Potential antiamoebic property of the roots of Piper longum Linn

In an earlier study we reported the effect of ethanol extracts of Piper longum fruit against caecal amoebiasis in rats. A follow-up study to determine whether the roots possess similar antiamoebic activity was carried out. The ethanolic extract of roots was amoebicidal at 1,000 microg/mL in vitro and cured 88% of caecal amoebiasis cases, suggesting that both the root and fruit of P. longum possess antiamoebic activity to approximately the same extent.     

The effects of extracts from anti-diarrheic Thai medicinal plants on the in vitro growth of the intestinal protozoa parasite: Blastocystis hominis

The activities of n-hexane, dichloromethane and methanol extracts from five anti-diarrheic Thai medicinal plants, Acacia catechu (Fabaceae) resin, Amaranthus spinosus (Amaranthaceae) whole plant, Brucea javanica (Simaroubaceae) seed, Piper longum (Piperaceae) fruit and Quercus infectoria (Fagaceae) nut gall were tested against the in vitro growth of fresh isolates of the intestinal protozoan parasite, Blastocystis hominis. The extracts at concentrations that ranged from 62.5 to 2000 microg/mL, were incubated with several isolates of Blastocystis hominis for 48 h. The activities were classified as killed, inhibited, moderately inhibited and not-inhibited. Dichloromethane and methanol extracts from the Brucea javanica seed and a methanol extract from Quercus infectoria nut gall showed the highest activity. At a concentration of 2000 microg/mL, the three extracts killed 82, 75 and 67% of the Blastocystis hominis samples tested and inhibited 94, 100 and 76% of them, respectively. Metronidazole, used as a reference antiprotozoan drug, at a concentration of 40 microg/mL, killed 97% of the Blastocystis hominis isolates and inhibited all samples tested at concentrations that ranged from 1.25 to 20 microg/mL.     

Antigiardial and immunostimulatory effect of Piper longum on giardiasis due to Giardia lamblia.

Piper longum fruit, used in traditional remedies as well as in the Ayurvedic system of medicine against intestinal disorders, was tested for its efficacy against experimental infection of Giardia lamblia in mice. On in vitro test, an aqueous extract of P. longum fruit powder (PF) at 250 microg/mL and its ethanol extract at 125 microg/mL showed 100% giardicidal activity. A low order activity was found in the n-butanol extract. Further fractionation in hexane and chloroform resulted in a total loss of activity. The survival of-trophozoites in mice at 900 mg/kg body weight was 11.12 in PF, 8. 54 in aqueous extract, 5.81 in ethanol extract. The antigiardial activity of PF in hexane, chloroform and n-butanol soluble fractions was comparable to the drug-untreated control (47.63). Piper longum possessed a demonstrable immunostimulatory activity, both specific and nonspecific, as evident from the standard test parameters such as haemagglutination titre (HA), plaque forming cell (PFC) counts, macrophage migration index (MMI) and phagocytic index (PI). A maximum effect was found at 225 mg/kg body weight in mice. The effect was marginally reduced at higher doses of 450 and 900 mg/kg or the lower dose of 112.5 mg/kg.     

Immunomodulatory and antitumor activity of Piper longum Linn. and piperine

Alcoholic extract of the fruits of the plant Piper longum and its component piperine was studied for their immunomodulatory and antitumor activity. Alcoholic extract of the fruits was 100% toxic at a concentration of 500 microg/ml to Dalton's lymphoma ascites (DLA) cells and 250 microg/ml to Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells. Piperine was found to be cytotoxic towards DLA and EAC cells at a concentration of 250 microg/ml. Alcoholic extract and piperine was also found to produce cytotoxicity towards L929 cells in culture at a concentration of 100 and 50 microg/ml, respectively. Administration of alcoholic extract of Piper longum (10 mg/dose/animal) as well as piperine (1.14 mg/dose/animal) could inhibit the solid tumor development in mice induced with DLA cells and increase the life span of mice bearing Ehrlich ascites carcinoma tumor to 37.3 and 58.8%, respectively. Administration of Piper longum extract and piperine increased the total WBC count to 142.8 and 138.9%, respectively, in Balb/c mice. The number of plaque forming cells also enhanced significantly by the administration of the extract (100.3%) and piperine (71.4%) on 5th day after immunization. Bone marrow cellularity and alpha-esterase positive cells were also increased by the administration of Piper longum extract and piperine.     

