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Objective: To establish the pharmacognostic standards for the correct identification and standardization of an important Antidiabetic plant described in Ayurveda. Materials and Methods: Standardization was carried out on the leaf and stem of Basella alba L. with the help of the macro-morphological, microscopic, physicochemical and qualitative phytochemical studies. Results: Several specific characters were identified viz. clustered calcium oxalate crystals in the cortex region, absence of trichomes, succulent, thick, mucilaginous, fibrous stem. Rubiaceous type of stomata on both sides of the leaf. Quantitative microscopy along with physicochemical and qualitative phytochemical analysis were also established. Conclusion: The pharmacognostic standards could serve as the reference for the proper identification of the Basella alba L. which is an important anti-diabetic plant described in Ayurveda.

The aqueous and ethanol extracts of the leaves of Basella alba L. var. alba Wight, Basellaceae, were investigated for antiulcer activity on rats employing the pylorus ligation and ethanol induced ulcer models. The various gastric secretion parameters such as total acidity, free acidity, gastric acid volume, pH and histopathological parameters such as ulcer index and percent protection were comparatively examined between control, test and standard groups. The antiulcer activity of aqueous extract of B. alba (AEBA) and ethanol extract of B. alba (EEBA) were studied in rats treated with the doses of 1 mL/kg of absolute ethanol, 200 and 400 mg of test extracts and 20 mg/kg of famotidine for control, test and standard groups respectively in both the models. The animals pretreated with AEBA and EEBA showed a dose-dependent protection against gross damaging action of ethanol and pylorus ligation on gastric mucosa of animals. Histopathological evaluation also revealed that Group I treated with absolute ethanol showed severe gastric mucosal damage. The AEBA and EEBA showed 68.25 and 58.11% protection in gastric mucosal damage as compared to control group. Both the extracts of B. alba var. alba were able to decrease the gastric acidity and increase the mucosal defense in the gastric mucosal area. This study indicate that B. alba var. alba possesses significant gastroprotective effect and the same is substantiated by the histopathological examination of the ulcerated stomachs of the animals.

Purpose: Solubilizers play an important role in dissolution of pharmacological ingredients and should properly dissolve the active principle(s) while preserving its activities. This study investigated the effect of starch, gelatin, methylcellulose and polyvinylpyrrolidone 10000 in the preservation of the androgenic activity of the methanol extract Basella alba (MEBa). Methods: Different groups of male albino rats were orally given the MEBa (1 mg/kg) dissolved into either 1% gelatin (1% gel), %1 methylcellulose (1% MC) and 1% polyvinylpyrrolidone 10000 (1% PVP 10000) or 2% starch solution (2% SS) for 30 days. Thereafter, animals were sacrificed and serum testosterone and creatinine levels as well as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity determined. Vital and reproductive organs were dissected out and weighed, while liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and glutathione levels were determined. Results: Different treatments did not affect the animal body and organ weights. The MEBa stimulatory effect on testosterone production was preserved with 2% SS and 1% PVP 10000 as vehicles. Increased liver glutathione and TBARS levels were also observed in the animals fed with the MEBa dissolved in 2% SS and 1% Gel, respectively, while other biochemical parameters remained unchanged. Conclusion: Starch and polyvinylpyrrolidone 10000 stand as good preservation agents for MEBa androgenic activity, with starch exhibiting additional antioxidant activity through increase of glutathione levels.

Aim: To find an in vitro system for the measurement of the androgenic effects of different extracts of Hibiscus macranthus (Malvaceae) and Basella alba (Basellaceae). Methods: The production of testosterone from testes slices incubated in two media, either Krebs-Henseleit buffer containing 0.5 % Bovine serum albumin (BSA) or Dubecco’s Modified Eagle’s medium-F12 Ham nutrient mixture (DME/Ham F12), under a mixture of 5 % CO2 in 95 % air was determined either in the presence or absence of cofactors and Hibiscus macranthus plus Basella alba (HMBA) extracts. Results: The testosterone production was increased in testes slices incubated in DME/Ham F12 medium in response to the cofactors (49 %) and aqueous extracts (34 %–60 % according to dilutions). Under the same atmospheric conditions, there was no positive response of the testes slices to either cofactor or HMBA extract stimulation in Krebs-Henseleit buffer containing 0.5 % BSA. In further investigations related to the effect of HMBA, the DME/ Ham F12 medium was used. The results obtained from the in vitro test showed that the activity was present mainly in methylene chloride and methanol, since these extracts induced an increase in testosterone production by testes slices. Conclusion: The testes slice system is suitable to be used for further in vitro investigations of the isolation of androgenic bioactive components of plants. (Asian J Androl 2006 Jan; 8: 111–114)

