Comparative Analysis of In Vitro Enzyme Inhibitory Activities and Phytochemicals from Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco via Solvent Partitioning Method

The extraction of plant bioactive compounds from Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco remains a great challenge due to the different chemical groups. This study aimed to compare the bioactive compounds with enzyme inhibitory effect from P. orientalis via solvent partitioning method. Dried leaf samples were macerated and fractionated with six solvents of different polarities. The phenolic, flavonoid, tannin, saponin, alkaloid and pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antioxidant and anti-glycation potential were compared across the six plant fractions. Toxicity assessment was performed with an in vivo brine shrimp model. The varying levels of bioactive compounds in ethyl acetate (phenolics, flavonoids), hexane (saponins, tannins) and chloroform (alkaloids) fractions clearly demonstrated the significant impact of solvent polarity on the extraction of bioactive compounds. The reducing potential (r = 0.67), IC₅₀ of α-amylase inhibition (r = -0.71), IC₅₀ of advanced glycation end-product inhibition (r = -0.93) and dicarbonyl compound inhibition (r = 0.57) in the plant fractions were correlated (p<0.05) with the flavonoids. Besides, the alkaloid, saponin and tannin were associated with cyclooxygenase-1 inhibitory activity. Principal component analysis confirmed that solvent polarity (23.9%) and plant extraction yield (37.1%) collectively contributed to 61% of bioactivity variation in P. orientalis. Among the six plant fractions, ethyl acetate fraction exhibited relatively high anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antioxidant and anti-glycation potential while the non-toxic methanolic and aqueous fractions displayed optimal hyaluronidase and lipoxygenase inhibitory activities, respectively. The current study has identified semi-polar ethyl acetate fraction of P. orientalis as a good alternative source of bioactive compounds for future pharmaceutical product development.

Synthesis of New 3-Arylaminophthalides and 3-Indolyl-phthalides using Ammonium Chloride, Evaluation of their Anti-Mycobacterial Potential and Docking Study

OBJECTIVE

The study aims at the derivatization of "Phthalides" and synthesizes 3- arylaminophthalides & 3-indolyl-phthalides compounds, and evaluates their anti-tubercular and antioxidant activities. The study has also intended to employ the in silico methods for the identification of possible drug targets in Mycobacterium and evaluate the binding affinities of synthesized compounds.

METHODS

This report briefly explains the synthesis of phthalide derivatives using ammonium chloride. The synthesized compounds were characterized using spectral analysis. Resazurin Microtiter Assay (REMA) plate method was used to demonstrate the anti-mycobacterial activity of the synthesized compounds. An in-silico pharmacophore probing approach was used for target identification in Mycobacterium. The structural level interaction between the identified putative drug target and synthesized phthalides was studied using Lamarckian genetic algorithm-based software.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In the present study, we report an effective, environmentally benign scheme for the synthesis of phthalide derivatives. Compounds 5c and 5d from the current series appear to possess good anti-mycobacterial activity. dCTP: deaminasedUTPase was identified as a putative drug target in Mycobacterium. The docking results clearly showed the interactive involvement of conserved residues of dCTP with the synthesized phthalide compounds.

CONCLUSION

On the eve of evolving anti-TB drug resistance, the data on anti-tubercular and allied activities of the compounds in the present study demonstrates the enormous significance of these newly synthesized derivatives as possible candidate leads in the development of novel anti-tubercular agents. The docking results from the current report provide a structural rationale for the promising anti-tubercular activity demonstrated by 3-arylaminophthalides and 3-indolyl-phthalides compounds.

A clinical study to evaluate efficacy and safety of AHPL/AYTAB/0313 tablet in subjects suffering from osteoarthritis of knee(s)

Background

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis with unsatisfactory treatment outcomes.

Objectives

To evaluate efficacy and safety of AHPL/AYTAB/0313 tablet in subjects with OA of knee joint.

Study Design

Prospective, open-label, single-arm clinical study conducted in daily clinical practice setting.

Method

Subjects were advised to take 2 AHPL/AYTAB/0313 tablets twice daily orally after meals for 180 days. 48 subjects completed the study. The primary endpoints were changes in mean visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score and WOMAC score. Secondary endpoints were quality of life, time to walk 50 feet, knee joint swelling, use of analgesic drug as rescue medicine, and safety parameters.