荜茇水提取物对小鼠胃排空和肠推进的影响

目的:研究荜茇水提取物对小鼠肠推进和胃排空的影响。方法:荜茇水提取物灌胃给药6天,采用小肠炭末推进实验观察荜茇水提取物对正常小鼠小肠运动及硫酸阿托品所致小鼠小肠抑制模型的影响,采用甲基橙胃残留率的方法观察荜茇水提取物对正常小鼠胃排空的影响。结果:荜茇水提取物20g/kg和10g/kg可促进正常小鼠小肠运动,并能明显拮抗硫酸阿托品所致小鼠小肠抑制作用,荜茇水提取物20g生药/kg和10g生药/kg可促进正常小鼠胃排空。结论:荜茇水提取物对正常小鼠小肠运动及硫酸阿托品所致小鼠小肠抑制均有明显促进作用,并对正常小鼠胃排空有促进作用,其机制可能与M胆碱受体有关。     

胡椒、荜茇对正常大鼠肝脏能量代谢因子的影响

目的:探讨热性中药胡椒、荜茇对正常大鼠肝脏能量代谢的影响,研究热性中药对大鼠生理活动的影响,为中药药性理论研究打下基础。方法:将30只大鼠随机分为3组,空白组给予生理盐水,胡椒组给予胡椒水提取液,荜茇组给予荜茇水提液,按10 mL·kg-1的量连续灌胃30 d,分别测定肝脏能量代谢相关酶类的变化。结果:与空白组比较,胡椒组、荜茇组能显著升高Ca2+-ATP酶、Ca2+-Mg2+-ATP酶以及LDH酶的活性,同时明显降低肝糖原含量,能够明显升高大鼠单位体重摄入能、消化能和可代谢能;胡椒组与荜茇组间结果比较无明显差异。结论:热性中药胡椒、荜茇能促进肝糖原的分解,增加LDH酶、Ca2+-ATP酶、Ca2+-Mg2+-ATP酶的活性,从而增加ATP酶的消耗,同时升高大鼠单位体重摄入能、消化能和可代谢能,进而促进大鼠肝脏能量代谢。     

壮药假蒟药材质量标准研究

目的：对假蒟药材质量标准进行研究。方法：通过四大经典鉴别法对假蒟进行鉴别;按2010年版《中国药典》附录方法对假蒟的水分、总灰分、酸不溶性灰分、浸出物进行测定;采用HPLC对假蒟中α-细辛脑进行含量测定和指纹图谱研究。结果：确定假蒟药材鉴别方法、检查限量,建立含量测定和指纹图谱方法。结论：建立的方法可为假蒟药材质量标准的制定提供实验基础。     

傣药荜茇菜的生药学研究

目的：研究荜茇菜的生药鉴定特征。方法：应用性状、显微及理化鉴别方法。结果：荜茇菜为胡椒科植物假茹Piper sarmentosum Roxb ex Hunter的全草,详细描述了其生药鉴别特征。结论：实验结果为该药的鉴别、开发利用及质量标准的制订提供依据。     

壮药假蒟的质量标准研究

目的:对假蒟药材质量标准进行初步研究。方法:对假蒟的化学成分进行预试验和薄层色谱鉴别,并按2010年版《中国药典》附录方法对假蒟的水分、总灰分、酸不溶性灰分、浸出物进行测定。结果:确定假蒟药材水分、总灰分、酸不溶性灰分、浸出物限量,初步明确假蒟化学成分类型并建立薄层色谱鉴别方法,初步拟定假蒟药材水分不得超过13.0%,总灰分不得超过17.0%,酸不溶性灰分不得超过4.0%,水溶性浸出物不得少于17.0%。结论:建立的方法可为假蒟药材质量标准的制定提供实验基础。     

The antiamoebic effect of a crude drug formulation of herbal extracts against Entamoeba histolytica in vitro and in vivo

The antiamoebic effect of a crude drug formulation against Entamoeba histolytica was studied. In the traditional system of medicine in India, the formulation has been prescribed for intestinal disorders. It comprises of five medicinal herbs, namely, Boerhavia diffusa, Berberis aristata, Tinospora cordifolia, Terminalia chebula and Zingiber officinale. The dried and pulverized plants were extracted in ethanol together and individually. In vitro amoebicidal activity was studied to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of all the constituent extracts as well as the whole formulation. The formulation had a MIC of 1000 μg/ml as compared with 10 μg/ml for metronidazole. In experimental caecal amoebiasis in rats the formulation had a curative rate of 89% with the average degree of infection (ADI) reduced to 0.4 in a group dosed with 500 mg/kg per day as compared with ADI of 3.8 for the sham-treated control group of rats. Metronidazole had a cure rate of 89% (ADI = 0.4) at a dose of 100 mg/kg per day and cured the infection completely (ADI = 0) when the dosage was doubled to 200 mg/kg per day. There were varying degrees of inhibition of the following enzyme activities of crude extracts of axenically cultured amoebae: DNase, RNase, aldolase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, α-amylase and protease.     

