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a b s t r a c tRhubarb (Rheum emodi, family Polygonaceae) has been traditionally used as diuretic, liver stimulant, purgative/cathartic, stomachic, anticholesterolaemic, antitumour, antiseptic and tonic. A number of anthraquinone derivatives including emodin, aloe-emodin, physcion, chrysophanol, rhein, emodin glycoside and chrysophanol glycoside occur as the main chemical constituents. In the past few years, new components such as sulfemodin 8-O-b-D-glucoside, revandchinone-1, revandchinone-2, revandchinone-3, revandchinone-4, 6-methyl-rhein and 6-methyl aloe-emodin have been reported from the same species. Anthraquinone derivatives show evidence of antifungal, anti-microbial, anti-Parkinson's, anti-proliferative, immuno-enhancing, antiviral and antioxidant activities. This review covers published work on botany, chemistry and therapeutic uses of different components from rhubarb.

Colon cancer is a world-wide health problem and one of the most dangerous type of cancer, affecting both men and women. Naringenin (4, 5, 7-trihydroxyflavanone) is one of the major flavone glycoside present in citrus fruits. Naringenin has long been used in Chinese's traditional medicine because of its exceptional pharmacological properties and non-toxic nature. In the present study, we investigated the chemopreventive potential of Naringenin against 1,2-dimethyhydrazine (DMH)-induced precancerous lesions, that is, aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and mucin depleted foci (MDF), and its role in regulating the oxidative stress, inflammation and hyperproliferation, in the colon of Wistar rats. Animals were divided into five groups. In groups 3-5, Naringenin was administered at the dose of 50 mg/kg b. wt. orally while in groups 2-4, DMH was administered subcutaneously in the groin at the dose of 20 mg/kg b. wt. once a week for first 5 weeks and animals were euthanized after 10 weeks. Administration of Naringenin ameliorated the development of DMH-induced lipid peroxidation, ROS formation, precancerous lesions (ACF and MDF) and it also reduced the infiltration of mast cells, suppressed the immunostaining of NF-κB-p65, COX-2, i-NOS PCNA and Ki 67 Naringenin treatment significantly attenuated the level of TNF-α and it also prevented the depletion of the mucous layer. Our findings suggest that Naringenin has strong chemopreventive potential against DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis but further studies are warranted to elucidate the precise mechanism of action of Naringenin.

Diabetes is considered as the most common metabolic disease affecting millions of people all around the world. Use of natural herbal medicines can be effective in treating diabetes. Zingerone (4-(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl) butan-2-one) a polyphenolic alkanone extracted from ginger has a broad spectrum of pharmacological properties and thus can be used as a promising candidate against various ailments. In the current study we aimed at demonstrating the protective effect of zingerone against diabetes mellitus and elucidating its possible mechanism. Five groups of animals (I-V) were made with ten animals each. Group I (control) was given normal saline orally. Group II (diabetic positive control) was given alloxan at the dose rate of 100 mg/kg bwt once. Group III and IV was given alloxan once at the dose rate of 100 mg/kg bwt. and received oral treatment of zingerone at a dose rate of 50 and 100 mg/kg bwt respectively daily for 21 days. Group V was given alloxan at the dose of 100 mg/kg bwt. and was treated with standard drug glibenclamide at the dose rate of 4.5 mg/kg bwt. daily for 21 days. According to our findings we confirmed that zingerone restrained the alloxan induced oxidative stress by increasing the activity of reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and reducing the peroxidative damage. We also confirmed that zingerone suppressed the level of redox sensitive transcription factor NFκB and downregulated other downstream inflammatory cytokines like interleukins (IL1-β IL-2, IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Moreover, the experimental findings suggested that zingerone improved the insulin levels. Taken together our results indicated that zingerone effectively ameliorated the diabetes induced complications which provide a strong theoretical basis for zingerone to be used clinically for treatment of diabetes.

The aim of this study was to examine hepatoprotective effect of ethanolic extract of propolis (KPEt) from Kashmir Himalaya against isoniazid and rifampicin (INH-RIF) induced liver damage in rats. Hepatic cellular injury was initiated by administration of INH-RIF combination (100 mg/kg) intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection for 14 days. We report the protective effects of KPEt against INH-RIF induced liver oxidative stress, inflammation, and enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. Oral administration of KPEt at both doses (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) distinctly restricted all modulating oxidative liver injury markers and resulted in the attenuation of INH-RIF arbitrated damage. The free radical scavenging activity of KPEt was evaluated by DPPH, nitric oxide, and superoxide radical scavenging assay. The components present in KPEt identified by ultra high performance liquid chromatography diode array detector time of flight-mass spectroscopy (UHPLC-DAD-QToF-MS) were found to be flavonoids and phenolic acids. The protective efficacy of KPEt is possibly because of free radical scavenging and antioxidant property resulting from the presence of flavonoids and phenolic acids.