Plant Extract

Single pugging events, which involve remoulding of the soil around the hooves of livestock during treading, of moderate or severe pugging intensity were imposed in plots in a long-term white clover-ryegrass pasture during spring, by using dairy cows at varying stocking rates (4AE5 cows 100 m )2 for 1AE5 or 2AE5 h respectively). Changes in the growth and morphology of white clover were investigated over the following 12 months. Defoliation at approximately 3-week intervals was carried out by mowing. Annual herbage production was reduced following moderate and severe pugging proportionately by 0AE16 and 0AE34 compared with the non-pugged control treatment. The corresponding decreases in white clover production were 0AE09 and 0AE52 respectively. Annual perennial ryegrass production was reduced by 0AE37 under severe pugging. Pugging had an immediate adverse effect on growth of white clover which persisted for up to 156 d, and coincided with a large decrease in the proportion of white clover in herbage over the same period (e.g. 0AE40 vs. 0AE12, in control and severely pugged treatments, respectively, on day 112). In comparison, recovery in ryegrass growth was apparent after 50 d in severely pugged treatments, indicating that white clover is more vulnerable to severe pugging than perennial ryegrass. Analysis of individual white clover plants extracted from turves (300 mm · 300 mm) showed that direct hoof damage, fragmentation and burial of stolons were the major factors which reduced white clover production, rather than the changes in soil physical properties measured. Morphological characteristics associated with plant size (e.g. stolon length, growing points, and leaf numbers) all decreased under pugging. The situation had reversed by late summer, with larger plants dominating pugged plots, and coincided with the recovery of the proportion of white clover in herbage. Strategic pasture management practices, such as restricted grazing and the use of stand-off pads when soils are overly wet, are suggested as means of minimizing treading damage to pasture and reducing negative impacts on the growth and productivity of white clover.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Nervilia plicata (Orchidaceae) has long been used in the antidiabetic medicinal preparations of traditional healers of Wayanad (Kerala), but recuperative potential of the plant was remained undefined. We demonstrated the regenerative potential of the plant extract on kidney affected by type 2 diabetes besides lowering blood glucose. Aim of the study: The aim of the current study was to investigate the recuperative and regenerative potential of alcoholic stem extract of Nervilia plicata on streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type 2 diabetic models. Materials and methods: Non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) was induced in overnight fasted rats by intramuscular injection (IMI) of 60 mg/kg STZ and 120 mg/kg of nicotinamide after 5 min interval. Blood glucose was assessed by a glucometer, serum urea and creatinine levels were determined by diacetylmonooxime method and Jaffe reaction respectively. Kidney sections were taken and stained with Masson's tri-dye and Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) and examined for structural changes. Also lipid peroxidation product (LPP) levels were determined as thio barbituric acid reactive substance levels (TBARS) method. Results: On administration of 5 mg/kg of plant extract, blood glucose levels of the NIDDM rats showed 62.00 and 76.29% decrease in the blood glucose levels on day 0 and day 30 respectively. Damages caused to the kidney tissue were negligible or not seen. Serum urea and creatinine levels showed 61.49 and 70.96% decrease on day 30. LPP levels of kidney and pancreas showed 70.58 and 77.41% decrease respectively. Conclusion: These results demonstrate significant antidiabetic and regenerative potential of the Nervilia plicata, justifying the use of plant in the indigenous system of medicine. Isolation and characterisation of the compound(s) playing pivotal role in the cure would open new vistas in the therapy of type 2 diabetes.

Celastrol, a natural substance isolated from plant extracts used in traditional Chinese medicine, has been extensively investigated as a possible drug for treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and protein misfolding disorders. Although studies focusing on celastrol's effects in specific cellular pathways have revealed a considerable number of targets in a diverse array of in vitro models there is an essential need for investigations that can provide a global view of its effects. To assess cellular effects of celastrol and to identify target proteins as biomarkers for monitoring treatment regimes, we performed large-scale quantitative proteomics in cultured human lymphoblastoid cells, a cell type that can be readily prepared from human blood samples. Celastrol substantially modified the proteome composition and 158 of the close to 1800 proteins with robust quantitation showed at least a 1.5 fold change in protein levels. Up-regulated proteins play key roles in cytoprotection with a prominent group involved in quality control and processing of proteins traversing the endoplasmic reticulum. Increased levels of proteins essential for the cellular protection against oxidative stress including heme oxygenase 1, several peroxiredoxins and thioredoxins as well as proteins involved in the control of iron homeostasis were also observed. Specific analysis of the mitochondrial proteome strongly indicated that the mitochondrial association of certain antioxidant defense and apoptosis-regulating proteins increased in cells exposed to celastrol. Analysis of selected mRNA transcripts showed that celastrol activated several different stress response pathways and dose response studies furthermore showed that continuous exposure to sub-micromolar concentrations of celastrol is associated with reduced cellular viability and proliferation. The extensive catalog of regulated proteins presented here identifies numerous cellular effects of celastrol and constitutes a valuable biomarker tool for the development and monitoration of disease treatment strategies.

