Cataract is a visual impairment occurs due to the opacification of crystalline lens. It affects around 17 billion peoples worldwide, although incidence of cataracts is increasing day by day among the elderly persons. Still today except surgery no other effective treatment have been successfully developed so far, thus this present review is focused to highlights the etiological aspects, risk factors along with possible pharmacological prevention and animal models which are widely used for screening anticataract activity. The present review includes the list of plants and their phytoconstituents which have been evaluated pharmacologically for the treatment of cataract. From the review it can be concluded that antioxidant properties of plants phytochemicals are responsible for the anticataract activity.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icpj.v1i7.10813International Current Pharmaceutical Journal 2012, 1(7): 180-185

Drug-induced hepatotoxicity (DIH) accounts for 9.5% of all suspected adverse drug reactions and are the most common reason for withdrawal of a drug from the market. The liver is a central metabolizing organ so it more susceptible to metabolism-dependant injury. Thus, injury may be a direct toxic effect or immunological reaction to either the drug or an active metabolite formed by bioactivation. [1] It is reported that 62% of withdrawn drugs have toxic metabolites. [2] Although, with the exception of rare cases, DIH subsides after cessation of treatment with the drug, which represents an important diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for physicians. Simvastatin (SMT) competitively inhibits HMG-CoA to mevalonate. Mevalonate is also a precursor of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Thus, treatment with statins could also lower its levels. CoQ10 acts as an antioxidant, has membrane stabilising effects, and is important for cellular mitochondrial respiration, which is essential for energy production in organs. [3,4] Thus, simvastatin causes oxidative ABSTRACT Objective: This study was designed to assess the effect of polyherbal formulation (PHF) on simvastatin hepatotoxicity in rats and to assess the possibility of co-administration of PHF along with hepatotoxic drugs. Methods: Hepatotoxicity in rats was induced by simvastatin (20 mg/kg p.o. for 30 days) and the protective effect of PHF (0.25 ml/kg/p.o. and 0.5 ml/kg/p.o. either along with drug or followed by inducing hepatotoxicity) was identiÞ ed by estimating marker enzymes for liver function such as aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and γ glutamic transpeptidase; oxidative stress markers such as lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, super oxide dismutase, and catalase; and protein proÞ le such as total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, total albumin, and total protein. A histopathological study was also carried out to conÞ rm hepatotoxicity. Results and Discussions: Simvastatin hepatotoxicity was characterized by a signiÞ cant increase in oxidative stress along with marker enzymes of liver function and depletion of proteins. Administration of PHF either along with simvastatin or followed by inducing hepatotoxicity signiÞ cantly improved the level of marker enzymes for liver function, oxidative stress, and protein proÞ le. Conclusion: The study suggests a protective role of PHF on simvastatin hepatotoxicity and it can be utilized to treat hepatotoxicity with long-term clinically useful drugs.

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To investigate the role of the methanolic fruit extract of Benincasa cerifera on lipid peroxidation (LPO) and renal pathology in ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R).In experimental methodology, both renal pedicles were occluded for 60 min followed by 24 h of reperfusion. B. cerifera (500 mg/kg/day) was administered orally for 5 days prior to induction of renal ischemia and was continued for 1 day after ischemia. At the end of the reperfusion period, rats were sacrificed. Sham-operated rats followed same procedure except renal arteries occlusion. LPO and histopathological analysis were done in renal tissue. Serum creatinine and urea levels were measured for the evaluation of renal function. In ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) rats, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were increased significantly when compared with sham-control rats. Histological changes showed tubular cell swelling, interstitial oedema, tubular dilation and moderate-to-severe necrosis in epithelium of I/R rat as compared to sham control. The methanolic fruit extract of B. cerifera could attenuate the heightened MDA levels. I/R-induced renal injury was markedly diminished by administration of B. cerifera These results indicate that the methanolic fruit extract of B. cerifera attenuate renal damage after I/R injury of the kidney by potent antioxidant or free radical scavenging activity.