Speciosa Roots Research Articles

Augmentation of α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory properties of Callerya speciosa root extracts: An exploration through simulated human gastrointestinal digestion

The present work represents the first effort to evaluate the effect of an in vitro simulated human digestion model on the α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of Callerya speciosa root extracts. Through bioguided fractionation, a series of fractions were obtained from hexane (CSH) and ethyl acetate (CSE) extracts. Initial screening identified active fractions (CSH2, CSH3, CSE2, CSE3, and CSE4) for further in vitro digestion evaluation. The results showed a decrease in antioxidant activity across all samples after digestion, while a simultaneous increase in α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities was observed during the small intestinal phase. Notably, compared with the undigested fraction, CSE3 demonstrated a 1.7-fold increase in α-amylase inhibition (IC50 = 0.86 mg/mL). Moreover, the α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of CSH3, CSE3, and CSE4 were significantly greater after digestion, with IC50 values of 0.18, 0.05, and 0.02 mg/mL, respectively. Impressively, during the small intestinal phase, the α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of CSH3, CSE3, and CSE4 were substantially greater than those of acarbose by 13.2-, 47.6-, and 119.0-fold, respectively, and greater than those of palmitic acid by 1.7-, 6.0-, and 15.0-fold, respectively. GC-MS and LC-ESI-MS/MS analyses identified isoflavonoids, fatty acids, and triterpenoids as key bioactive compounds in these fractions. The present work provided foundational insights for the future exploration of C. speciosa root extracts for diabetes management.

ANTICALCIURIA EFFECT OF METHANOLIC ROOT EXTRACT OF LAGERSTROEMIA SPECIOSA (L). PERS (LYTHRACEAE) AGAINST HIGH PROTEIN DIET INGESTED IN ALBINO RATS

Nephrolithiasis, commonly known as kidney stone disease or urolithiasis, is a crystallopathy in which a solid mass forms in the urinary tract. The aim of the present research is to evaluate the way that albino rats administered with a high-protein diet, react to methanolic root extracts of Lagerstroemia speciosa anticalciuric properties. Medicinal plants are frequently utilised in folk medicine to treat a wide range of illnesses. Banaba is the common name for L. speciosa, a member of the Lythraceae family; Poomaruthu is its Tamil name. The test animals were given a diet high in protein and low in protein as well as 45 days of treatment with methanolic root extracts of L. speciosa. The experiment was scheduled with a sample collection, biochemical inquiries, and histopathological exams. The experiment had been scheduled with a sample collection, biochemical investigations, and histopathological evaluations. The biochemical data reveal that as compared to the control, III, and V groups, the low-protein diet groups II and IV had greater blood urea concentrations. The low-protein diet groups II and IV exhibited an increased blood creatinine concentration in contrast to the control, III, and V groups, while group V (H.P+MRE 500 mg/kg) demonstrated a nearly identical outcome to that of the control groups. L. speciosa root extracts in methanol are given to groups to control creatinine concentration. The normal control group's histopathological analysis revealed tubules with a single epithelial lining along the outermost layer that were normal in size.

Metabolomic profiling and antidiabetic activity of Callerya speciosa

Callerya speciosa is a perennial edible and medicinal plant belonging to the family Fabaceae. This study was to reveal the similarities and differences between phytochemicals in different parts of C. speciosa using a combination of ultra-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS), principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). In addition, the anti-diabetic activity of C. speciosa extracts was explored. A total of 141 compounds were identified and 34 robustly known chemical markers were marked. PCA and heat map analyses revealed that the stems, leaves and pods had similar phytochemical compounds, while compounds in roots and flowers differed from each other and from those in the above ground parts. In addition, extracts of C. speciosa roots and flowers exhibited anti-diabetic activity, which can be applied to the development of anti-diabetic drugs.

Cytotoxicity of Callerya speciosa Fractions against Myeloma and Lymphoma Cell Lines.

