Effect of bioactive tannoid principles of Emblica officinalis on ischemia-reperfusion-induced oxidative stress in rat heart

Phyllanthi Fructus: A modal medicinal and food homologous item in quality evaluation

Phyllanthi Fructus is a highly unique medicine and food homologous item, which exhibits distinctive flavor, notable nutritional value, and abundant pharmacological activity. It has enormous potential in the creation of health products and pharmaceuticals. However, due to the unique laws of quality formation and transfer of Phyllanthi Fructus, its appearance, shape, chemical compositions, nutrients, and sensory flavors are frequently greatly influenced by botanical resources, the processing and storage conditions. As a result, the current quality evaluation model is difficult to meet the needs of Phyllanthi Fructus as a medicine and food homologous item in the development of diversified products. This paper constructs the hierarchical utilization mode of Phyllanthi Fructus based on its unique quality formation and transmission laws, explores the quality evaluation model for food-oriented use and medicinal-oriented use, respectively, and systematically describes the quality evaluation idea under diversified application scenarios. This paper aims to serve as a reference for the construction of a quality evaluation model suitable for the medicine and food homologous item of Phyllanthi Fructus.

An Overview of Cardiotonic Medicinal Plants from the Perspective of Iranian Traditional Medicine

Context: Cardiovascular disorders are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, especially in people with diabetes. Due to synthetic drugs’ adverse effects, new medicines are needed. Evidence Acquisition: Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) is one of the oldest medical systems. In this article, we first introduce a list of cardiotonic medicinal plants based on ITM. Then we review the cardio-related effects of these plants based on electronic databases. Results: Among the introduced medicinal plants from ITM, Phyllanthus emblica L., Rosa canina L., Ocimum basilicum L., and Melissa officinalis L. have cardiotonic effects. Also, P. emblica, O. basilicum, M. officinalis, Citrus medica L., Malus domestica Borkh., Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton, and R. canina have cardioprotective effects and possess several biological activities that reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors. Conclusions: The cardiotonic medicinal plants based on ITM have excellent value; several pharmacological studies have proved some of their cardioprotective and cardiotonic effects. The other plants’ potential for improving the heart’s contractile power as a cardiotonic drug must be evaluated in further pharmacological and clinical studies.

Phytochemical: a treatment option for heavy metal induced neurotoxicity

Heavy metals are known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic. Some heavy metals are necessary while present in the growing medium in moderate concentrations known to be essential heavy metals as they required for the body functioning as a nutrient. But there are some unwanted metals and are also toxic to the environment and create a harmful impact on the body, which termed to be non-essential heavy metals. Upon exposure, the heavy metals decrease the major antioxidants of cells and enzymes with the thiol group and affect cell division, proliferation, and apoptosis. It interacts with the DNA repair mechanism and initiates the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). It subsequently binds to the mitochondria and may inhibit respiratory and oxidative phosphorylation in even low concentrations. This mechanism leads to damage antioxidant repair mechanism of neuronal cells and turns into neurotoxicity. Now, phytochemicals have led to good practices in the health system. Phytochemicals that are present in the fruits and herbs can preserve upon free radical damage. Thus, this review paper summarized various phytochemicals which can be utilized as a treatment option to reverse the effect of the toxicity caused by the ingestion of heavy metals in our body through various environmental or lifestyles ways.

Traditional uses, bioactive composition, pharmacology, and toxicology of Phyllanthus emblica fruits: A comprehensive review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The fruits of Phyllanthus emblica Linn or Emblica officinalis Gaertn (Phyllanthaceae), (FPE) commonly known as Indian gooseberry or Amla, gained immense importance in indigenous traditional medicinal systems, including Ayurveda, for its medicinal and nutritional benefits. It is used to cure several diseases such as common cold, fever, cough, asthma, bronchitis, diabetes, cephalalgia, ophthalmopathy, dyspepsia, colic, flatulence, hyperacidity, peptic ulcer, erysipelas, skin diseases, leprosy, hematogenesis, inflammation, anemia, emaciation, hepatopathy, jaundice, diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhages, leucorrhea, menorrhagia, cardiac disorders, and premature greying of hair.

AIM OF THE STUDY

In the present review, we presented a comprehensive analysis of the ethnopharmacology, bioactive composition, and toxicity of P. emblica to identify the gap between research and the current applications and to help explore the trends and perspectives for future studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We collected the literature published before April 2021 on the phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of FPE. Literature in English from scientific databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Wiley, Springer, and Google Scholar, books. These reports were analyzed and summarized to prepare this review. The plant taxonomy was verified by "The Plant List" database (http://www.theplantlist.org).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

s: FPE have been used as a rich source of vitamin C, minerals, and amino acids. Several bioactive molecules were isolated and identified from FPE such as tannins, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, alkaloids, ascorbic acid etc. The in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies on FPE revealed its antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anticancer, radioprotective, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, hypolipidemic, anti-venom, wound healing, HIV-reverse transcriptase effect. Toxicological studies on fruits indicated the absence of any adverse effect even at a high dose after oral administration.

CONCLUSIONS

Although FPE showed remarkable therapeutic activities against several diseases such as diabetes, cancer, inflammation, hepatitis B virus, and malaria, there were several drawbacks in some previous reports including the lack of information on the drug dose, standards, controls, and mechanism of action of the extract. Further in-depth studies are required to explain the mechanism of action of the extracts to reveal the role of the bioactive compounds in the reported activities.

