Flax lignan concentrate attenuate hypertension and abnormal left ventricular contractility via modulation of endogenous biomarkers in two-kidney-one-clip (2K1C) hypertensive rats

ABSTRACT The present investigation was designed to study the effect of flax lignan concentrate obtained from Linum usitatissimum L., Linaceae, in two-kidney, one clip (2K1C) hypertension model in Wistar rats. 2K1C Goldblatt model rats were divided randomly into six groups: sham, 2K1C control, captopril (30 mg/kg), flax lignan concentrate (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg). Flax lignan concentrate and captopril were administered daily for eight consecutive weeks. Sham-operated, and 2K1C control rats received the vehicle. Treatment with flax lignan concentrate (400 and 800 mg/kg) significantly and dose-dependently restored the hemodynamic parameters systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial blood pressure and left ventricular functions. The flax lignan concentrate significantly restored the elevated hepatic, renal and cardiac marker enzymes in the serum. It also restored the organs weights (kidney and heart), serum electrolyte level and histological abnormalities. Furthermore, flax lignan concentrate significantly elevated the level of biochemical markers that is enzymatic antioxidants superoxide dismutase, glutathione and decreased malondialdehyde in the heart and kidney tissues. Meanwhile, we found that plasma nitric oxide and plasma nitric oxide synthase contents were significantly increased in the flax lignan concentrate-treated group, and plasma endothelin-1 and renal angiotensin-II levels were significantly lower than 2K1C hypertensive group. In conclusion, the antihypertensive and antioxidant effect of flax lignan concentrate were dose-dependent and at the highest dose (i.e. 800 mg/kg) similar to those of captopril (30 mg/kg). It is suggested that flax lignan concentrate reduced blood pressure by reduction of renal angiotensin-II level, inhibition of plasma endothelin-1 production, induction of the nitric oxide, nitric oxide synthase and in vivo antioxidant defense system.

Prophylactic efficacy and possible mechanisms of oligosaccharides based standardized fenugreek seed extract on high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance in C57BL/6 mice.

The present work was aimed to study the efficacy and possible mechanism of oligosaccharides based standardized fenugreek seed extract (SFSE-OS) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin resistance in male C57BL/6 mice. The effects of 12 weeks of oral administration of SFSE-OS (30, 60 and 100 mg/kg, twice daily) were evaluated on HFD fed mice for anthropomorphic, glycemic, gene expression related and histopathological parameters. Separate groups of mice with vehicle co-administered with HFD and low-fat diet (LFD) were maintained as HFD control and LFD control respectively. Twelve weeks of SFSE-OS (60 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) administration showed significant prophylactic effects on HFD induced insulin resistance in terms of body weight, plasma glucose and insulin levels, glycated hemoglobin, insulin resistance (IR), area under the curve (AUC) of plasma glucose during oral glucose tolerance and intraperitoneal insulin tolerance. Furthermore, HFDinduced mRNA expression changes in adipose tissue, liver and skeletal muscle were prevented by SFSE-OS coadministration. Histology of sections of the pancreas showed the normal architecture in all groups of mice. SFSE-OS showed promising efficacy in prevention of HFD-induced insulin resistance through modulation of Glut-2, Glut-4, IRS-2 and SREBP-1c expression.

Modulatory activity of a polyphenolic fraction of Cinnamomum zeylanicum L. bark on multiple arms of immunity in normal and immunocompromised mice.

To evaluate immunomodulatory activity of polyphenolic fraction of Cinnamomum zeylanicumbark (PP-CZ) against infection-related conditions using normal and immune-compromised mice. The normal and cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced immune-compromised mice were sensitized with SRBCs and PP-CZ (10, 25, and 50 mg/kg, p.o.) was administered orally for 7 days. The haemagglutinin (HA) antibody titres (primary and secondary) and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response was measured at 7- and 14-days postimmunization, respectively. In separate experiments, effects of PP-CZ on numbers of resident peritoneal macrophages in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), against host resistance (E coli-induced abdominal sepsis) and phagocytic activity against Candida albicans were evaluated in mice. PP-CZ had shown a have beneficial effects on multiple arms of theimmune system in animal models and improves humoral (antibody production), cellular (DTH) and innate (PMN phagocytosis) responses of the immune system, as well as numbers of resident peritoneal macrophages. PP-CZ also showed protection to mice against lethal E. coli abdominal sepsis. PP-CZ demonstrated significant immunomodulatory activity through multiple arms of immunity in normal and infection-related immuno-compromised conditions.

Diuretic potential of aqueous extract of roots of Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad & Wendl, a preliminary study.

In traditional system of medicine S. xanthocarpum is used treating difficulty in urination and renal calculus. The objective of the present study was to scientifically evaluate diuretic potential of S. xanthocarpum. The study was divided into two phases of evaluation (acute and sub-acute) with administration of aqueous extract of S. xanthocarpum roots. The animals were treated with either aqueous extract of S. xanthocarpum (AqSX; 200, 400 mg/kg, po) or furosemide (25 mg/kg, po) or hydrochlorthiazide (HCTZ; 25 mg/kg, po). In acute study, the treated animals were observed for urine volume, urine pH, urine and serum electrolytes and creatinine after 6th and 24th h. While in sub-acute study observations for above mentioned parameters were done on day 1, day 7 and day 14. Diuretic index, natriuretic and saluretic potential were also calculated. The results indicated strong diuretic potential with AqSX (400 mg/kg). The diuretic prospective of AqSX was similar to furosemide without any type of toxicity based on the observations of serum electrolytes, serum creatinine and urine creatinine measurement. The findings support ethnobotanical use of S. xanthocarpum.

