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Background: Choline is an essential lipotropic nutrient for regulating fatty acid synthesis and hepatic lipid mobilization. Deficiency of choline causes fatty liver leading to dysregulated liver function. Objective: To investigate the lipotropic activity of the proprietary herbal formulation (PHF) containing Acacia nilotica and Curcuma longa. Materials and Methods: Fatty liver disease was induced in Wistar rats by feeding methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet for 4 weeks. Animals were concurrently treated with PHF (at 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg rat body weight/day) for 4 weeks. Methionine/choline-sufficient (MCS) diet-fed rats were used as control. Serum biochemistry and liver parameters were determined at the end of experimental period. Further, anti-lipogenic and lipolytic activity of PHF extract was studied in HepG2 cells. Results: Rats fed with MCD diet, showed significant increase in liver lipids, triglycerides, cholesterol, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, and serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and decreased serum triglyceride level compared to MCS diet-fed rats indicating significant fat accumulation and liver damage. PHF treatment significantly decreased the liver lipids, triglyceride and serum ALT compared to MCD diet-fed rat. Histological evaluation revealed the restoration of hepatic architecture after PHF treatment. In in vitro studies, the PHF extract decreased the oleic acid induced fat accumulation in HepG2 cells. Conclusion: The study demonstrated the lipotropic effect of PHF evident from decreased fat accumulation and antilipogenic activity. These data suggests that PHF could be a potential supplement for preventing fatty liver.

Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels (Myrtaceae), commonly known as jamun, is an Indian plant, traditionally well known for its medicinal properties including antidiabetic activity.To isolate the antidiabetic compounds from Syzygium cumini seeds and evaluate their activity using aldose reductase (AR) and protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibition assays.The dried seeds were extracted with methanol and partitioned with ethyl acetate, butanol, and water. The extracts were screened for antidiabetic activity at a concentration of 100 µg/mL using in vitro AR and PTP 1B inhibition assays.The highly enriched fractions obtained from broad ethyl acetate fraction yielded maslinic acid (1), 5-(hydroxymethyl) furfural (2), gallic acid (3), valoneic acid dilactone (4), rubuphenol (5), and ellagic acid (6). Structures were elucidated by (1)H-NMR and (13)C-NMR. The initial ethyl acetate fraction showed AR inhibitory activity with the IC50 value of 2.50 μg/mL and PTP1B enzyme inhibition with the IC50 value of 26.36 μg/mL. Compounds 3, 4, 5, and 6 were found to inhibit AR with IC50 values of 0.77, 0.075, 0.165, and 0.12 μg/mL while the compounds 4, 5, and 6 inhibited PTP1B with IC50 values of 9.37, 28.14, and 25.96 μg/mL, respectively.The results of this study demonstrate that the isolated constituents show promising in vitro antidiabetic activity and, therefore, can be candidates for in vivo biological screening using relevant models to ascertain their antidiabetic activity.

Background: Curcuma longa has long history of medicinal use in Ayurveda. A unique product NR-INF-02 was prepared from C. longa that was standardized to contain turmerosaccharides. Objective: The present study investigated the effect of turmerosaccharides rich fraction of NR-INF-02 on monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced OA pain animal model that mimics human OA. Further, the analgesic effect of turmerosaccharides rich fraction was compared to turmerosaccharides less fraction of NR-INF-02. Materials and Methods: OA pain was chemically induced by intra-articular administration of single dose of 25 μl of 0.9% saline containing 0.3 mg MIA into the right knee of male albino Wistar rat. Turmerosaccharides rich fraction and turmerosaccharides less fraction (at 22.5, 45 and 90 mg/kg rat body weight dose levels) were administered as a single dose orally on day 5 of post-MIA injection. OA pain was measured using hind limb weight-bearing ability at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h post-test substance administration on day 5. Results: Oral administration of turmerosaccharides rich fraction and turmerosaccharides less fraction (at 45 and 90 mg/kg) although significantly decreased the OA pain at all the intervals, the effect of turmerosaccharides rich fraction (57%) on OA pain was superior to turmerosaccharides less fraction (35%). Conclusion: Bioactive turmerosaccharides from C. longa extract contribute to the observed anti-arthritic effect in rats. SUMMARY Osteoarthritic pain was induced by intra-articular injection of MIA into the right kneeSingle administration of TRF/TLF on day 5 resulted in dose-dependent significant reduction of OA painTRF showed better analgesic activity than TLFTRF at 45 and 90 mg/kg has similar effects on OA pain as that of tramadolTurmerosaccharides identified as bioactive constituents of C. longa extract. Abbreviations used: MIA: Monosodium iodoacetate; i.ar: Intra-articular; OA: Osteoarthritis; TRF: Turmerosaccharides rich fraction; TLF: Turmerosaccharides less fraction; PGE2: Prostaglandin E2; ROS: Reactive oxygen species.

Introduction: Cholesterol lowering activity of Mangifera indica L. has been determined by earlier researchers and kernel, leaf and bark have shown significant activity. However, the specific cholesterol lowering activity of leaf methanol extract has not been determined. Materials and Methods: The present study involved evaluation of cholesterol lowering potential of methanol extract of M. indica leaves using high cholesterol diet model in albino Wistar rats. The acute oral toxicity at a dose of 5000 mg/ kg body weight was also determined in female albino Wistar rats. Phytoconstituents Iriflophenone 3-C-β-D-glucoside and mangiferin were quantified in methanol extracts of different varieties of mango leaves using high performance liquid chromatography. Results and Discussion: Significant cholesterol lowering activity was observed with methanol extract of M. indica leaves, at dose of 90 mg/kg body weight in rats and it was also found to be safe at dose of 5000 mg/kg rat body. Iriflophenone 3-C-β-D-glucoside and mangiferin were found to be in the range of 1.2 to 2.8% w/w and 3.9 to 4.6% w/w, respectively which along with 3 β taraxerol and other sterols could be contributing to the cholesterol lowering activity of mango leaves extract. Conclusions: The phytosterols rich extract of Mangifera indica leaves is a good source of nutraceutical ingredient that have the potential to lower serum cholesterol levels. SUMMARY The Mangifera indica leaves methanolic extract showed significant cholesterol lowering activity in high cholesterol diet induced hypercholesterolaemia model in rats when evaluated at a dose of 90 mg/kg rat body weight. The extract was found to contain Iriflophenone 3-C-β-D-glucoside and mangiferin which along with 3 β taraxerol and other sterols could be contributing to the cholesterol lowering activity.

Background: In the earlier studies, methanolic extract of Mangifera indica L leaf was exhibited hypocholesterol activity. However, the bioactive compounds responsible for the same are not reported so far. Objective: To isolate the bioactive compounds with hypocholesterol activity from the leaf extract using cholesterol esterase inhibition assay which can be used for the standardization of extract. Materials and Methods: The leaf methanolic extract of M. indica (Sindoora variety) was partitioned with ethyl acetate and chromatographed on silica gel to yield twelve fractions and the activity was monitored by using cholesterol esterase inhibition assay. Active fractions were re-chromatographed to yield individual compounds. Results and Discussion: A major compound mangiferin present in the extract was screened along with other varieties of mango leaves for cholesterol esterase inhibition assay. However, the result indicates that compounds other than mangiferin may be active in the extract. Invitro pancreatic cholesterol esterase inhibition assay was used for bioactivity guided fractionation (BAGF) to yield bioactive compound for standardization of extract. Bioactivity guided fractionation afford the active fraction containing 3b-taraxerol with an IC50 value of 0.86μg/ml.Conclusion: This study demonstrates that M.indica methanol extract of leaf have significant hypocholesterol activity which is standardized with 3b-taraxerol, a standardized extract for hypocholesterol activity resulted in development of dietary supplement from leaves of Mangifera indica .

Background: While curcuminoids have been reported to possess diverse biological activities, the anti-inflammatory activity of polar extracts (devoid of curcuminoids) of Curcuma longa (C. longa) has seldom been studied. In this study, we have investigated immune-stimulatory and anti-inflammatory activities of an aqueous based extract of C. longa (NR-INF-02) and its fractions in presence and absence of mitogens. Materials and Methods: Effects of NR-INF-02 (Turmacin TM , Natural Remedies Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore, India) on proliferation, nitric oxide (NO), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukins (ILs) and prostaglandin (PGE 2 ) levels of mouse splenocytes and mouse macrophage (RAW264.7) cells were determined. Results: NR-INF-02 increased splenocytes number in presence and absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or concanavalin A. Treatment of NR-INF-02 showed a significant increase of NO, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, interferon (IFN) gamma, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and MCP-1 production in unstimulated mouse splenocytes and mouse macrophages. Interestingly, NR-INF-02 showed potent inhibitory effect towards release of PGE 2 and IL-12 levels in LPS stimulated mouse splenocytes. Further, NR-INF-02 was fractionated into polysaccharide fraction (F1) and mother liquor (F2) to study their immune-modulatory effects. F1 was found to be more potent than F2 toward inhibiting PGE 2 and IL-12 in LPS stimulated splenocytes. Conclusion: Present findings revealed the novel anti-inflammatory property of NR-INF-02 and its polysaccharide fraction by inhibiting the secretion of IL-12 and PGE 2 in vitro.

Background : Phyllanthus emblica, Camellia sinensis, Mangifera indica, Punica granatum, and Acacia catechu have been shown to possess widespread pharmacological application against multitude of diseases namely cancer, diabetes, liver disorders, and oxidative stress. Objective: We evaluated the hepatoprotective activity of the standardized herbal extracts against tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BH) induced toxicity and their mechanism of hepatoprotective action in human hepatocarcinoma cells (HepG2 cell line). Materials and Methods: The hepatoprotective activity was studied by observing the effect of these herbal extracts on t-BH induced reduction in cell viability of HepG2 cells. In addition, the reducing power of the extracts and their ability to scavenge free radicals were evaluated using two antioxidant assay systems: cell free [oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and [2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonicacid)] (ABTS)] and cell based [cellular antioxidant activity (CAA)]. Results and Discussion: The results obtained showed that these extracts possess significant hepatoprotective activity. This may indicate that the plant extracts contain compounds, which can remove toxic metabolites following t-BH induced toxicity. The extracts exhibited significant antioxidant property as evident by the Trolox values and effective scavenging of DPPH and ABTS radicals. The extracts also demonstrated inhibition of AAPH-induced fluorescence in HepG2 cells. These results indicate the ability of the plant extracts to protect the liver cells from chemical-induced damage, which might be correlated to their radical scavenging potential. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that these extracts have potential hepatoprotective activity which is mainly attributed to the antioxidant potential, which might occur by reduction of lipid peroxidation and cellular damage.