Hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant activities of the hydroethanolic leaf extract of Mucuna pruriens (Fabaceae) in antitubercular drugs and alcohol models

The Hepatoprotective and Anti-Nephrotoxic Potential of Methanolic Extract of a Polyherbal Preparation in CCl4-Induced Liver Injury Model of Wistar Rats

The liver and kidneys are the vital organs of the body and perform important life-sustaining functions in the body. Synthetic drugs used in the treatment of liver and kidney diseases are sometimes inadequate and can lead to serious side effects. Medicinal herbs and plants were used to combat diseases for a long time and combination therapy is preferred over single plant therapy. In the current study, the Asparagus racemosus, Mucuna pruriens, Anacyclus pyrethrum, and Tribulus terrestris polyherbal preparation (PHP) was selected to evaluate its hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and anti-nephrotoxic potential. The methanolic extract of PHP was prepared following standard protocols. Fifty-six albino rats were divided into 7 groups (n = 8). The negative control (NC) having the healthy rats and the remaining 6 groups were induced liver toxicity by intraperitoneally injecting 0.5 mL/kg of 50% CCl₄ in olive oil. Group 2 was positive control and group 3 and 4 received silymarin standard drug at the dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight. Groups 5, 6, and 7 (PHP-1, PHP-2, PHP-3) were the liver-damaged rats receiving the PHP at a dose of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg body weight. Blood samples were collected at 21 of the trial, to evaluate oxidative stress, hepatoprotective and anti-nephrotoxic potential. Results of liver function tests revealed significant (P < .05) hepatoprotective activities of PHP after intoxication with CCl₄ of albino rats as compared to standard groups. Moreover, results of renal functions also showed that PHP has a significant (P < .05) restoring the capacity of blood urea, creatinine, and uric acid in intoxicated rats as compared with the control group. The PHP also reduced the oxidative stress in the treatment groups by increasing the total antioxidant capacity and reducing the total oxidative status. It can be concluded that selected medicinal plants have a potential role in the management of liver and kidney disorders. So, by running the clinical trial on a large scale and by isolating the phytochemical constituents responsible for hepatoprotective and nephroprotective activities, locally prepared drugs could be developed to manage liver and renal disorders.

Mechanism of drug-induced liver injury and hepatoprotective effects of natural drugs

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a common adverse drug reaction (ADR) and a serious threat to health that affects disease treatments. At present, no targeted clinical drugs are available for DILI. Traditional natural medicines have been widely used as health products. Some natural medicines exert specific hepatoprotective effects, with few side effects and significant clinical efficacy. Thus, natural medicines may be a promising direction for DILI treatment. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge, common drugs and mechanisms of DILI, as well as the clinical trials of natural drugs and their bioactive components in anticipation of the future development of potential hepatoprotective drugs.

Dietary Intake of Vegetables and Cooking Oil Was Associated With Drug-Induced Liver Injury During Tuberculosis Treatment: A Preliminary Cohort Study

Background and Purpose: Drug-induced liver injury is challenging during tuberculosis treatment. There is no epidemiological data investigating the relation between dietary intake and the risk of drug-induced liver injury during tuberculosis treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of food and nutrient intake with the incidence of tuberculosis-drug-induced liver injury.

Methods: A cohort study was conducted in two city-level tuberculosis-specialized hospitals in Linyi City and Qingdao City, China from January 2011 to December 2013. The dietary intake was assessed by a 3-day 24-h food recall survey and a standard food-frequency questionnaire. The liver functions including aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were monitored throughout the 6-month tuberculosis therapy. Liver injury was defined as ALT or AST higher than two times of the upper limit of normal (ULN). Liver dysfunction was defined as ALT or AST higher than the ULN. The ULN for ALT and AST is 40 U/L. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the dietary factors associated with the incidence of liver injury and liver dysfunction.

