Fractionation Of Aqueous Extract Research Articles

Isolation and Identification of Flavonoids Components from Trichilia emetica Whole Seeds

Five known flavonoids were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of aqueous extract of T. emetica whole seeds. On the basis of 1D and 2D-NMR experiments and MS data analyses, these compounds were identified as naringenin (B), taxifolin 4’-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (C), elephantorrhizol (D), catechin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (E) and eriodictyol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (F). DPPH radical scavenging activity was used to estimate the antioxidant capacity of each of these compounds. The result shows that elephantorrhizol has stronger DPPH scavenging activity than other isolated flavonoids.

In-vitro and in-vivo determination of hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (hrsa) of fractions of aqueous extract of moringa oleifera leaves (aemol)

In-vitro and in-vivo determination of hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (hrsa) of fractions of aqueous extract of moringa oleifera leaves (aemol)

Antioxidant defense system induced by cysteine-stabilized peptide fraction of aqueous extract of Morinda lucida leaf in selected tissues of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice

ObjectiveThis study evaluated the responses of some antioxidant parameters in selected tissues of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice treated with cysteine-stabilized peptide fraction (CSPF) of aqueous extract of Morinda lucida leaf. MethodsFifty-six mice were randomly divided into seven groups. Group A (normal control) was uninfected and received 5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Mice in Groups B (negative control), C, D, E and F were inoculated with P. berghei NK65 and were administered with 5% DMSO and 15.63, 31.25, 61.5 and 125 mg/kg body weight of CSPF respectively. Group G animals, were also inoculated with P. berghei NK65, and received 20 mg/kg body weight of chloroquine. The administration lasted for three days, after which malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and various antioxidant parameters in selected tissues of mice were determined on days 4 and 8 post-inoculation. ResultsThe results revealed that MDA concentration was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the tissues of the negative control and chloroquine-treated groups. The increased MDA concentration was reduced by CSPF in a dose-dependent manner, which was significant (P < 0.05) at higher doses. The activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione-S-transferase and the concentration of reduced glutathione were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in the tissues of the negative control animals compared to the normal controls. This observed reduction in the negative control animals was reverted in a dose-dependent manner in infected animals given CSPF, even to the range of the normal controls at highest dose, as did chloroquine. ConclusionThe results suggest that CSPF of M. lucida leaf extract may induce the antioxidant defense system in vivo against Plasmodium species infection.

Evaluation of iron chelating and antioxidant potential of Epilobium hirsutum for the management of iron overload disease.

The present study deals with the investigation of iron chelating and antioxidant potential of Epilobium hirsutum in iron-overloaded rats. Iron overload was induced by 6 IP injections of Iron dextran (12.5mg/100g) administered uniformly over a period of 30 days. Different fractions of E. hirsutum were given orally and deferoxamine (DFO) subcutaneously for 30 days. The extent of iron chelation and various biochemical parameters were estimated on 15th and 30th day of treatment. In-vitro study was assessed by EDTA and DFO method; the results exhibited a dose-dependant iron chelation. The methanolic fraction of methanolic extract (MFME) and methanolic fraction of aqueous extract (MFAE) of E. hirsutum showed significant (p<0.01) iron chelating and antioxidant potential as compared to disease control (DC) rats. The animals treated with MFME and MFAE of E. hirsutum showed significant (p<0.01) vital organ protection as compared to DC rats. The animals treated for longer duration (30th day) reveals better iron chelation potential than shorter ones (15th day). Superior iron chelation was seen at higher dose (300mg/kg) as compared to lower dose (150mg/kg). Taken into an account, our result reveals the reversible iron chelating and antioxidant ability of E. hirsutum and gives some evidence for its possible mechanism via excretion of iron in urine and feces.

Investigation into Iron Chelating and Antioxidant Potential of Melilotus officinalis in Iron Dextran Induced Iron Overloaded Sprague Dawley Rat Model.

