SCREENING OF PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE LEAVES OF CLINACANTHUS SIAMENSIS BREMEK AND CISSAMPELOS PAREIRA L USED AS ANTIDOTE FOR SNAKE BITE IN INDIGENOUS MEDICINE

Objective: The study is aimed to screen the phytochemical constituents of the medicinal plants Clinacanthus siamensis Bremek and Cissampelos pareira L used as anti snake venom in tribal medicine. Methods: The phytochemical compounds such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, terpenoids, coumarins, anthocyanin, glycosides, reducing sugars, lignins, anthoquinone and alkaloids were extracted by standard methods and compared the components for its antivenom activity. Results: Qualitative analysis of methanolic and aqueous extracts of leaves confirmed the presence of primary metabolites like proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and reducing sugars and secondary metabolites like phenols, tannins, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, steroids, terpenoids, coumarins, lignins, anthocyanin, anthoquinone and alkaloids. Quantitative estimation of primary and secondary metabolites showed that the presence of proteins, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids and lipids are more in Cissampelos pareira L when compared to Clinacanthus siamensis B. whereas the phenols and carbohydrates were more in Clinacanthus siamensis B. Conclusion: The study helped in the successful screening of phytochemical constituents which supports the traditional knowledge of the use of the plants as important medicine, as an antidote for poisonous snake bites and in curing various ailments

Effect of electric field on the nematic-isotropic phase transition of compounds with a strong longitudinal dipole moment

We present calculations on the effect of an external electric field on the nematic-iso-tropic transition of compounds with strong longitudinal dipole moments. In such compounds neighbouring molecules have antiparallel correlations. We use the Bethe cluster model and the constant coupling approximation in our calculations. Assuming reasonable values of the dipole moment and polarizabilities of the molecules, it is predicted that the nematic-(field induced) paranematic transition becomes continuous for an internal field E ≈ 3250 esu, when the transition point is ~ 6°K above the field-free value

Antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized by using stem extract of Svensonia hyderobadensis (Walp.) Mold – A rare medicinal plant

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles was carried out by using stem extract for the reduction of aqueous silver ions in short period. The silver nanoparticles formation was confirmed by the colour change of plant extracts (SNPs) and further confirmed with the help of UV-Vis spectroscopy. These phytosynthesized silver nanoparticles were tested for antibacterial and antifungal activities using disc diffusion method. The test cultures are Proteus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Bacillus and E.coli species of bacteria  and Aspergillus, Fusarium, Curvularia and Rhizopus species of fungal were used. The microbial property of silver nanoparticles was analyzed by measuring the inhibition zone. The SNPs synthesized from stem extract of Svensonia hyderobadensis showed moderately toxic towards E. coli, Klebsiella, Bacillus and Proteus species and highly toxic to Pseudomonas. Whereas in the fungal species moderately toxic to Aspergillus flavus,  Aspergillus niger, urvularia and Fusarium and highly toxic to Rhizopus species. The results indicate that the biological synthesized silver nanoparticles may have an important advantage over conventional antibiotics

Qualitative and quantitative metabolomics of Pamburus missionis Swingle – a medicinal tree taxon

Since ancient times, Plant based medicine is a well-known oldest form of healthcare to mankind. Even the commercial medications used for the treatment of various ailments today, contains a large proportion of plant derived chemical compounds. Hence chemical profiling of medicinal plants gained a key role to use them in pharmaceuticals as well as commercial industries. Pamburus missionis is one of the medicinal plants used in the Indian and Srilankan traditional medicine system to reduce kapha dosha. The ayurvedic physicians used its leaves to treat swelling, piles, fractures, fistula, puerperal diseases and as serpent venom. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to reveal the phytocompounds from various parts of this plant. Metabolomics revealed the presence of primary and secondary metabolites like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, steroids etc. From the aqueous extract, Alkaloid content is almost same in leaf, stem and bark extracts with around 1.2 to 1.3 g (w/v%) and completely absent in the fruit. Phenolic content and steroids are notably high in leaf extract with 112.77±0.34 mg/g of extract and 17.91±0.26 mg respectively, where the flavonoid content in fruit extract with 44.69±0.30 mg/g of extract and the tannin content in bark extract with 62.37±1.75 mg/g of extract

The nematic-isotropic phase transition: application of the Andrews method

We have extended the Andrews method to derive the thermodynamic properties of an ensemble of spherocylinders. In the case of hard spherocylinders, by using the virial coefficients of the isotropic phase which agree with the results of recent computer simulation studies, we have determined several properties near the nematic-isotropic phase transition point in the mean field approximation. Including the attractive part of the potential, the values derived from the model are in reasonably good agreement with experimental data and in fact show considerable improvements over the currently available model calculations. In particular, the results are compared with those based on the scaled particle theory

