DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL PHOSPHOLIPID-HERBAL COMPLEX OF A POLYHERBAL FORMULATION

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by hyperglycemia that may cause several complications like peripheral arterial disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, etc. Herbal drugs are commonly used in the traditional system of medicine in the management of diabetes. Momordica charantia, Andrographis paniculata and Withania somnifera are well-known plants for their therapeutical potential like antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, hepatoprotective action, cardioprotective, immunomodulatory effects etc. Active phytoconstituents from plant extracts showed excellent in-vitro activities but less efficacious in-vivo activities, which could be because of their macromolecular size and poor lipid solubility resulting in reduced bioavailability. The phospholipid-based delivery system has been developed to improve the oral availability of compounds in the plant extract. Hence, the present study was conducted to develop a novel phospholipid-herbal complex (Phytosome) of an optimized polyherbal formulation containing three herbs Momordica charantia, Andrographis paniculata and Withania somnifera. The phospholipid-herbal complex was prepared by solvent evaporation technique using methanol. Complex thus formed was characterized by shape, morphology, SEM, entrapment efficiency, in-vitro release profile and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Efficacy of phosholipid-herbal complex and polyherbal formulation was evaluated by using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) in normal rats. The particle size of formulation showed size in range of 758.0 nm with polydispersity index of 0.140 and possessed good stability, indicated by Zeta potential of -11.9 mV. FTIR analysis of formulation revealed formation of a complex and presence of hydrogen bonding. In OGTT, the phosholipid-herbal complex showed significant reduction in glucose levels in rats as compared to the polyherbal formulation.