bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Immunosuppressive effect of the aqueous extract of Kalanchoe pinnata in mice
Authors: Rossi‐Bergmann B. , Costa S. S. , Borges M. B. S. , da Silva S. A. , Noleto G. R. , Souza M. L. M. , Moraes V. L. G. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe aqueous extract of Kalanchoe pinnata leaves was found to cause significant inhibition of cell‐mediated and humoral immune responses in mice. The spleen cells of animals pre‐treated with K. pinnata showed a decreased ability to proliferate in response to both mitogen and to antigen in vitro. Treatment with K. pinnata also impaired the ability of mice to mount a delayed‐type hypersensitivity reaction (DTH) to ovalbumin. The intravenous and topical routes of administration were the most effective by almost completely abolishing the DTH reaction. The intraperitoneal and oral routes reduced the reaction by 73% and 47% of controls, respectively. The specific antibody responses to ovalbumin were also significantly reduced by treatment. Together, these observations indicate that the aqueous extract of K. pinnata possesses an immunosuppressive activity.
Hypotensive activity of ovatodiolides isolated from a Chinese crude drug ‘Fáng Féng Cáo’
Authors: Momose Yasunori , Nimura Masayuki , Arisawa Munehisa , Hayashi Toshimitsu , Takeda Ryuji , Nakanishi Suehiro 
Published: October 2006

AbstractMacrocyclic diterpenoids, ovatodiolides, showed a transient hypotensive activity in the anaesthetized dog. The effects of ovatodiolides on the activity of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), contactile activity in isolated frog heart by the Yagi‐Hartung method and the Ca2+ current measured with the voltage clamp method in single bullfrog atrial cells were examined. Ovatodiolide (1) showed inhibitory activity of myocardial contraction and an antagonistic effect on Ca2+ current. These results suggest that the hypotensive activity by ovatodiolides at least, partly, may be due to inhibition of myocardial contraction.
Screening of Indonesian plant extracts for anti‐human immunodeficiency virus—type 1 (HIV‐1) activity
Authors: Otake Toru , Mori Haruyo , Morimoto Motoko , Ueba Noboru , Sutardjo Supriyatna , Kusumoto Ines Tomoco , Hattori Masao , Namba Tsuneo 
Published: October 2006

AbstractOf 30 Indonesian plant extracts tested for their human immunodeficiency virus type‐1 (HIV‐1) inhibitory activities, six were shown to be effective by assays using HIV‐1‐infected MT‐4 cells: a methanol extract of mahoni (bark of Swietenia mahagoni) and water extracts of benalu teh (stems and branches of Loranthus parasiticus), kiules (fruit of Helicteres isora), supratul (fruits of Sindora sumatrana), sambiloto (leaves of Andrographis paniculata) and temu ireng (rhizoma of Curcuma aeruginosa). Their ED50 values ranged from 4.2 to 175 μg/mL. The samples also suppressed the formation of syncytia in co‐cultures of MOLT‐4 and MOLT‐4/HIV‐1 cells. The most potent inhibitor was a methanol extract of mahoni, which also showed a significant inhibition of HIV‐1 protease.
The effects of Icacina trichantha tuber extract on the nervous system
Authors: Asuzu I. U. , Abubakar I. I. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe tuber of Icacina trichantha was extracted with 50% methanol and concentrated to dryness in vacuo to give a yield of 5.6% w/w. The extract induced sleep in rats treated with high doses (400–1000 mg/kg i.p.). The LD50 of the extract was 671 mg/kg i.p. It potentiated pentobarbitone sleeping time in rats dose‐dependently and also induced significant local anaesthetic effects in guinea‐pigs. The extract was able to give 80% protection to rats poisoned with pentylenetetrazole but failed to protect rats from strychinine poisoning. It induced significant dose‐dependent analgesia in rats and showed significant muscle relaxant activity in mice.
Ethanol extract of Crocus sativus L. Antagonizes the inhibitory action of ethanol on hippocampal long‐term potentiation in vivo
Authors: Sugiura Minoru , Saito Hiroshi , Abe Kazuho , Shoyama Yukihiro 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe effect of an ethanol extract of Crocus sativus L. (CSE) on the long‐term potentiation (LTP) of the evoked potential in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus was investigated using anaesthetized rats. CSE (250 mg/kg, p.o.) alone did not affect the generation of LTP by application of subthreshold or suprathreshold tetanic stimulation (20 or 30 pulses at 60 Hz). Oral administration of ethanol (10–30%, 10 mL/kg) blocked the LTP induced by tetanic stimulation of 30 pulses at 60 Hz, but the LTP‐blocking effect of ethanol was significantly attenuated by pre‐administration of CSE (125 and 250 mg/kg, p.o.). The blockade of LTP induction by intravenously injected ethanol (30%, 2 mL/kg) was also antagonized by administration of CSE at doses of 125 and 250 mg/kg (p.o.). Oral administration of CSE antagonized also the LTP‐blocking effect of ethanol directly injected into the brain, although it required a higher dose (500 mg/kg, p.o.). These results suggest that oral administration of CSE exerts an antagonistic effect on ethanol‐induced impairment of hippocampal synaptic plasticity, which is possibly mediated by both direct action on the central nervous system and peripheral action.
