Wound healing properties of a new formulated flavonoid-rich fraction from Dodonaea viscosa Jacq. leaves extract

Background: Dodonaea viscosa Jacq. (D. viscosa) belongs to the family of Sapindaceae, commonly known as "Sinatha," and is used as a traditional medicine for treating wounds due to its high flavonoids content. However, to date there is no experimental evidence on its flavonoid-rich fraction of D. viscosa formulation as an agent for healing wounds. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the wound healing effect of ethyl acetate fraction of D. viscosa leaves on dermal wounds. Methods: The ethyl acetate fraction was produced from a water-ethanol extract of D. viscosa leaves and was quantitatively evaluated using the HPLC technique. The in-vivo wound healing ability of the ethyl acetate fraction of D. viscosa ointment (DVFO, 2.5%w/w and 5%w/w) was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats utilizing an incision and excision paradigm with povidone-iodine ointment (5% w/w) as a control. The percentage of wound closure, hydroxyproline and hexosamine concentrations, tensile strength and epithelialization duration were measured. Subsequently, histopathology analysis of skin samples as well as western blots were performed for collagen type 3 (COL3A1), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Results: The ethyl acetate fraction of D. viscosa revealed flavonoids with high concentrations of quercetin (6.46% w/w) and kaempferol (0.132% w/w). Compared to the control group, the DVFO (2.5% and 5.0% w/w) significantly accelerated wound healing in both models, as demonstrated by quicker wound contraction, epithelialization, elevated hydroxyproline levels and increased tensile strength. Histopathological investigations also revealed that DVFO treatment improved wound healing by re-epithelialization, collagen formation and vascularization of damaged skin samples. Western blot analysis further demonstrated an up-regulation of COL3A, vascular endothelial growth factor and bFGF protein in wound granulation tissue of the DVFO-treated group (p < 0.01). Conclusion: It is concluded that flavonoid-rich D. viscosa ethyl acetate fraction promotes wound healing by up-regulating the expressions of COL3A, VEGF and bFGF protein in wound granulation tissue. However, extensive clinical and pre-clinical research on the flavonoid-rich fraction of D. viscosa is needed to determine its significant impact in the healing of human wounds.

Health is the Motive and Digital is the Instrument

The coronavirus crisis has seen an unprecedented response from India and the world. If the viral outbreak has exposed gross inadequacies in the healthcare systems of nations both rich and poor, it has stirred a digital healthcare revolution that has been building since the past decade. We have seen how this new era of digital health evolved over the years since healthcare started getting increasingly unaffordable in the western countries forcing a relook in their strategies to explosion of digital innovations in mobile telephony and applications, internet, wearable devices, artificial intelligence, robotics, big data and genomics. The single biggest trigger for the digital shift has indeed been the COVID-19 pandemic this year, more so in India with astonishing response from the private enterprise and the proactive push from the government so evident. However, the full potential of this digital revolution cannot be realized as long as core structural reforms in public healthcare do not take place along with significant boost in digital infrastructure. The way digital technologies have helped facilitate strategy and response to the global pandemic and with predictions of more zoonotic outbreaks impending in the coming years, it has become imperative for the world to increasingly adopt and integrate digital innovations to make healthcare more accessible, interconnected and affordable.

Attenuation of adjuvant-induced arthrits by Stereospermum colais and Stereospermum suaveolens via modulation of inflammatory mediators

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The plants selected for this study, Stereospermum colais and Stereospermum suaveolens are named as Patala in Ayurvedic medicine. Patala is a component of the reputed dasamula (ten roots) used for various imperative Ayurvedic formulations. The roots of Patala have rich traditional value especially in the treatment of inflammation and rheumatism. Nevertheless no methodical study has been consummated in these plants. Consequently, an endeavor to ascertain the anti-arthritic potential of the two plants was made besides to impart the fact with regards to the supreme one.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of the study is to evaluate the anti-arthritic potential of Stereospermum colais and Stereospermum suaveolens using Complete Freund's Adjuvant induced arthritic model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The freshly collected root material of Stereospermum colais (SC) and Stereospermum suaveolens (SS) were successively extracted with solvents such as petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol by cold maceration and the ethanolic extract of Stereospermum colais (EESC) and Stereospermum suaveolens (EESS) were standardized using lapachol as standard. The extracts were further subjected to acute oral toxicity and in vivo anti-arthritic evaluation by Complete Freund's Adjuvant induced arthritic model using methotrexate as standard. Body weight changes, reduction in paw volume, biochemical, histopathological and the expression of Cluster of differentiation 4 cells, inflammatory cytokines such as Tumor necrosis factor-α, Interleukin-2 and Tranforming growth factor-β through immunohistochemical analysis were studied to access the anti-arthritic potential.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

