Antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activity of hydroalcoholic extract of Withania coagulans Dunal dried fruit in experimental rat models.

Objective: Evaluation of antidiabetic potential of the hydroalcoholic extract of Withania coagulans Dunal dried fruit (WCDF) alone and in combination with glipizide, in streptozotocin‑induced diabetes, and evaluation of possible antihyperlipidemic activity of the same extract in high‑cholesterol diet‑induced hyperlipidemia, in albino rats. Materials and Methods: Experimental diabetes was induced in 30 albino rats with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg). The rats were divided into five groups receiving the following treatments orally for 4 weeks: Vehicle, glipizide (2.5 mg/kg), WCDF extract (1000 mg/kg), WCDF extract (1000 mg/kg) plus glipizide (1 mg/kg) and WCDF extract (1000 mg/kg) plus glipizide (2.5 mg/kg). Fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels were measured every week for 4 weeks. Endocrine pancreas histopathology was done at the end. In a separate set of experiment, five groups of six albino rats each, received orally for 4 weeks, vehicle, cholesterol (25 mg/kg/day), cholesterol (25 mg/kg/day) plus atorvastatin (7.2 mg/kg/day), cholesterol (25 mg/kg/day) plus WCDF extract (1000 mg/kg/day) and no treatment, respectively. Estimation of serum lipid profile and liver histopathology was done at the end of 4 weeks. Statistical Analysis: Between‑group and within‑group comparisons were respectively done by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and repeated measures ANOVA, followed by post hoc Tukey’s test, with a significance level of P < 0.05. Results and Conclusions: The 4‑week treatment with WCDF extract significantly reversed hyperglycemia in streptozotocin‑induced diabetes that was comparable to glipizide. When combined with glipizide (2.5 mg/kg), WCDF extract produced a synergistic antihyperglycemic effect as well as improvement in pancreatic histopathology. Moreover, hydroalcoholic extract of WCDF was effective and comparable to atorvastatin in controlling the high‑cholesterol diet‑induced hyperlipidemia in rats.

Pharmacognostic studies on stem and leaves of amaranthus spinosus linn.

The seed is used as a poultice for broken bones. It is used internally in the treatment of internal bleeding, diarrhoea and excessive menstruation. The root is known as an effective diuretic. In South-East Asia a decoction of the root is used to treat gonorrhoea and is also applied as an emmenagogue and antipyretic. The Nepalese and some tribes in India apply A. spinosus to induce abortion. In Thai traditional medicine, A. spinosus is used to treat diarrhea. The root is also used for toothaches. In many countries, including those in Africa, the bruised leaves are considered a good emollient and applied externally in cases of ulcerated mouths, eczema, burns, wounds, boils, earache and hemorrhoids The leaves are also used for gastroenteritis, gall bladder inflammation, absesses, colic menorrhagia, arthritis and for the treatment of snakebites. The plant ash in a solution is used to wash sores. The plant sap is used as an eye wash to treat ophthalmia and convulsions in children. In Malaysia, A. spinosus is used as an expectorant and to relieve breathing in acute bronchitis. In mainland South-East Asia, it is also used as a sudorific, febrifuge, an antidote to snake poison, and as a galactagogue. During the rainy season which is also malaria endemic season, A. spinosus bark decoction is taken in a volume of about one liter three times a day to ward off malaria.

Probable natural sources of antiangiogenic agents.

Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels which is a key part of tumor growth and spread. New blood vessels convey nutrients to the cancer, fueling their abnormal growth and metastasis. The first successful antiangiogenic inhibitor interferon alfa2a has been used for the treatment of pulmonary hemangiomatosis in 1989. Tumors cannot grow or spread without the formation of new blood vessels, so researchers have begun studying ‘antiangiogenic agents’ by counting severe side-effects for radiation, chemotherapy as well as other ways of management of cancer. Advantages of antiangiogenic therapy are that this class of drugs show only mild side effects, non toxic to most healthy cells and not develop any resistance over a long period of therapy. Unfortunately no suitable natural or synthetic antiangiogenic agent has been developed still now. Therefore this review gives an insight that the natural sources might be the key target for the development of more potent, less toxic and cheapest antiangiogenic agents.