Effects of glycowithanolides from Withania somnifera on an animal model of Alzheimer's disease and perturbed central cholinergic markers of cognition in rats
Authors: Bhattacharya Salil K. , Kumar Ashok , Ghosal Shibnath 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe active principles of Withania somnifera (WS, 20–50 mg/kg, p.o.), consisting of equimolar amounts of sitoindosides. VII–X and withaferin A, were investigated for putative nootropic activity in an experimentally validated Alzheimer's disease (AD) model. The syndrome was induced by ibotenic acid (IA) lesioning of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) in rats. Cognitive deficits induced in NMB‐lesioned rats were assessed by attenuation of a learned active avoidance task and a decrease in frontal cortical and hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh) concentrations, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity and muscarinic cholinergic receptor (MCR) binding. IA‐induced NBM lesioning in rats caused a marked cognitive deficit, as evidenced by severe reduction of the learned task, and was accompanied by a significant decrease in frontal cortex and hippocampal ACh levels, ChAT activity and MCR binding. WS (50 mg/kg) significantly reversed both IA‐induced cognitive deficit and the reduction in cholinergic markers after 2 weeks of treatment. The findings validate the medharasayan (promoter of learning and memory) effect of W. somnifera, as has been reported in Ayurveda.
Preliminary studies of the effects of a herbal prescription, Hokoei‐to, on the endocrine system in parous rats
Authors: Yokozawa Takako , Ogama Takako , Tsuji Atsutoshi , Hattori Masao , Kuginuki Fuji 
Published: October 2006

AbstractHokoei‐to extract was administered orally to parous rats for 25 days to examine its effects on sex hormones. Hokoei‐to, containing Taraxaci Radix collected in autumn, induced a significant increase of progesterone and oestradiol and a significant decrease of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH). With Hokoei‐to extract containing Taraxaci Radix collected in spring, progesterone was also increased significantly, but oestradiol increased only slightly, and LH and FSH showed a tendency to decrease, without any statistically significant changes. The effects of this type of Hokoei‐to were thus weaker than those of Hokoei‐to containing Taraxaci Radix collected in autumn. Our findings suggest that the latter also has some effect on serum chemical constituents, such as triglyceride, albumin, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase.
The antiinflammatory effect of several composite from South America. Extracts in rats
Authors: Pérez F. , Marín E. , Adzet T. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractExtracts of different polarity from Artemisia copa, Baccharis incarum, Mutisia kurtzii and Pluchea sagittalis were screened for antiinflammatory activity. Aqueous extracts from Mutisia kurtzii and Pluchea sagittalis, and dichloromethane extracts from Baccharis incarum and Pluchea sagittalis evoked a marked antioedema action in the carrageenan‐foot oedema test.
Effect of Carica papaya seed extract on female rat ovaries and uteri
Authors: Chinoy N. J. , Dilip Trivedi , Harsha Joshi 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe effect of an aqueous extract of Carica papaya seed for 7 and 15 days on the physiology of rat ovaries and uterus was studied. The possible reversibility of the induced effects was also investigated. The results revealed that the effects were more pronounced in the ovary than in the uterus. The changes in biochemical profile of the ovary and uterus involved alterations in the levels of ascorbic acid, ascorbigen (ASG), ascorbic acid utilization (AUU), ascorbic acid macromolecular (AA‐MM) complexing, ascorbic acid free radical (AA‐FR) formation, total ascorbic acid and glutathione (GSH), cholesterol, protein and glycogen. The increase in ascorbate turnover is an adaptation to overcome the harmful effect of the extract. The fertility test was 100% negative and the oestrus cycle was irregular with a predominance of dioestrus. The uterine contractility was increased. The above mentioned changes indicate that the extract manifested antifertility, antiimplantation and abortifacient effects in the treated animals. The withdrawal of treatment overcame the adverse effects of the treatment in ovary and the uterus and restored fertility.
