Evaluation of the immuno modulatory activity methanolic extracts of leaves and flowers of Pongamia glabra Vent. in cyclophosphamide induced myelosuppressed mice. Methanolic extracts of leaves and flo wers of Pongamia glabra Vent. at the doses of 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg p.o. were ad ministered for 13 days to normal adult albino mice of either sex and cyclophosphamide (30mg/kg i.p.) was in jected on 11 th ,12 th and 13 th days 1 hour after the administration of the treatment with extract. On 14 th day blood was collected by retro o rbital puncture and the activity was evaluated by determining the RBC, Hb%, Platelet, total WBC and differential counts. Methanolic extracts of leaves and flowers of Pongamia glabra Vent. showed dose dependant highly significant(p<0.001) counteracting effect to cyclophosphamide induced reduction in total WBC, DLC and platelet counts and significant (p<0.01) effect to that of reduction in RBC counts and Hb%. The significant immunostimu lant activity of the methanolic ext racts of Pongamia glabra Vent. leaves and flowers at the doses of 250mg/kg and 500mg/ kg p.o. in cyclophosphamide induced myelosuppression may be attributed towards the presence of bioactive components, viz.-saponins, sterols, tannins and flavonoids in the ext racts.

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To evaluate the immunomodulatory activity of methanolic extracts of Ficus glomerata Roxb. leaves, fruits and bark on cyclophosphamide induced immunosuppression in mice. Methanolic extracts of leaves, fruits and bark of Ficus glomerata Roxb. (500mg/kg p.o.) were administered 13 days to albino mice and cyclophosphamide (30mg/kg i.p.) was administered on 11th,12th and 13th days 1 hour after the administration of the respective treatment. On the 14th day blood was collected by retro orbital puncture and the activity was evaluated by determining the RBC, Hb%, Platelet, total WBC and differential counts. Methanolic extracts of leaves, fruits & bark of Ficus glomerata Roxb. showed very significant (p<0.001) counteracting effect to cyclophosphamide induced reduction in total WBC, DLC and platelet counts & significant (P<0.01) effect to that of reduction in RBC counts and Hb %. The significant inmmunostimulant effect of the methanolic extracts of Ficus glomerata Roxb. leaf, fruit & barks on cyclophosphamide induced myelosuppression may be attributed towards the collective presence of saponins, sterols and tannins in the extracts, which suggest the immunomodulatory activities of the methanolic extracts of Ficus glomerata Roxb. leaves, fruits & bark.

Use of herbs or herbal medicines with prescription allopathic medicines may lead to beneficial or harmful herb-drug interaction, which needs a scientific substantiation. The present study was intended to determine the interaction between glibenclamide and methanolic extract of bark of Pongamia glabra Vent. (PBME), a herb with reported antidiabetic effect. The interaction was evaluated in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats using the parameters such as glucose tolerance test, acute and sub-acute levels of antidiabetic study and body weight estimations at various intervals. Glibenclamide was administered orally at two different doses of 300 µg/kg (low dose) and 600 µg/kg (high dose) and PBME was co-administered at the dose of 200 mg/kg. Individual treatments of above drugs were also carried out. Significant (P<0.001) hypoglycemic effect was observed with the combination therapy of glibenclamide and PBME compared to their individual treatments in the above studied parameters. The combination therapy showed more percentage increase in body weight than the individual treatments. The study indicates that the present herb-drug interaction was beneficial as PBME showed synergistic effect with glibenclamide. This could provide an opportunity to reduce the dose of glibenclamide to achieve an enhanced therapeutic effect with minimal side effects.