Evaluation of extracts of Tinospora cordifolia stem, Terminalia arjuna bark, Withania somnifera root, and juice of Allium sativum cloves for amelioration of iron overload.

Abstract

The ameliorative potential of medical herbs was studied during and after intramuscular iron-administration using rabbits as experimental Adult New Zealand White rabbits (35) were divided in 7 equal groups (groups 1 to 7). Intramuscular iron preparation (as sorbitol citric acid complex) was injected on alternate day to the animals of groups 2 to 7 @ 120 mg/kg body weight from day 1 to day 14. Rabbits of groups 3,4,5 and 6 received concurrently ethanolic extract of Tinospora cardijolia stem, Terminalia arjuna bark, Withania somnifera root or juice of Allium satirum cloves, while group 7 received a mixture of all 4 extracts in equal ratio @ 100mg/kg body weight, orally during the period of iron administration, and thereafter, for another 14 days post-iron administration. Animals of group I received no treatment to serve as negative control, while group 2 animals received only iron injections to serve as positive control. The blood samples were collected at weekly intervals from the start of the experiment for measurement of blood iron concentration, erythrocytic lipid peroxides level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities. Increase in mean blood iron concentration was noted in all groups receiving iron injections up to day 14, and that declined gradually thereafter irrespective of treatment. Erythrocytic lipid peroxide level increased with iron administration in different treatment groups (3-6) from the respective day 0 level, but the values at different observation periods remained statistically comparable to respective day value of control group, unlike the situation, in group 2 rabbits. Which were given no treatment during or after iron overload.