Influence of SiO2 Concentration on TiO2 Thin Films as Protective Layer to Chlorophyll in Medicinal Plants against UV Radiation

SiO2 doped TiO2 (SiO2 - TiO2) nano structure thin films were prepared by dip coating method on glass substrates by varying the concentration of SiO2 and annealed at 400°C for 3 hours in a muffle furnace. The films were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), UV- visible spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with elemental (EDAX) studies techniques. UV light impairs photosynthesis and reduces size, productivity and quality in many of the crop plants. Increased exposure of UV light reduces total chlorophyll content in plants. Development of nano science and technology provides new ways for better treatment of UV resistant films and fabrics using Titanium dioxide (TiO2). TiO2 has good Ultra Violet (UV) blocking power and is very effective in applications because of advantages such as non-toxicity, chemical stability at high temperature and permanent stability under UV exposure. The main objective of this study was to analyze the performance of SiO2 doped TiO2 thin films as a protective layer to the chlorophyll contents present in medicinal plants Solanum nigrum (Manathakkali) and Solanum trilobatum (Thuthuvalai) from UV radiation. The study revealed that crystallite size and transmittance of films decrease with increase in SiO2 concentration. The thickness of the film increases with increase in SiO2 concentration. However, the chlorophyll content increases in accordance with increase in SiO2 concentration. This study showed that SiO2 doped TiO2 thin films are good absorber of UV light and protect the total chlorophyll content in medicinal plants

Phytochemical Screening, GC-MS and FTIR analysis of Bioactive Compounds in Methanolic Leaf Extracts of Costus igneus (CIMLE) as a Natural Source of Drug Lead Molecules for Next-generation Drug-design, Development and Therapeutics

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder that affects people of all ages. Increased prevalence of diabetes worldwide has led to the development of synthetic drugs to provide an interim solution to the ill effects of the issue. However, such drugs, although effective as antihyperglycemic agents, are accompanied by significant side effects, costly, and inaccessible to majority of people in remote in underdeveloped countries. Local medicinal plants have been used by such indigenous people through ages to treat such complicate ailments due to their ease of availability and GRAS nature. As diabetes continues to become prevalent, health care practitioners are considering PBNPs as a potential source of antidiabetic drugs due to their high potency and fewer side effects. To better understand the mechanism of action of medicinal plants, their active phytoconstituents are being isolated and investigated thoroughly. Phytochemical screening followed by GCMS analysis of methanolic leaf extracts of Costus igneus depicted the presence of 19 bioactive compounds viz., Bicyclo [3.1.1]heptane, 2,6,6- trimethyl-; 2-Pentadecanone, 6,10,14-trimethyl-; phthalic acid; 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2-hexadecen- 1-ol; 5,9,13-Pentadecatrien-2-one, 6,10,14- trimethyl; 2(3H)-Furanone,dihydro-5-methyl-5- pentyl; Hexamethyl-2,6,10,14,18,22- tetracosahexaen-1-yl]-6-methox.; Oxalic acid, cyclohexyl isohexyl ester; 6-Octadecenoic acid; Phytol; 4,8,12,16-Tetramethylheptadecan-4- olide; 5-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-indole; Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate; Adamantane-1-carboxylic acid methyl ester; Benzopyran-6-ol,3,4-dihydro-; Benzoquinoline; gamma-Tocopherol; dimethyl-5,5'-diphenyl-1H,; 1H-benzo[b]furo[2,3-f]indole that may be ADMET predicted for potential biomedical application in the treatment of diabetics and long term complications associated with the disease.  Keywords: Costus igneus; CIMLE; GCMS; Phytochemical Screening; Antidiabetic Leads; NDDT; Antidiabetic Medicinal Plan