Exploring scientific validation of Triphala Rasayana in ayurveda as a source of rejuvenation for contemporary healthcare: An update

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Ayurveda remains the classical and comprehensive part of the ancient Indian medicine system for well-being promotive, disease preventive, and revival approach for the human body. Triphala Rasayana is mentioned in Ayurveda, comprising fruits of three plant species viz. Phyllanthus emblica L. (P. emblica), Terminalia chebula Retz (T. chebula), and Terminalia bellirica Roxb (T.bellirica). Triphala Rasayana has been utilized in various traditional medicine systems, viz., Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani. Traditionally Rasayana based drugs are utilized in different kinds of diseases without pathophysiological associations as indicated by current medication. Various medicinal attributes of Triphala Rasayana include antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and anticataract and is also considered as a pillar for gastrointestinal treatment, specifically in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). Due to Rasayana's accessible mode of administration, availability, and affordability, there is an increase in its global acceptance.

AIM OF REVIEW

This review article summarizes the scientific validation, traditional uses, bioactive compounds, and ethnopharmacological properties of Triphala Rasayana. It also documents recent data on in vivo and in vitro pharmacological studies and clinical effects of Triphala Rasayana.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A literature review is carried out using PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, web of science, Ayush Research Portal, and Clinical Trials Registry-India. In addition to an electronic search, traditional ayurvedic texts and books were used as sources of information.

RESULTS

Traditionally, "Triphala Rasayana" is classified as a tridoshic rasayana and one of the most well-studied ayurvedic Rasayana. It showed various pharmacological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant, antibacterial, immunomodulatory, cardioprotective, and antidiabetic. Besides this, Rasayana has reported ethnopharmacological activities such as antimicrobial, anticataract, wound healing, and radioprotection. It has shown a good impact on the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) system with the reported pharmacological activities in gastrointestinal disorders such as constipation, gastric ulcer, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Phytochemical studies of Triphala Rasayana revealed chemical constituents like gallic acid, ellagic acid, chebulic acid, chebulinic acid, methyl gallate, emblicanin A, and emblicanin B. Additionally, clinical studies found Triphala Rasayana to be effective against diabetes, constipation, and obesity.

CONCLUSION

The present review revealed that Triphala Rasayana may treat a diverse range of diseases, especially GIT disorders. Considering the beneficial properties of Triphala Rasayana and it's proven non-toxic nature could be a source of rejuvenation in contemporary healthcare. Nevertheless, its clinical data effectively provided precious signals to correlate ayurvedic biology and modern medicine.

Indian Medicinal Plants and Formulations and Their Potential Against COVID-19-Preclinical and Clinical Research

The cases of COVID-19 are still increasing day-by-day worldwide, even after a year of its first occurrence in Wuhan city of China. The spreading of SARS-CoV-2 infection is very fast and different from other SARS-CoV infections possibly due to structural differences in S proteins. The patients with severe diseases may die due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by systemic inflammatory reactions due to the excessive release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines by the immune effector cells. In India too, it is spreading very rapidly, although the case fatality rate is below 1.50% (https://www.statista.com), which is markedly less than in other countries, despite the dense population and minimal health infrastructure in rural areas. This may be due to the routine use of many immunomodulator medicinal plants and traditional AYUSH formulations by the Indian people. This communication reviews the AYUSH recommended formulations and their ingredients, routinely used medicinal plants and formulations by Indian population as well as other promising Indian medicinal plants, which can be tested against COVID-19. Special emphasis is placed on Indian medicinal plants reported for antiviral, immunomodulatory and anti-allergic/anti-inflammatory activities and they are categorized for prioritization in research on the basis of earlier reports. The traditional AYUSH medicines currently under clinical trials against COVID-19 are also discussed as well as furtherance of pre-clinical and clinical testing of the potential traditional medicines against COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2. The results of the clinical studies on AYUSH drugs will guide the policymakers from the AYUSH systems of medicines to maneuver their policies for public health, provide information to the global scientific community and could form a platform for collaborative studies at national and global levels. It is thereby suggested that promising AYUSH formulations and Indian medicinal plants must be investigated on a priority basis to solve the current crisis.

Antihypertensive and pleiotropic effects of Phyllanthus emblica extract as an add-on therapy in patients with essential hypertension-A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial

Essential hypertension is an important cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality that is compounded by concomitant risk factors like diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. Phyllanthus emblica is a rich source of antioxidants, tannins, and vitamin C and is used in treating various ailments in traditional medicine. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of aqueous extract of Phyllanthus emblica on essential hypertension and other protective actions. This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 150 patients with essential hypertension. Participants were randomly assigned to receive Phyllanthus emblica capsule (500 mg) or placebo twice daily, added to their routine medications for 12 weeks. Blood pressure was assessed at baseline, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after beginning treatment or placebo. Other investigations like lipid parameters, oxidant and antioxidant enzyme levels, hs-CRP levels, HbA1C, LFT, RFT, uric acid, and endothelial function were measured at baseline and 12 weeks. Both Phyllanthus emblica and placebo groups were comparable at baseline. Phyllanthus emblica had a good safety profile in patients with essential hypertension. However, the treatment with Phyllanthus emblica failed to produce any additional reduction in systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure levels and did not exhibit improvement in oxidant status, antioxidant capacity, lipid profile, HbA1C, arterial stiffness parameters, or hs-CRP levels.