Excess of iron leads to generates free radicals, causes organ damage. Melilotus officinalis (Fabaceae) reported to have various pharmacological activities. It contains flavonoids and phenolic compounds which have iron chelating and antioxidant property. Hence, present study was designed to investigate the beneficial effects of different fractions of M. officinalis for the management of iron overload disease and its complications. Iron overload was induced by 6 IP injections of iron dextran (12.5 mg/100 g) uniformly distributed over the period of 30 days. The different fractions of M. officinalis were given orally and Deferoxamine (DFO) subcutaneously for 30 days. The iron chelating and various biochemical parameters were estimated on 15th and 30th day. The different fractions of M. officinalis demonstrated dose dependant in-vitro iron chelating ability. There were significant (P<0.01) iron chelating potential shows in rats treated with methanolic fraction of methanolic extract (MFME) and methanolic fraction of aqueous extract (MFAE) of M. officinalis as compared to disease control (DC) rats. The rats treated with MFME and MFAE of M. officinalis shows significant (P<0.01) antioxidant and vital organ protective effect as compared to DC rats. Better iron chelation was observed on 30th day and at higher dose (300 mg/kg) as compared to 15th day and at lower dose (150 mg/kg). The present study concludes that MFME and MFAE of M. officinalis have reversible iron chelating and antioxidant potential in rats. The study also proves the possible mechanism of action, as an iron chelator by increasing the excretion of iron in urine and feces.

Kinetic of α-Amylase and Comparison its Inhibition by Ethanol and Aqueous Extracts of Otostegia persica, Salvia mirzayanii and Zataria multiflora

Three plants namely, Otostegia persica, Salvia mirzayanii and Zataria multiflora are used as antidiabetic agents in the traditional medicine of Hormozgan and Fars provinces, Iran. In this study, the inhibition of α-amylase by the ethanol extracts and fractions of aqueous extracts of these plants was investigated. To measure the enzyme inhibition, 5 and 20 mg/mL of the extracts, and to measure kinetic properties of the enzyme, 5 mg/mL of the extracts, were incubated with 0.5 % of starch (as substrate) and 20 µL of the enzyme. Kinetics studies of α-amylase showed that Km of the enzyme in Otostegia persica and Salvia mirzayanii in comparison with different concentrations of acarbose (0.5, 1 and 2 µM), increased and decreased, respectively. Km of the enzyme in the presence of Zataria multiflora in comparison with 2 µM of acarbose increased and in comparison with the other concentrations of acarbose (0.5 and 1 µM), it decreased. The inhibition of α-amylase by Otostegia persica, Salvia mirzayanii and Zataria multiflora was competitive, mixed and noncompetitive, respectively. The inhibition of α-amylase by acarbose was noncompetitive. Ethanol extracts of Otostegia persica (96.7 ± 1.05 %) and Zataria multiflora (59 ± 6.8 %), and water–methanol fractions of Salvia mirzayanii (94.8 ± 2.5 %) and Zataria multiflora (93.4 ± 2.2 %) had significant inhibitory effects on α-amylase, respectively.

In vitro antioxidant, immunomodulatory and anticancer activities of two fractions of aqueous extract from Helicteres angustifolia L. root

Helicteres angustifolia L. (H. angustifolia) has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine system to treat a variety of diseases including cancer. In order to characterize the bioactivities of H. angustifolia, we first obtained the aqueous root extract (ARE) which was then further partitioned into two fractions, namely ethanol fraction (EF) and water fraction (WF), and their antioxidant, immunomodulatory and anticancer activities were evaluated respectively. Results indicated that both EF and WF possessed strong antioxidant activities, and EF was the major component to exhibit the cytotoxic activity in ARE with IC50 values of (33.98 ± 1.58) and (35.56 ± 0.42) µg/ml against human lung cancer cell lines A549 and H1299 for 72 h treatment, respectively. As for immunomodulatory activities, WF was shown to stimulate the proliferation of macrophages (292.76 ± 31.42%) and phagocytic activity at 12.5 µg/ml, and increase the production of nitric oxide. Furthermore, WF was also observed to significantly mitigate doxorubicin (DOX) induced toxicity (from 18.42% to 63.63%) and apoptosis (from 90.8% to 57.5%) at 100 µg/ml, respectively. The above findings highlight the functional characteristics of WF and EF in their contribution to the anticancer activities of ARE, which also provides important scientific evidence for developing ARE as a potent anticancer reagent.

Antimalarial activity of fractions of aqueous extract of Acacia nilotica root.

