Evaluation of the analgesic and antipyretic properties of African Cleome viscosa

Background: Cleome viscosa Linn a plant from the family Capparaceae has been used in traditional medicine in Asia and Africa for the treatment of various diseases including diarrhea, cardiac stimulant, anthelmintic, carminative, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. Decoction of the whole plant has been used for the treatment of inflammation and as a stimulant while the leaves have been applied externally on wounds and ulcers. The objective of this study is to investigate and evaluate the antipyretic and analgesic properties, toxicity profile and the phytochemical study of the methanolic leaf extract of African Cleome viscosa.Methods: The antipyretic study was performed by adopting the Baker’s yeast induced pyrexia in rats while the analgesic study was performed adopting the tail immersion or tail flick technique. Data generated was analyzed as appropriate using the analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results: The methanolic extract of the leaves of the African Cleome viscosa had a significant (P<0.05) antipyretic and analgesic effects at different time intervals and varying doses when compared with the negative control groups in the respective studies. The preliminary phytochemical study showed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, steroids, glycosides and flavonoids. The extract also proved to be non-toxic in the acute toxicity study carried out at the highest dose of 5000mg/kg body weight administered to the albino rats.Conclusions: The methanolic leaf extract of the plant showed significant antipyretic and analgesic activity in albino rats thus supporting its use in traditional medicine.

Screening of North African Medicinal Plant Extracts for Cytotoxic Activity Against Tumor Cell Lines.

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic activity and cellular effects of organic extracts and fractions of four plants; Inula viscosa, Ormenis eiriolepis (Asteraceae), Retama monosperma (Fabaceae) and Marrubium vulgare (Lamiaceae), all of them used in Moroccan traditional medicine. Methodology: The four plants were extracted using organic solvents and screened on a panel of human cancer cell lines including cell types from both solid and haematological cancer origin as well as non-transformed murine fibroblasts. Cell viability assays were performed with sixteen plant extracts. Sensitive cell lines were then exposed to increasing concentrations of the most efficient extracts in order to calculate IC50 values. Microscopy, flow cytometry and caspase activity assays were then performed in LN229, SW620 and PC-3 cell lines upon treatment to investigate the cell morphology, cell cycle distribution and cell death. Results: cell viability assays reveals that at least one extract from each plant was able to exert cytotoxic activity against the majority of cell lines tested, the IC50 values of the active extracts were in most cases ≤ 30 μg/ml. the study of the cellular effects of the most active extracts on LN229, SW620 and PC-3 cell lines shows their ability to promote cell cycle arrest and cell death. The data obtained herein support strongly the use of these plants by traditional healers for the treatment of cancer patients and could have some scientific support indicating the presence of bioactive compounds. Conclusion: The reported biological activity of these four medicinal plants used in traditional Moroccan medicine provides a starting point for forthcoming studies to determine the molecular basis of their activity and to identify the chemical compounds within the most active extracts responsible for their antitumoral effects.

Antinociceptive activity and toxicological study of aqueous extract of Egletes viscosa Less (Asteraceae) / Atividade antinociceptiva e estudo toxicológico de extrato aquoso de Egletes viscosa Lessa (Asteraceae)

