Phytomedicine

Aconitum laciniatum is used in Bhutanese traditional medicine for treating various chronic infections and inflammatory conditions. We carried out in-depth isolation and characterization of the phytochemicals from the root component and determined the anti-inflammatory effects of the isolated compounds against chemically-induced colitis in mice. Five diterpenoid alkaloids - pseudaconitine, 14-veratroylpseudaconine, 14-O-acetylneoline, neoline, and senbusine A - were isolated from A. laciniatum for the first time. Two of the alkaloids were tested for anti-inflammatory properties in the TNBS-induced colitis model in mice. Various parameters were measured to assess pathology including weight loss, clinical and macroscopic scores, histological structure and IFN-γ production in the gut. Of the two alkaloids tested, 14-O-acetylneoline showed significant protection against different parameters of colitic inflammation. Compared to control mice that received TNBS alone, mice treated with 14-O-acetylneoline experienced significantly less weight loss and had significantly lower clinical scores, macroscopic pathology and grades of histological inflammation. Moreover, colonic IFN-γ mRNA levels were significantly reduced in mice that received 14-O-acetylneoline compared to control mice that received TNBS alone. This alkaloid is now considered a novel anti-colitis drug lead compound.

ABSTRACT.
Antioxidants are recognized for their potential in promoting health and lowering the risk for cancer, hypertension and heart disease. The uses of natural antioxidants from plant extracts have experience growing interest due to some human health professionals and consumer’s concern about the safety of synthetic antioxidants in foods. In the present study, antioxidant potential of the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Platostoma africanum was evaluated using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay and ferric reducing power assay as well as total phenolic content were also performed. The extracts howed the presence of glycosides, saponin, flavonoids, phenolics (condensed tannin), reducing sugar and terpenoids. In both total antioxidant assay and ferric reducing power assay, a dose dependent activity were observed in a manner similar to that of Vitamin C (standard), highest activity was noted at 500mg/ml in both cases. The overall antioxidant activity wasrelatively comparable to that of Vitamin C. The findings of the present study suggest that Platostoma africanum leaf could be a potential natural source of antioxidants and thus play an important role as a therapeutic agent in preventing or retarding oxidative stress-related degenerative diseases.

Abstract: Thirty –two (32) wistar rats were divided into four groups of eight. Group one was given 5ml/kgbw of normal saline and it served as the control, while groups two to four were given 100, 200 and 500 mg/kgbw of methanol extract Securidacalongepedunculata for twenty-eight (28) days. All the rats were maintained ad libitum on chick’s mash and water. Sacrifices were done on the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th day for the haematology and the histological examination was after the 28th day. The result showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in Hb concentration and WBC when compared to the control at weeks one (acute phase) and four (chronic phase). Weeks two and three showed variations. The same trend was seen in packed cell volume (PCV) with exception in group four of week four. On examination of the organs, there was no morphological difference, however, there were histological changes in the liver and kidneys of animals treated with the extract. These changes were characteristically severe degeneration/necrosis, severe congestion, lymphocytes infiltration, sinusoid enlargement and parenchyma hypertrophy. These results seemed to suggest haemolytic effect and significant organ damage of the methanol extract of Securidacalongepedunculataat the chronic phase.

Leaves of Abrus precatorius are sweet and traditionally used to treat cough, malaria, snake bites and
boils. This study evaluates the proximate and mineral composition of A. precatorius, and establishes
the best solvent for the extraction of the sweet component of the leaves, by performing organoleptic
test on the extract of different solvents, under different temperature conditions. The proximate
composition of A. precatorius shows that it contains carbohydrate (65.50 ± 3.12%) as its largest
component, crude fibre (2.00 ± 0.00%) as its lowest component. Moisture is 11.00 ± 0.00%, Ash is 7.00
±1.41%, crude protein is 8.00 ± 0.00% and lipid is 6.50 ± 2.12%. Mineral analysis reveals that the leaves
contains Na 94.10 ± 0.145 mg/100 g, Cu 00.07 ± 0.004 mg/100 g, Fe 24.14 ± 0.002 mg/100 g, Zn 6.09 ±
0.020 mg/100 g, K 246.94 ± 0.0252 mg/100 g, Ca 231.84 ± 0.204 mg/100 g, and Mg 25.66 ± 0.012 mg/100 g
of sample. The best solvent and method of extraction of the sweet component of the leaves is hot
(soxhlet) methanolic extraction.

