Induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells by casuarinin from the bark of Terminalia arjuna Linn

Casuarinin, a hydrolyzable tannin isolated from the bark of Terminalia arjuna Linn. (Combretaceae), inhibits human non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells by blocking cell cycle progression in the G0/G1 phase and inducing apoptosis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that the G0/G1 phase arrest is due to p53-dependent induction of p21/WAF1. An enhancement in Fas/APO-1 and the two forms of Fas ligand (FasL), membrane-bound FasL and soluble FasL, might be responsible for the apoptotic effect induced by casuarinin. Our study reports here for the first time that the induction of p53 and the activity of the Fas/FasL apoptotic system may participate in the antiproliferative activity of casuarinin in A549 cells.     

Triterpene glycoside from Terminalia arjuna

A new triterpene glycoside, arjunetoside, together with oleanolic and arjunic acids has been isolated from the root bark of Terminalia arjuna. The structure of arjunetoside has been established as 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2alpha,3beta, 19alpha-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid, 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside by chemical and spectral data.     

A new fatty alcohol from Terminalia arjuna leaves with antileishmanial activity

A new fatty alcohol (1) together with ten known compounds was isolated from the leaves of Terminalia arjuna Roxb. Their chemical structures were established on the basis of physical, chemical, and spectroscopic methods to be identified as (E)-3,5,7,16 tetramethylheptadeca-2-en-1-ol (1), apigenin, luteolin, vitexin, isovitexin, luteolin-3′-glucuronide, gallic acid, methyl gallate, ellagic acid, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol-3-O-glucoside. Apigenin, vitexin, and isovitexin were isolated for the first time from this species, while luteolin-3′-glucuronide was isolated for the first time from the genus Terminalia. Compound 1 and its acetate derivative (2) showed good antileishmanial activity with IC₅₀ values of 9.0 and 2.0 μg/mL, respectively.     

Cardio-protective role of Terminalia arjuna bark extract is possibly mediated through alterations in thyroid hormones

Terminalia arjuna bark extract is believed to exhibit cardio-protective effects. In the present study we investigated the possible involvement of thyroid hormones in the amelioration of cardiac and hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) by a bark extract of the plant in albino rats. While L-thyroxine (L-T4) treatment increased the level of thyroid hormones, heart/body weight ratio as well as cardiac and hepatic lipid peroxidation, simultaneous administration of 21.42 and 42.84 mg/kg of the plant extract decreased the level of thyroid hormones and also the cardiac LPO, suggesting the possible mediation of the drug action through an inhibition in thyroid function. These effects were comparable to a standard antithyroid drug, propyl thiouracil (PTU). When the drug was administered to euthyroid animals, serum concentrations of thyroid hormones were decreased, whereas the hepatic LPO increased indicating a drug induced toxicity in euthyroid subjects. Although a suboptimal dose of the drug was found to be non-toxic to the liver, it appeared to be of no use, as it could neither affect the thyroid functions nor the cardiac lipid peroxidation. Since in euthyroid animals, thyroid hormones were decreased and hepatic LPO was increased, it is suggested that high amounts of this plant extract should not be consumed, as hepatotoxicity as well as hypothyroidism may be caused.     

Casuarinin from the bark of Terminalia arjuna induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells

Casuarinin, a hydrolyzable tannin isolated from the bark of Terminalia arjuna L. (Combretaceae), was investigated for its antiproliferative activity in human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells. The results showed that casuarinin inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 by blocking cell cycle progression in the G0/G1 phase and inducing apoptosis. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that casuarinin increased the expression of p21/WAF1 concomitantly as the MCF-7 cells underwent G0/G1 arrest. An enhancement in Fas/APO-1 and its two forms of ligands, membrane-bound Fas ligand (mFasL) and soluble Fas ligand (sFasL), might be responsible for the apoptotic effect induced by casuarinin. Our study reports here for the first time that the induction of p21/WAF1 and the activity of Fas/Fas ligand apoptotic system may participate in the antiproliferative activity of casuarinin in MCF-7 cells.     

