Antioxidant, Brine Shrimp Lethality and Antimicrobial Activities of Methanol and Ethyl-Acetate Extracts of Citrus macroptera Montr. Fruit Using In vitro Assay Models.

Aims: To study and evaluate In vitro antioxidant, brine shrimp lethality and antimicrobial activities of both methanol and ethyl-acetate extracts of Citrus macroptera Montr. Fruit (Family-Rutaceae). Study Design: In vitro antioxidant, brine shrimp lethality and antimicrobial activities. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacy, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342. The study was carried out from November 2013 to January 2014. Methodology: In vitro antioxidant activities of the extracts were studied using DPPH radical scavenging assay, NO scavenging assay, total phenol, total flavonoid content, total antioxidant capacity, total tannin content, lipid peroxidation by TBA, lipid peroxidation in human erythrocyte cell, reducing power capacity and cupric reducing capacity assays. Lethality bioassay was performed on Artemia salina Leach nauplii. Antimicrobial activity was investigated by disc diffusion technique. Results: Methanol extract showed better activity than ethyl acetate extract in DPPH, NO, lipid peroxidation by TBA, reducing power capacity assay, total phenol, total flavonoid and total antioxidant capacity assays while ethyl –acetate extract showed more potency than methanol extract in total tannin content, cupric reducing capacity and lipid peroxidation in human erythrocyte assays. In brine shrimp bioassay both extracts showed promising lethal activity but methanol extract was found to be more potent than ethyl acetate extract (χ2=39.874, P<0.0001). In disc diffusion technique among six bacterial species, ethyl acetate extract showed broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against two gram positive Bacillus sublitis and Staphylococcus aureus and one gram negative Escherichia coli. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that methanol and ethyl-acetate extracts of C. macroptera fruit can be used as potential antioxidant, cytotoxic and antimicrobial agents. That is why extensive researches are necessary to search for active principles responsible for these activities.

In-vitro Evaluation of Cytotoxic and Anthelmintic Activity of Luffa acutangula, Luffa aegyptiaca and Momordica cochinchinensis.

Aims: The study was designed to investigate cytotoxic and anthelmintic activity of aerial parts of Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. (Family: Cucurbitaceae, locally known as ‘Jhinga’), Luffa aegyptiaca Mill. (Family: Cucurbitaceae, locally known as ‘Dhundul’) and Momordica cochinchinensis (Lour.) Spreng. (Family: Cucurbitaceae, locally known as ‘Kakrol’) extracted with various solvents (petroleum ether & methanol). Study Design: Determination of cytotoxic and anthelmintic activity of aerial parts of three (Cucurbitaceae family) Bangladeshi plants. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacy, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342. Performed between November 2011- September 2012. Methodology: The cytotoxic activity was evaluated by Brine Shrimp lethality bioassay and anthelmintic activity by in-vitro test using earth worm Pheretima posthuma (Annelida) as test animals. Results: In Brine Shrimp lethality bioassay, methanol extract of M. cochinchinensis and L. aegyptiaca were found to be highly toxic to Brine Shrimp nauplii, having LC50 of 1.91±0.79 μg/ml and 3.97±0.61 μg/ml respectively. The three methanol extracts of aerial part of L. acutangula, L. aegyptiaca and M. cochinchinensis showed moderate anthelmintic activity. 50mg/ml concentration of methanol extract of M. cochinchinensis showed maximum activity showing death in test animals at 43±1.3 min which is comparable to the standard (Piperazine Citrate, 10 mg/ml) which killed the test animal at 38 ± 0.63 min. Conclusion: Further studies are suggested to be undertaken to understand the underlying mechanism of the observed cytotoxic and anthelmintic activity of these three Bangladeshi (Cucurbitaceae family) plants.

Antioxidant, cytotoxic and analgesic activities of the methanolic fruit extract of Terminalia chebula Retz.

