The ameliorative effect of Homalium nepalense on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatocellular injury in rats

The ameliorative effect of Piper trioicum in attenuating cognitive deficit in scopolamine induced neurotoxicity in experimental rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

In traditional system of medicine, Piper species, or its components are widely used to treat many diseases including memory improvement. One of the wild species Piper trioicum Roxb. (Piperaceae) is found in South Asian countries. The whole plant is used as folk medicine to improve memory.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To our knowledge, no previous research has investigated the neuroprotective activities of P. trioicum. So, we studied the ameliorative effect of P. trioicum in attenuating cognitive deficit in scopolamine induced neurotoxicity in experimental rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Wistar rats were exposed to scopolamine (3 mg/kg, i. p.) for 14 consecutive days, and the effect of P. trioicum (HAPT; oral, 300, 400 mg/kg) on scopolamine-invoked neurotoxicity in brain were studied. During the experimental period, behaviour analyses of rats were observed 30 min post-drug administration. The role of antioxidants of HAPT in scavenging cellular oxygen/peroxyl radicals were studied. Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitions, and mode of inhibition kinetics of HAPT were studied. Pathogenic cellular oxidative (MDA, GSH, SOD, and CAT), DNA damage (8-oxodG), neurochemical (acetyl- and, butyryl-cholinesterase), β-secretase (BACE-1 and 2), MAPτ, and neuroinflammation (IL-6, TNF-α) biomarkers in extension to the histopathological observation of brain cortex were studied. GC-MS/MS analysis was carried out to investigate the presence of bioactive constituents in HAPT.

RESULTS

HAPT, a rich source of phenol and flavonoid type antioxidants were responsible in quenching oxygen/peroxyl radicals and protected the cellular membrane, and lipoproteins against ROS in DPPH, ORAC, and CAPe tests. HAPT inhibited acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activities, and showed competitive-inhibition (reversible) towards cholinesterase activities. HAPT-400 significantly improved the learning and memory-impairment by restoring oxidative MDA, GSH, SOD, CAT, and DNA damage (8-oxodG) markers of serum, and cortex. It also improved acetyl- and, butyryl-cholinesterase, β-secretase, and MAPτ level in brain by restoring proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, and TNF-α indicators in neurotoxic rats. GC-MS/MS reported therapeutic significance active compounds were molecular-docked towards target proteins, found that proscillaridin showed the highest affinity towards AChE, BuChE, BACE1, and BACE2 with binding energy of ΔGb -9.1, ΔGb -10.2, ΔGb -11.4 and ΔGb -11.5 Kcal/mol, respectively. Cymarin and morphine-3-glucuronide showed the second highest binding affinity towards AChE (ΔGb -8.8) and BuChE (ΔGb -10.0), respectively. In BACE-1, betulin showed the second highest binding affinity ΔGb -10.7 Kcal/mol and in BACE-2, morphine-3-glucuronide showed the second highest binding affinity ΔGb -9.8 Kcal/mol.

CONCLUSIONS

Synergistic impact of proscillaridin, Cymarin, morphine-3-glucuronide, betulin like compounds in HAPT improved memory impairment, healing of tissue architecture of cortex with the restoration of neurochemical, neuroinflammation, and oxidative indicators in neurotoxic rats.

The modulatory role of prime identified compounds in Geophila repens in mitigating scopolamine-induced neurotoxicity in experimental rats of Alzheimer's disease via attenuation of cholinesterase, β-secretase, MAPt levels and inhibition of oxidative stress imparts inflammation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Geophila repens (L.) I.M. Johnst (Rubiaceae) is a small perennial creeper native to India, China, and other countries in Southeast Asia. The hot decoction of leaves is used orally for memory enhancing by the local folk of Andhra Pradesh, India. The ethnomedicinal claim of G. repens as memory enhancer was initially studied by the authors. Results demonstrated the important antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of isolated molecule Pentylcurcumene and bioactive hydroalcohol extract of leaves of G. repens (GRHA).

