Planta Med 2013; 79 - P102
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1336544

Validation of Cardio Protective Activity of Standardized Extracts of Unani Medicinal Plants Listed in Ibn-e-Sina's Treatise

S Ahmad 1, M Singh 1, R Parveen 2
  • 1Bioactive Natural Product Laboratory, Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
  • 2Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India

Ibn-e-Sina (Persian physician) recommended 63 drugs in his treatise “Advia Qalbiya” for cardioprotection, which are the major components of several cardioprotective formulations used in the Unani system of medicine. The hydroalcoholic extracts of the three most commonly used drugs: Amomum subulatum (Amomum), Coriandrum sativum (Coriander), Nardostachys jatamanshi (Jatamanshi) were selected for cardioprotective activity. In vitro antioxidant activity of extracts were carried out using DPPH, superoxide, nitric oxide free radical scavenging methods as well as reducing power method. The extracts of drugs were previously standardized for total phenolic content and HPTLC fingerprints as well as quantification of their respective marker compounds. Validated analytical methods were used for assay of drugs such as Amomum (alpinatin by HTPLC and HPLC, Cineol by GCMS), Coriander (linalool by GCMS), Jatamanshi (Jatamansone by GCMS). The in vivo cardioprotective activity was carried out against doxorubicine induced toxicity in Wistar rat model for 21 days. Oral administration of Amomum and Coriander extracts (200 mg/kg/day) followed by administration of doxorubicine (2.5 mg/kg twice a week, i.p.) showed significant (p < 0.01) reversal of biochemical parameters such as serum CK-MB, LDH, HMG-CoA, TNF-alpha, IL-6 as well as heart tissue TNF-alpha, caspase-3 and TBARS level as compared to doxorubicine treated group. However, Amomum showed better protection and comparable to standard drug deferoxamine, which were further supported by similar results of DNA fragmentation and histological studies. Acknowledgements: Thanks go to DST (Department of Science and Technology), and CCRUM (AYUSH) Ministry of Health, Government of India.