Results: A total of 605 patients were included in the analysis. During the treatment, 8.1% patients exhibited liver injury and 23.3% patients exhibited liver dysfunction. A lower intake of vegetables was associated with a higher risk of liver injury [OR (95% CI): 3.50 (1.52–8.08), P = 0.003) and liver dysfunction [OR (95% CI): 2.37 (1.31–4.29), P = 0.004], while a lower intake of cooking oil was associated with a lower risk of liver injury [OR (95% CI): 0.44 (0.20–0.96), P = 0.040)] and liver dysfunction [OR (95% CI): 0.51 (0.31–0.85), P = 0.009].

Conclusion: The current study indicated that the higher risks of tuberculosis-drug-induced liver injury and liver dysfunction were statistically associated with decreased vegetable intake and increased cooking oil intake.

Protective effect of Mucuna pruriens against arsenic-induced liver and kidney dysfunction and neurobehavioral alterations in rats

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Intoxication of arsenic in rats is known to result in neurological effects as well as liver and kidney dysfunction. Mucuna pruriens has been identified for its medicinal properties. The aim of the study was to investigate the protective effect of aqueous seed extract of M. pruriens on sodium arsenite-induced memory impairment, liver, and kidney functions in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The experiment was divided into short-term treatment (45 days) and long-term treatment (90 days), with each group divided into nine sub-groups consisting of six animals each. Sub-groups 1 and 2 served as normal, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) controls, respectively. Sub-groups 3-9 received sodium arsenite in drinking water (50 mg/L). In addition, sub-group 4 received NAC (210 mg/kg b.wt) orally once daily, sub-groups 5-7 received aqueous seed extract of M. pruriens (350 mg/kg b.wt, 530 mg/kg b.wt, and 700 mg/kg b.wt) orally once daily and sub-groups 8 and 9 received a combination of NAC and aqueous seed extract of M. pruriens (350 mg/kg b.wt and 530 mg/kg b.wt) orally once daily. Following the treatment, the blood was drawn retro-orbitally to assess the liver (serum alanine transaminase [ALT], serum aspartate transaminase, and serum alkaline phosphatase) and kidney (serum urea and serum creatinine) functions. Learning and memory were assessed by passive avoidance test. Animals were sacrificed by an overdose of ketamine, and their Nissl stained hippocampal sections were analyzed for alterations in neural cell numbers in CA1 and CA3 regions.

RESULTS

In the short-term treatment, groups administered with M. pruriens 530 mg/kg b.wt alone and combination of NAC + M. pruriens 350 mg/kg b.wt exhibited a significant improvement in memory retention, less severe neurodegeneration, and decrease in serum ALT levels. In long-term treatment, groups administered with M. pruriens 700 mg/kg b.wt alone and combination of NAC+M. pruriens 350 mg/kg b.wt, respectively, showed better memory retention, decreased neural deficits, and reduced levels of kidney and liver enzymes.

CONCLUSION

The seed extract of M. pruriens showed significant enhancement in memory and learning. The number of surviving neurons in the CA1 and CA3 regions also increased on treatment with M. pruriens. Serum ALT, serum urea, and serum creatinine levels showed significant improvement on long-term treatment with M. pruriens.

Association of long-term consumption of repeatedly heated mix vegetable oils in different doses and hepatic toxicity through fat accumulation

BACKGROUND

Hepatic diseases are one of the chief reasons for worldwide morbidity and mortality. The increased incidence in Asian countries is driving researchers to explore preventive ways from nature. It is more practical to go with healthy routine edibles like vegetable oils to avoid environmental and chemical hepatic injuries. With the use of thermally oxidized oils overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with overwhelmed cellular antioxidants defense system results in oxidative stress, the known cause of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers and neurodegenerative disorders. Little is investigated about the effect of daily used oxidized cooking oils on hepatic function changes with oxidative stress especially in the animal model that mimics the human situation.

