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Objective: This paper highlighted the effect of selected soil containing metals, viz. Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn on the biochemical compositions and antioxidant activity in leaf of 20 years old two Cassia fistula L. (CF) cultivars. The leaf samples were collected from CF grown on road sides from the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka in India. Methods: Antioxidant activity and total phenol contents from methanolic and aqueous leaf extract were evaluated by assays like oxygen radical absorbance capacities (ORAC), 2, 2/-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiozoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and folin-ciocalteu reagent methods respectively. Maximum dose dependent antioxidant activity was observed in methanol leaf extract of both the cultivars, but marginal variation observed in antioxidant activity. Results: The result revealed that total phenolic content was maximum in the methanolic leaf extract (11.40 ± 0.37 mg g-1 of gallic acid equivalent). A positive correlation between antioxidant activity and total phenol compounds was noticed from both the samples. Furthermore a significant correlation was observed between element contents and antioxidant activities. Conclusion: This was may be due to elements like Fe, Cu, and Zn for accumulation of secondary constituents in the methanolic leaf extract that are major contributors to the antioxidant potential of CF. There were no other heavy metals (Ni, Cd, Pb and Cr) reported in both the samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of ethanol extract of stems of Indigofera aspalathoides Vahl (Papilionaceae) (EIA) was evaluated for anti-arthritic activity on complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced (CFA-induced) arthritis in rats. The EIA was administered orally at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg daily for 30 days. The paw volume was measured on days 7, 14, 21 and 30. At the end of day 30, the rats were sacrificed and various biochemical parameters such as serum aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol and triglycerides were estimated. Antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and lipid peroxide (LPO) in the liver and kidney of normal, arthritic control and EIA treated rats were studied. Oral administration of EIA effectively inhibits rat paw edema in a dose-dependent manner. EIA significantly (P <0.01) altered the biochemical parameters which were affected in arthritic rats. There was significant alteration in LPO, SOD, catalase, and GPx levels when compared to arthritic control rats. Our findings showed a significant anti-arthritic effect of EIA against CFA-induced arthritis in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protective effect of methanol extracts of Cassia fistula (flowers, leaves and bark) was examined in vitro in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) against toxicity induced by glycated protein (GFBS) in vitro. The experiments consisted of eight groups of HUVEC with five flasks in each group. Group I was treated with 15% FBS, group II with GFBS (70 microM) alone, and the other six groups were treated with GFBS plus 25 and 50 microg of each of the three types of C. fistula extracts. After 72 h of incubation, cells were collected and tested for lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme activities and glutathione S-transferase (GST). The protective effect of C. fistula extracts against GFBS-induced cytotoxicity was examined in HUVEC by using trypan blue exclusion and MTT assays. Results showed that HUVEC incubated with GFBS alone showed a significant (P < 0.001) elevation of lipid peroxidation accompanied by depletion of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR), in addition to decreased cytosolic GST. Treatment of HUVEC with C. fistula extracts at a concentration of 25 and 50 microg significantly decreased lipid peroxidation and normalized the activities of the antioxidant enzymes and GST levels in a concentration-dependent manner. Morphological changes of HUVEC were compared with respective controls; in addition, the C. fistula extracts increased the viability of HUVEC damaged by GFBS. A protective effect of C. fistula extracts on HUVEC against GFBS-induced toxicity suggested a potential beneficial effect of the extract in preventing diabetic angiopathies., (Copyright 2008 Prous Science, S.A.U. or its licensors. All rights reserved.)