Assay for lipid peroxides in animal tissues by thiobarbituric acid reaction

Antimicrobial activities of the crude ethanolic extracts of five plants were screened against multidrug resistant (MDR) strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida albicans. ATCC strains of Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus bovis, Pseudimonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida albicans were also tested. The strains that showed resistance against the maximum number of antibiotics tested were selected for an antibacterial assay. The MDR strains were sensitive to the antimicrobial activity of Acacia nilotica, Syzygium aromaticum and Cinnamum zeylanicum, whereas they exhibited strong resistance to the extracts of Terminalia arjuna and Eucalyptus globulus. Community-acquired infections showed higher sensitivity than the nosocomial infections against these extracts. The most potent antimicrobial plant was A. nilotica (MIC range 9.75-313µg/ml), whereas other

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Antimicrobial activity of five herbal extracts against multi drug resistant (MDR) strains of bacteria and fungus of clinical origin.

Salt-tolerant plants grow in a wide variety of saline habitats, from coastal regions, salt marshes and mudflats to inland deserts, salt flats and steppes. Halophytes living in these extreme environments have to deal with frequent changes in salinity level. This can be done by developing adaptive responses including the synthesis of several bioactive molecules. Consequently, several salt marsh plants have traditionally been used for medical, nutritional, and even artisanal purposes. Currently, an increasing interest is granted to these species because of their high content in bioactive compounds (primary and secondary metabolites) such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, vitamins, sterols, essential oils (terpenes), polysaccharides, glycosides, and phenolic compounds. These bioactive substances display potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumoral activities, and therefore represent key-compounds in preventing various diseases (e.g. cancer, chronic inflammation, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disorder) and ageing processes. The ongoing research will lead to the utilisation of halophytes as a new source of healthy products as functional foods, nutraceuticals or active principles in several industries. This contribution focuses on the ethnopharmacological uses of halophytes in traditional medicine and reviews recent investigations on their biological activities and nutraceuticals. The work is distributed according to the different families of nutraceuticals (lipids, vitamins, proteins, glycosides, phenolic compounds, etc.) discussing the analytical techniques employed for their determination. Information about the claimed health promoting effects of the different families of nutraceuticals is also provided together with data on their application.

Medicinal halophytes: potent source of health promoting biomolecules with medical, nutraceutical and food applications.

The wealth of India. A dictionary of Indian raw materials and industrial products. Vol. 7; N-Pe.

Recent years have witnessed that there is a revival of interest in drug discovery from medicinal plants for the maintenance of health in all parts of the world. The aim of this work was to investigate 26 plants belonging to 17 families collected from a unique place in Yemen (Soqotra Island) for their in vitro anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The 26 plants were extracted with methanol and hot water to yield 52 extracts. Evaluation for in vitro anticancer activity was done against three human cancer cell lines (A-427, 5637 and MCF-7) by using an established microtiter plate assay based on cellular staining with crystal violet. Antimicrobial activity was tested against three Gram-positive bacteria, two Gram-negative bacteria, one yeast species and three multiresistant Staphylococcus strains by using an agar diffusion method and the determination of MIC against three Gram-positive bacteria with the broth micro-dilution assay. Antioxidant activity was investigated by measuring the scavenging activity of the DPPH radical. Moreover, a phytochemical screening of the methanolic extracts was done. Notable cancer cell growth inhibition was observed for extracts from Ballochia atro-virgata, Eureiandra balfourii and Hypoestes pubescens, with IC50 values ranging between 0.8 and 8.2 μg/ml. The methanol extracts of Acanthospermum hispidum, Boswellia dioscorides, Boswellia socotrana, Commiphora ornifolia and Euphorbia socotrana also showed noticeable antiproliferative potency with IC50 values 15 mm and MIC values ≤ 250 μg/ml. In addition, the methanolic extracts of Acacia pennivenia, Boswellia dioscorides, Boswellia socotrana and Commiphora ornifolia showed good antioxidant potential at low concentrations (more than 80% at 50 μg/ml). Our results show once again that medicinal plants can be promising sources of natural products with potential anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidative activity. The results will guide the selection of some plant species for further pharmacological and phytochemical investigations.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186%2F1472-6882-9-7.pdf

Studies of the in vitro anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant potentials of selected Yemeni medicinal plants from the island Soqotra

Evaluation of antioxidant and radical-scavenging activities of certain radioprotective plant extracts

