ABSTRACT
The hepatoprotective activity of an ethanolic extract of Commiphora opobalsamum ("Balessan") was investigated in rats by inducing hepatotoxicity with carbon tetrachloride:liquid paraffin (1:1). This extract has been shown to possess significant protective effect by lowering serum transaminase levels (serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase), alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin. Pretreatment with an extract of Balessan prevented the prolongation of the barbiturate sleeping time associated with carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in mice. On the other hand, CCl4-induced low-level nonprotein sulfhydryl concentration in the liver was replenished by the Balessan extract. These data suggest that the plant C. opobalsamum may act as an antioxidant agent and may have a hepatoprotective effect.
Subject(s)
Commiphora , Liver Diseases/pathology , Liver Diseases/prevention & control , Medicine, Traditional , Plants, Medicinal , Animals , Carbon Tetrachloride/toxicity , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury , Female , Male , Mice , Plant Components, Aerial , Plant Extracts/isolation & purification , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Saudi ArabiaABSTRACT
An ethanol extract of 'Amla' Emblica officinalis Gaertn. was examined for its antisecretory and antiulcer activities employing different experimental models in rats, including pylorus ligation Shay rats, indomethacin, hypothermic restraint stress-induced gastric ulcer and necrotizing agents (80% ethanol, 0.2 M NaOH and 25% NaCl). Oral administration of Amla extract at doses 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg significantly inhibited the development of gastric lesions in all test models used. It also caused significant decrease of the pyloric-ligation induced basal gastric secretion, titratable acidity and gastric mucosal injury. Besides, Amla extract offered protection against ethanol-induced depletion of stomach wall mucus and reduction in nonprotein sulfhydryl concentration. Histopathological analyses are in good agreement with pharmacological and biochemical findings. The results indicate that Amla extract possesses antisecretory, antiulcer, and cytoprotective properties.
Subject(s)
Gastric Mucosa/drug effects , Phyllanthus emblica , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Animals , Anti-Ulcer Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Ulcer Agents/therapeutic use , Disease Models, Animal , Ethanol/administration & dosage , Female , Fruit/chemistry , Gastric Mucosa/metabolism , Gastric Mucosa/pathology , Indomethacin/administration & dosage , Male , Peptic Ulcer/chemically induced , Peptic Ulcer/drug therapy , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Pylorus/surgery , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Sodium Chloride/administration & dosage , Sodium Hydroxide/administration & dosageABSTRACT
Different fractions of alcoholic extracts of aerial parts and roots of Phyllanthus fraternus Webster (Euphorbiaceae) were screened for antihepatotoxic activity on carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in albino rats. The degree of protection was measured using biochemical parameters like serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), total protein (TP) and total albumin (TA). The methanol fraction was found to be the most active, which was further supported by a significant recovery of hepatocytes in the histopathological study of the liver showing almost complete normalization of the tissues as neither the fatty accumulation nor the necrosis was observed.
Subject(s)
Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/prevention & control , Phyllanthus/chemistry , Alanine Transaminase/blood , Albumins/metabolism , Animals , Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood , Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning/enzymology , Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning/pathology , Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning/prevention & control , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/enzymology , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/pathology , Female , Liver/enzymology , Liver/pathology , Liver Function Tests , Male , Methanol , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Plant Roots/chemistry , Proteins/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Wistar , SolventsABSTRACT
Two new alkaloids, haplotubinone (3) and haplotubine (4), were isolated from the aerial parts of Haplophyllum tuberculatum together with the known lignan diphyllin. The structures of the new alkaloids were established by spectroscopic methods in conjunction with X-ray crystallographic analysis of 3. In addition, the amide N-(2-phenylethyl)-benzamide has been identified in this source for the first time.
Subject(s)
Alkaloids/chemistry , Alkaloids/isolation & purification , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Benzamides/chemistry , Benzamides/isolation & purification , Biological Factors/chemistry , Biological Factors/isolation & purification , Crystallography, X-Ray , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Saudi ArabiaABSTRACT
A novel tetrahydroprotoberberine-aporphine dimeric alkaloid, (-)-thalibealine (1), was isolated from the roots of Thalictrum wangiii, and its structure established via spectroscopic analysis. Three other alkaloids were isolated, including the benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline-aporphine dimer (+)-thalmelatidine, the aporphine (+)-magnoflorine, and the protoberberine berberine. This is the first reported isolation of a tetrahydroprotoberberine-aporphine dimer from nature, as well as the first reported isolation of constituents from Thalictrum wangii.
Subject(s)
Berberine Alkaloids/chemistry , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , China , Chromatography, Thin Layer , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Plant Roots/chemistry , Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet , Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform InfraredABSTRACT
A direct comparison of the spectral data for synthetic 2-methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-3'-methoxy-4'-hydroxyoxobenzylisoquinoline iodide (1) and its positional isomer 2-methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-3'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyoxobenzylisoquinoline iodide (2) with the data obtained for the oxobenzylisoquinoline alkaloid thalprzewalskiinone revealed that the original structural assignment of the alkaloid as 1 was in error. These results mandate the revision of structure of thalprzewalskiinone to 2-methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-3'-hydroxy-4'-methoxyoxobenzylisoquinoline iodide (2).