An Evaluation of Traditional Persian Medicine for the Management of SARS-CoV-2

A new coronavirus causing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged and with it, a global investigation of new antiviral treatments and supportive care for organ failure due to this life-threatening viral infection. Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) is one of the most ancient medical doctrines mostly known with the manuscripts of Avicenna and Rhazes. In this paper, we first introduce a series of medicinal plants that would potentially be beneficial in treating SARS-CoV-2 infection according to TPM textbooks. Then, we review medicinal plants based on the pharmacological studies obtained from electronic databases and discuss their mechanism of action in SARS-CoV-2 infection. There are several medicinal plants in TPM with cardiotonic, kidney tonic, and pulmonary tonic activities, protecting the lung, heart, and kidney, the three main vulnerable organs in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Some medicinal plants can prevent "humor infection", a situation described in TPM which has similar features to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Pharmacological evaluations are in line with the therapeutic activities of several plants mentioned in TPM, mostly through antiviral, cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms. Amongst the primarily-introduced medicinal plants from TPM, rhubarb, licorice, garlic, saffron, galangal, and clove are the most studied plants and represent candidates for clinical studies. The antiviral compounds isolated from these plants provide novel molecular structures to design new semisynthetic antiviral agents. Future clinical studies in healthy volunteers as well as patients suffering from pulmonary infections are necessary to confirm the safety and efficacy of these plants as complementary and integrative interventions in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Chyawanprash: A Traditional Indian Bioactive Health Supplement

Chyawanprash (CP) is an Ayurvedic health supplement which is made up of a super-concentrated blend of nutrient-rich herbs and minerals. It is meant to restore drained reserves of life force (ojas) and to preserve strength, stamina, and vitality, while stalling the course of aging. Chyawanprash is formulated by processing around 50 medicinal herbs and their extracts, including the prime ingredient, Amla (Indian gooseberry), which is the world's richest source of vitamin C. Chyawanprash preparation involves preparing a decoction of herbs, followed by dried extract preparation, subsequent mixture with honey, and addition of aromatic herb powders (namely clove, cardamom, and cinnamon) as standard. The finished product has a fruit jam-like consistency, and a sweet, sour, and spicy flavor. Scientific exploration of CP is warranted to understand its therapeutic efficacy. Scattered information exploring the therapeutic potential of CP is available, and there is a need to assemble it. Thus, an effort was made to compile the scattered information from ancient Ayurvedic texts and treatises, along with ethnobotanical, ethnopharmacological, and scientifically validated literature, that highlight the role of CP in therapeutics. Citations relevant to the topic were screened.

Screening and Isolation of Natural Antioxidants from Acer Ginnala Max by TLC-MS/MS Guided Bioautographic Method

A rapid and simple method has been developed for the screening and identification of natural antioxidants from the leaves of Acer ginnala Maxim (AG). The process is that upon reaction with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), the white yellow spots of compounds with potential antioxidant effects will be significantly observed on the thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and possible structures will be presumed by the ESI/MS technique. Using the improved approach, 6 compounds in the AG extract were found to possess a potential antioxidant activity. They were speculated as quercetin-3-O-α-L-(3"-galloyl)-rhamnoside (1), quercetin-3-O-α-L-(2"-galloyl)-rhamnoside (2), quercetin-3-O-α-L-(2"-galloyl)-arabinopyranoside (3), acertannin (4), gallic acid (5), and methyl gallate (6). In addition, we were still found that compounds 2, 3, and 5 had favorable antioxidant activity from the scannogram of the DPPH reaction plate. As a result, the isolated 6 compounds structures were in accordance with the presumed structures. Furthermore, the free radical scavenging capacities of the available identified compounds were also investigated. Compounds 2, 3, and 5 showed significant DPPH.Scavenging capacities, with IC50 values of 2.83 μg/mL, 2.34 μg/mL, and 1.86μg/mL, respectively. The results indicated that this newly improved method could be widely applied for rapid screening and identification of natural antioxidants from Chinese herbal medicines.

A systematic review on the cardiovascular pharmacology of Emblica officinalis Gaertn

Introduction: The Emblica officinalis (EO) fruit has traditionally been considered as a cardioactive medication and has demonstrated remarkable cardiovascular effects in the pharmacological literature. The present study systematically reviews EO’s potential for prevention and therapy of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Methods: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Proquest, Ebsco, Google, Google Scholar, Ovid, and Cochrane databases were searched from 1966 to 2017 for the English and non-English literature using the terms including the cognates of EO including amla, Emblic myrobalan, Emblica officinalis, Emblica pectinata , Indian gooseberry, and Phyllanthus emblica together with antioxidant, arrhythmia, cardioprotective, cardiotoxicity, heart disease, heart failure, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, myocardial dysfunction, and oxidative stress. The inclusion criteria were in vitro, animal, and clinical cardiovascular pharmacological studies conducted on EO and full-text accessibility. The exclusion criterion was studies in which a combination of EO and at least one other plant was investigated. The reference lists of the retrieved articles were also searched manually for additional eligible articles. The methodological quality of clinical trials was assessed by the Jadad scale, and animal studies were evaluated by the ARRIVE checklist.

Results: Nineteen articles concerning the cardiovascular pharmacological effects of EO were included in this review. The plant has shown antiatherogenic, anticoagulant, hypolipidemic, antihypertensive, antioxidant, antiplatelet, and vasodilatory effects as well as lipid deposition inhibitory properties. Moreover, it prevents from doxorubicin and isoproterenol cardiotoxicity and myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, and improves vascular endothelial function in animal studies. Some high-quality clinical studies report the vasodilatory and myocardial antioxidant properties as well as anti-platelet aggregation effects of this plant.

Conclusion: EO influences various cardiovascular risk-factors. However, there is not sufficient evidence to confirm the plant efficacy in preventing and treating CVD.

