Context: Different parts of Muntingia calabura L. (Elaeocarpaceae), or ''kerukup siam'' in Malay, have been reported to possess medicinal value, supported by a number of scientific studies. Objective: To gather all information related to the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical compositions, and pharmacological activities of M. calabura and present them as a comprehensive and systematic review article. Materials and methods: Literature has been retrieved from a number of databases (e.g., Pubmed, Science Direct, Springer Link, etc.). General web searches were also carried out using Google and Yahoo search engines by applying some related search terms (e.g., Muntingia calabura, phytochemical, pharmacological, extract, and traditional uses). The articles related to agriculture, ecology, and synthetic work and those using languages other than English or Malay have been excluded. The bibliographies of papers relating to the review subject were also searched for further relevant references. Results and discussion: The literature search conducted using the above-mentioned Internet search engines only lead to the identification of 36 journals published as early as 1987. From the articles reviewed, M. calabura possessed various pharmacological activities (e.g., cytotoxic, antinociceptive, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory), which supported the folklore claims and could be attributed to its phytoconstituents. Conclusion: Muntingia calabura possesses remarkable medicinal value, which warrants further and in-depth studies. Therefore, this review paper is presented to help guide researchers to plan their future studies related to this plant in the hope of isolating potential leads for future drug development.

Muntingia calabura L. is a tropical plant species that belongs to the Elaeocarpaceae family. The present study is aimed at determining the hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract of M. calabura leaves (MEMC) using two models of liver injury in rats. Rats were divided into five groups (n = 6) and received 10% DMSO (negative control), 50 mg/kg N-acetylcysteine (NAC; positive control), or MEMC (50, 250, and 500 mg/kg) orally once daily for 7 days and on the 8th day were subjected to the hepatotoxic induction using paracetamol (PCM). The blood and liver tissues were collected and subjected to biochemical and microscopical analysis. The extract was also subjected to antioxidant study using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-(DPPH) and superoxide anion-radical scavenging assays. At the same time, oxygen radical antioxidant capacity (ORAC) and total phenolic content were also determined. From the histological observation, lymphocyte infiltration and marked necrosis were observed in PCM-treated groups (negative control), whereas maintenance of hepatic structure was observed in group pretreated with N-acetylcysteine and MEMC. Hepatotoxic rats pretreated with NAC or MEMC exhibited significant decrease (P < 0.05) in ALT and AST enzymes level. Moreover, the extract also exhibited good antioxidant activity. In conclusion, MEMC exerts potential hepatoprotective activity that could be partly attributed to its antioxidant activity and, thus warrants further investigations.

BackgroundMelastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomaceae) is a small shrub with various medicinal uses. The present study was carried out to determine the hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract of M. malabathricum leaves (MEMM) against the paracetamol-induced liver toxicity in rats model.MethodsThe respective chemicals and herbal solutions (10% DMSO, 200 mg/kg silymarin or MEMM (50, 250 and 500 mg/kg)) were administered orally to rats once everyday for 7 days followed by the hepatotoxicity assay. The blood samples and livers were collected and subjected to biochemical and microscopical analysis. Prior to the hepatoprotective study, MEMM was subjected to determination of the total phenolic content (TPC) and the antioxidant properties using several standard assays (e.g. 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl- and superoxide anion- radical scavenging assay, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay).ResultsMEMM exerted significant (p < 0.05) and high antioxidant activity in which high TPC was recorded; while in the hepatotoxicity study, the extract exhibited significant hepatoprotective effects against the paracetamol-induced hepatotoxic model. The results observed for serum liver enzymes (ALT, ALP and AST) as well as the microscopic observations and microscopic scoring supported the hepatoprotective potential of MEMM. The phytochemical and HPLC analysis of MEMM demonstrated the presence of flavonoids as its major constituents.ConclusionsThe MEMM-induced hepatoprotective activity could be allied partly to its antioxidant activity and the presence of flavonoids.

In an attempt to further establish the pharmacological properties of Bauhinia purpurea (Fabaceae), hepatoprotective potential of methanol extract of B. purpurea leaves (MEBP) was investigated using the paracetamol- (PCM-) induced liver toxicity in rats. Five groups of rats (n = 6) were used and administered orally once daily with 10% DMSO (negative control), 200 mg/kg silymarin (positive control), or MEBP (50, 250, and 500 mg/kg) for 7 days, followed by the hepatotoxicity induction using paracetamol (PCM). The blood samples and livers were collected and subjected to biochemical and microscopical analysis. The extract was also subjected to antioxidant study using the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay with the total phenolic content (TPC) also determined. From the histological observation, lymphocyte infiltration and marked necrosis were observed in PCM-treated groups (negative control), whereas maintenance of the normal hepatic structural was observed in group pretreated with silymarin and MEBP. Hepatotoxic rats pretreated with silymarin or MEBP exhibited significant decrease (P < 0.05) in ALT and AST enzyme level. Moreover, the extract also exhibited antioxidant activity and contained high TPC. In conclusion, MEBP exerts potential hepatoprotective activity that could be partly attributed to its antioxidant activity and high phenolic content and thus warrants further investigation.