METHODS

In this study, healthy adult male rabbits of local strain were divided into 4 groups (n = 12). First, two sets of rabbits were treated with 1 and 2 ml/kg/day of repeatedly heated mix vegetable oils (RHMVO) respectively. The third set of rabbits was given 1 ml/kg/day of single time heated mix vegetable oils (STHMVO) and the fourth set of rabbits served as controls and fed with normal rabbit diet to for 16 weeks. Serum liver function markers including total-protein, albumin, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) along with the activity of hepatic antioxidant-enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) for lipid peroxidation were compared among different groups of rabbits. Histopathological examination was performed for all four groups.

RESULTS

Significantly (p < 0.05) elevated hepatic enzymes and MDA levels, with lower total protein, serum albumin, GPx, SOD and CAT levels were found in high and low doses RHMVO treated groups, in comparison to control. In the STHMVO group, all mentioned markers were insignificantly changed. Accumulation of liver fat in low and high dose oil-treated groups was further confirmed under the microscopic examination of liver tissues, presented significant fat accumulation in liver tissues, in addition, 40-60% increased oxidative stress compared to control, in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONS

These results conclude that consumption of thermally oxidized mix vegetable oils for longer duration can impair the liver function and destroy its histological structure significantly through fat accumulation and oxidative stress both in high as well as low doses.

Assessment of reproductive function in male albino rat fed dietary meal supplemented with Mucuna pruriens seed powder

The occurrence of conflicting reports on the improvement of male reproductive function among humans fed diet containing the seed of Mucuna pruriens (MP) have raised a major concern in Nigeria. We assessed the effect of MP seed powder on the reproductive function in 32 adult male albino rats randomized to 4 groups of 8 rats each for 8 weeks. Group 1 (control) was given standard rat chow while groups 2, 3 and 4 were fed diets containing MP seed powder at 0.75 g, 1.5 g and 2.25 g respectively. Serum level of follicle stimulating hormone, testosterone, luteinizing hormone, oxidative stress markers in the testis, epididymal sperm quality and cytoarchitectural structure of the testis were monitored using standard methods. Significant improvements (p < 0.05) in the serum levels of all the hormones, testicular antioxidant defence, epididymal sperm quality without testicular degenerative changes were observed in group 2 compared to other groups. Oxidative stress, severe degenerative architectural lesions in the testis as well as significant reductions (p < 0.05) in epididymal sperm count, percentage motility and significant (p < 0.05) increased in abnormal sperm cells were observed in group 4. MP seed enhances reproductive function in male rats only at a dose level of 0.75g. A dose value higher than 0.75 g may be toxic to the male reproductive system.

Prominence of Oxidative Stress in the Management of Anti-tuberculosis Drugs Related Hepatotoxicity

Advanced medical services and treatments are available for treating Tuberculosis. Related prevalence has increased in recent times. Unfortunately, the continuous consumption of related drugs is also known for inducing hepatotoxicity which is a critical condition and cannot be overlooked. The present review article has focused on the pathways causing these toxicities and also the role of enzyme CYP2E1, hepatic glutathione, Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway, and Membrane Permeability Transition as possible targets which may help in preventing the hepatotoxicity induced by the drugs used in the treatment of tuberculosis.

Safety evaluation of Bon-santé cleanser® polyherbal in male Wistar rats: Further investigations on androgenic and toxicological profile

BACKGROUND

The global increase in acceptance and use of herbal remedies in recent times is still accompanied with poor knowledge of their potential adverse effects and the toxicological implications of their use are underestimated.

METHODS

Bon-santé Cleanser® (BSC), a polyherbal containing Anogeissus leiocarpus, Terminalia ivorensis, Massularia acuminate and Macuna pruriens, is an "energizer and hormone booster". We assessed the effect of BSC on reproductive function after administration for 60 days in male Wistar rats. Rats (150-300 g) were assigned into four groups of 8/group. Control received distilled water (10 ml/kg) while other groups received BSC 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg/day p.o. respectively. Animals were euthanized by cervical dislocation and samples collected for analysis.

