Ameliorating effects of Andrographis paniculata extract against cyclophosphamide-induced toxicity in mice.

Major drawbacks of chemotherapeutic agents are their toxic side effects and lack of tumor specificity. Immunological and biochemical studies were here carried out to investigate protective effects of ethanolic extract of Andrographis paniculata against cyclophosphamide (CTX) induced toxicity in vivo. Intraperitoneal administration of the extract significantly increased the total WBC account (3256.5+/-196 cells/cm(2)), bone marrow cellularity (17.1+/-10.4x10(6) cells/femur) and betaesterase positive cells (849+/-23.2 cells/4000 cells) in CTX treated animals, when compared to CTX alone treated control mice. Weights of lymphoid organs such as a spleen and thymus, reduced by CTX administration, were also increased by A paniculata treatment. Reduction of GSH in liver (4.8+/-0.21nmol/mg protein) and in intestinal mucosa (13+/-0.67 nmol/mg protein) of CTX-treated controls was significantly reversed by A paniculata administration (liver: 6.4+/-0.13, intestinal mucosa: 17.11+/-0.06), with amelioration of changes in serum and liver ALP, GPT, LPO (lipid peroxidation). Histopathological analysis of small intestine also suggests that extract could reduce the CTX induced intestinal damage. The level of proinflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha, which was elevated during CTX administration, was significantly reduced by the A paniculata extract administration. The lowered levels of other cytokines like IFN-gamma, IL-2, GM-CSF, after CTX treatment were also found to be increased by extract administration.

Effect of brahma rasayana on antioxidant system after radiation.

Oral administration of brahma rasayana (BR; 50 mg/animal for 10 and 30 days) significantly increased the liver antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase(CAT) and tissue and serum levels of reduced glutathione (GSH). Whole body irradiation suppressed the levels of SOD, CAT and GSH. Reduced activity of SOD, CAT and GSH was significantly elevated by treatment with BR after radiation treatment. Similarly radiation exposure induced increase in serum and liver lipid peroxides was significantly reduced by further treatment with BR. The results indicate that BR could ameliorate the oxidative damage produced in the body by radiation and may be useful as an adjuvant during radiation therapy.

Antioxidant activity of brahma rasayana.

Free oxygen radical scavenging activity of brahma rasayana (BR) was studied by in vitro and in vivo models. Addition of aqueous extract of BR was found to scavenge the lipid peroxides already present in rat liver homogenate (IC50 700 micrograms/ml) and inhibit the lipid peroxide generated by Fe(2+)-ascorbate (IC50 2600 micrograms/ml) and Fe(3+)-ADP-ascorbate system (IC50 1200 micrograms/ml). BR was found to scavenge the hydroxyl radical generated by Fenton reaction (IC50 7400 micrograms/ml) and superoxide generated by photoreduction of riboflavin (IC50 180 micrograms/ml). BR was also found to inhibit the nitric oxide radical generated in vitro from sodium nitroprusside (IC50 5.5 micrograms/ml). Oral administration of BR (50 mg/dose/animal) was found to inhibit the PMA induced superoxide generation in mice peritoneal macrophages. Oral administration of BR; 10 and 50 mg/dose/animal was also found to inhibit the nitrite production in peritoneal macrophages and percentage inhibition was 25.2% and 37.8% respectively. These results indicate significant antioxidant activity of BR in vitro and in vivo.

Effect of herbal preparation, brahma rasayana, in amelioration of radiation induced damage.

Oral administration of brahma rasayana (BR; 10 and 50 mg/dose/animal) for 15 days increased significantly total leukocyte count and percentage of polymorphonuclear cells in irradiated mice. Bone marrow cellularity and alpha-esterase positive cells also increased significantly in radiation-treated animals after BR administration. Number of nodular colonies on the surface of spleen on day seven increased significantly in lethally irradiated recipients receiving bone marrow cells from animals treated with BR. Oral administration of BR also enhanced in serum level of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor(GM-CSF) in normal and irradiated mice. These results indicated that proliferation of stem cells induced by BR in irradiated mice may be related to its stimulation of cytokine production.

Antioxidant and anticarcinogenic activity of Lycovin--an indigenous herbal preparation.