Objective: Acacia nilotica fruit has been used to treat different diseases. The significance of the plant in traditional medicine and the importance of the distribution of these chemical constituents were discussed with respect to the role of this plant in ethno-medicinal usage in Nigeria. In the present study, the fruit of A. nilotica was subjected to elemental, phytochemical and antifungal analysis.
Methods: The extraction was done with ethanol and hexane using soxhlet apparatus. The elemental analysis was done using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophometer. The phytochemical investigation of the ethanol and hexane extract of A. nilotica fruit was carried out.The extracts were evaluated for their antifungal activity.
Results: The proximate analysis showed that moisture content was 12.6±0.02%, crude fibre11.1±0.03%, crude lipid15.8±0.01%, ash content5.0±0.01%, crude protein1.3±0.02% and carbohydrate54.2±0.02%. The elemental analysis showed various concentrations of Ca, Zn, Mg, Mn, Ni, Cr, Fe, Cd while Co was absent. The phytochemical investigation revealed the presence of tannins, steroids, saponins, phenols, alkaloids, cardenolides, terpenoids, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, resins and balsams. The antifungal analysis of ethanol extract on Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavon, Fusarium oxyfurum and Penicillium Spp showed an increase in the zone of inhibition and an increase in the concentration of the A. nilotica fruit extracts when measured in mm. 
Conclusion: Acacia nilotica has both nutritional and medicinal values based on the presence of numerous secondary metabolites and essential metals. The plant studied here can be seen as a potential source of useful drugs and further studies are going on in order to isolate, identify, characterize and elucidate the structure of the bioactive compounds.

Lamotrigine is an anticonvulsant drug used in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder A simple, sensitive, accurate and reproducible UV/visible spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of  Lamotrigine in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms.  The solvent used was distilled water and wavelength corresponding to maximum absorbance for the drug was found at 304 nm. Drug obeyed beer’s law in the concentration range of 20 – 100 µg/ml. with a correlation coefficient of 0.9992. The linear regression equation obtained was y=0.0073x+0.0081, where y is the absorbance and x is the concentration of the pure drug solution. The method was validated for several parameters such as Linearity, Accuracy, Precision and Robustness as per the ICH guidelines. The % recovery value which is close to 100% indicates reproducibility of the method and absence of interference of the excepients present in the formulation. The authors conclude that the proposed spectrophotometric method for the estimation of Lamotrigine can be used for routine analysis of Lamotrigine in bulk as well as in tablet dosage form.

This research investigated the protective role of Leea macrophylla extract on CCl4-induced acute liver injury in rats. Different
fractions of Leea macrophylla (Roxb.) crude extract were subjected to analysis for antioxidative effects. Rats were randomly divided
into four groups as normal control, hepatic control, and reference control (silymarin) group and treatment group. Evaluations were
made for the effects of the fractions on serum enzymes and biochemical parameters of CCl4-induced albino rat. Histopathological
screening was also performed to evaluate the changes of liver tissue before and after treatment. Different fractions of Leea
macrophylla showed very potent 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging effect, FeCl3 reducing effect, superoxide
scavenging effect, and iron chelating effect. Carbon tetrachloride induction increased the level of serumaspartate aminotransferase
(AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and other biochemical parameters such as lipid profiles,
total protein, and CK-MB. In contrast, treatment of Leea macrophylla reduced the serumaspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine
aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities as well as biochemical parameters activities. L. macrophylla
partially restored the lipid profiles, total protein, and CK-MB. Histopathology showed the treated liver towards restoration. Results evidenced that L. macrophylla can be prospective source of hepatic management in liver injury.

