This review aims to identify in vivo studies investigating the potential of plant substances and their natural molecules in managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Specifically, the objective is to examine the impact of these substances on interleukins and other key inflammatory signaling markers. Relevant articles published up to December 2022 were identified through a search of the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases. The search used keywords including "inflammatory bowel disease", "medicinal plants", "natural molecules", "anti-inflammatory", and "ulcerative colitis", and identified 1,878 potentially relevant articles, of which 89 were included in this review after completion of the selection process. This study provides preclinical data on natural products (NPs) that can potentially treat IBD, including ulcerative colitis. The main actions of these NPs relate to their effects on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway, the regulation of T helper 17/regulatory T cells balance, and oxidative stress. The ability of these NPs to inhibit intestinal inflammation appears to be dependent on lowering levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-17, via the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)1, NF-κβ-p65, and STAT3 pathways. In addition, NPs were shown to reduce oxidative stress and the severity of ulcerative colitis, as well as increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes. These actions suggest that NPs represent a promising treatment for IBD, and potentially have greater efficacy and safety than current treatments.

Background: Obesity, reached epidemic proportions globally is often associated with life threatening comorbidities. The unavailability of safe and effective long term medications for obesity in modern pharmacotherapy forces the scientific community to explore the potential of Ayurvedic traditional healers as they are considered safe and effective.Objective: To explore the anti-obesity potential of aqueous extract of aerial parts ofAchyranthes asperaL. (AEAA), a traditional healer in high fat diet (HFD) induced obese rats.Methods: AEAA was prepared and subjected to in-vitro pancreatic lipase inhibition assay and in-vivo anti-obesity studies. For in-vivo studies, HFD fed obese prone Wistar albino rats were divided into five experimental groups (Group II to VI): animals fed with standard pellet chow served as normal control (Group I) while, animals continued with HFD alone served as obese control (Group II); Group III, IV and V were administered AEAA at a dose of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg b.w. respectively along with HFD; and animals administered orlistat (30 mg/kg bw) along with HFD served as standard control (Group VI). All the drugs were administered orally once a day for a period of 60 days. At the end of the experimental period various physical, biochemical and histopathological observations were made.Results: In-vitro studies showed AEAA partially but not significantly inhibited the activity of pancreatic lipase. Data of in-vivo studies revealed, significant reduction in body weights, fat pad weights and organ weights upon AEAA treatment. Elevated levels of glucose, insulin, leptin, lipid profiles and antioxidant status were also brought back to normal.Conclusion: The obtained results clearly suggested that AEAA possess pronounced anti-obesity potential.

Obesity is known to be one of the severe health issues worldwide, as its prevalence continues to rise as well as its association with other chronic diseases worsens. Even though various approaches have been underway to prevent or treat obesity, alternative approaches are in need to combat this chronic condition because of the unsatisfactory effectiveness and adverse side effects of the existing approaches. Dolichos biflorus L. seeds have been employed as a weight‐loss treatment in folk medicine. Considering the necessity to develop a safe alternative remedy to rising obesity, the current investigation has been set up to assess the antiobesity potential and the mode of action of the aqueous seed extract of D. biflorus (ASEDB) in a cell line (3T3‐L1) and high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced rats. For in-vitro studies, 3T3‐L1 cell lines were cultured in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle medium (DMEM) augmented with adipogenic‐inducing medium and the influence of the extract (10 µg/mL–500 µg/mL) on 3T3‐L1 adipocyte viability, adipogenesis, and lipolysis was assessed. An in-vitro study revealed maintenance of cell viability, reduced triglycerides (TG) accumulation, and promoted lipolysis in 3T3‐L1 cells by ASEDB. Following in-vitro analysis, the HFD‐induced obese rats were treated with ASEDB at different concentrations (100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg) for 60 days and the effect was evaluated through various anthropometric and biochemical parameters. The findings revealed a significant decrement in total body weight, organ weights, fat pad weights, and restoration of abnormal levels of glucose, leptin, insulin, lipid markers, and antioxidant system to normal by ASEDB treatment. Also, pancreatic lipase inhibition analysis of ASEDB revealed a modest level of inhibition with an IC₅₀ value of 213.3 µg/mL. All these findings exposed that ASEDB possesses pronounced antiobesity potential and exhibits its protective effect by suppressing food intake, reducing fat digestion and absorption, limiting adipogenesis, enhancing lipolysis, and alleviating oxidative stress.