Effect of Asiaticoside Rich Extract from Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. on Physical Fatigue Induced by Weight-loaded Forced Swim Test

Enhancement of bioactive compounds and biological activities of Centella asiatica through ultrasound treatment

Centella asiatica possess various health-promoting activities owing to its bioactive compounds such as triterpenes, flavonoids, and vitamins. Ultrasound treatment during the post-harvest process is a good strategy for eliciting secondary metabolite in plants. The present study investigated the effect of ultrasound treatment for different time durations on the bioactive compounds and biological activities of C. asiatica leaves. The leaves were treated with ultrasound for 5, 10, and 20 min. Ultrasound elicitation (especially for 10 min) markedly elevated the accumulation of stress markers, leading to enhanced phenolic-triggering enzyme activities. The accumulation of secondary metabolites and antioxidant activities were also significantly improved compared with that in untreated leaves. In addition, ultrasound-treated C. asiatica leaves protected myoblasts against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress by regulating reactive oxygen species production, glutathione depletion, and lipid peroxidation. These findings indicate that elicitation using ultrasound can be a simple method for increasing functional compound production and enhancing biological activities in C. asiatica leaves.

Adaptogenic potential of ginsenosides against domoic acid-induced toxicity by regulating neuronal stress and kinate receptors: Ex vivo and in silico studies

This study is focused on potential effects of ginsenosides from Panax ginseng (PG) against amnesic shell fish poison, that is, domoic acid-induced excitotoxicity. Mice received PG at two different dosages by oral feeding for a period of 28 days (50 and 100 mg kg^-1 bwt.^-1 ). Domoic acid was injected to the mice to induce excitotoxicity (DA; 3 mg kg^-1  bwt.^-1 ) and piracetam-injected animals (PIR; 100 mg kg^-1  bwt.^-1 ) were treated as positive control. DA-induced cognitive impairment was reverted by PG supplementation, which was observed in Morris water maze and novel object task. Moreover, PG supplementation restored levels of GABA and antioxidant enzymes. Our results further elucidated ameliorative effects of PG supplementation on DA-induced changes in the expression of synaptic plasticity (BDNF), inflammation (NFkB), and apoptotic (Bcl2, Bax, and Caspase 3) markers. Hence, this study elucidates potential nootropic effects of ginsenosides from P. ginseng extract against DA-induced neuronal impairments via, modulation of behavioral and biochemical mechanisms involved in excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, neuro-inflammation, and apoptosis. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study highlights potential effects of ginsenosides from Panax ginseng against amnesic shell fish poison, that is, domoic acid-induced excitotoxicity for the first time. This study confirms that ginsenosides have the beneficial effects against amelioration of DA-induced toxicity. This study elucidates the potential nootropic effects of P. ginseng extract against DA-induced neuronal impairments via, modulation of synaptic plasticity markers and oxido-inflammatory responses leading to apoptosis. This study will be helpful in offering various mechanisms involved in pharmacological applications of P. ginseng in the management of DA-induced excitotoxicity.

Antidepressant like effects of hydrolysable tannins of Terminalia catappa leaf extract via modulation of hippocampal plasticity and regulation of monoamine neurotransmitters subjected to chronic mild stress (CMS)

Terminalia catappa L. belonging to Combretaceae family is a folk medicine, known for its multiple pharmacological properties, but the neuro-modulatory effect of TC against chronic mild stress was seldom explored. The present study was designed to elucidate potential antidepressant-like effect of Terminalia cattapa (leaf) hydro-alcoholic extract (TC) by using CMS model for a period of 7 weeks. Identification of hydrolysable tannins was done by using LC-MS. After the CMS exposure, mice groups were administered with imipramine (IMP, 10mg/kg, i.p.) and TC (25, 50 and 100mg/kg of TC, p.o.). Behavioural paradigms used for the study included forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST) and sucrose preference test (SPT). After behavioural tests, monoamine neurotransmitter, cortisol, AchE, oxidative stress levels and mRNA expression studies relevant to depression were assessed. TC supplementation significantly reversed CMS induced immobility time in FST and other behavioural paradigms. Moreover, TC administration significantly restored CMS induced changes in concentrations of hippocampal neurotransmitters (5-HT, DA and NE) as well as levels of acetyl cholinesterase, cortisol, monoamine oxidases (MAO-A, MAO-B), BDNF, CREB, and p-CREB. It suggests that TC supplementation could supress stress induced depression by regulating monoamine neurotransmitters, CREB, BDNF, cortisol, AchE level as well as by amelioration of oxidative stress. Hence TC can be used as a complementary medicine against depression-like disorder.

Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Aegle marmelos fruit on radical scavenging activity and exercise-endurance capacity in mice

CONTEXT

Aegle marmelos L. Corr (Rutaceae) is an important Indian Ayurvedic medicinal plant used for the treatment of various ailments. However, little information is available on the anti-fatigue properties of its fruit.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of the physical endurance and exercise-induced oxidative stress modulating properties of A. marmelos fruit in mice.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Radical scavenging activity of the fruit hydroalcoholic extract was evaluated using in vitro systems. The extract was further evaluated for its endurance-enhancing properties at three oral doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg b.wt) in BALB/c mice for 21 d using a swimming test.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The extract exhibited significant scavenging activity against DPPH (IC₅₀, 351 ± 37 µg/ml) and ABTS radicals (IC₅₀, 228 ± 25 µg/ml), respectively, with the polyphenol content of 95 µg/mg extract. It also inhibited AAPH radical-induced oxidation of biomolecules such as BSA protein (63%), plasmid DNA (81%) and lipids (80.5%). Administration of extract resulted in an increase in the duration of swimming time to exhaustion by 23.4 and 47.5% for medium and higher doses, respectively. The extract significantly normalized the fatigue-related biochemical parameters and also down-regulated the swim stress-induced over-expression of heat shock protein-70 and up-regulated the skeletal muscle metabolic regulators (GLUT-4 and AMPK1-α) by 2- and 3-fold, respectively, at the higher dose in muscle tissues.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates the anti-fatigue properties of A. marmelos fruit, most probably manifested by delaying the accumulation of serum lactic acid, increasing the fat utilization and up-regulating the skeletal muscle metabolic regulators.