Terminoside A,a new triterpene glycoside from the bark of Terminalia arjuna inhibits nitric oxide production in murine macrophages

Terminoside A (1), a new oleanane-type triterpene was isolated from the acetone fraction of the ethanolic extract of stem bark of Terminalia arjuna. The structure was established as olean-1alpha,3beta,22beta-triol-12-en-28-oic acid-3beta-D-glucopyranoside. On the basis of spectral data and chemical reactions, terminoside A, potently inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production and decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages.     

Terminoside A,a new triterpene glycoside from the bark of Terminalia arjuna inhibits nitric oxide production in murine macrophages

Terminoside A (1), a new oleanane-type triterpene was isolated from the acetone fraction of the ethanolic extract of stem bark of Terminalia arjuna. The structure was established as olean-1α,3β,22β-triol-12-en-28-oic acid-3β-D-glucopyranoside. On the basis of spectral data and chemical reactions, terminoside A, potently inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production and decreased inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages.     

A new cardenolide from the seeds of Terminalia arjuna (W&A)

A new cardenolide 14,16 dianhydrogitoxigenin-3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 2)-O-β-D-galactopyranoside was isolated from the ethylacetate soluble fraction of the alcoholic extract of the seeds of Terminalia arjuna by various colour reactions, chemical degradations and spectral analysis.     

Effect of Terminalia arjuna stem bark on antioxidant status in liver and kidney of alloxan diabetic rats

Free radicals and associated oxidative stress induced by alloxan are implicated in eliciting pathological changes in diabetes mellitus. Terminalia arjuna bark, an indigenous plant used in ayurvedic medicine in India, primarily as a cardiotonic is also used in treating diabetes, anemia, tumors and hypertension. The present study examined the effect of ethanolic extract (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight) of Terminalia arjuna stem bark in alloxan induced diabetic rats and its lipid peroxidation, enzymatic and nonenzymatic activity was investigated in the liver and kidney tissues. The extract produced significant (P<0.05) reduction in lipid peroxidation (LPO). The effect of oral T. arjuna at the dose of 500 mg/kg body weight was more than the 250 mg/kg body weight. The extract also causes a significant (P<0.05) increase in superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-s-transferase glutathione reductase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, reduced glutathione, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, total sulfhydryl groups (TSH) and non protein sulfhydryl groups (NPSH) in liver and kidney of alloxan induced diabetic rats, which clearly shows, the antioxidant property of T. arjuna bark. The result indicates that the extract exhibit the antioxidant activity through correction of oxidative stress and validates the traditional use of this plant in diabetic animals.     

Antiviral activity of Spirulina maxima against herpes simplex virus type 2

Spirulina has been used in a variety of practical applications in biotechnology and medical sciences. This paper presents the antiviral activity found in a hot water extract (HWE) of a commercial preparation of Spirulina maxima, studied by a microplate inhibition assay, using several viruses. The HWE inhibited the infection for: herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), pseudorabies virus (PRV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), and HSV-1, and the 50% effective inhibition doses (ED(50)) were 0.069, 0.103, 0.142, and 0.333 mg/ml for each virus, respectively. For adenovirus the inhibition was less than 20%, and no inhibition was found for measles virus, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis virus (SSPE), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), poliovirus 1 and rotavirus SA-11, at concentrations of 2 mg/ml of the HWE. The highest antiviral activity was for HSV-2, with a selectivity index of 128. The antiviral activity was not due to a virucidal effect. Herpesvirus infection was inhibited at the initial events (adsorption and penetration) of the viral cycle. To initiate the isolation and identification of the compound that exhibits the antiviral activity of S. maxima, some extracts made by using several solvents with different polarity were evaluated by microplate inhibition assay using HSV-2. The highest antiviral activity was detected in the methanol-water 3:1, which suggests that the antiviral activity is probably due to highly polar compounds.     

Effect of Terminalia arjuna on Experimental Hyperlipidemia in Rabbits

Hyperlipidemia was induced in rabbits by feeding them cholesterol. The effect of Terminalia arjuna, an indigenous hypolipidemic agent on the serum lipid and lipoprotein profile was studied. Hyperlipidemia produced an increase in cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and reduced the level of HDL-cholesterol. T. arjuna treatment for three months altered the lipoprotein pattern by raising HDL-cholesterol and lowering LDL-cholesterol levels in the drug treated rabbits.     