Amalaki rasayana, a traditional Indian drug enhances cardiac mitochondrial and contractile functions and improves cardiac function in rats with hypertrophy

We evaluated the cardioprotective effect of Amalaki Rasayana (AR), a rejuvenating Ayurvedic drug prepared from Phyllanthusemblica fruits in the reversal of remodeling changes in pressure overload left ventricular cardiac hypertrophy (LVH) and age-associated cardiac dysfunction in male Wistar rats. Six groups (aging groups) of 3 months old animals were given either AR or ghee and honey (GH) orally; seventh group was untreated. Ascending aorta was constricted using titanium clips in 3 months old rats (N = 24; AC groups) and after 6 months, AR or GH was given for further 12 months to two groups; one group was untreated. Histology, gene and protein expression analysis were done in heart tissues. Chemical composition of AR was analyzed by HPLC, HPTLC and LC-MS. AR intake improved (P < 0.05) cardiac function in aging rats and decreased LVH (P < 0.05) in AC rats as well as increased (P < 0.05) fatigue time in treadmill exercise in both groups. In heart tissues of AR administered rats of both the groups, SERCA2, CaM, Myh11, antioxidant, autophagy, oxidative phosphorylation and TCA cycle proteins were up regulated. ADRB1/2 and pCREB expression were increased; pAMPK, NF-kB were decreased. AR has thus a beneficial effect on myocardial energetics, muscle contractile function and exercise tolerance capacity.

Cardioprotective effects of Achillea wilhelmsii on the isolated rat heart in ischemia-reperfusion

Context

There are some reports about protective effects of Achillea on the heart.

Objective

We investigated the effect of Achillea wilhelmsii extract on cardiac function during ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury in the isolated rat heart.

Materials and methods

60 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups; 1: Control group, 2: Control-ischemia (CI) 3: vitamin C (10 mg/kg), 4–6: Extract groups (E 100, E 200 and E 400 mg/kg). The animals received normal saline, vitamin C or A. wilhelmsii extract orally for 4 weeks. At the end of the treatment, the hearts were subjected to in vitro I/R Injury (20 min of global ischemia, followed by 40 min of reperfusion, Langendorff's mode). Heart rate (HR) and left ventricular pressure (LVP) were measured using a pressure transducer connected to a data acquisition system. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) activities in the effluent were measured to determine the myocardial injury degree. The malondialdehyde (MDA), total thiol groups (-SH), superoxide anion dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in myocardial tissue were detected to determine the oxidative stress degree.

Results

Pretreatment with Achillea wilhlemsii significantly decreased the LDH, CK activities, and MDA level, while it increased the LVDP, ±dp/dt_max, rate-pressure product (RPP), SH groups, SOD and CAT activities, and also the coronary artery flow.

Discussion and conclusion

Our findings indicated that Achillea wilhelmsii could provide protection for heart against the I/R injury which may be related to the improvement of myocardial oxidative stress states.

Anti-Aging Potential of Phytoextract Loaded-Pharmaceutical Creams for Human Skin Cell Longetivity

The exposure to ultraviolet radiations (UVR) is the key source of skin sunburn; it may produce harmful entities, reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to aging. The skin can be treated and protected from the injurious effects of ROS by using various pharmaceutical formulations, such as cream. Cream can be loaded with antioxidants to quench ROS leading to photo-protective effects. Moreover, modern medicines depend on ethnobotanicals for protection or treatment of human diseases. This review article summarizes various in vivo antioxidant studies on herbal creams loaded with phyto-extracts. These formulations may serve as cosmeceuticals to protect skin against injurious effects of UVR. The botanicals studied for dermatologic use in cream form include Acacia nilotica, Benincasa hispida, Calendula officinalis, Camellia sinensis, Camellia sinensis, Nelumbo nucifera, Capparis decidua, Castanea sativa, Coffea arabica, Crocus sativus, Emblica officinalis Gaertn, Foeniculum vulgare, Hippophae rhamnoides, Lithospermum erythrorhizon, Malus domestica, Matricaria chamomilla L., Moringa oleifera, Morus alba, Ocimum basilicum, Oryza sativa, Polygonum minus, Punica granatum, Silybum marianum, Tagetes erecta Linn., Terminalia chebula, Trigonella foenum-graecum, and Vitis vinifera. The observed anti-aging effects of cream formulations could be an outcome of a coordinating action of multiple constituents. Of numerous botanicals, the phenolic acids and flavonoids appear effective against UVR-induced damage; however the evidence-based studies for their anti-aging effects are still needed.

Phytochemistry, pharmacology and medicinal properties of Phyllanthus emblica Linn

Phyllanthus emblica L. (syn. Emblica officinalis) is commonly known as Indian gooseberry. In Ayurveda, P. emblica has been extensively used, both as edible (tonic) plants and for its therapeutic potentials. P. emblica is highly nutritious and is reported as an important dietary source of vitamin C, minerals and amino acids. All parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes, especially the fruit, which has been used in Ayurveda as a potent Rasayana (rejuvenator). P. emblica contains phytochemicals including fixed oils, phosphatides, essential oils, tannins, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids, glycosides, etc. Various pharmaceutical potential of P. emblica has been reported previously including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic, adaptogenic, hepatoprotective, antitumor and antiulcerogenic activities either in combined formulation or P. emblica alone. The various other Ayurvedic potentials of P. emblica are yet to be proven scientifically in order to explore its broad spectrum of therapeutic effects. On this regards we, in this review, tried to explore the complete information of P. emblica including its pharmacognosy, phytochemistry and pharmacology.

Bioactivities of alcohol based extracts of Phyllanthus emblica branches: antioxidation, antimelanogenesis and anti-inflammation

Phyllanthus emblica is an euphorbiaceous plant that has long been used in traditional medicines for health promotion, anti-aging and also for treatment of wide ranges of symptoms and diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the pharmacological activity of the plant branch. Alcohol based extracts of P. emblica branch were prepared in 50 % ethanolic extract by maceration (EPE) and methanolic extract by Soxhlet apparatus (MPE). EPE and MPE contained high total phenolic content and strong antioxidative activity. By HPLC analysis, gallic acid and vanillic acid are the major phenolic compounds of these extracts. Both EPE and MPE inhibited tyrosinase activity stronger than the ethanolic extract of P. emblica fruit (IC50 of 247.37 ± 18.57 and 193.75 ± 44.90 versus 4346.95 ± 166.23 μg/ml). EPE significantly inhibited the mRNA expressions of tyrosinase, and tyrosinase related proteins (TRP-1 and TRP-2) in B16 murine melanoma cells and suppressed the expression of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory genes (COX-2, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-16 and IL-6) in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells in a dose-dependent manner. These extracts significantly suppressed the carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats in a dose-dependent manner.

