Pharmacologia2044-46482044-4656Science International10.3923/pharmacologia.2013.493.497Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn.: Investigations of some Selected Pharmacological
Activities of Ethanolic Extract]]>ArawwawalaL.D.A.M. ThabrewM.I. ArambewelaL.S.R. 8201348Background:Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn. (Family: Cucurbitaceae)
is one of the medicinal plants that is often used in Sri Lankan traditional
systems of medicine for the preparation of formulations to treat a variety of
disease conditions. Most of therapeutic claims of T. cucumerina were
validated using the hot water extract of the plant. However, no scientific investigations
were carried out to investigate anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective and hypoglycemic
activities of T. cucumerina cold ethanolic extract. Objective:
The objective of the present study was to investigate (a) Anti-inflammatory,
(b) Gastroprotection and (c) Hypoglycemic activities of T. cucumerina
cold ethanolic extract. Materials and Methods: (a) Anti-inflammatory
activity was investigated by carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema model, (b) Gastroprotective
activity was investigated by absolute ethanol and indomethacin induced ulceration
models and (c) Hypoglycemic activity was investigated by measuring the fasting
blood glucose levels in normoglycemic rats. Results: Cold ethanolic extract
significantly inhibited the paw oedema induced by carrageenan (inhibition by
74%) and the effect was comparable to that of the reference drug, indomethacin
at 5 h (inhibition by 79%). Cold ethanolic extract exhibited a significant gastroprotection
against absolute ethanol (inhibition of length by 91% and number by 92%) and
indomethacin (inhibition of length by 87% and number by 86%) induced ulceration
respectively compared to the control. Moreover, cold ethanolic extract significantly
reduced the fasting blood glucose levels (60.5±2.6 mg dL-1)
in normoglycemic rats and the effect was comparable to that of the reference
drug, tolbutamide at 6 h (62.4±1.8 mg dL-1). Conclusion:T. cucumerina can be used to develop drugs that have anti-inflammatory,
gastroprotection and hypoglycemic activities.]]>Anonymous,20022002Arawwawala, M., I. Thabrew and L. Arambewela,2009Trichosanthes cucumerina in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.]]>3287296Arawwawala, L.D.A.M., M.I. Thabrew and L.S.R. Arambewela,2010Trichosanthes cucumerina in rats.]]>127750754Arawwawala, M., I. Thabrew, L. Arambewela and S. Handunnetti,2010Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn. in rats.]]>131538543Arawwawala, M., I. Thabrew and L. Arambewela,2011In vitro and in vivo evaluation of antioxidant activity of Trichosanthes cucumerina aerial parts.]]>62235243Bhargava, K.P., M.G. Gupta and K.K. Tanvir,197322191195Dharmasiri, M.G., J.R.A.C. Jayakody, G. Galhena, S.S.P. Liyanage and W.D. Ratnasooriya,2003Vitex negundo.]]>87199206Dharmasiri, M.G., W.D. Ratnasooriya and M.I. Thabrew,2007Anisomeles indica Kuntze.]]>3245249Jayaweera, D.M.A.,1980Kar, A., B.K. Choudhary and N.G. Bandyopadhyay,200384105108Kirana, H. and B.P. Srinivasan,2008Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn. improves glucose tolerance and tissue glycogen in non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus induced rats.]]>40103106Kolte, R.M., V.V. Bisan, C.R. Jangde and A.A. Bhalerao,1996Trichosanthes cucumerina (Linn.) in mouse's hind paw edema induced by carrageenin.]]>18117121Kumar, S.S., B.R. Kumar and G.K. Mohan,2009Trichosanthes cucumerina Var cucumerina L. on carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in rats.]]>123347350Mukherjee, P.K. and A. Wahile,20061032535Paget, G.E. and J.M. Barnes,19961996Rao, M.R., M.C. Palada and B.N. Becker,200461107122Winter, C.A., E.A. Risley and G.W. Nuss,1962111544547Kongtun, S., W. Jiratchariyakul, T. Kummalue, P. Tan-ariya, S. Kunnachak and A.W. Frahm,2009Trichosanthes cucumerina.]]>75839842