Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences Bangalore, Karnataka

Number of studies are reported on pharmacological action from Luffa acutangula and various phytochemical constituents mainly luffangulin, a rhibosomal inactivating peptide have been isolated from seeds of Luffa acutangula⁴.

The claim of diuretic activity of Luffa acutangula has not been studied scientifically². Hence the present study is aimed at investigation of diuretic activity of various extracts of Luffa acutangula and phytochemical investigation of biologically active extract.


A.2 Review of Literature:

• 
  A ribosome inactivating peptide, with an N-terminal sequence exhibiting pronounced similarity to that of the 6.5 kDa-arginine/glutamate-rich polypeptide from Luffa cylindrica seeds, was isolated from seeds of a closely related species, the ridge gourd Luffa acutangula⁴.
  
• 
  Seven oleanane-type triterpene saponins, acutosides A--G, were isolated from the herb of L.acutangula, and their structures were determined⁵.
  
• 
  An abortifacient protein, isolated from the seeds of L.acutangula has been estimated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by using a procedure that involved acetone precipitation, ion exchange chromatography on CM Sepharose CL-6B and gel filtration on Sephadex G-50⁶.
  
• 
  The dose-dependent CNS depressant activity on HPTLC pattern of ethanol extract of fruit of L.acutangula has been reported for the effect on behavioral changes, exploratory activity, barbiturate sleeping time, using appropriate standards in mice⁷.
  
• 
  Traditionally, the extracts prepared from both cold maceration and boiling the plant in the solvent under reflux were consumed by south-asian migrants in bradford, Yorkshire, Uk have been tested for their free radical scavenging activity (FRSA) in the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazilradical) screening assay, exhibiting
  

• 
  Luffaculin 1, a novel type of ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) has been isolated from the seeds of L.acutangula and its protein sequence was done by X-ray sequence and crystal structure⁹.
  
• 
  The ethanolic and aqueous extract (100mg/kg) of L.acutangula have shown significant antihepatotoxic activity in druckrey rats by inducing hepatotoxicity with carbontetrachloride and paracetamol¹⁰.
  
• 
  Preliminary qualitative antifungal activity was carried out for eight plant extracts including L.acutangula on fungal pathogens, isolated from superficial mycotic infections against 143 clinically isolated strains of dermatophytes, 16 Candida spp and 25 Pityrosporum orbiculare¹¹.
  
• 
  A chitooligosaccharide specific lectin (Luffa acutangula agglutinin) has been purified from the exudate of ridge gourd fruits by affinity chromatography on soybean agglutinin glycopeptides coupled to Sepharose-6B¹².
  

1. Collection and authentication of L. acutangula

2. Drying of plant material

3. Preliminary extraction of drug using different solvents

4. Preliminary phytochemical investigation of extracts

5 Evaluation of diuretic activity of the extracts

6. Phytochemcial investigation of biologically active extract/s
B.MATERIALS AND METHODS:

B.1.Source of data:

The required data will be obtained from:

1. 
   Electronic data (Internet)
   
2. 
   Published research papers
   
3. 
   Review and research articles from journals
   
4. 
   Kuvempu university, library
   
5. 
   Library of IISc, National College of Pharmacy, Shivamogga
   

• 
  The Plant will be identified and authenticated with the help of botanist
  
• 
  Drying of plant material
  
• 
  The plant of Luffa acutangula will be collected from local areas of Shivamogga, Karnataka
  
• 
  The plant material will be subjected to extraction with solvents of increasing polarity
  
• 
  Evaluation of Diuretic activity will be carried out by using Lipschitz test
  

Ethical clearance is provided by the institution.

1. 
   Kokate CK, Text book of pharmacognosy Nirali prakashan New Delhi ed.4:3-4.
   
2. 
   Sahoo S, Ramesh DB, Rao YR, Debuta BK and Vibhuti Mishra N. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Allied Publisher, New Delhi:364
   
3. 
   http://stuartxchange.com/patola.html.
   
4. 
   Hexiang Wang and Tzi Bun Ng. Luffangulin, a novel ribosome inactivating peptide from ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula) seeds. Life Sciences2002; 70(8):899-906.
   
5. 
   Nagao T, Tanaka R, Iwase Y, Hanazono H and Okabe H. Studies has been reported on the constituents of Luffa acutangula and Structures of acutosidesA--G, oleanane-type, triterpene saponins isolated from the herb.Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo)1991;39(3):599-606.
   
6. 
   Yeung HW, Li WW and Ng TB. Isolation of a ribosome-inactivating and abortifacient protein from seeds of Luffa acutangula. International journal of peptide and protein research 1991;38(1):15-9.
   
7. 
   Misar AV, Upadhye AS and Mujumdar AM. CNS depressant activity of ethanol extract of Luffa acutangula var. amara C.B. Clarke fruits in mice. INIST-CNRS 2004; 66(4)463-465.
   
8. 
   Ansari NM, Houlihan L, Hussain B and Pieroni A. Antioxidant activity of five vegetables traditionally consumed by south-asian migrants in bradford, yorkshire, UK. Phytother. Res 2005; 19: 907–911.
   
9. 
   Xiaomin Hou, Minghuang Chen, Liqing Chen, Edward Meehan J, Jieming Xie and Mingdong Huang. X-ray sequence and crystal structure of luffaculin 1, a novel type ribosome-inactivating protein. BMC Structural Biology 2007; 7:29.
   
10. 
    Mukerjee A, Kaithwas G, Visen PKS Y and Saraf SA. Phytopharmacological screening of Luffa acutangula fruits for its antihepatotoxic activity. Ars Pharm 2007; 48 (4): 351-360.
    
11. 
    Kothavade RJ; Dabke NM and Chanderkar NG. Antifungal activity of some herbal extracts on fungal pathogens isolated from superficial mycotic infections. The Indian Practitioner 1997; 50(1); 21-24.
    
12. 
    Anantharam, Vellareddy, Patanjali, SankhavaramR, Surolia and Avadesha. A chitooligosaccharide specific lectin from Luffa acutangula: Physico-chemical properties and the assignment of orientation of sugars in the lectin binding site. Journal of Biosciences 1985; 8(1-2): 403-411.