title: Effect of aqueous extract of Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad. & Wendl. on postmenopausal syndrome in ovariectomized rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad. & Wendl. (Solanaceae) is present in many Ayurveda compound formulations including Chavanaprasha and Dasamoolarishta. The whole plant is used in conditions such as inflammation, constipation and promoting conception in females. In the present study, we carried out different tests to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of Solanum xanthocarpum (SXE) in postmenopausal syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out in bilaterally ovariectomized one-month-old Wistar rats (40-50 g). Bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX) Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n=6) receiving different treatments, consisting of a vehicle (distilled water), aqueous extract of Solanum xanthocarpum at two different doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) administered orally daily for 90 d and standard drug β estradiol at a dose of 1 mg/kg administered subcutaneously biweekly for 90 d. Estrogenic activity was assessed by vaginal cornification, sexual behavior, serum estradiol and uterine weight to body weight ratio. Antiosteoporotic activity was assessed on the basis of biomechanical and biochemical parameters followed by histopathological studies, and antidepressant activity was assessed by forced swim test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SXE showed presence of steroids. At the dose of 200 mg/kg, it significantly improved all the parameters of sexual behavior (P<0.01), caused vaginal cornification, and increased serum estradiol and uterine weight (P<0.01). It also significantly improved all the parameters of bone strength as well as depression (P<0.01). Histopathology of bones confirmed the above findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study indicated that SXE may provide an effective treatment in the prevention of postmenopausal symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Sinhgad Institute of Pharmacy, Narhe, Pune 411041, India; Email: aswarurmila@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Urmila
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Aswar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Sinhgad Institute of Pharmacy, Narhe, Pune 411041, India.
authors.forename: Mayuri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gurav
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Sinhgad Institute of Pharmacy, Narhe, Pune 411041, India.
authors.forename: Ganesh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: More
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza 12411, Egypt.
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rashed
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Sinhgad Institute of Pharmacy, Narhe, Pune 411041, India.
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aswar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D032322:Solanum
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D004967:Estrogens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D004958:Estradiol