ABSTRACT
This article aims to evaluate the possible antidepressant effect of the Ghrita prepared from the combination of these plants and to provide probable scientific explanations for using medicated Ghrita (ghee) in Ayurvedic system of medicine. Herbs for Ghrita like Marsilea quadrifolia, Lawsonia inermis, Mimosa pudica, Piper betle were collected freshly during the month of June. One part Kalka (herb bolus), 4 parts pure cow ghee, and 16 parts Dravadravya were used to make Ghrita (Swarasa). Anti-depressant potential of the Ghrita was evaluated by forced swimming, tail suspension, locomotor activity, rota-rod test (motor co-ordination), elevated plus maze (EPM) model, and hole board test were used to assess the Ghrita's anti-depressant potential. According to the Irwin schedule, Gritha medication reduces alertness but has no effect on other parameters, but imipramine treatment reduces responsiveness, alertness, grooming, and writing reflexes to some extent. Following 14 days of therapy with medicinal Ghrita, the immobility time in the forced swim test and the tail suspension test were reduced by 29% and 42%, respectively. In the rotarod test, it had no significant effect on muscle gripping ability when compared to control animals, whereas imipramine produced a significant result. It was observed that the medicinal Gritha significantly (p<0.05) decreases the locomotor activity in actophotometer test and head dips counts in hole board test as compared to control at the end of 14 days study in a 5 minute observation. Ghrita increased the number of entries in the elevated plus maze by 50% and the time spent in the open arm by 72%. The results of this investigation suggest the possible antidepressant potential of medicinal Ghrita.
ABSTRACT
The plant Hyptis is an effective medicinal herb and a well known medicinal plant in herbal world. The present study was aimed to investigate the α-amylase inhibition and antioxidant activities of chloroform fraction of H. suaveolens. Chloroform fraction of H. suaveolens was screened for α-amylase inhibition activity by 3, 5- dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA) method respectively. and antioxidant activity was evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2- picryl-hydrazile (DPPH) free radical scavenging, Super oxide radical Scavenging, nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging, and 2.2’-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazole-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging assays. The chloroform fraction of H. suaveolens showed effective α-amylase inhibition activity (IC50 57.34μg/ml). Chloroform fraction demonstrated significant antioxidant activity in all the in vitro antioxidant models. Moreover, the chloroform fraction was found to be extremely effective in scavenging DPPH (IC50 57.51 μg/ml) while compared to super oxide (IC50 61.36 μg/ml), NO (IC5076.3 μg/ml) and ABTS radical (IC50 93.16 μg/ml) scavenging activity. In conclusion, from the results of present study it is established that antioxidant and alphaamylase inhibitory activity of chloroform fraction of H. suaveolens may contribute in its earlier observed antidiabetic potential.