Ethanolic extracts of five traditional Australian medicinal plants, previously shown to display antibacterial activity against laboratory strains of the Gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis, were investigated for their abilities to inhibit clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Using plate-hole diffusion assays, the following results were obtained: (a) extract from the leaves of Eremophila alternifolia (Myoporaceae) showed activity against MRSA; (b) extract from the leaves of Acacia kempeana (Mimosaceae) showed incomplete inhibition of VRE; (c) extracts from the leaves of Amyema quandong (Loranthaceae) and Eremophila duttonii (Myoporaceae) were active against both types of bacteria; (d) extract from the stem base of Lepidosperma viscidum (Cyperaceae) was active against MRSA and exhibited incomplete inhibition of VRE. All active extracts were evaluated using time-kill assays. Most of the extracts showed bactericidal effects and reduced the number of viable cells by 4 -6 logs within four hours, while the extracts from Acacia kempeana leaves and Lepidosperma viscidum stem base exhibited bacteriostatic activity against VRE. The extract from the leaves of Eremophila duttonii was the most active and reduced the number of viable cells of MRSA and VRE to undetectable levels within 1 hour.

This study investigates the larvicidal potential of indigenous plant extracts from commonly used medicinal herbs as an environmentally safe measure to control the filarial vector, Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae). The early fourth-instar larvae of C. quinquefasciatus, reared in the laboratory, were used for larvicidal assay with water, hot water, acetone, chloroform, and methanol leaf, stem-bark, and flower extracts of Acacia arabica Willd. Sans, Cedrus deodara Roxb, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L., Mangifera indica L., Nerium indicum Mill., Nicotiana tabacum Linn., Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre, and Solanum nigrum Linn. All plant extracts showed moderate larvicidal effects after 24 h of exposure at 1,000 ppm; however, the highest larval mortality was found in stem-bark hot water, acetone, and methanol extracts of C. deodara (LC50 = 133.85, 141.60, and 95.19 ppm, LC90 = 583.14, 624.19, and 639.99 ppm) and leaf hot water, acetone, methanol, and chloroform extracts of N. tabacum (LC50 = 76.27, 163.81, 83.38, and 105.85 ppm, LC90 = 334.72, 627.38, 709.51, and 524.39 ppm) against the larvae of C. quinquefasciatus, respectively. This is an ideal ecofriendly approach for the control of lymphatic filariasis vector, C. quinquefasciatus.

Four Holstein heifers (229 ± 24 kg BW) fitted with ruminal trocars were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment to evaluate effects of monensin (MON), anise extract (ANI) and capsicum (CAP) on rumen microbial fermentation. Heifers were fed a 100:900 forage:concentrate diet (157 g CP/kg and 223 g NDF/kg on a dry matter (DM) basis). Treatments were: no extract (CTR), 238 mg/d of MON, 500 mg/d of ANI or 500 mg/d of CAP. Each period consisted of 15 d of adaptation and 9 d of sampling. From d 16 to 21 of each period, DM intake was measured while, from d 22 to 24, ruminal contents were sampled 0, 4, 8 and 12 h after feeding to determine ruminal pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration, large peptide (LPep), small peptide plus amino acid (SPep + AA), and ammonia N. Statistical differences were declared if P<0.05. Monensin reduced VFA from 112.6 to 108.8 mM, acetate proportion from 55.3 to 54.4 mol/100 mol, acetate to propionate ratio from 2.03 to 1.92 mol/100 mol, branch-chained VFA (BCVFA) from 2.5 to 2.1 mM, NH 3 N from 15.3 to 13.4 mg/100 ml, protozoa counts from 5.69 to 5.46 log 10 counts/ml, and increased propionate proportion from 25.

Eight botanical preparations that are commonly used for the treatment of menopausal symptoms were tested for estrogenic activity. Methanol extracts of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus L.), and hops (Humulus lupulus L.) showed significant competitive binding to estrogen receptors R (ERR) and (ER ). With cultured Ishikawa (endometrial) cells, red clover and hops exhibited estrogenic activity as indicated by induction of alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity and up-regulation of progesterone receptor (PR) mRNA. Chasteberry also stimulated PR expression, but no induction of AP activity was observed. In S30 breast cancer cells, pS2 (presenelin-2), another estrogen-inducible gene, was up-regulated in the presence of red clover, hops, and chasteberry. Interestingly, extracts of Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) and North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) induced pS2 mRNA expression in S30 cells, but no significant ER binding affinity, AP induction, or PR expression was noted in Ishikawa cells. Dong quai [Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels] and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) showed only weak ER binding and PR and pS2 mRNA induction. Black cohosh [Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt.] showed no activity in any of the above in vitro assays. Bioassay-guided isolation utilizing ER competitive binding as a monitor and screening using ultrafiltration LC-MS revealed that genistein was the most active component of red clover. Consistent with this observation, genistein was found to be the most effective of four red clover isoflavones tested in the above in vitro assays. Therefore, estrogenic components of plant extracts can be identified using assays for estrogenic activity along with screening and identification of the active components using ultrafiltration LC-MS. These data suggest a potential use for some dietary supplements, ingested by human beings, in the treatment of menopausal symptoms.

