Anti-Tumor Activity of Four Ayurvedic Herbs in Dalton Lymphoma Ascites Bearing Mice and Their Short-Term In Vitro Cytotoxicity on DLA-Cell-Line

The anti-tumor activity and chemopreventive potential of four Ayurvedic herbs viz. Curcuma longa L., Ocimum sanctum L., Tinospora cordifolia (Wild) Miers ex Hook.f & Thomas and Zizyphus mauritiana Lam. were evaluated using Dalton Lymphoma ascites (DLA) tumor model in Swiss Albino mice. The outcome was assessed using survival time, peritoneal ascitic fluid (Tumor volume) and hematological indices as parameters. Animals were divided into five groups (n = 6) viz. one DLA control and four Herb + DLA treated groups. All the four herb + DLA groups were pre-treated with respective herbs for 7 days and hematological indices were measured for entire five groups. On day-8 animals were inoculated with 1×10⁶ DLA cells i.p., and Herb + DLA groups were continued with oral herbal treatment for 21-days. Hematological parameters and tumor volume were assessed to find the effects of herbs. Short term in vitro cytotoxicity was determined by Trypan Blue exclusion method and LDH leakage assay using different concentrations of herbal extracts and 5-FU as a positive control and IC₅₀ for each herbal extract and 5-FU were determined. Oral administration of crude herb increased the survival time and decreased the peritoneal ascitic fluid content significantly. Hb, RBCs and total WBC which were altered by DLA inoculation were restored significantly by all the herbs except O. sanctum. All the four herbs showed in vitro cytotoxic activity against DLA cell-line. Moreover inter group comparison of all the four herbs for anti-tumor activity showed efficacy in the following order- T. cordifolia > Z. mauritiana ≥ C. longa > O. sanctum respectively.     

Evaluation of the antidiarrhoeal effects of Zizyphus spina-christi stem bark in rats

The antidiarrhoeal effects of the methanol extract of Zizyphus spina-christi stem bark were evaluated in laboratory rodents. Studies on castor oil induced diarrhoea, intraluminal fluid accumulation, and gastrointestinal transit time were carried out. Results obtained revealed that the extract caused a dose dependent protection of rats against castor oil induced diarrhoea, decreased the intraluminal fluid accumulation and gastrointestinal transit. The intraperitoneal and oral LD(50) values were found to be 346+/-5.6 and 1200+/-41.2 mg/kg in mice. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of glycosides, resins, saponins, and tannins. It is suggested that the extract may contain biologically active components that may be useful against diarrhoea, thereby justifying its use in ethnomedical practice as an antidiarrhoeal agent.     

Anti-spasmodic effects of Zizyphus lotus (L.) Desf. extracts on isolated rat duodenum

Aim of the study

The present study deals with the anti-spasmodic activity of the aqueous and the methanolic extracts of the leaves and the root barks of Zizyphus lotus (L.) Desf. on male rats.

Materials and methods

This activity was assessed on contractions of isolated rat duodenum, induced by acetylcholine, KCl, and BaCl₂ and compared with the effect of atropine and papaverine.

Results

Both extracts of leaves and root barks caused significant relaxation of spontaneous contractions and produced a concentration-dependent inhibition (P < 0.01–0.001) of contraction induced by spasmogenic agents.

Conclusion

These results indicate that Zizyphus lotus extracts contain anti-spasmodic constituents mediating their effect through cholinergic receptors and blockade Ca²⁺ influx. This could explain the traditional use of Zizyphus lotus in the treatment of the intestinal diseases.     

不同枣类商品中芦丁成分的含量研究

目的应用高效液相色谱法测定了7种枣类商品中芦丁的含量,对收集到的7种商品枣中的芦丁含量进行比较。方法采用MN NUCLEODUR C18柱(200×4.6mm,5μm),以乙腈-0.05%磷酸(15∶85)为流动相,流速1.0mL/min,检测波长257nm,柱温40℃,用外标法定量。结果芦丁的线性范围为0.0505～0.4044μg,相关系数r=0.9987,平均加样回收率96.2%,RSD=1.6%(n=6),结论该方法能较好去除枣类商品中糖类成分的干扰,方法准确,重现性好,商品枣中以肉质厚、饱满的芦丁含量高。     

Toxicity studies on six plants used in the traditional Arab system of medicine

Toxicity studies were done on six plants used in the traditional Arab system of medicine, namely: Aloe vera, Ammi majus, Areca catachu, Citrullus colocynthis, Cuminum cyminum and Zizyphus spina-christi. During acute toxicity tests, observations were made for 24 h while the animals were treated for 3 months in chronic treatment. External morphological changes, visceral toxicity, haematological changes, and spermatogenic dysfunction, besides effects on average body weight and vital organ weight, were recorded. In the acute toxicity test, C. colocynthis showed a dose dependent toxic effect. On chronic treatment, per cent lethality was found to be significant in A. catachu, A. vera and C. colocynthis treated groups where haematological changes were also observed. The spermatogenic dysfunction was significant in A. vera and C. colocynthis treated animals. C. cyminum and Z. spina-christi on the other hand, reduced sperm abnormalities.     