Background: Various parts of Pandanus foetidus Roxb. are used as traditional medicines. However, scientific reports concerning the effect of this plant on central nervous system (CNS) depression and analgesia are unavailable. This study investigated the CNS depressant and antinociceptive effects of Pandanus foetidus leaf extracts in a rodent model.
Methods: The sedative and anxiolytic activities of Pandanus foetidus extract (500 g) were tested using behavioural models of Swiss albino mice, and the analgesic activity was assessed by formalin-induced pain and tail immersion tests at 200 mg/kg body weight of the mice. The data were analysed by a one-way ANOVA, a repeated measure of ANOVA and a non-parametric test (Kruskal-Wallis test) using the SPSS software. Acute toxicity was tested using an established method.
Results: Compared with the aqueous fraction, the methanol, petroleum ether and chloroform fractions of the extract exhibited a more significant (P < 0.001) reduction of locomotor activity in the mice in the open field, hole-cross, and elevated plus maze (EPM). The methanol fraction maximized the duration of sleeping time caused by the thiopental sodium induction. The extract produced a significant step-down in pain, as shown by the paw licking time in the early and late phases of the formalin test. In the tail immersion test, the chloroform fraction maximally reduced the heat-induced analgesia. The extract was found to be non toxic.
Conclusion: The methanol, petroleum ether, and chloroform fractions of P. foetidus have strong CNS depressant and antinociceptive effects and thus merit further pharmaceutical studies

Natural medicines are the most useful medicaments in this highly modernized society. To combat against various diseases as tuberculosis, antigenic reactions, coughing, asthma and other allergies, nature acts a booster. Among the other plant materials Ligularia, a highly versatile plant genus with eight different species with different isolated chemical entities works as a boon. The main aim of this article to draw an attention towards the cultivation as well as structural isolation and aiming versatile pharmacological properties.

Pogostemon cablin Benth. (patchouli) is an important herb which possesses
many therapeutic properties and is widely used in the fragrance industries. In traditional
medicinal practices, it is used to treat colds, headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
abdominal pain, insect and snake bites. In aromatherapy, patchouli oil is used to relieve
depression, stress, calm nerves, control appetite and to improve sexual interest. Till now
more than 140 compounds, including terpenoids, phytosterols, flavonoids, organic acids,
lignins, alkaloids, glycosides, alcohols, aldehydes have been isolated and identified from
patchouli. The main phytochemical compounds are patchouli alcohol, α-patchoulene,
β-patchoulene, α-bulnesene, seychellene, norpatchoulenol, pogostone, eugenol and
pogostol. Modern studies have revealed several biological activities such as antioxidant,
analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, antithrombotic, aphrodisiac, antidepressant,
antimutagenic, antiemetic, fibrinolytic and cytotoxic activities. However, some of the
traditional uses need to be verified and may require standardizing and authenticating the
bioactivity of purified compounds through scientific methods. The aim of the present
review is to provide comprehensive knowledge on the phytochemistry and
pharmacological activities of essential oil and different plant extracts of patchouli based on
the available scientific literature. This information will provide a potential guide in
exploring the use of main active compounds of patchouli in various medical fields.

