title: Protective effect of Picroliv from Picrorhiza kurroa against Leishmania donovani infections in Mesocricetus auratus.
abstract: The prevalent drugs for treatment of kala azar viz. sodium stibogluconate (SSG) and pentamidine cause severe toxic side effects and acute immunosuppression in the treated individuals. Picroliv, a standardized mixture of iridoid glycosides, prepared from the alcoholic extract of the root and rhizome of Picrorhiza kurroa has shown strong hepatoprotective activity against several models of hepatotoxicity. Therefore, the present study was undertaken with an objective to study the effects of Picroliv (12.5 mg/kg x 7 days oral) alone and in combination with SSG on parasitemia, lipid peroxidation and hepatic marker enzymes of golden hamsters during Leishmania donovani infection. The results indicated a marked hepatoprotective effect of Picroliv in terms of biochemical markers, and a significant antileishmanial activity implying that it can be utilized as an adjunct to chemotherapy or in combination therapy of kala azar along with sodium stibogluconate, thus enhancing the efficacy of antileishmanials.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biochemistry, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saksena
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Rastogi
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000378:metabolism; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006224:Cricetinae; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005952:Glucose-6-Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D005970:Glutamate Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D006027:Glycosides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007893:Leishmania donovani; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008647:Mesocricetus / Q000469:parasitology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D014641:Vanillic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D002934:Cinnamates; D006027:Glycosides; D010936:Plant Extracts; C057463:kutkin; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase; D005970:Glutamate Synthase; D005952:Glucose-6-Phosphatase; D014641:Vanillic Acid; D001663:Bilirubin; D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate