In vitro antiplasmodial effect of ethanolic extracts of traditional medicinal plant Ocimum species against Plasmodium falciparum

OBJECTIVE@#To identify the possible antiplasmodial compounds from leaf, stem, root and flower extracts of Ocimum canum (O. canum), Ocimum sanctum (O. sanctum) and Ocimum basilicum (O. basilicum).@*METHODS@#The O. canum, O. sanctum and O. basilicum were collected from Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu and the extraction was carried out in ethanol. The filter sterilized extracts (100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25 and 3.125 μg/mL) of leaf, stem, root and flower extracts of O. canum, O. sanctum and O. basilicum were tested for antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum). The potential extracts were also tested for their phytochemical constituents.@*RESULTS@#The leaf extract of O. sanctum showed excellent antiplasmodial activity (IC(50) 35.58 μg/mL) followed by leaf extract of O. basilicum (IC(50) 43.81 μg/mL). The leaf extract of O. canum, root extracts of O. sanctum and O. basilicum, the stem and flower extracts of all the three tested Ocimum species showed IC(50) values between 50 and 100 μg/mL. Statistical analysis reveals that, significant antiplasmodial activity (P <0.01) was observed between the concentrations and time of exposure. The chemical injury to erythrocytes was also carried out and it shows that, there were no morphological changes in erythrocytes by the ethanolic extract of O. canum, O. sanctum and O. basilicum. The in vitro antiplasmodial activity might be due to the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, triterpenoids, proteins, resins, steroids and tannins in the ethanolic extracts of tested plants.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The ethanolic leaf extracts of O. sanctum possess lead compounds for the development of antiplasmodial drugs.

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant properties of marine halophyte Luminetzera racemosa bark extract in CCL(4) induced hepatotoxicity

OBJECTIVE@#To identify the hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Luminetzera racemosa (L. racemosa) bark extract.@*METHODS@#Wistar albino rats were divided into 6 groups: Group 1 served as control; Group 2 served as hepatotoxin (CCL(4) treated) group; Group 3 served as positive control (Silymarin) treated groups; Group 4, 5 and 6 served as (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg bw p.o.) L. racemosa bark extract treated groups. Moreover, in vitro antioxidant indexes, including DPPH, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (HRSA), NO, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), lipid hydroperoxide (LPO) and super oxide dismutase (SOD) were also analyzed in the bark extract.@*RESULTS@#The results suggested that, the level of serum glutamate oxyloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatise (ALP), bilurubin, cholesterol, sugar and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly (P<0.05) increased in hepatotoxin treated rats when compared with the control group. But, the maximum reduction of SGOT [(225.36±13.65) IU/L], SGPT [(96.85±17.36) IU/L], ALP [(315.37±17.16) IU/L], bilirubin [(2.97±0.46) mg/dL], cholesterol [(163.73±17.54) mg/dL], sugar [(127.35±27.35) mg/dL] and LDH [(1 784.00±268.36) IU/L] were observed with 300 mg/kg bw of bark extract treated rats. Histopathological scores showed that, no visible changes were observed with high dose (300 mg/kg bw) of bark extract treated rats except mild fatty changes. The in vitro antioxidant assays showed that, the IC(50) values were observed as (44.17±6.87) μg/mL, (42.45±2.81)μg/mL, (62.37±3.98)μg/mL, (54.24±3.09)μg/mL, (87.25±5.90) μg/mL and (71.54±5.42)μg/mL for DPPH, HRSA, NO, FRAP, LPO and SOD radical scavenging activities, respectively.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities of the bark extract might be to the presence of unique chemical classes such as flavonoids, alkaloids and polyphenols.