AIM OF THE STUDY

Based on the previous findings, additional research is needed to examine the efficacy of GRHA for memory enhancing properties. We therefore investigated the modulatory role of prime identified compounds in GRHA in mitigating scopolamine-induced neurotoxicity in experimental rats of Alzheimer's disease (AD) via attenuation of cholinesterase, β-secretase, MAPt levels and inhibition of oxidative stress imparts inflammation.

METHODS

Scopolamine (3 mg/kg) induced experimental rats of AD were treated with GRHA (300, 400 mg/kg) for 14 days. During the experimental period, elevated T-maze and locomotion-activity were performed to assess learning and memory efficacy of GRHA. At the end of the experiment, biochemical, neurochemical, neuroinflammation and histopathological observation of brain cortex were examined. GC-MS/MS analysis reported 31 compounds, among them 8 bioactive compounds possess antioxidant, neuroinflammation, neuroprotective activities, and were considered for docking analysis towards cholinesterase, β-secretase activities in AD.

RESULTS

GRHA 400 significantly improved learning and memory impairment with the improvement of oxidative stress (MDA, SOD, GSH, CAT), DNA damage (8-OHdG), neurochemical (AChE, BuChE, BACE1, BACE2, MAPt), neuroinflammation (IL-6, TNF-α) markers in neurotoxic rats. Docking studies of 8 compounds demonstrated negative binding energies for cholinesterase and β-secretase indicating high affinity for target enzymes in AD. Test results were corroborated by the improvement of cellular tissue architecture of brain cortex in AD rats.

CONCLUSION

Synergistic action of genistin, quercetin-3-D-galactoside, 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic-acid methyl-ester, phytol, retinal, stigmasterol, n-hexadecanoic acid, β-sitosterol in GRHA restores memory-deficits via attenuation of cholinesterase, β-secretase, MAPt level and inhibition of oxidative-stress imparts inflammation in AD.

Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Activities of Family Flacourtiaceae: A Class of Important Phytomedicine

Flacourtiaceae plants are widely used as folk medicines in traditional medicine systems for its chemical diversity and pharmacological activities. In many different areas, Flacourtiaceae plants are used as traditional medicines for the treatment of ulcers, malaria, rheumatism. The Flacourtiaceae plants contain a very plentiful chemical composition, and phytochemical studies show that the Flacourtiaceae plants contained terpenoids, aromatic glycosides, flavnoids, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids, fatty hydrocarbon, and other compounds. In pharmacological studies, various extract and isolated individual compounds exhibited antitumor, anti-oxidation, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this review, the literature data on the chemical constituents and pharmacological investigations of the Flacourtiaceae plants are summarized, to provide information about a more comprehensive chemical composition and detailed pharmacological activities of Flacourtiaceae plants, with a view of further development of clinical medication. However, research on quantitative analysis, toxicity, and drug safety in vitro and in vivo is still insufficient, and further research is required.

Ameliorative effects of Hydrolea zeylanica in streptozotocin-induced oxidative stress and metabolic changes in diabetic rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Hydrolea zeylanica L. Vahl. (Hydroleaceae) is an aquatic medicinal plant used as leafy vegetable in some parts of India. In south Odisha and Hazaribag district of Jharkhand, India, decoction of leaves is used as household remedy for diabetes. To our knowledge, no prior studies have examined the antidiabetic activity of H. zeylanica to validate its ethnomedicinal claim.

PURPOSE

With this aim in mind, we examined the bioactivity of hydroalcohol fraction of leaves of H. zeylanica (HAHZ) in streptozotocin-induced oxidative stress in diabetic rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vitro antidiabetic and free radical scavenging activities of different fractions of H. zeylanica were performed. The most effective bioactive fraction e.g. HAHZ was considered for kinetic studies to understand the mode of inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase. To understand the chemical composition, GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS analysis of HAHZ were performed. To find out the molecular mechanism of action of HAHZ, streptozotocin-induced oxidative stress and metabolic changes in diabetic rats were studied.

