and Bacopa monnieri in rats. Materials and methods: The effects of single oral administration of different preparations of C.asiatica and B.monnieri were evaluated for their anticonvulsant profile in the Maximal Electroshock Seizure (MES) in rats at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h after administration and Pentylene tetrazole (PTZ) test in mice and rats. The ED50 dose of Phenytoin (30 mg/kg) was used for comparison. Results: The crude drug of C.asiatica (500 mg/kg) showed mild to moderate anticonvulsant activity, from 1 h to 24 h. The methanolic extract of C.asiatica (CA-I) showed higher activity than the crude drug at 3 and 6 h, but there was no anti-convulsant activity at 1 h. The solubulised extract of C.asiatica (CA-II) (using Cresmer RH 40 and propylene glycol) at 500 and 1000 mg/kg, also showed a similar profile of activity which was dose-dependent. The crude drug of B.monnieri (500 mg/kg) showed mild to moderate activity from 1 h to 6 h but there was no activity at 24 h. The methanolic extract of B.monnieri (BM-I) (which was later partitioned between butanol and water) showed a lesser degree of activity only at 3 h and 6 h. The solubilised extract of B.monnieri (BM-II) (500 mg/kg) showed mild to moderate activity at 3 h and 6 h with minimal activity at 24 h. At 1000 mg/kg, a comparatively higher degree of activity was seen at 1 h - 6h but not at 24 h. The activity of B.monnieri was almost equivalent to Phenytoin at 6 h. In the Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) chemoshock seizure test, no activity was detected for both plants (500 mg/kg). Conclusion: Overall, B.monnieri has a faster onset of action and time/dose responses were qualitatively similar to Phenytoin, while C.asiatica had quantitatively lesser activity but had a longer duration of action.

Keywords

Centella Asiatica, Bacopa Monnieri, Anti-convulsant Activity, Maximal Electroshock Seizure (MES), Pentylene Tetrazole. (PTZ)

Full Text

   

B. Murali , A. Amit , M. S. Anand , B. V. Venkataraman

Abstract

Objective: To develop an HPLC method for estimation of psoralen, bakuchicin and bakuchiol in Psoralea corylifolia. Materials and methods: An gradient, reverse phase (RP) HPLC procedure using a mixture of Phosphate buffer and acetonitrile as mobile phase, C18 column as stationary phase and UV detector. Results: The developed method shows high resolution, accuracy and reproducibility. Conclusions: The method developed is accurate, precise and specific.

Keywords

Psoralea corylifolia, Psoralen, Bakuchicin, Bakuchiol, HPLC

Full Text

   

S. Sudha , R. Bindu , G. Joyce , A. Amit , B. V. Venkataraman

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine experimentally the pharmacological interaction of C.asiatica (CA) and B.monnieri (BM) with standard antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) such as Phenytoin (PHT), Phenobarbitone (PB) and Carbamazepine (CBZ) in rats. Methods: Adult, male Wistar rats were given either CA or BM (500 mg/kg) alone or in combination with one of the antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) at the ED₅₀ doses. The anticonvulsant activity was assessed by the classical Maximal Electro Shock (MES) test at 1, 3, 6 and 24 h after drug administration. Results: PHT and PB showed significant protection at 3 h (p < 0.05), whereas CBZ showed significant protection at 1, 3 and 6 h (p < 0.05). CA alone, showed protection from 1 - 24 h, with significant protection at 3 h (p < 0.05). When CA was combined with PHT, though seizure protection was seen, this effect was not statistically significant. When CA was combined with PB, the protective activity of PB declined from 50% to 0 % (p < 0.05) at 3 h. When CA was combined with CBZ, significant seizure protection was seen only at 1 and 3 h (p < 0.05). Similar to CA, the seizure protection of BM was significant only at 3h (p <0.05). In combination with AEDs significant seizure protection (p < 0.05) was observed - with PHT at 6 h, with PB at 3 h, and with CBZ, at 1, 3 and 6 h. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that herbal plant products such as CA and BM interact pharmacologically with standard AEDs and hence caution should be exercised to avoid any possible adverse interactions.

Keywords

Centella asiatica, Bacopa monnieri, Phenytoin, Phenobarbitone, Carbamazepine, Maximal Electroshock Test, Anticonvulsant Activity, Herb/Drug Interaction

Full Text

   

D. S. Samiulla , D. Prashanth , A. Amit , B. V. Venkataraman

Abstract

Four successive extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and water) of P. granatum fruit rind were tested for in-vitro trypsin inhibitory activity using commercially available enzyme (Porcine pancreatic type II trypsin) and substrate (Benzoyl-D,L-arginine-4-nitroanilide) and the activity was compared with standard trypsin inhibitor from hen egg white (ovomucoid) . The methanolic extract was found to be most active and the activity was comparable to that of the reference standard.

Keywords

Punica Granatum, Ovomucoid, Trypsin Inhibitor, Proteases

Full Text