Traditional Ethnomedicinal Knowledge Confined to the Pawra Tribe of Satpura Hills, Maharashtra, India

Ethnobotanical surveys can potentially bring out many different clues for the development of safe, effective and inexpensive indigenous remedies. Present study has been focussed on Pawra tribe of Nandurbar district of Maharashtra, India. Field surveys of this area were carried out during 2000–2005 through several field visits and interviews. The aim of the present study was primarily to evaluate and inverntorize medicinal uses of the plants known to Pawras and to encourage preservation of their culture, conservation and sustainable utilization of the plant wealth. After an extensive comparison with literature, about 80 unique or less known uses of 79 plant species belonging to 59 families are described. The documented ethnomedicinal usage of plants mostly pertains to cure asthma, inflammation, lactation, menstrual problems, poisonous bites, skin problems, stomach ache and tooth ache. We found that the study area is rich in ethnic and biodiversity and the tribe posses a valuable treasure of ethnobotanical knowledge. This wisdom available with the tribe is transmitted only through oral communication in locally-spoken, script-less language and therefore needs conservation. The plants used by the Pawra tribe are arranged alphabetically followed by family name, herbarium number, local name, parts used, mode of preparation and medicinal uses

Rectal gel application of Withania somnifera root extract expounds anti-inflammatory and muco-restorative activity in TNBS-induced Inflammatory Bowel Disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is marked with chronic inflammation of intestinal epithelium driven by oxidative stress. Traditional treatments with plant extracts gained renewed interest due to their ability to ameliorate the multi factorial conditions like inflammation. We investigated the beneficial effects of <it>Withania somnifera </it>in Trinitro Benzyl Sulfonic Acid (TNBS) induced experimental IBD through a rectally applicable formulation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study included (i) preparation of gel formulation from aqueous <it>Withania somnifera </it>root extract (WSRE), (ii) biochemical assays to determine its performance potential, (iii) testing of formulation efficacy in TNBS-induced IBD rat model, and (iv) histo-patholgical studies to assess its healing and muco-regenerative effect in IBD-induced rats. For this purpose, concentration dependant antioxidant activity of the extracts were evaluated using biochemical assays like (a) inhibition of lipid peroxidation, (b) NO scavenging, (c) H₂O₂scavenging, and (d) ferric reducing power assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The extract, at 500 μg/ml, the highest concentration tested, showed 95.6% inhibition of lipid peroxidation, 14.8% NO scavenging, 81.79% H₂O₂scavenging and a reducing capacity of 0.80. The results were comparable with standard antioxidants, ascorbic acid and curcumin. WSRE treatment positively scored on histopathological parameters like necrosis, edema, neutrophil infiltration. The post treatment intestinal features showed restoration at par with the healthy intestine. In view of these results, gel formulation containing an aqueous extract of <it>W. somnifera</it>, prepared for rectal application was tested for its anti-inflammatory activity in TNBS-induced rat models for IBD. Commercially available anti-inflammatory drug Mesalamine was used as the standard in this assay.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Dose of the rectal gel applied at 1000 mg of WSRE per kg rat weight showed significant muco-restorative efficacy in the IBD-induced rats, validated by histo-pathological studies.</p

Isolation and characterization of genes encoding lipid transfer proteins in Linum usitatissimum

Very little is known about lipid transfer proteins from flax (Linum usitatissimum L.). In the present work, three genes encoding a lipid transfer protein (LTP) were isolated from flax, two of which encoded Type-1 and one Type-2 LTPs with molecular masses of about 9 and 7 kDa, respectively. The analysis of deduced amino acid sequence reveals that only Type 2 of the L. usitatissimum leaf specific LTP (LuLTP_Ls) had an N terminal signal peptide consisting of 23 amino acids. The phylogenetic analyses of LuLTP_Ls suggest their closest relatedness with respective proteins from Dimocarpus longan and Vitis vinifera. The gene expression analysis shows that LTP Type 1 genes, which include LuLTP_Ls1 and LuLTP_Ls3, were progressively expressed during leaf development, whereas LuLTP_Ls4 (Type 2) was expressed only at initial and terminal senescence stages of cotyledons. The results suggest that both types of LuLTP_Ls were differentially yet significantly expressed in cotyledons implicating their function in transport and scavenging lipidic skeletons for the benefit of other developing parts of the plant.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

