ISSN 2348-313X (Print) International Journal of Life Sciences Research ISSN 2348-3148 (online) Vol. 8, Issue 4, pp: (32-36), Month: October - December 2020, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
Protective Effect of Adhatoda vasica leaf extract on body weight and spleen weight of gammairradiated mice Mahender Singh Abhilashi University, Chail Chowk, Mandi, H.P. India.
Abstract: Effect of ethanolic extract of Adhatoda vasica against gamma radiation induced changes in terms of body weight and spleen weight in Swiss albino mice was studied at post-irradiation intervals between 1 and 30 days. Mice exposed to 6 Gy gamma radiation showed radiation induced sickness including changes in body weight and spleen weight of mice. When ethanolic leaf extract of Adhatoda vasica was given orally at a dose of 900 mg/kg body weight prior to irradiation showed a significant protection. Mice were divided into four groups i.e. Group I containing normal mice served as control for each experimental groups; group II mice given 900 mg/kg body wt. of Adhatoda vasica extract orally for 15 days; group III mice were exposed to gamma radiation (6Gy) and group IV mice given Adhatoda vasica extract for 15 days then exposed to gamma radiation (6 Gy). There was significantly lesser degree of reduction in body weight and spleen weight to extract treated plus irradiated mice. But there was higher degree of reduction in irradiated mice body weight and spleen weight. Keywords: Adhatoda vasica, gamma radiation, body weight, spleen and oral administration.
1. INTRODUCTION Several biological effects of plants and plant extracts were investigated in recent clinical and pharmacological studies, thus confirming its efficacy in Indian system of medicines. Many more medicinally useful plants are present in Himalayas. Among them are Adhatoda vasica used in the present study belongs to the family Acanthaceae and is found throughout India upto the height of 1300 m. In the ayurvedic nomenclature it is referred as Vasaka or Vrisha while in general it is called Basuti or Bansha. The leaves of plant are the main source of drug preparation. Extracts of various plants have been reported to beneficial for free radical mediated conditions in humans, as they contain compounds having antioxidant activity which can prevent damage induced by reactive oxygen species. The plant has been used in the indigenous system of medicine worldwide as herbal remedy for treating cold, cough, chronic bronchitis, asthma, as sedative expectorant, rheumatism and rheumatic painful inflammatory swellings. Plants provide complicated, mixed and distinct non-nutrient elements which act as the main basis of drug discovery [1]. Major symptoms of radiation sickness are reduced food and water intake, weight loss, diarrhea, lethargy, hair loss, disorientation, epilation and necrosis in the tail. Ionizing radiation at lower doses causes hematopoietic syndrome and at higher dose causes gastrointestinal syndrome and central nervous syndrome. Interaction of ionizing radiation with living cells cause a variety of changes, whose damage intensity depend fundamentally on the absorbed dose, type of radiation, conditions of irradiation and intrinsic radiosensitivity of cell [2]. Plants products appear to have an advantage over the synthetic compounds in terms of low/ no toxicity at the effective dose with minimum or no side effects [3]-[7]. The spleen is a dark red to blue-black organ located in the left cranial abdomen. The functions of the spleen are centered on the systematic circulation. It is composed of two functionally and morphologically distinct compartments, the red pulp and the white pulp. The red pulp is a blood filter that remove foreign materials and damaged erythrocytes. It is also a storage site for iron, erythrocytes and platelets. Spleen is also the largest secondary lymphoid organ containing about one-fourth of body’s lymphocytes and initiates immune responses to blood borne antigens [8]-[10].
Page | 32 Research Publish Journals