The healing effects of Centella extract and asiaticoside on acetic acid induced gastric ulcers in rats

Cissus quadrangularis L. extract attenuates chronic ulcer by possible involvement of polyamines and proliferating cell nuclear antigen

The present study was designed to investigate whether Cissus quandrangularis extract (CQE) had healing effects on gastric ulcer, through modulation of polyamines and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in rats. Administration of acetic acid (AA) was accompanied by reduced PCNA which was determined by immunohistochemical staining, (3)H-thymidine incorporation using liquid scintillation spectrometry, mitochondrial marker enzymes, polyamine contents and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α) expression in gastric mucosa of rats. Administration of CQE after the application of AA to the stomach enhanced the reduction of ulcer area in a dose-dependent manner which was confirmed by histoarchitecture. Moreover, CQE significantly increased the (3)H-thymidine incorporation and the levels of polyamines such as putrescine, spermine and spermidine in ulcerated rats. In addition, the extract offers gastroprotection in the ulcerated area by increased expression of TGF-α and also reversed the changes in the gastric mucosa of ulcerated rats with significant elevation in mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes and PCNA levels. Based on these results, the healing effect of CQE on AA induced gastric mucosal injury in rats may be attributed to its growth promoting and cytoprotective actions, possibly involving an increase in tissue polyamine contents and cell proliferation.

Beneficial effects of Centella asiatica aqueous extract against arsenic-induced oxidative stress and essential metal status in rats

The efficacy of an aqueous extract of Centella asiatica (100, 200 and 500 mg/kg for 5 consecutive days) was studied in the depletion of arsenic and in the recovery of a few altered biochemical variables in arsenic pre-exposed rats (20 ppm in drinking water for 5 weeks). Exposure to arsenic significantly depleted delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity, reduced glutathione (GSH) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and increased thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) activity in red blood cells. Significant depletion of ALAD activity, GSH level, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), SOD and catalase (CAT) activities and an increase in TBARS levels in liver tissues was also noted. There was a significant depletion of SOD, CAT and GPx activities in kidneys and an increased TBARS levels in kidney and brain accompanied by increased arsenic concentration in blood and soft tissues. Treatment with aqueous extract of Centella asiatica provided significant protection against ALAD, GSH and TBARS levels, particularly at doses of 200 and 500 mg. Centella asiatica also provided significant recovery in the inhibited liver ALAD and G6PD activities. Arsenic concentration in blood and soft tissues remained uninfluenced after Centella asiatica administration. The present study thus suggests a beneficial effect of Centella asiatica against arsenic-induced oxidative stress but possesses no chelating property.

Adriamycin induced myocardial failure in rats: Protective role of Centella asiatica

Generation of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in adriamycin induced cardiotoxicity. Mitochondrial dysfunction is characterized by the accumulation of oxidized lipids, proteins and DNA, leading to disorganization of mitochondrial structure and systolic failure. The present study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Centella asiatica on the mitochondrial enzymes; mitochondrial antioxidant status in adriamycin induced myocardial injury. Adriamycin (2.5 mg/kg body wt., i.p.) induced mitochondrial damage in rats was assessed in terms of decreased activities (p<0.05) of cardiac marker enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, amino transferases), TCA cycle enzymes (isocitrate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, respiratory marker enzymes (NADH-dehydrogenase, cytochrome-C-oxidase), mitochondrial antioxidant enzymes (GPx, GSH, SOD,CAT) and increased (p<0.05) level of lipid peroxidation. Mitochondrial damage was confirmed by transmission electron microscopic examination. Pre-co-treatment with aqueous extract of Centella asiatica (200 mg/kg body wt, oral) effectively counteracted the alterations in mitochondrial enzymes and mitochondrial defense system. In addition, transmission electron microscopy study confirms the restoration of cellular normalcy and accredits the cytoprotective role of Centella asiatica against adriamycin induced myocardial injury. Our results demonstrated elevated oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in adriamycin treated rats. Moreover, on the basis of our findings it may be concluded that the aqueous extract of C. asiatica not only possesses antioxidant properties but it may also reduce the extent of mitochondrial damage.

Improving lip wrinkles: lipstick-related image analysis

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

The appearance of lip wrinkles is problematic if it is adversely influenced by lipstick make-up causing incomplete color tone, spread phenomenon and pigment remnants. It is mandatory to develop an objective assessment method for lip wrinkle status by which the potential of wrinkle-improving products to lips can be screened. The present study is aimed at finding out the useful parameters from the image analysis of lip wrinkles that is affected by lipstick application.

METHODS

The digital photograph image of lips before and after lipstick application was assessed from 20 female volunteers. Color tone was measured by Hue, Saturation and Intensity parameters, and time-related pigment spread was calculated by the area over vermilion border by image-analysis software (Image-Pro). The efficacy of wrinkle-improving lipstick containing asiaticoside was evaluated from 50 women by using subjective and objective methods including image analysis in a double-blind placebo-controlled fashion.

RESULTS

The color tone and spread phenomenon after lipstick make-up were remarkably affected by lip wrinkles. The level of standard deviation by saturation value of image-analysis software was revealed as a good parameter for lip wrinkles. By using the lipstick containing asiaticoside for 8 weeks, the change of visual grading scores and replica analysis indicated the wrinkle-improving effect. As the depth and number of wrinkles were reduced, the lipstick make-up appearance by image analysis also improved significantly.

CONCLUSION

The lip wrinkle pattern together with lipstick make-up can be evaluated by the image-analysis system in addition to traditional assessment methods. Thus, this evaluation system is expected to test the efficacy of wrinkle-reducing lipstick that was not described in previous dermatologic clinical studies.

Protective effect of Centella asiatica on antioxidant tissue defense system against adriamycin induced cardiomyopathy in rats

Increased oxidative stress and antioxidant deficit have been suggested to play a major role in adriamycin induced cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure due to multiple treatments with adriamycin. In this study the cardio protective effect of Centella asiatica on myocardial marker enzymes and antioxidant enzymes in adriamycin induced cardiomyopathy was investigated in rats. The rats administered with adriamycin (2.5 mg/kg body wt, i.p) caused myocardial damage that was manifested by the elevation of serum marker (LDH, CPK, GOT and GPT) enzymes and showed significant changes in the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx, GST). Pre-co-treatment with Centella asiatica(200 mg/kg of body wt/oral) extract significantly prevented these alterations and restored the enzyme activities to near normal levels. These findings demonstrate the cardio protective effect of Centella asiatica on antioxidant tissue defense system during adriamycin induced cardiac damage in rats.