Quantitative analysis of chemical constituents in medicinal plant coleus aromaticus extracts

Background: Indian medicinal plants have great potential towards curing many diseases. Medicinal plant Coleus aromaticus is known for its wide medical applications. The main objectives of the study undertaken were to analyze the phytochemicals and compare the concentration present in the dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract with various solvents.Methods: Various extracts of the medicinal plant Coleus aromaticus leaves such as dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein, hydro alcoholic extract, ethanol extract and chloroform extract were prepared and analyzed for various phytochemical concentrations such as Total phenols (Folin-Ciocalteu method), Flavonoids (Aluminum chloride method), total sugars (Dubois method) and Proteins (Bradford’s method). Standard graph for each component was plotted.Results: The protein concentration in dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract is considerably higher (5.8μg/10μl) than hydro alcoholic extract (1.6μg/10μl), ethanol extract (5.2μg/10μl) and chloroform extract (2.8μg/10μl). The other phytochemicals like total phenol, flavonoids and total sugars were low in concentration in the dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract compared to hydro alcoholic extract, ethanol extract and chloroform extract.Conclusions: In this study, the protein concentration in dialyzed Coleus aromaticus protein extract is considerably higher than the same in other solvent extracts. This is the basis for further studies to unfold the antioxidant activity of Coleus aromaticus protein in vitro

Portulaca oleracea inhibit vincristine induced peripheral neuropathy: involvement of ATP-sensitive K+ channels

Background: The Portulaca oleracea belonging to portulacaceae family. It is a herbaceous plant widely distributed throughout the world and used in traditional medicine for many ailments. The present study was to evaluate the antinociceptive action of petroleum ether extract of P. oleracea in vincristine induced peripheral neuropathic pain and the possible mechanisms involved.Methods: Peripheral neuropathy was induced in rats by administration of vincristine sulfate (50 μg/kg i.p.) for 10 consecutive days. The cold tail hyperalgesia was assessed by cold water tail immersion test. To identify the possible mechanisms involved in the antinociceptive action of petroleum ether extract of P. oleracea, acetic acid writhing method was employed. Mice were pretreated with naloxone, glibenclamide before petroleum ether extract treatment to identify the involvement of opioid and potassium channels, respectively.Results: The administration of petroleum ether extract of P. oleracea (100 and 200 mg/kg p.o.) for 10 days significantly attenuated vincristine-induced cold hyperalgesia. Pre-treatment with glibenclamide reversed the antinociceptive effect of P. oleracea, but the naloxone pre-treatment did not reverse the antinociceptive activity of P. oleracea.Conclusion: The results of the present study reveal the antinociceptive effect of P. oleracea in vincristine induced peripheral neuropathy and involving ATP-sensitive potassium channels pathway

Growth performance of the tea clone TRF-1 under Nilgiri conditions

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Safety evaluation of Sapindus laurifolius leaf extract in Wistar rats

Objectives:The present work was aimed to study the phytochemical composition of the Sapindus laurifolius leaves andtoxicological effect of the Sapindus laurifolius leaf extract in a systematic way using Wistar albino rats as a model animal.Materials and Methods :The identification of phytoconstituents present in the leaf extract was performed using Highperformance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). In toxicity studies, the acute oral toxicity study was conducted as per theguidelines of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD 423 Acute Toxic Class Method) for testingof chemicals. In repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity study (OECD 407), methanolic leaf extract administered at the dose of 50,200 and 800 mg/kg BWand limit dose of 1000 mg/kg BW.Results: Saponins, flavanoids, glycosides and bitter principles were the major phytoconstituents identified. In acute toxicitystudy, the LD cut-off values were found to be more than 2g/kg in leaf extract. In repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity, significant 50(P<0.05) increase in AST, ALT, BUN and creatinine, significant (P<0.05) increase in total protein was noticed. Thehistopathological changes confined to liver, kidney and intestine, revealed mild to moderate hepatotoxicity, severenephrotoxicity and increased goblet cell activity. The changes were found to correlate with increased dose of leaf extract.Conclusion:The phytochemical analysis of Sapindus laurifolius revealed the presence of saponins, glycosides, flavonoidsand bitter principles.The acute oral toxicity study of S. laurifolius methanolic leaf extract in rats resulted in no toxicity even atthe highest dose, but in repeated 28-day oral toxicity study revealed mild to moderate hepatotoxicity, severe nephrotoxicityand intestinal damage

Genetic variations among ecologically diverse species of Anurans at the level of genus based on ISSR marker

Anurans (frogs and toads) collected from South Kanara, Udupi and North Kanara districts, Karnataka viz: Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis (an aquatic), Fejervarya rufescens (a burrowing), Duttaphrynus melanostictus (a terrestrial), Fejervarya caperata (a semi aquatic), Ramanella montana (a semi arboreal) and Polypedates maculatus (an arboreal) belonging to five genera placed under four families were compared using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) marker to analyze genetic variability and relationship between the investigated taxa. ISSR profile obtained exhibited 100% presence of polymorphic bands.The ISSR bands could also be categorized as high (H), moderate (M) and light (L) based on the intensity of amplification. Dendrograms were generated using similarity coefficient and relationship coefficient values based on the count of only high or high and moderate or high, moderate and light bands in each case. Analysis of the data suggests that the genetic relatedness between the taxa as exhibited in the generated dendrograms varies based on the type of amplified bands considered. The clustering pattern obtained in the case of high and moderate bands was more close to the conventional taxonomical pattern of grouping based on thephenotypic characters. The specific unique bands present in each case may be of importance as molecular markers. Observed genetic variability (presence/absence, total number, intensity of amplification and size of polymorphic bands) among taxa probably provide factors contributing partially to diverse adaptive fitness supporting varied ecological demands. However, an intensive study incorporating more representive species from each of the habitat is needed to pinpoint the importance of the unique bands as the genus/species/ecological molecular markers

ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY OF THATIPUDI RESERVOIR OF VIZIANAGARAM DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

The authors present work deals with the assessment of the water quality of the water samples collected from Thatipudi reservoir situated in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh, by analyzing some selected physico-chemical parameters and chosen heavy metals. Water quality parameters such as pH, EC, DO, COD, BOD, TDS, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, chloride, nitrite, phosphate, carbonate, bicarbonate and heavy metals such as zinc, manganese, lead and chromium were analyzed for the water samples collected from the reservoir. The results were compared with the standard values prescribed by IS 10500. The parameters such as SAR, RSC, and Mg hazardous were analyzed and it was found that all these values were within the prescribed limit value. Saturation index values of the water samples analyzed were found to be in the range of 0.3-0.84 indicating, Water is supersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and scale forming may occur, but non corrosive..  KEYWORDS:Dams, Thatipudi reservoir water quality, physico-chemical charactersÂ