Anti cancerous efficacy of Ayurvedic milk extract of Semecarpus anacardium nuts on hepatocellular carcinoma in Wistar rats.

The objective of the study was to determine the anticancerous efficacy of Ayurvedic preparation made of Semecarpus anacardium (SA) nuts. Five groups of rats were used for the study. Group I served as water control. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was induced in groups II, III and IV animals using N-nitrosodiethylamine as inducing agent followed by phenobarbitone as promoter for 13 weeks. Group-II animals were kept untreated as hepatocellular carcinoma control. Group-III animals were treated with Ayurvedic milk extract of Semecarpus anacardium nuts at dose mentioned in Ashtangahridaya, an authentic book of Ayurveda for 49 days and group-IV animals were treated with doxorubicin as reference drug at dose of 1mg/kg twice a week for 7 weeks. Group V animals were kept as drug (SA nut milk extract) control for studying the effect of nut milk extract on normal rats. After 154 days of experiment, all animals were subjected to screening for HCC by estimation of liver enzymes, HCC marker (alpha-2 macroglobulin) and histopathology. Both liver enzymes and HCC marker were increased in hepatocellular carcinoma control along with neoplastic changes in liver and were decreased in Semecarpus anacardium nut milk extract treated group. The Ayurvedic drug showed positive correlation with the action of doxorubicin. This study demonstrated the efficacy of Semecarpus anacardium nut milk extract for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma either alone or along with chemotherapy.

Evaluation of antidiabetic activity of Coldenia procumbens in alloxan-induced diabetes in rat.

Diabetes was induced in Groups II, III and IV rats by alloxan monohydrate at the rate of 180 mg/kg body weight. Body weight increased significantly (p < 0.05) after Coldenia procumbens treatment. Treatment with C. procumbens significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the blood glucose level from 394.17 +/- 10.52 (mg/dl) to 152.83 +/- 2.15 (mg/dl) in rats when compared with diabetic control group of rats. Serum triglyceride levels decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from 152.33 +/- 2.75 (mg/dl) to 109.17 +/- 1.74 (mg/dl) in C. procumbens-treated rats. Treatment with C. procumbens significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the serum cholesterol level from 59.83 +/- 1.01 (mg/dl) to 44.33 +/- 1.96 (mg/dl) in rats. The analysis of data indicates that the test drug has good hypoglycemic effect in diabetic rats.