Antiherpetic in vitro activity of Gamochaeta simplicicaulis extract
Authors: Cavallaro L. , Garcia G. , Broussalis A. , Ferraro X. , Martino V. , Coussio J. , de Torres R. , Campos R. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractAqueous extracts of Gamochaeta simplicicaulis present true antiviral activity in vitro against different members of the herpesvirus family (herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, human cytomegalovirus, bovine herpes virus and lower activity with pseudorabies virus). The extract had no activity against some RNA (naked and enveloped) viruses and adenoviruses. The extract was not virucidal but its antiviral index (AI) was high enough to justify further analysis. Different experimental approaches indicate that an early step of viral replication, at least the adsorption period, was involved in the antiviral activity.
Schisandra Chinensis‐derived antioxidant activities in ‘Sheng Mai San’ a compound formulation, in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Ko K. M. , Yick P. K. , Poon M. K. T. , Chet C. T. , Ng K. H. , Kong Y. C. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractSheng Mai San (SMS), a compound formulation in traditional Chinese medicine comprising Panax ginseng, Schisandra chinensis and Ophiopogon japonicus, is used for the treatment of ischaemic heart disease. In the present study, we have demonstrated the presence of both in vivo and in vitro antioxidant activities in SMS, as indicated by its ability to protect against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in rats and to scavenge superoxide radicals generated in an in vitro system. Our results indicate that the antioxidant activity of SMS is derived mainly from Schisandra chinensis.
Neuropharmacologial effects of Cystoseira usneoides extract
Authors: Vázquez‐Freire M. J. , Castro E. , Lamela M. , Calleja J. M. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe effects were studied of an extract of the brown algae Cystoseira usneoides on the central nervous system (CNS) of mice. At doses between 6.25 and 25 mg/kg the extract had significant effects on spontaneous locomotor activity, exploratory behaviour, D‐amphetamine‐induced hypermotility, body temperature, pentobarbitalinduced hypnosis, motor coordination and pentylenetetrazole‐induced convulsions. Dopamine, 3,4‐dihydroxy‐phenylacetic acid, 3‐methoxytyramine and homovanilic acid levels were determined in rat striatum and they were slightly modified. The extract also displayed analgesic activity. We conclude that the extract of Cystoseira usneoides is a CNS depressant with slight analgesic effects.
Inhibitory effects of various ayurvedic and Panamanian medicinal plants on the infection of herpes simplex virus‐1 in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Hattori Masao , Nakabayashi Takeshi , Lim Yasmina Aura , Miyashiro Hirotsugu , Kurokawa Masahiko , Shiraki Kimiyasu , Gupta Mahabir P. , Correa Mireya , Pilapitiya Upali 
Published: October 2006

AbstractExtracts of 40 Ayurvedic medicines and 39 Panamanian medicinal plants were screened for their inhibitory activity on the plaque formation of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV‐1) in cultured cells. The extracts of 11 plant species showed potent inhibitory activity at a concentration of 100 μg/mL, while those of ten species showed moderate activities. Repeated oral administration of each extract of Rhus acuminata (galls), Saraca indica (bark), Strychnos potatrum (seeds) appreciably suppressed the development of typical skin lesions induced by infection of HSV‐1 in BALB/c mice. The extract of S. potatrum prolonged both development of skin lesion and mean survival time. This indicates that S. potatrum is a possible candidate for therapeutic application for HSV‐1 infection.
Pharmacological activities of extracts of Daniellia oliveri (Rolfe) Hutch. and Dalz. (Leguminosae)
Authors: Onwukaeme N. D. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractExtracts of the stem bark of Daniellia oliveri using hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol were tested for analgesic, antipyretic and antiinflammatory activities. The hexane extract exhibited a dose related analgesic activity whilst the methanolic extract was active in the induced inflammatory condition. The ethyl acetate extract was relatively inactive and none of the extracts showed any antipyretic activity. Metabolic cage studies showed that a 70% ethanolic extract of the bark caused significant decreases in body weight, food intake, urine and stool output of rats. This extract also exhibited a competitive antagonism on histamine‐induced contractions of the guinea‐pig ileum and a non‐competitive inhibition of acetyl choline‐induced contraction of the frog rectus abdominis muscle.
Several compounds from Chinese traditional and herbal medicine as immunomodulators
Authors: Zhang Ling‐Hua , Huang Yi , Wang Li‐Wei , Xiao Pei‐Gen 
Published: October 2006

AbstractIn the past 20 years, hundreds of Chinese traditional and herbal medicines with immunomodulating functions have been screened. In this paper, the immunopharmacological studies of several potent compounds isolated from them are reviewed; their medicinal plant sources and chemical structures are also presented.