In Vietnamese and Chinese traditional medicine, hot aqueous extract of Crinum latifolium is used because of its antitumor activity. The genus Crinum is thought to possess antiviral and immunostimulative properties. Green and black tea derived from Camellia sinensis have similar qualities. A growing body of evidence suggests that moderate consumption of green and black tea may protect, e.g., against several forms of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and bacterial infections. In Ž . this study, the immunomodulatory property of C. latifolium L. extracts should further be investigated and compared to those of black and green tea. Human peripheral mononuclear cells were cultured in the presence of tea extracts with or without mitogens or interferon-g. The effect of plant extracts on cultured cells was assayed by neopterin production, a sensitive marker reflecting the activation of cell-mediated immunity. Our experiments showed that extracts of C. latifolium Ž . L. slightly enhance neopterin production in unstimulated peripheral mononuclear cells, whereas an effective reduction of Ž . Ž . Ž . neopterin formation in cells stimulated with concanavalin A Con A , phytohemagglutinin PHA , or interferon-g IFN-g was observed. Green and black tea extracts displayed similar immunomodulatory properties in our in vitro system, whereas Ž . C. latifolium L. extracts seemed to be more effective in reducing neopterin formation in stimulated cells. q

Conventional agriculture has had major environmental impacts, in particular with respect to soil degradation. Soil structure, fertility, microbial and faunal biodiversity have declined, and root diseases are common unless genetic resistance, soil fumigation and/or seed treatments are used. Primarily for environmental reasons and increasing demands for safe and healthy food from the public, farmers have switched over to organic production at an increasing rate. During a transition period of about 5 years, organic farmers may face problems with yield losses and pest or disease problems. However, in well-managed, long-term organic farms, soilborne diseases need not be a problem. Several studies in which disease severity was compared in organic and conventional farming systems (or with soils from those systems) showed that root diseases are generally less severe in organically than conventionally managed soils. The reasons for reduced root disease severity have seldom been investigated, although relationships with nitrogen supply or microbial diversity have sometimes been found. Crop protection in organic farming is generally not directed at controlling particular pathogens or pests but at management of the environment so that plants are able to withstand potential attacks. Resistant cultivars adapted to the local conditions are in demand among organic farmers. However, the main practices that contribute to disease control are long, balanced rotations, organic amendments and reduced tillage, all geared towards maintenance of the soil organic matter content and fertility. Organic farmers can make use of biological control agents and natural toxic compounds in plant extracts. However, these practices are methods of last resort. A P 0 3 0 2 9 I n t e g r a t e d r o o t d i s e a s e m a n a g e me n t i n o r g a n i c f a r m i n g A . H . C . v a n B r u g g e n a n d A. J . T e r m o r s h u i z e n Additional keywords: conventional agriculture, organic agriculture, soil health, soil quality.

Ferrites (AFe 2 O 4 , A = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn), particularly nanoparticles, have high potential for many new technological applications, e.g. magnetic recording media and storage, MRI enhancement, magnetically guided drug delivery, and waste water treatment. Spinel zinc ferrite (ZnFe 2 O 4 ) is paramagnetic and exhibits antiferromagnetism with the Neel temperature (T N ) of about 10K [1]. On the other hand, nickel ferrite (Ni Fe 2 O 4 ) has an inverse spinel structure showing ferri-magnetism that originates from magnetic moment of anti-parrallel spins between Fe 3+ ions at tetrahedral sites and Ni 2+ ions at octahedral sites . It was suggested recently that some Zn, Ni and Cu ferrites offer superior magnetic properties depending on certain concentration of Ni, Cu, Zn in the ferrites . The present study reports on the effects of Zn, Ni, and Cu concentrations on the structural and magnetic properties of the ferrites prepared by simple, cost-effective, non-toxic sol-gel methods.

From the whole plant extract of Daphne oleoides, two dimeric guaianolides seemarin and anabsinthin were isolated and characterized as new natural products. The structures of these lactones were determined by NMR spectral studies as well as by chemical methods.