Antibacterial Effects of the Bark of Terminalia arjuna: Justification of Folklore Beliefs

Antibacterial activity of crude drug from the tree bark of T. arjuna was tested against bacteria using the hole-plate diffusion method with concentrations of 5–25 mg/ml. The effective results of bacterial activity were confirmed by the dilution method (1.25–20 mg/ml) in MIC. The above results were supported by phytochemical analysis. Specific activity against pathogenic bacterium, Bacillus subtilis and Staphyloccus aureus, confirm the traditional usage of bark of T. arjuna.     

A novel naphthanol glycoside from Terminalia arjuna with antioxidant and nitric oxide inhibitory activities

A novel naphthanol glycoside, arjunaphthanoloside (1), was isolated from the stem bark of Terminalia arjuna and its structure was established as 2,3,6,7,8,9-hexahydroxynaphthalene-2-O-alpha-L(-)-rhamnoside by means of spectroscopic and chemical methods. Compound 1 showed potent antioxidant activity and inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated rat peritoneal macrophages.     

Antimutagenic activities of acetone and methanol fractions of Terminalia arjuna.

The antimutagenic effect of benzene, chloroform, acetone and methanol fractions from Terminalia arjuna, a well-known medicinal plant, was determined against Acid Black dye, 2-aminofluorene (2AF) and 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine (NPD) in TA98 Frameshift mutagen tester strain of Salmonella typhimurium. Among the different fractions, the antimutagenic effect of acetone and methanol fractions was more than that observed with other fractions. Co-incubation and pre-incubation modes of experimentation did not show much difference in the antimutagenic activity of the extracts. Moreover, these fractions inhibited the S9-dependent mutagens, 2AF and Acid Black dye more effectively than the direct-acting mutagens. Studies are under way to isolate and elucidate the nature of the antimutagenic factor in acetone and methanol fractions.     

Anti-herpes simplex virus activity of alkaloids isolated from Stephania cepharantha

By screening water and MeOH extracts of 30 Chinese medicinal plants for their anti-herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 activity, a MeOH extract of the root tubers of Stephania cepharantha HAYATA showed the most potent activity on the plaque reduction assay with an IC50 value of 18.0 microg/ml. Of 49 alkaloids isolated from the MeOH extract, 17 alkaloids were found to be active against HSV-1, including 13 bisbenzylisoquinoline, 1 protoberberine, 2 morphinane and 1 proaporphine alkaloids, while benzylisoquinoline and hasubanane alkaloids were inactive. Although N-methylcrotsparine was active against HSV-1, as well as HSV-1 thymidine kinase deficient (acyclovir resistant type, HSV-1 TK-) and HSV-2 (IC50 values of 8.3, 7.7 and 6.7 microg/ml, respectively), it was cytotoxic. FK-3000 was found to be the most active against HSV-1, HSV-1 TK- and HSV-2 (IC50 values of 7.8, 9.9 and 8.7 microg/ml) with in vitro therapeutic indices of 90, 71 and 81, respectively. FK-3000 was found to be a promising candidate as an anti-HSV agent against HSV-1, acyclovir (ACV) resistant-type HSV-1 and HSV-2.     

Mechanism of the protective effect of heteropolyoxotungstate against herpes simplex virus type 2

The effects of heteropolyoxotungstate (K(7)[PTi(2)W(10)O(40)]. 6H(2)O; PM-19) on the replication of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) were examined using a semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction of intracellular viral DNA established by us and also other methods. Vero cells were infected with HSV-2 strains: either the standard strain 169, or the acyclovir-resistant strain YS-4C-1. PM-19 was added at various stages during the replication of HSV-2. PM-19 strongly inhibited the synthesis of viral genomic DNA when it was added at the time of infection. The addition of PM-19 60-90 min after viral inoculation time-dependently decreased the antiviral activity and increased the relative yield of viral DNA, and the addition of PM-19 was completely ineffective at times later than 90 min. These results suggested that PM-19 inhibited viral penetration but did not affect the synthesis of viral DNA. Furthermore, PM-19 strongly inhibited a second round of infection.     

