SUMMARY:Among the neurodegenerative disorders, Parkinson disease (PD) is ranked as second most common. The pathological hallmark is selective degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons in the nigro-striatal regions of brain with appearance of the Lewy bodies. Present study explores the neuro-protective potential of polydatin in terms of amelioration of degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in nigro-striatal regions of brain and distorted neuromotor behavior in the rotenone model of Parkinson's disease. Thirty-six male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups. Group A (control), Group B (rotenone treated) and Group C (rotenone+polydatin treated). Rotenone was administrated intraperitoneally (i.p) at a dose of 3 mg/kg/body weight while polydatin was given i.p. at a dose of 50 mg/ kg/body weight for four weeks. Then, animals were sacrificed; substantia nigra (SN) & striatum isolated from brain and five micron thick sections were prepared. Cresyl violet (CV), H&E and Immuno-histochemical staining using anti-TH antibody was done. Motor behavior was assessed weekly throughout the experiment using five different methods. Rotenone treated parkinsonian animals showed deterioration of motor behavior, weight loss, loss of dopaminergic neurons and diminished immune-reactivity in the sections from the nigrostriatal regions of these animals Polydatin+rotenone treatment showed contradicting effects to parkinsonism, with amelioration in weight loss, neuro-motor behavior, dopaminergic loss and immune-reactivity against dopaminergic neurons. Present study revealed a neuro-protective potential of polydatin in animal model of PD by ameliorating the neuro-motor abnormalities and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in nigrostriatal regions.

Objective: Plants play valuable role in the new drug discovery and significantly used to treat different diseases. Nowadays scientists are investigating the therapeutically active phytochemical constituents that are safe and producing lesser side effect in comparative to other standard drugs.Methods: The plant Holoptelea integrifolia is medicinally important and this study was carried out to evaluate the anti inflammatory activity of aqueous extract of the leaves of Holoptelea integrifolia in male albino rats wistar stain treated with acetic acid to induced paw edema.Results: Result indicated the significant anti-inflammatory activity while compared with standard drug (diclofenac sodium).Brine shrimp bioassay (cytotoxicity), phytotoxicity, insecticidal and enzyme inhibition activity was performed in different extracts of the leaves of H. integrifolia. Results of brime shrimp bioassay indicating positive lethality at high dose in BuOH and H2O only. While the results of phytotoxicity in all crude extracts displayed mild phytotoxicity(46.3 µg/ml) in high concentrations (1000 µg/ml) except H2O extract showed no phytotoxicity. Result of insecticidal activity revealed that BuOH extract were found more effective against Rhyzoperthadominica, the EtOH extract expressed major while EtOAC extract showed mild activity against Callosobruchusanalis. Aqueous extract possessed no insecticidal activity.Conclusion: Results of Urease inhibition activity suggested that EtOAC and BuOH extracts of this plant expressed no activity while EtOH and H2O possessed mild inhibiting activity.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.17(2) 2018 p.212-217

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Several plant-derived compounds are currently successfully employed in cancer treatment. Various studies have demonstrated the anticancer or cytotoxic potential of different extracts of Alstonia scholaris at the highest doses. This study aimed to analyze the anticancer potential of oil fractions obtained from Alstonia scholaris flower isolation. The oil fractions were characterized using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) assay. The (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) (MTT) colorimetric assay was used for 3T3, PC3, and HeLa cell line cytotoxic potential of oil fractions. The results showed no cytotoxic activity of oil fractions, i.e., Oil I and Oil II were at a minimum dose of 30 μg/ml. However, the GC-MS assay depicted saturated (palmitic acid, ethyl ester, caproic acid, stearic acid, ethyl ester, octacosanoic acid, etc.), unsaturated (oleic acid, 3-(octadecyloxy)propyl ester, ethyl oleate and some other hydrocarbons such as betulin, ethyl iso-allocholate, lupenyl acetate, phthalic anhydride, phytol, etc. Thus, the reported chemical constituents showed no significant anticancer effect in the scientific literature. This research suggested that Alstonia has no potential as an anticancer agent. The findings of this study provide insight into maintaining the optimum data for future aspects of plant-derived phytoconstituents with potential cytotoxic effects on 3T3, PC3, and HeLa cell lines.

Background: Certain drugs produce unpredictable responses when used in emergency conditions. These variable outcomes may be harmful or beneficial for the patient. Objective: This study has been conducted to evaluate the pharmacodynamic interaction between angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and metoprolol, a selective blocker of β1 receptors. Cardioselective beta blockers are commonly used to treat hypertension, arrhythmias and ischemic heart disease. Method: In this study, 20 healthy male rabbits were selected and divided into two groups. Effective dose of Lisinopril (10 mg/kg) was administered orally via oral feeding, for 9 days. By using Langendroff’s technique, the effects of metoprolol were observed in isolated hearts. Result: The data showed that the effective dose of Lisinopril (10 mg/kg daily orally) increases the inotropic and chronotropic effects of metoprolol significantly (p<0.05). Conclusion: Therefore, lisinopril, an inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme may increase the response of cardioselective beta blocker metoprolol in isolated rabbit’s heart.