Callerya speciosa is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical countries and is traditionally used for preventing numerous disorders. In this study, a bioguided fractionation of ethyl acetate extract (SE) from C. speciosa root was carried out to target antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. Of the four fractions (SE1-SE4) obtained by column chromatography, SE4 had the strongest anti-radical ability in the DPPH and ABTS assays (IC50 = 0.05 and 0.17 mg/mL, respectively), with results close to butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a common antioxidant agent. The cytotoxic activities against the selected cells were analyzed in this study by MTT assay. Accordingly, SE2, SE3, and SE4 significantly inhibited the viability of multiple myeloma cell lines, comprising U266 (IC50 = 0.38, 0.09, and 0.11 mg/mL, respectively) and KMS11 (IC50 = 0.09, 0.17, and 0.15 mg/mL, respectively), mantle cell lymphoma Mino (IC50 = 0.08, 0.16, and 0.15 mg/mL, respectively), and the noncancerous cell line LCL (IC50 = 0.40, 0.32, and 0.21 mg/mL, respectively). At a concentration of 125 µg/mL, SE2, SE3, and SE4 induced the cell apoptosis of U266 (32.2%, 53.2%, and 55.6%, respectively), KMS11 (36.9%, 40.8%, and 47.9%, respectively), Mino (36.6%, 39.8%, and 22.0%, respectively), and LCL (12.4%, 17.5%, and 23.5%, respectively) via annexin V assay. The dominant compounds detected in fractions by high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS), were identified as isoflavones. This is the first report describing C. speciosa as a promising natural source of antileukemia and antimyeloma agents, which may be useful for the development of blood cancer treatments.

Polysaccharides from Callerya speciosa alleviate metabolic disorders and gut microbiota dysbiosis in diet-induced obese C57BL/6 mice.

Callerya speciosa ("Niu Dali" in Chinese) is a well-known edible plant in Southeast China. C. speciosa roots contain a high level of polysaccharides, which have been reported to show multiple health-promoting effects. In the current study, the anti-obesity effects of a crude extract of C. speciosa polysaccharides (NP) and its underlying mechanisms of action are investigated. C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups and fed either a standard diet or a high-fat diet (HFD). The HFD + NP group mice received oral administration of NP (100 mg per kg per day) every other day for 10 weeks. NP supplementation alleviated HFD-induced diabetic biomarkers including body weight gain, hyperlipidemia, liver steatosis, and adipocyte hypertrophy. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses revealed that NP inhibited hepatic de novo lipogenesis and adipogenesis (i.e. decreased expression of Srebp1c, Fas, Cebpα, and Pparγ), stimulated adipocyte lipolysis (enhanced mRNA expression of Hsl and Mgl), and attenuated HFD-induced hepatic inflammation (decreased expression of TNF-α and NF-κB p65). Furthermore, 16S rDNA and GC-MS analyses showed that NP supplementation restored the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes proportion, elevated colon-derived SCFAs, especially acetic acid content, and increased the relative abundance of genera associated with SCFA production in HFD-fed mice. Findings from this study suggest that NP alleviated HFD-induced obesity in a mouse model, which was possibly due to its ameliorative effects on diet-induced gut dysbiosis. Polysaccharides from C. speciosa are promising prebiotics and they may be further developed as functional foods for the management of obesity.

Flavonoids and steroids from roots of Millettia speciosa

Study on extracts of Millettia speciosa roots collected at Nghe An Province led to the isolation of two flavonoids, pterocarpine (1), quercetin-3-O-[-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(16)--D-glucopyranoside (2) and two steroids, -sitosterol (3), daucosterol (4). Their structure elucidation were determined on the basis of one and two-dimensional NMR and spectrometric methods in combination.

Metabolomic profiling of M. speciosa champ at different growth stages

Millettia speciosa Champ (M. speciosa) is an edible food and folk medicine and extracts from its roots exhibit a hepatoprotective effect. However, its metabolic growth process and the best harvest time have not been reported. This study systematically evaluated the metabolomic profiling of M. speciosa root extracts at different growth stages through the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and An orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). The results revealed there were significant differences among extracts from six ages of M. speciosa, and 110 compounds were identified. Pharmacological studies showed that 5-year and 20-year old M. speciosa roots may exhibit higher fat-lowering effects, while 5-year-old (M.s-5Y) showed better hepatoprotective activity in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) mice. Hence, our study suggested that M.s-5Y may have potent efficacy in ameliorating NAFLD, which might be useful in determining the optimum time to harvest M. speciosa.