The present study was aimed to investigate antioxidant, analgesic and cytotoxic activity of the methanolic extract of Terminalia chebula Retz. fruits. Antioxidant potential of the extract was evaluated by using nitric oxide scavenging assay, reducing power and total antioxidant capacity. The extract showed significant activities in all antioxidant assays compared to ascorbic acid in a dose dependent mode. In nitric oxide scavenging assay, the IC50 value of the extract was found to be 51.3 μg/mL while the IC50 value of ascorbic acid was 77.4 μg/mL. In addition to strong reducing power, total antioxidant activity of the extract was also found to increase in a dose dependent manner. The analgesic activity was evaluated using acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice. The extract, at a dose of 500 mg/kg, showed a maximum of 44.17 % inhibition (p < 0.05) of writhing reaction compared to the reference drug diclofenac-sodium (66.96 %). The extract also showed moderate cytotoxic activity in brine shrimp lethality bioassay and the LC50 value was found to be 97.36 μg/mL.

Phytochemical screening and invitro determination of antioxidant potential of methanolic extract of streospermum chelonoides.

Plant derived phytochemicals consisting of phenols and flavonoids possess antioxidant properties, eventually renders a lucrative tool to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS). Current study evaluates the preliminary phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of methanolic extract of bark and leaf of Stereospermum chelonoides. Thus, various in vitro assay strategies were implemented to evaluate antioxidant potential of Stereospermum chelonoides, using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total antioxidant capacity, determination of total phenol and flavonoid contents. Preliminary phytochemical study revealed the presence of alkaloid, carbohydrate, glycoside, flavonoid, steroid and tannin. In DPPH radical scavenging assay, the fraction showed significant antioxidant activities in the assay compared to the reference ascorbic acid in a dose dependent manner. The IC50 value of the crude methanol extract of bark and leaf was 53.99±3.25 μg/mL and 84.73±4.02 μg/mL, respectively, whereas IC50 value for the reference ascorbic acid was 14.56±0.24 μg/mL. Moreover, profound total antioxidant activity was observed for bark (309.88±1.03 mg/g equivalent to ascorbic acid) as well as leaf (147.09±1.79 mg/g equivalent to ascorbic acid) at 200 μg/mL extract concentration. Furthermore, extract showed good reducing power capability in both bark and leaf fraction. Total phenol content for the bark was 574.82 mg/g equivalent to gallic acid and for leaf was 189.86 mg/g. For bark, the total flavonoid content was found 55.82 mg/g equivalent to quercetin and for leaf it was 49.44 mg/g.

Antioxidant, cytotoxic and analgesic activities of the methanolic fruit extract of Terminalia chebula Retz.

The present study was aimed to investigate antioxidant, analgesic and cytotoxic activity of the methanolic extract of Terminalia chebula Retz. fruits. Antioxidant potential of the extract was evaluated by using nitric oxide scavenging assay, reducing power and total antioxidant capacity. The extract showed significant activities in all antioxidant assays compared to ascorbic acid in a dose dependent mode. In nitric oxide scavenging assay, the IC50 value of the extract was found to be 51.3 μg/mL while the IC50 value of ascorbic acid was 77.4 μg/mL. In addition to strong reducing power, total antioxidant activity of the extract was also found to increase in a dose dependent manner. The analgesic activity was evaluated using acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice. The extract, at a dose of 500 mg/kg, showed a maximum of 44.17 % inhibition (p < 0.05) of writhing reaction compared to the reference drug diclofenac-sodium (66.96 %). The extract also showed moderate cytotoxic activity in brine shrimp lethality bioassay and the LC50 value was found to be 97.36 μg/mL.

Study on Polypharmacy in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases.

We analyzed the prevalence of polypharmacy among cardiac patients in the Natioal Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Polypharmacy was defined as consumption of six or more drugs at the same time. We entered the drugs that were prescribed into the Drug Interaction Checker provided by MedScape online edition. Almost 85% of cardiac patients met criteria for three types of polypharmacy (minor, moderate and serious). However, serious and moderate types of polypharmacy were not influnenced by the increase in number of disorders (polymorbidity) as well as by the total number of drugs taken. The most frequent cause and threat that is associated with polypharmacy comes primarily from the quality of drug-drug interactions and not the total number of drugs prescribed. Most of the dangerous consecuences of polypharmacy came from the interaction of Clopidogrel with either Aspirin or PPIs. Our study emphasizes the need of informing doctors more about the problem of polypharmacy. Careful and thoughtful drug prescription strategy seems to be able to eliminate most of the cases of polypharmacy even in patients who are suffering from a multiplace disorders simultaneously. The results also provide support for development of new drugs that take into account compatibility with other medication, especially in elderly people.