RESULTS

BSC (250 mg/kg) elevated (p < 0.05) follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels respectively. BSC decreased sperm motility and the live-dead ratio at 1000 mg/kg and reduced reproductive hormone at 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg respectively. BSC at 500 mg/kg increased (p < 0.05, F = 3.18-13.21) testicular reduced glutathione level (50.3%) and catalase (43.7%) but not activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase, and malondialdehyde level. Further, BSC influenced Mg, Zn, Cu, P, Mn, Ni and Fe levels (p < 0.05). BSC (1000 mg/kg) decreased testis weight (p < 0.05) and induced mild inflammation characterized by atrophic tubules.

CONCLUSION

Overall, our data suggest BSC at low doses may increase reproductive hormones regulated by FSH and LH as observed in this study. However, BSC administration should be done with caution as it may induce reproductive toxicity in large doses.

In Vitro Antioxidant Activities of Enzymatic Hydrolysate from Schizochytrium sp. and Its Hepatoprotective Effects on Acute Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury In Vivo

Schizochytrium protein hydrolysate (SPH) was prepared through stepwise enzymatic hydrolysis by alcalase and flavourzyme sequentially. The proportion of hydrophobic amino acids of SPH was 34.71%. The molecular weight (MW) of SPH was principally concentrated at 180–3000 Da (52.29%). SPH was divided into two fractions by ultrafiltration: SPH-I (MW < 3 kDa) and SPH-II (MW > 3 kDa). Besides showing lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity in vitro, SPH-I exhibited high DPPH and ABTS radicals scavenging activities with IC₅₀ of 350 μg/mL and 17.5 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, the antioxidant activity of SPH-I was estimated in vivo using the model of acute alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. For the hepatoprotective effects, oral administration of SPH-I at different concentrations (100, 300 mg/kg BW) to the mice subjected to alcohol significantly decreased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities and hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) level compared to the untreated mice. Besides, SPH-I could effectively restore the hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and glutathione (GSH) level. Results suggested that SPH was rich in biopeptides that could be exploited as antioxidant molecules against oxidative stress in human body.

Redox Control of Antioxidant and Antihepatotoxic Activities of Cassia surattensis Seed Extract against Paracetamol Intoxication in Mice: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of Herbal Green Antioxidant

The therapeutic potential of Cassia surattensis in reducing free radical-induced oxidative stress and inflammation particularly in hepatic diseases was evaluated in this study. The polyphenol rich C. surattensis seed extract showed good in vitro antioxidant. C. surattensis seed extract contained total phenolic content of 100.99 mg GAE/g dry weight and there was a positive correlation (r > 0.9) between total phenolic content and the antioxidant activities of the seed extract. C. surattensis seed extract significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the elevated levels of serum liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and ALP) and relative liver weight in paracetamol-induced liver hepatotoxicity in mice. Moreover, the extract significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the antioxidant enzymes and glutathione (GSH) contents in the liver tissues, which led to decrease of malondialdehyde (MDA) level. The histopathological examination showed the liver protective effect of C. surattensis seed extract against paracetamol-induced histoarchitectural alterations by maximum recovery in the histoarchitecture of the liver tissue. Furthermore, histopathological observations correspondingly supported the biochemical assay outcome, that is, the significant reduction in elevated levels of serum liver enzymes. In conclusion, C. surattensis seed extract enhanced the in vivo antioxidant status and showed antihepatotoxic activities, which is probably due to the presence of phenolic compounds.

The hepatoprotective activity of olive oil and Nigella sativa oil against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in male rats

BACKGROUND

Liver disease is the major cause of serious health problem leading to morbidity and mortality worldwide and the problem has increased in search for hepatotherapeutic agents from plants. The present study was designed to compare the probable hepatoprotective activity of olive oil and N. sativa oil on CCl4 induced liver damage in male rats.

METHODS

Forty males of a new model of albino rats (Wistar strain) (175-205 g) were divided into four groups. The 1st Group (G1) was the negative control group, the remaining rats were injected with CCl4 (1 ml/kg body weight) with equal amount of olive oil on the 1st and 4th day of every week for 4 weeks. The 2nd group (G2) was the positive control, the 3rd group (G3) and the fourth group (G4) were treated orally with N. sativa oil and olive oils using stomach tube.

