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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik. (family: Malvaceae), Asparagus falcatus (family: Asparagaceae) and Barleria prionitis Linn. (family: Acanthaceae) have been used in the treatment of kidney diseases in Sri Lankan traditional medicine. Besides the traditional use, scientific scrutinization of safe therapeutic use of these medicinal plants in the management of kidney diseases has not been reported to date., Aim of the Study: The three selected doses of the aqueous extracts of the selected medicinal plants were studied for their protective effects against adriamycin (ADR) induced nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats., Materials and Methods: Chemically standardized plant materials were used in the study. The nephroprotective activity of the lyophilized powder of the aqueous refluxed (4hr) leaf extracts of A. moschatus, A. falcatus and the whole plant extract of B. prionitis was investigated in adriamycin (20 mg/kg, ip) induced nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats (n = 6/group). The treatment regimens were initiated 24 h after the induction of nephrotoxicity and continued daily as a single dose for three consecutive days at three selected doses (200, 400 and 600 mg/kg). Fosinopril sodium (0.09 mg/kg) was used as the standard drug. Nephroprotective activity was assessed by estimating the selected biochemical parameters and by the assessment of histopathology on H and E stained sections of the kidney., Results: The plant extracts at the three selected doses significantly attenuated the elevations in serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and the loss of urine total protein in a dose related manner in ADR induced nephrotoxic rats (p < 0.001). The serum concentration of albumin and total protein increased significantly (p < 0.001). Histopathological findings corroborated the biochemical evidence of nephroprotective activity. The aqueous extracts of the three selected medicinal plants exerted a relatively high antioxidant activity in vitro., Conclusions: Evaluation of the protective effects based on biochemical parameters and histopathology assessment revealed that the aqueous leaf extracts of A. moschatus, A. falcatus and the whole plant extract of B. prionitis possess significant nephroprotective activity against ADR induced acute nephrotoxicity. The secondary metabolites present in the plant extracts may attribute to the total antioxidant activities of the selected medicinal plant extracts thereby exerting protective effects against nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Asparagus gonoclados Baker is a traditional folk remedy used for diabetes, diuretic, galactogogue, gastric ulcer activities etc. AIM: The present investigation was intended to evaluate the beneficial effect of the A.gonoclados (Lilliaceae) root tubers against diabetes mellitus., Materials and Methods: Different solvent extracts of root tubers of A. gonoclados were used to study the antihyperglycemic activity in streptozotocin (45 mg/kg.wt) induced diabetic rats. Oral glucose tolerance test was performed in diabetic and normal rats treated with A.gonoclados. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavanoid content (TFC) and total steroidal saponins content (TSSC) were measured in different solvent extracts. Following bioassay guided fractionation method antihyperglycemic active fraction of A. gonoclados (AGAF) was isolated from the ethanol extract (AGEE) by silica gel column chromatography. We further tested relationship between insulin stimulation effect and the influence of active fraction on K + -ATP and Ca 2+ channels opening in normal and diabetic rats. The characterization of AGAF was carried out by LC-ESI-MS/MS., Results: Among the different solvent extracts, the ethanol extract (AGEE) at a dose of 500 mg/kg b.wt has produced maximum (67%) reduction in fasting blood glucose levels (FBG) in diabetic treated rats after 6 h of oral administration when compared to the standard drug glibenclamide (40%). AGEE also showed dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the activities of α-glucosidase (74.73%) and α-amylase (76.47%), which is comparable to the activity of standard drug acarbose (88.42%). AGEE was found to have the richest quantity of TPCs (138.4 ± 0.39 μg/mg gallic acid equivalents), TFCs (64.8 ± 0.54 μg/mg quercetin equivalents) and TSSCs (12.9 ± 0.11μg/mg sarasapogenin equivalents). We identified 8 potential antihyperglycemic compounds in AGAF by LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis., Conclusion: From our current study we confirm that A. gonoclados root tubers have potent antihyperglycemic activity and it can be a unique drug/formulation for the management of diabetes mellitus., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Asparagus racemosus (AR) is well known as an Ayurvedic rasayana which used traditionally by Ayurvedic practitioners for nervous disorders and prevent aging. In our previous study it was found that ethanol AR root extract can improve learning and memory impairment, induced by an ovariectomy, but the extract's mechanisms as a neuroprotective property are still unknown., Aim of the Study: This study aimed to examine the effects and mechanisms of ethanol AR root extract on the alteration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes in ovariectomized (OVX) rats., Materials and Methods: Adult female Wistar rats were divided into five groups, 4 groups underwent ovariectomy, and one group was designed to be the sham control group. Two groups were gavaged with propylene glycol for sham, and a second group similarly prepared for OVX. Two further groups of OVX rats were gavaged once daily, one group with 100 mg/kg b.w. of ethanol AR root extract and the second group with 1000 mg/kg b.w. of ethanol AR root extract. The fifth group was gavaged once daily with 0.1 mg/kg b.w. of 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE). BDNF, ERα and ERβ expression were evaluated by western blot analysis., Results: The western blot analysis revealed that the OVX rats showed a significant decrease in BDNF and a down-regulation of ERα and ERβ in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. It was also demonstrated that EE and AR root extract increased BDNF, ERα and ERβ in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of ovariectomized rats., Conclusions: Based on these results, the enhancement of BDNF and ERs up-regulation may be involved in the neuroprotective effects of ethanol AR root extract in ovariectomized rat., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The immunoadjuvant potential of Asparagus racemosus (Willd.) Family (Liliaceae) aqueous root extract was evaluated in experimental animals immunized with diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP) vaccine. Immunostimulation was evaluated using serological and hematological parameters. Oral administration of test material at 100 mg/kg per day dose for 15 days resulted significant increase (P = 0.0052) in antibody titers to Bordtella pertussis as compared to untreated (control) animals. Immunized animals (treated and untreated) were challenged with B. pertussis 18323 strain and the animals were observed for 14 days. Results indicate that the treated animals did show significant increase in antibody titers as compared to untreated animals after challenge (P = 0.002). Immunoprotection against intra-cerebral challenge of live B. pertussis cells was evaluated based on degree of sickness, paralysis and subsequent death. Reduced mortality accompanied with overall improved health status was observed in treated animals after intra-cerebral challenge of B. pertussis indicating development of protective immune response. Present study indicates applications of test material as potential immunoadjuvant that also offers direct therapeutic benefits resulting in less morbidity and mortality.