Composition and biological activities of hydrolyzable tannins of fruits of Phyllanthus emblica

Fruits of emblic leafflower have been used as food and traditional medicine in Asia. A wide range of biological activities have been shown in modern research suggesting potential of the fruits as healthy food and raw material for bioactive ingredients of food. Hydrolyzable tannins are among the major bioactive components of the fruits. Mucic acid gallate, mucic acid lactone gallate, monogalloylglucose, gallic acid, digalloylglucose, putranjivain A, galloyl-HHDP-glucose, elaeocarpusin, and chebulagic acid are the most abundant hydrolyzable tannins. The compositional profiles of tannins in the fruits vary depending on the cultivars as well as ripening stages. Fruits and tannin-rich extracts of fruits have shown antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immune-regulating activities in vitro and in animal studies. The fruits and fruit extracts have manifested protective effects on organs/tissues from damages induced by chemicals, stresses, and aging in animal models. The fruits and fruit extracts have potential in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and reducing DNA damage induced by chemicals and radiation. Antioxidative activities are likely among the mechanisms of the biological activities and physiological effects. Human intervention/clinical studies are needed to investigate the bioavailability and metabolism of the tannins and to substantiate the health benefits in humans. Emblic leafflower may be a potential raw material for natural food preservatives.

Effects of Phyllanthus emblica extract on endothelial dysfunction and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study

BACKGROUND

It has been reported that hyperglycemia can induce endothelial dysfunction via increased oxidative stress and that it plays a central role in the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Phyllanthus emblica (Emblica officinalis, amla) is known for its antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic activity. The present study compared the effects of an aqueous extract of P. emblica (highly standardized by high-performance liquid chromatography to contain low molecular weight hydrolyzable tannins, ie, emblicanin A, emblicanin B, pedunculagin, and punigluconin) versus those of atorvastatin and placebo on endothelial dysfunction and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

Eligible patients were randomized to receive either P. emblica 250 mg twice daily, P. emblica 500 mg twice daily, atorvastatin 10 mg in the evening and matching placebo in the morning, or placebo twice daily for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy parameter was the change in endothelial function identified on salbutamol challenge at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. Secondary efficacy parameters were changes in biomarkers of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and glutathione), high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels, the lipid profile, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Laboratory safety parameters were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

Eighty patients completed the study. Treatment with P. emblica 250 mg, P. emblica 500 mg, or atorvastatin 10 mg produced significant reductions in the reflection index (-2.25%±1.37% to -9.13%±2.56% versus -2.11%±0.98% to -10.04%±0.92% versus -2.68%±1.13% to -11.03%±3.93%, respectively), suggesting improvement in endothelial function after 12 weeks of treatment compared with baseline. There was a significant improvement in biomarkers of oxidative stress and systemic inflammation compared with baseline and placebo. Further, the treatments significantly improved the lipid profile and HbA1c levels compared with baseline and placebo. All treatments were well tolerated.

CONCLUSION

Both atorvastatin and P. emblica significantly improved endothelial function and reduced biomarkers of oxidative stress and systemic inflammation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, without any significant changes in laboratory safety parameters.

Evidence-based antioxidant activity of the essential oil from Fructus A. zerumbet on cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells' injury induced by ox-LDL

BACKGROUND

The essential oil from Fructus Alpiniae zerumbet (FAZ) is its principal bioactive ingredient, and is widely used in Miao folk herbs in Guizhou province for the treatment of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have confirmed that FAZ ameliorates hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. Because endothelial dysfunction often accompanies cardiovascular diseases, especially hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis, the present study concentrated on evaluating the endothelial protective effects of the essential oil from FAZ (EOFAZ) on oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced injury of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and on the regulation of oxidative stress.

METHODS

Cell viability was analyzed with the MTT assay and trypan blue exclusion staining (TBES). Cell injury was assessed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Biochemical enzymatic methods were used to evaluate the oxidative stress, including the lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px).

RESULTS

The redox status of HUVECs was significantly exacerbated after exposure to ox-LDL. EOFAZ protected HUVECs against ox-LDL injury as assessed by the MTT assay, TBES and LDH release. Furthermore, EOFAZ ameliorated the oxidative stress by elevating the activities of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px, and increasing the GSH levels, in addition to attenuating the MDA contents.

CONCLUSIONS

The present data provide the first experimental evidence that EOFAZ protects endothelial cells against ox-LDL-induced injury, and indicate that this protection involves ameliorating the redox status.

Cardoguard, an Ayurvedic antihypertensive formulation, prevents cardiac remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats by inhibition of ERK and PKCε signaling pathways

Ayurveda is an Indian system of medicine. Despite clinical efficacy, lack of scientific validation has limited the effective use of Ayurvedic drugs. Cardoguard is an Ayurvedic antihypertensive drug formulated by Nagarjuna Herbal Concentrates Ltd., Kerala, India. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a modifiable risk factor, and regression of LVH reduces the propensity for adverse cardiovascular events. This study was taken up with the objective of evaluating the efficacy of Cardoguard in the prevention of cardiac remodeling. Cardoguard was administered orally to 2-month-old spontaneously hypertensive rats for 4 months at a dose of 5 mg·day(-1). The dose corresponds to the therapeutic dose calculated on the basis of body surface area. Lower hypertrophy index, decrease in cardiomyocyte area, and reduction of interstitial fibrosis in treated spontaneously hypertensive rats indicate amelioration of cardiac hypertrophy by Cardoguard. Cardiac output increased in response to treatment. Immunostaining for the phosphorylated components of major signaling pathways associated with hypertrophy suggests that prevention of LVH by Cardoguard is possibly mediated through inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinases and protein kinase C-ε signaling pathways. Reduced expression of 3-nitrotyrosine in response to the treatment suggests that prevention of cardiac remodeling by Cardoguard is mediated by reduction of oxidative stress.

