An updated review on pharmacological activities and phytochemical constituents of evening primrose (genus Oenothera)

Genus Oenothera includes medicinal plants that are distributed throughout the world and are known since ancient times. Popular indications of different species of this genus include treatment of inflammations, diabetes, microbial infections, ulcers, tumors, kidney and liver problems. The plants of this genus are a botanical source for various pharmaceutically active components like sterols, alkaloids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, triterpenoids, saponins, biflavonols and tocopherols. This review article is a compilation of chemical composition and biological activities of the various species of the genus Oenothera.

Effect of fructose in acetaminophen induced liver injury in rats

Low dose fructose was used in hepatotoxic rats to assess its hepatoprotective role. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of fructose on liver function using enzyme assays and morphologic changes. Quasi-Experimental study. Departments of Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Pathology, Army Medical College and National Institute of Health from Jan 2007-Jan 2008. One hundred and twenty healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected Acetaminophen [APAP] [650 mg/kg] to induce acute hepatotoxicity, fructose [1g/kg] and N-acetyl cysteine [NAC] [1200 mg/kg] intraperitoneally. Blood samples was taken after ten hours and serum was separated and centrifuged. Serum alanine aminotranferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alkaline phosphatase, albumin and total bilirubin were measured using kit method. Liver biopsy was taken to observe the necrotic changes. APAP had 200% elevation of serum ALT and AST [p<0.01]. Serum alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin and albumin were insignificant as compared to controls in all the groups [p>0.05]. Fructose and APAP co-administration [group III] had insignificant effect on serum ALT [p= 0.6] and AST [p= 0.9] as compared to APAP group [p>0.05]. NAC [group IV significantly decreased serum transaminases compared to groups II and III [p<0.01]. Fructose did not reduce centrilobular necrosis produced by APAP, while NAC had significant cytoprotection in this animal model. Low dose fructose [1g/kg] has no hepatoprotective role in acute APAP hepatotoxicity in vivo and NAC hepatoprotection. Additional studies are needed to understand the combined interaction of fructose and APAP, as fructose is being extensively consumed by general population in form of commercial beverages

Activity of polyphenolic plant extracts as scavengers of free radicals and inhibitors of xanthine oxidase

The free radical scavenging activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts from six plants has been evaluated, in vitro, using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] radical scavenging method and compared with ascorbic acid, quercetin. kaempferol and apigenin. Extracts of Pistacia integerrima leaves and galls exhibited highest DPPH radical scavenging activity among all the plants extracts examined. Carissa carandas from Apocynaceae and Vitex negundo of Verbenaceae family also demonstrated DPPH radical scavenging activity. Inhibitory effects towards the in-vitro reaction of hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase [XO] was also carried out in the presence of plant extract, aglycones quercetin, kaempferol and apigenin along with allopurinol The extracts from Pistacia integerrima galls exhibited highest XO inhibitory activity than leaves of Pistacia integerrima and other plant extracts, was comparable with aglycones but less than allopurniol, a pharmacologically different structure. The increased DPPH radical scavenging and XO inhibitors activity by Pistacia integerrima galls may be partly exerted by flavonoids produced during stress of an insect aphids [Pemphogus species] attack on the leaves. The results indicate that Pistacia integerrima may be a good candidate for future studies in vivo models of gout and hyperuricemia