The International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce (INPST) and the power of Twitter networking exemplified through #INPST hashtag analysis

Background: The development of digital technologies and the evolution of open innovation approaches have enabled the creation of diverse virtual organizations and enterprises coordinating their activities primarily online. The open innovation platform titled "International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce" (INPST) was established in 2018, to bring together in collaborative environment individuals and organizations interested in natural product scientific research, and to empower their interactions by using digital communication tools. Methods: In this work, we present a general overview of INPST activities and showcase the specific use of Twitter as a powerful networking tool that was used to host a one-week "2021 INPST Twitter Networking Event" (spanning from 31st May 2021 to 6th June 2021) based on the application of the Twitter hashtag #INPST. Results and Conclusion: The use of this hashtag during the networking event period was analyzed with Symplur Signals (https://www.symplur.com/), revealing a total of 6,036 tweets, shared by 686 users, which generated a total of 65,004,773 impressions (views of the respective tweets). This networking event's achieved high visibility and participation rate showcases a convincing example of how this social media platform can be used as a highly effective tool to host virtual Twitter-based international biomedical research events

Preliminary pharmacognostic and phytochemical analysis of “<i style="">Granthika</i>” (<i style="">Leonotis nepetaefolia</i>): An Ayurvedic herb

682-688Botanical identification data and phytochemical characterization of a medicinal plant provides authentic means to be used these as crude herbs or extracts, pure natural compounds and foods having health benefits. The present study is based on preliminary pharmacognostic and phytochemical investigation on root and leaves of Leonotis nepetaefolia (L.) R. Br. (Lamiaceae- Mint family). The plant is also known as Granthiparni or Granthika in Ayurveda. Leaves are used in tropical countries and roots are used in Ayurveda for its saluting physiological properties. Pharmcognostic studies reveals presence of multicellular trichomes with lignified fibres in leaves and xylem fibres in root powder. Phytochemical studies suggest presence of alkaloid in leaves and terpenoid along with other phytoconstituents in leaves and roots. HPTLC fingerprint of plant extract is useful in characterization of plant extract for standardization

Rapid validated high performance thin layer chromatography method for simultaneous estimation of mangiferin and scopoletin in Canscora decussata (South Indian Shankhpushpi) extract

AbstractMangiferin (polyphenolic xanthone) and scopoletin (phenolic coumarin) are well-studied biological markers present in Canscora decussata(Roxb.) Roem. & Schult., Gentianaceae. The objective set for the present studies is to establish and develop a new, simple, selective, sensitive, and precise high performance thin layer chromatography method for the simultaneous estimation of mangiferin and scopoletin in hydroalcoholic extract of C. decussata. The thin layer chromatographic separation of these biomarkers was carried out on aluminum plate pre-coated with silica gel 60F254, eluted with ethyl acetate:acetic acid:formic acid:water (10:0.5:0.5:1.5). The plate was then dried and densitometric scanning was performed at 254 nm using a Camag TLC scanner III. The system was found to give compact spots for mangiferin (RF 0.22) and scopoletin (RF 0.78). A good relationship of linear precision between the concentrations (100&#8211;600 ng/spot) and peak areas was obtained with correlation coefficient (r) of 0.9979 (mangiferin) and 0.9962 (scopoletin), respectively. The limits of detection and limit of quantification were determined to be 46 and 94 ng/spot for mangiferin and 31 and 78 ng/spot for scopoletin respectively. The percentage of recovery was found from 99.91 to 99.94% for mangiferin and 99.75 to 99.86% for scopoletin. Results obtained from recovery studies showed excellent reliability and reproducibility of the method. Present communication on validated high performance thin layer chromatography method may provide a new, selective, sensitive, and precise method to estimate mangiferin and scopoletin as phytomarkers in the hydroalcoholic extract of C. decussata used in Ayurvedic formulations

Isolation and characterization of total volatile components from leaves of citrus limon linn.

