Phytochemical investigation, antioxidant and wound healing activities of Citrullus colocynthis (bitter apple)

Objective: To undertake metabolite profiling of various plant parts of Citrullus colocynthis, and assess antioxidant and wound healing activities of fractions for therapeutical applications. Methods: Extracts from leaves, stem, root, fruit pulp and seeds were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography. Variation in antioxidant potential was assayed by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. The extract with highest antioxidant potential was subjected on in-vivo wound healing activity using excision wound model. Results: Metabolite profiling of Citrullus colocynthis identified 70 chemically diverse metabolites from different plant parts by using a combination of GC-MS and HPLC. Concentration of colocynthin, a principal active secondary metabolite, ranged from 3.15 mg/g dry weight to 242.00 mg/g dry weight, the lowest being in leaves and highest in fruit pulp. DPPH radical scavenging activity of free radical (IC50) ranged from 196.44 μg/mL in fruit pulp to 413.33 μg/mL in leaves tissues. Significant wound contraction and increase in hydroxyproline content of granulation tissue were observed with ointment formulated from methanolic extract of fruit pulp. Conclusions: The study indicates that the methanol extract of Citrullus colocynthis fruit pulp when applied topically may promote wound contraction in rat model attributable to the accumulation of colocynthin. The high quantity of colocynthin (242.00 mg/g dry weight) and substantial concentration of 2,4-di-tert butyl phenol (3.2％), squalene (4.2％) and δ-tocopherol (2.5％) make this plant to provide new opportunities for development of medicinal, nutraceutical and dietary supplements with optimized functionality.

Non-invasive evaluation of renal arterial blood flow in alcoholic cirrhosis of liver

Introduction: Studies of renal perfusion when kidney function tests are still normal could be useful in understanding the pathophysiology of functional kidney impairment in cirrhosis. Kidney functional failure in cirrhosis is considered as a consequence of active renal vasoconstriction. The same have been studied by invasive and non-invasive methods. The present study is aimed at non-invasive assessment of renal artery resistance in patients of cirrhosis of liver. Materials and methods: The present study included 30 cases, patients with different stages of cirrhosis, who were clinically stable, while those with major complications like hepatic encephalopathy, major bleeding etc were excluded. All patients were evaluated clinically and a series of laboratory investigations were done. The resistance in the renal artery was calculates as Resistivity index, by using a color Doppler ultrasonography. Results: In our study, we found the main resistivity index was higher in cases with MELD >20. There was further increase in resistivity index as a severity of the cirrhosis increases. Similarly the MDRD EGFR was decreasing as the severity of cirrhosis was increased. Conclusion: Within limitations of the present study, we conclude that the estimation of the resistivity index in the kidney appears to be a sensitive and easy method for studying the early renal hemodynamic alterations in cirrhotic patients and thus by better understanding the Pathophysiology of hepatorenal syndrome.