高效液相色谱法测定不同色泽荜茇中胡椒碱含量

目的：采用HPLC方法测定荜茇灰色、黑色、棕色胡椒碱含量。方法：色谱柱Q（4．6×150mm,5μm）;流动相：甲醇-水（77：23）;流速：1mL·min^-1;柱温30℃;测定波长：343nm。结果：胡椒碱9．2～46．0μg·mL^-1成线性关系（r=0．999）;回收率为100．4％;RSD=2．5％;荜茇灰色、黑色、棕色胡椒碱含量分别为15．00、16．35、10．28mg·g^-1。结论：灰色、黑色荜茇胡椒碱含量高于棕色荜茇胡椒碱含量。     

Overview for various aspects of the health benefits of Piper longum linn. fruit

Herbal remedies have become popular, due in part to the lower risk of adverse reactions. Thousands of plants have been used traditionally to treat various diseases. Among them, species of the genus Piper are important medicinal plants used in various systems of medicine. The Piper longum fruit has been used in traditional medicine, including the Ayurvedic system of medicine. Although there are numerous indications for its use, controlled trials are needed to determine its efficacy. The primary constituents isolated from various parts of P. longum are piperine, piperlongumine, sylvatin, sesamin, diaeudesmin piperlonguminine, pipermonaline, and piperundecalidine. It is most commonly used to treat chronic bronchitis, asthma, constipation, gonorrhea, paralysis of the tongue, diarrhea, cholera, chronic malaria, viral hepatitis, respiratory infections, stomachache, bronchitis, diseases of the spleen, cough, and tumors. This study provides detailed information about the P. longum fruit, including phytochemistry, pharmacological profile and safety profile. In view of the commercial, economic, and medicinal importance of the P. longum plant, it is useful for researchers to study the plant in detail.     

Investigations of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of Piper cubeba, Physalis angulata and Rosa hybrida

The anti-inflammatory activities of Piper cubeba (fruit), Physalis angulata (flower) and Rosa hybrida (flower) were determined by carrageenan-induced paw edema, arachidonic acid-induced ear edema and formaldehyde-induced arthritis in mice. The anti-allergic and analgesic activities of these plants were also studied by using 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced contact hypersensitivity reaction (type IV) and hot plate test in mice, respectively. These plant extracts clearly exhibited inhibitory effects against acute and subacute inflammation by oral administration (200 mg/kg). Also, administration (200 mg/kg, p.o.) of plant extracts for 1 week significantly inhibited type IV allergic reaction in mice (P<0.05). Rosa hybrida showed an analgesic effect against hot plate-induced thermal stimulation at a dose of 200 mg/kg. These results provide support for the use of Rosa hybrida in relieving inflammatory pain, and insight into the development of new agents for treating inflammatory diseases.     

Preliminary pharmacological studies on Piper chaba stem bark

Piper chaba Hunter (Piperaceae) is a common pepper in the southern part of Bangladesh. Various parts of this plant have been extensively used in different traditional formulations including ayurveda. In order to rationalize the ethnomedical uses of this plant in a number of ailments, the methanol extract of the stem bark was subjected to preliminary evaluation for analgesic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, anti-diarrhoeal, effect on gastrointestinal motility and CNS depressant activity in mice and rat at 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight doses. The extract at given doses significantly and dose dependently reduced the frequency of acetic acid induced writhing in mice, prolonged the tail flicking latency in mice, reduced Carrageenan-induced paw edema volume in rat, delayed the onset as well as reduced the frequency of castor oil induced diarrhoeal episodes in mice, decreased gastrointestinal motility as assessed by the charcoal motility test in mice and prolonged pentobarbitone induced sleeping time in mice. However at the same doses, the extract exhibited moderate diuretic activity only at the highest dose.     

