Tumor Promotion and Oxidative Stress in Ferric Nitrilotriacetate–Mediated Renal Carcinogenesis: Protection byAdhatoda vasica

Exploring the pharmacological and chemical aspects of pyrrolo-quinazoline derivatives in Adhatoda vasica

Adhatoda or Justicia is one of the biggest and complex genera of the Acanthaceae family. Adhatoda vasica is commonly known as 'Adosa'. It is an ayurvedic medicine with a medicinal history of more than a thousand years in India. Traditionally, it is used to treat cough, asthma, phlegm, bleeding hemorrhoids, for both adults and youth. This plant possesses antiarthritis, antiseptic, antimicrobial, anti-tuberculosis, anti-inflammatory and abortifacient properties. Alkaloids are the major phytoconstituents present in the plant in the form of pyrrolo-quinazoline derivatives viz vasicine, vasicinone, vasicinol, adhatodine, adhatodinine, adhavasinone and anisotine etc. The asserted objectives are to conduct a systematic review on the phytochemistry, pharmacology and traditional uses of A. vasica, as well as highlighting the challenges found in the research. This will promote the utilization of A. vasica at extract level and further development of new drug leads based on the compounds isolated and used for treatment of various ailments. The present review covers the literature survey from 1888 to 2023. The relevant data has been collected from various peer-reviwed journals, and books via Sci-Finder, PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, EBSCO, online electronic journals, SpringerLink and Wiley. This paper aims to present a systematic review of known traditional applications, pharmacological and chemical aspects in Adhatoda vasica.

Ultraviolet-B mediated biochemical and metabolic responses of a medicinal plant Adhatoda vasica Nees. at different growth stages

In the present study, the effects of elevated UV-B (eUVB; ambient ± 7.2 kJ m^-2 day^-1) were evaluated on the biochemical and metabolic profile of Adhatoda vasica Nees. (an indigenous medicinal plant) at different growth stages. The results showed reduction in superoxide radical production rate, whereas increase in the content of hydrogen peroxide which was also substantiated by the histochemical localization. Malondialdehyde content, which is a measure of oxidative stress, did not show significant changes at any of the growth stages however photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll content showed reduction at all growth stages under eUV-B exposure. Increased activities of the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants were noticed except ascorbic acid, which was reduced under eUV-B exposure. The metabolic profile of A. vasica revealed 43 major compounds (assigned under different classes) at different growth stages. Triterpenes, phytosterols, unsaturated fatty acids, diterpenes, tocopherols, and alkaloids showed increment, whereas reduction in saturated fatty acids and sesquiterpenes were observed under eUV-B treatment. Vasicinone and vasicoline, the two important alkaloids of A. vasica, showed significant induction under eUV-B exposure as compared to control. Treatment of eUV-B leads to the synthesis of some new compounds, such as oridonin oxide (diterpene) and α-Bisabolol oxide-B (sesquiterpene), which possess potent anti-inflammatory and anticancerous activities. The study displayed that differential crosstalk between antioxidants and secondary metabolites at different growth stages, were responsible for providing protection to A. vasica against eUV-B induced oxidative stress and enhancing its medicinal properties.

Chemopreventive Effect of Bauhinia Purpurea Against Chemically Induced Hepatocarcinogenesis via Amelioration of Oxidative Damage, Cell Proliferation and Induction of Apoptosis in Wistar Rats

Objectives:

In the present study we have evaluated the chemopreventive efficacy of Bauhinia purpurea against Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) initiated and 2 Acetylaminofluorine (2-AAF) promoted hepatocarcinogenesis in Wistar rats.

Materials and Methods:

Efficacy of Bauhinia purpurea against 2-AAF-induced hepatotoxicity was evaluated in terms of biochemical estimation of antioxidant enzyme activities (reduced hepatic GSH, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, catalase, and quinone reductase), histopathological changes and expressions of early tumor markers viz., ornithine decarboxylase activity (ODC) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and also expressions of p53, Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 were evaluated.

Results:

Oral pretreatment with B. purpurea significantly decreased the levels of serum toxicity markers, elevated antioxidant defense enzyme activities, suppressed the expression of ODC and PCNA and P53 along with the induction of apoptosis in the pretreatment groups. Tumor incidences are reduced by pretreatment of B. purpurea. Histopathological findings revealed that B. purpurea-pretreated groups showed marked recovery.

Conclusion:

The results support the protective effect of B. purpurea against chemically induced liver cancer and acts possibily by virtue of its antioxidant, antiproliferative, and apoptotic activities.