http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/64081 2026-10-12T11:08:32Z http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/64091 Title: A randomized controlled clinical trial and preclinical efficacy of an Ayurvedic formulation Arjuna Ksheerapaka Churna for dyslipidemia Authors: Timilsina, Khemraj; Mishra, Anjana; Patial, Vikram; Gupta, Mahesh; Chaudharya, Vijay; Singh, Damanpreet Abstract: Arjuna Ksheerapaka is an Ayurvedic formulation prepared as a milk decoction of the powdered bark of Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. It is clinically used for a variety of cardiovascular conditions. The current study investigated the efficacy of Arjuna Ksheerapaka Churna (AKC) against dyslipidemia using a preclinical model and a randomized, active-controlled clinical trial. Different groups of Sprague Dawley rats were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 7 weeks, followed by 4 weeks of AKC treatment. After that, biochemical and histopathological parameters were studied with rosuvastatin as a reference standard. In the clinical study, 30 patients were randomized in 2 groups (n = 15/group) and provided with AKC 6 g/day or rosuvastatin 10 mg/day orally for 8 weeks. The body mass index, serum biochemical, and haematological parameters were studied at the baseline (start of the treatment) and endpoint (end of the treatment). In the preclinical experiment, a marked decrease in the serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, and elevated high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was recorded in the AKC-treated groups compared to the vehicle control. AKC administration also decreased the serum aminotransferases level in contrast to the rosuvastatin treatment. The clinical study showed a marked reduction in triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL at the end of AKC treatment compared to the baseline. The effectiveness of AKC on triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL reduction at the endpoint was found to be equipotent to that of rosuvastatin. However, insignificant change was observed in the haematological and other biochemical parameters in both groups at the endpoint compared with the baseline. The preclinical results concluded AKC to be safer in a HFD rat model compared to rosuvastatin as it reduced the elevated serum aminotransferases level. The clinical effectiveness of AKC was found to be equipotent to rosuvastatin. Both, clinical and preclinical studies supported the therapeutic efficacy of AKC in dyslipidemia. Page(s): 519-529 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/64090 Title: Comparative in vitro analysis of the biological potential of Usnea florida (L.) Weber ex F.H. Wigg., Usnea intermedia (A. Massal.) Jatta, and Usnea lapponica vain and quantification of usnic acid Authors: Kocakaya, Mustafa; İlik, Gökçe Nur; İlgün, Selen; Kocakaya, Zekiye; Karatoprak, Gökçe Şeker; Ceylan, Ahmet Abstract: The present study focused on the antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and DNA-protective effects of Usnea lapponica, Usnea intermedia, and Usnea florida, which are distributed in Turkey. The methanol extracts of these three lichen species were subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis to quantify the amount of usnic acid and the highest amount was found in U. lapponica (3345.9±92.18 mg/gextract). Furthermore, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were analyzed. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated by different chemical assays, together with antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and DNA-protective properties.The results of the antioxidant assays showed that U. lapponica exhibited the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, whereas the extract that scavenged ABTS radicals more potently was identified as U. intermedia. The disc diffusion method was used to investigate the antimicrobial activity, and the strongest effect was observed in U. intermedia methanol extract with a zone value of 13 mm on Micrococcus luteus. In cytotoxicity experiments, U.florida extract (250 μg/mL; 36.03% viability) exhibited a high antiproliferative effect on A549 cells and U. intermedia(62.5 μg/mL; 23.65% viability) on MDA-MB-231 cells. DNA-protective effects were investigated using pBR322 plasmidDNA, and all the studied species were found to have DNA-protective effects. These results suggest that Usnea species maybe potential candidates for the development of new phytopharmaceuticals and functional ingredients. Page(s): 530-538 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/64089 Title: Pharmacognostic evaluation of ayurvedic drug sariva and its commonly known adulterant and substitutes Authors: Misra, Ankita; Chaudhary, Mridul Kant; Srivastava, Sharad Abstract: Sariva is an important Ayurvedic drug designated to Hemidesmus indicus L. in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. Roots of this plant are used either singly or as an ingredient in various Ayurvedic formulations and claimed to be useful in cough, fever, inflammation, gout, menorrhagia, blood purification, kidney and urinary disorders. Due to its high commercial demand, locals in different parts of India use few other species, namely, Ichnocarpus frutescens (L.) W. T. Aiton, Decalepis salicifolia Wight & Arn and, Cryptolepis buchanani Roem. & Schult. in name of Sariva. We carried out a comparative pharmacognostic evaluation of all the four species sold in name of Sariva to check the possible adulterants or substitute to the genuine one i.e., Hemidesmus indicus. These developed diagnostic (pharmacognostical) markers based on the physicochemical parameters and vanillin content will be useful in quality check for the bulk procurement by various herbal drug industries. Page(s): 539-544 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/64088 Title: Think locally act globally: With reference to ethnomedicinal knowledge of India Authors: Tiwari, Shikha; Kishore, Vatsala; Dubey, Nawal Kishore Abstract: India has a large number of ethnomedicinal plants growing under different geographical conditions. The article emphasizes on think locally and act globally scenario of the hidden Indian medicinal knowledge and its worldwide implementation as life saving novel herbal formulations. The article also emphasizes possible role of novel herbal formulations based on ethnomedicinal knowledge in uplifting of Indian economy. Looking into the current situation of biopiracy and gene robbing, the country should take immediate steps to bioprospect its ethnomedicinal knowledge and to commercialize novel herbal formulations at global level. Page(s): 545-549 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z