Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant, antistress, and nootropic activities of aqueous and methanolic seed extracts of ladies finger (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) in mice.
Abelmoschus esculentus L. (ladies finger, okra) is a well-known tropical vegetable, widely planted from Africa to Asia and from South Europe to America. In the present study, we investigated the in vitro antioxidant capacity and in vivo protective effect of the aqueous and methanolic seed extracts of Abelmoschus esculentus against scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment using passive avoidance task and acute restraining stress-induced behavioural and biochemical changes using elevated plus maze (EPM) and forced swimming test (FST) in mice. Our results demonstrated that the pretreatment of mice with aqueous and methanolic seed extracts of Abelmoschus esculentus (200 mg/kg, p.o.) for seven days significantly (P < 0.01) attenuated scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in the passive avoidance test. In addition, these extracts significantly reduced the blood glucose, corticosterone, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels elevated by acute restraint stress and also significantly increased the time spent in open arm in EPM and decreased the immobility time in FST. It has also been revealed that these extracts showed a significant antioxidant activity and no signs of toxicity or death up to a dose of 2000 mg/kg, p.o. These results suggest that the seed extracts of Abelmoschus esculentus L. possess antioxidant, antistress, and nootropic activities which promisingly support the medicinal values of ladies finger as a vegetable.
Department of Pharmacology, Chalapathi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522 034, India.
Sathish Kumar
SK
Doreddula
Department of Pharmacology, Chalapathi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522 034, India ; Vaccine Immunology Laboratory, Natural Product Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Tarnaka, Hyderabad 500007, India.
Srinivasa Reddy
SR
Bonam
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand 835215, India ; Center for Chemical Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Tarnaka, Hyderabad 500007, India.
Durga Prasad
DP
Gaddam
Department of Pharmacology, Chalapathi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522 034, India.
Brahma Srinivasa Rao
BS
Desu
Department of Pharmacology, Chalapathi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 522 034, India.
Nadendla
N
Ramarao
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Vijayapandi
V
Pandy
D028483:Abelmoschus; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011897:Random Allocation; D012639:Seeds; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared / Q000379:methods; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D000975:Antioxidants; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D064209:Phytochemicals; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014867:Water; D000432:Methanol