Journal of Natural Remedies

S. Sudha , S. Kumaresan , A. Amit , J. David , B. V. Venkataraman

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate anti-convulsant profile of different extracts of Centella asiatica and Bacopa monnieri in rats. Materials and methods: The effects of single oral administration of different preparations of C.asiatica and B.monnieri were evaluated for their anticonvulsant profile in the Maximal Electroshock Seizure (MES) in rats at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h after administration and Pentylene tetrazole (PTZ) test in mice and rats. The ED50 dose of Phenytoin (30 mg/kg) was used for comparison. Results: The crude drug of C.asiatica (500 mg/kg) showed mild to moderate anticonvulsant activity, from 1 h to 24 h. The methanolic extract of C.asiatica (CA-I) showed higher activity than the crude drug at 3 and 6 h, but there was no anti-convulsant activity at 1 h. The solubulised extract of C.asiatica (CA-II) (using Cresmer RH 40 and propylene glycol) at 500 and 1000 mg/kg, also showed a similar profile of activity which was dose-dependent. The crude drug of B.monnieri (500 mg/kg) showed mild to moderate activity from 1 h to 6 h but there was no activity at 24 h. The methanolic extract of B.monnieri (BM-I) (which was later partitioned between butanol and water) showed a lesser degree of activity only at 3 h and 6 h. The solubilised extract of B.monnieri (BM-II) (500 mg/kg) showed mild to moderate activity at 3 h and 6 h with minimal activity at 24 h. At 1000 mg/kg, a comparatively higher degree of activity was seen at 1 h - 6h but not at 24 h. The activity of B.monnieri was almost equivalent to Phenytoin at 6 h. In the Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) chemoshock seizure test, no activity was detected for both plants (500 mg/kg). Conclusion: Overall, B.monnieri has a faster onset of action and time/dose responses were qualitatively similar to Phenytoin, while C.asiatica had quantitatively lesser activity but had a longer duration of action.

Keywords

Centella Asiatica, Bacopa Monnieri, Anti-convulsant Activity, Maximal Electroshock Seizure (MES), Pentylene Tetrazole. (PTZ)

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S. Sudha , R. Bindu , G. Joyce , A. Amit , B. V. Venkataraman

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine experimentally the pharmacological interaction of C.asiatica (CA) and B.monnieri (BM) with standard antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) such as Phenytoin (PHT), Phenobarbitone (PB) and Carbamazepine (CBZ) in rats. Methods: Adult, male Wistar rats were given either CA or BM (500 mg/kg) alone or in combination with one of the antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) at the ED₅₀ doses. The anticonvulsant activity was assessed by the classical Maximal Electro Shock (MES) test at 1, 3, 6 and 24 h after drug administration. Results: PHT and PB showed significant protection at 3 h (p < 0.05), whereas CBZ showed significant protection at 1, 3 and 6 h (p < 0.05). CA alone, showed protection from 1 - 24 h, with significant protection at 3 h (p < 0.05). When CA was combined with PHT, though seizure protection was seen, this effect was not statistically significant. When CA was combined with PB, the protective activity of PB declined from 50% to 0 % (p < 0.05) at 3 h. When CA was combined with CBZ, significant seizure protection was seen only at 1 and 3 h (p < 0.05). Similar to CA, the seizure protection of BM was significant only at 3h (p <0.05). In combination with AEDs significant seizure protection (p < 0.05) was observed - with PHT at 6 h, with PB at 3 h, and with CBZ, at 1, 3 and 6 h. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that herbal plant products such as CA and BM interact pharmacologically with standard AEDs and hence caution should be exercised to avoid any possible adverse interactions.

Keywords

Centella asiatica, Bacopa monnieri, Phenytoin, Phenobarbitone, Carbamazepine, Maximal Electroshock Test, Anticonvulsant Activity, Herb/Drug Interaction

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S. Nikhil , S. Sudha , B. Aruna , R. Amarjeeth , S. Guido , A. Amit

Abstract

Bacopa monnieri (B. monnieri) has been used for various therapeutic purposes in traditional medicine including treatment of constipation and stomach disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate and identify the fractions of B. monnieri extract with maximal laxative effect. Three different types of Bacopa fractions and one extract were prepared: Fraction 1 (non-polar fraction), Fraction 2 (approx. 60-70% bacosides containing fraction), Fraction 3 (polar fraction) and Extract 4 (40% bacosides containing extract). In Study 1, rats and mice were given p.o. different doses of the four different test substances (40, 120 and 500 mg/kg b. wt.). Vehicle, loperamide (5 mg/kg b. wt.) and castor oil (2 ml/rat and 0.4 ml/mouse) were used for comparison. The stools were observed and graded. Animals given vehicle were observed to have normal stools, while all animals showed diarrhea with castor oil and loperamide caused constipation. Significant diarrhea (p < 0.05) was observed in rats administered with Fraction 1 and 2 (100%, and 71% respectively) at a dose of 500 mg/kg. Diarrhea was observed in one mouse administered Fraction 1 at 500 mg/kg. In Study 2, when the four different test substances were given in combination with loperamide, Fraction 1 (500 mg/kg) resulted in non significant diarrhea in 29% of rats. Studies on the rate of small intestine propulsion in mice also indicate that Fraction 1 showed the maximal distance traversed by carbon black (p < 0.05). It could be noted here that Fraction 1 (non-polar fraction) exhibited the maximum diarrhea while Fraction 3 (polar fraction) exhibited no diarrhea.

Keywords

Bacopa Monnieri, Laxative Effect, Polar Fraction, Non Polar Fraction, Bacosides, Rats

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S. John , S. Nikhil , J. Yaswanth , A. Bhaskar , A. Amit , S. Sudha

Abstract

Different extracts of Curcuma longa, code named as PC/CL/SWP05, CL/111107506 and PT/0606188, each at three doses 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg were evaluated for their analgesic activity using different animal models of analgesia. PT/0606188 exhibited significant analgesic activity in the tail flick test at 400 mg/kg one hour after administration. CL/111107506 exhibited significant analgesic activity in the tail withdrawal test, one hour after administration at a dose of 100 mg/kg. All the three extracts significantly reduced the number of writhes in the acetic acid test except for PT/0606188 at a dose of 100 mg/kg. PC/CL/SWP05 demonstrated only peripheral analgesic activity while CL/ 111107506 and PT/0606188 demonstrated both central and peripheral analgesic activities.

Keywords

Curcuma Longa, Analgesic Activity, Mice

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