Antioxidant activity of fraction ofTephrosia purpurealinn

A comprehensive review on ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers

Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers. is a well-known plant in Ayurveda and named "Sarwa wranvishapaka" for its property to heal wounds. Traditionally, it is practiced for impotency, asthma, dyspepsia, hemorrhoids, syphilis gonorrhea, rheumatism, enlargement of kidney and spleen. It is an important component of herbal preparations like Tephroli and Yakrifti used to cure liver disorders. Various phytocompounds including pongamol, purpurin, purpurenone, tephrosin, bulnesol, tephrostachin, β-sitosterol, and so on have been reported. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that the plant have wound healing, antileishmanial, anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antifertility, antispermatogenic, anti-diarrheal, diuretic, and insecticidal properties. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory action reported from this plant aids its utilization for the development of drugs for Alzheimer's and dementia neurological disorders. Among the known active compounds of T. purpurea, tephrostachin is responsible for antiplasmodial activity, tephrosin, pongaglabol, and semiglabrin exerts antiulcer activity while quercetin, rutin, β-sitosterol, and lupeol are mainly responsible for its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. From different toxicological studies, concentrations up to 2,000 mg/kg were considered safe. The present review comprehensively summarizes the ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of T. purpurea. Further research on elucidation of the structure-function relationship among active compounds, understanding of multi-target network pharmacology and clinical applications will intensify its therapeutic potential.

Protective effect of Tephrosia purpurea in diabetic cataract through aldose reductase inhibitory activity

PURPOSE

Tephrosia purpurea (T. purpurea) has been reported to prevent cataract formation in senile cataract model as well as proven effective in STZ induced type 1 diabetes. Aldose reductase (AR) is a key enzyme in the intracellular polyol pathway responsible for the development of diabetic cataract.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of T. purpurea in the light of inhibition of aldose reductase enzyme in polyol pathway.

METHODS

We studied the effects of alcoholic extract and flavonoid fraction of T. purpurea in streptozotocin (STZ, 45mg/kg, i.v.)-induced type I diabetic cataract in rats. The animals were divided into five groups as control, control treated with alcoholic and flavonoid fraction, diabetic control and diabetic treated with alcoholic and flavonoid fraction. In-vitro aldose reductase inhibitory activity was also evaluated. Further, molecular docking study was performed with crystal structure of aldose reductase and its known chemical constituents of the plant.

RESULTS

The IC₅₀ value of alcoholic extract for aldose reductase inhibition was found to be 209.13μg/ml, and that of flavonoid fraction was found to be 46.73μg/ml. Administration of STZ produced significantly abnormal levels of serum glucose, serum insulin, soluble protein and antioxidants in the lens homogenate. Treatment with alcoholic extract and flavonoid fraction of T. purpurea were able to normalize these levels. Some of the active constituents of T. purpurea showed significant interactions with aldose reductase enzyme in molecular docking studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggested that both the extracts might be helpful in delaying the development of diabetic cataract due to the presence of rutin and quercetin. This beneficial effect may be due to its significant inhibition of aldose reductase enzyme and anti-oxidant activity.

A new approach to study medicinal plants with tannins and flavonoids contents from the local knowledge

AIM OF THE STUDY

The present work tested the power of different methodological strategies for identifying plants that could be interesting in terms of their phenolic compounds (especially flavonoids and tannins) by comparing a new index in which priority-determining criteria are based on the free-listing technique as well as on two randomized methods for choosing plants within an ethnodirected based approach.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study was undertaken in the rural area of the municipality of Altinho located in the central region of Pernambuco State, northeastern Brazil. The ethnobotanical survey was divided into three different stages. The first stage was a general survey of 101 individuals on the use and knowledge of medicinal plants within the community. During the second stage local specialists were selected on the basis of the quality and quantity of information they offered during the initial phase of the investigation. The third stage consisted of returning to the specialists a final time in order to apply the free-listing technique. We also assumed that a plant could demonstrate anti-inflammatory and healing effects even without the presence of the compounds of interest of this study.

RESULTS

There is a strong association between tannin content and the effects popularly attributed to wound-healing and anti-inflammatory plants. No relationships were observed between plants used by the community to treat inflammation or healing with their flavonoid contents.

CONCLUSION

Thus, identifying Caatinga medicinal plants known with anti-inflammatory activity and healing capacities is a good criterion for identifying species with high levels of tannins, although these same criteria are not useful for identifying plants with high flavonoid contents.