Flavonoid-enriched extract from Millettia speciosa Champ prevents obesity by regulating thermogenesis and lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced obese C57BL/6 mice.

Millettia speciosa (M. speciosa) Champ is a medicinal and edible plant. The roots are rich in flavonoids, which possess multiple biological activities, including lipid‐lowering effects. This study aimed to explore the effect of flavonoid‐enriched extract from M. speciosa (FMS) on obesity. The UPLC‐Q‐TOF‐MS analysis and chromatographic analysis were adopted to identify flavonoid compounds in FMS. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed with a high‐fat diet for 3 months and were then treated with FMS (50 or 100 mg/kg/d) or Orlistat (10 mg kg−1 d−1) for another 8 weeks. A total of 35 flavonoids were identified in the extract of M. speciosa root. FMS reduced body weight gain, liver weight gain, white adipose tissue, lipid accumulation, and blood glucose. The levels of TG, ALT, AST, and inflammatory‐related adipokines (TNF‐α and IL‐6) in serum were also reduced by FMS. In addition, FMS promoted thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue and induced the activation of lipolysis, fatty acid oxidation, and oxidative phosphorylation in white adipose tissues. In summary, long‐term administration of FMS could ameliorate high‐fat diet–induced obesity by stimulating adipose thermogenesis and lipid metabolism.

Integrated phytochemistry, bio-functional potential and multivariate analysis of Tanacetum macrophyllum (Waldst. & Kit.) Sch.Bip. and Telekia speciosa (Schreb.) Baumg. (Asteraceae)

Asteraceae species Tanacetum macrophyllum (Walds. & Kit.) Sch.Bip. (Tm) and Telekia speciosa (Schreb.) Baumg. (Ts) are renowned for their ethnomedicinal use. This work aims to provide an in-depth characterization of the methanol-aqueous extracts from the flower heads, aerial parts and roots of the species. Annotation and dereplication of 113 secondary metabolites was achieved in the studied samples; 63 compounds are reported in the species for the first time. Herein, 38 acylquinic acids analogues, 31 flavonols and flavones, 17 sesquiterpene lactones together with phenylethanoid glycosides and sugar esters were evidenced in the assayed extracts. The principal component and heat-map analysis identified 20 marker metabolites that revealed herbal drug-specific chemical patterns: phenylethanoid glycosides, quinic, chlorogenic and 3-feruloyl-4-caffeoylquinic acid, patuletin, eupatorin, quercetagetin-trimethyl ether, artecalin and artemisiifolin had the highest contribution in variance. The esters of caffeic/ferulic acid-hexoside were exclusively produced by T. speciosa while methoxylated flavonoids were evidenced in T. macrophyllum. According to the multivariate analysis of biological potential, radical scavenging activity and reducing power accounted mostly for the stronger antioxidant capacity of Tm in comparison with Ts. Telekia specosa aerial parts and roots had marked impact on acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase (up to 4.82 ± 0.22 mg galantamine equivalent (GALAE)/g and 3.20 ± 0.30 mg GALAE/g, respectively) and tyrosinase (up to 119.00 ± 0.97 mg kojic acid equivalent/g) inhibition. Tanacetum macrophyllum aerial parts and flower heads were beneficial for attenuating carbohydrate metabolism disorders witnessed by α-glucosidase (1.45 ± 0.27 mmol acarbose equivalent (ACAE)/g) and α-amylase (0.65 ± 0.04 mmol ACAE/g) inhibitory activity. Tanacetum macrophyllum flower heads and T. speciosa roots can be recommended for production of raw material with antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory potential.