This research presents the results obtained from the separation, identification and quantitative determination of free amino acids from Gingko biloba and Hedera helix leaf extracts, using three modern techniques: thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The presence of the determined amino acids explains the utilisation of G. biloba and H. he/ix leaf extracts in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products.

The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has been intensively used as a genetic model system for basic and applied research on human neurological diseases because of advantages over mammalian model systems such as ease of laboratory maintenance and genetic manipulations. Disease-associated gene mutations, whether endogenous or transgenically-inserted, often cause phenotypes in vivo that are similar to the clinical features of the human disorder. The Drosophila genome is simpler than that of mammals, in terms of gene and chromosome number, but nonetheless demonstrates extraordinary phylogenetic conservation of gene structure and function, especially notable among the genes whose mutations cause neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, or neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, its well-established neuroanatomical, developmental, and molecular genetic research techniques allow many laboratories worldwide to study complex biological and genetic processes. Based on these merits of the Drosophila model system, it has been used for screening lifespan expansion and neuroprotective activities of plant extracts or their secondary metabolites to counteract pathological events such as mitochondrial damage by oxidative stress, which may cause sporadic neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we have summarized that the fruit fly can be used for early-stage drug discovery and development to identify novel plant-derived compounds to protect against neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, and other neurological disorders caused by oxidative stress. Thus, the Drosophila system can directly or indirectly contribute to translational research for new therapeutic strategies to prevent or ameliorate neurodegenerative diseases.

Three varieties of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Kapilaran, KAP), Tambalang purple (PUR), Adik-adik (AA), and one variety of Kappaphycus striatum var. sacol (green sacol (GS) were used to determine the efficiency of Acadian marine plant extract powder (AMPEP) as a culture medium at different concentrations, for the regeneration of young plants of Kappaphycus varieties, using tissue culture techniques for the production of seed stock for nursery and outplanting purposes for the commercial cultivation of carrageenophytes. A shorter duration for shoot formation was observed when the explant was treated with AMPEP+Plant Growth Regulator (PGR=PAA+zeatin at 1 mg L −1) compared to AMPEP when used singly. However, four explants responded differently to the number of days required for shoot formation. The KAP variety took 46 days to form shoots at 3-4 mg L −1 AMPEP+PGR; while PUR required 21 days at 3-5 mg L −1 AMPEP and 3-4 mg L −1 AMPEP+PGR. AA required 17 days at 3-5 mg L −1 AMPEP and AMPEP+PGR; and GS 25 days at 1 mg L −1 AMPEP+ PGR. It was observed that among the four explants used, PUR and AA initiated shoot formation with the use of AMPEP only at higher concentrations (3-5 mg L −1) after a shorter period. Only PUR responded positively to ESS/2 for shoot initiation. The use of AMPEP alone and/or in combination with PGR as a culture medium in the propagation of microplantlets using tissue culture technique is highly encouraging.

Larvicidal activity of ethyl acetate, butanol, and petroleum ether extracts of five species of Euphorbiaceae plants, Jatropha curcas, Pedilanthus tithymaloides, Phyllanthus amarus, Euphorbia hirta, and Euphorbia tirucalli, were tested against the early fourth instar larvae of Aedes aegypti L. and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say). The larval mortality was observed after 24 h of exposure. All extracts showed low larvicidal effects; however, the highest larval mortality was found in petroleum ether extract. The LC50 value of petroleum ether extracts of J. curcas, P. tithymaloides, P. amarus, E. hirta, and E. tirucalli were 8.79, 55.26, 90.92, 272.36, and 4.25 ppm, respectively, against A. aegypti and 11.34, 76.61, 113.40, 424.94, and 5.52 ppm, respectively, against C quinquefasciatus. Of the various ratios tested, the petroleum ether extracts of J. curcas and E. tirucalli were observed to be more efficient than the other plant extracts. It is, therefore, suggested that E. tirucalli can be applied as an ideal potential larvicide against A. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus. This is an ideal ecofriendly approach for the control of the dengue vector, A. aegypti, and the lymphatic filariasis vector, C. quinquefasciatus.

Extraction of different parts of medicinal plants are used as a medicine, about 80% of the world population rely on plant derived medicines to cope their health care needs. Ethnobotany deals with the relationship between humans and plants in all its sophisticated issues. One of the most common problems regarding the existing gap between the traditional practice and modern medicine is scientifically unjustified use of plants in treatment for different type of infectious disease in various parts of the world including India. This experimental study was focused on the justification of botanical description, antimicrobial activity screening and determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of plants traditionally used as a treatment of various bacterial and fungal diseases. Traditionally used medicinal plant namely Plumbago zeylanica (Plumbaginaceae), extracted by soxhlet extraction method was screened for antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, which showed better antimicrobial activity in the initial screening test, were selected for secondary screening at 100 mg/ml and 50 mg/ml.