Background:The problem of resistance of malarial parasites to available antimalarial drugs makes the development of new drugs imperative, with natural plant products providing an alternative source for discovering new drugs.Aim:To evaluate the antimalarial activity of eluted fractions of Acacia nilotica root extract and determine the phytochemicals responsible for its antimalarial activity.Materials and Methods:The extract was eluted successively in gradients of solvent mixture (hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol) in multiples of 100 ml, and each fraction was collected separately. Eluates that showed similar thin layer chromatographic profiles and Rf values were combined to produce 4 main fractions (F-1, F-2, F-3, and F-4), which were tested separately for antimalarial activity using the curative test. Changes in body weight, temperature, and packed cell volume (PCV) were also recorded.Results:Fraction F-1 of A. nilotica at 50 and 100 mg/kg b/w produced significant and dose-dependent reduction in parasite count in Plasmodium berghei infected mice compared to the control, and also significantly increased the survival time of the mice compared to the control group. This fraction also ameliorated the malaria-induced anemia by improving PCV in treated mice.Conclusion:Antimalarial activity of extract of A. nilotica root is probably localized in the F-1 fraction of the extract, which was found to be rich in alkaloids and phenolics. Further study will provide information on the chemical properties of the active metabolites in this fraction.

Antibacterial efficacy of ethyl acetate fraction of Psidium guajava leaf aqueous extract on experimental Escherichia coli (O78) infection in chickens

Aim:This study was desingned to examine the efficacy of ethyl acetate fraction of aqueous extracted Psidium guajava leaves on chicks experimentally-infected with diarrheagenic strain of Escherichia coli O78.Methods:A total of 60 ISA brown male chicks were randomly divided into 6 Groups of ten chicks each in separate cages. Group A was not infected and not treated. Groups B, C and D were infected and treated with extracts at a dose of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg respectively for 10 days. Group E was infected and treated with oxytetracycline while Group F was infected, but left untreated. Chicks from all groups were closely monitored for clinical signs, body weight change and fecal bacterial shedding load during the course of the experiment.Results:Diarrhea, vents pasted with feces, drop in feed intake accompanied by slow weight gain and decreased activity was observed in infected untreated groups. Groups treated with graded doses of the extract experienced a dose-dependent decreased in severity of the clinical signs shown compared to the infected untreated group. Bacterial shedding load was found to be lower in groups treated with the extract and oxytetracycline than those without intervention.Conclusion:Ethyl acetate soluble fraction of leaf extract of Psidium guajava effectively controlled diarrhea and decreased the severity of other clinical signs caused by experimental E. coli infections in chicks.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of the aqueous extract and polysaccharide fraction from brown marine macroalgae Padina sp. from Gulf of Mannar of Peninsular India

Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of the aqueous extract and polysaccharide fraction from two brown marine macroalga, Padina gymnospora (P. gymnospora) and Padina tetrastomatica (P. tetrastomatica) harvested from Gulf of Mannar of peninsular India. Methods: The antioxidant activity was evaluated using different in vitro systems, viz., 1,1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2′-azino-bis-3ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulfonic acid diammonium salt (ABTS), H2O2/ HO. radical scavenging, Fe2+ ion chelating ability, and reducing potential. Folin–Ciocalteu method was used to determine the total phenolic content, and the results were expressed as mg of gallic acid equivalents (GE). Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance formation inhibition assay was employed to assess the ability of the samples to inhibit lipid oxidation in a model system. COXII and LOXV inhibition assays were employed to assess the anti-inflammatory potential of aqueous extract and polysaccharide fraction. Results: The aqueous extract fraction of P. tetrastomatica realized high total phenolic content (288 mg GE/g), and its activity towards scavenging short-lived radicals (OH. and H2O2) (27.8% and 68.3%, respectively; 0.6 mg/mL) are higher than those registered for Padina gymnospora. Aqueous extract and polysaccharide fractions of P. gymnospora showed higher anti-inflammatory activities against LOXV (56% and 53%, respectively) and COXII (30% and 35%, respectively; 1 mg/mL) enzymes. The correlation studies confirmed that polysaccharides present with the Padina sp. are responsible for their anti-inflammatory potential. IR spectral data of polysaccharide fraction revealed the presence of polysaccharide in alginate for

Both plants Sebastiania chamaelea from Niger and Chrozophora senegalensis from Senegal used in African traditional medicine in malaria treatment share a same active principle

