Background Chronic administration of steroids like dexamethasone produces symptoms including weight loss and skeletal muscle dysfunction. Similar events are reported in chronic or high-intensity exercises, that can lead to fatigue and muscle damage. Objective In the present study, the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf extract was evaluated against dexamethasone (Dex) and exercise (Exe)-induced muscle changes in rats. Materials and methods Six groups each containing 6 rats, namely normal, Dex control, Exe Control, Dex + M. oleifera leaf extract (300mg/kg p.o. ), Dex + Exe, Dex + Exe + M. oleifera leaf extract were assessed in the study. Dex was administered at 0.6 mg/kg i.p. daily for 7 days. Exercise was given for a total of 10 days after 30 minutes of dosing using treadmill equipment for 900 seconds at speed 18 m/min. Animals were assessed for variation in body weight, muscular endurance using treadmill, locomotor activity using actophotometer, motor coordination using rotarod on day zero, and day seven. Hemidiaphragm of rats were isolated and used for evaluation of the glucose uptake. Gastrocnemius muscle was isolated and subjected to hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results Dex and Exe control animals showed a significant decrease in skeletal muscle activity when compared to normal control animals in the actophotometer test. Improvement in endurance were seen in Dex + M. oleifera leaf extract, and Dex + exercise + M. oleifera leaf extract groups compared to Dex control group. Improvement in locomotor activity was seen in Dex group subjected to exercise and was significant when treated with M. oleifera leaf extract. Histology reports were in accordance with the functional parameters. Conclusion M. oleifera leaf extract supplemented with exercise showed a reversal in the dexamethasone-induced functional impairment in skeletal muscles.

Inflammation is a defensive response against invasion by foreign bodies, which need to be treated with safer molecules such as phytomolecules like caffeic acid (CA). This work aimed to formulate and evaluate topical cream with CA-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) for anti-inflammatory action. CA-loaded NLCs were formulated by solvent diffusion method followed by preparation of NLCs loaded cream which was evaluated and characterized for various parameters including in-vitro release behavior and in-vivo acute anti-inflammatory effect in carrageenaninduced rat paw edema wistar rats model. The CA-loaded NLCs showed good results for particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency, while 0.5% w/w cream had a significant anti-inflammatory effect when tested for the acute study. Furthermore, skin-irritation study was carried out on wistar rats and it was observed that the formulated creams did not produce any signs of irritation, edema, and erythema compared to the positive control group (0.9% v/v formalin group). Therefore, formulated NLCs loaded cream can be used as a safe and efficient acute anti-inflammatory agent and considered an alternative treatment strategy to existing formulations.