scholarly journals Sedative activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Euphorbia hirta

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-32
Author(s):  
Dhanapal Venkatachalam ◽  
◽  
Samuel Thavamani B ◽  
Sampath Kumar ◽  
◽  
...  

Insomnia is persistent difficulty in falling asleep that affects regular day time activities. It can induce significant psychological and physical disorder. Insomnia is treated pharmacologically and nonpharmacologically or by a combination of both. Relaxation, sleep restriction, stimulus control and sleep hygiene are known behavioural therapies for insomnia. Modern studies have shown that herbal drugs exert good sedative and hypnotic effect on the central nervous system. One such medicinal plants is Euphorbia hirta.. E. hirta belongs to the plant family Euphorbiaceae and genus Euphorbia. The leaf of Euphorbia hirta have several therapeutic applications in folk medicine in curing or managing wide range of diseases including insomnia. In the present study ethanol and aqueous extract of leaf Euphorbia ssssshirta was evaluated for sedative activity using phenobarbiton–induced sleep model in rat. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts (100mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) produced significant onset of sleep and duration of sleep (p<0.01). These results suggest that the fractions of aqueous and ethanolic extracts obtained from the leaf of Euphorbia hirta possess sedative activity

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuela Pennisi ◽  
Giuseppe Lanza ◽  
Luca Falzone ◽  
Francesco Fisicaro ◽  
Raffaele Ferri ◽  
...  

Increasing evidence suggests that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can also invade the central nervous system (CNS). However, findings available on its neurological manifestations and their pathogenic mechanisms have not yet been systematically addressed. A literature search on neurological complications reported in patients with COVID-19 until June 2020 produced a total of 23 studies. Overall, these papers report that patients may exhibit a wide range of neurological manifestations, including encephalopathy, encephalitis, seizures, cerebrovascular events, acute polyneuropathy, headache, hypogeusia, and hyposmia, as well as some non-specific symptoms. Whether these features can be an indirect and unspecific consequence of the pulmonary disease or a generalized inflammatory state on the CNS remains to be determined; also, they may rather reflect direct SARS-CoV-2-related neuronal damage. Hematogenous versus transsynaptic propagation, the role of the angiotensin II converting enzyme receptor-2, the spread across the blood-brain barrier, the impact of the hyperimmune response (the so-called “cytokine storm”), and the possibility of virus persistence within some CNS resident cells are still debated. The different levels and severity of neurotropism and neurovirulence in patients with COVID-19 might be explained by a combination of viral and host factors and by their interaction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 441
Author(s):  
Pierangelo Cifelli ◽  
Silvia Di Angelantonio ◽  
Veronica Alfano ◽  
Alessandra Morano ◽  
Eleonora De Felice ◽  
...  

GABAA receptors-(Rs) are fundamental for the maintenance of an efficient inhibitory function in the central nervous system (CNS). Their dysfunction is associated with a wide range of CNS disorders, many of which characterized by seizures and epilepsy. Recently, an increased use-dependent desensitization due to a repetitive GABA stimulation (GABAA current rundown) of GABAARs has been associated with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Here, we aimed to investigate the molecular determinants of GABAA current rundown with two different heterologous expression systems (Xenopus oocytes and human embryonic kidney cells; HEK) which allowed us to manipulate receptor stoichiometry and to study the GABAA current rundown on different GABAAR configurations. To this purpose, we performed electrophysiology experiments using two-electrode voltage clamp in oocytes and confirming part of our results in HEK. We found that different degrees of GABAA current rundown can be associated with the expression of different GABAAR β-subunits reaching the maximum current decrease when functional α1β2 receptors are expressed. Furthermore, the blockade of phosphatases can prevent the current rundown observed in α1β2 GABAARs. Since GABAAR represents one important therapeutic target in the treatment of human epilepsy, our results could open new perspectives on the therapeutic management of drug-resistant patients showing a GABAergic impairment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian Nabil ◽  
Entesar E. Hassan ◽  
Neven S. Ghaly ◽  
Fawzia A. Aly ◽  
Farouk R. Melek ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The genus Albizia (Leguminoseae) is used in folk medicine for the treatment of a wide range of ailments. Recently, saponins from plant origin have attracted much attention. Saponins are recorded to have a broad range of biological and pharmacological activities. This study was performed to evaluate the protective role of Albizia chinensis bark methanolic extract (MEAC) against the genotoxicity induced by cyclophosphamide (CP) using different mutagenic parameters. Results The results showed that MEAC induced an inhibitory effect against chromosomal aberrations of CP in mouse bone marrow and spermatocytes. Such effect was found to be significant (p < 0.01) with a dose of 100 mg/kg treated once for 24 h and also after repeated treatment at a dose of 25 mg/kg for 7 days. In sperm abnormalities, the protective effect of Albizia extract showed a dose-related relationship. Different doses of MEAC (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.01) ameliorated sperm abnormalities induced by CP dose-dependently. The percentage of sperm abnormalities was decreased to 5.14 ± 0.72 in the group of animals treated with CP plus MEAC (100 mg/kg) indicating an inhibitory effect of about 50%. Conclusion MEAC at the doses examined was non-genotoxic compared to control (negative) and exhibited a protective role against CP genotoxicity.