We report the chemopreventive activity of Acacia nilotica (Linn.) gum, flower and leaf aqueous extracts, on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) induced skin papillomagenesis in male Swiss albino mice. Animals were divided into following groups: Group I (Controls) given DMBA and croton oil, with no extract ; Group II (treatment) animals treated with Acacia nilotica gum (Group II-a) (800 mg/kg body weight), flowers (Group II-b) (800 mg/kg body weight), or leaves (Group II-c) (800 mg/kg body weight) during the peri- and post initiation periods of DMBA and croton oil application. A significant reduction in the values of tumor burden, tumor incidence and cumulative number of papillomas was observed in mice treated by oral gavage with the Acacia nilotica gum, flower and leaf extracts as compared with the control group. The latency period in treatment Group-II (b) and Group-II (c) was significantly increased as compared with the control group. A significant reduction in the frequency of micronuclei was also observed in mice treated by oral gavage with the aqueous extracts, along with significant decrease in total chromosomal aberrations in the form of chromatid breaks, chromosome breaks, centric rings, dicentrics, acentric fragments and exchange. Treatment with Acacia nilotica flower (Group II-B) and leaf (Group II-C) aqueous extracts by oral gavage for 15 days resulted in a highly significant decrease in the lipid peroxidation (LPO) level in the liver, but this was less evident with the gum (Group II-A) . Conversely, reduced glutathione (GSH) content was observed to be significantly elevated as compared with the control group with leaves (Group II-C) and flowers (Group II-B). The chemopreventive and antimutagenic activity of the leaf extract of Acacia nilotica was most significant followed by the flower extract and then by gum.

Anticancer and antimutagenic properties of Acacia nilotica (Linn.) on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced skin papillomagenesis in Swiss albino mice.

In the present investigation, the chemopreventive potential of aqueous extracts of the root and fruit of Tribulus terrestris (an Ayurvedic medicinal plant) on 7, 12 - dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA) induced papillomagenesis in male Swiss albino mice was studied. A significant reduction in tumor incidence, tumor burden and cumulative number of papillomas was observed, along with a significant increase in average latent period in mice treated orally with Tribulus terrestris suspension continuously at pre, peri and post-initiation stages of papillomagenesis as compared to the control group treated with DMBA and croton oil alone. Treatment with Tribulus terrestris suspension by oral gavage for 7 days resulted in a significant increase in the reduced glutathione content in the liver (P< 0.001 for both root and fruit extracts). Conversely, lipid peroxidation levels were significantly decreased (P< 0.001).

Chemopreventive potential of Tribulus terrestris against 7,12- dimethylbenz (a) anthracene induced skin papillomagenesis in mice.

A laboratory experiment was conducted on the developmental biology of pulse beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus F. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) on five different pulses viz., black gram, green gram, chickpea (Desi), cowpea and pea. Significantly highest numbers of eggs, shortest post-oviposition, adult longevity and total life periods was recorded on cowpea. The beetle laid maximum eggs (89.3) on cowpea and minimum on pea (50.7). Maximum eggs were laid on first day of oviposition and lasted for eight days. Hatching of eggs was maximum on green gram (98.1%) and minimum on cowpea (94.3%). The oviposition period, post-oviposition period, incubation period, larval-pupal period, total life period and adult longevity were in the range of 6.6 to 7.9, 1.09 to 2.6, 4.3 to 5.1, 20.1 to 37.2, 31.6 to 39.1 and 11.0 to 13.1 days, respectively on various pulses. No significant differences were found in oviposition period, post-oviposition period, incubation period, total life period and adult longevity on various pulses. The adult emergence was maximum on chickpea (96.7%) and minimum on pea (52.3%).

Growth and developmental responses of Callosobruchusmaculatus (F.) on various pulses

Summary The present study reports the protective effect of Brassica compestris seed extract on radiation induced hematological and biochemical changes in Swiss albino mice. Brassica compestris seed extract was given orally for seven consecutive days prior to radiation exposure. The dose reduction factor (DRF=1.59) for Brassica compestris seed extract was calculated from LD50/30 values. The hematological parameters were assessed at different intervals of post-irradiation from day 1 to 30. The average hemoglobin (Hb) level, total erythrocyte count (TEC) and total leucocyte count (TLC) in experimental group were significantly elevated as compared to the control group of animals. Also, Brassica compestris seed extract treatment significantly elevated reduced glutathione (GSH) level in liver against radiation-induced depletion. Treatment with Brassica seed extract caused a significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) formation in the liver, suggesting its role in protection against radiation induced membrane and cellular damage. The results of the present study suggest that Brassica compestris seed extract modulate the radiation induced hematological and biochemical alterations in Swiss albino mice.

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Anil Soni

Papers

Evaluation of antioxidant and radical-scavenging activities of certain radioprotective plant extracts

Anticancer and antimutagenic properties of Acacia nilotica (Linn.) on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced skin papillomagenesis in Swiss albino mice.

Chemopreventive potential of Tribulus terrestris against 7,12- dimethylbenz (a) anthracene induced skin papillomagenesis in mice.

Growth and developmental responses of Callosobruchusmaculatus (F.) on various pulses

Modulation of radiation induced alterations in swiss albino mice by brassica compestris (var sarason)