Effect of extraction methods on yield, phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activity of Withania somnifera

Inflammation, although first characterized by Cornelius Celsus, a physician in first Century Rome, it was Rudolf Virchow, a German physician in nineteenth century who suggested a link between inflammation and cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, pulmonary diseases, neurological diseases and other chronic diseases. Extensive research within last three decades has confirmed these observations and identified the molecular basis for most chronic diseases and for the associated inflammation. The transcription factor, Nuclear Factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) that controls over 500 different gene products, has emerged as major mediator of inflammation. Thus agents that can inhibit NF-kappaB and diminish chronic inflammation have potential to prevent or delay the onset of the chronic diseases and further even treat them. In an attempt to identify novel anti-inflammatory agents which are safe and effective, in contrast to high throughput screen, we have turned to "reverse pharmacology" or "bed to benchside" approach. We found that Ayurveda, a science of long life, almost 6,000 years old, can serve as a "goldmine" for novel anti-inflammatory agents used for centuries to treat chronic diseases. The current review is an attempt to provide description of various Ayurvedic plants currently used for treatment, their active chemical components, and the inflammatory pathways that they inhibit.

Identification of Novel Anti-inflammatory Agents from Ayurvedic Medicine for Prevention of Chronic Diseases: “Reverse Pharmacology” and “Bedside to Bench” Approach

Diabetes mellitus is one of the major health problems in the world, the incidence and associated mortality are increasing. Inadequate regulation of the blood sugar imposes serious consequences for health. Conventional antidiabetic drugs are effective, however, also with unavoidable side effects. On the other hand, medicinal plants may act as an alternative source of antidiabetic agents. Examples of medicinal plants with antidiabetic potential are described, with focuses on preclinical and clinical studies. The beneficial potential of each plant matrix is given by the combined and concerted action of their profile of biologically active compounds.

https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/9/10/551/pdf

Antidiabetic Potential of Medicinal Plants and Their Active Components.

By enabling interactions to take place between the various cell populations which form the immune system, cytokines stand at a cross-road in the development of autoimmune phenomena. They also intervene in the activation of autoreactive cells and in the occurrence of the associated inflammatory processes. In some pathological situations they might be directly responsible for the loss of tolerance of the self by the immune system. A similar phenomenon is observed in immunotherapy with recumbent cytokines during which autoimmune manifestations are relatively frequent. Owing to our better knowledge of the role played by cytokines in the genesis and development of the autoimmune process, we can now understand better the mechanism of action of immunosuppressive drugs in autoimmune diseases. This knowledge also emphasizes the value of new pharmacological substances with a more finely targeted immunomodulator activity which are currently being evaluated in this type of diseases.

Cytokines and autoimmunity

Recent discovery of plant-derived anti-diabetic natural products

Withania somnifera is an important medicinal plant, which is used in traditional medicine to cure many diseases. Flavonoids were determined in the extracts of W. somnifera root (WSREt) and leaf (WSLEt). The amounts of total flavonoids found in WSREt and WSLEt were 530 and 520 mg/100 g dry weight (DW), respectively. Hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects of WSREt and WSLEt were also investigated in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. WSREt and WSLEt and the standard drug glibenclamide were orally administered daily to diabetic rats for eight weeks. After the treatment period, urine sugar, blood glucose, haemoglobin (Hb), glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C), liver glycogen, serum and tissues lipids, serum and tissues proteins, liver glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P) and serum enzymes like aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were determined. The levels of urine sugar, blood glucose, HbA1C, G6P, AST, ALT, ACP, ALP, serum lipids except high density lipoprotein-bound cholesterol (HDL-c) and tissues like liver, kidney and heart lipids were significantly (p < 0.05) increased, however Hb, total protein, albumin, albumin:globulin (A:G) ratio, tissues protein and glycogen were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Treatment of the diabetic rats with WSREt, WSLEt and glibenclamide restored the changes of the above parameters to their normal level after eight weeks of treatment, indicating that WSREt and WSLEt possess hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic activities in alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) rats.

