QUALITY ASSESSMENT FOR THE PRESENCE OF HEAVY METALS IN HERBAL MATERIALS FROM THE MARKETS OF CHENNAI, INDIA

Objective: To assess the quality of herbal materials for the presence of heavy metals. Methods: Herbal materials of around 49 samples from Chennai markets were procured and analysed for the presence of metals like Copper (Cu), Calcium (Ca), Cobalt (Co), Sodium (Na), Nickel (Ni), Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr) and Lead (Pb) using AAS, Shimadzu, AA 7000, Japan. Results: The raw materials of the commercial herbal products were found to contain Manganese, Calcium and Magnesium at greater concentrations, when compared with the other elements analyzed. Conclusion: The presence of the metals analyzed were found to be within permissible limits in accordance to the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) and WHO standards. Although the study implies consumption of herbal materials are safe, periodical monitoring of the quality of the herbal materials is recommended

STUDIES ON ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF SIX CULTIVARS OF PIPER BETLE LINN

Objective: To study the existence of difference or similarity on total phenolic content, flavonoid content and antioxidant properties among different cultivars of Piper betle L. Methods: The methanolic extracts of six different cultivars, i. e. Banarasi, Bangla, Calcutta, Kammar, Kumbakonam and Vellai were evaluated for total phenolic content (Folin-Ciocalteu method), total flavonoid content (Aluminium chloride method), total antioxidants (Phospho-molybdenum method) and other antioxidant properties (TBA assay, Ferric thiocyanate assay, FRAP assay and ABTS assay). Results: Total phenolic content of the cultivars ranges from 12.5 to 13.9 mg TAE/g DW. Higher flavonoid content was observed in Kumbakonam (24.14 µg QE/g DW) while Bangla possessed the lowest (8.25 µg QE/g DW). The total antioxidants of Vellai accounted to 58.82 mg TAE/g DW while the lowest was recorded in Kumbakonam (39.34 mg TAE/g DW). Maximum % inhibition was observed in the cultivar Vellai for Ferric thiocyanate (FTC), Kumbakonam for Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and Banarasi for Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP). However, no significant difference was exhibited among the cultivars for ABTS assay. Conclusion: The study amply demonstrates the existence of difference in total phenolic content, total flavonoids and antioxidant property. Thus, proper selection of cultivar of Piper betle for specific use in the pharmaceutical industry is recommended

ANTIOXIDANT, FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY AND GC-MS STUDIES ON PEDILANTHUS TITHYMALOIDES (L.) POIT

Objective: To evaluate the methanolic extract of the leaves of Pedilanthus tithymaloides for total phenol, total flavonoid, total antioxidant and free radical scavenging ability and detect the phytoconstituents using GC-MS. Methods: The total phenols were quantified using Folin-Ciocalteu method. Aluminium chloride method and Phosphomolybdenum method were used to quantify total flavonoid and total antioxidant contentrespectively. In addition to the above, Ferric thiocyanate assay, the thiobarbituric acid assay,Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power assay and ABTS assay were performed to know the antioxidant potency of the methanolic extract of leaves of Pedilanthus tithymaloides. The phytoconstituents was detected using GC-MS. Results: The leaves of Pedilanthus tithymaloides recorded a phenolic content of 10.98±0.08 mg TAE/g DW, flavonoid content of 11.49±0.15 µg QE/g DW and total antioxidant content of 6.64±0.05 mg TAE/g DW. The study also revealed significant free radical scavenging ability of the plant leaves as assessed by FTC, TBA, FRAP and ABTS assays. The structural elucidation by GC-MS analysis revealed five different compounds, includingthree esters, an amine and an alkaloid. Conclusion: The study proves the anticipative potential ability of Pedilanthus tithymaloides, suggesting its exploitation in pharmaceutical applications

Biochemical characterization of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp cubense isolates from India

The Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxyspoum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is a major biotic constraint for banana production. The characteristics of F. oxyspoum f. sp. cubense isolates were investigated using electrophoretic studies of isozyme and whole-cell protein. The morphological characteristics of the isolates were very similar to each other. All the Foc isolates were pathogenic to banana cultivar 'Nanjangud Rasabale' but they did not induce any disease symptoms on cultivar 'Cavendish'. F. oxyspoum (Isolate 6) did not induce wilt symptoms on either 'Nanjangud' or 'Cavendish' cultivar. Isozyme banding patterns showed 46 scoreable markers and cluster analysis with UPGMA using genetic distance showed that the isolates belonged to three main groups. Group 1 contained isolates 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and isolate 3 and 6 were placed in group 2 and 3. Results indicated that the estimated intra-specific variation may be more pronounced with isozyme analysis than with protein markers. The level of isozyme variability detected within F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense suggested that it is reliable, efficient and effective in determining genetic relationships among Foc isolates