@article {680, title = {Effect of Butea Monosperma Lam. Leaves and Bark Extracts on Blood Glucose in Streptozotocin-induced Severely Diabetic Rats}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {4}, year = {2012}, month = {december,2011}, pages = {33-36}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {33}, abstract = {

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that has significant impact on the health, quality of life and life expectancy, as well as on the health care system. Butea monosperma Lam. Kuntze (Fabaceae), commonly known as palash, is widely used in the treatment of various diseases and disorders including diabetes. Materials and Methods: The present study was planned to evaluate the antidiabetic effect of aqueous extracts of B. monosperma leaves and bark in streptozotocin-induced severely diabetic rats. The animals were divided into four groups, with each consisting of six rats, viz. control, diabetic control, leaf extract-treated and bark extract-treated groups. Treatment was continued for 6 weeks. The biochemical estimations included blood glucose and serum insulin levels. Histopathology of pancreas was also performed. Results: The results indicated that both leaf and bark extracts of B. monosperma produced insignificant antihyperglycemic activity. The leaf and bark extracts reduced blood glucose to an extent of 28\% and 11\%, respectively. It was also evidenced that both leaf and bark extracts did not increase insulin synthesis or secretion and did not improve pancreatic architecture as reflected by the histopathologic studies. Conclusions: The findings of the study emphasize that B. monosperma does not possess significant antidiabetic activity in severe experimental diabetes at the dosage tested.

}, keywords = {Butea monosperma, Diabetes, Insulin, Pancreas, Streptozotocin}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.91032}, author = {Faiyaz Ahmed and NS Siddaraju and M Harish, Asna Urooj and Asna Urooj} } @article {682, title = {Moringa Oleifera Lam.: Protease Activity Against Blood Coagulation Cascade}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {4}, year = {2012}, month = {december,2011}, pages = { 44-49}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = { 44}, abstract = {

Background: The present study evaluated the protease activity of aqueous extracts of Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) leaf (MOL) and root (MOR). Materials and Methods: Protease activity was assayed using casein, human plasma clot and human fibrinogen as substrates. Results: Caseinolytic activity of MOL was significantly higher (P <= 0.05) than that of MOR. Similar observations were found in case of human plasma clot hydrolyzing activity, wherein MOL caused significantly higher (P <= 0.05) plasma clot hydrolysis than MOR. Zymographic techniques were used to detect proteolytic enzymes following electrophoretic separation in gels. Further, both the extracts exhibited significant procoagulant activity as reflected by a significant decrease (P <= 0.05) in recalcification time, accompanied by fibrinogenolytic and fibrinolytic activities; clotting time was decreased from 180 {\textpm} 10 sec to 119 {\textpm} 8 sec and 143 {\textpm} 10 sec by MOL and MOR, respectively, at a concentration of 2.5 mg/mL. Fibrinogenolytic (human fibrinogen) and fibrinolytic activity (human plasma clot) was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), plate method and colorimetric method. Zymographic profile indicated that both the extracts exerted their procoagulant activity by selectively hydrolyzing Aa and Bb subunits of fibrinogen to form fibrin clot, thereby exhibiting fibrinogenolytic activity. However, prolonged incubation resulted in degradation of the formed fibrin clot, suggesting fibrinolytic like activity. Conclusions: These findings support the traditional usage of M. oleifera extracts for wound healing.

}, keywords = {Caseinolytic, Fibrinogenolytic, Fibrinolytic, Moringa oleifera, Procoagulant}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.91034}, author = {A Satish and Sudha Sairam and Faiyaz Ahmed and Asna Urooj} }