Journal de pharmacognosie et de produits naturels

The knowledge base of pharmacy medicine is changing. Even five decades ago rural people used to visit kobiraj doctors for traditional medication mostly obtained from the roots and leaves of the remote plants (As seen in old dramas and movies). During 1970 to 1980, a modern allopathy system taken over most of it and plant medicines were completely became obsolete. Even talking about those medicines means people are looking at you saying “what old age are you living?”. Interestingly the same concept is back in the name of modern herbal medicine, anybody will be surprised to know that the sales volume of herbal medicines jumped to take over 10 billion in 2010 against take over 10 million in 1980 in Bangladesh. In the language of the philosophers it is “the Circle of Life”. Of course, there's no denying the effectiveness of modern medicine. The drugs used in modern medicine are powerful but quite often; the risks with these drugs are also high.

Mycobacterium bovis is the causative agent for tuberculosis disease. This Mycobacterium has an ability to become dormant. Isolation and characterization of bioactive compounds from Indonesian’s Marine Sponge Xestospongia muta, Clathria sp., and Endectyon delaubenfelsi have been done on May 2018. Bioactive compound was isolated based on bioassay-guided separation. The results of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration showed cytotoxic from Xestospongia muta is 0.4 μg/mL, Clathria sp. is 0.5 μg/mL, and Endectyon delaubenfelsi is 0.8 μg/mL. Interpretation of FTIR spectrum showed that the active compound from Xestospongia muta has O-H alcohol functional group at 3435 to 56 cm-1 with the fingerprint region of C-O alcohol functional group at 1342 to 24 cm-1. The C≡N imine functional group was detected at 2365 to 28 cm-1 with fingerprint region of C-N imine at 1637 to 27 cm-1 indicate that the active compound as alkaloid. Based on MIC50 indicate that MIC50 from Xestospongia muta has the highest activity against Mycobacterium bovis.

In this study, the crude, defatted extracts and the pure isolated xanthone (1,8-dihydroxy-2,5-dimethoxyxanthone) were screened in vitro for cytotoxicity activities, the xanthone was isolated from the defatted fraction of the aqueous methanolic stem-bark extract. The cytotoxic activity was evaluated using the brine shrimp lethality test of stem bark extract and the isolated compound, 1,8-dihydroxy-2,5-dimethoxyxanthone gave LC50 values less than 200 μg/mL, indicating a high pharmacological potential and could serve as anticancer agent.

Present study was aimed to investigate the in-vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and in-vivo nephroprotective activity novel herbal extracts. Initially the test extracts were evaluated for antioxidant potential by performing the DPPH assay. Few extracts displayed potent antioxidant activity by DPPH free radical scavenging activity. Among all the extracts Methanolic extracts of Diospyros melanoxylon was found to be more potent for antioxidant potential. Presence of phenols and flavonoid in the test extracts might be contributed to their potent antioxidant activity. The test extracts were also evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity by carrageenan induced paw edema model. RX- has shown moderate anti-inflammatory activity. Based on preliminary in-vitro antioxidant activity results Diospyros melanoxylon was selected for further to evaluate Nephro-protective activity against Potassium dichromate induced model. Acute oral toxicity test was performed to find out the safe dose of test extract before going to in vivo evaluation (Potassium Dichromate induced nephrotoxicity). Acute toxicity study of test extract was conducted in wistar rats to find the Maximum tolerated dose. The test extract did not show any toxicity and mortality symptoms during the study at the different doses studied. The Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of the test extract was found to be >2000 mg/kg in rats.

In-vivo nephroprotective activity was conducted in wistar rats by Potassium dichromate-induced nephrotoxicity model. During the study period test extract (250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg) were administered by oral route for the period of 7 days followed by potassium dichromate administration (15 mg/kg). At the end of the study blood samples were collected and used for estimation of kidney biochemical parameters. Results showed that significant increase was observed in biochemical parameters (BUN, CR) in PDC group compared to vehicle control. The test extract displayed significant reduction in blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine at the dose of 500 mg/kg. Kidney tissue samples were collected on termination day of all rats and subjected for measurement of antioxidant enzymes and lipid Peroxidation to check the organ toxicity. Significant increase in lipid Peroxidation and decrease in antioxidant enzyme levels were observed in PDC control whereas test extract prevented the kidney toxicity by decreasing TBARS production and normalization of antioxidant defense enzymes at the doses studied. Gain in body weight and organ weight compared to PD control also revealed the Nephroprotective effect of D. melanoxylon extract at both the doses. All the data showed that both biochemical antioxidant parameters correlated together and supported the protective effect of the Herbal extract (D. melanoxylon) against potassium dichromate induced nephrotoxicity.