Journal of ethnopharmacology
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Comparative Study
Anticonvulsant activity and chemical composition of Artemisia dracunculus L. essential oil.
Artemisia dracunculus L. (Asteraceae) has been used orally as an antiepileptic remedy in Iranian folkloric medicine. The anticonvulsant potential and composition of the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of the plant were assessed in this study. ⋯ Gas chromatography (GC)/mass spectrometry (MS) analysis of the essential oil revealed the presence of trans-anethole (21.1%), alpha-trans-ocimene (20.6%), limonene (12.4%), alpha-pinene (5.1%), allo ocimene (4.8%), methyl eugenol (2.2%), beta-pinene (0.8%), alpha-terpinolene (0.5%), bornyl acetate (0.5%) and bicyclogermacrene (0.5%) as the main components. The observed anticonvulsant and sedative effects could be related to the presence of monoterpenoids in the essential oil.
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Antitumor and immunomodulatory activities of an aqueous extract (GF100) of Acanthopanax senticosus were examined. In experimental lung metastasis of colon26-M3.1 carcinoma cells, intravenous (i.v.) administration of GF100 2 days before tumor inoculation significantly inhibited lung metastasis in a dose-dependent manner. The i.v. administration of GF100 also exhibited the therapeutic effect on tumor metastasis of colon26-M3.1 cells, when it was injected 1 day after tumor inoculation. ⋯ In addition, the i.v. administration of GF100 significantly augmented NK cytotoxicity to Yac-1 cells. The depletion of NK cells by injection of rabbit anti-asialo GM1 serum completely abolished the inhibitory effect of GF100 on lung metastasis of colon26-M3.1 cells. These data suggest that GF100 has antitumor activity to inhibit tumor metastasis prophylactically as well as therapeutically, and its antitumor effect is associated with activation of macrophages and NK cells.
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Gelsemium elegans Benth. (Loganiaceae), a toxic plant indigenous to southeastern Asia, is well known among hilltribes as an effective means for committing suicide. A crude alkaloidal fraction from its leaves was isolated by conventional acid-base extraction. ⋯ At a lethal dose, the alkaloids produced violent clonic convulsions that led to respiratory failure. Since the convulsions could be prevented by pentobarbital or diazepam and potentiated by reserpine, it is postulated that the alkaloids act centrally against GABA action.
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The ethnographic study was conducted in two communities in Oyo State in Southwestern Nigeria. The study sites consisted of a rural and an urban local government area located in the tropical rain forest zone of Nigeria. The study was designed to obtain information on febrile illnesses and herbal remedies for treatment with the aim of identifying potential antimalarial drugs. ⋯ Oral decoctions (84%), oral powders (63%), use as soaps and creams (40%) in a multiple response system, were the most prevalent routes of administration of prepared herbs used in the treatment of the fevers. Boiling in water or alcohol was the most common method used in the preparation of the remedies. The four most frequently mentioned (multiple response system) plants in the Southwest ethnobotany for fevers were Azadirachta indica (87.5%), Mangifera indica (75.0%), Morinda lucida (68.8%) and Citrus medica (68.8%).
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The hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effect of ethanolic extract obtained from seeds of E. jambolana was investigated in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. Hypoglycaemic activity was assessed by reduction in fasting blood glucose (FBG) at 90min and also fall in peak blood glucose during glucose tolerance test (GTT) in sub-diabetic and mild diabetic (MD) rabbits, but in severe diabetic (SD) rabbits by reduction in FBG at 90min. Ethanolic extract (100mg/kg body weight) when given orally to sub-diabetic (AR) for 1 day, MD for 7 days and SD for 15 days showed significant fall in FBG at 90min (12% AR, 18.9% MD and 29% SD) and also produced 16.9% fall in peak blood glucose in AR and 21% in MD rabbits during GTT. ⋯ Liver and muscle glycogen content also increased. The ethanolic extract of seeds also exhibited significant hypolipidemic effect as evident from fall in total serum cholesterol (TC)/high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) ratio, serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) levels and decreased activity of HMG-CoA reductase. The histopathological studies of liver, pancreas and aorta in alcoholic extract treated diabetic groups revealed almost normal appearance.