Influence of Emblica officinalis aqueous extract on growth and antioxidant defense system of human hepatoma cell line (HepG2)

CONTEXT

Amla [Emblica officinalis Gaertn. (Euphorbiaceae)], a major constituent of several herbal formulations, is a well-known hepatoprotectant. Despite its extensive use, mechanistic understanding of its antioxidant action is rather limited.

OBJECTIVE

In the current study, we investigated the effects of E. officinalis extracts (from dried fruits) on cellular oxidative state using a hepatocyte cell line (HepG2). We hypothesize that E. officinalis aqueous extracts have potency to modulate basal oxidative markers and enhance endogenous antioxidant defenses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cells were incubated with aqueous extracts of E. officinalis (1-100 μg/ml) for varied time points (4-24 h) and biochemical markers of oxidative stress were determined in cell lysate.

DISCUSSION

Aqueous extracts of E. officinalis at 100 μg/ml can significantly modulate the basal levels of oxidative markers and enhance antioxidant defenses of the cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings clearly indicate the propensity of E. officinalis aqueous extracts to improve endogenous antioxidant defenses in HepG2 cells. Although further studies are required to assess their efficacy under experimentally induced oxidative, our data suggest that the hepatoprotective effects of E. officinalis reported earlier may be largely due to its potential to enhance the antioxidant defenses in vivo.

RESULTS

Because E. officinalis up to 100 μg/ml concentrations had no effect on cell viability; it was considered noncytotoxic. Incubation with E. officinalis for 24 h resulted in significant diminution in the levels of lipid hydroperoxide (18-42%) and reactive oxygen species (11-29%). Furthermore; E. officinalis increased the levels of glutathione (GSH; 18-32%); antioxidant capacity (19-31%); and activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase; 25-41%; catalase; 39-50%; GSH peroxidase; 20-35%; GSH reductase; 26-35%; and GSH S-transferase; 12-30%).

Protective effect of Emblica officinalis (amla) on isoproterenol-induced cardiotoxicity in rats

Emblica officinalis, commonly known as amla, is an important medicinal plant reputed for its dietary and therapeutic uses. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective role of E. officinalis against isoproterenol (ISP)-induced cardiotoxicity in rats and elucidate the possible mechanism involved. Rats were administered E. officinalis (100, 250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o.) or vehicle (normal saline) for 30 days, with concurrent subcutaneous injections of ISP (85 mg/kg, at 24 h interval) on 29th and 30th day. ISP-induced cardiac dysfunction as evidenced by decreased mean arterial pressure, heart rate, contractility (+LVdP/dt) and relaxation (-LVdP/dt) along with increased left ventricular end diastolic pressure. ISP significantly (p < 0.05) decreased antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase and myocyte-injury-specific marker enzymes, creatine phosphokinase-MB and lactate dehydrogenase in heart. A significant (p < 0.05) depletion of reduced glutathione and increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances along with histopathological alteration has further indicated the oxidative damage of myocardium. However, pretreatment with E. officinalis exhibited restoration of hemodynamic and left ventricular function along with significant preservation of antioxidants, myocytes-injury-specific marker enzymes and significant inhibition of lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, histopathological salvage of myocardium reconfirmed the protective effects of E. officinalis. Results of the present study demonstrate cardioprotective potential of E. officinalis attributed to its potent antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity as evidenced by favorable improvement in hemodynamic, contractile function and tissue antioxidant status.

Amlamax in the management of dyslipidemia in humans

Hypercholesterolemia is the major cause of cardiovascular diseases leading to myocardial infarctions leading to considerable morbidity and mortality. During the past decade a group of molecules referred to as statins such as simvastatin, atrovastatin have been tried with great success in reducing total cholesterol. These molecules act by inhibiting the HMG CoA reductase enzyme thereby interfering with the synthesis of cholesterol. But statins reduce all the cholesterol including HDL cholesterol. Long term drug vigilance activity has revealed serious side effects of tendinopathy and related musculoskeletal disorders in some of the subjects. In an effort to manage hypercholesterolemia without serious side effects in a natural way we had tried the use of Amlamax a reconstituted, purified, standardized dried extract of amla (Emblica officinalis) containing 30% ellagitannins with other hydrolysable tannins on humans. We report the hitherto unobserved significant elevation of HDL cholesterol by the administration of Amlamax.

A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a polyherbal formulation in geriatric age group: a phase IV clinical report

AIM OF THE STUDY

We sought to determine the efficacy as antioxidant and safety profile of the polyherbal formulation in geriatric patients of eastern India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was double-blind, randomized including placebo controlled and was approved by the ethical committee of SSKM hospital. Geriatric patients attending the OPD (outpatient department) of SSKM hospital formed the study group. The patients were randomized to receive either the polyherbal formulation or the identical-looking placebo at a dose of 2 tablets twice daily for a period of 6 months. Follow-up of patient status was done monthly. The clinical parameters were assessed before and after 6 months of medication or placebo intake.

RESULTS

The results showed that significant rejuvenation of the anti-oxidant property which is determined by the enzymatic and non enzymatic anti oxidants, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, reduced glutathione and malondialdehyde in the geriatric patients were seen in patients treated with Geriforte tablets as compared to patients treated with placebo and control group. There were no significant adverse effects experienced by cases in any group.

