Mutagenicity and Acute Oral Toxicity Test for Herbal Poultry Feed Supplements.

Herbal products are being used and trusted globally for thousands of years for their health benefits and limited side effects. Globally, a general belief amongst the consumers is that herbal supplements are always safe because they are "natural." But later, research reveals that they may not be safe.

Alleviation of Heat Stress by a Polyherbal Formulation, Phytocee™: Impact on Zootechnical Parameters, Cloacal Temperature, and Stress Markers.

Background: The range of thermoneutral zone of chickens is narrow, and they become easily susceptible to environmental stress, a common and major concern for poultry causing a production loss.

Objective: The present study was designed to comparatively evaluate anti-stress activity of Phytocee™ and Vitamin C in chickens reared under heat stress.

Materials And Methods: A total of 600-day-old chicks of Cobb 400 were randomly assigned to 4 groups with 6 replicates comprising 25 birds each ( = 150).

Evaluation of subacute toxicity of methanolic/aqueous preparation of aerial parts of O. sanctum in Wistar rats: Clinical, haematological, biochemical and histopathological studies.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ocimum sanctum, commonly known as Holy Basil or Tulsi has been used in Ayurveda as a demulcent, stimulant, expectorant; in the treatment of bronchitis, skin infections, malaria, diarrhoea, dysentery, arthritis, gastric and inflammatory disorders. We have previously shown that methanolic/aqueous extract of O. sanctum did not induce genotoxicity and other toxic effects in acute oral toxicity study.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Polysaccharide Fraction of Curcuma longa Extract (NR-INF-02).

The aim of the study was to investigate the safety and anti-inflammatory effects of polysaccharide fraction (F1) of Curcuma longa extract (NR-INF-02) in classical rodent models of inflammation. F1 was evaluated for its acute oral toxicity and found to be safe upto 5000 mg/kg body weight in rats. The anti-inflammatory activity of F1 was evaluated in acute (carrageenan - induced paw edema; xylene - induced ear edema) and chronic (cotton pellet - induced granuloma) models of inflammation.

Use of in vitro bioassays for assessing botanicals.

In vitro bio assays can play a vital role in evaluating botanicals ranging from comparative screening, interaction studies, bio-activity guided fractionation, biological characterization, assisting in stability studies to studying mechanism of actions. In this review, we present some challenges and common pitfalls of using bioassays for assessing botanicals including guidance to overcome them. The overall objective of this review is to improve the success of botanicals products by incorporating robust bioassays during various stages of research and development.

Immune-stimulatory and anti-inflammatory activities of Curcuma longa extract and its polysaccharide fraction.

Background: While curcuminoids have been reported to possess diverse biological activities, the anti-inflammatory activity of polar extracts (devoid of curcuminoids) of Curcuma longa (C. longa) has seldom been studied. In this study, we have investigated immune-stimulatory and anti-inflammatory activities of an aqueous based extract of C.

Evaluation of the mutagenic potential and acute oral toxicity of standardized extract of Ocimum sanctum (OciBest™).

Ocimum sanctum L. (Lamiaceae) is found throughout India and in many parts of world. O.

In vitro comparative evaluation of non-leaves and leaves extracts of Andrographis paniculata on modulation of inflammatory mediators.

This study was designed to evaluate and compare the inhibitory property of extracts of Andrographis paniculata leaves [methanolic (AP1), hydroalcoholic (AP2), successive water (AP3)] and non-leaves [methanolic (AP4), hydroalcoholic (AP5), successive water (AP6)] towards inflammatory mediators (NO, IL-1 beta, IL-6, TNF alpha, PGE2, TXB2 and LTB4). Stimulant induced J774A.1 murine macrophages and HL-60 promyelocytic leukemic cells were used to study the inhibitory potential of extracts of A.

Hepatoprotective activity of Indian Phyllanthus.

Context: Phyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae) species are traditionally well-known for their medicinal properties including hepatoprotective activity.

Objective: The study assessed the hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities of 11 Phyllanthus species, P. amarus Schumach.

Evaluation of the genotoxic potential of standardized extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra (GutGard™).

Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn. (licorice) is widespread throughout the Mediterranean region and certain areas of Asia. Historically, the dried rhizome and root of the plant were used by the Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, Indian, and Roman civilizations as expectorant and carminative.

Modulation of lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammatory mediators by an extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra and its phytoconstituents.

Objective: To evaluate the inhibitory property of de-glycyrrhizinated extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra root and its phytoconstituents (glabridin, isoliquiritigenin and glycyrrhizin) on LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory mediators.

Materials And Methods: Inhibitory effect of G. glabra extract and its phytoconstituents were studied on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in J774A.

Optimization of cell-based assays to quantify the anti-inflammatory/allergic potential of test substances in 96-well format.

Objective: There is an insistent need for robust, reliable, and optimized assays for screening novel drugs targeting the inflammatory/allergic markers. The present study describes about the optimization of eight cell-based assays utilizing mammalian cell lines in 96-well format for quantifying anti-inflammatory/allergic drug candidates.

Materials And Methods: We estimated the inhibitory response of reference compounds: 1400 W dihydrochloride on LPS-induced NO release, celecoxib on LPS-induced PGE(2) production and dexamethasone on LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha production by J774A.

In vitro modulation of LPS/calcimycin induced inflammatory and allergic mediators by pure compounds of Andrographis paniculata (King of bitters) extract.

The aim of the current study is to probe the anti-inflammatory/anti-allergic potential of seven phytoconstituents (andrographolide, neoandrographolide, isoandrographolide, andrograpanin, 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide, 7-O-methylwogonin and skullcapflavone-I) isolated from Andrographis paniculata (King of bitters) on the production of key inflammatory/allergic mediators (NO, PGE(2), IL-1 beta, IL-6, LTB(4), TXB(2) and histamine). The results demonstrated that andrographolide, isoandrographolide, 7-O-methylwogonin and skullcapflavone-I significantly inhibited LPS stimulated NO and PGE(2) release in J774A.1 macrophages.

Dual inhibitory effect of Glycyrrhiza glabra (GutGard™) on COX and LOX products.

Glycyrrhiza glabra and its phytoconstituents have been known to possess widespread pharmacological properties as an anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, antitumour and hepatoprotective drug. In this study, we examined the inhibitory potential of extract of G. glabra (GutGard™) root and its phytoconstituents (glabridin, glycyrrhizin, and isoliquiritigenin) on both cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) products in order to understand the mechanism of its anti-inflammatory action.

Effect of an extract of Andrographis paniculata leaves on inflammatory and allergic mediators in vitro.

Aim Of Study: Andrographis paniculata has been known to possess widespread traditional application in the treatment of allergy and inflammatory diseases. In the current study, we sought to examine the effects of an extract of Andrographis paniculata leaves on inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced [nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), interleukin-1beta (IL-1 beta), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)] and calcimycin (A23187) induced [leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)), thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)) and histamine] mediators in diverse cell based models.

Materials And Methods: Effect of an extract of Andrographis paniculata leaves (AP) was studied on inhibition of LPS induced NO, PGE(2), IL-1 beta and IL-6 in J774A.

In vitro efficacy and safety of poly-herbal formulations.

Indigenous plants are used as a traditional source of raw materials for the manufacture of medicines. Modernizing the ancient art of herbal medicine bequeathed from generations entails addressing two interrelated issues i.e.

Tinospora cordifolia, a safety evaluation.

Tinospora cordifolia is one of the indispensable medicinal plants used in veterinary folk medicine/Ayurvedic system of medicine for the treatment of diverse diseases and recommended for improving the immune system by means of body resistance. In the current study, we evaluated the genotoxic risk of the aqueous extract of T. cordifolia (TC) in a battery of four different genotoxicity tests viz.

Evaluation of the genotoxic potential and acute oral toxicity of standardized extract of Andrographis paniculata (KalmCold).

Andrographis paniculata is used in the traditional medicine for cold and influenza remedy. The main endeavor in this study was to assess the genotoxicity of the standardized extract of A. paniculata (KalmCold) through three different in vitro tests: Ames, chromosome aberration (CA), and micronucleus (MN).