Evaluation of wound healing activity of ferulic acid in diabetic rats.

In diabetic patients, there is impairment in angiogenesis, neovascularisation and failure in matrix metalloproteineases (MMPs), keratinocyte and fibroblast functions, which affects wound healing mechanism. Hence, diabetic patients are more prone to infections and ulcers, which finally result in gangrene. Ferulic acid (FA) is a natural antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, rice bran and sweet corn. In this study, wound healing activity of FA was evaluated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats using excision wound model. FA-treated wounds were found to epithelise faster as compared with diabetic wound control group. The hydroxyproline and hexosamine content increased significantly when compared with diabetic wound control. FA effectively inhibited the lipid peroxidation and elevated the catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione and nitric oxide levels along with the increase in the serum zinc and copper levels probably aiding the wound healing process. Hence, the results indicate that FA significantly promotes wound healing in diabetic rats.

Actividad inmunomoduladora de la Bauhinia racemosa Lam / Immunomodulatory activity of Bauhinia Racemosa Lam

Objetivo: Evaluar la actividad del extracto metanólico de la corteza del tallo de la Bauhinia Racemosa Lam en ratones albinos suizos. Material y métodos: La inmunidad humoral específica fue evaluada mediante el ensayo de hemaglutinación de antincuerpos ( H.A. Titer) y la inmunidad no específica fue evaluada mediante el test de aclaramiento de carbono y el test de adhesión de neutrofilos. Resultados: se encontró que el extracto del tallo de Bauhinia racemosa (MEBR) era efectivo para el incremento del H.A Titer. La respuesta primaria y secundaria no mostró un ascenso significativo en el H.A Titer en el grupo con estado inmune normal al compararlo con el grupo control. Sin embargo, en el grupo de inmunodeprimidos donde la inmunidad estaba suprimida mediante ciclofosfamida se observó un aumento significativo en el H.A Titer (p<0.01) a dosis de 200mg/kg cuando se comparaba con la ciclofosfamida. El extracto del tallo de Bauhinia racemosa mostró un aumento significativo (p<0,05) en la actividad fagocítica a dosis de 200mg/kg (p.o) en el test de aclaramiento de carbón. En el test de adhesión de neutrófilos el extracto del tallo de Bauhinia racemosa mostró un aumento significativo (p<0,01) del porcentaje de adhesión de neutrófilos a dosis de 200mg/kg (p.o) Conclusión: El presente estudio sostiene al MEBR como un prometedor agente inmunomodulador(AU)

Aim: To evaluate immunomodulatory activity of methanolic extract of stem bark of Bauhinia racemosa Lam swiss albino mice. Material and Methods: The specific humoral immunity was assessed by performing hemagglutinating antibody titer (H.A.Titer) and the non-specific immunity was assessed by performing carbon clearance test and neutrophil adhesion test. Results: The methanolic extract of stem bark of Bauhinia Racemosa (MEBR) was found effective in increasing the H.A.Titer. Primary and secondary antibody response showed no significant rise in H.A.Titer in normal immune status group when compared with control group, whereas in immunosupressed group, where immunity was suppressed by cyclophosphamide, significant rise in H.A.Titer (p<0.01) was observed at dose of 200 mg/kg (p.o.) when compared with cyclophosphamide. MEBR showed significant increase (p<0.05) in phagocytic activity at dose of 200 mg/kg (p.o.) in carbon clearance test. In neutrophil adhesion test MEBR showed significant (p<0.01) rise in percentage neutrophil adhesion at dose of 200 mg/kg (p.o.). Conclusion: Present study, therefore, reveals that MEBR) holds promise as immunomodulatory agent(AU)

Anti-asthmatic potential of chrysin on ovalbumin-induced bronchoalveolar hyperresponsiveness in rats.

CONTEXT: Chrysin, a flavonoid obtained from various natural sources, has been reported to act as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent. However, its anti-allergic action is not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the in vivo anti-asthmatic activity of chrysin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of chrysin were evaluated using ovalbumin (OVA) (two subcutaneous 1 mL injections of 20 µg) to induce bronchoalveolar hyperresponsiveness in rats. Chrysin, when administered at 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg, p.o., respectively, before OVA challenge, reduced inflammatory cell (total and differential cell count) infiltration into the lungs measured from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as supported by lung histology. RESULTS: The total lung injury score was reduced in a dose-dependent manner, evaluated in six different categories (infiltration of leucocytes, type of inflammatory exudates, status of bronchi, perivascular status of lung blood vessels, integrity of alveoli and activation of alveolar macrophages). Various cellular injury parameters such as alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and total protein were estimated and found to be reduced by chrysin pretreatment. Further, chrysin was found to reduce nitrite concentration (NO) and lipid peroxidation, suggesting its antioxidant activity. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Chrysin showed anti-asthmatic potential, probably due to the alteration of Th1/Th2 polarization via the suppression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, nuclear factor-κB, and activation protein.