CONCLUSION

Polyherbal formulation is effective in rejuvenating geriatric age group compared to the placebo. This formulation is safe and compliance to the treatment was good. In ancient Ayurveda the constituents of polyherbal formulation were prescribed for different diseases including cardiological, neurological, sepsis, etc.

Emblica officinalis exerts wound healing action through up-regulation of collagen and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2)

During wound healing, the wound site is rich in oxidants, such as hydrogen peroxide, mostly contributed by neutrophils and macrophages. Ascorbic acid and tannins of low molecular weight, namely emblicanin A (2,3-di-O-galloyl-4,6-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-2-keto-glucono-delta-lactone) and emblicanin B (2,3,4,6-bis-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-2-keto-glucono-delta-lactone) present in Emblica officinalis (emblica), have been shown to exhibit a very strong antioxidant action. We proposed that addition of these antioxidants to the wound microenvironment would support the repair process. The present investigation was undertaken to determine the efficacy of emblica on dermal wound healing in vivo. Full-thickness excision wounds were made on the back of the rat and topical application of emblica accelerated wound contraction and closure. Emblica increased cellular proliferation and cross-linking of collagen at the wound site, as evidenced by an increase in the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, along with an increase in DNA, type III collagen, acid-soluble collagen, aldehyde content, shrinkage temperature and tensile strength. Higher levels of tissue ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase support the fact that emblica application promotes antioxidant activity at the wound site. In summary, this study provides firm evidence to support that topical application of emblica represents a feasible and productive approach to support dermal wound healing.

A Pilot clinical study to evaluate the effect of Emblica officinalis extract (Amlamax™) on markers of systemic inflammation and dyslipidemia

Emblica officinalis Gaertn., commonly known as the Indian gooseberry or "Amla", has been used as health food for centuries in India and other Asian countries. The biological effects of amla have been attributed to the antioxidant properties of the low-molecular weight hydrolysable tannins present in the fruit. Amlamax™ is a purified, standardized, dried extract of amla containing about 35% galloellagi tannins along with other hydrolysable tannins. Our earlier studies on rabbits showed significant reduction in total cholesterol and triglycerides as well as increase in HDL. The present study extends these results to human volunteers. Two doses of the extract were evaluated - 500 mg and 1000 mg per day for 6 months. Blood samples were collected at the 3rd and 6th months showed reduction in total and LDL cholesterols and enhancement of beneficial HDL cholesterol. In addition, blood CRP levels, a marker for inflammation, were also significantly reduced. Since dyslipidemia and inflammation are the two major components of cardiovascular diseases, the present results must be considered encouraging and indicate the potential of Amlamax™ in the management of heart diseases.

Healing Properties of Some Indian Medicinal Plants against Indomethacin-Induced Gastric Ulceration of Rats

The healing activity of the ethanol extracts of Piper betel, Emblica officinalis, Terminalia bellerica, and Terminalia chebula against the indomethacin-induced stomach ulceration has been studied and compared with that of misoprostol. Compared to autohealing, all the drugs accelerated the healing process, albeit to different extents. The relative healing activities of the extracts was P. betel>E. officinalis>T. bellerica~T. chebula, that correlated well with their in vivo antioxidant and mucin augmenting activities. The excellent healing activity of the extracts of P. betel and E. officinalis indicated a major role of mucin protection and regeneration in the healing of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs mediated stomach ulceration.

Separation and evaluation of free radical-scavenging activity of phenol components ofEmblica officinalis extract by using an HPTLC–DPPH• method

A new procedure has been developed to separate and quantify the free radical-scavenging activity of individual compounds from an Emblica officinalis extract based on the combination of HPTLC with a diode array detector (DAD) and postchromatographic DPPH* radical derivatization. Free gallic and ellagic acids and emblicanins A and B in the E. officinalis extract were separated by TLC and identified. All the compounds of the extract were capable of scavenging of DPPH* radicals. It was established that the DPPH* scavenging activity of emblicanins A and B was 7.86 and 11.20 times more than that of ascorbic acid and 1.25 and 1.78 times more than gallic acid, respectively. From the estimated ID50 values, it can be seen that the increasing order of activity was emblicanin B > emblicanin A > gallic acid > ellagic acid > ascorbic acid. Probably, the antioxidant activity of E. officinalis extract is associated with the presence of hydrolyzable tannins having ascorbic acid-like action.

Vitamin C content and antioxidant activity of the fruit and of the Ayurvedic preparation of Emblica officinalis Gaertn

Emblica officinalis Gaertn. is one of the most important plants of Ayurved, the traditional Indian medicine. In this ancient medicine, the fruit of Emblica officinalis is processed according to a method named "Svaras Bhavana", whereby the therapeutic potential of the plant is enhanced by treating the main herb with its own juice. For many years, the activity of the fruits was attributed to the high content of ascorbic acid; however, this has recently been questioned. The aim of the paper is to clarify this matter. A reliable and feasible HPLC method with diode array detection has been developed for the determination of ascorbic acid in Emblica fruit and particularly in Emblica fruit processed according to the Ayurvedic method. The antioxidant effects have also been evaluated in comparison to the real levels of Vitamin C by different antioxidant tests. The data obtained show that the Emblica fruit contains ascorbic acid (0.4%, w/w), and that the Ayurvedic method of processing increases the healthy characteristics of the fruit thanks to a higher antioxidant activity and a higher content of ascorbic acid (1.28%, w/w). It has also been found that Vitamin C accounts for approximately 45-70% of the antioxidant activity.

