Toxic effect of two common Euphorbiales latices on the freshwater snail Lymnaea acuminata

The aqueous and serially purified latex extracts of plants Euphorbia pulcherima and Euphorbia hirta (family Euphorbiaceae) have potent molluscicidal activity. Sub-lethal doses (40 and 80% of LC₅₀) of aqueous and partially purified latex extracts of both the plants also significantly alter the levels of total protein, total free amino acid, nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) and the activity of enzyme protease and acid and alkaline phosphatase in nervous tissue of the snail Lymnaea acuminata in time and dose dependent manner. E. pulcherima and E. hirta are common medicinal plants of family Euphorbiaceae. E. pulcherima is useful for a variety of conditions, such as rheumatism, snakebite, asthma, obstipation, and skin-diseases. While, E. hirta is also used in cough, asthma, colic, dysentery, and genito urinary diseases.     

Medicobotany of the Varanasi District,Uttar Pradesh,India

Abstract

Medicobotanical investigations were carried out from 1989 to 1992 in the Varanasi District of Uttar Pradesh, of northern India. In this report information on 51 species used by local people for treating different ailments is presented.     

Anti-angiogenic activity of resveratrol, a natural compound from medicinal plants

Resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a naturally occurring phytoalexin found in grapes and wine, possesses cancer-preventive activity. Angiogenesis is a crucial step in the growth and metastasis of cancers. We have investigated the effect of resveratrol on angiogenesis in vitro and ex vivo, and found that resveratrol directly inhibited human umbilical vein endothelial cell growth and decreased the gelatinolytic activities of matrix metalloproteinase-2. Tube formation was inhibited by treatment with resveratrol after plating endothelial cells on Matrigel. Resveratrol treatment also inhibited endothelial cell attachment to basement membrane components fibronectin and laminin, and displays similar behavior on cell chemotaxis. In addition, resveratrol has been found to be an angiogenesis inhibitor in the rat aorta matrix culture model. Therefore, inhibition of angiogenesis associated with cancer may be a novel mechanism for the anticancer activity of resveratrol.     

Association of religion and cultural tradition with alcohol use among some tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh,India

Arunachal Pradesh, a land of high mountains and dense forest, is home to many tribal communities, which comprise two thirds of the state’s population. Alcohol is one of the common addictive substances used traditionally among them despite much awareness about its harmful effect on health. The present study is focused on finding the association of religion, ethnicity, and demographic characteristics with alcohol use among some tribal communities in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted on substance use in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. A sample of 3,421 tribal respondents (1,795 males and 1,626 females) aged 15 years and older was extracted and analyzed. Sociodemographic differences in the prevalence of alcohol use among the tribes were analyzed and compared using the chi-square and t test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to identify the predictor variables of alcohol use. Data analysis indicates high prevalence of alcohol use (39.1%) among the tribes; and it was higher among males (49.3%) than among females (27.9%). Alcohol use was higher among Indigenous (65%) and Hindu (55.1%) religions compared with Buddhist (24.7%) and Christian (10%). It was also recorded high among Tangsa (42.0%) and Tutsa (76%) tribes compared with Singpho (13.6%) and Khamti (11.4%). High association of alcohol use among the tribal community with age, occupation, ethnicity, and religion was also recorded. Association of alcohol use with demographic characteristics, religion, and ethnic group shows the traditional and cultural belief in alcohol use persists among the tribes.     

Antioxidant,antimicrobial, antitumor,and cytotoxic activities of an important medicinal plant (Euphorbia royleana) from Pakistan

The aim of present study was to evaluate antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities of methanol, hexane, and aqueous extracts of fresh Euphorbia royleana. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were estimated as gallic acid and querectin equivalents, respectively. Antioxidant activity was assessed by scavenging of free 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals and reduction of ferric ions, and it was observed that inhibition values increase linearly with increase in concentration of extract. The results of ferric reducing antioxidant power assay showed that hexane extract has maximum ferric reducing power (12.70 ± 0.49mggallic acid equivalents/g of plant extract). Maximum phenolic (47.47 ± 0.71 μg gallic acid equivalents/mg of plant extract) and flavonoid (63.68 ± 0.43 μg querectin equivalents/mg of plant extract) contents were also found in the hexane extract. Furthermore, we examined antimicrobial activity of the three extracts (methanol, hexane, aqueous) against a panel of microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtillis, Pasteurella multocida, Aspergillus niger, and Fusarium solani) by disc-diffusion assay, and found the hexane extract to be the best antimicrobial agent. Hexane extract was also observed as to be most effective in a potato disc assay. As hexane extract showed potent activity in all the investigated assays, it was targeted for cytotoxic assessment. Maximum cytotoxicity (61.66%) by hexane extract was found at 800 μg/mL. It is concluded that investigated extracts have potential for isolation of antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds for the pharmaceutical industry.     

Antimicrobial activity of traditional medicinal plants from Ankober District,North Shewa Zone,Amhara Region,Ethiopia

Context: Traditional medicinal plants have long been used in Ethiopia to treat human and livestock ailments. Despite a well-documented rich tradition of medicinal plant use in the country, their direct antimicrobial effects are still poorly known.

Objective: To investigate the antimicrobial activity of 19 medicinal plant species that were selected based on the ethnobotanical information on their traditional use to treat infectious diseases in Ankober District.

Methods: About 23 different ethanol extracts of plants obtained by maceration of various parts of 19 medicinal plant species were studied for potential antimicrobial activity using a broth microdilution method against Bacillus cereus, Bacteroides fragilis, Candida albicans, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus pyogenes.

Results: Plant extracts from Embelia schimperi Vatke (Myrsinaceae) showed the strongest antibacterial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 64 µg/ml against B. cereus, L. monocytogenes, and S. pyogenes. Growth inhibitory activities were also observed for extracts of Ocimum lamiifolium Hochst. (Lamiaceae) against S. pyogenes, and those of Rubus steudneri Schweinf. (Rosaceae) against S. epidermidis at an MIC value of 128 µg/ml. Generally, 74% of ethanol extracts (17 extracts) showed antimicrobial activity against one or more of the microbial strains tested at an MIC value of 512 µg/ml or below.

Discussion and conclusions: Results confirm the antimicrobial role of traditional medicinal plants of Ankober and warrant further investigations on promising medicinal plant species so as to isolate and characterise chemicals responsible for the observed strong antimicrobial activities.     

Chemical composition and in vitro antimicrobial activity of essential oil of Rhynchosia heynei,an endemic medicinal plant from Eastern Ghats of India

Rhynchosia heynei Wt. & Arn. (Fabaceae) is an endemic medicinal plant found in the forests of Eastern Ghats of India. The essential oil obtained from the leaves by steam distillation was studied for antimicrobial activity and chemical characterization. The essential oil exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity on eight bacterial and three fungal strains. The essential oil was characterized chemically using gas chromatography with flame ionization detector. The majority of the components of the essential oil of R. heynei are oxygenated terpenes, such as, terpineol, camphene hydrate, germacrene-D, humulene, and linalool. etc.     

中、美、英、日和欧洲药典中植物药重金属和农药残留量的限量规定及分析

目的了解中、美、英、日和欧洲药典对植物药中重金属和农药残留量的有关规定,为中药材和中成药的质量控制提供参考。方法系统查阅药典正文、附录和历年的补正本中的有关内容。结果与结论《中国药典》对重金属和农药残留量的限量要求与《美国药典》相比还有较大差距。