Phytopharmacy Research

ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to evaluate the skeletal muscle relaxant activity of the methanolic extract of Gracilaria corticata J.Ag., an important red seaweed collected from Hare Island, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India using Rota-rod method test. Experiments were carried out on Wistar albino rat and the animals were randomly allotted to the different control and test groups. The methanol extract was found that a dose up to 2000mg/kg body weight did not show any toxic manifestations or death. The extract was administered orally at a dose of 100 and 200mg/kg. Diazepam in a dose of 5mg/kg was used as a standard. Methanol extract at the dose level of 200 mg/kg body weight showed significant skeletal muscle relaxant activity. On the bases of these results, it can be concluded that Gracilaria corticata J.Ag. may be used to develop herbal medicines against the same. Keywords: Seaweed, Muscle Relaxant, Gracilaria corticata, Methanol extract, Wistar rats.

ABSTRACT Barringtonia asiatica is used in folklore medicine in hepatoprotective. There was no scientific evidence justifying the use of bark of Barringtonia asiatica, therefore the present study was investigate the hepatoprotective activity of the plant. To investigate the hepatoprotective activity and acute oral toxicity of extract of bark of Barringtonia asiatica L. (MEBA) in male wistar albino rats by using CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity. The MEBA at doses of 250 and 500mg/kg, p.o and the standard drug Silymarin (100mg/kg, p.o) were administered three times at 12h intervals and then CCl4 (1ml/kg) was administered to all the groups except normal control for 2 days. The hepatoprotective activity was assessed by using various biochemical parameters like SGOT, SGPT, ALP, γ-GT, TP and total bilirubin along with histopathological studies were observed after 36h of CCl4 treatment. The MEBA at the doses of 250 and 500mg/kg inhibited CCl4 induced liver toxicity in Wistar albino rats as assessed by the biochemical changes and histopathological studies. The methanol extract of bark of Barringtonia asiatica L. afforded significant protection against CCl4 induced hepatocellular injury. Keywords: Barringtonia asiatica L., Hepatoprotective, CCl4, Silymarin.

In the present study, the anti-diabetic activity of fucoidan extracted from Padina tetrastromatica Hauck. collected from Manapad coast, the south east coast of Tamil Nadu, India was evaluated. Anti-diabetic property of fucoidan was tested by the inhibitory effect of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Different concentrations of fucoidan such as 25, 50, 75 and 100μg were added to the starch as substrate and the enzyme mixture. After 5min the enzymes activity were arrested and estimated using spectroscopically. The result showed that all the concentrations of the fucoidan were inhibited both α-amylase and α-glucosidase. When the concentration of fucoidan was increased from 25 to 100μg, the inhibitory effect of the enzyme also increased. From the present study, it was concluded that low concentration of fucoidan has minimum anti-diabetic effect and the high concentration of fucoidan has the maximum anti-diabetic effect. The enzyme inhibiting activity of fucoidan was quite variable, depending on the concentration of fucoidan on the targeted enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Keywords: Anti-diabetic, α-amylase, α-glucosidase Fucoidan, Seaweeds, Padina.

Oxidative stress and free radical production is an etiology to some neurodegenerative diseases which may be preventable by prior neuronal protection using herbs. Rauwolfia vomitoria and Gongronema latifolium are medicinal herbs with antioxidant, anti-diabetic and analgesic properties among others. While R. vomitoria acts as a brain stimulant, as well as a depressant, neurotoxic effects have also been reported, which G. latifolium has shown the potential to mitigate. This study therefore investigated the effects of the combination of R. vomitoria and G. latifolium on young rats’ cerebellar cortex. Twenty young male Wistar rats (100-150 g) were divided equally into 4 groups (n=5). Oral doses of the vehicle (Tween 20™) and either 200 mg/kg of R. vomitoria (RV), 200 mg/kg of G. latifolium (GL), or the combination of both (RV + GL) were given to the animals for 14 days. On day 15, the animals were sacrificed after ketamine sedation and perfuse-fixed with 10% buffered-formalin. The cerebella were excised and processed for histomorphology by silver impregnation technique and immunolabelled with anti- neuron soecific enolase (NSE) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). The histology results showed atrophied Purkinje and other neurons, and marked NSE and GFAP expressions in these neurons of the RV group, but these were not observed in the GL and RV+GL groups, an indication of cerebellar cortical injury. In conclusion, RV was injurious to the cerebellar cortical neurons and also stimulated gliosis, but these RV-induced traumas were mitigated with GL combination. This preliminary report of RV+GL combination may be considered an alternative to RV single treatment for better disease management and brain protection. Keywords: R. vomitoria, G. latifolium, cerebellar cortex, Silver impregnation, Neuron specific enolase, Glial fibrillary acidic protein.

Currently, it is estimated that, in the Brazilian population, 3% of individuals are carriers of different types of skin lesions; This percentage increases to 10% in the case of diabetic patients who may even be contaminated. Several benefits have been found in studies with herbal medicines such as banana peel, mango, cashew, cashew, among others. Antioxidant and antifungal activities were observed in these studies, leading to a greater acceptance and use of phytotherapics to evaluate the antimicrobial action and evolution of diabetic and venous wounds. Five patients were included in the study, three patients with venous ulcers and two patients with diabetic wounds. During the whole experiment, the patients attended the UAPS located in a city in the south of Minas Gerias every 3 days for the conventional treatment, and later the application of the gel based on extract of the bark of the green banana species Musa sapientum to 10% in patients' wounds. Wound samples were also collected weekly during dressing exchange to analyze the antimicrobial action of the gel. The reduction of the lesion area was monitored weekly during the experiment by measuring the contour of the wound, and the values were recorded in centimeters. There was a reduction of microorganisms against the use of gel in patients with a median of 53.57%, and reduction of wound areas on average of 48.1% with a significant improvement of the picture. Keywords: Musa sapientum, Phytotherapy, Products with antimicrobial action, Healing.

Herbal medicines are promoting subjects in medicine and of course, we have to increase our knowledge about them. Complementary, alternative, and traditional medicines are the pivotal source of herbal medication guidance, but surely modern medicine must prove these guidelines through scientific methods before using them in practice. In this review, we have endeavored to assess the plants and the most clinical evidence of their anti-inflammatory effects. Chronic inflammation releases lymphocytes and macrophages into the affected tissue, and it is closely associated with allergies, atherosclerosis, cancer, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as autoimmune diseases. Keywords: Atherosclerosis, Anti-inflammatory, Complementary, Traditional medicines.

Protocol for the micropropagation of traditional medicinal plant Helioropium zeylanicum (Burm.F.) Lam from leaf segments were developed. Proliferated micro shoots of Helioropium zeylanicum were leaf segment explants were inoculated on MS basal medium containing 0.8% agar, 3.0% sucrose and different concentration of cytokinim and combination with Auxin maximum number of multiple shoots was obtained on medium supplemented with BAP (3mg/l) and combination with NAA (0.05mg/l). The in vitro regenerated shoots were transferred to rooting medium fortified with different concentration of IBA (1-3 mg/l). Best rooting obtained with (2 mg/l) IBA. The rooted plantlets were successfully hardened and establishment in the soil where they grew normally without showing any morphological variation. Keywords: Heliotrpium zeylanicum, Leaf explants, Boraginacece.