RESULTS

The positive control group showed an increase in hepatic enzymes, total bilirubin, creatinine, uric acid, lipid peroxide total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, very low density lipoproteins, interleukin-6, and a decrease in antioxidant enzymes, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, a decrease in total protein and albumin an when compared with negative control group. Histology of the CCl4 treated group revealed inflammation and damage of liver cells. Treating the hepatotoxic rats with olive oil and N. sativa oil showed a significant improvement in all biochemical tests compared with the positive CCl4 control group. In addition, the liver tissues of olive oil treated group showed mild improvement in inflammatory infiltration and in N. sativa oil treated group showed normal hepatocytes with no evidence of inflammation.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that olive oil and N. sativa oil have a protective effect against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in male rats. Nigella sativa oil was more effective than olive oil.

Comparative evaluation of the sexual functions and NF-κB and Nrf2 pathways of some aphrodisiac herbal extracts in male rats

Background

Mucuna pruriens, Tribulus terrestris and Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) are widely known as antioxidant effective herbals and have been reported to possess aphrodisiac activities in traditional usages. In this study, we determined the effects of these herbals on sexual functions, serum biochemical parameters, oxidative stress and levels of NF-κB, Nrf2, and HO-1 in reproductive tissues.

Methods

Thirty-five male rats were divided into five groups: the control group, sildenafil-treated group (5 mg/kg/d), Mucuna, Tribulus and Ashwagandha groups. The extract groups were treated orally either with Mucuna, Tribulus or Ashwagandha (300 mg/kg b.w.) for 8 weeks.

Results

All of the extracts were found to be significantly effective in sexual functioning and antioxidant capacity and Tribulus showed the highest effectiveness. Serum testosterone levels significantly increased in Tribulus and Ashwagandha groups in comparison to control group. Tribulus was able to reduce the levels of NF-κB and increase the levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 to a much greater extent than Mucuna and Ashwagandha.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate for the first time that Mucuna, Tribulus and Ashwagandha supplementation improves sexual function in male rats via activating Nrf2/ HO-1 pathway while inhibiting the NF-κB levels. Moreover, Tribulus terrestris extract was found to be more bioavailable from Ashwagandha extract followed by Mucuna extract.

Graphical abstract

Schematic representation of the mode of action of some aphrodisiac herbal extracts to improve sexual functions

Safety evaluation of Bon-santé cleanser® polyherbal in male Wistar rats

BACKGROUND

The potential harm of medicinal herbs has been recently observed following herbal toxicity studies after ingestion of polyherbal remedies. This was the rationale for the food and drug regulatory agency decision for thorough safety evaluation of herbal medicines. Androgenic, antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory potentials as well as chemical compositions of extracts of massularia acuminata, terminalia ivorensis, anogeissus leiocarpus and macuna pruriens respectively have been documented. Thus, Bon-santé cleanser® (BSC) is formulated from these medicinal plants with the intention to boost body hormones and energizes the body. Considering the wide usage of BSC, we investigated on its safety in male Wistar rats.

METHODS

Thirty-two male Wistar rats weighing 201.9 ± 7.5 g were grouped into four treatment groups of eight per group. Group I, (control) received distilled water (10 ml/kg). Groups II-IV received 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg of BSC per oral respectively. Each group was treated for sixty days.

RESULTS

Acute toxicity test, in male Wistar albino mice, showed that LD50 was 600 mg/kg via i.p. while 4 g/kg was nonlethal after oral administration in mice. Hepatic and renal biomarker enzymes were unaltered in all rats. Increased in PCV (p <0.05) was observed at 500 mg/kg. BSC modulates antioxidants biomarkers following sub-chronic administration and increased serum Na(+) (p >0.05). BSC at 1000 mg/kg caused mild inflammation of the liver and heart but not kidneys histologically.

