Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory screening of four indian medicinal plants

Inflammatory diseases including different types of rheumatic diseases are very common throughout the world. The greatest disadvantage in the presently available potent synthetic drugs lies in their side effects, toxicity and reappearance of the symptoms after discontinuation. Hence search for new antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents are needed. Antimicrobial study was done by agar disc diffusion method against 5 Gram positive, 7 Gram negative and 3 fungal strains and acute anti-inflammatory activity was studied by carrageenan induced paw edema in rats. Plants screened were Aristolochia indica, Argemone mexicana, Alpinia speciosa and Gymnema sylvestre. Methanolic extract of these plants were studied at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg dose level. The results were compared with standard drug indomethacin. All the plant extracts showed better antibacterial activity than antifungal activity. The Gram positive bacteria were more susceptible than Gram negative bacteria. Argemone mexicana gave more antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity than the other three plants.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Changes in cell wall polysaccharides during wheat grain development

Changes in low and high molecular weight xyloglucan and pectic polysaccharide content were estimated during grain development in wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivar Lok-1. Three grains differing in their final dry weight and position on the spike were selected for the investigation. The low molecular weight xyloglucan and high molecular weight xyloglucan were isolated by extracting in 4% KOH and 24% KOH, respectively. Changes in the xyloglucan content (low and high) showed an inverse correlation with water content. However, low molecular weight xyloglucan was more than high molecular weight xyloglucan at all stages of grain growth. Pectic polysaccharides also showed an inverse correlation, with highest content being in the smallest grain and vice versa. Increase in xyloglucan and pectic polysaccharide content coincided with termination of elongation growth thus suggesting its probable role in wall rigidity. It is suggested that cell wall is a dynamic compartment where reorganization occurs by turnover and alteration of wall polysaccharides