A. Kashinatham

Bio: A. Kashinatham is an academic researcher from University of California, San Diego. The author has contributed to research in topics: Piper & Piperaceae. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 12 publications receiving 114 citations.

One New and Two Rare Alkamides from Two Samples of the Fruits of Piper longum

Abstract: Two samples of the fruits of Piper longum have been chemically investigated. From one sample a new alkamide, pergumidiene and from other sample two rare alkamides, brachystamide B and piperderdine have been isolated. The known compounds, piperine, piperlonguminine, pellitorine, (+)-sesamine and 3-(3', 4', 5'-trimethoxyphenyl)-propionic acid were the common constituents of both the samples.

Global promotion of herbal medicine: India's opportunity

Abstract: MEDICINAL herbs are moving from fringe to mainstream use with a greater number of pe ople seeking remedies and health approaches free from side effects caused by sy nthetic chemicals. Recently, considerable attention has been paid to utilize eco-friendly and biofriendly plant-based products for the prevention and cure of different human diseases. Considering the adverse effects of sy nthetic drugs 1,2 , the Western population is looking for natural remedies which are safe and effective. It is documented that 80% of the worlds population has faith in traditional medicine, pa rticularly plant drugs for their primary healthcare. India is sitting on a gold mine of well -recorded and traditionally well-practised knowledge of herbal medicine. This country is perhaps the largest produc er of medicinal herbs and is rightly called the botanical garden of the world. There are very few medicinal herbs of commercial importance which are not found in this country. India off icially recognizes over 3000 plants for their m edicinal value. It is generally estimated that over 6000 plants in India are in use in traditional, folk and herbal medicine, repr esenting about 75% of the medicinal needs of the Third World countries 3 . Three of the ten most widely selling herbal medicines in the developed countries, namely preparations of Allium sativum, Aloe barbedensis and Panax sp. are available in India. There are about 7000 firms manufacturing traditional medicines with or without standardization. Medicinal herbs have been in use in one form or a nother, under indigenous systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Sidha and Unani. India, with its traditional background, needs to increase its share in the world ma rket. But unlike China, India has not been able to capita lize on this herbal wealth by promoting its use in the developed world, despite their renewed interest in herbal medicines. This can be achieved by judicious product identification based on diseases prevalent in the deve loped world for which no medicine or palliative the rapy is available. Such herbal medicines will find speedy access into those cou ntries. Undoubtedly, the plant kingdom still holds many species of plants containing su bstances of medicinal value which have yet to be discovered. India is a land of i mmense biodiversity in which two out of eighteen hot spots of the world are located. India is also one of the twelve mega biodiversity countries in the world. The total nu mber of plant species of all groups recorded from India is 45,000 (the total number may be even close to 60,000, as severa l parts of India are yet to be botanically e xplored). Of these, seed-bearing plants account for nearly 15,000 –18,000. India enjoys the benefits of varied climate, from alpine in the Himalaya to tropical wet in the south and arid in R ajasthan. Such climatic cond itions have given rise to rich and varied flora in the Indian subcont inent. In order to promote Indian herbal drugs, there is an urgent need to evaluate the therapeutic potentials of the drugs as per WHO guidelines 4 . Ironically, not many I ndian products are available in standardized form, which is the minimum requirement for introducing a product in the Western market.

Biology, ecology and management of the invasive parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.).

Abstract: Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L) is one of the most aggressive invasive weeds, threatening natural ecosystems and agroecosystems in over 30 countries worldwide Parthenium weed causes losses of crops and pastures, degrading the biodiversity of natural plant communities, causing human and animal health hazards and resulting in serious economic losses to people and their interests in many countries around the globe Several of its biological and ecological attributes contribute towards its invasiveness Various management approaches (namely cultural, mechanical, chemical and biological control) have been used to minimise losses caused by this weed, but most of these approaches are ineffective and uneconomical and/or have limitations Although chemical control using herbicides and biological control utilising exotic insects and pathogens have been found to contribute to the management of the weed, the weed nevertheless remains a significant problem An integrated management approach is proposed here for the effective management of parthenium weed on a sustainable basis

Terpenoids As Therapeutic Drugs and Pharmaceutical Agents

Abstract: Terpenoids, also referred to as terpenes, are the largest group of natural compounds. Many terpenes have biological activities and are used for the treatment of human diseases. The worldwide sales of terpene-based pharmaceuticals in 2002 were approximately US $12 billion. Among these pharmaceuticals, the anticancer drug Taxol® and the antimalarial drug Artimesinin are two of the most renowned terpene-based drugs. All terpenoids are synthesized from two five-carbon building blocks. Based on the number of the building blocks, terpenoids are commonly classified as monoterpenes (C10), sesquiterpenes (C15), diterpenes (C20), and sesterterpenes (C25). These terpenoids display a wide range of biological activities against cancer, malaria, inflammation, and a variety of infectious diseases (viral and bacterial). In last two decades, natural-product bioprospecting from the marine environment has resulted in hundreds of terpenoids with novel structures and interesting bioactivities, with more to be discovered in the future. The problem of supply is a serious obstacle to the development of most terpenoid compounds with interesting pharmaceutical properties. Although total chemical synthesis plays a less important role in the production of some terpenoid drugs, it has contributed significantly to the development of terpenoid compounds and terpene-based drugs by providing critical information on structure-activity relationships (SAR) and chiral centers as well as generating analog libraries. Semisynthesis, on the other hand, has played a major role in the development and production of terpenoid-derived drugs. Metabolic engineering as an integrated bioengineering approach has made considerable progress to produce some terpenoids in plants and fermentable hosts. Cell culture and aquaculture will provide a solution for the supply issue of some valuable terpenes from terrestrial and marine environments, respectively. Recent advances in environmental genomics and other “-omics” technologies will facilitate isolation and discovery of new terpenoids from natural environments. There is no doubt that more terpenoid-based clinical drugs will become available and will play a more significant role in human disease treatment in the near future.

Antibacterial Activity of Isolates from Piper longum and Taxus baccata

Abstract: This study describes the antibacterial activity of the pure isolates from Piper longum (L.) (black pepper) and Taxus baccata (L.) (Yew). Three isolates of black pepper were active against Gram-posi...