RESULTS

HAHZ demonstrated significantly higher radical scavenging and antidiabetic activities. Kinetic analysis revealed that HAHZ inhibited α-glucosidase competitively, and α-amylase mixed competitively. To understand the chemical composition, GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS analysis of HAHZ identified 32 compounds and among which R-limonene (0.52%), perillartine (0.41%), N-formyl-L-lysine (1.49%), limonen-6-ol, pivalate (1.43%), lidocaine (1.70%) and gamolenic acid (2.80%) were reported to have antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. HAHZ-400 mg/kg showed significant (p < 0.001) improvement in serum markers (SGOT, SGPT, ALP, total bilirubin, total protein, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C) and oxidative markers (MDA, SOD, CAT, GSH) in serum, liver and pancreas at effective dose dependent manner. In histopathological observation, HAHZ-400 mg/kg showed marked improvement in restoring cellular architecture of liver and pancreas.

CONCLUSION

In diabetic rats, the improvement in glycemic control mechanism was achieved upon stimulating insulin secretion by R-limonene, perillartine, N-formyl-L-lysine, limonen-6-ol, pivalate, lidocaine and gamolenic acid of HAHZ.

SREBP-1 inhibitor Betulin enhances the antitumor effect of Sorafenib on hepatocellular carcinoma via restricting cellular glycolytic activity

Lipid metabolism that correlates tightly to the glucose metabolic regulation in malignant cells includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. The transcription factor Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 (SREBP-1), a regulator of fatty acid synthesis, has been shown to pivotally regulate the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells. However, the intrinsic mechanism by which SREBP-1 regulates the survival of HCC cells remains unclear. In this study, among HCC patients who had dismal responses to Sorafenib, a high SREBP-1 level was found in the tumors and correlated to poor survival. This observation suggested the negative role of SREBP-1 in clinical HCC prognosis. Our mechanistical studies reveal that the inhibition of SREBP-1 via its inhibitor Betulin suppresses cellular glucose metabolism. In addition to the reduced glycolytic activity, a thwarted metastatic potential was observed in HCC cells upon Betulin administration. Moreover, our data show that SREBP-1 inhibition facilitated the antitumor effects of Sorafenib on HCC cells and xenograft tumors.

Isolation, identification, and quantification of Pentylcurcumene from Geophila repens: A new class of cholinesterase inhibitor for Alzheimer's disease

The aerial part of Geophila repens (L.) I.M. Johnst (Rubiaceae) has been used in India to improve intelligence and memory for a long time. As part of our ongoing efforts in discovering potential bioactive compounds from G. repens, we have studied the isolation, identification, and quantification of a new class of cholinesterase inhibitor from G. repens for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Terpene was isolated from hydroalcohol extract of G. repens (GRHA) and its structure was identified "Pentylcurcumene" by spectroscopic data. HPTLC fingerprint analysis was performed and good separation was achieved in mobile phase (benzene:methanol; 7.5:2.5, v/v, 254 and 366 nm; R_f 0.51). The method was validated using ICH guidelines in terms of linearity, specificity, sensitivity, accuracy, precision, robustness and stability. In cellular antioxidant studies e.g. DPPH, oxygen-radical-absorbance-capacity (ORAC) and cell-based-antioxidant-protection-in-erythrocytes (CAP-e) assays showed that, Pentylcurcumene showed remarkably different degrees of antioxidant activities in dose-dependent manner. Pentylcurcumene demonstrated anticholinesterase activities e.g. IC₅₀ of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibition were 73.12 ± 0.56 and 97.65 ± 0.46 μg/ml, respectively. To better understand enzyme kinetics, Lineweaver-Burk plot of Pentylcurcumene displayed the highest affinity with competitive inhibition (reversible) towards both AChE (V_max 0.8) and BChE (V_max 0.6). An improved and advanced HPTLC tool of bioautography detection of Pentylcurcumene has been successfully demonstrated its anticholinesterase activities. Molecular docking simulations of Pentylcurcumene (ligand) and enzymes (proteins) exhibited the binding of ligand at active sites of AChE (human/rat) and BChE (human/homology) efficiently and also predicted the hydrophobic interaction of drug towards different amino acid residue within proteins. As per the results of antioxidant study and with the support of molecular docking analysis, it is concluded that Pentylcurcumene could be a potential first-line cholinesterase-inhibitor for AD.