Results

At baseline visit, the mean index knee joint pain (VAS) score was 82.29 ± 15.19, which reduced significantly to 19.38 ± 13.75 on day 180. The mean WOMAC combined score at baseline was 39.94 ± 11.67, which reduced significantly to 09.58 ± 05.77 (76.0%) on day 180. The mean WOMAC pain score at baseline was 09.65 ± 02.91, which reduced significantly to 02.06 ± 01.46 on day 180. The mean WOMAC stiffness score at baseline was 03.48 ± 01.58, which reduced significantly to 00.63 ± 01.08 on day 180. The mean WOMAC difficulty score at baseline was 26.81 ± 09.63, which reduced significantly to 06.90 ± 04.78 on day 180. The mean walking time to walk 50 feet reduced significantly by 40% on day 180. Not a single subject was known to have knee joint swelling from 150 days onwards. Only 5 subjects were using analgesic as rescue medicine on day 180. Twenty-six subjects had adverse events (AEs). Most of the AEs were not associated with the study medication. Vitals and all the safety laboratory parameters were within normal limits both at baseline and on day 180.

Conclusion

"AHPL/AYTOP/0113" tablet is safe and significantly effective in reducing pain, swelling, and stiffness of knee joints and improving mobility of knee joints in patients with OA. CTRI registration No. is CTRI/2015/09/006177.

Eggplant (Solanum spp) supplemented fruits diet modulated the activities of ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (ENTPdase), monoamine oxidase (MAO), and cholinesterases (AChE/BChE) in the brain of diabetic Wistar male rats

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with complications such as Alzheimer disease (AD). Tropical eggplant (Solanum gilo, Solanum kumba, and Solanum aethiopicum) fruits have been extensively used for the treatment of different ailments. This study assesses the effect of an eggplant supplemented-diet on purinergic, monoaminergic, and cholinergic enzyme systems in diabetic male rats, besides determining the presence of alkaloids using GC-MS chromatography. Results from this study show that eggplant fruit diet modulates the activities of the enzymes in purinergic, monoaminergic, and cholinergic enzyme systems associated with AD-like symptoms. Solanum kumba-supplemented diet significantly (p < 0.05) reduced enzyme activities better than S. gilo and S. aethiopicum, which could be due to its rich phytochemical constituents. In conclusion, eggplant fruits could serve as a holistic measure in the prevention of diabetes-related complications such as neurodegenerative disease. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The therapeutic management of diabetes fails to holistically address inflammatory response which likely contributes to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) occurrence by causing insulin resistance; this, in turn, is intensified in the presence of hyperglycemia to promote long-term complications such as neurodegenerative disorders. The health benefit of a tropical eggplant fruit diet inform a nutritional and therapeutic approach for the prevention and treatment of T2DM and its associated complications such as neurodegenerative disorders has been proved. The eggplant fruit-supplemented diet, which is cost-effective with little or no side effect, could substantially increase the antioxidant status and also modulate the activities of neuronal enzymes in a diabetic model with dementia, as well as Alzheimer's-like symptoms. This study, therefore, revealed more of the benefits of tropical eggplant fruits vis-à-vis their management in hyperglycemia-mediated neurodegeneration.

The medicinal uses, toxicities and anti-inflammatory activity of Polyalthia species (Annonaceae)

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Polyalthia is one of the largest and notable genera in Annonaceae family. Polyalthia species have been widely used in folklore medicine for the treatment of rheumatic fever, gastrointestinal ulcer and generalized body pain. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies on Polyalthia Species have also corroborated the significant anti-inflammatory potential of its extracts and secondary metabolites.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This review is an attempt to assess the anti-inflammatory activity of Polyalthia species by giving critical appraisal and establishing evidences of their traditional uses. Moreover this review will highlight the lead compounds for future drug development that can serve as a potential anti-inflammatory drug with comparative efficacy and minimum side effects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An extensive literature review, focusing the anti-inflammatory potential of Polyalthia species was conducted using the following databases:PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Ovid, Scopus and ProQuest, as well as the locally available books, journals and relevant documents. The reference lists of retrieved papers were also searched for additional studies.

