Assay for lipid peroxides in animal tissues by thiobarbituric acid reaction

Withania somnifera, commonly known as Ashwagandha, is an important medicinal plant that has been used in Ayurvedic and indigenous medicine for over 3,000 years. In view of its varied therapeutic potential, it has also been the subject of considerable modern scientific attention. The major chemical constituents of the Withania genus, the withanolides, are a group of naturally occurring C28-steroidal lactone triterpenoids built on an intact or rearranged ergostane framework, in which C-22 and C-26 are appropriately oxidized to form a six-membered lactone ring. In recent years, numerous pharmacological investigations have been carried out into the components of W. somnifera extracts. We present here an overview of the chemical structures of triterpenoid components and their biological activity, focusing on two novel activities, tumor inhibition and antiangiogenic properties of withaferin A and the effects of withanolide A on Alzheimer's disease. The most recent attempts in biotechnological production of withanolides are also discussed.

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Steroidal lactones from Withania somnifera, an ancient plant for novel medicine.

Factors influencing behavior in the forced swim test.

Review on plants with CNS-effects used in traditional South African medicine against mental diseases.

The molecular mechanisms at the origin of eating disorders (EDs), including anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia and binge-eating disorder (BED), are currently unknown. Previous data indicated that immunoglobulins (Igs) or autoantibodies (auto-Abs) reactive with α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) are involved in regulation of feeding and emotion; however, the origin of such auto-Abs is unknown. Here, using proteomics, we identified ClpB heat-shock disaggregation chaperone protein of commensal gut bacteria Escherichia coli as a conformational antigen mimetic of α-MSH. We show that ClpB-immunized mice produce anti-ClpB IgG crossreactive with α-MSH, influencing food intake, body weight, anxiety and melanocortin receptor 4 signaling. Furthermore, chronic intragastric delivery of E. coli in mice decreased food intake and stimulated formation of ClpB- and α-MSH-reactive antibodies, while ClpB-deficient E. coli did not affect food intake or antibody levels. Finally, we show that plasma levels of anti-ClpB IgG crossreactive with α-MSH are increased in patients with AN, bulimia and BED, and that the ED Inventory-2 scores in ED patients correlate with anti-ClpB IgG and IgM, which is similar to our previous findings for α-MSH auto-Abs. In conclusion, this work shows that the bacterial ClpB protein, which is present in several commensal and pathogenic microorganisms, can be responsible for the production of auto-Abs crossreactive with α-MSH, associated with altered feeding and emotion in humans with ED. Our data suggest that ClpB-expressing gut microorganisms might be involved in the etiology of EDs.

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Bacterial ClpB heat-shock protein, an antigen-mimetic of the anorexigenic peptide α-MSH, at the origin of eating disorders

Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review

Involvement of α-MSH in the social isolation induced anxiety-and depression-like behaviors in rat

N-acetylcysteine attenuates neuroinflammation associated depressive behavior induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress in rat

Protective effect of Convolvulus pluricaulis against neuroinflammation associated depressive behavior induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress in rat.

Hypericum perforatum L. is an ethnomedicine with a popular remedial legacy; especially of antidepressant and wound healing properties. Rigorous preclinical and clinical research conducted in last sesqui-decade has revealed newer facets of its therapeutic activities against psychiatric, metabolic and neoplastic disorders. Most of such curative effects are imparted synergistically by hypericin, hyperforin and flavonoids; but their action mechanisms remain ambiguous. Concomitant administration of St. John’s Wort formulation and cytochrome P450 substrate drug is limited by the episodes of herb–drug interactions; nevertheless, adverse drug reaction rate of H. perforatum remains only 2%. In present review, we aim to highlight the ‘evidence-based’ therapeutic potential of aforementioned phytopharmaceutical, which would accelerate the contemporary pharmaceutical development of this traditional phytomedicine.

Girdhari Lal Gupta

Papers

Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review

Involvement of α-MSH in the social isolation induced anxiety-and depression-like behaviors in rat

N-acetylcysteine attenuates neuroinflammation associated depressive behavior induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress in rat

Protective effect of Convolvulus pluricaulis against neuroinflammation associated depressive behavior induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress in rat.

A current update on phytochemistry, pharmacology and herb–drug interactions of Hypericum perforatum