The potential protective effect of two actinomycete extracts against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential protective effect of two extracts derived from two soil actinomycete strains, designated S19 and G30, against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in male rats. Sixty-four male rats were divided into four groups of 16 rats per group. The first group was a control group given corn oil and the nutritive medium which is composed of a mixture of the two used media. The second group received CCl₄ only, the third group was administered CCl₄ and the extract S19, and the fourth group was administered CCl₄ and the extract G30. The results were taken after a treatment period of 8 weeks. Our data demonstrated that the two actinomycete extracts significantly (P < 0.01) lowered the CCl₄-induced elevation of serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) after 8 weeks of treatment. The extract S19 had no effect on serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and total bilirubin, whereas the extract G30 significantly decreased (P < 0.01) the elevated levels of these parameters in the serum, especially after 4 weeks of treatment. The levels of hepatic glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), peroxidase (Px), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) significantly increased (P < 0.01), while those of malondialdehyde (MDA) markedly decreased in rats treated with the two extracts. Furthermore, histopathological lesions in the liver, including necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, hydropic degeneration, and congestion of the central vein, were partially reversed by treatment with the two microbial extracts. Our results provided evidence for the protective effect of the two used actinomycete extracts against CCl₄-induced liver damage occurred through the reduction of oxidative stress and improvement of antioxidant defense markers.

Ameliorative effect of Homalium zeylanicum against carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative stress and liver injury in rats

Objective is to evaluate the ameliorative effects of Homalium zeylanicum in carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative stress and liver injury in rats. To establish the nature of antioxidant principles in the bioactive ethyl acetate fractions of bark (HZEB) and leaf (HZEL); oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and cell-based antioxidant protection in erythrocytes (CAP-e) assays were performed. From acute toxicity study, HZEB and HZEL at 200 and 300 mg/kg b.w., were relatively safe at their effective doses. The degree of protection was measured by using biochemical parameters such as serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TB) and total protein (TP) contents. Hepatic markers e.g. thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were evaluated along with histopathological observations of liver tissues. Both fractions showed significant improvement in restoring SGOT, SGPT, ALP, TB and TP level. TBARS, SOD, CAT and GSH levels were significantly altered towards normal values. Both fractions at 300 mg/kg showed remarkable improvement in liver markers as compared to silymarin. Histopathological examinations showed reduction in hepatic necrosis and appeared normal hepatocellular architecture in HZEB and HZEL treated groups. In CAP-e assay, IC₅₀ of HZEB (54.66 mg/mL) was higher than HZEL (60.88 mg/mL) and in ORAC assay, AUC of HZEB and HZEL were 33.46, 21.29 respectively and results were comparable with trolox. GC-MS and LC-MS analysis identified a total no. of 44 compounds. Few compounds were identified as bioactive compounds e.g. catechol (7.23%), tetraacetyl-d-xylonic nitrile (3%), oleic acid (0.49%), 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-phenol (3.71%), 3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenol (0.31%), and conifer alcohol (7.41%). The presence of antioxidant principles in both fractions were responsible for hepatoprotective activities, however, the presence of catechol (7.23%) in the bark part imparted better activities in protecting liver than leaf of H. zeylanicum.