An ethnobotanical survey of indigenous medicinal plants in Hafizabad district, Punjab-Pakistan

<div><p>Present paper offers considerable information on traditional uses of medicinal plants by the inhabitants of Hafizabad district, Punjab-Pakistan. This is the first quantitative ethnobotanical study from the area comprising popularity level of medicinal plant species intendedby using relative popularity level (RPL) and rank order priority (ROP) indices.Ethnobotanical data were collected by interviewing 166 local informants and 35 traditional health practioners (THPs) from different localities of Hafizabad district. Demographic features of informants; life form, part used, methods of preparation, modes of application and ethnomedicinal uses were documented. Ethnobotanical data were analyzed using quantitative tools, i.e. Relative frequency citation (RFC), use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF) fidelity level (FL), RPL and ROP indices. A total of 85 species belonging to 71 genera and 34 families were documented along with ethnomedicinal uses. <i>Solanum surattense</i>, <i>Withania somnifera</i>, <i>Cyperus rotundus</i>, <i>Solanum nigrum</i> and <i>Melia azedarach</i> were the most utilized medicinal plant species with highest used value. The reported ailments were classified into 11 disease categories based on ICF values and highest number of plant species was reported to treat dermatological and gastrointestinal disorders. <i>Withania somnifera</i> and <i>Ranunculus sceleratus</i> with maximum FL (100%), were used against gastrointestinal and urinary disorders, respectively. The RPL and ROP values were calculated to recognize the folk medicinal plant wealth; six out of 32 plant species (19%) were found popular, based on citation by more than half of the maximum number of informant viz. 26. Consequently, the ROP value for these species was more than 75. The comparative assessment with reported literature revealed 15% resemblance and 6% variation to previous data;however79% uses of the reported species were recorded for the first time. The diversity of medicinal plant species and associated traditional knowledge is significant in primary health care system. Medicinal plant species with high RPL values should be screened for comprehensive phytochemical and pharmacological studies. This could be useful in novel drug discovery and to validate the ethomendicinal knowledge.</p></div

Highly utilized species of the study are along with FL, RPL and ROP.

<p>Highly utilized species of the study are along with FL, RPL and ROP.</p

Demographic data of local informants (THPs. traditional health practioners, IP. indigenous peoples).

<p>Demographic data of local informants (THPs. traditional health practioners, IP. indigenous peoples).</p

Informant consensus factor (ICF) of reported plant species against various ailments.

<p>Informant consensus factor (ICF) of reported plant species against various ailments.</p

Proportional contributions of plant part in herbal preparations.

<p>Proportional contributions of plant part in herbal preparations.</p

Ethnomedicinal plant species of the study area.

<p>Ethnomedicinal plant species of the study area.</p

Map of district Hafizabad-Pakistan.

<p>Map of district Hafizabad-Pakistan.</p

NMR and kinetic studies of the interactions of [Au(<i>cis</i>-DACH)Cl₂]Cl and [Au(<i>cis</i>-DACH)₂]Cl₃ with potassium cyanide in aqueous solution

<div><p>The interactions of [Au(<i>cis</i>-DACH)Cl₂]Cl and [Au(<i>cis</i>-DACH)₂]Cl₃ [where <i>cis</i>-DACH is <i>cis</i>-1,2-diaminocyclohexane] with enriched KCN were carried out in CD₃OD and D₂O, respectively. The reaction pathways of these complexes were studied by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁵N NMR, UV spectrophotometry, and electrochemistry. The kinetic data for the reaction of cyanide with [Au(<i>cis</i>-DACH)₂]Cl₃ are <i>k</i> = 18 M⁻¹s⁻¹, ∆<i>H</i>^≠ = 11 kJ M⁻¹, ∆<i>S</i>^≠ = −185 JK⁻¹ M⁻¹, and <i>E</i>_a = 13 kJ M⁻¹ with square wave voltammetric (SWV) peak +1.35 V, whereas the kinetic data for the reaction of cyanide ion with [Au(<i>cis</i>-DACH)Cl₂]Cl are <i>k</i> = 148 M⁻¹s⁻¹, ∆<i>H</i>^≠ = 39 kJM⁻¹, ∆<i>S</i>^≠ = −80 JK^-1 M⁻¹, and <i>E</i>_a = 42 kJM⁻¹ along with SWV peak +0.82 V, indicating much higher reactivity of [Au(<i>cis</i>-DACH)Cl₂]Cl toward cyanide than [Au(<i>cis</i>-DACH)₂]Cl₃. The interaction of these complexes with potassium cyanide resulted in an unstable [Au(¹³CN)₄]⁻ species which readily underwent reductive elimination reaction to generate [Au(¹³CN)₂]⁻ and cyanogen.</p></div

Synthesis, characterization and <i>in vitro</i> cytotoxicity of platinum(II) complexes of selenones [Pt(selenone)₂Cl₂]

<p>Platinum(II) complexes with various selenones (L) having the general formula [PtL₂Cl₂] were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis and, IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C, and ⁷⁷Se) spectroscopies. A decrease in the IR frequency of the >C=Se mode and an upfield shift in ¹³C NMR for the >C=Se resonance of selenones are consistent with their selenium coordination to platinum(II). The NMR data show that the complexes are stable in solution and do not undergo equilibration at 297 K. The geometrical structures of the complexes were predicted theoretically (with DFT method) using Gaussian09 program. DFT calculations predicted that the <i>trans</i> configurations were up to 1.7 kcal/mol more stable than the <i>cis</i> forms in gas phase, while in solution form the <i>cis</i> isomers were predicted to be more stable. The UV–vis spectra of the two complexes, <b>6</b> and <b>7</b> were also recorded at room temperature for 24 h and it was observed that the complexes were stable and did not undergo decomposition. The <i>in vitro</i> antitumor properties of the complexes as well as of cisplatin were evaluated on two human cancer cell lines, HeLa (cervical cancer cells) and MCF7 (breast cancer cells) using MTT assay. The results indicated that the prepared complexes exerted significant inhibition on the selected cancer cells.</p