Antioxidant approach to disease management and the role of 'Rasayana' herbs of Ayurveda

The disease preventive and health promotive approach of 'Ayurveda', which takes into consideration the whole body, mind and spirit while dealing with the maintenance of health, promotion of health and treating ailments is holistic and finds increasing acceptability in many regions of the world. Ancient Ayurvedic physicians had developed certain dietary and therapeutic measures to arrest/delay ageing and rejuvenating whole functional dynamics of the body system. This revitalization and rejuvenation is known as the 'Rasayan chikitsa' (rejuvenation therapy). Traditionally, Rasayana drugs are used against a plethora of seemingly diverse disorders with no pathophysiological connections according to modern medicine. Though, this group of plants generally possesses strong antioxidant activity, only a few have been investigated in detail. Over about 100 disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, hemorrhagic shock, CVS disorders, cystic fibrosis, metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, gastrointestinal ulcerogenesis and AIDS have been reported as reactive oxygen species mediated. In this review, the role of free radicals in these diseases has been briefly reviewed. 'Rasayana' plants with potent antioxidant activity have been reviewed for their traditional uses, and mechanism of antioxidant action. Fifteen such plants have been dealt with in detail and some more plants with less work have also been reviewed briefly.

Studies of the anticancer potential of plants used in Bangladeshi folk medicine

The present study evaluated the anticancer potential of 11 plants used in Bangladeshi folk medicine. The extracts were tested for cytotoxicity using the brine shrimp lethality assay, sea urchin eggs assay, hemolysis assay and MTT assay using tumor cell lines. The extract of Oroxylum indicum showed the highest toxicity on all tumor cell lines tested, with an IC(50) of 19.6 microg/ml for CEM, 14.2 microg/ml for HL-60, 17.2 microg/ml for B-16 and 32.5 microg/ml for HCT-8. On the sea urchin eggs, it inhibited the progression of cell cycle since the frist cleavage (IC(50)=13.5 microg/ml). The extract of Aegle marmelos exhibited toxicity on all used assays, but in a lower potency than Oroxylum indicum. In conclusion, among all tested extracts, only the extracts of Oroxylum indicum, Moringa oleifera and Aegles marmelos could be considered as potential sources of anticancer compounds. Further studies are necessary for chemical characterization of the active principles and more extensive biological evaluations.

Effect of dietary palm olein oil on oxidative stress associated with ischemic-reperfusion injury in isolated rat heart. BMC Pharmacol. 2004;4:29. [PMID: 15535879 PMCID: PMC535348 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2210-4-29]

Background

Palm olein oil (PO), obtained from refining of palm oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acid and antioxidant vitamins and is widely used as oil in diet in many parts of the world including India. Palm oil has been reported to have beneficial effects in oxidative stress associated with hypertension and arterial thrombosis. Oxidative stress plays a major role in the etiopathology of myocardial ischemic-reperfusion injury (IRI) which is a common sequel of ischemic heart disease. Antioxidants have potent therapeutic effects on both ischemic heart disease and ischemic-reperfusion injury. Information on the effect of PO on ischemic-reperfusion injury is, however, lacking. In the present study, the effect of dietary palm olein oil on oxidative stress associated with IRI was investigated in an isolated rat heart model. Wistar rats (150–200 gm) of either sex were divided into three different groups (n = 16). Rats were fed with palm olein oil supplemented commercial rat diet, in two different doses [5% v / w (PO 5) and 10% v / w (PO 10) of diet] for 30 days. Control rats (C) were fed with normal diet. After 30 days, half the rats from each group were subjected to in vitro myocardial IRI (20 min of global ischemia, followed by 40 min of reperfusion). Hearts from all the groups were then processed for biochemical and histopathological studies. One way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni test was applied to test for significance and values are expressed as mean ± SE (p < 0.05).

Results

There was a significant increase in myocardial catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities with no significant change in myocardial thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) only in group PO 5 as compared to group C. There was no light microscopic evidence of tissue injury. A significant rise in myocardial TBARS and depletion of myocardial endogenous antioxidants (SOD, CAT and GPx) along with significant myocyte injury was observed in control rats subjected to ischemia-reperfusion (C IR). Hearts from palm olein oil fed rats subjected to ischemia-reperfusion (PO 5 IR and PO 10 IR) were protected from increase in TBARS and depletion of endogenous antioxidants as compared to C IR group. No significant myocyte injury was present in the treated groups.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrated for the first time that dietary palm olein oil protected rat heart from oxidative stress associated with ischemic-reperfusion injury.

Possible neuroprotective effects of lecithin and alpha-tocopherol alone or in combination against ischemia/reperfusion insult in rat brain

A close correlation exists between ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced insult and the release of free radicals. Lecithin is a polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine that corresponds to the phosphatidylcholine molecule. Phosphatidylcholines are high-energy functional and structural elements of all biologic membranes. alpha-Tocopherol is the major lipid-soluble chain-breaking antioxidant in the body tissues and effectively protects against neuronal damage. Therefore, we studied the effect of lecithin (300 mg/kg, p.o., 14 days) and alpha-tocopherol (200 mg/kg, p.o., 14 days), alone or in combination, on the brain redox state during I/R. Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to global ischemia by the occlusion of the two carotid arteries 24 h after the last dose of drug administration. Reperfusion was carried out 1 h after induction of ischemia and lasted for another hour. Brain lipid peroxides (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) contents, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were assessed. The results showed that I/R elevated brain lipid peroxides content which was accompanied by a reduction in both antioxidant enzyme activities, however, brain GSH level remained unaltered. Lecithin, alpha-tocopherol and their combination restored MDA content, as well as CAT activity with a slight tendency to normalize SOD activity. We conclude that lecithin has a possible neuroprotective effect partly through its antioxidant action which is comparable to that of alpha-tocopherol.