Uraemic toxin reduction: A newly found effect of hydrolysable‐type tannin‐containing crude drug and gallotannin
Authors: Yokozawa Takako , Fujioka Koji , Oura Hikokichi , Tanaka Takashi , Nonaka Gen‐Ichiro , Nishioka Itsuo 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe levels of urea nitrogen, creatinine, methylguanidine and guanidinosuccinic acid, which accumulate in blood in parallel with the progress of renal failure after adenine administration, were decreased significantly in rats given Galla Rhois, Moutan Cortex or Paeoniae Radix extract. Administration of Galla Rhois extract was found to be more effective than the other two crude drugs in decreasing the uraemic toxin parameters. A uraemic toxin‐decreasing effect similar to that of crude drug was also obtained using 1,3,6‐tri‐O‐galloyl‐β‐D‐glucopyranose and 1,2,3,4,6‐penta‐O‐galloyl‐β‐D‐glucopyranose.
Effect of fetal calf serum on the cytotoxic activity of mistletoe (Viscum albumL.) lectins in cell culture
Authors: Ribéreau‐Gayon Gilles , Jung Marie‐Louise , Beck Jean‐Paul , Anton R. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractMistletoe (Viscum album L.) contains three cytotoxic lectins, ML I, ML II and ML III. The interaction between these lectins and the fetal calf serum (FCS) commonly added to cell culture media was studied on human leukaemia Molt 4 cells. When these cells were grown in RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10% FCS, the lectins were about 40 times less toxic than when the former were grown in serum‐free Ultraculture medium. An addition of FCS to the serum‐free Ultraculture medium produced a dose‐dependent inhibition of the cytotoxic activities of the lectins, by up to 50 fold. Moreover, FCS increased by 2 to 3 fold the protective action of anti‐ML I antibodies against the toxicity of the lectins. The data suggest that FCS contains glycoproteins or glycolipids which interact with the lectins.
Effect of Rubia cordifolia extract on acetaminophen and CCl4‐induced hepatotoxicity
Authors: Gilani Anwar‐Ul Hassan , Janbaz Khalid Hussain 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe hepatoprotective activity of an aqueous‐methanol extract of Rubia cordifolia (Rubiaceae) was investigated against acetaminophen and CCl4‐induced hepatic damage. Acetaminophen produced 100% mortality at a dose of 1 g/kg in mice while pretreatment of animals with plant extract (500 mg/kg) reduced the death rate to 30%. Acetaminophen at a dose of 640 mg/kg produced liver damage in rats as manifested by the rise in serum levels of GOT and GPT to 1447±182 and 899±201 IU/L (n = 10) respectively, compared with respective control values of 97±10 and 36±11. Pretreatment of rats with plant extract (500 mg/kg) lowered significantly (p <0.005) the respective serum GOT and GPT levels to 161±48 and 73±29. Similarly, hepatotoxic dose of CCl4 (1.5 mL/kg; orally) raised the serum transaminases (GOT and GPT) levels to 422±102 and 354±74 IU/L (n = 10) respectively compared with respective control values of 99±15 and 29±08 IU/L. The same dose of plant extract (500 mg/kg) was able to prevent significantly (p <0.01) the CCl4‐induced rise in serum enzymes and the estimated values of GOT and GPT were 95±09 and 33±07 IU/L, respectively. Moreover, it prevented CCl4‐induced prolongation in pentobarbital sleeping time confirming the hepatoprotective effects of the extract.
Decrease in uraemic toxins, a newly found beneficial effect of Ephedrae Herba
Authors: Yokozawa Takako , Fujioka Koji , Oura Hikokichi , Tanaka Takashi , Nonaka Gen‐Ichiro , Nishioka Itsuo 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe levels of urea nitrogen, creatinine, methylguanidine and guanidinosuccinic acid, which accumulate in the blood in parallel with the progress of renal failure after adenine administration, were decreased markedly and significantly in rats given Ephedrae Herba extract. Administration of the fraction III of Ephedrae Herba extract was found to be more effective than any of the other fractions in decreasing uraemic toxin parameters. Analysis of the fractions by means of thin layer chromatography revealed that the fraction III contains condensed tannin.
Anthelmintic and pesticidal activity of Acorus gramineus (Araceae) is associated with phenylpropanoid asarones
Authors: Perrett Sheena , Whitfield Philip J. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe hexane extract of the Chinese medicinal plant Acorus gramineus (Araceae) has previously been shown to possess significant bioactivity towards a range of organisms in in vitro bioassays including digenean, nematode and arthropod targets. In the present study the principal active components in A. gramineus were identified as the phenylpropanoids α‐ and β‐asarone by comparing TLC, HPLC, UV and bioassay data obtained using the hexane extract with those derived with commercially available pure compounds. The known mammalian toxicity and carcinogenicity of asarones means that they are unlikely to have any utility as lead compounds for the development of practical anthelmintics and insecticides.