Antiviral activity of Bifidobacterium adolescentis SPM 0214 against herpes simplex virus type 1

Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) antibodies are found in up to 90 percent of the general population. About 30% of patients who have been exposed to HSV-1 develop recurrent infections, and this degree is continually increasing. In addition, resistance to all major anti-herpetic drugs such as acyclovir (ACV) has been increasingly reported. These observations underscore the importance of discovering new therapeutic tools for the treatment of HSV-1 infections. Bifidobacterium spp. has been studied in various fields including antibacterial and anticancer effect, but the antiviral activity was studied very little. The aim of this study was to test the antiviral activity of Bifidobacterium spp. against HSV-1. The Bifidobacterium adolescentis SPM 0214 used in this study through the screening of 23 Bifidobacterium spp. by plaque assay was assessed the cell viability assay in Vero cells. We also measured the plaque reduction assay and yield reduction assay after B. adolescentis SPM 0214 treatment at concentrations ranging between 10 and 10⁴ ??g/mL. The B. adolescentis SPM 0214 was not toxic to Vero cells, and the inhibition of plaque and yield formation was obviously increased compared to those of the control (no additive). Therefore, these results indicate that antiviral activity of B. adolescentis SPM 0214 against HSV-1.     

Effect of Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna.) Extract on Tissue Lead Levels in Rats

Abstract

The prophylactic efficacy of arjuna (Terminalia arjuna. L.) extract to reduce tissue lead (-Pb) concentration was evaluated experimentally in rats. Thirty female rats were divided into five groups, with group A as the control. Rats of groups B, C, D, and E received lead acetate orally at the rate of 5 mg per kg body weight daily for 6 weeks. The arjuna extract was tried in three doses, viz., 50 mg (low), 100 mg (medium), and 200 mg (high) per kg body weight orally and given simultaneously with Pb salt to the rats of groups C, D, and E, respectively. Mean blood Pb concentration in Pb-exposed rats ranged between 0.13 ± 0.02 and 0.96 ± 0.06 µg/ml, whereas in arjuna-treated rats, the range was between 0.15 ± 0.02 and 0.94 ± 0.06, 0.17 ± 0.01 and 0.77 ± 0.06, and 0.13 ± 0.1 and 0.51 ± 0.07 µg/ml in low-, medium-, and high-dose groups, respectively. The mean Pb concentration in liver, kidneys, brain, and bone of Pb-exposed rats was 2.289 ± 0.206, 4.748 ± 0.609, 1.019 ± 0.10, and 44.075 ± 2.60 µg/g, respectively. Concomitant use of arjuna bark extract at three different doses was found to reduce Pb concentration considerably in these vital organs indicating the potential therapeutic activity of arjuna against lead toxicity.     

Multi-antigenic DNA immunization using herpes simplex virus type 2 genomic fragments

A novel DNA vaccine was generated using genomic fragments of a pathogen as the source of both the antigen coding and regulatory regions. The constructs, termed subgenomic vaccines (SGVs), incorporated genomic DNA sequences up to 45 kbp that encompass 15-20 different genes. The SGVs were developed to generate vaccines capable of expressing multiple genes from a single construct, which could be of great benefit for commercialization. The unique feature of the SGVs is that genes are expressed from their native promoters rather than heterologous promoters typical of DNA vaccines. SGVs composed of genomic fragments from the DS-DNA virus Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV-2) induced HSV-2 specific immune responses following particle-mediated epidermal delivery (PMED) in mice and these responses protected animals from lethal infectious challenge. A second generation SGV (SGV-H2), intended as an HSV-2 therapeutic vaccine, was generated that had five HSV-2 genes and was capable of generating multi-antigenic responses in na?ve mice, and enhancing responses in infected animals. When compared with standard single plasmid vaccines, immunization with the SGV-H2 was found to be at least as effective as single plasmids or plasmid mixtures. The activity of the SGV-H2 could be greatly enhanced by co-delivering plasmids expressing E. coli heat labile toxin (LT) or cholera toxin CT as adjuvants as has been found previously for standard single-gene DNA vaccines.