Phytopharmaceutical Research
Phytopharmaceutical Research |
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| The investigation and development of evidence-based medicinal herbs include Eurycoma longifolia (for anti-malarial, aphrodisiac, anti-infertility and anti-tumour properties), Andrographis paniculata (for cholinesterase inhibition, anti-fertility, and hepatoprotective properties) Phyllanthus niruri (antihyperuricemic activity and cholinesterase inhibition) and Clinacanthus nutans (anti-tumour and antiviral activity). The protocols involve the bioactivity-guided phytochemical fractionation and spectroscopic stuctural elucidation, bioactive extract standardization using validated phytochemical analysis, pharmacological, toxicological, formulation, pharmacokinetic and bioavailability studies. | |
| Eurycoma longifolia Jack, a Simaroubaceae plant of interest, known locally as “tongkat Ali”, has been reported to promote aphrodisiac property, improve male libido and fertility because of its androgenic properties. Hitherto, the plant bioactive constituents responsible for the hormonal effects have not been documented. A standardized organic extract, TAF 273 of E. longifolia roots was found to promote higher spermatogenesis than the aqueous extract when given orally in rats, because of the higher quassinoid content. The testosterone level was also significantly higher in the testes (p < 0.01) than in the plasma. The plasma luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels of the rats treated with TAF 273 were higher but the estrogen level was lower than those of the control (p < 0.05). Eurycomanone, the major quassinoidwas detected in the rat testis homogenates by LC/MS, and contributed significantly towards the increase of steroidogenesis. The mechanisms of steroidogenesis played by the quassinoids in the Leydig cells have been established and further confirmed by molecular docking studies. The bioactive TAF 273 has been registered as EurycoviteR 25 mg capsule under the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. The pharmacokinetic and bioavailability studies have been conducted. Chronic toxicity studies on rats and rabbits orally fed daily with low, medium and high doses of TAF 273 for 6 and 9 months,respectively, demonstrated that the organs were normal with no detection of necrotic, cancerous or apoptotic cells and malignant or abnormal tissues. Teratogenicity studies on the first and second generation of fetuses from dams fed orally with 100 mg/kg of TAF 273 displayed normal skeletal and visceral appearances. In conclusion, TAF 273 has been thoroughly investigated pre-clinically on quality, safety and efficacy prior to future clinical studies. | |
| Contact Person: Professor Chan Kit Lam School of Pharmacy |
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klchan @ usm.my ; kitlamc @ gmail.com |