title: Extracted polysaccharide from Nyctanthes arbor-tristis leaves: chemical and antitussive properties.
abstract: The prevalence of cough is reflected in antitussives being one of the most widely used therapies in the world; however no new class of drugs has been introduced into the market for many years. Water decoction of the leaves of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L. is used in Indian Ayurvedic system to alleviate a wide range of diseases including cough. Herein, we have isolated a carbohydrate polymer (CP) containing fraction from its leaves by aqueous extraction method. CP is a branched polysaccharide containing, amongst others, 1,3-/1,3,6-linked galactopyranosyl, 1,5-/1,3,5-linked arabinofuranosyl and 1,2-/1,2,4-linked rhamnopyranosyl residues. Oral administration of CP fraction in doses of 25 and 50 mg kg(-1) body weight significantly inhibited the number of citric acid-induced cough efforts in guinea pigs in a dose dependent manner. Remarkably, CP did not altered specific airway resistance of animals significantly. Consequently, aqueous extraction method provided a molecular entity, which exhibited the cough suppressive activity: this could symbolize an attractive approach in phytotherapeutic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Natural Products Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of Burdwan, Golapbag, Burdwan, West Bengal 713 104, India.
authors.forename: Kanika
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University, Sklabinska 26, 036 01 Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nosalova
authors.affiliation: Natural Products Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of Burdwan, Golapbag, Burdwan, West Bengal 713 104, India.
authors.forename: Sayani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University, Sklabinska 26, 036 01 Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sivova
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University, Sklabinska 26, 036 01 Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Slavomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nosal
authors.affiliation: Natural Products Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of Burdwan, Golapbag, Burdwan, West Bengal 713 104, India. Electronic address: bray@chem.buruniv.ac.in.
authors.forename: Bimalendu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ray
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000996:Antitussive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D029592:Oleaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D000996:Antitussive Agents; D011134:Polysaccharides
keywords: Antitussive activity; Nyctanthes arbor-tristis; Oleaceae; Polysaccharide; Specific airway resistance