Publications (2)0 Total impact
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Article: EVALUATION OF HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF CUCURBITA MAXIMA AERIAL PARTS
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ABSTRACT: The objective of the present study was to investigate the hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract of Cucurbita maxima Duchesne (Cucurbitaceae) (MECM) against carbon-tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatotoxicity. Hepatotoxicity was induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 in liquid paraffin (1:2), 1.0 ml/kg, once in every 72 h during the 14 days treatment period. MECM was administered orally at the doses of 200 and 400 mg kg-1 daily for 14 days. Silymarin (25 mg kg-1) was used as standard drug. Hepatoprotective activity was evaluated by the biochemical estimation of liver function parameters (SGPT, SGOT, ALP, total protein and total billirubin), antioxidant assays of liver homogenate (lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione content, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity) and histological study of liver tissue. In MECM treated animals, the toxic effect of CCl4 was controlled significantly by restoration of the biochemical parameters, such as, SGPT, SGOT, ALP, total protein and total billirubin, as well as by the improvement of the antioxidant status to/towards near normal values. Histology of the liver sections of the animals treated with the extracts showed the presence of normal hepatic cords, absence of necrosis and fatty infiltration, which further evidenced the hepatoprotective activity of C. maxima. Methanol extract of the aerial parts of C. maxima possesses significant hepatoprotective activity.Journal of Herbal Medicine and Toxicology. 01/2011; 5(1):17-22. -
Article: Anticancer activity of methanol extract of Cucurbita maxima against Ehrlich as-cites carcinoma
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ABSTRACT: One of the largest causes of mortality worldwide is cancer. Increasing interest and research on herbal medicine have revealed its importance in treating many diseases including cancer. The present study was carried out to evaluate the antitumor activity of methanol extract of Cucurbita maxima Duchesne aerial parts (MECM) on Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) model in mice. After inoculation of EAC cells into mice, treatment with MECM (200 and 400 mg/kg) and standard drug 5-Fluorouracil (20 mg/kg) were continued for 9 days. Evaluation of the effect of drug response was made by the study of tumor growth response including increase in life span, study of hemato-logical parameters, biochemical estimations, antioxidant assay of liver tissue and in vitro cytotoxicity. Experimen-tal results revealed that C.maxima possesses significant anticancer activity which may be due to its cytotoxicity and antioxidant properties. Further research is going on to find out the active principle(s) of MECM for its anti-cancer activity.International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences. 01/2011; 2(1):52-59.
