Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Activities of Desmodium Triquetrum DC.

The hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities of ethanol extract of Desmodium triquetrum DC leaf were investigated against carbon tetrachloride (1 ml/kg i.p) induced hepatic damage in rats at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight p.o. The test extract significantly (P<0.05) reduced the elevated levels of serum transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin and reversed the antioxidant enzyme and non-enzyme levels. It dose dependently inhibited thiobarbuturic acid induced lipid peroxidation in vitro (IC(50)=59.9 µg/ml). Histopathological studies provided supportive evidence for biochemical analysis. Silymarin (25 mg/kg) is a known hepatoprotective drug used as a reference drug. The results indicated that D. triquetrum has potent hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity that may be due to the presence of flavonoids in the plant.

Pharmacognostical studies on the leaves of commiphora mukul hook ex stocks.

This communication deals with the detailed pharmacognostical aspects of commiphora mukul leaves which include morphological and anatomical characters and preliminary phytochemical analysis of the leaves. The microscopical characters of leaf powder are also reported with its salient features. The fluorescent behaviour of powdered drugs with some chemical reagents is also examined.

Effect of seneciphylline and senecionine on hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes in rats.

The effect of oral administration of the pyrrolizidine alkaloids, seneciphylline and senecionine, from Senecio vulgaris (Compositae) on activities of hepatic epoxide hydrase, glutathione-S-transferase, aminopyrine-N-demethylase and arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) was investigated in microsomes of young male albino rats. Seneciphylline significantly increased the activities of epoxide hydrase and glutathione-S-transferase but caused reduction of cytochrome P-450 and related monooxygenase activities. Senecionine failed to stimulate epoxide hydrase while it diminished the activities of glutathione-S-transferase, aminopyrine demethylase and AHH. Seneciphylline and senecionine could not produce any prominent in vitro effect on the hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes under study, except slight stimulation of epoxide hydrase activity by both the alkaloids and slight reduction of aminopyrine demethylase activity by senecionine.

Experimental evaluation of anthelmintic and purgative activity of myrsine africana fruits.

The aqueous and ethanolic extract of Myrsine africana fruits was evaluated for their anthelmintic activity against tape, hook, nodular and earthworms. The ethanolic extract was found to possess considerable lethal action against tape worms but it was not significant against the other helminths, Similarly ethereal, alcoholic and aqueous extracts of the fruits were tested for their purgative activity using albino rats. Tho ethanolic extract had marked purgative activity.