Most of the synthetic chemotherapeutic agents available today are immunosuppressants, cytotoxic, and exert variety of side effects that are particularly evident in cancer chemotherapy. Botanical based immunomodulators are often employed as supportive or adjuvant therapy to overcome the undesired effects of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents and to restore normal health. Total extract, polar and non-polar extracts, and their formulations, prepared from medicinal plants mentioned in Ayurveda, namely, Withania somnifera (Linn Dunal) (Solanaceae), Tinospora cordifolia (Miers) (Menispermaceae), and Asparagus racemosus (Willd.) (Liliaceae), exhibited various immunopharmacological activities in cyclophosphamide (CP)-treated mouse ascitic sarcoma. Treatment of ascitic sarcoma-bearing mice with a formulation of total extracts of Withania somnifera and Tinospora cordifolia (80:20) and alkaloid-free polar fraction of Withania somnifera resulted in protection towards CP-induced myelo- and immunoprotection as evident by significant increase in white cell counts and hemagglutinating and hemolytic antibody titers. Treatment with these candidate drugs will be important in development of supportive treatment with cancer chemotherapy.

Asparagus racemosus is an Ayurvedic rasayana, which finds mention in ancient Indian texts for treatment of gastric ulcers. The ulcer protective effect of methanolic extract of fresh roots of A. racemosus (ARM), 25-100 mg/kg given orally, twice daily for 5 days, was studied on different gastroduodenal ulcer models. ARM 50 mg/kg, twice daily, orally (total saponins 0.9%) showed significant protection against acute gastric ulcers induced by cold restraint stress (CRS), pyloric ligation, aspirin plus pyloric ligation, and duodenal ulcers induced by cysteamine. ARM in the above dose also significantly healed chronic gastric ulcers induced by acetic acid after 10 days treatment. However, ARM was ineffective against aspirin- and ethanol-induced gastric ulcers. Further, gastric juice and mucosal studies showed that ARM significantly increased the mucosal defensive factors like mucus secretion, cellular mucus, life span of cells and also possessed significant anti-oxidant effect, but had little or no effect on offensive factors like acid and pepsin.

The possible antioxidant effects of crude extract and a purified aqueous fraction of Asparagus racemosus against membrane damage induced by the free radicals generated during gamma-radiation were examined in rat liver mitochondria. gamma-Radiation, in the dose range of 75-900 Gy, induced lipid peroxidation as assessed by the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH). Using an effective dose of 450 Gy, antioxidant effects of A. racemosus extract were studied against oxidative damage in terms of protection against lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, depletion of protein thiols and the levels of the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. An active fraction consisting of polysaccharides (termed as P3) was effective even at a low concentration of 10 microg/ml. Both the crude extract as well as the P3 fraction significantly inhibited lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. The antioxidant effect of P3 fraction was more pronounced against lipid peroxidation, as assessed by TBARS formation, while that of the crude extract was more effective in inhibiting protein oxidation. Both the crude extract and P3 fraction also partly protects against radiation-induced loss of protein thiols and inactivation of superoxide dismutase. The inhibitory effects of these active principles, at the concentration of 10 microg/ml, are comparable to that of the established antioxidants glutathione and ascorbic acid. Hence our results indicate that extracts from A. racemosus have potent antioxidant properties in vitro in mitochondrial membranes of rat liver.