Antidepressant-like deliverables from the sea: evidence on the efficacy of three different brown seaweeds via involvement of monoaminergic system

Brown seaweeds exhibit several health benefits in treating and managing wide array of ailments. In this study, the antidepressant-like effect of methaolic extracts from Sargassum swartzii (SS), Stoechospermum marginatum (SM), and Nizamuddinia zanardinii (NZ) was examined in forced swimming test (FST), in rats. Oral administration of SS, SM, and NZ extract (30–60 mg/kg) exhibited antidepressant-like activity in FST by reducing immobility time as compared to control group, without inducing significant change in ambulatory behavior in open field test. In order to evaluate the involvement of monoaminergic system, rats were pretreated with the inhibitor of brain serotonin stores p-chlorophenylalanin (PCPA), dopamine (SCH23390 and sulpiride), and adrenoceptor (prazosin and propranolol) antagonists. Rats receiving treatment for 28 days were decapitated and brains were analyzed for monoamine levels. It may be concluded that the extracts of SS, SM, and NZ produces antidepressant-like activity via modulation of brain monoaminergic system in a rat model.     

Ethnopharmacological studies of indigenous plants in Kel village,Neelum Valley,Azad Kashmir,Pakistan

Background

This explorative study was undertaken for the first time in Kel village located in the Upper Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. The purpose was to document the indigenous knowledge of the native people used in the preparation of herbal medicines.

Methods

To get the data on traditional uses of medicinal plants, 20 informants were interviewed. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, i.e., use value (UV), relative frequencies of citation (RFC), informant consensus factor (Fic), fidelity level (FL), data matrix ranking (DMR), preference ranking (PR), and jaccard index (JI), were calculated for the recorded medicinal plants.

Results

A total of 50 medicinal plants belonging to 33 families used in 13 disease categories were documented. Leaves were the frequently used plant parts, and decoction was the commonly used method for herbal medicine. Plants with high use value were Berberis lycium (2.05), Impatiens glandulifera (1.95), Artemisia scoparia (1.75), Ageratum conozoides (1.75), and Achillea millefolium (1.7). The highest RFC value was calculated for Berberis lycium (0.75), Cynoglossum lanceolatum (0.65), and Impatiens glandulifera and Achillea millefolium (0.60 each). The maximum informant consensus factor was for urinary system, cardiac diseases, baldness, and abortion and miscarriage (1.00). Berberis lyceum (95%) used in jaundice, hepatitis, typhoid, fever, and tuberculosis disorders. Plants with maximum fidelity level (FL) were Berberis lycium (95%) followed by Dioscorea bulbifera, Impatiens glandulifera, and Artemisia vulgaris (90%). Olea ferruginea was the most multipurpose plant and exports (21.2%) was the leading threat in the area. The pearson correlation coefficient (0.500) showed a positive correlation between the use value and relative frequency of citation.

Conclusion

The present study provides useful information about traditional uses of medicinal plants used by local communities in different ailments. The plants with the highest use values could be employed in pharmacological research and biotechnological approaches in order to achieve adequate revenue. Some of the plants in the study area are facing high threats of becoming rare, and conservation initiatives are needed to conserve them for sustainable management in the region.

     

A histopathological and stereological study of liver damage in female rats caused by mercury vapor

We examined the possible effects of elemental mercury vapor on the liver of the female rats. We divided the animals into an untreated control group and an experimental group that was exposed to mercury vapor for 45 days. Liver samples were obtained for histological and stereological analysis. The total liver, parenchyma and sinusoid volumes were increased significantly in the mercury vapor treated group compared to controls. Also, the mean density, total number and mean nuclear diameter of hepatocytes, except for binucleated hepatocytes, was decreased in the experimental group compared to controls. Light and electron microscopy revealed alterations of liver structure of the experimental animals compared to controls.     

Renal Excretion of Digoxin in Swine and Goats

In experiments on swine and goats the renal excretion of digoxin was examined, and it was found that the renal clearance of non-protein-bound digoxin in swine was lower than creatinine clearance which expresses filtration clearance. Correlation analysis showed that the renal clearance of digoxin in swine was not significantly influenced by the concentration of non-protein-bound digoxin in plasma and the pH of the urine, while there was a significant positive correlation between the clearance and the urine flow rate (Table 4). On the other hand, the renal clearance of digoxin in goats was significantly influenced by the concentration of non-proteinbound digoxin in plasma and by urine pH (Table 4). From these results it is concluded that glomerular filtration and back-diffusion are involved in the renal handling of digoxin in both swine and goats. In addition active tubular secretion is also involved in the renal excretion of digoxin in goats.     

Cholinesterase inhibitory pregnane-type steroidal alkaloids from Sarcococca hookeriana

The bioassay-guided phytochemical investigation on Sarcococca hookeriana have resulted in the isolation of four new pregnane-type steriodal alkaloids: hookerianamide-D [(2'E,20S)-20-(N,N-formyl(methyl)amino)-3beta-(3',4'-dimethyl-2'-pentenamido)-5alpha-pregnane] (1), hookerianamide-E [(2'E,20S)-20-(N,N-dimethylamino)-3beta-(senecioylamino)-5alpha-pregn-14-en-2beta-O-acetate] (2), hookerianamide-F [(2'E,20S)-20-(N-methylamino)-3beta-(tigloylamino)-5alpha-pregn-2,14-dien-4-one] (3), and hookerianamide-G [(20S)-20-(N,N-dimethylamino)-3beta-(N-methylbenzamido)-5alpha-pregn-4beta-O-acetate] (4), along with five known alkaloids 5-9. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis. These steroidal alkaloids and chemically derived derivatives of compound 5 have displayed varying degree of inhibitory activities against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes in a concentration-dependent fashion, with the IC(50) values ranging from 1.5 to 148.2 and 0.6 to 100.2 microM, respectively.