Over the past several years, great advances have been made on development of novel drug delivery systems (NDDS) for plant actives and extracts. The variety of novel herbal formulations like polymeric nanoparticles, nanocapsules, liposomes, phytosomes, nanoemulsions, microsphere, transferosomes, and ethosomes has been reported using bioactive and plant extracts. The novel formulations are reported to have remarkable advantages over conventional formulations of plant actives and extracts which include enhancement of solubility, bioavailability, protection from toxicity, enhancement of pharmacological activity, enhancement of stability, improved tissue macrophages distribution, sustained delivery, and protection from physical and chemical degradation. The present review highlights the current status of the development of novel herbal formulations and summarizes their method of preparation, type of active ingredients, size, entrapment efficiency, route of administration, biological activity and applications of novel formulations.The novel formulations reported to have remarkable advantages over conventional formulations of plant actives and extracts.

Today, there is a trend in research to return to plant extracts as remedies against endo-and ectoparasites. Many daily appearing papers describe the efficacy of different plant extracts. However, the second step, to develop a product for the market (that could settle obvious needs), is in general not done. Thus, many results will be forgotten soon and the work was done in vain. The present review shows in examples that very efficacious biocidal and repellent products were developed from extracts of the plants Vitex agnus castus, Azadirachta indica, and from others which produce etheric oils. Of course, it is needed that the extracts have to be tested seriously for their activity, non-toxicity, tolerability, and user compliance. However, the selected examples show that it is worthwhile to consider plants in the fight against endo-and ectoparasites. List 18 contains compounds which act as insecticides or acarizides-their number is also reduced.

A sequential arsenic extraction method was developed that yielded extraction efficiencies (EE) that were approximately double those using current methods for terrestrial plants. The method was applied to plants from two arsenic contaminated sites and showed potential for risk assessment studies. In the method, plants were extracted first by 1:1 water-methanol followed by 0.1M hydrochloric (HCl) acid. Total arsenic in plant and soil samples collected from contaminated sites was mineralized by acid digestion and detected by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS). Arsenic speciation was done by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with HG-AAS (HPLC-HGAAS) and by HPLC coupled with ICP-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). Spike recovery experiments with arsenite (As(III)), arsenate (As(V)), methylarsonic acid (MA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) showed stability of the species in the extraction...

Empirical rules for the selection of chromatographic conditions on flash chromatography cartridges were developed, with an emphasis on gradient mode. These rules were then tested with separation of extracts from important medicinal plants including Curcuma xanthorrhiza, Piper nigrum and Salvia milthiorrhiza. Sepacore® cartridges enabled a good separation of compounds with a broad range of polarity, as typically found in plant extracts. The chromatographic resolution remained, however, lower than that achieved on classical columns packed with material of smaller particle size. For poorly soluble extracts, solid introduction gave better results than liquid injection.

Over the past several years, great advances have been made on development of novel drug delivery systems (NDDS) for plant actives and extracts. The variety of novel herbal formulations like polymeric nanoparticles, nanocapsules, liposomes, phytosomes, nanoemulsions, microsphere, transferosomes, and ethosomes has been reported using bioactive and plant extracts. The novel formulations are reported to have remarkable advantages over conventional formulations of plant actives and extracts which include enhancement of solubility, bioavailability, protection from toxicity, enhancement of pharmacological activity, enhancement of stability, improved tissue macrophages distribution, sustained delivery, and protection from physical and chemical degradation. The present review highlights the current status of the development of novel herbal formulations and summarizes their method of preparation, type of active ingredients, size, entrapment efficiency, route of administration, biological activity and applications of novel formulations.

The simultaneous monitoring of malondialdehyde, pentanal and hexanal, final products of lipid peroxidation is reported, using a headspace solidphase microextraction (HS-SPME) technique with on-fibre derivatisation. The aldehydes are extracted and subjected to on-sorbent derivatisation into stable hydrazones with 2,4,6-trichlorophenylhydrazine (TCPH) and analyzed. The degree of inhibition of oxidation is performed by monitoring the chlorinated hydrazones after thermal desorption, by gas chromatography-electron capture detection. The procedure was employed to evaluate in vitro the antioxidant activity of Hypericum perforatum L. extracts and of the well-known antioxidant vitamin E following induction of oxidation of sunflower oil, as a model lipid system. Prior to the measurement of antioxidant activity, the optimal process conditions, i.e. headspace volume, temperature, agitation, extraction/derivatisation time and desorption time and temperature were properly established. Aqueous extracts of H. perforatum L. exhibited the highest antioxidative effect. The method is shown to be promising for screening purposes for antioxidant substances and natural extracts.

