RESUMO
Natural antioxidants have an important role in the prevention of many age-related diseases and promotion of health. Among natural antioxidants from plants, flavonoids and other phenolic compounds are potent antioxidants and chelating agents. Panchavalkala the barks of five trees i.e. Nyagrodha (Ficus benghalensis L.), Udumbara (Ficus racemosa L.), Ashwatha (Ficus religiosa L.), Plaksha (Ficus virens Aiton) and Parisha (Thespesia populnea (L.)Sol.ex Correa) are also known as Pancha Ksheeri Vrikshas in use since Vedic period. Barks of these trees are dried in shade and are used for different formulations (Pancha Kashaya Kalpanas), in different pathological conditions, especially as wound healing, gynecological disorders and etc. The plant samples were extracted using ethanol and water, and subjected for the phytochemical analysis. It was confirmed that samples contain many biologically active compounds like flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides and terpinoids etc. The marker compound of each trial drug and the quantitative analysis has been carried out by high performance liquid chromatography. The antioxidant study was done by using in vitro method 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. The marker compounds caffeic acid and gallic acid were quantified in each extract for their quality and efficacy. PVK barks showed high free radical scavenging activity as evidenced by the low IC50 values in DPPH (EE PVK- 20.46µg/ml, AE PVK-37.79µg/ml, EE T.poulenea-22µg/ml, AE T. poulenia- 23.31µg/ml AE F. benghalensis- 25.53µg/ml, EE F. benghalensis- 26.23µg/ml, EE F. religiosa - 34µg/ml). Quercetin- IC50 value 4.026µg/ml is used as standard. The results of the study demonstrated that PVK barks possess phyto-constituent’s viz. tannins, flavonoids, polyphenols etc. and has potential antioxidant activity. Thus these barks have good therapeutic potential as natural antioxidant and might be used in life style related conditions like hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disorders and etc.
RESUMO
Diuretics are widely employed drugs used to treat extra cellular fluid volume expansion caused due to renal, cardiac, liver disorders etc. These diuretics are effective but have side effects. Acalypha Indica Linn is a herb of Euphorbiaceae family, found throughout India as a weed. Many studies have been carried out but sufficient data is not available to establish its diuretic activity. Hence the study is focused on the assessment of Harita Manjari for its diuretic action in animal model. Methods: The trial drugs are administered for 7 days prior to the day of evaluation of diuretic action; the rats were individually placed in the metabolic cages to collect urine. The volume of the urine collected in graduated vials was measured after 6 hours and expressed in terms of ml/100gm of body weight. Results: The invivo study demonstrated that crude suspension of Harita Manjari in a dose of 450mg/kg has significant diuretic activity. The statistical analysis has been carried out and results on continuous measurements are presented on Mean ± SEM were calculated. Urine output, pH and urine electrolytes were compared with control groups by one-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s multiple comparison test. The P Value <0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Conclusion: Order of diuresis: Crude suspension >Alcoholic extract >Aqueous extract.