Aqueous extract of Lycovin has been found to be a potent inhibitor of lipid peroxide formation, (IC50 = 500 micrograms/ml) and scavenger of hydroxyl radical (IC50 = 44 micrograms/ml) and superoxide radical (IC50 = 30 micrograms/ml) in vitro. Lycovin syrup 1.5 ml and 7.5 ml/kg body wt administered orally, reduced the development of sarcoma induced by 20 MC by 35% and 70% respectively. Lycovin syrup was also found to inhibit the hepatocarcinogenesis induced by NDEA. The tumour incidence was 100% in the control group, while none of the drug treated animals developed tumour. Liver weight, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), GSH-S-transferase (GST), reduced glutathione, (GSH) and aniline-4-hydroxylase in liver were elevated in NDEA alone treated animals. The serum parameters indicative of liver injury such as bilirubin, lipid peroxides, alkaline phosphatase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase were also elevated by NDEA administration. These elevated parameters were significantly reduced in animals treated with Lycovin syrup along with NDEA in a dose dependent manner. Even though the exact mechanism of action is not known at present, the observed anticarcinogenic activity may be due to the inhibition of P.450 enzyme activity and subsequent inhibition of the production of the ultimate carcinogen as well as scavenging of oxygen free radicals during promotion of the transformed cell.

Effect of "rasayanas", a herbal drug preparation on immune responses and its significance in cancer treatment.

Rasayanas are considered to be immunostimulating preparations used extensively in indigenous medical practice. However there are only very few reports to substantiate this claim, and this paper gives preliminary evidence for the potentiation of immunity by Rasayanas given to mice orally. Administration of Rasayanas were found to enhance the proliferation of spleen cells significantly especially in the presence of mitogen. Similar result was also seen with bone marrow cells; however mitogenic stimulation could not be observed. Esterase activity was found to be enhanced in bone marrow cells indicating increased maturation of cells of lymphoid linkage. Rasayanas also enhanced humoral immune response as seen from the increased number of antibody forming cells and circulating antibody titre. These results indicate the usefulness of Rasayana as immunostimulating agent.

Effect of "rasayanas" a herbal drug preparation on cell-mediated immune responses in tumour bearing mice.

Administration of herbal preparation, Rasayanas has been found to enhance the natural killer cell activity in normal as well asin tumour bearing animals. Brahma Rasayana (BR) was found to have the maximum activity. BRand Aswagandha Rasayana (AR) were found to activate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity significantly. AR was also found to activate macrophages. All the Rasayanas were found to stimulate antibody dependent complement mediated tumour cell lysis. The results of these studies indicate usefullness of Rasayanas for immunostimulation in normal and in disease state.

Immunopotentiating activity of septilin.

Oral administration of septilin (100mg/animal/dose; five doses) was found to enhance natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in normal mice as well as tumour-bearing mice. Septilin treatment also activated the peritoneal macrophages which produced cytotoxicity to L929 cells. Septilin increased proliferation of bone-marrow cells and there was an increase in the number of alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase staining cells in the bone-marrow. In addition to the activation of cellular immunity, septilin was found to increase the number of antibody producing cells in the spleen and activation of antibody-dependent complement-mediated cell lysis. These studies justifies the use of this herbal preparation in improving immunocompetence in disease states.

Use of Withania somnifera Dunal as an adjuvant during radiation therapy.

Withania somnifera popularly known as Aswagandha is used in several indigenous drug preparations. Administration of a 75% methanolic extract of the plant was found to significantly increase the total WBC count in normal Balb/c mice and reduce the leucopenia induced by sublethal dose of gamma radiation. Treatment with W. somnifera was found to increase the bone marrow cellularity significantly, the percentage increase being 146.3. Treatment with W. somnifera had normalised the ratio of normochromatic erythrocytes and polychromatic erythrocytes in mice after the radiation exposure. Major activity of W. somnifera seemed to be in the stimulation of stem cell proliferation.

Radioprotective effects of Rasayanas.

Oral administration of Rasayanas (indigenous preparations made up of herbal drugs) significantly increased total WBC count, bone marrow cellularity, natural killer cell and antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity in gamma radiation (4 Gy) exposed mice. Also, Rasayanas reduced radiation induced lipid peroxidation in liver. The possible mechanisms of action of Rasayanas could be increased stem cell proliferation and its effect on free radical induced injury produced by radiation.