In the present study, the extraction and isolation of Pelargonidin, an anthocyanin compound from stem bark of Ficus benghalensis are described. The study also involves evaluation of the effect of Pelargonidin on phenotypic variations in zebra fish embryos. Extraction and isolation of Pelargonidin were carried out by employing liquid-liquid extraction technique, phytochemical tests, column chromatography, UV and FT-IR. In the zebra fish embryo model, Paclitaxel was employed as a negative control. A series of phenotypic changes in different stages of embryonic development were studied with treatment concentrations of Pelargonidin between 3.0 and 20 ppm at 0-72-hour post-fertilization (hpf). The results of our studies indicate that, after exposure of zebra fish embryos to 3.3-20 ppm concentration of Pelargonidin for 72 h, a significant reduction in aortic development occurs. At the dose level of 0.5 ppm Paclitaxel and Pelargonidin in the dose range between 3.3 and 20 ppm, the zebra fish embryos were found to have bent tail, malformed eyes and developmental delays in vasculature. Based on the results obtained, we infer that Pelargonidin can exhibit phenotypic anti-angiogenic variations in embryonic stage of fish embryos and it can be applied in future for exploration of its anti-angiogenic potential. Furthermore, Pelargonidin could serve as a candidate drug for in vivo inhibition of angiogenesis and can be applied for the treatment of neovascular diseases and tumor.
Swietenia macrophylla (SM) is a medicinally important plant found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The ethyl acetate fraction of the seeds of S. macrophylla (SMEAF) is reported to exhibit potent anticancer, antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antifeedant activities. Till date, there have been no studies reported on the acute oral toxicity profile of the ethyl acetate fraction of the seeds of SM. The objective of the present study was to determine the acute toxicity of SMEAF and evaluate the in-vitro neuroprotective activity of SMEAF using primary neuronal cell cultures. In acute oral toxicity study, the SMEAF did not produce any lethal signs of morbidity and mortality. Histo-pathological findings, support the safety of SMEAF, as there were no significant changes observed in any of the parameters studied. Based on the results obtained in MTT assay, we infer that SMEAF has a significant neuroprotective effect, as it increased the cell viability and exhibited protection to the neuronal cells against TBHP induced oxidative stress. Thus, SMEAF can be suggested for use in the development of herbal drug formulations with neuroprotective potential.