CONCLUSIONS

BSC has been found to be relatively safe in Wistar rats. Although, our findings indicate that herbal therapy with BSC should be done with caution as a mild alteration in the liver and heart architectures were observed.

Maltol, a food flavoring agent, attenuates acute alcohol-induced oxidative damage in mice

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of maltol, a food-flavoring agent, on alcohol-induced acute oxidative damage in mice. Maltol used in this study was isolated from red ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A Meyer) and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry. For hepatoprotective activity in vivo, pretreatment with maltol (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg; 15 days) drastically prevented the elevated activities of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and triglyceride (TG) in serum and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in liver tissue (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the levels of hepatic antioxidant, such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were elevated by maltol pretreatment, compared to the alcohol group (p < 0.05). Histopathological examination revealed that maltol pretreatment significantly inhibited alcohol-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and fatty degeneration. Interestingly, pretreatment of maltol effectively relieved alcohol-induced oxidative damage in a dose-dependent manner. Maltol appeared to possess promising anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory capacities. It was suggested that the hepatoprotective effect exhibited by maltol on alcohol-induced liver oxidative injury may be due to its potent antioxidant properties.

Ethnomedicinal plants used to treat skin diseases by Tharu community of district Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, India

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Tharu community is the largest primitive indigenous community of the Uttarakhand, India. In this article we have scientifically enumerated medicinal plants and herbal preparations used by the Tharu community to treat various skin diseases, and discussed dermatological properties of these plants in the light of previous ethnomedicinal, microbiological, pharmacological, toxicological, phytochemical and clinical studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ethnomedicinal survey was conducted in different villages of Tharu community located in district Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, India. Ethnomedicinal information on plants used to treat various skin diseases was collected from 122 individuals (93 males and 29 females), including 35 experienced herbal practitioners and 87 local villagers. For each of the recorded plant species the use value (UV) and fidelity level (FL) was calculated. The informant consensus factor (Fic) was also calculated to find out the homogeneity in the information given by the informants.

RESULTS

A total of 90 plant species belonging to 86 genera and 48 families were used by the Tharu community to treat various skin diseases viz., wounds (38 spp.), boils (32 spp.), cuts (18 spp.), leprosy (11 spp.), eczema (10 spp.), itching (7 spp.), ringworm (5 spp.), burns (4 spp.), leucoderma (4 spp.), cracked heels (2 spp.), dandruff (3 spp.), body infection (2 spp.), chilblains (2 spp.), hair fall (2 spp.) and toes infection (2 spp.). Information on botanical name, family, vernacular name, ailments treated, mode and dose of herbal preparations, UV and FL values are provided for each of the recorded species. According to UV value most preferred plant species used to treat skin diseases by Tharu community was Ricinus communis L. followed by Tridax procumbens (L.) L., Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Ageratum conyzoides and Allium cepa L.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study has revealed significant information on various medicinal plants used to treat skin diseases by Tharu community. Literature review has confirmed most of the claims made by the Tharu community regarding treatment of various skin diseases by the reported plants. The literature review has also revealed that products from very few of the reported plants are available in market, while most of the reported plants are still under preclinical or clinical trials. There are various known phytochemicals, and antibiotic, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents present in these plants which may be synthesized or transformed to make pharmaceuticals. Some of the reported plants have shown promising results in preclinical trails and there is a need of clinical trials to see their safety and efficacy in treating various skin diseases. These plants may be targeted for development of new medicines, ointments or drugs for the treatment of skin diseases. However further toxicological, preclinical and clinical studies are needed to validate claims about little worked out plant species reported in the present study viz., Sida cordata (Burm. F.) Borss. Waalk., Millettia extensa (Benth.) Baker, Caesulia axillaris Roxb., Ehretia laevis Roxb., Vanda tessellate (Roxb.) Hook. Ex G.Don. and Eualaliopsis binata (Retz.) C.E. Hubb. Further studies on these plants are recommended to assess their potential in development of new skin care products.