Pharmacognosy

Lantana camara (L.) var. aculeate (family: Verbenaceae) commonly called as wild sage is large scrambling evergreen, strong smelling shrub with stout recurred prickles; leaves opposite, often rugose, scabrid on both sides. A survey on recent literature, it is clear that diabetes is a challenging metabolic disorder to mankind. Currently many researchers have been envisaged on medicinal plants to establish more effective antidiabetic drug. We had put some effort in this direction to strengthen the research. Hence, the present study aims to open new avenues for the improvement of medicinal uses of Lantana camara (L.) for the selected area for diabetes. It was also our aim to establish the correct identity of the selected plant through pharmacognostic study. Ash value, extractive value, loss on drying and fluorescence analysis was also carried out to characterise the crude drug. Oral administration of the methanol extract of Lantana camara (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) leaves in alloxan-induced diabetic rats, showed significant (P<0.01) reduction in the blood glucose concentration in dose dependent manner. Treatment with extract (400 mg/kg) decreased blood glucose level to 121.94 mg/dl. Body weight significantly (P<0.05) increased to normal after treatment with extract and it was found effective in oral glucose tolerance test as it decreased the elevated level of glucose after one hour. The biochemical parameters like triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and high density lipoprotein were investigated and extract was found effective against diabetes induced hyperlipidemia. Present study demonstrated that methanol extract of Lantana camata (L.) leaves exhibit promising anti-hyperglycemic activity against alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Antioxidants in normal diet and practice of using it in daily life can reduce the chances of various aliments like diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, aging, gastrointestinal diseases, arthritis etc. Various studies have been done to identify antioxidants from plant sources and efforts have been taken to incorporate in conventional therapy. In our present study, methanol extract of the seeds of the plant Meyna laxiflora has been evaluated for in vitro antioxidant activity by using three different methods. The methanol extract is found to possess free radical scavenging property in concentration dependent manner. The IC 50 values were determined and are found to be 84.2±2.1, 91.0±3.0, and 104.5±3.4 μg/ml for DPPH, H 2 O 2 , and NO radical scavenging method respectively. This observation indicates the presence of free radical scavenging potential by the methanol extract of Meyna laxiflora seeds.

In recent time, scientific investigations of medicinal plants using indigenous medical systems has attracted a lot of attention globally. Nature has bestowed our planet with an enormous wealth of medicinal plants have been known for millennia and are highly esteemed all over the world as a rich source of therapeutic agents for the prevention and cure of diseases and ailments. Inflammation is complex biological response of vascular tissue due to different harmful stimuli and pain is discomfort signals result of actual or potential injury to the body may associate with inflammation. Inflammation with pain is associated with different diseases like rheumatism, encephalitis, pneumonia, oesophagitis, cancer, heart problems, fibrosis etc. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and opioid analgesic are normally used in the treatment of inflammation and pain but can cause a lot of adverse effect. Therefore herbal drugs can be potential source to replace them. Every year a lot of plants form traditional medicinal system has been screened for their potential antiinflammatory and analgesic activity but only few of them only included in health care system after clinical research. So this is time to give more emphasis on research work based on natural sources, investigate the active phytoconstituents, use them on specific treatment, find out adverse effect and to work towards tapping their therapeutic utility.

Ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants is some of the most prominent sources of new drugs and has shown potential results for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. In order to establish the pharmacological basis for the ethno medicinal use of Lantana camara Linn. in gastrointestinal affections, this study examined the effects of methanol extract of leaves (MELC), on aspirin, ethanol and cold restraint stress induced gastric lesions in rats. Study has shown anti-ulcer activity of extract in dose dependent manner. MELC decreases volume of gastric juice, total acidity, free acidity and increases pH significantly (P<0.001) in aspirin induced gastric ulcer. Pre-treatment with the extract (200 and 400 mg/kg) showed ulcer protective effect in aspirin induced (63.31%, 71.02% protection), ethanol induced (85.79%, 93.09% protection) and cold restraint stress induced (46.86%, 63.90% protection) ulcer models. Extract also possess in vivo antioxidant activity as it increases superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduces glutathione in extract treated group. The results indicate anti-ulcer potential of MELC

ABSRACT T h e p r e s e n t s t u d y w a s c a r r i e d o u t t o e v a l u a t e t h e n e u r o p r o t e c t i v e e f f e c t s o f petroleum ether extract of aerial parts of Abrus precatorius Linn. (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) in hypoxic neurotoxicity induced rats. This was based on the use of Abrus precatorius for epilepsy in traditional oriental medicine. Hypoxia was induced by providing sodium nitrite drinking water to rats for 14 days. The extract at tested doses promoted spatial behavior significantly, which was impaired in hypoxic rats. The extract restored the decreased levels of enzymes such as glutamate, dopamine and acetylcholinesterases, which were reduced due to hypoxia. Thus, this study suggests that petroleum ether extract of Abrus precatorius posses neuroprotective effects in hypoxia induced neurotoxicity in rats.