Ethnopharmacological relevanceBased on ethnobotanical data obtained from Nigerien and Senegalese traditional healers, two Euphorbiaceae plants, Sebastiania chamaelea and Chrozophora senegalensis, traditionally used to treat malaria, were selected for further investigations. Materials and methodsPlant extracts were prepared with different solvents and tested both in vitro on several strains of Plasmodium falciparum, and in vivo to evaluate their antiplasmodial properties and isolate their active principles. ResultsWith IC50 values around 6.5µg/ml and no significant cytotoxicity (>50µg/ml), the whole plant aqueous extract from S. chamaelea showed the best in vitro results. In vitro potentiation assays showed strong synergistic activity of S. chamaelea extract with the antiplasmodial drug chloroquine on the chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum strain W2-Indochina. In other respects, the aqueous crude extract of C. senegalensis leaves showed the most significant antiplasmodial activity in vitro (IC50 values less than 2µg/ml). We also demonstrated the prophylactic activity of C. senegalensis in vivo in a murine malaria model. Bioassay-guided fractionation of aqueous extracts of these plants enabled the isolation and identification of ellagic acid (EA, 1) as the main compound responsible for their antiplasmodial activity. Together with EA, other derivatives belonging to different chemical groups were isolated but showed moderate antimalarial activity: gallic acid (2), brevifolin carboxylic acid (3), protocatechuic acid (4), corillagin (5), rutin (6) and 3,4,8,9,10-pentahydroxy-dibenzo(b,d)pyran-6-one (7). The structures were determined by the usual spectroscopic methods and by comparison with published data. Furthermore, we report here the quantification of compound 1 (EA) by RP-HPLC in the dried extracts of these plants, reported for the first time in both these species, and possessing the highest in vitro antiplasmodial activity with IC50 values from 180 to 330nm. ConclusionsThese in vitro and in vivo results support the traditional use in Africa of crude extracts of both S. chamaelea and C. senegalensis as an antimalarial treatment and prove the significant antiplasmodial property of EA.

Evaluation of Bamboo Shoot Peptide Preparation with Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitory and Antioxidant Abilities from Byproducts of Canned Bamboo Shoots

In this paper, aqueous extract fractions from byproducts of the processing of canned bamboo shoots, including boiled water, filled liquid, and squeezed juice, were obtained by 5 kDa molecular cutoff membranes and marcoporous resin DA201-C treatment. The enriched bamboo shoot angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide preparation fraction (called BSP for short) was extracted with ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The ethyl acetate fraction and n-butanol fraction exhibited higher antioxidant capacities than the leaving water fraction (BSML), which was attributed to the higher phenolic acid and flavonoid content of both fractions, while BSML exhibited the strongest ACE inhibitory activity. Sephadex G-15 gel filtration and semipreparative high-performance liquid chromatography were used for further purification of bamboo shoot ACE inhibitory peptide from BSML. Asp-Tyr was identified as the key active component by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. A short-term antihypertensive assay stated that both Asp-Tyr [10 mg day(-1) (kg of body weight)(-1)] and BSP [50 mg day(-1) (kg of body weight)(-1)] could significantly reduce the systolic blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (3-6 h). This study provides further examples of utilization of byproducts from the processing of canned bamboo shoots for the prevention of hypertension and attenuation of oxidative stress.

Antibacterial and anti‐proliferative activity of Isolated Fractions of Aqueous extract from the rhubarb stem

Medicinal uses of rhubarb roots have often been reported. The aim of this current research is to evaluate the anti‐bacterial and anti‐proliferative effects of the rhubarb stem. Aqueous extract from rhubarb stem was fractionated using DEAE Sephadex (anion exchange) followed by Sephadex G25 (gel filtration). Fractions were monitored by assaying for their antibacterial activity on the periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The fraction from gel filtration column having antibacterial activity was used for further studies. Purity of the active compound was confirmed by the presence of a single major peak in HPLC. The purified active compound was found to have broad spectrum antibacterial activity. It inhibited growth of the Gram negative bacteria, E. coli and A. actinomycetemcomitans as well as the Gram positive bacteria, B subtilis. Its anti‐proliferative activity was tested on the breast cancer cell line, MCF‐7. It was observed that proliferation of the tumor cells was inhibited by 60 % while the cell viability was not affected. The purified compound was partially characterized based on its 1H and 13C NMR spectra. Preliminary analysis indicated that this compound is carbohydrate but the exact identity of the sugar has not yet been determined. This research helped to discover a compound in rhubarb stem that has antibacterial and anti‐tumor activity but very little cytotoxic effect. This research was supported by the Long Island University Intramural Research Support Program.

