A CRITICAL REVIEW ON POTENTIAL PHARMACOLOGICAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE R. Br.

This review aims to present the potential information related to pharmacological actions and chemical composition of Gymnema sylvestre R.Br. (Asclepiadaceae), which is used in many Asian countries as a traditional medicine especially for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Our main objective was to collect information about pharmacological actions and active constituents of this plant. Review of literature included PubMed, Science Direct searches with ‘Gymnema sylvestre’ and ‘gurmar’ as initial key words. The search was further refined by looking for terms such as ‘Constituents’ (or composition) and ‘Activity’ (or effect) within the results. The major bioactive constituents of G. sylvestre are a group of triterpenoid glycosides known as gymnemic acids with gymnemagenin as common aglycone. G. sylvestre has good prospects in the treatment of diabetes as it shows positive effects on blood sugar homeostasis, controls sugar cravings, and promotes regeneration of pancreas. The herbal extract is used in dietary supplements because it reduces body weight, blood cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. The G. sylvestre is a rich source of chemically novel compounds and needs elaborate screening strategies to dwell into the pharmacological effects of its phyto-constituents at the molecular level

Characterization of Chemical Compounds in Volatile Oil and Ethyl Acetate Extract of Lavandula angustifolia by GC-MS

Lavandula angustifolia is an important aromatic plant and rich source of linalool. L. angustifolia and its bioactive compounds have been reported to possess several bioactivities such as antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial and antidiabetic etc. The aim of the present study is to characterize chemical compounds present in volatile oil and ethyl acetate extract of L. angustifolia aerial parts by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The hydrodistillation of aerial parts of L. angustifolia yielded 1.56±0.27% v/w volatile oil. The GC-MS analysis of volatile oil of L. angustifolia yielded 74 chemical compounds, and lavandulyl isobutyrate (52.61%), and linalool (5.41%) were identified as major compounds. Ultrasonication was utilized for extraction of L. angustifolia using ethyl acetate as solvent and extraction yield was found to be 3.59±0.73% w/w. The GC-MS analysis of ethyl acetate extract of L. angustifolia yielded 40 chemical compounds and the major compounds were dotriacontane (8.33%), linalool (7.09%), eucalyptol (6.42%), linalyl acetate (4.69%), 1,4-cineole (4.62%), and trans-linalool oxide (4.51%). The present study explores the chemical composition of volatile oil and ethyl acetate extract of L. angustifolia

A Critical Review on Potential Pharmacological Activity and Pharmacokinetic Perspective of Swertiamarin

Swertiamarin is a secoiridoid glycoside found extensively in Enicostemma littorale and Swertia chirata belonging to the family of Gentianaceae, which has been reported to cure many diseases including diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, arthritis, malaria and abdominal ulcers. The present review aimed to compile up-to-date information on the progress made in the protective role of swertiamarin and its metabolites such as gentianine and erythrocentaurin in diabetes mellitus and related complications to provide a guide for future research on this bioactive molecule. Information on the swertiamarin was collected from major scientific databases (Pubmed, Springer, Google Scholar and Web of Science) for publication in1974-2020. In this review, the role of swertiamarin and its metabolites in the management of diabetes mellitus and related complications was discussed. Swertiamarin and its metabolites reported exhibiting a wide range of biological activities such as antidiabetic, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. These activities were mainly due to their effect on various signalling pathways associated with swertiamarin such as PPAR-gene upregulation, P-407-induction, inhibition of HMG-Co A reductase, LDL oxidation, lipid peroxidation markers and stimulation of antioxidant enzymes. Swertiamarin and its metabolites exhibit a wide range of biological activities. This review presents evidence supporting the point of view that swertiamarin should be considered a potential therapeutic agent for the management of diabetes mellitus and related complications, giving rise to novel applications in their prevention and treatment

GCMS Analysis and Hypolipidemic Activity of Dioscorea bulbifera (L) in High Fat Diet Induced Hypercholesterolemic Rats

Background and Objective: Hypercholesterolemia is the leading cause of the development of various diseases that made pharmaceutical companies turn towards herbal products with fewer side effects. Hyperlipidemic and reactive oxygen species in the body are important factors for the development of cardiovascular disease such as hypercholesterolemia. The present study investigated the phytochemical analysis using GCMS and hypolipidemic activity of ethanolic extract of D. bulbifera tubers. Materials and Methods: In the present study, the 70% ethanolic extract of D. bulbifera tubes are attempted to evaluate for the cardio-protective activity and hypolipidemic activity in High fat diet-induced hyperlipidaemia along with the phytochemical evaluation of the same extract by the GC-MS analysis. Results: The results showed that 50 mg kg–1 b.wt., ofD. bulbiferaextract treatment for seven days decreases the level of cholesterol and LDL significantly (p<0.05). Likewise, 30 days of treatment with 50 mg kg–1 b.wt., of D. bulbifera extract exhibits cardioprotective activity in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic rats by increasing HDL cholesterol (p<0.05) and decreasing the total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides (p<0.05). GC-MS analysis of methanolic fraction from 70% ethanolic extract ofD. bulbifera showed the presence of fatty acids in higher concentrations. Conclusion: The D. bulbifera exhibits hypolipidemic and cardio-protective activity in high-fat diet-induced diseased animals

Chemical Characterization and Detection of Adulteration in Essential Oil of Lavandula Angustifolia Linn. by ATR-FTIR

Lavandula angustifolia Linn. (Lavender) is an important source of high-quality fragrance and possesses several pharmacological activities such as antianxiety, antidepressant and hypnotic. Because of its high market price and medicinal values, adulteration is very common with L. angustifolia essential oil. The aim of present study is to characterize essential oil and detect adulteration in it by ATR-FTIR method. L. angustifolia essential oil was isolated by the hydrodistillation method and characterized by GC/MS and FTIR. The authentic isolated essential oil of L. angustifolia was further adulterated by sesame oil (0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 100% v/v) and analyzed by FTIR. The GC/MS analysis of essential oil of L. angustifolia yielded 74 compounds and linalyl acetate (39.28%), linalool (26.76%), and trans--caryophyllene (4.77%) were found as major chemical compounds. The ATR-FTIR results of isolated pure essential oil of L. angustifolia showed characteristic peaks of linalool and linalyl acetate, the major chemical components present in it. For detection of adulteration in L. angustifolia essential oil, different binary-mixtures of L. angustifolia essential oil with sesame oil (0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 100% v/v) were analyzed, and the results of FTIR analysis shows very strong peaks in the range of 2800 to 3000 cm-1 and at 1739.31 cm-1 in case of adulterated mixtures compared to the pure essential oil of L. angustifolia. The proposed method was found a simple, economic, quick, reliable, and reproducible for the detection of adulteration in L. angustifolia essential oil

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries