ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF LEAF EXTRACTS OF HEMIDESMUS INDICUS (L.) R.BR. (ASCLEPIADACEAE).

Objective: A number of Indian medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years in a traditional system of medicine. Hemidesmus indicus is an important member of the Asclepiadaceae family. It is an endemic to the southern Western Ghats, India. The aim of the study was to investigate the free radical scavenging activity of H. indicus. Methods: The aqueous and methanol leaf extracts of H. indicus were assayed for radical scavenging activity, using the stable free radical 2,2-diphenyl- 1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid). Results: The results revealed that the IC50 values of aqueous extract of H. indicus were found to be higher than that of the other solvent extracts. The free radical scavenging activity of the plant extracts may be due to the presence of phytoconstituents. Conclusion: In all the methods, the aqueous extract has exhibited the good scavenging activity and this arises that the plant has a potential antioxidant agent

Establishment of in vitro protocol and impact of mycorrhization with phosphobacteria on micro propagated Pogostemon mollis Benth. (Lamiaceae)

Plants and microbes compete for survival and their organized interactions play a vital role in adapting to stress environments. Microbes have a positive impact on transplanting performance of in vitro propagated plantlets. The present study aims at survival development of micropropagated Pogostemon mollis through microbial inoculation. The leaf and stem explants on MS medium with different concentrations and combinations of BAP, Kn, NAA, IAA and IBA used for the establishment of plantlet. The survival rate of plantlets was successfully increased from 71% to about 70.21% by the inoculation of Rhizophagus fasciculatus and Bacillus megaterium. This inoculation also clearly increases the growth, biomass and chlorophyll of in vitro derived platelets. The present protocol emphasizes the need of bio-hardening on micropropagated plants, particularly the mycorrhization along with phosphobacteria

EVALUATION OF THE FREE RADICAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ABILITIES IN ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF THE Breynia patens (Roxb.) Benth. & Hook. f.

The present study evaluates the free radical and antioxidant abilities in the extract of Breynia patens. Some in vitro antioxidant assays were employed, Such as DPPH, ABTS, Reducing power assay, Ferrous ion chelating activity and Hydroxyl radical scavenging assays. The plant extract shows excellent activity in DPPH (IC50=43.47) and ABTS (6314.6±15.5 µmol/g). Reducing power assay indicates an increase in reductive ability, Ferrous ion chelating activity (IC50 = 303.03) and Hydroxyl radical scavenging assays (IC50=581.39). The results could be considered the plant as natural antioxidants and may be useful for curing diseases arising from oxidative deterioration and considered as a source of natural therapeutic agent