OBJECTIVES: It is hypothesized that these polar active botanical ingredients are present in the formulation should be either suspended in the form of submicron particles or entrapped in the submicron vesicular structures since the formulation did not show any precipitation or phase separation instead showed a monophasic oily liquid with very little moisture.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present investigation, the micro architecture of the anu tailam is studied via column chromatography and high performance thin layer chromatography to prove the contents are polar hydrophilic compounds followed by optical microscopy, photon correlation Spectroscopy (PCS) and environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) to study the particle/vesicle size of the formulation.

RESULTS: In this study, it was proved that the formulation contained only polar ingredients and can be extracted in polar solvents like methanol and ethanol. It was also found that the formulation taken for study contained nano particles of the active botanical ingredients embedded in a network of vesicular structures of the lipid base.

Materials and Methods: The experiment was divided into short-term treatment (45 days) and long-term treatment (90 days), with each group divided into nine sub-groups consisting of six animals each. Sub-groups 1 and 2 served as normal, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) controls, respectively. Sub-groups 3-9 received sodium arsenite in drinking water (50 mg/L). In addition, sub-group 4 received NAC (210 mg/kg b.wt) orally once daily, sub-groups 5-7 received aqueous seed extract of M. pruriens (350 mg/kg b.wt, 530 mg/kg b.wt, and 700 mg/kg b.wt) orally once daily and sub-groups 8 and 9 received a combination of NAC and aqueous seed extract of M. pruriens (350 mg/kg b.wt and 530 mg/kg b.wt) orally once daily. Following the treatment, the blood was drawn retro-orbitally to assess the liver (serum alanine transaminase [ALT], serum aspartate transaminase, and serum alkaline phosphatase) and kidney (serum urea and serum creatinine) functions. Learning and memory were assessed by passive avoidance test. Animals were sacrificed by an overdose of ketamine, and their Nissl stained hippocampal sections were analyzed for alterations in neural cell numbers in CA1 and CA3 regions.

Results: In the short-term treatment, groups administered with M. pruriens 530 mg/kg b.wt alone and combination of NAC + M. pruriens 350 mg/kg b.wt exhibited a significant improvement in memory retention, less severe neurodegeneration, and decrease in serum ALT levels. In long-term treatment, groups administered with M. pruriens 700 mg/kg b.wt alone and combination of NAC+M. pruriens 350 mg/kg b.wt, respectively, showed better memory retention, decreased neural deficits, and reduced levels of kidney and liver enzymes.