RESUMO
The immunomodulatory effect of the bark of Albizzia lebbeck (Sirisha) was evaluated by studying humoral and cell mediated immune responses. The hot aqueous extract and its butanolic fraction were administered once daily for one week in mice, immunised previously with sheep red blood cells (SRBC). At the dose levels tested (6.25, 12.5 and 25 mg/kg, p.o.), A. lebbeck treated mice developed higher serum antibody titres compared to the vehicle treated group and the effect was comparable to the standard drug muramyl dipeptide (MDP). Delayed type hypersensitivity response was suppressed in SRBC immunised mice treated with A. lebbeck extract. The macrophage migration index remained unaltered in both mice and rats. These results are discussed in the light of possible immunopotentiating effects of A. lebbeck.
RESUMO
The activity of asiaticoside, isolated from Centella asiatica, has been studied in normal as well as delayed-type wound healing. In guinea pig punch wounds topical applications of 0.2% solution of asiaticoside produced 56% increase in hydroxyproline, 57% increase in tensile strength, increased collagen content and better epithelisation. In streptozotocin diabetic rats, where healing is delayed, topical application of 0.4% solution of asiaticoside over punch wounds increased hydroxyproline content, tensile strength, collagen content and epithelisation thereby facilitating the healing. Asiaticoside was active by the oral route also at 1 mg/kg dose in the guinea pig punch wound model. It promoted angiogenesis in the chick chorioallantoic membrane model at 40 microg/disk concentration. These results indicate that asiaticoside exhibits significant wound healing activity in normal as well as delayed healing models and is the main active constituent of Centella asiatica.
Assuntos
Anti-Infecciosos/uso terapêutico , Extratos Vegetais/uso terapêutico , Triterpenos/uso terapêutico , Cicatrização/efeitos dos fármacos , Ferimentos e Lesões/patologia , Administração Oral , Administração Tópica , Animais , Embrião de Galinha , Cobaias , Técnicas In Vitro , Masculino , Modelos Biológicos , Ratos , Ratos Sprague-Dawley , Estreptozocina/farmacologia , Fatores de Tempo , Ferimentos e Lesões/metabolismo , Ferimentos e Lesões/cirurgiaRESUMO
Calotropis procera (Asclepiadaceae) is a well known plant in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. Based on its traditional use this plant was selected for evaluation of its wound healing potential. For this purpose four full thickness excisional wounds of 8.0 mm diameter were inflicted on the back of guinea pigs. Topical application of 20 microl of 1.0% sterile solution of the latex of C. procera twice daily was followed for 7 days. The latex significantly augmented the healing process by markedly increasing collagen, DNA and protein synthesis and epithelisation leading to reduction in wound area. Thus the present study provides a scientific rationale for the traditional use of this plant in the management of wound healing.
Assuntos
Látex/uso terapêutico , Extratos Vegetais/uso terapêutico , Pele/efeitos dos fármacos , Pele/lesões , Cicatrização/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Colágeno/metabolismo , DNA/metabolismo , Epitélio/efeitos dos fármacos , Epitélio/patologia , Cobaias , Masculino , Ayurveda , Proteínas/metabolismo , Pele/patologia , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Aspergilli are increasingly important infections in immunocompromised patients (ICP). The available antifungals often cause discrepancies in laboratory determination of MICs and a correlation in therapy. An effort was made to compare in vitro techniques for testing of antifungals, viz. polyenes, imidazoles, 5-fluorocytosine, amorolfine; and screened a phytoproduct- himachalol (a sesquiterpene alcohol) from Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) Loud against A. fumigatus clinical isolates (24) by macrobroth two-fold seal dilution (TFSD), microbroth microtitre (MT) and disc diffusion (DD) techniques using various broth/agar media at varying periods of incubation. The best activity in terms of geometric mean (GM) (GM.MIC < 0.39 microgrmas ml-1) was obtained with SCZ in the broth by both MT or TFSD technique followed by ECZ (GM.MIC 0.39 micrograms ml-1) and ITZ (GM.MIC 0.39-0.8 micrograms ml-1) in RPMI-1640. Overall RPMI-1640 was found to be the most suitable growth medium for testing of azoles or amorolfine, and YNB for polyene and 5-FC. MT technique was the most sensitive quantitative, reproducible, rapid and economical compared to other techniques. The treatment of Swiss mice with himachalol (200 mg kg-1, po) once a day, for 7 days, provided 60% protection concomitantly with increased MST (15 days) against invasive aspergillosis. A combination of himachalol (200 mgkg-1) plus SCZ (5 mgkg-1) showed better regimen in the therapy evidenced by enhanced survival (80%) of mice significantly (p < 0.001) with prolonged MST (> 15 days) compared to control. The treatments also reduced cfu (mean log10) burden of A. fumigatus from kidney.