This study was carried out with an objective to investigate the antifungal potential of Seemai Agathi ointment-a polyherbal Siddha formulation. The aim of the study is to evaluate the potential of antimicrobial activity against medically important fungal strains and to determine the zone of inhibition of Seemai Agathi ointment. The antifungal activity of Seemai Agathi (250, 500, 750, 1000 μg/ml) were tested against six fungal strains-Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Cryptococcus laurentii, Candida albicans, Fusarium oxysporum and Microsporum gypseum. Zone of inhibition of the polyherbal formulation were compared with that of the standard drug fluconazole for antifungal activity. The results showed that the formulation exhibits significant inhibition of the fungal growth against the tested organisms. So this study confirms the ethno medical use of this formulation in Siddha medicine for treating various fungal infections.

Rats and primary cultures of rat hepatocytes were used as the in vivo and in vitro models to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of sub-fractions from total methanol extract of Baliospermum montanum. Carbon tetrachloride was selected as hepatotoxin. Silymarin was the reference hepatoprotective agent. In the in vivo study, serum transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, albumin together with total protein and histopathological examination were the criteria for the evidences of liver injury. Carbon tetrachloride caused the alterations in all the biochemical parameters and centrilobular necrosis. Among the Ethyl methyl ketone and methanol sub-fractions tested (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg), methanol sub-fraction (150 mg/kg) of the bio-active total methanol extract and silymarin (100 mg/kg) enhanced liver cell recovery by restoring all the altered biochemical parameters back to normal. In the in vitro study, release of transaminases, total protein together and hepatocyte viability were the criteria. Primary cultures of hepatocytes were treated with carbon tetra chloride (10 μl/ml), and various concentrations (100, 500 and 1000 μg/ml) of ethyl methyl ketone and methanol sub-fractions of total methanol extract and silymarin (100 μg/ml). Carbon tetrachloride reduced the hepatocyte viability and also altered the biochemical parameters, which were restored significantly (P<0.05) by ethyl methyl ketone (1000 μg/ml) and methanol (500 and 1000 μg/ml) sub-fractions. These results suggest that Baliospermum montanum possess the hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury in both rats and primary cultures of rat hepatocytes.

Ethanol extract and its ethanol fraction from aerial parts of P. daemia exhibited significant hepatoprotective effect against CCl 4 induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, total protein and albumin in serum indicated hepatoprotective effect of the ethanol extract and its ethanol fraction. Histopathological examination of liver sections confirmed that, pre-treatment with ethanol extract and its ethanol fraction prevented hepatic damage induced by CCl 4 . The results were comparable with the standard hepatoprotective drug silymarin. The extract and its fraction showed no signs of toxicity up to a dose level of 2000 mg/kg. It is suggested that, the presence of flavonoids in ethanol extract and its ethanol fraction may be responsible for hepatoprotective properties. High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography profile of flavonoids of bio-active extracts was developed using quercetin-3-glucoside as a marker. Results indicate hepatoprotective properties of ethanol extract of P. daemia.

Studies on the hepatoprotective effect of acetone and ethanol sub fractions of ethanolic fraction obtained from total ethanol extract was carried out using carbon tetrachloride-induced toxicity in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. In vitro activity was assessed by determining the change in hepatocyte viability and other biochemical parameters such as glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and total protein. Acetone and ethanol sub fractions showed significant (P<0.05) protective effect by restoring altered parameters in the selected in vitro model. The flavonoids present in acetone and ethanol sub fractions of total alcohol extract from Pergularia daemia may be responsible for significant hepatoprotective properties. The results justify the claims of Pergularia daemia in folk medicine as a hepatoprotective agent.

Pergularia daemia Forsk. (Asclepiadaceae) is a perennial herb grows along the road sides in India. Studies on the hepatoprotective effect of acetone and ethanolic sub fractions of ethanolic fraction obtained from total alcoholic extract was carried out using carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage in wistar albino rats. Acetone sub fraction showed significant (P<0.05) protective effect by lowering serum levels of various biochemical parameters in the selected model. These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of liver sections. Silymarin was used as positive control. The presence of flavonoid compounds in the ethanolic sub fraction of alcohol extract of Pergularia daemia may be responsible for significant hepatoprotective properties. The results justify use of Pergularia daemia as a hepatoprotective agent.

Powdered (450g) roots of the plant were completely extracted with methanol using soxhlet apparatus. The methanol extract concentrated in vacuum yielded solid mass (6.25% w/w). About 25g of the methanol extract was adsorbed on to the 250g of silica gel (60-120 mesh) and fractionated using chloroform and methanol. The recovered fractions were finally evaporated to give yields of 3.5g and 19.5g of solid respectively. The thin layer chromatographic (TLC) studies of methanol extract (ME) revealed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, and steroids 5 ; the chloroform fraction (CFME) showed the terpenoids and steroids with trace quantities of flavonoids; while methanol fraction (MFME) flavonoids with trace quantities of terpenoids. The ME was tested for hepatoprotective activity at dose levels of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg, p.o., whereas MEME was tested at dose levels of 50, 150 and 250 mg/kg, po, chloroform fraction being rich in terpenoids not selected for activity. The results were compared with a standard hepatoprotective drug silymarin (100 mg/kg). All the test substances were suspended in vehicle (5 % acacia mucilage).