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT FROM THE ROOT OF ARGYREIA SPECIOSA AGAINST GLOBAL CEREBRAL ISCHEMIC REPERFUSION INJURY IN RATS

Cerebral stroke is the principal reason of death without effective treatment in the world and recognized as the common cause of disability. Argyreia speciosa (Linn.f.) (Convolvulaceae, Synonyms: Argyreia nervosa) is widely distributed plant species in India. It is commonly known as Elephant creeper and Vryddhadaru. A. speciosa is a very valuable plant in the Ayurvedic system. In 'Rasayan' drug it has been used for the treatment of various neurological diseases. Its root taste is bitter and having the multiple uses like as a brain tonic, nootropic, anti-anxiety and anticonvulsant activity. The current study, plan to investigate the neuroprotective effect of ethanolic extract of A. speciosa root (ASEE) in a validate rat model of stroke known as global cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury (GCIRI). We divided 36 male Wistar rats to six experimental groups (n= 6). The group-I considered as sham control (no GCIRI), Group-II saline treated GCIRI, Group-III, IV, and V received ASEE (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) for 7 days prior to the induction of GCIRI while Group-VI termed as standard and it received quercetin (20 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min prior induction of GCIRI. GCIRI produced the significant neurological deficit, sensorimotor dysfunction, decrease neurobehavioral parameters, increased cerebral infarction area and brain edema as compared with sham control rats. Seven days of pretreatment with ASEE markedly attenuates all the changes caused by GCIRI to the normal level. Our results proved that ASEE possess the protective effect on GCIRI induced stroke and aforementioned neuroprotection may be due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory property.
 Keywords: Brain stroke, BCCAO, Antioxidants, Neuroprotection, Argyreia speciosa

Hydroalcoholic extract of Argyreia speciosa roots ameliorates HCl-mediated acute lung injury in mice

Objective: Argyreia speciosa is a popular Indian medicinal plant. It has long been used in the traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicine for various diseases. The present work was designed to evaluate anti-inflammatory potential of hydroalcoholic extract of A. speciosa roots using mouse model of HCl-induced acute lung injury (ALI) by conducting a dose–response studies. Materials and Methods: The extract was given once orally at a dose of 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg b.wt. 90 min before HCl administration. Lung tissue of different group of mice was analyzed for the recruitment of inflammatory cells, redox status, and mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory genes to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of the extract. Results: Our results showed that the extract reduced HCl-induced lung inflammation in a dose-dependent manner. The neutrophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were almost completely abrogated at a dose of 100 mg/kg b.wt. The severe reduction in neutrophils was accompanied with reduced pulmonary edema as the total protein content in BALF was found to be decreased substantially. In addition, the extract prevented the HCl-mediated oxidative stress in lungs as reflected by the normalization of levels of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, redox status, and catalase activity. Extract seems to blunt the activity of redox-sensitive transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) as it suppressed the gene expression of ALI-linked pro-inflammatory cytokines, namely, interleukin-1 β and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Conclusion: Overall, our data provide evidence that cocktail of natural phytochemicals present in hydroalcoholic extract of A. speciosa protects against HCl-induced ALI in mice potentially by curbing oxidative stress and consequent activation of NF-κB in the tissue. Abbreviations used: ALI: Acute lung injury, BALF: Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, IL-1: Interleukin-I, TNF-a: Tumor necrosis factor-alfa, ROS: Reactive oxygen species, MDA: Malondialdehyde

Transcriptome Analysis of Storage Roots and Fibrous Roots of the Traditional Medicinal Herb Callerya speciosa (Champ.) ScHot.

Callerya speciosa (Champ.) ScHot is a woody perennial plant in Fabaceae, the roots of which are used medicinally. The storage roots of C. speciosa are derived from fibrous roots, but not all fibrous roots can develop into storage roots. To detect key genes involved in storage roots formation, we performed Illumina sequencing of the C. speciosa storage roots and fibrous roots. De novo assembly resulted in 161,926 unigenes, which were subsequently annotated by BLAST, GO and KEGG analyses. After expression profiling, 4538 differentially expressed genes were identified. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed changes in the biosynthesis of cytokinin, phenylpropanoid, starch, sucrose, flavone and other secondary metabolites. Transcription factor-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were also identified, including such gene families as GRAS, COL, MIKC, ERF, LBD, and NAC. The DEGs related to light signaling, starch, sugar, photohormones and cell wall-loosening might be involved in the formation of storage roots. This study provides the first transcriptome profiling of C. speciosa roots, data that will facilitate future research of root development and metabolites with medicinal value as well as the breeding of C. speciosa.