We investigated the protective effects of ethanolic extract of Sorghum bicolor leaf sheath (EESBLS) against Cadmium
(Cd) – induced oxidative stress in rats. 35 rats (Rattus norvegicus) weighing 180±20 g, were randomized into seven groups of
five animals each. Group I (control) received physiological saline, group II received 8mg/kg body weight (b.w.) of Cd, group
III, 8mg/kg b.w. Cd and EESBLS (100mg/kg b.w.); group IV, 8mg/kg b.w. Cd and EESBLS (200mg/kg b.w.); group V,
8mg/kg b.w. Cd and EESBLS (400mg/kg b.w.), group VI, 8mg/kg b.w. Cd and EESBLS (800mg/kg b.w.) and group VII
received EESBLS alone (800mg/kg b.w.). All treatments lasted for 7 days. Results show that Cd – induced toxicity was
characterized by a significant increase (p<0.05) in plasma creatinine, urea and bilirubin, by 64.7%, 65.4%, and 105.5%
respectively. However, this pattern was significantly (p<0.05) reduced in the EESBLS treated groups in a dose-dependent
manner. EESBLS also reduced significantly (p<0.05), the Cd-induced elevation of plasma total cholesterol, HDLcholesterol,
LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. Hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), and plasma activities of Alkaline
phosphatase, Aspartate transaminase, and Alanine aminotransferase significantly (p<0.05) increased following Cd
administration by 277.3%, 76%, 48% and 95.5% respectively. These increases were significantly (p<0.05) supressed by the
EESBLS in a dose related manner. Furthermore, Cd-induced reduction in hepatic level of glutathione (GSH), ascorbic acid,
Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were reversed by EESBLS. Overall, the
results show that Cd altered enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defence system and induced oxidative stress in rats
while the ethanolic extract of Sorghum bicolor leaf sheath attenuated these effects.

Presented study was an initial attempt to discover bergenin as an antiemetic compound isolated from Peltophorum roxburghii L., leaves. It is the extension of antiemetic activity from methanol extract of Peltophorum roxburghii L., leaves. Antiemetic activity was assessed using copper sulfate induced emesis in chick’s model. Bergenin (25 mg/kg, p.o.) exhibited significant antiemetic activity when compare with standard drug, chlorpromazine. This is the first time that, bergenin declares antiemetic activity. Bergenin has already been evaluated positively for its anti-inflammatory activity and now this paper going to report its antiemetic activity. Both the activities of same compound may be beneficial for drug designing against the disease having anti-inflammatory and antiemetic both symptoms just like migraine. The preliminary antiemetic evaluation of bergenin was conducted on single dose due to the low yield of Bergenin. However the result was significant with reference to the standard used. Further, isolation and purification of Bergenin is in process to establish a detail data on having different doses of Bergenin.

Essential oils from leaves of Taiwan’s indigenous cinnamon, Cinnamomum osmophloeum extracts (CEs), contain similar constituents to those of commercial cinnamons from dried barks of other Cinnamomum species. However, cinnamon bark extracts showed controversial in vitro and in vivo results in their antibacterial activities against H. pylori. Whether CEs inhibit H. pylori growth and inflammation of H. pylori-infected gastric epithelium is unknown. In this study, we used 4-h water distillation to obtain CEs, which comprised >95% trans-cinnamaldehyde and other 4 minor compounds that were confirmed by analysis GC-MS and contained 1305.5 μg/ml of trans-cinnamaldehyde that was quantified by HPLC. The minimal inhibitory concentration of trans-cinnamaldehyde in CEs against H. pylori was 5.1 μg/ml in 48-h co-cultures. We subsequently performed 2 cinnamon extract assays: 3-h treatment of CEs containing 6.3 μg/ml and 63 μg/ml of trans-cinnamaldehyde significantly inhibited IL-8 mRNA and protein expression in the 1-hour H. pylori-infected cells, whereas 6-h treatment of CEs containing 21 μg/ml of trans-cinnamaldehyde, but not CEs containing 10.5 μg/ml of trans-cinnamaldehyde, substantially downregulated IL-8 mRNA expression and these two CEs strongly suppressed IL-8 protein secretion in the 2-h H. pylori-infected cells. In the 2-h IL-1β-treated cells, both CEs and t-SSs containing 21 μg/ml and 10.5 μg/ml of trans-cinnamaldehyde for 6-h markedly downregulated IL-8 mRNA expression; CEs inhibited IL-8 protein production more potently than t-SSs when both contained the same concentration of trans-cinnamaldehyde at 21 μg/ml. In conclusion, CEs concentration-dependently inhibit H. pylori growth and postinfectiously inhibit IL-8 mRNA and protein expression in H. pylori- and IL-1β-pretreated AGS cells. Moreover, CEs exhibited a stronger anti-inflammatory effect than trans-cinnamaldehyde, indicating that CEs can potentially be used to treat H. pylori infection.