In vitro evaluation of antioxidant potential of Artocarpus chama Buch. fruits.

Phytochemicals possessing phenols and flavonoids are potential sources of antioxidants, which are useful to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS). The present study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the antioxidant potential of pet ether and methanol extracts of fruits of Artocarpus chama Buch., using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging assay, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity, reducing power antioxidant capacity, determination of total phenol and flavonoid contents. Preliminary phytochemical study revealed the presence of alkaloid and flavonoid in both extracts. The fraction showed significant antioxidant activities in the assay compared to the reference ascorbic acid in a dose dependent manner. In DPPH radical scavenging assay, the IC50 value of the crude pet ether and methanol extract was 27.64 μg/mL and 39.08 μg/mL, respectively, whereas IC50 value for the reference ascorbic acid was 12.70 μg/mL. Furthermore, both extracts showed similar cupric reducing power and reducing power capability. In addition, pet ether extract contains higher amount of phenols as compared with methanol extract, and possess similar flavonoid content expressed as Gallic acid and Quercetin, respectively. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that pet ether extract of the fruits of A. chama Buch possesses significant antioxidant potential comparing with methanol extract, which may be attributed to the high amount of phenols and flavonoids present in the extract.

Antioxidant activities of different parts of Musa sapientum L. ssp. sylvestris fruit.

Musa sapientum L. ssp. sylvestris (Family: Musaceae) is a popular edible fruit. It is used by the traditional healers in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery. In the present study, methanolic extracts of peel (MSPE), pulp (MSPU) and seed (MSSE) of the fruit were investigated for in vitro antioxidant activity using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging capacity, reducing power, CUPRAC (Cupric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity) and total antioxidant capacity. The phenolic content of the extracts were also determined. The plant extracts showed a direct concentration dependent increase in scavenging DPPH radical. MSSE showed better scavenging activity than MSPE and MSPU with an IC50 value of 54.92 μg/ml, while the standard antioxidant, ascorbic acid, showed an IC50 value of 13.75 μg/ml. The Fe3+/ferricyanide to ferrous and cupric ion reduction capacity of MSSE were better than the reference agent ascorbic acid. All three extracts showed good results in total antioxidant assay. MSSE was also found to contain good amount of phenols (244.38 mg/g of plant extract in GAE). The results of this study indicate that MSSE has strong in vitro antioxidant activity.

Antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activities of methanolic extract of Glinus oppositifolius leaves.

The present study was carried out to investigate the antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of methanolic extract of Glinus oppositifolius leaves. The antioxidant potential was examined by DPPH radical scavenging assay, nitric oxide (NO) scavenging assay, determination of total flavonoid content and total antioxidant capacity assay. Antihyperglycemic activity was studied by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in normal mice and in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. In DPPH radical scavenging assay the IC50 value of the extract was found to be greater than 1000 μg/ml (ascorbic acid, IC50 = 14.45 μg/ml) while it was 269 μg/ml in nitric oxide (NO) scavenging assay (quercetin IC50 = 15.24 μg/ml). The amount of total flavonoid was 25 .46 mg/g and total antioxidant activity was 79.48 mg/g equivalent to Quercetin and Ascorbic acid respectively. A significant effect (p<0.05) on oral glucose tolerance was noted at the dose of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight in mice. At the same doses, the extract showed significant (p<0.05) reduction of blood glucose level in Alloxan-induced diabetic mice compared to the standard drug Metformin. Overall, the results of the present study indicate that the methanolic extract of Glinus oppositifolius leaves possess moderate antioxidant activity and significant antihyperglycemic activity.