Comparative study of biological activities and multicomponent pattern of two wild Turkish species: Asphodeline anatolica and Potentilla speciosa

The multicomponent pattern and biological characterization of plant material are essential for pharmaceutical field, in the food supplements quality control procedures and to all plant-based products. These nutrients often show valuable effects related to their consumption due to the occurrence of secondary metabolites that show useful properties on health. In this framework, researches performed on this topic play a central role for human health and drug development process. The aim of this study was to compare phenolics and free anthraquinones multicomponent pattern of two wild Turkish species: Asphodeline anatolica and Potentilla speciosa using validated high-performance liquid chromatography–photogiode array (HPLC–PDA) assays, coupled to biological evaluation. Even if some variances related to biological and enzymatic inhibition activities can be ascribed to other phytochemicals, the reported data support traditional use of Asphodeline anatolica and Potentilla speciosa roots as valuable natural font for the development of novel natural-derived drug formulations and/or food supplements with health and nutritional benefits.

Analgesic and anti-diarrhoeal activities of Lagerstroemia speciosa roots in experimental animal model

The methanolic crude extract of Lagerstroemia speciosa roots was investigated for its possible analgesic and anti-diarrhoeal activities in experimental animal model. Phytochemical screening of the methanolic extract of L. speciosa roots showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins and reducing sugar. In acute toxicity study, no mortality or toxic reaction was recorded in animal model after administration of the L. speciosa roots extract. Analgesic activity was evaluated by using acetic acid induced writhing inhibition method in Swiss albino mice. In peripheral method of anti-nociception, the methanolic crude extract of L. speciosa roots showed significant analgesic activity. At the dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight, the extract produced 35.38% and 53.85% (P<0.001) of writhing inhibition, respectively compared to standard diclofenac sodium (70.77% inhibition). The extract had also anti-diarrhoeal activity in castor oil induced method and inhibited the mean number of defecation by 32.75% (P<0.01) and 51.72 % (P<0.001) at the dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The latent period for the extract treated group also increased significantly. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/dujps.v13i1.21860 Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 13(1): 57-62, 2014 (June)

Evaluation of Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Extract of Holoptelea Integrifolia and Argyreia Speciosa in Animal Models

Long term use of NSAIDs, opioids and corticosteroids was associated with serious adverse effects. Hence, the search for a safer analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent was always going on. It was considered worthwhile to evaluate analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of Holoptelea integrifolia and Argyreia speciosa. To evaluate analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous extract of leaves of Holoptelea Integrifolia and methanolic extract of Argyreia Speciosa root powder in mice and rats. After obtaining permission from animal ethics committee, the animals were divided into 7 groups of 6 animals each {control, standard - ibuprofen 100mg/kg, Holoptelea integrifolia (250 and 500 mg/kg), Argyreia speciosa (100 and 300 mg/kg) and combination of Holoptelea integrifolia (250 mg/kg) and Argyreia speciosa (100 mg/kg)}. The analgesic activity of the extracts was evaluated using tail-flick with radiant heat and acetic acid induced writhing method and the anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan induced paw oedema method. One-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc test. p < 0.05 was considered to be significant. In tail-flick method, both Holoptelea integrifolia and Argyreia speciosa produced significant (p<0.05) increase in latency as compared to control, their combination showed a significant increase in latency as compared to control as well as to the standard - ibuprofen. In writhing method, Holoptelea integrifolia and Argyreia speciosa, alone and in combination, significantly decreased the number of writhes as compared to control. In paw oedema method, both Holoptelea integrifolia and Argyreia speciosa showed significant inhibition of paw oedema as compared to control and the activity was comparable to ibuprofen. Extracts of Holoptelea integrifolia and Argyreia speciosa exhibits significant central and peripheral analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity.

