The present study has been designed to evaluate the liver protective and in-vivo antioxidant role of Ethanolic extract (EtAS) and Ethyl acetate extract (EAAS) of roots of Argyreia speciosa, an important 'rasayana' herb in Indian System of medicine, in CCl 4 -induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats. Animals were treated with EtAS and EAAS at doses of 200 mg and 400 mg / kg body weight p.o. along with CCl 4 (0.7 ml / kg in olive oil, 1:1 v/v i.p. on every alternate days) for seven days. Serum biochemical parameters such as SGOT, SGPT, ALP, cholesterol, total and direct bilirubin were determined. Antoixidant status in liver was determined by measuring the activities of Super oxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase and Peroxidase. Histopathological study of isolated liver specimens was also carried out to know the protection offered by the extracts. There was a significant rise in the levels of serum GOT, GPT, and ALP and other biochemical parameters, decrease in the levels of SOD, Catalase and Peroxidase after administration of CCl 4 . Suspensions of EtAS and EAAS (200 and 400 mg/ kg) successfully prevented the alterations of these effects in rats (p< 0.001). Histopathological examination demonstrated that CCl 4 treated group induces ballooning degeneration and centrilobular necrosis. Groups treated with EtAS and EAAS showed recovery on ballooning degeneration and centrlobular bridging necrosis was occasionally present. Data also showed that these extracts possessed strong antioxidant activity, and were comparable to Silymarin, a well known liver protecting herbal formulation.

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The objective of the present work to prepare Rutin-phospholipid complex (RPC), a phytoformulation and characterization, evaluation for its antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin induced diabetic model. Prepared RPC was characterized and screened for antidiabetic activity by OGTT in normoglycemic and diabetic rats for RT and RPC at different time intervals. Effect of RT and RPC (50 and 100 mg/kg b.w. p.o. respectively) in STZ induced diabetic rats for one day and fifteen days was studied. This is followed by estimation of Estimation of SG, and lipid parameters. Histopathology studies of pancreatic tissue and bioavailability studies of RT & RPC were also carried out. SEM data showed that RPC has irregular size vesicles consisting of phosphatidylcholine. RPC showed a single endothermal peak at 147.68°C in DSC studies. OH group has shifted to lower frequency in phytosome compared to rutin phospholipid in FTIR spectra. Treatment with RPC (50 and 100 mg/kg b.w. p.o.) significantly reduced the blood glucose levels and restored the altered lipid parameters as compared to RT. Histopathological studies revealed that RPC also restored back the size of pancreatic islets and maintained the normal β-cells. A higher serum concentration of RT (13.20 µg/mL) in RPC treated group was observed in bioavailability studies as compared to RT. RPC maintained effective concentration of rutin for a longer period in rat serum.

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SUMMARYEffect of ethanol (ASE) and water (ASW) extracts of Argyreia speciosa on blood glucose and lipid profile was investigated in normoglycemic and Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic animals. In oral glucose and sucrose tolerance test, treatment with ASE and ASW (100 and 200 mg/kg) and Glidenclamide (10 mg/kg) significantly improved the glucose and sucrose tolerance in normal animals. In addition, respective treatment for fifteen-day resulted in significant percentage reduction in serum glucose (SG) ie., 30.39% (lower dose of ASE) and 33.21% (higher dose of ASW). In standardized STZ (50 mg/kg, iv)-induced diabetic rats, a single dose of ASE and ASW treatment exhibited reduction in SG levels at different time intervals compared to basal levels. Administration of both the doses of ASE and ASW for fifteen-day days exhibited greater percentage reduction in glycemia (24.6%, 24.7%, 23.9% and 21.9% respectively) and also ameliorated restored to near normal value of all tested lipid parameters. Further, treatment also exhibited significantly improved glucose tolerance over the period of 120 min compared to diabetic control group. Eventhough treatment failed to increase serum insulin levels significantly but peripheral utilization of insulin was increased as evident by insulin tolerance test. Taken together, present study supports the traditional usage of title plant in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Phytomedicines, complex chemical mixtures prepared from plants, have been used for health maintenance since ancient times. But many phytomedicines are limited in their effectiveness because they are poorly absorbed when taken orally. The term "phyto" means plant while "some" means cell-like. Phytosomes are little cell like structure. This is advanced forms of herbal formulations which contains the bioactive phytoconsituents of herb extract surrounds and bound by a lipid. Most of the bioactive constituents of phytomedicines are water-soluble compounds like flavonoids, glycosides; terpenoids in which flavonoids are a major class of bioactive compounds possesses broad therapeutic activities. Because of water soluble herbal extract and lipophilic outer layer phytosomes shows better absorption and as a result produce better bioavailability and actions than the conventional herbal extracts containing dosage form. Phytosomes are produced by a process where by the standardized plant extract or its constituents are bound to phospholipids, mainly phosphatidylcholine producing a lipidcompatible molecular complex. This study reveals that phytosome exhibit better pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics profile than conventional herbal extracts.

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