As summarized by Goldblatt (1) in the previous article, “Polyploidy in angiosperms: monocotyledons,” recent estimates of polyploid frequency among angiosperms vary from 30–35% to 47%. The highest value is based on the postulation that haploid numbers in excess of n=13 would be mainly polyploid and those with n=13 or less would be predominantly diploid (2). On this basis 43% of dicotyledons and 58% of monocotyledons from a sample of 17,138 species were considered polyploid. Goldblatt (1) believes, however, that limiting Polyploidy to haploid numbers over n=13 is too conservative and that at least species with numbers of n=ll and above have Polyploidy in their evolutionary history, and perhaps also many of those with n=10 and n=9 may be aneuploid derivatives of ancestors with higher numbers. He suggests that at least 70% and most likely above 80% of monocotyledons are in some sense polyploid.

Polyploidy in Angiosperms: Dicotyledons

A systematic review on Piper longum L.: Bridging traditional knowledge and pharmacological evidence for future translational research

Medicinal plants have shown tremendous potential for the development of the new drug molecules for various serious diseases. Many plant derived products have found to play an important role in various disease conditions. Piper longum Linn. is a native of the Indo-Malaya region, belongs to family Piperaceae. Piper longum Linn. (Piperaceae) has been used as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of various pathological conditions. The tribal population uses the plant for cardiovascular activities, anti-inflammatory activity and as a spice. Alkaloids, Lignans and volatile oil are reported in this plant. Extract of Piper longum fruits have been shown to posses various activities like Bio-availibity enhancer, immunomodulatory effect, antiasthamatic and hepatoprotective activity. In the present review an attempt has been made to explore different aspects of Piper longum.

Phytoc hemical and therapeutic potential of piper longum linn a review

A previous study provided a general quantitative analysis of 169 collected medicinal plants used by the Q'eqchi' Maya healers of southern Belize. This paper is focused on a statistical analysis of this ethnobotanical information using the method developed by Moerman (1991). The residual values obtained from the regression analysis of the Q'eqchi' medicinal plant species versus the species listed in the checklist of the vascular plants of Belize (Balick, Nee, and Atha, 2001) placed the Piperaceae, the Rubiaceae, and the Asteraceae in the first three ranks, and the Poaceae, the Cyperaceae, and the Orchidaceae in the last three ranks. The results were compared with three northern temperate regions (Kashmir, Korea, and North America) and three southern neotropical regions (Chiapas, Ecuador, and Veracruz). The coefficients of correlation between the checklist of vascular plants of Belize and the other six floras showed, as expected, high values for regions with similar climatic type. Thus, high correl...

A Regression Analysis of Q'eqchi' Maya Medicinal Plants from Southern Belize

Mutagenicity screening of popular Thai spices.

The genus Piper (Piperaceae) is a large one. Jackson (1869) and Salisbury (1959-60) mention 600-700 species, Willis (1973) 2000. Hooker (1882) recorded only 24 species in India. “Wealth of India” mentions 30 species for India. About eight Indian species have therapeutic importance (Chopra et al., 1956). Four of these species, very common and widely used, have been selected for detailed study: Piper betle L. (Tambuli in Sanskrit, Pan in Bengali, Tamvettilai in Tamil), Piper cubeba L. f. (Sugandha muricha in Sanskrit, Kabachini in Bengali), Piper longum L. (Pippali in Sanskrit, Pipul in Bengali and Pippallu in Telegu) and Piper nigrum L. (Maricha in Sanskrit, Milagu in Tamil, Golmorich in Hindi and Bengali). A critical study of the pharmacognostic characters, though almost unexplored (Datta and Mukherji, 1952; Tyler and Schwarting, 1968), is worth attempting, particularly for detecting adulteration in commercial supplies.

Medicinal Species of Piper, Pharmacognostic Delimitation

From a comparison of the chromosome numbers of different species, it appears that 11 is the basic number of Peperomia and 12 of Piper. Variation in the reports of chromosome number of the same species may be due to occurrence of chromosomal biotypes.The trend of evolution in the two genera (Peperomia and Piper) appear different, numerical and structural change in the former, and polyploidy in the latter. The basic number (x=11) is represented by Peperomia argyreia, where structural alteration is clear. x×12 is represented by Pep. metallica, Pep. obtusifolia and Pep. pellucida, polyploidy occurring only in the last one.Piper cubeba (2n=24), P. magnificum (2n=24) and P. longum (2n=48), probably form a basic group of Piper. P. nigrum (2n=36, 60) is more advanced in chromosome structure. P. betle (2n=64) represents a different line having x=8 or 16.Records of chromosome number suggest that Peperomia is more primitive than Piper.

Arati Dasgupta

Papers

Medicinal Species of Piper, Pharmacognostic Delimitation

Cytotaxonomy of Piperaceae