Morning glory: A new thirst in-search of de-novo therapeutic approach

Ipomoea pes-caprae (Convolvulacea) is a valuable medicinal plant, distributed in the tropics and subtropics regions and uses in folk and tribal medicines. Usually known as dopatilata, railroad vine and goat’s-foot morning glory. The plant contains active component likes naphthalenone, (-)-mellein, eugenol, 4-vinyl-guaiacol. lipophilic glycosides, 2-methylpropanoic, (2S)-methylbutyric, n-hexanoic, n-decanoic, and n-dodecanoic acids. The juice from the succulent leaves has been used as a first aid to treat jellyfish stings and also used in ritual baths to alleviate evil spells. The extract of the leaves have the astringent, diuretic and laxative properties. Leaves are used in rheumatism, and as stomachic and tonic. It has wide range of pharmacological activities like antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antinociceptive, antihistaminic, insulogenic and hypoglycemic activities. This review focuses the published scientific evidence on its pharmacological properties, phytochemical composition, uses, along with descriptions of the plant. A number of herbal preparations are widely used in traditional system of medicine for the management of different disorders but, many of them have not been investigated for their described effects. This plant have broad spectrum activities so, further studies on other models and extensive clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.Keywords: Dopatilata; Bio-active compounds; Railroad vine; Clinical trail

Chromatographic estimation of maturity based phytochemical profiling of Ipomoea mauritiana

Collection of herbs at right maturity is one of such parameter which affect afficacy of medicinal plants. Standard reference markers used in quality control of herbal drugs mostly authenticate identity and not efficacy. In order to derive bioactive markers, knowledge regarding appropriate collection time for each herb is essential. Traditional medical knowledge is bioactivity-oriented and informs about best time of collection for certain medicinal species, as observed in case of Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq. (Vidari–Sanskrit). Only mature (bigger size) tubers of Ipomoea mauritiana are used by Traditional Medical Practitioners (TMP) for preparing galactagogues and immunomodulatory herbal medicines (Rasayan).Microscopy of transverse sections revealed structural variation between mature and immature tubers and girth of tubers determine the maturity of plant, the difference in phytochemical profiles of mature and immature tubers was observed.Variation in phytoconstituents of mature and immature tubers was confirmed through proximate analysis, phytochemical screening, qualitative HPLC and HPTLC analysis revealed the variation in phytoconstituents in mature and immature tubers.Keywords: Microscopy, HPLC, HPTLC, proximate analysis, phytochemical screening

Chromatographic estimation of maturity based phytochemical profiling of Ipomoea mauritiana

Collection of herbs at right maturity is one of such parameter which affect afficacy of medicinal plants. Standard reference markers used in quality control of herbal drugs mostly authenticate identity and not efficacy. In order to derive bioactive markers, knowledge regarding appropriate collection time for each herb is essential. Traditional medical knowledge is bioactivity-oriented and informs about best time of collection for certain medicinal species, as observed in case of Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq. (Vidari–Sanskrit). Only mature (bigger size) tubers of Ipomoea mauritiana are used by Traditional Medical Practitioners (TMP) for preparing galactagogues and immunomodulatory herbal medicines (Rasayan).Microscopy of transverse sections revealed structural variation between mature and immature tubers and girth of tubers determine the maturity of plant, the difference in phytochemical profiles of mature and immature tubers was observed.Variation in phytoconstituents of mature and immature tubers was confirmed through proximate analysis, phytochemical screening, qualitative HPLC and HPTLC analysis revealed the variation in phytoconstituents in mature and immature tubers.Keywords: Microscopy, HPLC, HPTLC, proximate analysis, phytochemical screening

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of different fractions of Boswellia serrata

The study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect of different fractions of Boswellia serrata. The effect of different fractions of Boswellia serrata were studied using carrageenan induced paw edema, acetic acid induced writhing response, formalin induced pain, hot plate and tail flick method for studying anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity, respectively. The different fractions of B. serrata, essential oil (10 ml/kg), gum (100 mg/kg, resin (100 mg/kg) oleo-resin (100 mg/kg) and oleo-gum-resin (100 mg/kg) significantly reduces carrageenan induced inflammation in rats and shows analgesic activity, as determined by acetic acid induced writhing response, formalin induced pain, hot plate and tail flick method. The different fractions of B. serrata showed prompt anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity due to the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase enzyme.Keywords: Analgesic; Boswellia serrata; Inflammation; 5- lipoxygenase; Burseraceae

Pharmacognostical and Phytochemical Investigations on Ipomoea pes-caprae Linn R. Br.

Ipomoea pes-caprae Linn is commonly used as a first aid to treat jelly-fish stings and in ritual baths to alleviate evil spirits. The leaves were used against pain, inflammation, rheumatism and as stomachic and tonic. The present study was designed to investigate pharmacognosy and phytochemistry of Ipomoea pes-caprae its proper investigation and chemical profiling. Powdered plant extracts were subsequently soxhleted using petroleum ether (60-800C), methanol and water. Swaras was prepared from fresh plant extracts and studied for their phytochemical parameters and freshly prepared powder of I. pes-caprae was studies for its macroscopy for developing its identification parameters. Physicochemical study on I. pes-caprae herb yielded total ash (16.23%), acid insoluble ash (2.16%) and water soluble ash (13.48%) and value for loss on drying was (19.35%). Successive solvent extractive values of its powder were found to be 3.75 % w/w for petroleum ether (60-800C), 5.35 % w/w for methanol and 11.45 % w/w for aqueous extract and the value for swaras was 13.25 % w/w. Phytochemical screening on extracts and swaras revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, sterols, terpenoids and glycosides. Pharmacognostic characters, phytochemical values and macroscopic characters taken together as the outcome of this study could be used as the diagnostic tools for identification and standardization of I. pes-caprae for its purity and authencity

Antimicrobial Studies On Nicandra physaloides

Antimicrobial studies were carried out using methanolic and aqueous extract of leaf, fruit, stem and root of Nicandra physaloides. The microorganisms used in study were Bacillus subtilis NCIM 2439, Mycobacterium phelei, Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus edidermidis NCIM 2493, Candida albicans and Aspergilus flavus NCIM535. Penicillin for gram-positive bacteria, streptomycin for gram-negative bacteria and clotrimazole for fungi were used as standard. The Nicandra physaloides extract both methanolic and aqueous was active against gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains. Both methanolic and aqueous extract of leaves and roots was active against fungi Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus. Keywords: Nicandra physaloides, Solanaceae, Antimicrobial activity,Nigerian Journal of Natural Products and Medicine Vol. 11 2007 pp. 71-7