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The antiinflammatory activity of an alcohol extract of Achyranthes aspera was tested on carrageenin-induced hind paw oedema and cotton pellet granuloma models in albino male rats. The paw volume was measured plethysmometrically at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 h. In the subacute model cotton pellet granuloma was produced by implantation of 50 +/- 1 mg sterile cotton in the axilla under ether anaesthesia. The animals were fed with an alcohol extract at various dose levels (125, 250, 375 and 500 mg/kg). Diclofenac sodium was used as a standard drug. The alcohol extract (375 and 500 mg/kg) showed the maximum inhibition of oedema of 65.38% and 72.37% at the end of 3 h with carrageenin-induced rat paw oedema, respectively. Using a chronic test, the extract exhibited a 40.03% and 45.32% reduction in granuloma weight.

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Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder affecting carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. The worldwide survey reported that the DM is affecting nearly 10% of the population.1) The treatment of DM is based on oral anti-hyperglycemic agents and insulin. However, DM is also treated in Indian traditional medicine using anti-diabetic medicinal plants.2) The oral anti-hyperglycemic agents currently used in clinical practice have characteristic profiles of serious side effects.3) This leads to increasing demand for herbal products with anti-diabetic activity and less side effects.Celosia argentea (Family-Amaranthaceae) grows as a weed during the rainy season throughout India and other tropical regions of the world, such as Srilanka, South Asia, Africa and America.4) An alcoholic extract of the seeds possesses aphrodisiac, antipyretic, antispasmodic, anticancer, diuretic and antibacterial. Also they are reported to be useful in jaundice, inflammation, metrrorhagia, gonorrhoea, healing of wounds and injuries. [5][6][7] In folklore practice, the decoction of C. argentea seeds have been reported to be useful in diabetes mellitus, 8) but no systematic and scientific investigation has been conducted on this seeds for anti-diabetic activity. Hence, this study has been conducted to evaluate anti-diabetic activity and other beneficial effect of alcoholic extract of Celosia argentea seeds (ACAS) in diabetic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS MaterialsFresh whole herbs were up-rooted from fields of "ACMEC" trust Melmaruvathur, during the month of September 1999, when the plants were in full bloom. The plants were identified and authenticated by comparison with the available literatures and with an authentic herbarium specimen.9-12) The seeds were collected from the mature plants, shade dried and powdered (80 mesh). The powdered seed (253 g) was defatted with petroleum ether and later extracted (Soxhlet) using 50% ethanol. The solvent free alcoholic extract (10.97% w/w) was suspended in 0.75% sodium carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) and employed for anti-diabetic activity. The alcoholic extract was also subjected to qualitative chemical tests for the detection of phytoconstituents. 13)Alloxan monohydrate was obtained from LOBA Chemie, Mumbai (Batch No. 31924). All other chemicals used for this study were of analytical grade.Animals Swiss adult albino male rats (150-180 g) were employed for the study. All the animals were procured from The King Institute of Preventive Medicine, Guindy, Chennai. They were housed in standard microlon boxes, allowed free access to tap water and pellet diet (Amrut lab animals feed, Sangli-416 436) and maintained at room temperature of 30Ϯ2°C.Effect of ACAS on Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats The rats were made diabetic by a single i.p. injection of 150 mg/kg body weight of alloxan monohydrate (5% w/v in sterile water).14) After seven days, blood samples were drawn and glucose levels were determined to confirm development of diabetes (Ͼ350 mg/dl). The diabetic rats were divided into four groups consisting ...

Gastric ulcer is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal disorders, which affects approximately 5%-10% of people during their life. The ulcer is an open sore that develops on the inside lining of the stomach (a gastric ulcer) or the small intestine (a duodenal ulcer). Both types of ulcers are also referred to as peptic ulcer disease. The present study was carried out to investigate antiulcer activity of aqueous extract of fruits of Momordica cymbalaria Hook f. Initially the aqueous extract of M. cymbalaria was subjected to acute oral toxicity study according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines, based on which, 500 mg/kg dose of aqueous extract was selected for the study. The animals were pretreated before inducing ulcer. For inducing ulcer in the rats, 80% ethanol was used. Various parameters such as area of gastric lesion, nonprotein sulfhydryls (NP-SH) concentration, gastric wall mucus concentration, total acidity and volume of gastric content; and histopathological parameters like hemorrhage, edema, erosion, ulceration were studied in the control group and pretreated groups with aqueous extract of fruits of Momordica cymbalaria (500 mg/kg) and standard drug lanzoprazole (30 mg/kg). Pretreatment with aqueous extract of M. cymbalaria fruits showed significant (P < 0.05) decrease in the total acidity and ulcer index. Improvements in all histopathological parameters were noticed in the M. cymbalaria-treated group. It also showed significant decrease in gastric lesion and NP-SH and gastric wall mucus concentrations in the M. cymbalaria-treated group. Overall the aqueous extract of M. cymbalaria fruits was shown to possess significant (P < 0.05) antiulcer property in rats. The polyphenols like quercetin reported from the plant may attribute to the antiulcer property of the extract.

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Abstract:The square stemmed variety of Cissus quadrangularis L. variant I is a medicinal plant widely used for peptic ulcer and bone fractures in Indian Systems of Medicine. Though this medicinal plan is abundantly used in India, detailed studies are lacking on the variants and seasonal variations, which are to be addressed. The present study is carried out to evaluate the antiulcerogenic property of aqueous ethanolic extracts of the aerial parts in various ulcer models in animals. The study clearly elucidated that the drug was found to increase the defensive factors by virtue of its ulcer score, carbohydrate protein ratio and decrease in aggressive factors like free acidity, pepsin apart from other biochemical parameters. Plants collected during flowering season are more effective than that collected during vegetative seasons. Extract significantly reduced the formation of gastric and duodenal lesions by virtue of its cyto-protective and mucin productive activities.