Objectives: Argyreia cuneata (Willd.) Ker Gawl. belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. The present study was performed to screen the potential of crude extract of various parts of A. cuneata to exhibit antimicrobial activity. Methods: Extraction of shade dried and powdered leaf, stem and flower of A. cuneata was carried out by maceration technique. Antibacterial and antifungal activity of extracts was evaluated by Agar well diffusion and Poisoned food technique respectively. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging and ferric reducing assays. Results: All extracts were effective in inhibiting test bacteria and the susceptibility of bacteria to extracts was in the order: Bacillus cereus > Shigella flexneri > Escherichia coli > Salmonella typhimurium. Leaf extract and stem extract exhibited highest and least antibacterial activity, respectively. Extracts were effective in causing inhibition of seed-borne fungi viz. Aspergillus niger and Bipolaris sp to >50%. Leaf extract exhibited marked antifungal activity followed by flower extract and stem extract. All extracts were shown to exhibit concentration dependent scavenging and reducing activity. Antioxidant activity of extracts observed was in the order: leaf extract > flower extract > stem extract. Conclusion: Among various parts of A. cuneata, leaf extract exhibited marked antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. The plant can be employed as an effective antimicrobial and antioxidant agent in suitable form. Further studies may be undertaken to recover phytochemicals from the plant and to investigate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of isolated components.

The antibacterial activity of plant extracts obtained from Bixa orellana L., Chamomilla recutita L., Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil., Malva sylvestris L., Plantago major L. and Rheum rhaponticum L. has been evaluated against two reference strains and eleven clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori. All the plant species chosen are used in popular Brazilian cuisine and folk medicine in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Initial screening was made by the disk diffusion test and then minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by the agar dilution method. The results presented in this work demonstrated that among the plant preparations analyzed, B. orellana L., C. recutita L., I. paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. and M. sylvestris L. were capable of inhibiting the in vitro growth of H. pylori. Key words: Helicobacter pylori, antibacterial activity, plant extracts. Cogo, L.L. et al. Anti-Helicobacter pylori activity plants extracts present any scientific evidence of efficacy. It is interesting to determine whether their traditional uses are supported by pharmacological effects or merely based on folklore. Within this context, extracts obtained from Bixa orellana L. (annatto), Chamomilla recutita L. (chamomile), Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.(roasted and green yerba maté), Malva sylvestris L. (mallow), Plantago major L. (plantain) and Rheum rhaponticum L. (rhubarb) -all of which are used in popular Brazilian cuisine and folk medicine in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders -were investigated for their anti-H.

Human erythrocytes were exposed in a dose dependent manner to various ethanolic plant extracts, and fractions obtained from plant parts of Calotropis procera (Ait.) R. Br. and the gum-oleo resin of Commiphora wightii (Arnott.) Bhand. These have been screened for in vitro schizontocidal activity and graded with respect to their 50% inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) derived from the twofold serial dilution of the dose range 0.0625-2 mg/ml. An attempt had been made to relate their antiplasmodial activity with their cytotoxicity as represented by the in vitro rate of hemolysis. Intact erythrocytes were found to respond with a dose-time-integral and fitted to models of pseudo first-order reaction, Michaelis-Menten equation and Hill equation with k 1 , k 2 and k 3 as their rate constants, respectively. Hemolysis isotherms of flower and root of C. procera and gum-oleo resin of C. wightii extracts were representative. Erythrocytic membrane instability is possibly a major factor as has been earlier reported with ethanol and chloroquine for the cytotoxicity of these plant extracts.

White spot disease (WSD) has been reported to cause severe mortality in farmed shrimp especially black tiger shrimp in many countries. WSSV is responsible for huge economic loss in the shrimp culture industry worldwide. The present study was carried out to examine the antiviral activity of a large scale produced plant extract of Cynodon dactylon on white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon by in vivo testing after administration through oral route. The plant extract isolated from C. dactylon was incorporated with artificial pellet feed at a concentration of 1% or 2%. For experimental challenge shrimp were fed with WSSV-infected shrimp meat. WSSV-infection was confirmed by the PCR technique, bioassay and Western blot analysis at the end of the experiment. The results of the present study showed that the plant extract of C. dactylon was found to be highly effective in preventing WSSV infection with no mortality and no signs of WSD at 2% and 40% mortality at 1% in black tiger shrimp P. monodon, respectively.

Natural extracts are an attractive source of new compounds, not only owing to the diversity and novelty of chemical structures, but also owing to their potential biological action. The potential applications of these extracts include cosmetic and pharmaceutical areas. The aim of this research is to encapsulate fruit and plant extracts with biological activities such as antioxidants. The need for

Cissus quadrangularis, a plant that has been customarily used in the Indian subcontinent to hasten the process of healing in bone fractures, has been studied and ex-ploited to synthesize calcite crystals. The plant extract serves as a rich source of calcium ions, which when re-acted ...

