Biological and medicinal application of Cucumis sativus Linn. - review of current status with future possibilities.

OBJECTIVES: The increasing demand for herbal drugs for the human application is causing a growing demand for the cultivation of Medicinal Plants. This demand has developed because of cost-effective, plant-derived products rather than commercially available synthetic drugs. Cucumis sativus Linn. (Ver. Kheera) is a vegetable climber, species belongs to family Cucurbitaceae This species has a wide range of medicinal and biological applications thanks to its richness in carbohydrate, proteins, minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc) and secondary metabolites like alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, and phenolic compounds These phytoconstituents may be responsible for allied therapeutic application. So, C. sativus possess wider applications for preventing certain ailments. CONTENT: The literature in various national and international journals and reports pertaining to the medicinal and nutritional uses were reviewed. The result revealed the current therapeutic applications of C. sativus whole plants other than the nutritional value. C. sativus pharmacological action includes antioxidant, anti-diabetic, UV protectant, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, anti-helminthic, wound healing, antimicrobial, and anticancer. So, it could be useful for both preventive and additive therapy along with modern medicine for the better management of certain disorders. SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK: This review furnishes updated information about the phytoconstituents and their medicinal applications so that it can pose a path for the young researchers to do future findings.

Development and evaluation of doxorubicin self nanoemulsifying drug delivery system with Nigella Sativa oil against human hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The development of self nano emulsifying co-delivery system of doxorubicin and Nigella sativa oil for potentiating the anticancer effects against HepG2 cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SNEDDS were formulated by using Labrafil and N. sativa oil (3:2% w/w), Kolliphor RH40 (15% w/w), glycerol (5% w/w) as oil phase, surfactant and co-surfactant while deionized water (75% v/v) used as an aqueous phase. Optimized SNEDDS was evaluated for drug release and in vitro anticancer efficacy in liver cancer (HepG2) cell line. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The selected formulation (F6) has a mean particle size of 79.7 nm with PDI 0.098 and the minimum viscosity of 16.42 cps with % transmittance of 1.332 with maximum drug release of 96.968% in 32 h as compared to DOX alone. Stability data showed stable emulsion in both 250C and -40C. F6 showed improved efficacy in HepG2 cells by cytotoxicity, showed significant results p<.05 with 2.5 µg/ml of (inhibitory concentration) IC50. CONCLUSION: The overall study displayed that co-delivery of DOX and Nigella sativa oil in the form of SNEDDS may be an efficient carrier for further in vivo studies using oral delivery in human hepatocellular carcinoma in mammals.

Nanomedicines: a theranostic approach for hepatocellular carcinoma.

The liver is an imperative organ of tremendous importance concerned with maintenance of metabolic functions and detoxification of exogenous and endogenous challenges like xenobiotics, viral infections and chronic alcoholism. Liver diseases particularly hepatitis B virus infections, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma continue to pose a significant health challenge worldwide due to the lack of therapeutic management options besides liver resection and transplantation. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. HCC has a high mortality rate because of poor diagnosis. The majority of patients with liver cancer die within one year as a result of poor patient compliance. HCC is clinically treated by chemotherapy besides surgery. However, most anticancer drugs have high toxicity and low specificity, leading to systemic toxicity and severe side effects. To limit the severe side effects of cancer chemotherapy on normal tissues, tumor targeting drug delivery systems need to be explored, which provides the impetus to develop targeted therapies for achieving higher efficacy with minimal side effects. The nanostructures used as good drug carriers, possess advantages of good solubility including high drug encapsulation efficiency, high cellular uptake, further desirable pharmacokinetics and can preferentially accumulate at the tumor site through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect with the goal of minimizing toxic effects on healthy tissues while maintaining antitumor efficacy.

Hepatoprotective effect of Anacyclus pyrethrum Linn. against antitubercular drug-induced hepatotoxicity in SD rats.

BACKGROUND: Traditional remedies employ herbal drugs for the treatment of liver ailments and hepatoprotection. Thus, the present study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of "extract of Anacyclus pyrethrum Linn" (APE) against antitubercular drug-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. METHODS: Group I rats (normal control) received vehicle (1 % CMC), while group II rats (hepatotoxic control) isoniazid (INH) plus rifampicin (RIF) each 50 mg/kg/day po, for 28 days. Group III, IV and V rats were administered with APE 200, APE 400 and silymarin 100 mg/kg/day po, respectively, for 28 days. Concurrently, hepatotoxicity was tried to induce by coadministration of INH and RIF each 50 mg/kg/day po for 28 days in group III, IV and V rats. After 24 h of the last dosing, blood was obtained under light anesthesia and the rats were killed. Hepatoprotective effect was assessed by liver weight, relative liver weight and biochemical parameters such as serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum bilirubin, cholesterol, total protein and albumin levels. RESULTS: Group IV rats showed significant (p<0.01) decrease in SGPT, SGOT, ALP, LDH, cholesterol, serum bilirubin, liver weight and relative liver weight Levels, while significant (p<0.01) increase in final body weight (b. wt.), total protein and albumin levels as compared to group II rats. Hepatoprotective effect of APE 400 mg/kg/day was comparable to that of silymarin 100 mg/kg/day and the hepatic marker levels were also restored. Hepatoprotective effect of APE was well supported by the histopathological results. CONCLUSIONS: Hydroalcoholic APE root possesses hepatoprotective activity as it exhibited the protective effect against INH plus RIF-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.