RESULTS

The Polyalthia species have shown significant anti-inflammatory activity through various mechanism of action. The most significant anti-inflammatory mechanism includes the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), prostaglandins (PGs), pro-inflammatory cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The data suggests that hydroxycleroda-3,13-dien-15,16-olide and 16-oxocleroda-3,13-dien-15-oic acid, quercetin, rutin, spinasterol, α-spinasterol, goniothalamin and (-)-5-hydroxygoniothalamin are the most potent anti-inflammatory compounds from Polyalthia species with comparable IC₅₀ with positive controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Numerous pharmacological studies have supported the use of Polyalthia species against pain, rheumatic fever, haemorrhages and inflammation in traditional medicine. Flavonoids, diterpenoids, sterols and styrylpyrones from genus Polyalthia are the most significant class of compounds with potent anti-inflammatory activity. Secondary metabolites from these classes should be brought into further research to fill the gaps of knowledge in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, bioavailability, and toxicity in order to convert the pre-clinical results into clinical data for further investigation.

Screening of anti-inflammatory phytocompounds from Crateva adansonii leaf extracts and its validation by in silico modeling

Anti-inflammatory phytocompounds from Crateva adansonii DC leaf extracts were identified by GCMS analysis and its anti-inflammatory potential was evaluated by in silico molecular docking study against inflammatory molecular targets. Three different (Aqueous, Methanol and Petroleum ether) dried leaf extracts of Crateva adansonii were obtained from soxhlet extraction method. Preliminary phytoconstituents analysis of three different leaf extracts of C. adansonii confirmed the presence of various major classes of bioactive phytoconstituents such as polyphenols (tannins and flavonoids), steroids, alkaloid, coumarin, carbohydrate and terpenoids. Among three leaf extracts, methanolic leaf extract possess highest total phenolic content of 77 ± 1.65 µg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g of dry weight of leaf extract, subsequently methanolic leaf extract also shows maximal in vitro antioxidant activity (DPPH scavenging activity) of 71.22 ± 1.32% among three different leaf extracts. GC-MS analysis of petroleum ether leaf extract revealed the presence of nine phytocompounds representing 95.43% peak area percentage, among nine identified phytocompounds three phytocompounds of C. adansonii possess anti-inflammatory property namely phytol, 1-Hexyl-2-Nitrohexane and 2-Isopropyl-5-Methylcyclohexyl 3-(1-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3-Oxobutyl)-Coumarin-4-Yl Carbonate were chosen for in silico molecular docking study against four inflammatory receptor targets (COX-2, TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6) and they shows less binding energy with highest docking score ranging from -15.9500 to 5.0869. The present study substantially indicated and proven that anti-inflammatory potential of phytocompounds from C. adansonii leaf extracts which can be exploited for commercial designing of novel anti-inflammatory drug to treat various inflammatory disorders.

Anti-inflammatory activity of rhein isolated from the flowers of Cassia fistula L. and possible underlying mechanisms

Objective

Anti-inflammatory activity of rhein in animal models with potential mechanism of actions.

Methods

Rhein was isolated from Cassia fistula L. flowers collected in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Its anti-inflammatory activity was then investigated in Wistar rats and mice using carrageenan-induced hind paw oedema, croton oil-induced ear oedema, cotton pellet-induced granuloma and acetic acid-induced vascular permeability models.

Results

Administration of rhein (10, 20, 40 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats and croton oil-induced ear oedema in mice in dose-dependent manners. Continual administration of rhein to rats using implanted cotton pellets significantly (p < 0.05) reduced granuloma formation (20 mg/kg: 17.24%; 40 mg/kg: 36.12%) compared to control group animals. Administration of rhein increased the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) and decreased the levels of nitrite, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) compared to control animals. Western blotting results revealed that rhein diminished carrageenan-induced cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and increased heme oxygenase (HO)-1, nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR)-γ and heat shock protein (HSP)-72 expression after 6 h in the paw oedema model.