Gunasekaran Baskaran,1 Shamala Salvamani,1 Siti Aqlima Ahmad,1 Noor Azmi Shaharuddin,1 Parveen Devi Pattiram,2 Mohd Yunus Shukor1 1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, 2Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia Abstract: The enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase is the key enzyme of the mevalonate pathway that produces cholesterol. Inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase reduces cholesterol biosynthesis in the liver. Synthetic drugs, statins, are commonly used for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Due to the side effects of statins, natural HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors of plant origin are needed. In this study, 25 medicinal plant methanol extracts were screened for anti-HMG-CoA reductase activity. Basella alba leaf extract showed the highest inhibitory effect at about 74%. Thus, B. alba was examined in order to investigate its phytochemical components. Gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry and reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed the presence of phenol 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl), 1-heptatriacotanol, oleic acid, eicosyl ester, naringin, apigenin, luteolin, ascorbic acid, and a-tocopherol, which have been reported to possess antihypercholesterolemic effects. Further investigation of in vivo models should be performed in order to confirm its potential as an alternative treatment for hypercholesterolemia and related cardiovascular diseases. Keywords: HMG-CoA reductase, Basella alba, phytochemical, GC-MS/MS, RP-HPLC, hypercholesterolemia

International audience; We evaluated the effect of the methanol extract of Basella alba (MEBa) on testosterone level and fecundity/fertility in male rats exposed in utero to flutamide an androgen receptor antagonist. For this purpose, 1.5- and 2.5 -month-old male rats exposed in utero to flutamide were treated with the MEBa (1 mg kg-1) for 2 and 1 month respectively. Five days before the end of treatment, rats were housed with females to assess their fecundity/fertility. Thereafter, rats were sacrificed and blood collected for the quantification of testosterone. Flutamide-exposed male rats showed a decrease in their ano-genital distance (AGD, P < 0.05) and were infertile. In normal (methylcellulose-exposed) animals, MEBa provoked an increase in testosterone level in 1.5- (P < 0.008) and 2.5 -month-old rats (P < 0.01) concomitantly with the improvement in their fecundity by 25%. In flutamide-exposed male rats, MEBa increased testosterone level in 1.5 -month-old rats (P < 0.001) without any effect on their fecundity; while in 2.5- month-old rats, MEBa did not affect the testosterone level but improved fecundity (by 25%) and fertility (P < 0.001). This study demonstrated the positive effect of MEBa to enhance fecundity/fertility in normal male rats and in rats exposed to the antiandrogen flutamide during their foetal life.

International audience; In this study, Leydig cells were purified from 70 day-old Sprague Dawley male rats and incubated with 10 and 100 mu g/mL of methanol extract of Basella alba (MEBa) for 4 hours followed by the evaluation of cell viability, steroid (testosterone and estradiol) production, and the level of aromatase mRNA. Results showed that MEBa did not affect Leydig cell viability. At the concentration of 10 mu g/mL, MEBa significantly stimulated testosterone and estradiol production (p < 0.01 and p < 0.03, respectively), and enhanced aromatase mRNA level (p < 0.04). These observations suggest that MEBa directly stimulated testosterone, estradiol and aromatase mRNA levels in isolated Leydig cells.

Basella alba Linnaeus, Species Plantarum 1: 272. 1753. "Habitat in Syria?" RCN: 2171. Neotype (Sidwell in Novon 9: 563. 1999): Nepal. Mahakali Zone: Kanchapur District, 15 miles W of Dhangarhi, 7 Dec 1966, Nicolson 2848 (BM; iso- US). Current name: Basella alba L. (Basellaceae). Note: Verdcourt (in Milne-Redhead & Polhill, Fl. Trop. E. Africa, Basellaceae: 2. 1968), followed by many other authors, treated a Thran polynomial as the type but this is contrary to Art. 8.1. In the absence of any original material, Sidwell subsequently chose a neotype., Published as part of Jarvis, Charlie, 2007, Chapter 7: Linnaean Plant Names and their Types (part B), pp. 343-369 in Order out of Chaos. Linnaean Plant Types and their Types, London :Linnaean Society of London in association with the Natural History Museum on page 345, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.291971

Basella alba, spec. nov. 2. Basella foliis undatis. Basella flore albo & caulibus viridibus. Thran. carol.11. Habitat in Syria ? ���, Published as part of Linnaeus, Carolus, 1753, Species plantarum: exhibentes plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas, cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas, Stockholm :Laurentius Salvius on page 272, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3931989