Shankhpushpi is a reputed drug from an Indian system of medicine for treating mental disorders and enhancing memory. Two herbs, namely Convolvulus prostratus Forssk. and Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L., are commonly known as Shankhpushpi. Ambiguous vernacular identity can affect the scientific validity of the Shankpushpi-based herbal drug therapy. In the present investigation, a novel and sensitive multiplex PCR method based on polymorphism in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was developed to establish the molecular identity of C. prostratus and E. alsinoides. DNA was isolated and the ITS region was amplified, sequenced and assembled. Sequences were aligned to identify variable nucleotides in order to develop plant-specific primers. Primers were validated in singleplex reactions and eventually a multiplex assay was developed. This assay was tested for sensitivity and validated by amplifying DNA isolated from the simulated blended powdered plant material. Primers developed for C. prostratus resulted into a 200 bp amplicon and 596 bp for E. alsinoides. The assay was found to be sensitive enough for amplification of low quantities of DNA. The method can detect 10% of the mixing of plants with each other in blended material. This PCR assay can be used for rapid botanical identification of Shankhpushpi plant materials and will improve evidence-based herbal drug therapy.

AIMTo observe the alterations in the biochemical and biophysical changes in the sperm membrane during sperm maturation in male rats treated with the water extract of the fruit pericarp of S. mukorossi.

METHODSAdult male Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged the aqueous extract of the fruit pericarp of S. mukorossi at a dose of 50 mg/kg/d for 45 days. On day 46, the sperm parameters were observed in different sections of the epididymis and the sperm superoxide dismutase and the lipid peroxidation was determined and compared with the controls. The testis and epididymis were routinely prepared for histological examination under the light microscope.

RESULTSNo significant differences in the sperm number and morphology were observed between the control and treated groups. However, a significant inhibition (P<0.05-0.01) of sperm motility in the caput, corpus and cauda regions of the epididymis was seen in the treated group. No significant histopathological changes were found in the testis and epididymis. The important finding was that in the treated animals, the spermatozoa showed an abnormal distribution of the superoxide dismutase activity, being minimum in the caput and maximum in the corpus, which was just opposite to that of the controls.

CONCLUSIONThe study provides a unique observation where the plant extract alters the sperm membrane physiology without change the testicular and epididymal morphology.

Animals ; Cell Membrane ; drug effects ; Epididymis ; cytology ; drug effects ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Plant Preparations ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sapindus ; Sperm Maturation ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism