[Plant metabolites as nootropics and cognitives]

[Article in Czech]

Cervenka F, Jahodar L.

Univerzita Karlova v Praze, Farmaceuticka fakulta v Hradci Kralove, Katedra
farmaceuticke botaniky a ekologie. frantisek.cervenka@faf.cuni.cz

Nowadays several millions of people suffer from Alzheimer's disease and other
types of dementia. Etiology of these diseases is not known very well. There
occur different levels of neurotransmitters, the level of acetylcholine in the
brain is decreased and pathological changes affect the brain tissue. Organic and
toxic damage of the brain, free radicals, and other changes participate in the
development of these diseases. Drugs as nootropics, cognitives, and
neuroprotectives are commonly used to treat these diseases. Some of these drugs
have often side and undesirable effects. In recent years some natural substances
(galanthamine, huperzine A, vinpocetine), and standardized plant extracts
(Ginkgo biloba L., Centella asiatica L.) Urban, Bacopa monniera L., Evolvulus
alsinoides L.) are often used. These plant preparations produce fewer
undesirable effects and the same effectiveness as the classic therapy, or these
preparations are used as a supplement to the classic therapy.

Publication Types:
English Abstract
Research Support, Non/​U.S. Gov't
Review

PMID: 17128592 [PubMed /​ indexed for MEDLINE]

2: Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2005 Jul;81(3):424/​32.

Adaptogenic and anti/​amnesic properties of Evolvulus alsinoides in rodents.

Siripurapu KB, Gupta P, Bhatia G, Maurya R, Nath C, Palit G.

Division of Pharmacology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow/​226001, P.B.
No. 173, U.P, India.

Evolvulus alsinoides (EA) is well known for its memory enhancement,
antiepileptic and immunomodulatory properties in the traditional Indian system
of medicine, Ayurveda. In view of the increasing attention towards plants
offering non/​specific resistance (adaptogens) towards stress, we have evaluated
crude ethanolic extract of EA for its adaptogenic and memory enhancing
properties in rodents. Adaptogenic activity was assessed in rats subjected to
acute and chronic unpredictable stress. Male Sprague/​Dawley rats, weighing
180/​200 g were immobilized for 150 min once only in acute stress (AS) model,
whereas in chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) model rats were subjected to
different types of stressors daily for 7 days. Stress exposure has induced
gastric ulceration with increase in adrenal gland weight, plasma creatine kinase
(CK), and corticosterone level in AS and CUS. However plasma glucose was
increased only in AS. Rats were treated with graded doses of crude ethanolic
extract of EA (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg p.o.) for 3 days and subjected to AS on 3
day after 45 min of last dose. In CUS, EA at a dose of 200 mg/kg p.o. found
effective in acute studies was administered 45 min prior to stress regimen for 7
days. EA reduced the stress induced perturbations similar to Panax quinquefolium
(PQ) (100 mg/kg p.o.), a well known adaptogen. EA (100 mg/kg) administered
orally for 3 days in adult male Swiss mice, was effective in decreasing
scopolamine induced deficit in passive avoidance test. The improvement in the
peripheral stress markers and scopolamine induced dementia by EA in the present
study indicates the adaptogenic and anti/​amnesic properties of EA.

Publication Types:
Comparative Study
Research Support, Non/​U.S. Gov't

PMID: 15899513 [PubMed /​ indexed for MEDLINE]

3: Biomed Pharmacother. 2003 Sep;57(7):296/​300.

Immunomodulatory effects of agents of plant origin.

Ganju L, Karan D, Chanda S, Srivastava KK, Sawhney RC, Selvamurthy W.

Immunomodulation Laboratory, Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied
Sciences, Lucknow Road, Timarpur, Delhi 110054, India. lganju@rediffmail.com

The immunomodulatory properties of amla (Emblica officinalis) and shankhpushpi
(Evolvulus alsinoides) were evaluated in adjuvant induced arthritic (AIA) rat
model. Injecting Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) in right hind paw of the
animals induced inflammation. The crude extracts of both the herbs were
administered intraperitonially following a repeated treatment profile. The
anti/​inflammatory response of both the extracts was determined by lymphocyte
proliferation activity and histopathological severity of synovial hyperplasia.
Both the extracts showed a marked reduction in inflammation and edema. At
cellular level immunosuppression occurred during the early phase of the disease.
There was mild synovial hyperplasia and infiltration of few mononuclear cells in
amla or shankhpushpi treated animals. The induction of nitric oxide synthase
(NOS) was significantly decreased in treated animals as compared to controls.
These observations suggest that both the herbal extracts caused
immunosuppression in AIA rats, indicating that they may provide an alternative
approach to the treatment of arthritis.

PMID: 14499177 [PubMed /​ indexed for MEDLINE]

4: J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Feb;84(2/​3):131/​8.

Screening of antioxidant activity of three Indian medicinal plants,
traditionally used for the management of neurodegenerative diseases.

Auddy B, Ferreira M, Blasina F, Lafon L, Arredondo F, Dajas F, Tripathi PC, Seal
T, Mukherjee B.

SN Pradhan Center for Neurosciences, University College of Medicine, Kolkata 700
020, India.

A number of Indian medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years in the
traditional system of medicine (Ayurveda). Amongst these are plants used for the
management of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, loss
of memory, degeneration of nerves and other neuronal disorders by the Ayurvedic
practitioners. Though the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases remains
enigmatic, there is evidence, which indicates that defective energy metabolism,
excitotoxicity and oxidative damage may be crucial factors (Ann. Neurol. 38 (3)
(1995) 357). The part of the Ayurvedic system that provides an approach to
prevention and treatment of degenerative diseases is known as Rasayana, and
plants used for this purpose are classed as rejuvenators. This group of plants
generally possesses strong antioxidant activity (Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 43
(1992) 1175), but only a few have been investigated in detail. In the present
study, three such rasayana plants were tested for the first time for their
toxicity and free radical scavenging activity both in vitro and ex vivo. All the
three plant infusions (up to 1 mg/ml) showed no toxic effects on the viability
of PC12 cell line as judged by MTT/​test. Both ethanolic extracts and water
infusions of the plants were tested for their antioxidant activity in the
2,2'/​azinobis/​3/​ethyl/​benzothiazoline/​6/​sulfonic acid (ABTS*(+)) radical cation
decolorization assay; inhibition of lipid peroxidation by plant infusions was
carried out using spontaneous lipid peroxidation of rat brain homogenate, and
IC50 values were determined. The results from the ABTS assay showed that the
ethanolic extract of Sida cordifolia was found to be most potent (IC50 16.07
microg/ml), followed by Evolvulus alsinoides (IC50 33.39 microg/ml) and Cynodon
dactylon (IC50 78.62 microg/ml). The relative antioxidant capacity for the water
infusions was observed in the following order: E. alsinoides (IC50 172.25
microg/ml)>C. dactylon (IC50 273.64 microg/ml)>S. cordifolia (IC50 342.82
microg/ml). The results of water infusions of the plants on lipid peroxidation
were as follows: E. alsinoides (IC50 89.23 microg/ml)>S. cordifolia) (IC50
126.78 microg/ml)>C. dactylon (IC50 608.31 microg/ml). Copyright 2002 Elsevier
Science Ireland Ltd.

Publication Types:
In Vitro
Research Support, Non/​U.S. Gov't

PMID: 12648805 [PubMed /​ indexed for MEDLINE]