The isolation of the essential oil of whole fresh leaves of Citrus lemon by steam distillation is described. The chemical composition of the oil was investigated by means of Gas-Liquid Chromatography (GLC), Column Chromatography (CC) and coupled Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The 27 most important volatile components were identified. The volatile components were identified by comparing their retention times of GC chromatograph with those of literature. Further identification was done by GC- MS. The components of the oil, percentage of each constituent, their RI values and their Eight Peak Index were also summarized and reviewed with standard available literature

Antioxidant markers based TLC-DPPH differentiation on four commercialized botanical sources of Shankhpushpi (A Medhya Rasayana): A preliminary assessment

Shankhpushpi is a cognition boosting traditional ayurvedic brain supplement. Convolvulus pluricaulis (Convolvulaceae), Evolvulus alsinoides (Convolvulaceae), Clitoria ternatea (Papilionaceae), and Canscora decussata (Gentianaceae) are botanical claimants of Shankhpushpi. This investigation is to focus the identification of the compound based on biological marker differentiation of four botanical claimants of Shankhpushpi for their antioxidant evaluation on thin layer chromatography (TLC) by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. A rapid TLC-DPPH method was developed to identify and differentiate four botanical claimants of Shankhpushpi in terms of presence of β-carotene, rutin, scopoletin, chlorogenic acid, and mangiferin. C. pluricaulis shows presence of scopoletin; E. alsinoides shows presence of β-carotene, scopoletin, and chlorogenic acid; C. ternatea shows presence of β-carotene, scopoletin, and rutin; and C. decussata shows presence of β-carotene, scopoletin, and mangiferin. The order, they followed, based on their antioxidant potential is β-carotene < mangiferin < rutin < scopoletin < chlorogenic acid. Antioxidants are attributed for their beneficial role in age-related cognition decline. The proposed method provides an edge in terms of identification and quantification of antioxidant constituents in a multi-component system. This method may also provide application for identification of correct plant sources used in the name of Shankhpushpi in marketed ayurvedic formulation, food supplement, and extracts

Antiurolithiatic activity of <i>Ensete superbum</i> (Roxb.) Cheesman (wild banana) pseudostem on ethylene glycol induced urolithiasis in rats

303-309In this study, chloroform extract derived from pseudostem of Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman (Family: Musaceae) powder was investigated for treatment of calcium oxalate urolithiasis. An in vitro antiurolithiatic study was carried out by conductometric titrations of CaCl2 with Na2C2O4 in the absence and presence of chloroform extract of Ensete superbum (ES). Whereas, in an in vivo studies, urolithiasis was developed in animals by adding 0.75 % of ethylene glycol in drinking water for 28 days. The extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) was administered orally along with ethylene glycol for 28 days. On 28 day, 24 hrs urine was collected from individual animals and various biochemical parameters were measured in urine (calcium, phosphate and oxalate), serum (creatinine, urea and uric acid) and kidney homogenate (renal oxalate). The paraffin kidney sections were prepared and subjected to histopathological analysis to observe the calcium oxalate deposits. The result of conductometric titration show shift in end point towards lower side due to reduction in free Ca2+ content as evidence of complexation with the extract. Treatment of ethylene glycol (Group II – negative control) cause significant (P Ensete superbum pseudostem is mediated possibly through the inhibition of calcium oxalate crystal formation and its effect on the urinary concentration of stone-forming constituents. The activity may be attributed due to the presence of β-carboline alkaloids

Analysis of scopoletin and mangiferin in botanicals and formulations of Shankhpushpi by HPLC

Introduction: Shankhpushpi has been widely used in traditional Indian systems of medicine as a brain and memory boosting tonic. There are a variety of botanicals reported to be used as sources of Shankhpushpi in various parts of India. For instance, Canscora decussata Schult, Clitorea ternatea Linn., Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy. and Evolvulus alsinoides Linn. are most commonly used as sources of Shankhpushpi by practitioners of Ayurveda in different parts of the country

Pharmacognostic and phytochemical investigation of Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman pseudostem

