Effects of Fagonia cretica L. Constituents on Various Endocrinological Parameters in Rabbits

Authors : M Asif SAEED

Pages : 187-198

View : 19 | Download : 10

Publication Date : 1999-12-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The effects of powdered Fagonia cretica plant and its two major triterpenoid saponins insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(saponin-I and saponin-II); on various blood endocrinological parameters. Prolactin namely, serum pro-lactin, serum thyrotropin, serum thyroxine and serum cortisol of normal male rabbits were investi-gated. Two major triterpenoid compounds, saponin-I and saponin-II, were isolated from its ethanolic extract by repeated chromatography on silica gel, sephadex LH-20 and on biogel P-2. These com-pounds were identified after comparing their values of 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR chemical shifts with pre-viously reported values of similar compounds. Radio-immunological assay was used for the estimation of blood hormones of crude drug and saponin-treated animals using radioactive I 125 . The radioactiv-ity of the standard and the unknown specimen in each case was then measured on NE-1612 gamma scintillation counter for 90 seconds. Both the saponins in 30 mg doses had significant decrease in pro-lactin and in the serum TSH levels as compared with crude drug treatment and control groups. The thyroxine level was also significantly reduced by saponin-II in a 30 mg dose while the crude drug and saponin-I had non-significant effects on thyroxine after 16 days. A significant increase in serum corti-sol occurred with the crude drug in a 1g dose and with both saponins in 30 mg roses. Maximum increase in the serum cortisol occurred with saponin-II after 16 days.
Keywords : Triterpenoid saponin glycosides, endocrinological parameters, serum prolactin, serum thy rotropin, serum thyroxine, serum cortisol and Fagonia cretica L