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Ethnopharmacological relevance Saussurea involucrate (Kar. et Kir.) Sch. -Bip is an endangered species of the Compositae family, and this species has long been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, dysmenorrhea, stomachache, and altitude sickness in Uighur folk and Chinese medicine. Aim of the study This study aimed to investigate the different therapeutic efficacy of alcohol infusion (SEI) and water decoction (SWD) of S. involucrata in treating rheumatoid arthritis using complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis (AA) in a rat model. Materials and methods Male Wistar rats (160–180 g) were immunized by intradermal injection of 0.1 mL of CFA into the left hind metatarsal footpad. Aspirin was chosen as the positive drug. Alcohol infusion (SEI, 400 and 800 mg/kg) and water decoction (SWD, 443 and 886 mg/kg) of S. involucrata aerial parts were orally administered from day 1 and continued for 21 days. Arthritis severity was evaluated by arthritic score, body weight loss, and paw swelling. The levels of TNF- α , IL- β , and IL-6 in the serum of AA rats were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histological changes in the ankle joint were also analyzed in the AA rats. Results Both SEI and SWD significantly ameliorated AA severity, as suggested by the modulatory effects on body weight loss, paw swelling, and arthritic score. Histopathological improvement in the joint architecture was also observed in the SEI- and SWD-treated AA rats. The overproduction of TNF- α , IL-1 β , and IL-6 was remarkably attenuated in the serum of all treated rats. Furthermore, the therapeutic effect of SWD was more potent than that of SEI in treating rheumatoid arthritis using AA in a rat model, which was reported for the first time. Conclusions These results suggested that the extract of S. involucrata significantly attenuated adjuvant arthritis in rats by decreasing the levels of TNF- α , IL-1 β , and IL-6 in the serum. S. involucrata has the potential to be regarded as a candidate for the treatment of human arthritis. Moreover, the therapeutic effect of SWD was much better than alcohol infusion, indicting that active constituents are mainly in the water extract, which is helpful for the clinical treatments to choose the appropriate process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Sipunculus nudus has long been employed as traditional Chinese medicine in folk remedies for the treatment of carbuncles, tuberculosis and nocturia, regulating the functions of stomach and spleen, as well as for the restoration to health in debilities caused by various pathogens and aging. Decoction of Sipunculus nudus has traditionally been used to remedy sternalgia in folk medicine. Aim of the study: This study aimed to assess the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive activity of the water extract from Sipunculus nudus. Materials and methods: The water extract from the body wall of Sipunculus nudus was obtained with the yield of 14.1%. The anti-inflammatory effect in six animal models and anti-nociceptive effect in two animal models of the water extract were evaluated by oral for the study. Results: Pretreatment with the extract (at the dose of 50, 100 and 200mg/kg) produced significant dose-dependent anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects. At 200mg/kg dose, the inhibition ratio of the extract on carrageenan-induced rat hind paw oedema, dextran-induced rat paw oedema, cotton pellet granuloma in rats, carrageenan-induced peritonitis and acetic acid-induced vascular permeability were 59.2%, 51.0%, 53.1%, 42.5%, 50.8%, better than that of indomethacin (5mg/kg) 49.5%, 50%, 44.4%, 37.6%, 46.8%, respectively. The inhibition ratio of the extract (200mg/kg dose) on xylene-induced mouse ear oedema was 61.5%, lower than 63.7% for indomethacin (5mg/kg). At 200mg/kg, the extract decreased number of writhing 52.3% in acetic acid-induced writhing model and increased the response latency 25.24% in hot plate test. Conclusions: The water extract from the body wall of Sipunculus nudus possesses excellent anti-inflammatory activity as well as peripheral and central analgesic properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Essential oil, ethanolic extract and decoction of 10 plant species from interior Portugal were analyzed for their activity towards acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme and their antioxidant activity. Of these, Melissa officinalis, Paronychia argentea, Sanguisorba minor, Hypericum undulatum and Malva silvestris are used in herbal medicine, Laurus nobilis and Mentha suaveolens as condiments, and Salvia officinalis, Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula pedunculata also as aromatics. Melissa officinalis and Mentha suaveolens showed AChE inhibitory capacity higher then 50% in the essential oil fraction. Laurus nobilis, Hypericum undulatum, and Sanguisorba minor showed a high inhibition value of AChE in the ethanolic fraction, 64% (1mgml−1) 68% (0.5mgml−1), and 78% (1mgml−1), respectively. Higher values of AChE inhibitory activity were found using decoctions of Lavandula pedunculata, Mentha suaveolens and Hypericum undulatum, 68, 69 and 82% (at a concentration of 5mg dry plantml−1 of assay), respectively. The free radical scavenger activity was higher for the polar extracts. In the water extracts most of the plants showed values around 90%. When antioxidant activity was measured with the β-carotene-linoleic acid assay high activity (65–95%) was also found in the water extracts. Hypericum undulatum, Melissa officinalis and Laurus nobilis showed both high AChE inhibitory capacity and antioxidant activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the acute diuretic effect of the water extract of the aerial parts of Retama raetam (RR) at a dose of 5mg/kg/h in normal rats. The aqueous extract was administered intravenously and the diuresis was followed within 4h after starting the treatment. Intravenous administration of the aqueous RR extract produced a significant increment on diuresis from the second hour (p <0.01) to the fourth hour (p <0.001). Furosemide at a dose of 0.1mg/kg/h had a similar effect when compared to RR administration. Parallel, the noticed increase of diuresis was associated with an elevation of glomerular filtration rate (p <0.05) and a significant decrease of urinary osmolarity (p <0.001). However, RR extract did not affect plasma urea levels, urine pH, plasma osmolarity and hematocrite. It is then concluded that the water extract of the aerial parts of RR exhibited a significant diuretic effect in normal rat. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cyperus articulatus L. (Cyperaceae) is a plant commonly used in traditional medicine in Africa and Latin America to treat many diseases. The water extract from rhizomes of Cyperus articulatus concentration-dependently reduced spontaneous epileptiform discharges and NMDA-induced depolarisations in the rat cortical wedge preparation at concentrations at which AMPA-induced depolarisations are not affected. The two antiepileptic compounds, valproate and ethosuximide, possessed effect neither on epileptiform discharges nor on AMPA- and NMDA-induced depolarisations. Phenobarbital, pentobarbital and phenythoin inhibited both AMPA- and NMDA-induced depolarisations and spontaneous epileptiform discharges. The effects of Cyperus articulatus were very close to the effect of d-CPPene. d-CPPene also inhibited spontaneous epileptiform discharges and antagonised NMDA- but not AMPA-induced depolarisations. The extract of Cyperus articulatus could contain components acting as NMDA antagonists. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]