Dregea volubilis (L. f.) Benth. (Asclepiadaceae): an appraisal on pharmacognostic, phytochemical and pharmacological studies

Sanjib Bhattacharya,Moulisha Biswas,R. Mukhopadhyay,P. K. Haldar 경희대학교 융합한의과학연구소 2018 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine Vol.18 No.1

Since the time immemorial, medicinal plants and herbal medicines have always presented to us a wide range of curative techniques that has paved our way towards modernised medical resources. The present article reviews on one of such medicinal plants, scientifically recognised to be Dregea volubilis (L. f.) Benth. belonging to the family Asclepiadaceae. Literature survey was carried out by using Google, Scholar Google, Scopus and Pub-Med. The scientific journal articles found on the internet for last two decades were considered and pharmacognostic, phytochemical and pharmacological studies on Dregea volubilis have been compiled. Almost every part of this plant has been phytochemically screened along with profound pharmacological studies especially on its leaves and fruits that have revealed immense scope for this plant to be applied to advanced drug development studies pertaining to a wide range of disorders. The present review article collates the published researches carried out globally exploring the possible therapeutic potentialities of Dregea volubilis. Relevant research in this field could lead to development of a potentially useful therapeutic agent from this plant.

The role of medicinal plants and natural products in melioration of cadmium toxicity

Sanjib Bhattacharya 경희대학교 융합한의과학연구소 2018 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine Vol.18 No.3

Cadmium is extremely toxic heavy metal and there is no specifi c, safe and effi cacious therapeutic management of cadmium toxicity. Scientifi c literature reveals several medicinal plants and natural products alleviate experimentally induced cadmium toxicity in animals. The present review attempts to collate those experimental studies on medicinal plants and plant derived natural products with cadmium toxicity ameliorative eff ects. Literature survey was carried out by using internet and the studies for the last two decades were considered. Minerals and semi-synthetic or synthetic analogs of natural products were excluded. Literature study revealed that 36 medicinal plants and 16 natural products exhibited signifi cant protection from cadmium toxicity in experimental animal models i.e., pre-clinical studies. Clinical studies were not found in literature. Relevant research in this fi eld could lead to development of a potentially useful agent in therapeutic management of cadmium toxicity in humans.

Anti-inflammatory activity and antioxidant role of Zanthoxylum nitidum bark

Sanjib Bhattacharya,Pallab K. Haldar,K. Zaman 경희대학교 융합한의과학연구소 2011 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine Vol.11 No.4

In the present study, the methanol extract of stem bark of Zanthoxylum nitidum (ZNME) was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory activity in acute (carrageenan, histamine and serotonin induced rat paw oedema) and chronic model (cotton pellet induced granuloma) along with reference drug indomethacin (10 mg/kg body wt. p.o.). The ZNME (75 and 150 mg/kg body wt. p.o.) exhibited significant activity (p<0.001) against all phlogistic agents employed in a dose dependent manner. In chronic model also the ZNME caused a significant (p<0.001) and dose dependent inhibition of granuloma formation. The ZNME was evaluated for its antioxidant properties by 1,1- diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and in vitro lipid peroxidation induced by the Fe^(2+)-ascorbate system in rat liver homogenate. In DPPH radical scavenging assay, the ZNME demonstrated marked and dose dependent free radical scavenging effect and the mean inhibitory concentration (IC_(50)) of the ZNME was found to be 77.8 μg/ml,while the ascorbic acid (reference) exhibited 43.7 μg/ml. The ZNME effectively inhibited the lipid peroxidation in a dose related manner showing the IC_(50) value of 297.9 μg/ml,whereas the catechin (reference) showed 46.64 μg/ml. These findings reveal that the ZNME possessed promising acute and chronic anti-inflammatory and in vitro antioxidant actions in the tested models.