HPTLC profile of aqueous extract of different chromatographic fractions of Aloe barbadensis Miller

ObjectiveTo establish the fingerprint profile of Aloe barbadensis Miller by using High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) technique. MethodsAfter optimization of solvent system by Thin Layer Chromatography, different fractions of aqueous extract of Aloe was collected by column chromatography and the fingerprinting was done by High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) ResultsSolvent system of methanol:chloroform: 1:1 was found appropriate for fractionation by column chromatography. Total seven fractions were collected and they were analysed by HPTLC. Distinct spectra of different constituents were obtained for each fraction. ConclusionsHPTLC fingerprinting of Aloe barbadensis Miller may be useful in characterization of different phytochemicals found in this species. It may also be useful in differentiating the species from the adulterant and act as a biochemical marker for this medicinally important plant in the pharmaceutical industry.

Evaluation of the Immunomodulatory Activities for Ethyl Acetate Fraction of Cynodon dactylon in Balb/c mice

The immunomodulatory properties of ethyl acetate fraction of aqueous extract of Cynodon dactylon have been investigated in experimental animal as Balb/c mice. In this present study, Balb/c male mice of 5-7 weeks old (20-25g) were maintained under standard laboratory conditions (temperature 25 ± 2°C) with dark/light cycle (14/10h). The mice were acclimatized to laboratory conditions for 15 days before the commencement of the experiments. The mice were divided into two groups and each group containing 6 mice. The present investigation has revealed that pyrogallol at 50 mg/kg body weight, produced significant impairment of humoral as well as cell-mediated immune responses. It was observed that daily treatment of 70ul of ethyl acetate fraction of Cynodon dactylon 34.3ug polyphenols significantly prevented the immunosuppression caused by pyrogallol. This result suggested that the immunomodulatory effect of ethyl acetate fraction of Cynodon dactylon can be screened by the method in which the immunosuppression was induced by pyrogallol. Hence, we expect that ethyl acetate fraction of aqueous extracts of Cynodon dactylon has strong utility in clinical practice as an effective immunostimulant.

Cytotoxic evaluation and induction of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in human leukaemia HL-60 cells by Carissa spinarum stem isolate

To evaluate Carissa spinarum stem isolate for its anti-cancer therapeutic potential. The n-butanol fraction of aqueous extract from Carissa spinarum stem was assessed for its cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activity. We report for the first time the anti-cancer potential of C. spinarum stem aqueous extract (CSE) and its n-butanol fraction (CSF). Both inhibited cell proliferation of various human cancer cell lines in which leukaemia HL-60 cells treated with CSF showed maximum growth inhibition having an inhibitory concentration (IC(50) ) value of 34.58±0.91 µg/ml. In addition, CSF induced concentration-dependent apoptosis in HL-60 cells as measured by various end-points (e.g. Annexin V binding, DNA laddering, apoptotic body formation and an increase in hypodiploid subG0 DNA content). Moreover, persistent levels of reactive oxygen species caused translocation of Bax to mitochondria and Bcl-2 degradation, which led to loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c to the cytosol. These events were associated with significant activation of caspase-3, caspase-6 and caspase-9 leading to poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. All the above parameters revealed that CSF induced apoptosis through the mitochondrial dependent pathway in HL-60 cells.

Antidiarrheal effect of fractions from stem bark of Thespesia populnea in rodents: Possible antimotility and antisecretory mechanisms

Objective To evaluate antidiarrheal activity of the fractions of aqueous extract from stem barks of Thespesia populnea (Malvaceae). Methods From the aqueous extract three fractions namely ethyl acetate fraction (EAF), methanolic fraction (MF) and residue fraction (RF) were made and studied for antidiarrheal activity. Antidiarrheal activity of the fractions were evaluated in castor oil induced diarrhea, prostaglandin E 2 (PG-E 2) induced diarrhea and charcoal meal test as in vivo models and the most potent fraction was further evaluated with in vitro models to determine the possible antimotility effect. Results In castor oil induced diarrhea model, the RF (10, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg, po.) and MF (100 mg/kg, po.) has significantly reduced the cumulative wet faecal mass, where as the EAF have not shown any significant antidiarrheal activity, RF was found to be more potent than MF. Based on these results and percentage yield, only RF was evaluated in PG-E 2 induced enteropooling and charcoal meal test. RF (10, 25 and 50 mg/kg) had shown significant inhibition of PG-E 2 induced secretions (antisecretory) and decreased the movement of charcoal in charcoal meal test indicating its antimotility activity. Furthermore, RF has showed significant inhibition of acetylcholine, histamine and BaCl 2 induced contractions on rat colon, guinea pig ileum and rabbit jejunum with EC 50 values of 241.7, 303.1 and 286.1 μg/mL, respectively indicating the antimotility effect of RF. The phytochemical analysis of RF showed presence of gums and mucilages and the possible mechanism may be the combination inhibition of elevated prostaglandin biosynthesis and reduced propulsive movement of the intestine. Conclusions RF possesses good antidiarrheal activity comparing with other two fractions and the possible mechanism thought to be associated with combination of antisecretory and antimolity.