Scaled particle theory of a system of right circular cylinders subjected to an attractive potential

We extend the scaled particle theory of a system of hard right circular cylinders by including a mean field attractive potential of the Maier and Saupe type. The order parameters, internal energy change, density change and the isothermal compressibility of the isotropic phase at the nematic-isotropic transition point are studied for various values of R the radius to height ratio of the cylinders. As in the case of the hard right circular cylinders, there is an approximate symmetry in the phase transition properties between the disc-like and rod-like regions when plotted as functions of the ratio of the larger to smaller dimension of the cylinders

Micropropagation of Dysophylla myosuroides (Roth.) Benth. In. Wall. through leaf culture

A method was developed through leaf as explant of Dysophylla myosuroides (Roth.) Benth. for multiple shoot regeneration. The effect of Auxins (IAA, NAA, IBA) and Cytokinins (BA) were studied on shoot regeneration in clulture. On MS half strength medium light green compact calli were formed with 0.1 mg l-1 NAA. The cultures produced 62.57 + 0.04 shoots on half strength medium with 0.5 mg l-1 BA and 0.01 mg l-1 NAA and also maximum mean length (0.52 + 0.02) of shoots were achieved. In vitro produced shoots rooted on half strength MS medium with 1 mg l-1 IBA. The in vitro regenerated plantlets were successfully acclimatized in paper cups containing vermiculate, then transferred to green house. Hardened plants were transplanted in to sand and soil (1 : 1)

EFFECT OF NaCl STRESS AMELIORATED WITH CaCl2 ON NUCLEOTIDES AND POLYPEPTIDES DURING GERMINATION IN GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGAEA L.)

The present research work was carried out to elucidate the adverse effect of NaCl salinity and its amelioration by CaCl2 during early seedlings growth of two groundnut cultivars (cv, TPT-2 and cv. TCGS-29) CaCl2 treated seedlings showed higher levels of DNA and RNA contents when compared to all other treatments during seedlings growth. However, the DNA content was more in the cv. TCGS-29 on all the days after sowing. NaCl treatment caused decrease in the levels of lipoxygenase (LOX) activity when compared to the seedlings treated with either CaCl2 or its combination with NaCl. LOX showed a single peak with an UV absorption maximum at 235 nm on HPLC. Three major polypeptides (66kD, 47kD and 18.4 kD) appeared predominantly in control and treated seedlings of cotyledons in both varieties but they were absent in the embryonic axis. Cv. TPT-2 is stress tolerant than cv. TCG-29.30 mM and 15mM Ca2+ treatment alleviated the stress effect in cv, TPT-2 and TCGS-29 respectively

Ethnobotanical study of Penchalakona forest area of Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh, India

An ethno botanical survey was undertaken to collect information from yanadi tribe of penchalakona forest area, Rapur mandal, Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The indigenous knowledge of traditional healers of this ethnic group has been disappearing due to lack of ancestors as well as followers. Only few people are practicing with little knowledge which was transmitted orally from their elders. The native plants used for medicinal purposes by few people were collected through questionnaire and personally interviewed during field trips. An aboriginal tribe called “Yanadi”, of this area has authentic information on medicinal values of different plant species. Yanadi tribal community being drifted from their natural way of life due to agro rural development activities, a few aged persons are still able to furnish very little traditional ethno botanical data and continue to depend on medicinal plants atleast for the treatment of primary healthcare. Because the area is located near the forest and 70 Kms from Nellore town.The study revealed that, the Yanadi tribe used 20 plants species belonging to 20 families to treat various diseases like worm infestations, scorpion stinge, headache, body pains, fevers, swelling of foots, skin diseases, heart diseases, stomach ulcers, diuretic, dysentery, snake bites, nerve disorders, rheumatic pains, antiseptic, helmentic disease, diabetes, cold and dental problems.These plants represents the major source for the pharmaceutical industries in view of their raw material. The information requires validation for further clinical usage

STUDIES OF BOSWELLIA OVALIFOLIOLATA BAL. AND HENRY-AN ENDEMIC AND ENDANGERED MEDICINAL PLANT

Boswellia ovalifoliolata Bal. & Henry is narrow endemic tree taxa on Tirumala hills of Eastern Ghats. The leaves, bark and gum which are highly medicated. The taxa are used by tribal and indigenous community to treat number of ailments. The studies revealed that the Boswellia ovalifoliolata synthesis a variety of secondary metabolites; and the gum and stem bark showed variation in the accumulation of individual amino acids, lipids, anthocyanins, phenols and flavonoids. Very little systematic and scientific investigations are available on the ethno-medico-botanical claims. Hence the present study was carried out on Boswellia ovalifoliolata as the basic source for the production of pharmaceutical drugs