Conclusion

The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of rhein might be related to decrease in the levels of MDA, iNOS and COX-2 and the stimulation of HO-1, PPAR-γ and Nrf2 expression via increases in the activities of CAT, SOD and GSH-px through the suppression of nitrite, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of selected medicinal plants used in Indian traditional medication system in vitro as well as in vivo

The present study was carried out to evaluate in vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory potential of selected medicinal plants used in Indian traditional medication. The sequentially extracted plant samples as, Cissus quadrangularis, Plumbago zeylanica, Terminalia bellarica and Terminalia chebula in water, ethanol and hexane were evaluated in-vitro for COX-1 and 2 inhibitory and antioxidant activities. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of selected samples showing promising COX-2 inhibition was assessed using carrageenan and Phorbol Myristate Acetate (PMA) induced mice edema animal model. The results obtained reveals that most of the plants were found to inhibit COX-2 activity as compared to COX-1. It was observed that the extracts of T. bellarica (73.34 %) and T. chebula (74.81 %) showed significant COX-2 selective inhibition as compared to other samples. The ethanol extract of the selected plants demonstrated effective DPPH, OH and superoxide radical scavenging activity. In vivo anti-inflammatory study shows that, T. bellarica and T. chebulla had a significant impact on inhibition of edema formation. The cytotoxicity evaluation study of ethanolic fraction of selected medicinal plants indicates that the selected samples have no effect on cell viability. HPTLC fingerprint of flavonoids of the selected samples was also prepared as a measure of quality control. The results obtained may be useful in strengthening the standardization of the selected botanicals. Moreover the selected plants can be considered as a resource for searching novel anti-inflammatory agents possessing COX-2 inhibition.

Beneficial effects of methanolic extract of Indigofera linnaei Ali. on the inflammatory and nociceptive responses in rodent models

ABSTRACT Indigofera linnaei Ali. (Tamil Name: Cheppu Nerinjil) belongs to the family Fabaceae, used for the treatment of various ailments in the traditional system of medicine. In the present study, the beneficial effects of methanol extract of whole plant of I. linnaei (MEIL) were evaluated on inflammation and nociception responses in rodent models. In vitro nitric oxide (NO), lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclooxygense (COX) inhibitory activities were also performed to understand the mode of action. MEIL at the dose of 200 & 400 mg/kg, p.o. significantly inhibited carrageenan induced rat paw volume and reduced the weight of granuloma in cotton pellet granuloma model. The results obtained were comparable with the standard drug aceclofenac. The anti-nociceptive effect of MEIL in mice was evaluated in hot plate and acetic acid induced writhing model. The plant extract significantly reduced the number of writhes and the analgesic effect was higher than that of the standard drug aspirin. However, the extract fails to increase the latency period in hot plate method suggesting that the extract produce nociception by peripheral activity. The extract produced inhibitory effect on NO, LOX and COX in concentration dependent manner. The extract exhibited pronounced and selective COX-2 inhibition. Altogether, these results suggested that the methanol extract of Indigofera linnaei could be considered as a potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Changes in Antioxidant Properties of Leaf and Stem Extracts fromVitex mollisKunth duringIn VitroDigestion

Vitex mollis is used in traditional Mexican medicine for the treatment of some ailments. However, there are no studies on what happens to the anti-inflammatory activity or antioxidant properties and total phenolic content of leaves and stem extracts of Vitex mollis during the digestion process; hence, this is the aim of this work. Methanolic, acetonic, and hexanic extracts were obtained from both parts of the plant. Extract yields and anti-inflammatory activity (elastase inhibition) were measured. Additionally, changes in antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS) and total phenols content of plant extracts before and after in vitro digestion were determined. The highest elastase inhibition to prevent inflammation was presented by hexanic extracts (leaf = 94.63% and stem = 98.30%). On the other hand, the major extract yield (16.14%), antioxidant properties (ABTS = 98.51% and DPPH = 94.47% of inhibition), and total phenols (33.70 mg GAE/g of dried sample) were showed by leaf methanolic extract. Finally, leaf and stem methanolic extracts presented an antioxidant activity increase of 35.25% and 27.22%, respectively, in comparison to their initial values after in vitro digestion process. All samples showed a decrease in total phenols at the end of the digestion. These results could be the basis to search for new therapeutic agents from Vitex mollis.