Antioxidant property of Rubia cordifolia extract and its comparison with vitamin E and parabenzoquinone
Authors: Tripathi Y. B. , Shukla Savita , Sharma Mukta , Shukla V. K. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThis report investigates the antioxidant properties of R. cordifolia extract for protection against lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione (GSH) content in rat liver homogenate compared with vitamin E and parabenzoquinone (PBQ). R. cordifolia protects against depletion of glutathione in a dose and time dependent manner, an inverse correlation was observed between reduced glutathione depletion and malondialdehyde (MDA) formation. Interestingly, parabenzoquinone showed a better response than R. cordifolia on cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) induced malon‐dialdehyde (MDA) release but there was no response in the rate of reduced glutathione (GHS) depletion. Thus it appears that R. cordifolia is a potent antiperoxidative and antioxidant. The mechanism of action is different to that of vitamin E and parabenzoquinone (PBQ).
Immunoactivities of the polysaccharides from Morus alba, Chlamydomonas mexicana and Poria cocos
Authors: Shuxiu Wang , Yuanying Wen , Changxu Hu 
Published: October 2006

AbstractPolysaccharides were extracted from young branches of Morus alba L. (M); a green alga, Chlamydomonas mexicana Lewin, (C1 and C2) and a fungus, Poria cocos (Fr.) Wolf, (P1 and P2). M consisted of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, galactose and glucose, C1 of fucose, 2‐MeO‐arabinose, ribose, arabinose, 6‐MeO‐mannose, xylose, 2‐deoxy‐galactose, mannose, galactose and glucose, C2 of 3‐MeO‐arabinose, arabinose, xylose, 2‐MeO‐galactose, galactose and glucose, P1 was mannose, galactose, glucose and a small amount of ribose and P2 consisted of erythritol, arabinose, glucose and muramic acid with the ratio of 1:1:4:1. Pharmacological tests for all of these polysaccharides were performed. Based on the results, M was less effective, but C1 and C2 were immunostimulant either in humoral immunity or in cellular immunity. C2 was effective in nonspecific immunity only, and P1 was as effective in humoral or in nonspecific immunities. P2 expressed enhancement in humoral, cellular or nonspecific immunities, but its activities were less than P1.
Shilajit‐induced potentiation of the hypoglycaemic action of insulin and inhibition of streptozotocin induced diabetes in rat
Authors: Kanikkannan N. , Ramarao P. , Ghosal S. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe effects of subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of processed shilajit (PS) alone and in combination with insulin (s.c.) on plasma glucose levels (PGL) were determined in either sex of streptozotocin‐induced diabetic (SID) rats. PS (50 μ/kg; s.c.) did not alter plasma glucose levels in SID rats. Insulin (0.25‐1.0 U/kg; s.c.), dose‐dependently produced hypoglycaemia in SID rats. PS (50 μg/kg; s.c.) potentiated and prolonged the hypoglycaemic action of insulin when administered concurrently. Chronic administration of PS (0.1–10 mg/kg; b.i.d. for 10 days; i.p.) had no influence per se on plasma glucose levels. Chronic administration of PS (1.0 mg/kg; b.i.d. for 10 days; i.p.) prevented the streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetes in rats, whereas a relatively lower (0.1 mg/kg; b.i.d. for 10 days; i.p.) and significantly higher dose (10 mg/kg; b.i.d. for 10 days; i.p.) of PS had no influence on the STZ‐induced diabetes. The results suggest that administration of PS along with insulin would potentiate the insulin‐induced hypoglycaemia, and chronic administration of a carefully determined dose of PS would inhibit the development of STZ‐induced diabetes.
Experimental study of the therapeutic effect of You‐Gui‐Wan on hypogonadism in rats
Authors: Zheng Ping Dong , Mao Zheng Li , Gong Bin , Yokozawa Takako , Oura Hikokichi 
Published: October 2006

AbstractRats raised on a diet containing 0.5% adenine showed atrophy of the testes and retrogressive degeneration of the convoluted seminiferous tubules. The development of spermatids was suppressed, and the cell count decreased. In these rats, the activity of 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was markedly decreased, and the blood levels of testosterone and oestradiol were also very low. However, in rats that were also given You‐Gui‐Wan, retrogressive degeneration of the testes was milder, and the blood levels of testosterone and oestradiol were higher, indicating the beneficial effects of You‐Gui‐Wan on the histomorphology of the testes.