Gastrointestinal effects of triterpenoid enriched extract of Trichosanthes dioica root in albino mice

Bhattacharya, Sanjib,Haldar, Pallab Kanti 경희한의학연구센터 2012 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine Vol.12 No.2

Trichosanthes dioica Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae), is a dioecious climber, traditionally used in India for several medicinal purposes including purgative. The present study aimed to evaluate the gastrointestinal effects (laxative and prokinetic) of triterpenoid enriched extract of T. dioica root (CETD) in Swiss albino mice. The laxative activity of CETD (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight per os) was evaluated by assessing the different excretory bowel activities in naive (non-constipated) and in drug (loperamide)-induced constipation in mice. Further, the gastrointestinal transit was measured in both naive and in constipated mice to ascertain the prokinetic effect. Castor oil (0.5 ml/mouse per os) was used as reference drug. CETD significantly and dose dependently increased all excretory bowel activities and gastrointestinal transit in both naive and in constipated mice. CETD at 100 mg/kg body weight was found to be the most active causing diarrhoea in mice. Therefore, T. dioica root extract demonstrated remarkable stimulant laxative and prokinetic effects in Swiss albino mice validating its prime ethnomedicinal usage in the Indian traditional medicine.

Anti-inflammatory activity and antioxidant role of $Zanthoxylum$ $nitidum$ bark

Bhattacharya, Sanjib,Haldar, Pallab K.,Zaman, Md.K. 경희한의학연구센터 2011 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine Vol.11 No.4

In the present study, the methanol extract of stem bark of $Zanthoxylum$ $nitidum$ (ZNME) was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory activity in acute (carrageenan, histamine and serotonin induced rat paw oedema) and chronic model (cotton pellet induced granuloma) along with reference drug indomethacin (10 mg/kg body wt. p.o.). The ZNME (75 and 150 mg/kg body wt. p.o.) exhibited significant activity ($p$ <0.001) against all phlogistic agents employed in a dose dependent manner. In chronic model also the ZNME caused a significant ($p$ <0.001) and dose dependent inhibition of granuloma formation. The ZNME was evaluated for its antioxidant properties by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and $in$ $vitro$ lipid peroxidation induced by the $Fe^{2+}$-ascorbate system in rat liver homogenate. In DPPH radical scavenging assay, the ZNME demonstrated marked and dose dependent free radical scavenging effect and the mean inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$) of the ZNME was found to be 77.8 ${\mu}g$/ml, while the ascorbic acid (reference) exhibited 43.7 ${\mu}g$/ml. The ZNME effectively inhibited the lipid peroxidation in a dose related manner showing the $IC_{50}$ value of 297.9 ${\mu}g$/ml, whereas the catechin (reference) showed 46.64 ${\mu}g$/ml. These findings reveal that the ZNME possessed promising acute and chronic anti-inflammatory and $in$ $vitro$ antioxidant actions in the tested models.

The importance of assessing heavy metals in medicinal herbs: a quantitative study

Bhagyashree Behera,Sanjib Bhattacharya 셀메드 세포교정의약학회 2016 TANG Vol.6 No.1

Consumption of herbal products from the medicinal plants contaminated with heavy metals can cause serious consequences on human health. This is a major concern for traditional and herbal medicine. The present study was carried out to analyze and quantify the levels of six potentially toxic heavy metals namely arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium and nickel in ten important Indian medicinal herbs. The air dried raw herbs were processed by microwave assisted wet digestion and analyzed by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with graphite tube atomizer. Except the chromium content in three plants, all the levels of six heavy metals analyzed were found to be quite below the permissible limits in all the ten raw medicinal herbs analyzed. The present work implies that, regular and systematic screening of raw medicinal herbs is necessary to check the levels of the heavy metal contaminants before using them for consumption or preparation of herbal formulations so that the possible contamination cannot cumulate up to the finished products.