Egletes viscosa Less (Asteraceae), popularly known as ômacelaõ or ômacela-da-terraõ, is a plant widely used in popular medicine due toits anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, antidiarrhoea, mio-relaxant, antispasmodic, antinociceptive, digestive, and anti-viral properties.Phytochemical screening of aqueous extract of Egletes viscosa (AEEV)revealed the high presence of flavonoids. This study examined the oralantinociceptive potential of AEEV in rodents using different concentrations (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, p.o.). The results showed significant antinociceptive action when tested in writhing (200 and 400 mg/kg-p<0.05) and in the second phase of formalin tests(200 mg/kg-p<0.01 and 400 mg/kg-p<0.001). The inhibition (%) of extract in the writhing test was 63.4, 56.7, and 79.2% respectively for 200, 400, and acetyl salicylic acid (300 mg/kg); for the formalin test (second phase) results were 66.1, 84.7, and 96.2% respectively for 200, 400, and acetyl salicylic acid (300 mg/kg). Collectively, these observations suggest that AEEV is effective against continuous inflammatory pain. AEEV was well tolerated. In an acute toxicity test,oral administration of 5 g/kg of AEEV was performed and no mortality rate was observed. Similarly, in a subchronic toxicity study, no mortality was observed after 30 days of daily oral administration of 100 mg/kg of AEEV. There was no significant difference in the body and organ weights between control and experimental animals in both acute and subchronic toxicity tests. Pathological assays did not reveal any evidence of detectable differences in the gross appearance, as well as in thearchitectural or cellular pattern characteristics of the internal organsof the animals in both acute and subchronic tests. Nevertheless, significant differences were verified between males of the experimentaland control groups regarding the levels of hemoglobin and leukocytes...

Egletes viscosa Less (Asteraceae), popularmente conhecida como ômacelaõ ou ômacela-da-terraõ, é uma plantalargamente usada na medicina popular devido as suas propriedades: anti-inflamatória, bactericida, antidiarréica, mio-relaxante, anti-espasmódica,antinociceptiva, digestiva e anti-viral. Análise fitoquímica do extrato aquoso da Egletes viscosa (AEEV) mostrou elevada presença de flavonóides. Este estudo examinou o potencial antinociceptivo do AEEV em roedores usando diferentes concentrações (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.). Os resultados mostraram significante efeito antinociceptivo quando testadas as doses (200 mg/kgp<0.01; 400 mg/kg-p<0.05) e na segunda fase dos testes com formalina (200 and 400 mg/kg-p<0.001). Este efeitoantinociceptivo foi similar ao ácido acetilsalicílico (300 mg/kg) nas doses de 200 e 400 mg/kg. Adicionalmente,estas observações sugerem que o AEEV é efetivo contra dores inflamatórias contínuas. AEEV foi bem tolerada. No teste de toxicidade aguda, utilizando uma administração oral de 5 g/kg de AEEV, não foi observado casos demortalidade. Da mesma maneira, no estudo subcrônico nenhuma mortalidade foi observada após 30 dias de administração oral diária de 100 mg/kg do AEEV. Não houve diferença significativa entre os pesos corporal e dos órgãos isolados quando comparados grupo controle e teste tanto no estudo agudo quanto subcrônico. Ensaioshistopatológicos não revelaram diferenças entre a aparência dos tecidos, assim como na estrutura celular dos órgãos dos animais do estudo agudo e subcrônico. No entanto, diferenças significativas foram verificadas entre osmachos do grupo experimental e controle quanto à hemoglobina e leucócitos. Conclui-se que o extrato estudado não induziu nenhum risco na maioria dos parâmetros avaliados e, ainda, mostrou efeito antinociceptivo. No entanto, o aumento dos níveis dehemoglobina e leucócitos devem ser melhor investigados.

The effect of melatonin on hepatic tissue of autoimmune hepatitis / 中国基层医药

Objective To study the effects of melatonin (MT) on hepatic tissue of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Methods AIH model rats were divided randomly as model group, MT group and pig hepacyte growth factor (pHGF) group, to observe the pathological changes of hepatic tissue of the three groups. Results Hepatic tissue inflammation and accrementition graded of elastic fibers, reticular fibre, collagenous fibrils of MT group [(0.97±0.16),(1.09±0.17),(1.31±0.17)] were much lighter than model group [(1.55±0.18),(2.00±0.14),(3.00±0.14)](all P<0.01). The expression of VEGF was weaker in MT group than in pHGF group. There was no distinct difference between MT group and pHGF group. Conclusion MT can obviously improve the pathological changes of hepatic tissue of rats with AIH.