Antioxidant, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin in various experimental models.

The present study was planned to investigate the antioxidant, antinociceptive, and anti-inflammatory activities of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg, p.o.) in various animal models. The antinociceptive effect was assessed by chemically- (formalin, acetic acid) and thermally- (hot plate) induced nociception, while anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated using carrageenan-, formaldehyde-induced paw oedema and cotton pellet-induced granuloma. The effect of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin on liver antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, glutathione, LPO, CAT along with the effect on lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was evaluated in the cotton pellet-induced granuloma model. Atorvastatin and rosuvastatin showed significant decrease (p < 0.05) in carrageenan- and formaldehyde-induced rat paw oedema and reduced granuloma formation in the cotton pellet-induced granuloma method (p < 0.01) while the levels of LDH and ALP were also significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The liver antioxidant enzyme levels were found to be restored (p < 0.05). Atorvastatin and rosuvastatin also showed antinociceptive activities (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01) in the acetic acid- and formalin-induced nociception in mice, while there was no significant activity in the hot plate method. The present findings suggest that atorvastatin and rosuvastatin possess dose-dependent antioxidant, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory activities.

Transition metal complexes of 3-aryl-2-substituted 1,2-dihydroquinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives: new class of analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents.

Five-coordinate, neutral transition metal complexes of newly designed pyridine-2-ethyl-(3-carboxylideneamino)-3-(2-phenyl)-1,2-dihydroquinazolin-4(3H)-one (L) were synthesized and characterized. The structure of ligand is confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The compounds were evaluated for the anti-inflammatory activity by carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model while their analgesic activity was determined by acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice wherein the transition metal complexes were found to be more active than the free ligand.

Spectrophotometric bioassay method for urokinase.

INTRODUCTION: Urokinase is a potent plasminogen activator. Present Bio assay methods of Urokinase are very tedious. So a new simple spectrophotometric Bio assay method was developed to estimate thrombolytic activity of Urokinase. METHODS AND RESULTS: This Bio assay is designed for the quantitative in vitro spectrophotometric determination of Urokinase activity by utilizing its thrombolytic activity to carry out the lysis of plasma clots. The initial concentration of the plasma clots was adjusted to 0.2+/-0.01 absorbance and the linear decrease in the absorbance by addition of Urokinase concentration from 200 to 1200 IU/ml at lambda(max) 530 nm was studied. The activity of sample Urokinase can be quantified by comparing the absorbance of sample Urokinase with Urokinase standard Bio assay calibration curve and predicted in IU. The r(2) value of standard calibration curve was found out to be 0.993. The repeatability of the Bio assay was studied by performing the experiment six times with fresh plasma samples and the results showed significant similarity. DISCUSSION: We can conclude that the novel Bio assay method was found to be simple, economical, reproducible and accurate than the present Bio assay methods.

Cardioprotective effect of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. on isoprenaline induced myocardial infarction in rats.

The present study was designed to evaluate the cardioprotective potential of aqueous leaf extract of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (AI) on the basis of haemodynamic, biochemical and histopathological parameters in isoprenaline induced myocardial infarction in rats and to compare with vitamin E, a known cardioprotective antioxidant. A significant (p<0.01) decrease in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), systolic arterial blood pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial blood pressure (DAP) and increase in heart rate (HR) were observed in isoprenaline control group. Isoprenaline showed significant decrease in the level of cardiac marker enzymes [Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and Serum Glutamate Oxalotransaminase (SGOT)] in the heart homogenate with a corresponding increase in their level in serum. In vitamin E control group significant (p<0.05) increase in LDH in heart homogenate and decrease of SGOT and LDH in serum was observed. In isoprenaline control group, significant (p<0.01) increase in total cholesterol and triglycerides levels while decrease in high-density lipoproteins (HDL) was observed. On histopathological examination, myocardial damage in isoprenaline control group further confirmed cardiotoxic effect of isoprenaline. Our data showed that AI (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg, p.o.) and vitamin E (100 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly restores most of the haemodynamic, biochemical and histopathalogical parameters. Finally we concluded that AI leaf extract exerts equipotent cardioprotective activity in the experimental model of isoprenalin induced myocardial necrosis in rats as compared to vitamin E, a known cardioprotective antioxidant.