Psychotropic activity of Argyreia speciosa roots in experimental animals

Argyreia speciosa (L.f.) Sweet (convolvulaceae) commonly known as Briddhadaraka is regarded as a “Rasayana” drug in the ayurvedic system of medicine to cure diseases of nervous system. In this study, hydroalcoholic root extract of A. speciosa was subjected to evaluate psychotropic effects in classical experimental models. Effect of the extract on spontaneous motor activity, pentobarbital-induced sleeping time, motor coordination, exploratory behavior, and apomorphine-induced stereotypy were investigated in mice. Effect of the extract on catalepsy and haloperidol-induced catalepsy were studied in rats. Preliminary phytochemical and acute toxicity screenings were also performed. The extract (100, 200, and 500 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly decreased spontaneous motor activity, exploratory behavior, and prolonged pentobarbital sleeping time in mice. The extract also remarkably attenuated the intensity of apomorphine-induced stereotypy but had no effect on motor coordination. The extract produced catalepsy and potentiated haloperidol-induced catalepsy in rats. These results provide evidence that the hydroalcoholic extract of A. speciosa roots may contain psychoactive substances that are sedative in nature with possible neuroleptic properties.

Compositional Variability in Essential Oil from Different Parts of Alpinia speciosa from India

The essential oils from the leaves, flowers and roots of cultivated Alpinia speciosa K. Schum. were examined by capillary GC and GC-MS. Monoterpenoids composed 89.6% of the total identified constituents of the leaf oil, out of which 59.3% were oxygenated, represented mainly by terpinen-4-ol (28.4%) and 1,8-cineole (19.2%). The flower and leaf oils had a uniform qualitative, but different quantitative composition. However, the flowers oil was also dominated by oxygenated monoterpenoids (68.9%) viz., terpinen-4-ol (26.0%), 1,8-cineole (24.4%) and linalool (6.1%), along with the monoterpene hydrocarbon, sabinene (11.3%). On the contrary, the root oil had an entirely different composition and was characterized by endo-fenchyl acetate (40.1%), 1,8-cineole (11.8%), camphene (7.8%), bornyl acetate (6.9%) and borneol (5.8%). Moreover, endo-fenchyl acetate, exo-fenchyl acetate and endo-fenchol were characteristic of only the A. speciosa root oil.

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of argyreia speciosa root

Objective:To study analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of a methanolic extract (ME) of Argyreia speciosa (AS) root powder.Materials and Methods:The study was carried out using male albino mice (20-25 gm) and male wistar rats (100-150gm). The ME was prepared using soxhlet extraction process. The effect of ME of A. speciosa was investigated for analgesic activity using acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction, tail immersion method and hot plate method. The anti-inflammatory activity of ME of AS roots was studied using carrageenan-induced rat paw edema.Result:The ME of A. speciosa root was used in pain and inflammation models. The analgesic activity of AS at the dose of (30,100, and 300 mg/kg p.o) showed significant (P<0.01) decrease in acetic acid-induced writhing, whereas ME of A. speciosa at the dose of (100, 300 mg/kg p.o) showed significant (P<0.01) increase in latency to tail flick in tail immersion method and elevated mean basal reaction time in hot plate method. The ME of the A. speciosa at doses (30, 100, and 300mg/kg) showed significant (P < 0.01) inhibition of carrageenan induced hind paw edema in rats.Conclusion:The ME of A. speciosa showed significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity in mice and rat.

Investigations into the immunomodulatory activity of Argyreia speciosa

The objective of the present study was to investigate the immunomodulatory activity of Argyreia speciosa on cellular and humoral immunity. Oral administration of the ethanolic extract of A. speciosa root (ASEE), at the doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg in mice, dose-dependently potentiated the delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction induced both by sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and oxazolone. It significantly enhanced the production of circulating antibody titre in mice in response to SRBC. ASEE failed to show any effect on macrophage phagocytosis. Chronic administration of ASEE significantly ameliorated the total white blood cell count and also restored the myelosuppressive effects induced by cyclophosphamide. The present investigation reveals that ASEE possesses immunomodulatory activity.