Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of ononitol monohydrate isolated from Cassia tora L. in animal models.

Ononitol monohydrate (OM) was isolated from Cassia tora L. leaves. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of OM have been examined in male Wistar rats and mice. The efficacy of OM against inflammation was studied by using carrageenan-induced paw oedema, croton oil-induced ear oedema, acetic acid-induced vascular permeability, cotton pellet-induced granuloma and adjuvant-induced arthritis. The analgesic activity of OM was assessed using the acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction response, formalin-induced paw licking response and the hot-plate test. In acute type inflammation models, maximum inhibitions of 50.69 and 61.06% (P < .05) were noted with 20 mg/kg of OM in carrageenan-induced hind paw oedema and croton oil-induced ear oedema, respectively. Treatment of OM (20 mg/kg) meaningfully (P < .05) reduced the granuloma tissue formation by cotton pellet study at a rate of 36.25%. OM (20 mg/kg) inhibited 53.64% of paw thickness in adjuvant-induced arthritis model. OM has also been produced significant (P < .05) analgesic activity in acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction response, formalin-induced paw licking response and in hot-plate test suggesting its peripheral and central analgesic potential. The outcomes of the present study proposed that OM influenced on the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities.

Gastroprotective effect of epoxy clerodane diterpene isolated from Tinospora cordifolia Miers (Guduchi) on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in rats.

The present study evaluated the gastroprotective effect of epoxy clerodane diterpene (ECD), isolated from Tinospora cordifolia on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in rats. Administration of indomethacin exhibits extreme levels of ulcer index (UI) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Indomethacin down regulated PGE2, anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10) and pro-angiogenic factors (VEGF and EGF). The ECD pretreatment considerably increased the levels of PGE2, anti-inflammatory cytokines and pro-angiogenic factors. The ulcer-healing activity of ECD was inhibited by pre-administration of the specific COX-1 inhibitor (SC560) and nonspecific NOS inhibitor (L-NAME), which indicates the involvement of PGE2 and NOS in ECD induced ulcer healing activity. These findings suggest that ECD exerts its antiulcer activity by reinforcement of defensive elements and diminishing the offensive elements.

Potential hepatoprotective activity of ononitol monohydrate isolated from Cassia tora L. on carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in wistar rats.

Ononitol monohydrate, structurally similar to glycoside was isolated from Cassia tora L. leaves. Fifty Male rats were divided into five groups. Group I served as normal control. Group II, III and IV rats were induced hepatotoxicity by CCl(4) administering single dose of CCl(4) on 8th day only. Group III was treated with ononitol monohydrate (20mg/kg body weight) and group IV was treated with reference drug silymarin (20mg/kg body weight) both dissolved in corn oil and administering for 8 days. Ononitol monohydrate with corn oil alone was given for 8 days (group V). At the end of the experimental period all the animals were sacrificed and analyzed for biochemical parameters to assess the effect of ononitol monohydrate treatment in CCl(4) induced hepatotoxicity. In in vivo study, ononitol monohydrate decreased the levels of serum transaminase, lipid peroxidation and TNF-alpha but increased the levels of antioxidant and hepatic glutathione enzyme activities. Compared with reference drug silymarin ononitol monohydrate possessed high hepatoprotective activity. Histopathological results also suggested the hepatoprotective activity of ononitol monohydrate with no adverse effect. Hence we conclude that ononitol monohydrate is a potent hepatoprotective agent.

Chemopreventive potential of Epoxy clerodane diterpene from Tinospora cordifolia against diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Medicinal plants are a promising source for identification of lead molecules for cancer therapy. In our continuous search to discover bioactive compounds from natural products, we isolated (5R, 10R)-4R, 8R-dihydroxy-2S, 3R:15, 16-diepoxycleroda-13(16), 17, 12S:18,1S-dilactone (ECD), a diterpenoid from Tinospora cordifolia and studied its chemopreventive potential in diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rats. Fifty male Wistar rats were divided into five groups. Group I served as normal control. Group II-IV were given DEN (0.01% in drinking water) for twenty weeks. In addition, Group III (preventive treatment) received ECD (10 mg/kg body weight) throughout the study. Group IV (curative treatment) received ECD (10 mg/kg body weight) for the last 8 weeks. Group V received ECD alone (10 mg/kg body weight) throughout the experimental period. At the end of the experimental period all the animals were sacrificed and analyzed for biochemical end points to assess the effect of ECD treatment in DEN induced HCC. The animals treated with DEN showed a decrease in the activities of antioxidant (SOD, CAT) and detoxification enzymes (GSH, GPx) with increase in the activities of the hepatic markers (SGOT, SGPT, LDH). Treatment of ECD in both preventive and curative DEN induced animals increased the level of antioxidants and detoxification enzymes, and decreased serum transaminase level and hepatic marker enzymes to near normal. Histopathological and nodular incidence also confirmed that ECD remarkably reduced tumor incidence and reversed damaged hepatocytes to normal. Our findings confirm that ECD exhibits preventive effect against chemically induced HCC in rats. ECD can be a potent chemopreventive drug for HCC.