Qualitative and quantitative estimation of the flavonoid components of the plant Althaea Officinalis were done by using HPLC. The identifications were made by comparing the retention times obtained at identical chromatographic conditions of analyzed samples and authentic standards, while the quantity of each compound was estimated by measuring area percent under the curve. The flavonoid fraction of the aerial parts of the plant showed the presence of Quercetin, Rutin, apiginine, isorhmntein, scopoletin, coumarins, and Kaempferol. In our work, the HPLC analysis of flavonoid fraction of Althaea Officinalis from Iraq showed that the plant contain about two-third of the active components of standard flavonoid fraction.

Abstract: Wilt is an important disease of brinjal crop causing significant reduction in yield. In present study, the pathogenic fungus was isolated from infected plant parts and identified based on morphological and cultural characters as Fusarium solani f. sp. melongenae. ...

Ethanolic extract of the Mitragyna parvifolia was evaluated for antiinflammatory, analgesic and antimicrobial activities. The extract showed very significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential. The analgesic activity was significant at the dose of 500 mg/kg (P&lt;0.01) while ...

Plant phenolics, especially dietary flavonoids, are currently of growing interest owing to their supposed functional properties in promoting human health. Antimicrobial screening of 13 phenolic substances and 29 extracts prepared from Finnish plant materials against selected microbes was conducted in this study. The tests were carried out using diffusion methods with four to nine microbial species (Aspergillus niger, Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis). Flavone, quercetin and naringenin were effective in inhibiting the growth of the organisms. The most active plant extracts were purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.) against Candida albicans, meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim.), willow herb (Epilobium angustifolium L.), cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus L.) and raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) against bacteria, and white birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.), pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and potato (Solanum tuberosum. L.) against gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus.

The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, is among the most devastating termite pests. Natural products derived from plant extracts were tested in a discovery programme for effective, environment friendly termite control agents. Screening for anti-termitic activity of plant extracts with some known medicinal attributes could lead to the discovery of new agents for termite control. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-termitic activity of crude leaf hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol extracts of against C. formosanus. An impregnated filter paper no-choice bioassay method was followed. All the crude extracts showed anti-termitic activity in a dose-dependent manner and exhibited a significant activity after 24 h and 48 h of exposure; the highest termite mortality was found in leaf hexane extract of A. bracteolata, ethyl acetate extract of A. paniculata, D. metel, E. prostrata, methanol extract of A. lineata and D. metel after 24 h (LD 50 = 363, 371, 298, 292, 358 and 317 ppm; LD 90 = 1433, 1659, 1308, 1538, 1703 and 1469 ppm), respectively. The hexane extract of T. erecta, acetone extract of A. mexicana, methanol extract of S. grandiflora and T. erecta showed activity after 48 h (LD 50 = 245, 253, 289, 409 ppm; LD 90 = 1378, 1511, 1508 and 2425 ppm), respectively. Among the natural products tested, may provide a renewable source of safe natural wood preservatives. These findings corroborate traditional insecticidal application of selected plants and the results can be extended for the control of termites. The primary objective of the present study was to identify novel, natural chemotypes from biologically active crude plant extracts that may be useful as part of termite treatment regimens in their natural form or as synthons for structure-activity studies in the future. The results reported here open the possibility of further investigations of efficacy on their anti-termitic properties of natural product extracts.

A comparison of blood sugar lowering activity of four important medicinal plants (Azadirachta indica, Gymnema syl6estre, Catharanthus roseus and Ocimum sanctum) were carried out against normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat models. The plant extracts decreased the blood sugar level in varying degrees. Blood sugar lowering unit (BLU) of activity of each leaf extract and tolbutamide was calculated by ED 50 values. Statistical analysis revealed significant (PB 0.05) variation among the treatments as well as doses with regard to their blood sugar lowering capacity. A. indica leaf extract was found to have the most potent blood sugar-lowering activity followed by C. roseus, G. syl6estre and O. sanctum.

Analyses on biological activities of Gnetum gnemon were done to determine the total phenolic and antioxidants of the plant. Four parts of G. gnemon were used in this study, which were leaf, bark, twig, and seeds of the plant. All parts were extracted in methanol, ethanol, hexane, chloroform and hot water using reflux. The total phenolic content of the plant extracts were determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu method. The results demonstrated that the bark from hot water extract showed the highest total phenolic at 10.71±0.01 mg GAE/ FDW, while the lowest was chloroform extract of seed at 2.15±0.01 mg GAE/ FDW. The antioxidant activity of the plant extracts were determined by using DPPH and FRAP assays, respectively. The DPPH results showed that all plant extracts demonstrated weak free radical scavenging activity tested at the final concentration of 300 μg/ml. In contrast, the methanolic twig extract showed strong reducing power activity (FRAP) at 83.55±1.05%, while the hot water seed extract showed the least activity at 41.86±4.22% tested at the final concentration of 300 μg/ml. However, there were no correlation between total phenolics and both antioxidant assays tested.