大枣发酵液对小鼠抗缺氧能力的影响

[目的]探讨大枣发酵液对小鼠的抗缺氧作用.[方法]将小鼠按体重随机分为3组,即对照组、大枣发酵液高剂量组[0.16 g·(kg·d)-1]和大枣发酵液低剂量组[0.04 g·(kg·d)-1].小鼠每天按0.01 ml/g灌胃给药,连续4周,测定小鼠常压缺氧耐受时间、亚硝酸钠中毒存活时间、全血血红蛋白(Hb)含量.[结果]大枣发酵液高低剂量组小鼠均较对照组小鼠耐缺氧时间显著延长(P＜0.05),全血Hb的含量明显均升高(P＜0.05).[结论]大枣发酵液具有提高小鼠抗缺氧应激的能力.     

Antiulcerogenic activity of Zizyphus lotus (L.) extracts

Oral administration of aqueous extracts of Zizyphus lotus root barks (50-200 mg/kg) leaves (50-200 mg/kg) and fruits (200-400 mg/kg) produced a significant (p<0.01) and dose dependent inhibition to the acute ulcer induced by HCl/ethanol solution. The methanolic (MeOH), ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and chloroformic (CHCl(3)) leaves extracts when administered orally at the dose of 200 mg/kg, exhibited a significant (p<0.01) inhibition of gastric lesions by 45%, 76% and 33%, respectively. Indeed, methanolic and ethyl acetate root barks extracts significantly reduced the gastric lesions by 47% and 41%, respectively. While the chloroformic root barks extract had no significant activity (19%). The effect of all extracts was compared with cimetidine (100 mg/kg, 62%) and omeprazole (30 mg/kg, 93%). Volume, pH and acidity of gastric juice were studied in pylorus-ligated rats. Root barks (200 mg/kg, p<0.01), leaves (200 mg/kg, p<0.01) and fruits (400 mg/kg, p<0.05) aqueous extracts showed significant reduction of gastric juice secretion in pylorus ligated rats, whereas the other extracts did not show any significance. Thus, Zizyphus lotus extracts act essentially as cytoprotective agents, which support the antiulcer effect of this plant in the traditional medicine.     

Antiproliferation of melanoma cells by polysaccharide isolated from Zizyphus jujuba

Objective

Zizyphus jujuba, a traditional Chinese herb rich in functional components such as polysaccharide, has been widely consumed in Asian countries. The objective of this study was to determine the antiproliferation effect of melanoma cells as affected by deproteinized polysaccharide (DPP) isolated from Z. jujuba.

Methods

Deproteinized polysaccharide was obtained through boiling water extraction, ethanol precipitation, deproteinization, and dialysis, and the molecular weight of DPP was determined by high-performance gel-filtration chromatography. Melanoma cell viability was assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, the cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry, the formation of apoptotic bodies was observed under a fluorescence microscope at 450 nm, and caspase-3 and caspase-9 were measured by an assay kit.

Results

Deproteinized polysaccharide was composed of two fractions with average molecular weights of 143 108 and 67 633 Da. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide test showed that the antiproliferation effect of DPP on melanoma cells followed a dose- and time-dependent course. The 50% inhibitory concentration of DPP in inhibiting melanoma cell growth was 3.99 ± 0.10 mg/mL after 24-h treatment but decreased significantly to 3.36 ± 0.14 mg/mL after 48 h. The cell cycle assay revealed melanoma cells to be arrested in G2/M phase. Moreover, with DPP treatment, the apoptotic bodies were generated, accompanied by an increase in caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity.

Conclusions

This outcome suggested that DPP may be used as a potential anti-skin cancer agent for further in vivo and clinical trial experiments.     

酸枣仁抗大鼠实验性心律失常和心肌缺血作用的研究

酸枣仁醇提物的水溶液静脉注射能明显对抗BaCl_2和改善鸟头碱诱发的大鼠心律失常的EKG变化。此制剂也能明显改善脑垂体后叶素引起大鼠心肌缺血的EKG变化。     

山西不同产地酸枣遗传多样性与化学成分关联性分析

目的 探究山西不同产地酸枣简单重复序列区间(ISSR)分子标记遗传多样性与5种主要化学成分之间的关系.方法 利用ISSR分子标记技术对山西省26个不同产地酸枣进行遗传多样性分析,并对药材酸枣仁中5种化学成分进行含量测定,在此基础上使用TASSEL软件对ISSR分子标记实验结果和化学成分含量进行关联性分析.结果 山西不同...