The present study investigates preliminary pharmacognostic, phytochemical and antioxidant property of Ensete Superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman pseudostem. Macroscopical and microscopical features of the pseudostem have been documented. Presence of phytochemicals such as steroids, terpenoids, alkaloids, flavanoids, tannins and sugar were tested by chemical tests and TLC method. Total phenolic and total flavonoid content were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and complementary colorimetric methods (aluminum chloride method and 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method, respectively). Antioxidant was evaluated by using DPPH free radical scavenging activity, H2O2 and reducing power by FeCl3. Pharmacognostic studies revealed presence of epidermis, hypodermis, vascular bundles, phloem fibres, sclereids ground tissue and stomata. Methanol extract of pseudostem showed highest concentration of phenolics and flavonoids and it also showed significant anti-oxidant activity (P&lt; 0.05) when compared with standard. TLC fingerprint of plant extract is useful in characterisation of plant extract for standardization

<span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Mangal;background:white;mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HI;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold" lang="EN-US">Pharmacognostic and phytochemical investigation of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Mangal; background:white;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold" lang="EN-US">Ensete superbum</span></i><span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Mangal;background:white;mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HI;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold" lang="EN-US"> (Roxb.) Cheesman pseudostem</span></span>

51-58The present study investigates preliminary pharmacognostic, phytochemical and antioxidant property of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Ensete Superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman pseudostem. Macroscopical and microscopical features of the pseudostem have been documented. Presence of phytochemicals such as steroids, terpenoids, alkaloids, flavanoids, tannins and sugar were tested by chemical tests and TLC method. Total phenolic and total flavonoid content were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and complementary colorimetric methods (aluminum chloride method and 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method, respectively).<span style="background:white; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Antioxidant was evaluated by using DPPH free radical scavenging activity, H2O2 and reducing power by FeCl3. Pharmacognostic studies revealed presence of epidermis, hypodermis, vascular bundles, phloem fibres, sclereids ground tissue and stomata.<span style="background:white; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> Methanol extract of pseudostem showed highest concentration of phenolics and flavonoids and it also showed significant anti-oxidant activity (P< 0.05) when compared with standard. <span style="background:white; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">TLC fingerprint of plant extract is useful in characterisation of plant extract for standardization.</span

Neuropharmacological evaluation on four traditional herbs used as nervine tonic and commonly available as Shankhpushpi in India

Background: Shankhpushpi is an Ayurvedic drug, widely used for its actions on the central nervous system, especially to improve intellect and boost memory. Four botanicals viz. Canscora decussata Schult. (CD), Clitorea ternatea Linn. (CT), Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy. (CP) and Evolvulus alsinoides Linn. (EA) are considered as sources of Shankhpushpi by Indian practitioners on the basis of their morphological descriptions given in ancient texts. Objective: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the neuropharmacological effect of four herbs commonly identified as source of Shankhpushpi. Materials and methods: Methanol extracts of all four varieties were tested and evaluated in vitro and in vivo for their neuropharmacological effects. Experiments such as protection against β-amyloid induced neurotoxicity on brain cell line (Neuro 2A), antioxidant potential, AchE (acetylcholinesterase enzyme) inhibition, and 5-LOX (lipoxygenase) enzyme inhibition were conducted for in vitro evaluation. For in vivo evaluation, scopolamine (0.3 mg/kg i.p.) induced memory retrieval using pole climbing apparatus and Morris water maze were performed in rat models. Results: It was found that protective effects of EA and CD against β-amyloid induced neurotoxicity in Neuro 2A cells were significantly higher than CT and CP. EA proved to be superior than other varieties on the basis of antioxidant activity, AchE inhibitory and LOX inhibitory activities. The preventive activity of EA on scopolamine induced memory retrieval in pole climbing and Morris water maze task in rats was found to be higher than that of CD, CT and CP. Conclusion: EA has remarkable neuropharmacological effect as compared to other three varieties of Shankhpushpi. This effect may be attributed due to the presence of steroids (stigmasterol and betulinic acid), coumarins (scopoletin) and flavonoids (β-carotene and chlorogenic acid). Hence it can be used as a promising lead in development and management of neuronal disorders including Alzheimer's disease. Keywords: Neuroprotection, Lipoxygenase, Enzyme inhibition, Memory, Shankhpushp