Author(s):  
Abdul Nasir ◽  
Atif Ali Khan Khalil ◽  
Muhammad Zeeshan Bhatti ◽  
Ashfaq Ur Rehman ◽  
Jiayi Li ◽  
...  

: Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Delarbre (family Polygonacea), commonly known as Polygonum hydropiper, is a popular medicinal plant used in traditional medicine. The plant is indigenous to the tropical northern hemisphere and temperate zone including China, Bangladesh, India, and Japan. The plant is used in folk medicine for numerous ailments such as hemorrhoids, antifertility, diarrhea, and dyspepsia. Its medicinal usage in Unani, Ayurveda, Siddha, and other traditional medicine is well-recognized. So far, a wide range of active phytochemicals of this plant has been identified, such as flavonoids, sulphated flavonoids, terpenoids, anthraquinones, steroids, coumarin, simple phenolics, and others. Pharmacological data reported in the literature suggest that various parts of P. hydropiper exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antidepressant, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, anticancer, and antifertility effects. The present review aim is to compile the coherently document research on the phytochemical, pharmacological, and biological activities of P. hydropiper from different parts of the globe.


2021 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-64
Author(s):  
O. M. Khishova ◽  
◽  
V. D. Avdachenok ◽  

The paper presents studying sedative activity of the combined tincture of motherwort and St. John's wort. The combined tincture of motherwort and St. John's wort was obtained by percolation method in a ratio 1:10. Standardization of the obtained tincture was carried out with quality indicators: description, content of active ingredients and ethanol, relative density, dry residue. According to all quality indicators, the tincture obtained met the requirements of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Republic of Belarus. Specific sedative activity of the combined tincture of motherwort and St. John's wort was assessed by barbiturates hypnotic effect prolongation (sodium thiopental), by the rate of falling asleep in animals and by animals staying in lateral position in relation to the control group to which sodium thiopental was injected. In the studies carried out it was found that injection of the combined tincture of motherwort and St. John's wort at a dose of 0,1 ml / kg increases sleep by 125,63% and also accelerates the process of falling asleep by 327,75% compared with the separate injection of motherwort and St. John's wort tincture at doses of 0,1 ml/kg. It was shown that the injection of the combined tincture of motherwort and St. John's wort at a dose of 0,1 ml/kg exhibits a potentiated effect and enhances the hypnotic effect of sodium thiopental administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg.


Author(s):  
Shuaibu Babaji Sanusi ◽  
Mohd Fadzelly Abu Bakar ◽  
Maryati Mohamed ◽  
Siti Fatimah Sabran ◽  
Muhammad Murtala Mainasara

The genus Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae) has been utilized in folk medicine for a long time in India and Southeast Asia countries. They are used in the treatment of leprosy, cholera, night blindness, gastrointestinal discomfort, dysentery, stomachache, and bed-wetting among others. This review highlights the ethnobotanical uses, phytochemicals, and pharmacological activities of both crude extracts and pure bioactive compounds of Nepenthes spp. The phytochemical compounds isolated from Nepenthes species include flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, alkaloids, and steroids among other phytochemicals. A wide range of pharmacological activities was exhibited by the crude extracts and pure bioactive components such as antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiosteoporotic, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity, and hypolipidemic activities. This review revealed that many active compounds are present in Nepenthes spp. However, many pharmacological screenings such as anticancer, antiviral, wound healing, antihelminthic, antidiarrheal properties, among others have not been carried out yet. Therefore, more biological investigations and phytochemical screenings are required to fully explore the genus Nepenthes which may lead to development of new therapeutic agents.  