s: The Extracts EESC and EESC were standardized using lapachol by HPLC method and the amount was found to 3.9% w/w and 0.9% w/w respectively. The LD₅₀ of the tested extracts EESC and EESS were found to be greater than 2000 mg/kg b.w through acute oral toxicity study. The extracts EESC (58.97%) and EESS (20.51%) were significantly reduced the paw volume in a dose dependent manner. The reduction in the paw volume exhibited the anti-inflammatory potential of the ethanolic extract of both the plants. The extracts at the dose of 400 mg/kg has markedly inhibited the change in joint architecture as compared to arthritic control. Also the study revealed that the extracts may possibly act by affecting the T cell mediated inflammatory process which was evident by decreased expression of Cluster of Differentiation 4 cells, Interleukin-2 and Tumor necrosis factor-α. The Extracts were found to have rich phytochemicals such as terpenoids, flavonoids, quinones, phenols and tannins may probably attribute to the anti-arthritic property of the plants. The lapachol a naphthaquinone present in both the extracts also contributed for its property. The study concludes that ethanolic extract of both the plants (EESC and EESS) exhibited significant anti-arthritic activity and Stereospermum colais was found to be more potent than Stereospermum suaveolens which corroborates the traditional use of roots of Stereospermum colais and Stereospermum suaveolens in the treatment of arthritis.

Cell mediated immunity to Plasmodium vivax infection: in vitro inhibition of parasite growth by monocyte derived macrophages

OBJECTIVE

To study the ability of soluble blood stage or cell associated antigens of Plasmodium vivax to stimulate human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and produce factors capable of causing inhibition of parasite growth in vitro was the objective of this investigation.

METHOD

A local isolate of P vivax was either synchronized by triple sorbitol lysis for antigen preparation or used as unsynchronized culture for parasite inhibition, employing a macrophage inhibition assay. The soluble or cell associated antigens of P vivax were added to human monocyte derived macrophages with P vivax parasitized red blood cells. The percent inhibition of parasite growth was examined after 72 hrs by microscopy of Giemsa stained smears of red blood cells from the experimental and control groups.

RESULTS

The differences in parasite inhibition were compared using Wilcoxon rank sum test for paired differences. Unstimulated PBMC supernatants did not inhibit parasite growth. Significant inhibition of parasite growth (90%) was seen after incubating P vivax infected erythrocytes with PBMC supernatants resulting from stimulation with soluble antigens (T = 3; P < 0.05). However, the cell associated antigens of P vivax did not stimulate PBMC to activate macrophages for parasite killing in vitro (T = 14, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

We conclude that the soluble blood stage antigens of P vivax can stimulate human PBMC to produce factors capable of activating macrophages to function as effector cells in P vivax malaria.

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by polymerase chain reaction in 301 biological samples--a comparative study

A repetitive target sequences of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a total of 301 clinical samples. Sputum, blood, pleural fluid, and bronchial lavage specimen were taken from clinically suspected causes of tuberculosis and processed for the diagnosis of tuberculosis using a simplified procedure of DNA extraction. PCR was positive in a total of 58 samples (58/301--19.3%). A significant number of smear and culture negative cases of tuberculosis were PCR positive (37/174--21.26%). This finding, combined with the absence of either false positive or false negative results reflects the greater usefulness of this technique.

Alterations in lung and skin compositions of rat in bleomycin-induced fibrosis

Male albino rats were given bleomycin subcutaneously (5 mg potency/kg body weight twice a week) for a period of 6 weeks. At this dosage, mortality was found to be nil with marked fibrotic changes. Pulmonary and cutaneous changes at the end of 2, 4, and 6 weeks of treatment were investigated both by light microscopy and analyses of the intra- and extracellular components. Histologically, fibrosis set in as early as 2 weeks of treatment with bleomycin and was pronounced with increasing duration of treatment. Biochemically, total collagen and hexosamine contents of lung and skin increased significantly compared to control toward the end of treatment period. Thus, this animal model can be conveniently used to mimic the human condition and to test effective antifibrotic agents.