High Energy Intake Induced Overexpression of Transcription Factors and Its Regulatory Genes Involved in Acceleration of Hepatic Lipogenesis: A Rat Model for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by impaired insulin action and its secretion. The objectives of the present study were to establish an economical and efficient animal model, mimicking pathophysiology of human T2DM to understand probable molecular mechanisms in context with lipid metabolism. In the present study, male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. Animals were fed with high fat diet (HFD) except healthy control (HC) for 12 weeks. After eight weeks, intra peritoneal glucose tolerance test was performed. After confirmation of glucose intolerance, diabetic control (DC) group was injected with streptozotocin (STZ) (35 mg/kg b.w., i.p.). HFD fed rats showed increase (p &le; 0.001) in glucose tolerance and HOMA-IR as compared to HC. Diabetes rats showed abnormal (p &le; 0.001) lipid profile as compared to HC. The hepatocyte expression of transcription factors SREBP-1c and NF&kappa;&beta;, and their target genes were found to be upregulated, while PPAR-&gamma;, CPT1A and FABP expressions were downregulated as compared to the HC. A number of animal models have been raised for studying T2DM, but the study has been restricted to only the biochemical level. The model is validated at biochemical, molecular and histopathological levels, which can be used for screening new therapeutics for the effective management of T2DM

<span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt" lang="EN-US">Comparative immunomodulation potential of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Tinospora cordifolia </i>(Willd.) Miers ex Hook. F., <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Tinospora sinensis </i>(Lour.) Merrill and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Tinospora cordifolia </i>growing on<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> Azadirachta indica </i>A. Juss.<span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt" lang="EN-US"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt" lang="EN-US"></span></i> </span></span>

808-813Guduchi has been widely used in the traditional medicine as an immunomodulator. Description of guduchi in Ayurvedic literature resemble<span style="font-size:8.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:" times="" new="" roman""="" lang="EN-GB"> with T. sinensis rather than with commonly available T. cordifolia and hence this may be used as substitutes for T. sinensis. T. cordifolia growing on Azadirachta indica commonly called Neem-guduchi has more immunomodulatory potential. Thus, immunomodulatory activity of three Tinospora spp. was assessed by checking humoral and cell mediated immune responses to the antigenic challenges with sheep RBCs and by neutrophil adhesion tests on albino Wistar rats using Guduchi-Satwa, a well known dosage form. Results revealed that Neem-guduchi possesses higher immunomodulatory potential at the dose of 300 mg/kg, po and validated the traditional claim. Hence, Neem-Guduchi can be employed in immunomodulatory formulation prepared using guduchi. </span

Antimicrobial activity of some crude herbal drugs<i style=""> </i>used for skin diseases by <i>Pawra</i> tribes of Nandurbar district

216-220Identification of traditional remedies for the skin is an important activity for the preservation of traditional knowledge and for the search of novel antimicrobial treatments against skin and soft tissue infections. A study was undertaken to document and authenticate treasured knowledge of Pawra tribe of Nandurbar district in terms of botanicals used for the topical applications on skin ailments. Antimicrobial activity of five herbal crude drugs, viz. stem of Cryptolepis buchanani Roem. & Schult., roots of Curculigo orchioides Gaertn., stem bark of Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb., leaves of Kleinia balsamica (Dalz. & Gibs.) P. Halliday and stem bark of Ougenia oojeinensis (Roxb.) Hochr. was tested against different Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and a yeast, using agar diffusion method. Extracts at higher concentration (60 and 80 mg/l) exhibited considerable antimicrobial activity but less or no inhibition was observed in case of lower concentration (20 and 40 mg/l)

Demonstration of the potential of <i style="">Hibiscus cannabinus </i>Linn. flowers to manage oxidative stress, bone related disorders and free-radical induced DNA damage

322-327Hibiscus cannabinus Linn. flowers (HCF) were investigated for free-radical scavenging properties in vitro, capacity to protect DNA from oxidative damage and inhibiting gelatinolytic activity of collagenase type I and II. For this purpose, flowers extracted with methanol and water and subjected to DPPH free radical scavenging assay, calculation of IC 50 values, using vitamin C as a standard, reducing power assay, DNA damage protection assay and inhibition of gelatinolytic activity of collagenase type I and II. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity ranged from 440 to 700g/ml for different extracts vis-à-vis 39 g/ml for standard vitamin C. A similar trend was visible in reducing power activity. Both activities reflected a strong anti-oxidant potential of HCF and in turn against stress. Further, both extracts at 100 g/ml (i) were efficient in protecting DNA against oxidative damage and (ii) exhibited inhibition of gelatinolytic activity of collagenase type I up to 87% and type II up to 65%. Cumulatively, the present data on H. cannabinus flower extracts indicated for the first time that they can be used as a (i) potent functional food to control oxidative stress, (ii) free radical-induced DNA damage and (iii) bone related disorders like osteoarthritis