piperine and Necrosis

Piper longum L. fruits have been traditionally used against snakebites in north-eastern and southern region of India.. To examine the ability of ethanolic extract of fruits of Piper longum L., Piperaceae (PLE) and piperine, one of the main active principles of Piper longum, to inhibit the Russell's viper (Doboia russelii, Viperidae) snake venom activities.. Anti-snake venom activities of ethanolic extract of fruits of Piper longum L. (Piperaceae) and piperine against Russell's viper venom was studied in embryonated fertile chicken eggs, mice and rats by using various models as follows: inhibition of venom lethal action, inhibition of venom haemorrhagic action (in vitro), inhibition of venom haemorrhagic action (in vivo), inhibition of venom necrotizing action, inhibition of venom defibrinogenating action, inhibition of venom induced paw edema, inhibition of venom induced mast cell degranulation, creatine kinase assay and assay for catalase activity.. PLE was found to inhibit the venom induced haemorrhage in embryonated fertile chicken eggs. Administration of PLE and piperine significantly (p<0.01) inhibited venom induced lethality, haemorrhage, necrosis, defibrinogenation and inflammatory paw edema in mice in a dose dependent manner. PLE and piperine also significantly (p<0.01) reduced venom induced mast cell degranulation in rats. Venom induced decrease in catalase enzyme levels in mice kidney tissue and increase in creatine kinase enzyme levels in mice serum were significantly (p<0.01) reversed by administration of both PLE and piperine.. PLE possesses good anti-snake venom properties and piperine is one of the compounds responsible for the effective venom neutralizing ability of the plant.

Topics: Alkaloids; Animals; Antivenins; Benzodioxoles; Catalase; Cell Degranulation; Creatine Kinase; Daboia; Edema; Ethanol; Female; Fruit; Male; Mast Cells; Mice; Necrosis; Piper; Piperidines; Plant Extracts; Polyunsaturated Alkamides; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Solvents; Viper Venoms

Piper longum Linn. and Piper nigrum Linn. are conventionally used as immuno-enhancers in Indian system of traditional medicine. The underlying mechanism remains unknown. The present study was therefore, undertaken to delineate the role of piperine (major alkaloid) in cadmium (Cd) induced immuno-compromised murine splenocytes. The various biological determinants such as oxidative stress markers (reactive oxygen species and GSH), Bcl-2 protein expression, mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase-3 activity, DNA damage, splenic B and T cell population, blastogenesis and cytokines (Interleukin-2 and gamma-Interferon) were measured to ascertain its cell protective potential. Cadmium induces apoptosis at 6 h onwards. The oxidative stress markers markedly alter prior to a decline in mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase-3 activation and DNA degradation The splenic cell population was observed to change only at 18 h and the release of two cytokines was affected at 72 h. Addition of piperine in various concentrations (1, 10 and 50 microg/ml) ameliorated the above events. The highest dose of piperine could completely abrogate the toxic manifestations of cadmium and the splenic cells behaved similar to control cells. The reported free radical scavenging property of piperine and its antioxidant potential could be responsible for the modulation of intracellular oxidative stress signals. These in turn appear to mitigate the apoptotic pathway and other cellular responses altered by cadmium. The findings strongly indicate the anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic and chemo-protective ability of piperine in blastogenesis, cytokine release and restoration of splenic cell population and is suggestive of its therapeutic usefulness in immuno-compromised situations.

Topics: Alkaloids; Animals; Apoptosis; B-Lymphocytes; Benzodioxoles; Cadmium; Caspase 3; Cell Proliferation; Cells, Cultured; DNA Fragmentation; Glutathione; Immunologic Factors; Interferon-gamma; Interleukin-2; Male; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Necrosis; Piperidines; Polyunsaturated Alkamides; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Reactive Oxygen Species; Spleen; T-Lymphocytes