Avaliação da atividade antimicrobiana de extratos de Dioclea grandiflora Mart. ex. Benth., Fabaceae

The species Dioclea grandifloraMart. ex. Benth., Fabaceae is a plant that belongs to the Fabaceae family, popularly known as mucuna-de-caroco and olho-de-boi. It can be found distributed in mountainous regions and in the scrub savanna of Brazil. The aqueous, ethanol and hydroalcoholic extracts of stem bark, root bark and leaves of D. grandifloraon concentration from 313 µg/mL to 10.000 µg/mL, were analyzed by the agar diffusion technique, front to twenty microorganisms, representatives of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeasts. The aqueous extract of stem bark, on concentration of 10.000 µg/mL, inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureuswith a 20 mm halo. Hydroalcoholic extract of stem bark only inhibited S. aureuswith a halo of 18 mm, while leaves extract inhibited the growth of two dermatophytes, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis. On the other hand, hydroalcoholic extract of root bark only inhibited M. caniswith a halo of 15 mm diameter. From the fractions of aqueous extract of leaves, only ethyl acetate inhibited the growth of Streptococcus epidermides, Candida albicans, T. mentagrophytese M. canis. For the ethanol extract of stem bark, the aqueous fraction inhibited S. epidermides and S. aureus.

Anticonvulsant Activity of Teucrium polium Against Seizure Induced by PTZ and MES in Mice.

Teucrium polium (Labiatae) is a plant that widely grows in Iran. Some of species of Teucrium are used for a considerable range of actions in traditional medicine and T. polium has frequently been used as anticonvulsant. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of T. polium ethanolic aqueous extracts and related fractions on seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and maximal electroshock stimulation (MES). Moreover, presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, tannins and flavonoid contents were evaluated. It was found that aqueous extract (ED50 = 22.4 mg/kg body weight) and related n-butanol fraction (ED50 = 12.6 mg/kg body weight) have antiseizure effects comparing to control groups. There was no difference between preventing of PTZ-induced death and MES-induced hindlimb tonic extension (HLTE) in ethanolic extract comparing to control groups. Our results showed that the amount of flavonoid quantity present in aqueous extract is higher than that of ethanolic extract. These data also showed that the quantity of the flavonoid in n-butanol fraction of aqueous extract is more than other fractions. In conclusion, it was realized that flavonoid rich extracts are more potent than other fractions in showing antiseizure effects.

Antidiabetic activity of extracts and fraction of Zizyphus mauritiana

Various extracts, petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, ethanol, aqueous, and crude aqueous, of fruits of Zizyphus mauritiana Lam. (Rhamnaceae) and the fractions of petroleum ether and aqueous extracts were tested for antihyperglycemic activity in glucose overloaded hyperglycemic rats. The effective antihyperglycemic extracts and fraction were tested for their hypoglycemic activity at two dose levels, 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively. To confirm their utility in a higher model, the effective extracts and fraction of Z. mauritiana were also subjected to an antidiabetic study in the alloxan-induced diabetic model at two dose levels, 200 and 400 mg/kg. The aqueous extract and the non-polysaccharide fraction of the aqueous extract of Z. mauritiana were found to exhibit significant antihyperglycemic and hypoglycemic activities. The petroleum ether extract was found to exhibit only an antihyperglycemic effect. Treatment of diabetic rats with petroleum ether extract, aqueous extract, and non-polysaccharide fraction of this plant restored the elevated biochemical parameters, glucose, urea, creatinine, serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride, HDL, LDL, hemoglobin, and glycosylated hemoglobin significantly to the near normal level. Comparatively, the non-polysaccharide fraction of the aqueous extract was found to be more effective, followed by the aqueous extract, and the petroleum ether extract. The activity of the non-polysaccharide fraction was comparable to that of the standard drug glibenclamide.