The present study investigates the antimicrobial activity of various solvent extracts of Eruca sativa (aerial and root) and seed oil against-antibiotic resistant Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomoms aeruginosa and Shigella flexneri) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) bacteria. Among the various preparations, seed oil was the most active, exhibiting a maximum zone inhibition of 97% for Gram-positive bacteria and of 74-97% for Gram-negative bacteria. The MIC of the seed oil was found to be 65-75 and 60-70 lg/ml for Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively. Analytical investigation on main volatile and non-volatile components was performed on seed oil. Among the formers allyl isothiocyanate (40 lg/g), 3-butenyl isothiocyanate (260 lg/g), 4-methylsulfinybutyl isothiocyanate (sulforaphane 743 lg/g), 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate (159 lg/g) and bis(isothiocyanatobutyl)disulphide ($5000 lg/g) were determined by head space/SPME/GC-MS analysis. Free fatty acids were 1.6% w/w of the oil and overall 25 fatty acids were identified. Erucic and oleic acids were the main fatty acids both in the free (7.8 and 2.1 mg/ml) and esterified forms (50.6% w/w and 14.9% w/w of total fatty acids). Unsaponifiable fraction was 1.8% w/w. Seed oil of E. sativa has promising pharmacological efficacies and ensures the presence of bio-active components responsible for the observed beneficial effects. Our findings support its use in traditional medicine as antimicrobial bioagent and highlight the potential of this food plant for its possible clinical use.

Results from the in vitro antiamoebic activity of some Congolese plant extracts used as antidiarrhoeic in traditional medicine indicated that of 45 plant extracts tested, 35 (77.78%) exhibited an antiamoebic activity and 10 (22.22%) were inactive. The highest activity (MICB 100 vg/ml) was obtained with extracts from root bark of Paropsia brazzeana, Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, Alchornea cordifolia, Hensia pulchella, Maprounea africana, Rauwolfia obscura and Voacanga africana, leaves and stem bark of Psidium guaja6a, stem bark of Dialum englerianum, Harungana madagascariensis and Mangifera indica, mature seeds of Carica papaya, and leaves of Morinda morindoides and Tithonia di6ersifolia. Metronidazole used as reference product showed a more pronounced activity than that of all plant extracts tested.

A simple method for the determination of ephedrine alkaloids: ephedrine (EF), pseudoephedrine (PE), norpseudoephedrine (NPE), norephedrine (NE) and methylpseudoephedrine (MPE) in dietary supplements by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is described. After the addition of 3,4methylenedioxypropylamphetamine as internal standard, a liquid-liquid extraction procedure in alkaline conditions with chloroform/isopropanol (9:1, v/v) was applied to the samples prior to analysis. Chromatography was performed on a fused capillary column and analytes, derivatized with pentafluoropropionic anhydride, were determined in the selected-ion-monitoring (SIM) mode. The method was validated in the range 0.3-10 g/mg for EP, 0.06-2.5 g/mg for PE and NPE and 0.04-1 g/mg NE and MPE. Mean recovery ranged between 65.7 and 81.3% for the different analytes in dietary supplements. The quantification limits were 0.3 g/mg for EP, 0.06 g/mg for PE, 0.04 g/mg for NPE, NE and MPE. The method was applied to analysis of various dietary supplements containing Ma-huang (Ephedra Sinica) and Sida Cordifolia plant extracts promoted for aiding weight control and boosting sports performance and energy.

Botrytis cinerea, Oidium neolycopersici and Bemisia tabaci are among the most important pests encountered on tomato in greenhouses. In order to limit their development, biological methods of control have been elaborated. To protect pruning wounds against B. cinerea at crop level, the fungus Microdochium dimerum has shown a high efficacy. The formulated plant extract from the giant knotweed Reynoutria sachalinensis

Some of the medicinal plants valued in Ayurvedic Rasayana for their therapeutic potential have been scientifically investigated with promising results. A number of plant-based principles have been isolated with potential immunomodulatory activity that can explain and justify their use in traditional medicine in the past and can form the basis for further research in the future as well. The aim of this review is to highlight results of research done on immunomodulators of plant origin. The selection of papers was made using the most relevant databases for the biomedical sciences on the basis of their ethnopharmacological use. Many plants and some phytoconstituents responsible for immunomodulation have been explained. The review also discusses biological screening methods for various plant drugs that focus on revealing the mechanism involved in immunomodulation. This work shall hopefully encourage researchers to undertake further work on medicinal plants with potential immunomodulatory activity.