Marine Drugs ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yadollah Bahrami ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Christopher M. M. Franco

Sea cucumbers are an important ingredient of traditional folk medicine in many Asian countries, which are well-known for their medicinal, nutraceutical, and food values due to producing an impressive range of distinctive natural bioactive compounds. Triterpene glycosides are the most abundant and prime secondary metabolites reported in this species. They possess numerous biological activities ranging from anti-tumour, wound healing, hypolipidemia, pain relieving, the improvement of nonalcoholic fatty livers, anti-hyperuricemia, the induction of bone marrow hematopoiesis, anti-hypertension, and cosmetics and anti-ageing properties. This study was designed to purify and elucidate the structure of saponin contents of the body wall of sea cucumber Holothuria lessoni and to compare the distribution of saponins of the body wall with that of the viscera. The body wall was extracted with 70% ethanol, and purified by a liquid-liquid partition chromatography, followed by isobutanol extraction. A high-performance centrifugal partition chromatography (HPCPC) was conducted on the saponin-enriched mixture to obtain saponins with a high purity. The resultant purified saponins were analyzed using MALDI-MS/MS and ESI-MS/MS. The integrated and hyphenated MS and HPCPC analyses revealed the presence of 89 saponin congeners, including 35 new and 54 known saponins, in the body wall in which the majority of glycosides are of the holostane type. As a result, and in conjunction with existing literature, the structure of four novel acetylated saponins, namely lessoniosides H, I, J, and K were characterized. The identified triterpene glycosides showed potent antifungal activities against tested fungi, but had no antibacterial effects on the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. The presence of a wide range of saponins with potential applications is promising for cosmeceutical, medicinal, and pharmaceutical products to improve human health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 56-65
Author(s):  
Filip Przerwa ◽  
Arnold Kukowka ◽  
Izabela Uzar

Abstract Ballota nigra, also known as black horehound is a common medical herb used in folk medicine around the world. First reported mentions of its medical properties and use goes as far as the 13th century. The use of black horehound depends on regions and countries. It is used mostly to treat e.g. mild sleep disorders, nervousness, upset stomach, wound healing. It can be used as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiprotozoal, antifungal drug. Moreover, it has been reported as a potential cancer drug. This extensive usage is particularly interesting for us. The aim of this review is to present available data on B. nigra pharmacological effects and known traditional uses gathered from a wide range of scientific articles published in 1997–2020.


2001 ◽  
Vol 82 (10) ◽  
pp. 2319-2326 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Foster ◽  
D. W. Parnham ◽  
N. Hunter ◽  
M. Bruce

This study has examined the distribution of PrPSc in sheep by immunocytochemistry of tissues recovered from terminally affected animals following their experimental infection by the oral route with BSE. Despite a wide range of incubation period lengths, affected sheep showed a similar distribution of high levels of PrPSc throughout the central nervous system. PrPSc was also found in the lymphoid system, including parts of the digestive tract, and some components of the peripheral nervous system. These abundant PrPSc deposits in sheep in regions outside the central nervous system are in direct contrast with cattle infected with BSE, which show barely detectable levels of PrPSc in peripheral tissues. A number of genetically susceptible, challenged animals appear to have survived.


Vestnik ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 252-255
Author(s):  
Д.К. Айдарбаев ◽  
А.Ж. Жарқынбек

В статье рассматриваются биологические и экологические особенности цистанхе, а также предусматривается этноботанические исследования, рекомендации по рациональному использованию. Выявлены некоторые значения Cistanchе, которое произрастает в Казахстане. Определена область использования в народной медицине цистанхе из семейства Orobanchaceae. В исследовании показана роль цистанхе, как растения с широким спектром фармакологических свойств. Проведен анализ маршрутно-рекогносцировочных исследований популяции цистанхе, определены распределение, запасы и объемы ежегодных заготовок по основным расположенным флористическим районам. Проведен расчет среднего суммарного объема заготовок сырья, собранных в Прибалхашье Алматинской области. В настоящее время в результате глобального потепления климатические условия меняются, и многие виды растений вымирают. Поэтому защита и эффективное использование растений является одной из самых актуальных проблем. Также важно изучить цистанхе, используемый в народной медицине как лекарственное растение. The article discusses the biological and ecological features of cistanche, as well as provides for ethnobotanical research, recommendations for rational use. Some values of Cistanche, which grows in Kazakhstan, are revealed. The scope of use in folk medicine of cistanha from the family Orobanchaceae is determined. The study shows the role of cistanche as a plant with a wide range of pharmacological properties. Conducted analysis of route-reconnaissance studies of cisterna populations, determined the distribution, stock and volumes of annual preparations for the main floristic areas. Calculated the average total volume of raw materials collected in the Balkhash region of Almaty region. As a result of global warming, climatic conditions are changing and many plant species are dying. Therefore, the protection and efficient use of plants is one of the most pressing problems. It is also important to study the tanks used in folk medicine as a medicinal plant.


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