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Hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects of Withania somnifera root and leaf extracts on alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Comparison between ethanolic and aqueous extracts from Chinese juniper berries for hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

The phenolic compounds and flavonoids were determined from the extracts of Withania somnifera root (WSREt) and leaf (WSLEt). The WSREt has 28.26 mg/g total phenolic compounds and 17.32 mg/g flavonoids, whereas WSLEt has 5.4 mg/g total phenolic compounds and 5.1 mg/g flavonoids. The WSREt, WSLEt and glibenclamide were orally administered daily to diabetic rats for 8 weeks. After the treatment, the levels of urine sugar, blood glucose, liver glycogen, and antioxidants like vitamin C and E in plasma and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and reduced glutathione (GSH) in liver, kidney and heart were determined. Diabetic rats showed a significant (p < 0.05) elevation in glucose and TBARS and a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in glycogen, vitamin C and E, SOD, CAT, GPx, GST, and GSH levels when compared to normal control rats. Administration of WSREt, WSLEt and glibenclamide to diabetic rats restored the levels to normal. In the light of aforesaid facts, it is suggested that the presence of phenolic compounds including flavonoids in W. somnifera root and leaf extracts and their antioxidant activity may play a vital role in reduction of blood glucose level in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Antioxidant Effect of Dietary Supplement Withania somnifera L. Reduce Blood Glucose Levels in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive pathogen that causes a wide range of infections in humans and animals. Bacterial ghosts are nonliving, empty cell envelopes and are well represented as novel vaccine candidates. In this study, we examined the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of S. aureus ghosts (SAGs) against a virulent challenge in rats. Nonliving SAGs were generated by using the MIC of sodium hydroxide. The formation of a transmembrane lysis tunnel structure in SAGs was visualized by scanning electron microscopy. To investigate these SAGs as a vaccine candidate, rats were divided into four groups, A (nonimmunized control), B (orally immunized), C (subcutaneously immunized), and D (intravenously immunized). The IgG antibody responses were significantly stronger in the SAG-immunized groups than in the nonimmunized control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, a significant increase in the populations of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells was observed in all three immunized groups (P < 0.05). We also found that serum bactericidal antibodies were significantly elicited in the SAG-immunized groups (P < 0.05). Most importantly, the bacterial loads in the immunized groups were significantly lower than those in the nonimmunized control group (P < 0.01). These results suggest that immunization with SAGs induces immune responses and provides protection against a virulent S. aureus challenge.

Generation of a Novel Staphylococcus aureus Ghost Vaccine and Examination of Its Immunogenicity against Virulent Challenge in Rats

Department of Plant Science and Technology, Sangmyung University, Choongnam 330-720, Korea(Received on October 25, 2011; Revised on December 6, 2011; Accepted on December 24, 2011)Efficacy of different control methods was evaluated fordisease management of tomato bacterial wilt caused byRalstonia solanacearum. All six chemical pesticidesapplied to the bacterial suspension showed in vitrobactericidal activities against R. solanacearum. Minimalinhibitory concentrations (MICs) of copper hydroxide(CH), copper hydroxide-oxadixyl mixture (CH+O), andcopper oxychloride-dithianon mixture (CO+D) wereall 200 µg/ml; MIC of copper oxychloride-kasugamycin(CO+K) mixture was 100 µg/ml; MICs of both strepto-mycin-validamycin (S+V) and oxine copper-polyoxine Bmixture (OC+PB) were 10 µg/ml. Among these chemicalpesticides, treatment of the detached tomato leaves withthe 5 pesticides (1 mg/ml), except for OC+PB delayedearly wilting symptom development caused by thebacterial inoculation (10

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Chang Won Choi

Papers

Hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects of Withania somnifera root and leaf extracts on alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Comparison between ethanolic and aqueous extracts from Chinese juniper berries for hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Antioxidant Effect of Dietary Supplement Withania somnifera L. Reduce Blood Glucose Levels in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Generation of a Novel Staphylococcus aureus Ghost Vaccine and Examination of Its Immunogenicity against Virulent Challenge in Rats

Chemical Pesticides and Plant Essential Oils for Disease Control of Tomato Bacterial Wilt