Methanol extract and its methanol fraction from aerial parts of Achyranthes aspera exhibited significant hepatoprotective effect against paracetamol induced toxicity in rats. Glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, total protein and albumin in serum indicated the hepato-protective effect of the extracts. Histopathological examination of liver sections confirmed that pre-treatment with methanol extract and methanol fraction prevented hepatic damage induced by paracetamol. The results were comparable with the standard hepatoprotective drug silymarin. The extract and its fraction showed no signs of toxicity up to a dose level of 2000 mg/kg. It is suggested that, the presence of flavonoids in methanol extract and methanol fraction may be responsible for hepatoprotective properties. An attempt was also made to quantify the total flavonoid content of the extracts.

Pergularia daemia (Asclepiadaceae) is a perennial herb growing widely along the road sides of India. It has been used in folk medicine for the treatment of liver disorders. The aim of this work is to study the hepatoprotective effect of crude ethanolic and aqueous extracts from the aerial parts of Pergularia daemia. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts obtained from aerial parts of Pergularia daemia were evaluated for hepatoprotective activity in rats by inducing liver damage by carbon tetrachloride. The ethanolic extract at an oral dose of 200 mg/kg exhibited a significant (P < 0.05) protective effect by lowering serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin and total cholesterol and increasing the levels of total protein and albumin levels as compared to silymarin used as a positive control. These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of liver sections. The activity may be a result of the presence of flavonoid compounds. Furthermore, the acute toxicity of the extracts showed no signs of toxicity up to a dose level of 2000 mg/kg. Thus it could be concluded that ethanolic extract of Pergularia daemia possesses significant hepatoprotective properties.

Ethyl acetate extract and two crude fractions, solvent ether and ethyl acetate, of the rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae) were evaluated for hepatoprotective activity in rats by inducing liver damage by carbon tetrachloride. The ethyl acetate extract at an oral dose of 100 mg/kg exhibited a significant protective effect by lowering serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin. These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of liver sections. Silymarin was used as positive control.

Ethanol extract of Trikatu Churna an Ayurvedic formulation was evaluated for hepatoprotective activity in rats by inducing liver damage with carbon tetrachloride. The ethanol extract at an oral dose of 150 mg/kg exhibited a significant protective effect by lowering serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin. liv 52 syrup was used as positive control.

The ethanolic extract obtained from roots of Operculina turpethum (Convolvulaceae) were evaluated for hepatoprotective activity in rats by inducing liver damage by paracetamol. The ethanol extract at an oral dose of 200 mg/kg exhibited a significant protective effect by lowering serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin. These biochemical observations were supplemented by histopathological examination of liver sections. Silymarin was used as positive control.

Studies on the hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract from the roots of Baliospermum montanum and its methanol fraction were carried out using thioacetamide-induced liver damage in albino rats. Levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, total protein and albumin in serum indicated hepatoprotective effect of the methanol extract and its methanol fraction. Histopathological examination of liver sections confirmed that, pre-treatment with methanol extract and methanol fraction prevented hepatic damage induced by thioacetamide. The results were comparable with the standard hepatoprotective drug silymarin. The extract and its fraction showed no signs of toxicity up to a dose level of 2000 mg/kg. It is suggested that, the presence of flavonoids in methanol extract and its methanol fraction may be responsible for hepatoprotective properties. High performance thin layer chromatography profile of flavonoids of bio-active extracts was developed using quercetin-3-O-galactosyl-7-O-rhamnoside as a marker. Results indicate hepatoprotective properties of methanol extract of Baliospermum montanum.

The present study was carried out on the plant of Rosa damascena Mill. having several pharmacological actions including anti-HIV, antibacterial, antioxid ant, antitussive, hypnotic, anti-diabetic and antiu lcer activity. In the present study anti-ulcer and in-vitro antioxidant activities of methanol, acetone and et hyl acetate extracts of flowers of Rosa damascena Mill. was evaluated. Anti-ulcer activity was evalua ted by pylorus ligation, ethanol induced methods and in-vitro antioxidant activity evaluated by DPPH,Hydroxyl, Nitric oxide, H 2O2 methods respectively. Methanol extract showed significant anti-ulcer activity compared with standard d rug Ranitidine HCl. In antioxidant studies methanol ext ract shows the significant activity in DPPH method and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, acetone extra ct shows significant activity in nitric oxide metho d and ethyl acetate extract had better activity in H 2O2 scavenging method than the standard (Ascorbic acid).