Punarnavashtak kwath (PN) a classical Ayurvedic formulation reported in “Bhaishyajyaratnavali” consisting of eight medicinal plants was evaluated for its in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective effect. In vitro antioxidant activity of PN kwath was investigated by DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activity, superoxide anion and nitric oxide radical scavenging activity and reducing power assay. In vitro antioxidant activity was found to be dose dependent. Hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant effect was evaluated by ethanol (3.7 g/kg, p.o for 45 days in all group except control) induced hepatic damage in rats. Pretreatment with PN kwath 100 mg/kg p.o for 45 days) significantly prevented physical (increased liver wt), biochemical (serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin and total protein level), histological (damage to hepatocytes) and functional changes (thiopentone induced sleeping time) induced by ethanol in liver. Further PN kwath showed antioxidant activity by increasing activity of GSH, SOD and CAT and by decreasing the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS). The results were compared to that of reference standard silymarin (50 mg/kg p.o for 45 days). The findings suggest that PN kwath protects the liver cell from ethanol induced liver damages due to its antioxidative effect on hepatocytes.

Punarnavashtak (PN) kwath is a classical Ayurvedic formulation mentioned in Ayurvedic literature “Bhaishyajyaratnavali” for hepatic disorders and asthma. Standardization and clinical trial to support its efficacy are lacking. So, in the present study, standardization of PN kwath was done by using biomarkers, gallic acid and berberine, and its hepatoprotective activity was evaluated by clinical study to rationalise the traditional use of this formulation. PN kwath was standardized by HPTLC (High performance thin layer chromatography) using gallic acid and berberine as biomarkers and was subjected to clinical study. For clinical study patients attending outpatient clinics, with an evidence of liver disease were included in the study. During the study period, patients who fulfilled inclusion criteria were randomly assigned. The recommended dose was 20 ml kwath daily for 8 weeks. All the patients underwent clinical examination and laboratory investigations for liver functions tests before the commencement of therapy. Thereafter, clinical assessments were done after 8 weeks of treatment. The results showed significant changes in liver functions tests [serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin]. There was no report of adverse effects attributable to this formulation. Our results suggest that PN kwath showed significant hepatoprotective activity. Berberine and gallic acid were found to be 0.08 and 4.9%, respectively. Our results suggest that PN kwath showed significant hepatoprotective activity due to presence of various phytoconstituents and support its traditional uses in liver disorder. Key words: Berberine, clinical study, gallic acid, hepatoprotective, punarnavashtak kwath

Pravastatin sodium is a HMG Co A reductase inhibitor, used as a lipid lowering agent. A simple, precise, rapid, accurate and cost effective high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was successfully developed and validated for estimation of pravastatin sodium in tablet dosage form. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Luna C18 column (250 mm X 4.6 mm) utilizing mobile phase methanol and aqueous solution of o-phosphoric acid (0.6% v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min with UV detection at 239 nm. A linear response was observed in the range of 14–26 μg/ml with correlation co-efficient of 0.9997. The mean percent recoveries of pravastatin sodium in tablet formulations were found to be in the range of 98.9 -100.2%. The intra day and inter day precision was found to be within limits. The proposed method has adequate specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility for quality control assay of pravastatin sodium in tablet dosage form without any interference from excipients.

Pravastatin sodium (PRS) is a HMG Co A reductase inhibitor, used as a lipid lowering agent. Two simple, sensitive and economical UV spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the estimation of pravastatin sodium in bulk drug and pharmaceutical tablet dosage forms. Methods were based on the first order derivative spectroscopy and area under curve method. Both method obeyed Beer's law in the concentration range of 10–20 μg/ml. The results obtained with the proposed methods are in good agreement with labeled amounts when tablet dosage forms were analyzed. The proposed methods were validated for analytical method validation parameter as per ICH and US FDA guidance documents. The proposed methods have adequate specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility for quality control assay of pravastatin sodium in bulk and tablet dosage form without any interference from excipients.

Although coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a component of the oxidative phosphorylation process in mitochondria that converts the energy in carbohydrates and fatty acids into ATP to drive cellular machinery and synthesis, its effect in type I diabetes is not clear. We have studied the effect of 4 wk of treatment with CoQ10 (10 mg/kg, ip, daily) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced (40 mg/kg, iv in adult rats) type I diabetes rat models. Treatment with CoQ10 produced a significant decrease in elevated levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, very-low-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and atherogenic index and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in diabetic rats. CoQ10 treatment significantly decreased the area under the curve over 120 min for glucose in diabetic rats, without affecting serum insulin levels and the area under the curve over 120 min for insulin in diabetic rats. CoQ10 treatment also reduced lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant parameters like superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione in the liver homogenates of diabetic rats. CoQ10 also lowered the elevated blood pressure in diabetic rats. In conclusion, CoQ10 treatment significantly improved deranged carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of experimental chemically induced diabetes in rats. The mechanism of its beneficial effect appears to be its antioxidant property.