title: Appraisal of anti-arthritic and nephroprotective potential of Cuscuta reflexa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (Cuscutaceae) has been used traditionally for treating sore knees and kidney problems, but its efficacy has not been scientifically examined in treating arthritis and nephrotoxicity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Present study determines antiarthritic and nephroprotective potential of the aqueous methanolic extract of Cuscuta reflexa (AMECR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Antiarthritic activity of Cuscuta reflexa in formaldehyde and turpentine oil-induced rat arthritis models was appraised at 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg doses for 10 days and 6 h period, respectively, and in vitro protein denaturation (bovine serum albumin, egg albumin) inhibition was studied at 25-800 μg/mL concentration. The nephroprotective effect involved gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats at 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg doses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plant extract at 600 mg/kg significantly reduced paw oedema and joint swelling with maximal inhibition of 71.22% at the 6th hour for turpentine oil and 76.74% on 10th day for formaldehyde. Likewise, in vitro results corroborated significant concentration-dependent increase in percentage protection at 800 μg/mL against both bovine serum albumin (89.30%) and egg albumin (93.51%) denaturation. Similarly, 600 mg/kg dose showed maximum nephroprotection by reducing serum urea (41.400 ± 0.510 mg/dL), uric acid (0.740 ± 0.032 mg/dL), blood urea nitrogen (18.370 ± 0.328), creatinine (3.267 ± 0.076) and minimizing kidney weight gain (0.586 ± 0.005) and histopathological alterations on 8th day. Furthermore, phytochemical and HPLC analysis revealed the presence of important phytoconstituents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that AMECR provides protection against arthritis and nephrotoxicity that might be due to the existence of phytoconstituents, thus supporting folkloric claim.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Sargodha , Sargodha , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Samia Gul
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Niazi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Sargodha , Sargodha , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Ambreen Malik
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Uttra
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Sargodha , Sargodha , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Naeem
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Qaiser
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Sargodha , Sargodha , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Haseeb
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahsan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D034182:Cuscuta; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents
keywords: Turpentine oil; denaturation; formaldehyde; phytochemical