The traditional medicinal herb II: Barleria Lupulina

Neuropharmacological profile of Barleria lupulina Lindl. Extract in animal models
Authors: V Suba, T Murugesan, R B Rao, M Pal, Subhash C Mandal, B P Saha
Barleria lupulina Lindl. is a popular medicinal plant distributed in mountains of southern and western India. In the present work, the effect of methanolic extract of aerial parts of B. lupulina on CNS activity has been evaluated. The CNS activity was tested in several experimental models, in mice and rats: general behavior, exploratory behavior, muscle relaxant activity, conditioned avoidance response and phenobarbitone sodium-induced sleeping time tests. The aerial parts of the plant B. lupulina was extracted with methanol and the solvent was removed by vacuum distillation. The methanol extract (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg) showed reduction in general behavioral pattern (spontaneous activity, alertness, awareness, pain response and touch response) in a dose dependent manner. The extract was found to produce a significant reduction of the exploratory behavioral profile (Y-maze test, head dip test) and conditioned avoidance response with all the tested doses. The methanolic extract showed significant motor incoordination and muscle relaxant activity. The extract also potentiated phenobarbitone sodium induced sleeping time. Preliminary investigation showed that the methanol extract of B. lupulina has significant psychopharmacological activity.

Journal of ethnopharmacology. 01/08/2002; 81

Antidiabetic potential of Barleria lupulina extract in rats

Authors: V Suba, T Murugesan, R Bhaskara Rao, Lopamudra Ghosh, M Pal, Subhash C Mandal, B P Saha

We have undertaken a study to evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic effect of a methanol extract of aerial parts of Barleria lupulina Lindl. (Acanthaceae) in streptozotocin-diabetic rats, based on folkloric reports its use as an anti-diabetic agent. The extract exerted significant (p < 0.05) anti-hyperglycemic efficacy at all levels tested from 4 h after its administration, as compared with the control group, and the effect was also prolonged up to 12 h. The extract at doses of 200 mg kg(-1) body wt. and above exhibited a maximum activity (p < 0.001) at 12 h after administration. The most significant activity (15.35% blood glucose reduction) was observed for the group administered 300 mg kg(-1) body wt. at 12 h after administration, while the standard drug glibenclamide (10 mg/kg(-1) body wt.) showed an 18.80% reduction of blood glucose at the same time interval. Based on our current results, it appears that the methanol extract of aerial parts of Barleria lupulina Lindl. shows a pronounced blood-glucose-lowering potential in streptozotocin hyperglycemic rats, and is thus provided with a pharmacological support of the folklore claims of anti-diabetic activity.

 Antiinflammatory, analgesic and antiperoxidative efficacy of Barleria lupulina Lindl. extract

Authors: V Suba, T Murugesan, R Kumaravelrajan, Subash C Mandal, B P Saha
A study was undertaken to investigate the antiinflammatory efficacy of methanol extract of aerial parts of Barleria lupulina Lindl. [MEBL] (Family: Acanthaceae) in acute and sub- acute inflammation models of albino rats. The MEBL in all the tested dose levels exhibited significant inhibition of carrageenin and serotonin induced paw oedema volumes when compared with the untreated (control) group. The MEBL also exerted a significant reduction in granuloma weight in the cotton pellet induced granuloma model. These potentials were comparable to that of the standard drug (indomethacin). The plant extract was also tested for its analgesic, ulcerogenic and antiperoxidative potential. The extract also demonstrated protection against CCl(4) induced lipid peroxidation and acetic acid induced writhing. Acute administration of MEBL (300 mg/kg) did not produce any gastric lesion in rats.

Phytotherapy research : PTR. 01/09/2005; 19(8):695-9. ISSN: 0951-418X

Antiulcer activity of methanol fraction of Barleria lupulina Lindl. in animal models
Authors: V Suba, T Murugesan, M Pal, Subhash C Mandal, B P Saha
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the gastric cytoprotective activity of the methanol extract of aerial parts of the plant Barleria lupulina Lindl (Acanthaceae) in albino rats using various models of ulcers such as drug induced ulcers, restraint ulcers, duodenal ulcers and pylorus ligated ulcers. The effect of the extract on gastric secretion and lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reacting substances TBARS) was also studied in rats. The extract at the tested dose of 200 mg/kg significantly reduced the volume of gastric juice, total acidity and the ulcer index in pylorus ligated rats. It also afforded significant protection against alcohol and indomethacin induced ulcer as well as stress induced ulceration. TBARS in the stomach of indomethacin treated rats was also reduced. In addition, it gave protection against duodenal ulcers. The study suggests that the methanol extract of aerial parts of Barleria lupulina Lindl. has a protective effect against experimental gastric and duodenal ulcers.