荜茇胡椒碱致畸试验研究

目的：了解蒙药荜茇降血脂有效成分胡椒碱对Wistar孕鼠的影响。方法：妊娠的雌性Wistar大鼠随机分成阴、阳性组及高、中、低剂量组每组12只,称重和编号。孕鼠于妊娠第7～16d分别灌胃胡椒碱（高剂量287.04mg/kg、中剂量71.76mg/kg、低剂量17.94mg/kg）,阳性对照组于孕期11d一次腹腔注射环磷酰胺,于妊娠第20天处死。分析胚胎发育指标,检查有无外观畸形和骨骼畸形。结果与阴性对照组比较,胡椒碱高、中剂量组对孕鼠体重增长及胎鼠生长指标有显著性差异（P〈0.05）;高剂量组对胚胎吸收率有显著性差异（P〈0.05）;胎鼠外观畸形和骨骼畸形未见显著增加。结论：本实验剂量与条件下荜茇胡椒碱高、中剂量组使孕鼠体重增长、胎鼠生长指标缓慢或下降;高剂量组有胚胎吸收的影响;低剂量组没有显著影响。对胎鼠外观、骨骼和内脏均无显著影响。     

荜茇及其有效成分降脂抗动脉粥样硬化研究概况

本文综述了国内外有关荜茇及其有效成分的降脂、抗动脉粥样硬化方面的研究进展,并结合本课题组的研究结果,认为荜茇及其有效成分胡椒碱、荜茇宁等具有显著的降血脂作用,特别是荜茇宁不仅降脂、抗动脉粥样硬化作用显著,而且毒性极低,是极具开发前景的降脂化合物。荜茇宁的作用机制可能是通过提高高脂血症大鼠肝脏LDLR基因表达,降低ApoB基因表达而起到降脂作用;通过调节脂代谢紊乱、增强抗氧化酶类活性、减轻脂质过氧化物对血管内皮的损伤、降低主动脉LOX-1和VCAM-1基因表达起到抗动脉粥样硬化作用。     

五仁醇延长小鼠同种异体心肌组织移植物存活期的初步观察

五仁醇为中药北五味子的醇提物。适当剂量的五仁醇单独使用时可有效地延长小鼠同种异体移植心肌组织的存活期。若五仁醇与小剂量常规免疫抑制剂醋酸强的松、硫唑嘌呤合用,则效果更好,其延长移植物存活的作用较两者单独使用时有明显的增加。     

荜茇提取物对大鼠骨髓间质干细胞MSC的增殖作用及与化学官能团的关系

目的:观察荜茇挥发油和水溶性部分对大鼠骨髓间质干细胞(mesenchymal stem cells,MSC)体外增殖的影响,并进一步探讨了与分子中化学官能团的关系.方法:使用密度梯度法分离大鼠骨髓间质干细胞,体外培养,经Brdu标记和CD44染色及两者双重染色鉴定后,观察在培养液中添加不同浓度荜茇挥发油及其水溶性部分的条件下MSC的生长变化.应用形态学、MTT法和5-溴脱氧尿嘧啶(5-Bromodeoxyuridine,Brdu)、增殖细胞核抗原(Proliferation cellnuclear antigen,PCNA)免疫细胞化学方法测定细胞增殖活性.结果:荜茇挥发油以浓度依赖方式促进MSC增殖活力和增加Brdu、PCNA阳性细胞数,与对照组比较有显著性(P＜0.05).经GC-MS检测,荜茇挥发油含C=C(50.66%)、-OH(27.02%)、多种官能团(5.05%)等;而荜茇水提物对MSC无增殖作用.结论:荜茇挥发油明显促进MSC的增殖,这种作用可能与分子中C=C、-OH等官能团有关.     

Antimalarial activity of extracts of Malaysian medicinal plants.

In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that Malaysian medicinal plants, Piper sarmentosum, Andrographis paniculata and Tinospora crispa produced considerable antimalarial effects. Chloroform extract in vitro did show better effect than the methanol extract. The chloroform extract showed complete parasite growth inhibition as low as 0.05 mg/ml drug dose within 24 h incubation period (Andrographis paniculata) as compared to methanol extract of drug dose of 2.5 mg/ml but under incubation time of 48 h of the same plant spesies. In vivo activity of Andrographis paniculata also demonstrated higher antimalarial effect than other two plant species.     

荜茇挥发油清除自由基作用及其与分子结构的关系

目的观察海南产荜茇挥发油清除自由基活性,探讨其与分子结构的关系。方法DPPH法检测清除自由基活性;GC-MS法分析其化学成分,并用谱库检索确定各化合物结构。结果①荜茇挥发油具有清除DPPH自由基的能力,且浓度越高,活性越强;②海南产荜茇挥发油含41个化合物,碳碳双键C=C的相对含量占绝对优势。结论碳碳双键C=C可能为荜茇挥发油清除自由基活性的必需官能团。