Medicinal plants of the family Caryophyllaceae: a review of ethno-medicinal uses and pharmacological properties

AbstractSeveral species of the family Caryophyllaceae are widely used by many ethnic communities as traditional medicine throughout the world. The highest number of plants of the family are used in Chinese traditional medicine. The ethnopharmacologial studies of this family indicate that plants of the family possess anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Other miscellaneous properties reported are ribosome inactivation properties, inhibition of prostatic enlargement in rats, and inhibition of intestinal enzyme carboxyelasterase in rats, cerebro-protective activity, and antiobesity in rats. Few reviews have been published yet, providing information regarding medicinal plants of the family and their biomedical properties. All published reviews have focused either on a particular taxa or a few species. The present review is focused on the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the family Caryophyllaceae along with phytochemical and pharmacological studies of the family. A study of the literature revealed significant traditional medicinal importance of the family. Major chemical constituents of Caryophyllceae are saponins, Phytoecdysteroids, benzenoids, phenyl propanoids, and nitrogen containing compounds. The most important property of plants of the family is anticancer activity and is shown by the large number of plant species studied. This review of traditional medicinal and pharmacological uses of plants of the family, provide a ground for future research in the family

New additions to the flora of Uttarakhand, India

Botanical explorations in different parts of Uttarakhand resulted in collection of seven angiosperm species which were not known previously from the state. These are described here with images of live plants and herbarium specimens

Drymaria villosa (Caryophyllaceae) new record for the flora of the Western Himalaya

The herb Drymaria villosa is reported first time from the Western Himalaya. This species is morphologically similar to Drymaria cordata ssp. diandra but can be distinguished by its delicate individuals, villous vestiture, orbicular to reniform leaves, auriculate oblong bifid petals, and numerous reniform seeds. The present collection of the species represents westernmost distributional limit in the Asian continent. Morphological characteristics of the species were examined, which are illustrated here. Key to differentiate it from closely allied species is also provided

New floral distribution records of <i>Aquilegia nivalis</i> (Baker) Falc. ex B.D. Jacks and <i>Doronicum falconer</i> C.B. Clarke ex Hook. f. from the Valley of Flowers National Park, Uttarakhand, India

During our study of the high altitude threatened alpine plant species Aquilegia nivalis Falc. ex Baker and Doronicum falconeri Cl. ex Hk. f. of the north-west Himalaya, some specimens were obtained from Garhwal and Pantnagar University, Uttarakhand State. On comparison with authentic specimens at CAL, DD and BSD herbaria and literature survey revealed that the aforesaid plant species have never been recorded earlier from the Valley of Flowers National Park. In this communication, a detailed taxonomic description, with an up to date nomenclature, distribution and specimens examined is presented

Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 in India: Duration of virus shedding in patients under antiviral treatment

Background: National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi, is a national nodal centre for surveillance of pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) in India. The present study was undertaken to see the period of infectivity in positive cases undergoing antiviral therapy. Objective: To assess the duration of virus shedding by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) in some of the positive patients taking Oseltamivir treatment. Materials and Methods: Clinical samples (throat swabs, nasal swabs and nasopharyngeal swabs) collected by the clinicians from patients quarantined in government hospitals in different parts of India are being sent to the designated reference laboratory at Delhi for screening presence of pandemic Influenza virus. The samples are tested by Real-Time PCR using CDC recommended reagents and protocol for confirmation of the H1N1 novel influenza virus. In 150 of the positive cases, we requested the clinicians to send samples for 5 consecutive days after administration of antiviral therapy, to see the trend of therapy response on viral shedding. Samples for more than 5 days were received from patients till they showed no amplification for any of the three target genes (Influenza A, Swine Influenza A or Swine H1). Results and Conclusion: In 99.33% (149/150) cases, the influenza infection resolved within 10 days. Sixty-four percent (96/150) of the positive patients turned negative within 5 days of the start of antiviral treatment. Only one patient belonging to high risk group showed prolonged virus shedding (19 days)

The determination of accessible Pt metal fraction in Pt±Sn/Al2O3 reforming catalyst

An attempt has been made to provide a simple method for the determination of accessible Pt metal fraction in Pt±Sn/Al2O3 catalyst. The complications in Pt±Sn/Al2O3 system arise mainly due to uncertainties involved in the oxidation states of tin: Sn0, Sn2 and Sn4 in the reduced catalyst. H2, O2 chemisorption/titrations originally applied to Pt/Al2O3 were extended to the Pt±Sn/Al2O3 system. Two oxygen titration cycles OT1 and OT2 at room temperature were carried out using a dynamic pulse ¯ow technique. Only part of the total Sn in the catalyst is reduced to Sn0 (15%), which contributes to oxygen uptake. While OT1 is a linear function of the Sn content in the catalyst, the second oxygen titration OT2 gives the accessible Pt metal fraction only. It has been concluded that oxygen chemisorption/titrations at temperatures higher than ambient under dynamic conditions are not reliable for the determination of metal dispersions. # 1998 Elsevier Science B.V