Therapeutic effects of standardized fenugreek seed extract on experimental urolithiasis in rats.

The objective of the present study was to investigate therapeutic efficacy of standardized fenugreek seed extract with trigonelline as marker (SFSE-T) in experimental urolithiasis in rats. Effects of subacute oral treatments of SFSE-T (30 and 60 mg/kg) and reference anti-urolithiasis drug, Cystone (750 mg/kg) were evaluated against 0.75% ethylene glycol (EG) and 1 % w/v ammonium chloride (AC) induced urolithiasis in rats. The biochemical (urinary and serum) and histopathological parameters were investigated. Subacute oral treatment of SFSE-T (60 mg/kg) showed reversal of EG+AC induced changes in urine (decreased 24-h urine output, pH, excretion of creatinine, citrate, and chloride and increased uric acid and oxalate excretion) and serum (increased creatine, uric acid and blood urea nitrogen) parameters and decreased creatine clearance. Histopathology examination of the kidneys sections from SFSE-T (60 mg/kg) treated rats showed lowered number of crystals, cell damage and tubulointerstitial damage index as compared with EG+AC control rats. Standardized fenugreek seed extracts showed promising therapeutic effect against experimental urolithiasis in rats.

Effect of Lagenaria siceraria fruit powder on sodium oxalate induced urolithiasis in Wistar rats.

Background: In spite of advances in the present practice of medicine, the formation and growth of calculi continues to trouble mankind, as there is no satisfactory drug to treat kidney stones. In India, many indigenous drugs are in use for the treatment of urinary calculus disease. Objective: The present study was intended to determine anti-urolithiatic effect of Lagenaria siceraria fruit powder (LSFP) against sodium oxalate (NaOx) induced urolithiasis in rats. Materials and Methods: Animals were grouped as Vehicle Group (received vehicle gum acacia 2% w/v 1 mL/kg/p.o.), NaOx Group(Sodium oxalate 70 mg/kg,i.p.), LSFP Group (500 mg/kg, p.o. LSFP suspended in gum acacia 2% + Sodium oxalate 70 mg/kg), Cystone Group (500 mg/kg, p.o. Cystone suspended in gum acacia 2% + Sodium oxalate 70 mg/kg). Result: The increased severity of microscopic calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals deposition along with increased concentration in the kidney was seen after 7 days of NaOx (70 mg/kg, i.p.) pre-treatment. LSFP (500 mg/kg, p.o.) and standard marketed formulation Cystone (500 mg/kg, p.o.) caused a signifi cant reversal of NaOx-induced changes in ion excretion and urinary CaOx concentration in 7 days treatment. Conclusion: From the results, it was concluded that LSFP showed benefi cial effect against urolithiasis by decreasing CaOx excretion and preventing crystal deposition in the kidney tubules.

Antihypertensive and diuretic effects of the aqueous extract of colocasiaesculenta linn. leaves in experimental paradigms

Colocasia esculenta Linn [CE] is traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments such as high blood pressure, rheumatic pain, pulmonary congestion, etc. Hence in present study, the effect of aqueous extract of CE leaves [AECE] was evaluated for antihypertensive and acute diuretic activity in rats. Preliminary phytochemical evaluation revealed the presence of carbohydrate, saponins, tannins, and flavonoids in AECE. The animals did not show any sign of toxicity and mortality after the administration of AECE 2000 mg/Kg in acute oral toxicity study. The administration of AECE [100, 200, and 400 mg/Kg/day, p.o.] for six weeks and AECE [10, 20, and 40 mg/Kg, IV] on the day of experiment in renal artery-occluded hypertensive rats and AECE [20 and 40 mg/Kg, IV] in noradrenalin-induced hypertension in rats produced significant [p < 0.05] anti-hypertensive effects. AECE [400 mg/Kg, p.o.] showed positive diuretic activity at 5 h. AECE [200 and 400 mg/Kg, p.o.] significantly increased sodium and chloride content of urine in 5 h and 24 h and additionally potassium in 24 h urine. Hence, the results of the present study revealed the antihypertensive and weak diuretic activity of AECE. These effects may be attributed due to the ACE inhibitory, vasodilatory, beta-blocking, and/ or Ca[2+] channel blocking activities, which were reported for the phytoconstitunts, specifically flavonoids such as vitexin, isovitexin, orientin, and isoorientin present in the leaves of CE

Anorexic effect of (R)-sibutramine: comparison with (RS)-sibutramine [corrected] and (S)-sibutramine.

Sibutramine is one of the very few drugs that are approved for long-term treatment of obesity. Sibutramine is a racemic mixture (RS) containing two equal forms of the R(+) and S(-) enantiomers. In this paper, we have investigated comparative anorexic effect of sibutramine enantiomers and their recemate form in rats. After obtaining two days of baseline results, rats were administered orally either with (RS)-sibutramine or its enantiomers (R)- or (S)-sibutramine at dose levels of 5, 10, 20 mg/kg each for 4 days and body weight, food intake and water intake were measured daily. Locomotor activity score of each rat was also recorded on each day. R-Sibutramine and (RS)-sibutramine produced dose dependant decrease in the body weight and food intake. On the other hand, (S)-sibutramine was shown to increase in these parameters. Neither sibutramine nor it's enantiomers showed any consistent effects on spontaneous motor activity (SMA) scores. In conclusion, (R)-sibutramine is better anorexic than or (RS)-sibutramine or it's (S)-enantiomers.