Posted by admin on Feb 1, 2014 in |
Uvaria narum Wall (Annonaceae) is described as a hepatoprotective in Ayurveda, the Indian system of medicine. However, there are no scientific reports in the modern literature regarding its usefulness as a hepatoprotective agent. The present study was carried out to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of alcoholic (UNAL) and aqueous (UNAQ) extracts of leaves of Uvaria narum Wall in paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg were administered orally once daily for 7 days. The hepatoprotective activity was assessed using various biochemical paradigms related to oxidative stress like increased liver lipid peroxidation, elevation of serum marker enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP, and LDH), decreased non-enzymatic (glutathione) and enzymatic antioxidants (CAT and SOD) activity and reduction of total proteins in liver homogenate along with histopathological studies of liver tissue. Treatment with UNAL and UNAQ extracts prevented the elevation of serum biomarkers AST, ALT, ALP, LDH, TB, and depletion of TP dose-dependently. The depletion of antioxidants GSH, SOD, and CAT and increased MDA formation in...
Read More
Posted by admin on Feb 1, 2014 in |
Seven different Cyanobacterial species belonging to 4 genera were isolated from the alkaline Lake Lonar, situated in the Buldhana district of Maharashtra. The phycocyanin producing ability of all the isolates was screened. All the isolated alkaliphilic cyanobacteria showed more than 10 mgL-1 of phycocyanin. From the seven cultures tested, Synechocystis aquatilis showed the highest production of phycocyanin followed by Phormidium laminosum and Oscillatoria amphibian, respectively. 2, 2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was performed for screening the highest percentage of radical scavenged was shown by Spirulina platensis (40.28), followed by Synechocystis aquatilis (36.32), Phormidium laminosum (34.80) respectively. All the three Cyanobacterial cultures were put under salt stress of 100 to 1000mM. An increase in the % radical scavenging activity was seen when all the three alkaliphilic cyanobacteria were under salt stress. 22% increase in the radical scavenging activity was seen in Spirulina platensis, while 16% increase was observed in the other two cultures. Thus, the antioxidant potential of the alkaliphilic Cyanobacteria isolated from Lonar Lake was...
Read More
Posted by admin on Feb 1, 2014 in |
Lagenaria siceraria was commonly known as Bottle gourd Syn. Doodhi, Syn. Lauki (Hindi) Kadoo (Marathi) which is official in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the crude extracts revealed the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, etc. and secondary metabolites like saponins, glycosides, alkaloids, etc. in all the extracts but tannins were found absent in ethanolic and pet. ether extract. The defeated powdered material was further used for extraction with different organic solvents, namely: aqueous, ethanol, and pet. ether. There was a significant increase in the percentage of radical scavenging activity of ethanolic extract with an increase in concentration, followed by aqueous then pet. ether extracts. But % RSA of ethanolic extract was lesser than that of ascorbic...
Read More
Posted by admin on Feb 1, 2014 in |
A series of substituted acetophenones are condensed with hydrazides to the corresponding hydrazones which are subsequently cyclized by using volumizer-Haack reaction to give new pyrazole derivatives. All the compounds 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e were screened for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activity. Few of the compounds showing good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory...
Read More
Posted by admin on Feb 1, 2014 in |
Adhataoda vasica and Ailanthus excelsa are distributed throughout tropical and subtropical parts of India. Their leaves are used as expectorant and bronchodilator. The present investigation deals with the comparative pharmacognostical study of the leaves of the two species and establishment of its quality parameters. Detailed morphological and qualitative as well as the quantitative microscopic study was carried out. Phytochemical screening of the species followed this. Leaf surface microscopy of Adhataoda vasica shows polygonal thin walled epidermal cells and diacytic stomata whereas Ailanthus excels shows penta and hexagonal epidermal cells and anomocytic stomata. The chief powder characteristics of Adhataoda vasica leaf powder are 2-4 celled blunt covering trichomes, sessile-glandular trichomes, acicular and prismatic calcium oxalate crystals whereas Ailanthus excelsa leaf powder shows multicellular bent thick walled covering trichomes, multicellular head and stalk glandular trichomes, cluster and rosette calcium oxalate crystals. The present work can serve as a useful tool in the identification, authentication, and standardization of the plant material and distinguishing the two species from each other. The present study...
Read More