Antisteroidogenic activity of Raphanus sativus seed extract in female albino mice

PK Haldar,UK Mazumder,Sanjib Bhattacharya,L Manikandan,Siladitya Bhattacharya 경희대학교 융합한의과학연구소 2009 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine Vol.9 No.4

The defatted methanol extract of Raphanus sativus Linn. (Cruciferae) seed (MERS) was evaluated for its antisteroidogenic potential in mature female Swiss albino mice. The methanol extract at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight significantly elevated the levels of cholesterol and ascorbic acid contents which serve as a precursor for the synthesis of steroid hormones in ovaries. The extract also significantly inhibited glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and Δ 5-3β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase, the two key enzymes involved in ovarian steroidogenesis. Hence the extract (MERS) exhibited significant antisteroidogenic activity. The defatted methanol extract of Raphanus sativus Linn. (Cruciferae) seed (MERS) was evaluated for its antisteroidogenic potential in mature female Swiss albino mice. The methanol extract at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight significantly elevated the levels of cholesterol and ascorbic acid contents which serve as a precursor for the synthesis of steroid hormones in ovaries. The extract also significantly inhibited glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and Δ 5-3β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase, the two key enzymes involved in ovarian steroidogenesis. Hence the extract (MERS) exhibited significant antisteroidogenic activity.

Neuropharmacological assessment of Curcuma caesia rhizome in experimental animal models

Indrajit Karmakar,Pathik Saha,Nilanjan Sarkar,Sanjib Bhattacharya,Pallab K. Haldar 경희대학교 융합한의과학연구소 2011 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine Vol.11 No.4

Curcuma caesia Roxb. (Zingiberaceae), called black turmeric in English, is a perennial herb found throughout the Himalayan region, North-East and Central India. The plant has been traditionally used in India for several medicinal purposes. The present study was carried out to evaluate the methanol extract of C. caesia rhizome (MECC)for some neuropharmacological activities in experimental animal models. MECC (at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight)was evaluated for analgesic activity by acetic acid-induced writhing and tail flick tests. Locomotor activity was measured by means of an actophotometer. Anticonvulsant property was assessed against pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsion in mice and muscle relaxant effect was evaluated by using rota-rod apparatus. The results of the present study revealed remarkable analgesic, locomotor depressant, anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant effects of C. caesia rhizome,demonstrating depressant action on the central nervous system. The outcome of present study can validate certain traditional uses of C. caesia rhizome in India.

Antisteroidogenic activity of Raphanus sativus seed extract in female albino mice

Haldar, P.K.,Mazumder, U.K.,Bhattacharya, Sanjib,Manikandan, L.,Bhattacharya, Siladitya Kyung Hee Oriental Medicine Research Center 2009 Oriental pharmacy and experimental medicine Vol.9 No.4

The defatted methanol extract of Raphanus sativus Linn. (Cruciferae) seed (MERS) was evaluated for its antisteroidogenic potential in mature female Swiss albino mice. The methanol extract at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight significantly elevated the levels of cholesterol and ascorbic acid contents which serve as a precursor for the synthesis of steroid hormones in ovaries. The extract also significantly inhibited glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and ${\Delta}^5-3{\beta}$-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase, the two key enzymes involved in ovarian steroidogenesis. Hence the extract (MERS) exhibited significant antisteroidogenic activity.

Neuropharmacological assessment of $Curcuma$ $caesia$ rhizome in experimental animal models

Karmakar, Indrajit,Saha, Pathik,Sarkar, Nilanjan,Bhattacharya, Sanjib,Haldar, Pallab K. 경희한의학연구센터 2011 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine Vol.11 No.4

$Curcuma$ $caesia$ Roxb. (Zingiberaceae), called black turmeric in English, is a perennial herb found throughout the Himalayan region, North-East and Central India. The plant has been traditionally used in India for several medicinal purposes. The present study was carried out to evaluate the methanol extract of $C.$ $caesia$ rhizome (MECC) for some neuropharmacological activities in experimental animal models. MECC (at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight) was evaluated for analgesic activity by acetic acid-induced writhing and tail flick tests. Locomotor activity was measured by means of an actophotometer. Anticonvulsant property was assessed against pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsion in mice and muscle relaxant effect was evaluated by using rota-rod apparatus. The results of the present study revealed remarkable analgesic, locomotor depressant, anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant effects of $C.$ $caesia$ rhizome, demonstrating depressant action on the central nervous system. The outcome of present study can validate certain traditional uses of $C.$ $caesia$ rhizome in India.