Browsing by Author "Arambewela, L.S.R."

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Extra - pancreatic actions of Trichosanthes cucumerina
(Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 2008) Arawwawala, L.D.A.M.; Thabrew, M.I.; Arambewela, L.S.R.
Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn (Family: Cucurbitaceae), locally known as Dummella is commonly found in Asian countries including Sri Lanka. The aerial parts of T. cucumerina (T.C) are widely used in combination with other plants in the traditional medicinal systems as a remedy for fever, dropsy, acute bronchitis, boils, inflammation, skin diseases, jaundice, gastric lesions and diabetes. In Sri Lanka, the aerial parts of T.C are used as a remedy for diabetes. In a previous study we demonstrated that hot water extract (HWE) of T.C aerial parts can exert significant hypoglycemic activity in both normaglycemic and streptozotocine (STZ) induced diabetic rats. It was also shown that HWE had no effect on intestinal glucose absorption. A study was therefore, carried out to determine if extra - pancreatic effects were the main mechanisms by which the HWE exerts its hypoglycemic effect in rats. Extra - pancreatic effects were investigated by comparison of (a) Liver glycogen levels and (b)Triglyceride level in adipose tissue in normaglycemic and STZ - induced (by i.v. 50 mg/kg) diabetic rats that were orally treated with the HWE with those that did not receive the extract in the corresponding groups. Wistar rats (175 - 200 g body weight) were randomly divided in to 4 groups. Rats in Group 1 (n = 12; normal controls) were orally administered distilled water (1.0 ml/Kg), Group 2 (n = 12; normal test) received HWE (750 mg/kg of body weight), Group 3 (n = 7; diabetic control) received distilled water (1.0 ml/Kg) while group 4 (diabetic test) received HWE consecutively for 28 days. The dose of 750 mg/kg T.C was used because it exerted the maximum hypoglycemic effect in the previous study. Rats were kept fasting and, blood samples were collected from their tails at 14 days and 28 days post treatment and serum glucose levels determined. Subsequently, rats were sacrificed, livers and adipose tissues were harvested and subjected for estimation of glycogen levels and triglyceride levels respectively. In the diabetic rats, compared to the control group HWE significantly reduce the blood glucose levels at the end of 14 days and 28 days. The reduction in blood glucose was comparable to that produced by the antidiabetic drug, glibenclamide (0.6 mg/Kg). In normaglycemic rats HWE reduced the blood glucose levels at the end of 14 and 28 days. At the end of 28 days, it was found that in both normaglycemic and STZ - induced diabetic rats, there was a significant (P= 0.05) increase in the levels of liver glycogen (normaglycemic rats by 55.8 %; diabetic rats by 93.6 %) and adipose tissue triglyceride (normaglycemic rats by 14.3 %; diabetic rats by 16.7 %) in comparison with the respective controls that were not treated with HWE. It may be concluded that hypoglycemic effects demonstrated by T.C are mediated mainly via enhanced up take of blood glucose in to extra - pancreatic tissues. Financial assistance by National Science Foundation (Research Grant NSF/SCH/2005/13) is acknowleged.
Gastroprotective activity of Trichosanthes cucumerina aerial parts
(Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 2007) Arawwawala, L.D.A.M.; Thabrew, M.I.; Arambewela, L.S.R.
Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn. (Family: Cucurbitaceae), locally known as Dummella is commonly found in Asian countries including Sri Lanka. The aerial parts of T. cucumerina are widely used in combination with other plants in the traditional medicinal systems as a remedy for fever, dropsy, acute bronchitis, boils, inflammation, skin diseases, jaundice, diabetes and gastric lesions. The aim of the present study was to scientifically investigate whether Trichosanthes cucumerina (T.C.) has gastroprotective activity. The oral gastroprotective effect of hot water extract (HWE) of T.C. aerial parts was evaluated by determining its ability to protect against gastric lesions in rats induced by absolute ethanol (5 mL/kg) or indomethacin (5 mg/kg). All the experiments were conducted using Wistar strain rats (weight: 200 - 220 g). The food was withdrawn for 36 h and water for 12 h in rats, before the commencement of the experiment. These rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8 rats/group; 3 males + 3 females) and groups 1 - 3 were orally administrated with HWE at a dose of 375, 500 and 750 mg/kg, respectively. Group 4 was orally treated with equal volume of distilled water (1 mL; control) while group 5 was orally treated with the reference drug, cimetidine (100 mg/kg). In the indomethacin experiment, only one dose of HWE (750 mg/kg) was tested, as this was found to have the maximum effect in the alcohol model. Results show that the HWE of T.C. possess significant (P < 0.05) and dose dependent gastroprotective effects in the alcohol model in terms of the length and number of gastric lesions mediated by alcohol, with a maximum effect at 750 mg/kg. A significant (P < 0.05) gastroprotective activity was also observed in the indomethacine model. In the ethanol model, the protective effect demonstrated by the HWE of T.C was comparable with that produced by cimetidine. However, a significantly higher gastroprotective activity was observed in the ethanol model than in the indomethacin model. The HWE significantly increased the amount of mucus produced by the rat gastro mucosa (by 39%) and reduced the gastric acidity (by 36 %). pH of the gastric juice increased from 4.1 to 6.02. However, no change in the volume of gastric juice was observed. It may be concluded that HWE of T.C can exert a significant protection against ethanol or indomethacin induced gastric damage. Increasing the protective mucus layer and decreasing the acidity of the gastric juice are probable mechanisms by which the HWE of T.C. mediates its gastroprotective actions. Acknowledgement: National Science Foundation (research grant No: NSF/SCH/2005/13)
An investigation of toxicity of Trichosanthes cucumerina
(Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 2006) Arawwawala, L.D.A.M.; Thabrew, M.I.; Arambewela, L.S.R.