Assuntos
Antifúngicos/farmacologia , Aspergilose/tratamento farmacológico , Aspergillus fumigatus/efeitos dos fármacos , Benzocicloeptenos/farmacologia , Sesquiterpenos/farmacologia , Animais , Estudos de Avaliação como Assunto , Masculino , Camundongos , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Sesquiterpenos PolicíclicosRESUMO
Himachalol (a sesquiterpene alcohol) showed low in vitro minimum inhibitory concentrations against Aspergillus fumigatus by the macro- and microbroth dilution techniques (genometric mean 250 micrograms ml-1 and 46.4 micrograms ml-1 respectively) compared with saperconazole. Swiss mice treated with the phytoproduct (200 mg kg-1, p.o.) once daily for 7 days exhibited a significant (P < 0.001) protection (60%) together with an increase in the mean survival time (15 days) and a reduced CFU (mean log10) burden of A. fumigatus in the kidneys.
Assuntos
Antifúngicos/uso terapêutico , Aspergilose/tratamento farmacológico , Aspergillus fumigatus , Benzocicloeptenos/uso terapêutico , Sesquiterpenos/uso terapêutico , Animais , Antifúngicos/farmacologia , Aspergillus fumigatus/efeitos dos fármacos , Aspergillus fumigatus/isolamento & purificação , Azóis/farmacologia , Benzocicloeptenos/farmacologia , Humanos , Masculino , Camundongos , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Sesquiterpenos Policíclicos , Sesquiterpenos/farmacologiaRESUMO
Alcoholics extracts of 266 botanically identified plant materials from 222 plant species have been tested for various biological activities including chemotherapeutic and pharmacological screenings. Biological activities have been observed in 89 extracts. Follow-up studies have been carried out in some plants with confirmed activity. The active principles and results of these studies are reported.
Assuntos
Plantas Medicinais/química , Animais , Anti-Infecciosos/isolamento & purificação , Anti-Infecciosos/farmacologia , Linhagem Celular , Avaliação Pré-Clínica de Medicamentos , Feminino , Índia , Masculino , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , GravidezRESUMO
Himachalol has been identified as the major antispasmodic constituent in the wood of Cedrus deodara. The pharmacological studies of himachalol on various isolated smooth muscles (guinea pig ileum, rabbit jejunum, rat uterus, and guinea pig seminal vesicle) and against different agonists (acetylcholine, histamine, serotonin, nicotine, and barium chloride) indicated spasmolytic activity similar to that of papaverine. It was a more potent antagonist of barium chloride-induced spasm of guinea pig ileum than papaverine but less effective in reverting a similar spasm of rabbit jejunum and had no relaxing effect alone. In the conscious immobilized cat, intragastric administration of himachalol or papaverine (100 mg/kg) produced equal inhibition of carbachol-induced spasm of the intestine, lasting about 2 hr, but himachalol had a faster onset of action. Himachalol was devoid of spasmolytic effect on the bronchial musculature of guinea pig but was 3.3 times more potent than papaverine in antagonizing epinephrine-induced contraction of the guinea pig seminal vesicle. Intravenous injection of himachalol (3-10 mg/kg) in the cat produced a dose-dependent fall in blood pressure and an increased femoral blood flow.