BackgroundThe present study investigated the potential of methanolic extract of Dicranopteris linearis (MEDL) leaves to attenuate liver intoxication induced by acetaminophen (APAP) in rats.MethodsA group of mice (n = 5) treated orally with a single dose (5000 mg/kg) of MEDL was first subjected to the acute toxicity study using the OECD 420 model. In the hepatoprotective study, six groups of rats (n = 6) were used and each received as follows: Group 1 (normal control; pretreated with 10% DMSO (extract’s vehicle) followed by treatment with 10% DMSO (hepatotoxin’s vehicle) (10% DMSO +10% DMSO)), Group 2 (hepatotoxic control; 10% DMSO +3 g/kg APAP (hepatotoxin)), Group 3 (positive control; 200 mg/kg silymarin +3 g/kg APAP), Group 4 (50 mg/kg MEDL +3 g/kg APAP), Group 5 (250 mg/kg MEDL +3 g/kg APAP) or Group 6 (500 mg/kg MEDL +3 g/kg APAP). The test solutions pre-treatment were made orally once daily for 7 consecutive days, and 1 h after the last test solutions administration (on Day 7th), the rats were treated with vehicle or APAP. Blood were collected from those treated rats for biochemical analyses, which were then euthanized to collect their liver for endogenous antioxidant enzymes determination and histopathological examination. The extract was also subjected to in vitro anti-inflammatory investigation and, HPLC and GCMS analyses.ResultsPre-treatment of rats (Group 2) with 10% DMSO failed to attenuate the toxic effect of APAP on the liver as seen under the microscopic examination. This observation was supported by the significant (p < 0.05) increased in the level of serum liver enzymes of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and significant (p < 0.05) decreased in the activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in comparison to Group 1. Pre-treatment with MEDL, at all doses, significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the level of ALT and AST while the levels of CAT and SOD was significantly (p < 0.05) restored to their normal value. Histopathological studies showed remarkable improvement in the liver cells architecture with increase in dose of the extract. MEDL also demonstrated a low to none inhibitory activity against the respective LOX- and NO-mediated inflammatory activity. The HPLC and GCMS analyses of MEDL demonstrated the presence of several non-volatile (such as rutin, gallic acid etc.) and volatile (such as methyl palmitate, shikimic acid etc.) bioactive compounds.ConclusionMEDL exerts hepatoprotective activity against APAP-induced intoxication possibly via its ability to partly activate the endogenous antioxidant system and presence of various volatile and non-volatile bioactive compounds that might act synergistically to enhance the hepatoprotective effect.

Methanol extract of Muntingia calabura L. (family Muntingiaceae) leaf has been reported to exert various pharmacological activities including hepatoprotection. The present study was carried out to identify the most effective hepatoprotective partition derived from the extract and to determine the mechanisms of action involved. The extract was partitioned using solvents with different polarity to yield petroleum ether (PEMC), ethyl acetate (EAMC), and aqueous (AQMC) extracts. Each extract, at 250 mg/kg, was subjected to the paracetamol (PCM)-induced hepatotoxic assay and several parameters such as liver weight, liver/body weight ratio, serum liver enzymes' level, and histopathological examinations were determined. Each partition was also tested for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials. The most effective extract (AQMC) was prepared in additional dose of 50 and 500 mg/kg, and then subjected to the same liver toxicity test in addition to the endogenous antioxidant enzymes assay. Moreover, AQMC was also subjected to the phytochemical screening and HPLC analysis. Overall, from the results obtained: AQMC exerted significant (p < 0.05): (i) antioxidant activity when assessed using the DPPH, SOD and ORAC assays with high TPC detected; (ii) anti-inflammatory activity via LOX, but not XO pathway; (iii) hepatoprotective activity indicated by its ability to reverse the effect of PCM on the liver weight and liver/body weight ratio, the level of serum liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and ALP), and activity of several endogenous antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT). Phytochemicals analyses demonstrated the presence of several flavonoid-based bioactive compounds such as gallic acid and quercetin, which were reported to possess hepatoprotective activity. In conclusion, AQMC exerts hepatoprotective activity against the PCM-induced toxicity possibly by having a remarkable antioxidant potential and ability to activate the endogenous antioxidant system possibly via the synergistic action of its phytoconstituents.

CEMC and CEMM exert gastroprotective effects in animals with ethanol-induced gastric ulcers via antioxidant and anti-secretory effects.

Context: Muntingia calabura L. (Muntingiaceae) exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, thus, it might be a good hepatoprotective agent. Objective: This study investigates the effect of methanol extract of M. calabura leaves (MMCL) on hepatic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxic rat. Materials and methods: Sprague Dawley rats ( n = 6) were treated (p.o.) with 10% DMSO (Groups 1 and 2), 50 mg/kg N -acetylcysteine (Group 3) or, 50, 250, or 500 mg/kg MMCL (Groups 4–6) for 7 consecutive days followed by pretreatment (i.p.) with vehicle (Group 1) or 50% CCl 4 in olive oil (v/v) (Groups 2–6) on day 7th. Plasma liver enzymes and hepatic antioxidant enzymes and pro-inflammatory cytokines concentrations were measured while liver histopathology was examined. Results: MMCL, at 500 mg/kg, significantly ( p < 0.05) ameliorated CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxicity by decreasing the plasma level of alanine transaminase (429.1 versus 168.7 U/L) and aspartate transaminase (513.8 versus 438.1 U/L) as well as the tissue level of nitric oxide (62.7 versus 24.1 nmol/g tissue). At 50, 250, or 500 mg/kg, MMCL significantly ( p < 0.05) reduced the tumour necrosis factor α (87.8 versus 32.7 pg/mg tissue), interleukin-1β (1474.4 versus 618.3 pg/mg tissue), and interleukin-6 (136.7 versus 30.8 pg/mg tissue) while increased the liver catalase (92.1 versus 114.4 U/g tissue) and superoxide dismutase (3.4 versus 5.5 U/g tissue). Additionally, qualitative phytochemicals analysis showed that MMCL contained gallic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, and genistein. Discussion and conclusions: MMCL ability to attenuate CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxicity could be helpful in the development of hepatoprotective agents with fewer side effects.