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Aim of the study 50% ethanol extract (ASE) of Amaranthus spinosus (whole plant) has been evaluated for antinociceptive and antiinflammatory activities. Materials and methods Analgesic and antiinflammatory activities were studied by measuring nociception by formalin, acetic acid, hot plate, tail immersion method while inflammation was induced by carrageenan. Results ASE had significant dose dependent percentage protection against acetic acid (0.6% of 10 ml) induced pain and the effects were also compared to aspirin, morphine and naloxone while formalin induced pain (0.05 ml of 2.5%) was significantly blocked only at higher dose (400 mg/kg) in first phase. ASE significantly blocked pain emanating from inflammation at all the doses in second phase. The reaction time in hot plate was increased significantly and dose dependently where as pretreatment with naloxone rigorously reduced the analgesic potentials of ASE. Further in tail immersion test the same dose dependent and significant activity was observed. Aspirin had no effect on thermal induced pain i.e. hot plate and tail immersion tests but showed an effect on writhing test. Conclusions Our investigation show that Amaranthus spinosus possess significant and dose dependant antiinflammatory activity, it has also central and peripheral analgesic activity.

The hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of 50% ethanolic extract of whole plant of Amaranthus spinosus (ASE) was evaluated against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatic damage in rats. The ASE at dose of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg were administered orally once daily for fourteen days. The substantially elevated serum enzymatic levels of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (AST), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (ALT), serum alkaline phosphatase (SALP) and total bilirubin were restored towards normalization significantly by the ASE in a dose dependent manner. Higher dose exhibited significant hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The biochemical observations were supplemented with histopathological examination of rat liver sections. Meanwhile, in vivo antioxidant activities as malondialdehyde (MDA), hydroperoxides, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were also screened which were also found significantly positive in a dose dependent manner. The results of this study strongly indicate that whole plants of A. spinosus have potent hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic damage in experimental animals. This study suggests that possible mechanism of this activity may be due to the presence of flavonoids and phenolics compound in the ASE which may be responsible to hepatoprotective activity.

Ethanolic extract of Cissampelos pareira (L.) Hirsuta (Menispermaceae) roots have been examined in various acute and chronic ulcers in validated experimental models in rats. C. pareira extract of 25–100 mg/kg administered orally, twice daily for 5 days showed a dose-dependent, ulcer-protective effect. The extract demonstrated significant protection against 100% ethanol- (P

The current study is an effort to identify the hepatoprotective activity of the 50% ethanol extract of the whole plant of Amaranthus spinosus Linn. (Amaranthaceae) against d-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide (d-GalN/LPS)-induced liver injury in rats. d-GalN/LPS (300 mg/kg body weight/30 µg/kg body weight)-induced hepatic damage was manifested by a significant (p0.05) increase in the activities of marker enzymes (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and gamma glutamyl transferase) and bilirubin level in serum while phospholipids significantly decreased. All other parameters, i.e. cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids were increased significantly in both serum and liver compared to the control group. Pretreatment of rats with A. spinosus extract (400 mg/kg) significantly (p0.05) reversed these altered parameters to normal compared to the intoxicated group. The biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of liver sections. There were no significant changes in the activities of marker enzymes, bilirubin level and lipids in the rats treated with A. spinosus extract alone. Results of this study revealed that A. spinosus extract could afford a significant protection against d-GalN/LPS-induced hepatocellular injury.

50% ethanolic extract (ASE) of Amaranthus spinosus (whole plant) was evaluated for in vitro antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity.The total phenolics and reducing capacity of ASE was determined using standard curve of gallic acid (0-1.0mg/ml) and butylated hydroxy anisole. In vitro antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH, superoxide, hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide scavenging methods. The hepatoprotective activity of ASE was evaluated at 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 microg/ml concentration against CCl(4) (1%) induced toxicity in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes and HepG2 cells.ASE was found to contain 336+/-14.3mg/g total polyphenolics expressed as gallic acid equivalent while the reducing capacity was 2.26 times of BHA. ASE showed significant antioxidant activity in DPPH assay (IC(50) 29 microg/ml), scavenges superoxide (IC(50) approximately 66-70 microg/ml), hydrogen peroxide (IC(50) approximately 120-125 microg/ml), hydroxyl radicals (IC(50) approximately 140-145 microg/ml) and nitric oxide (IC(50) approximately 135-140 microg/ml). ASE (6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 microg/ml) was able to normalise the levels of biochemical parameters in isolated rat hepatocytes intoxicated with CCl(4). A dose dependent increase in percentage viability was observed in CCl(4) intoxicated HepG2 cells.ASE possesses significant hepatoprotective activity which might be due to antioxidant defence factors and phenolics might be the main constituents responsible for activity.