Publisher Summary This chapter discusses ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay is a recently developed, direct test of “total antioxidant power.” The FRAP assay is robust, sensitive, simple, and speedy and facilitates experimental and clinical studies investigating the relationship among antioxidant status, dietary habits, and risk of disease. Measurement of the total antioxidant power of fresh biological fluids—such as blood plasma—can be measured directly; the antioxidant content of various dietary agents can be measured objectively and reproducibly and their potential for improving the antioxidant status of the body investigated and compared. The FRAP assay is also sensitive and analytically precise enough to be used in assessing the bioavailability of antioxidants in dietary agents to help monitor longitudinal changes in antioxidant status associated with an increased intake of dietary antioxidants and to investigate the effects of disease on antioxidant status.

Ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay: direct measure of total antioxidant activity of biological fluids and modified version for simultaneous measurement of total antioxidant power and ascorbic acid concentration

In this review we describe and discuss several approaches to selecting higher plants as candidates for drug development with the greatest possibility of success. We emphasize the role of information derived from various systems of traditional medicine (ethnomedicine) and its utility for drug discovery purposes. We have identified 122 compounds of defined structure, obtained from only 94 species of plants, that are used globally as drugs and demonstrate that 80% of these have had an ethnomedical use identical or related to the current use of the active elements of the plant. We identify and discuss advantages and disadvantages of using plants as starting points for drug development, specifically those used in traditional medicine.

The value of plants used in traditional medicine for drug discovery.

Medicinal plants of India with anti-diabetic potential.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is extensively used as a spice, food preservative and colouring material in India, China and South East Asia. It has been used in traditional medicine as a household remedy for various diseases, including biliary disorders, anorexia, cough, diabetic wounds, hepatic disorders, rheumatism and sinusitis. For the last few decades, extensive work has been done to establish the biological activities and pharmacological actions of turmeric and its extracts. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), the main yellow bioactive component of turmeric has been shown to have a wide spectrum of biological actions. These include its antiinflammatory, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, anticoagulant, antifertility, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antiviral, antifibrotic, antivenom, antiulcer, hypotensive and hypocholesteremic activities. Its anticancer effect is mainly mediated through induction of apoptosis. Its antiinflammatory, anticancer and antioxidant roles may be clinically exploited to control rheumatism, carcinogenesis and oxidative stress-related pathogenesis. Clinically, curcumin has already been used to reduce post-operative inflammation. Safety evaluation studies indicate that both turmeric and curcumin are well tolerated at a very high dose without any toxic effects. Thus, both turmeric and curcumin have the potential for the development of modern medicine for the treatment of various diseases.

Turmeric and curcumin: Biological actions and medicinal applications

To evaluate the antibacterial activity of 21 plant essential oils against six bacterial species. The selected essential oils were screened against four gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris) and two gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus at four different concentrations (1:1, 1:5, 1:10 and 1:20) using disc diffusion method. The MIC of the active essential oils were tested using two fold agar dilution method at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 25.6 mg/ml. Out of 21 essential oils tested, 19 oils showed antibacterial activity against one or more strains. Cinnamon, clove, geranium, lemon, lime, orange and rosemary oils exhibited significant inhibitory effect. Cinnamon oil showed promising inhibitory activity even at low concentration, whereas aniseed, eucalyptus and camphor oils were least active against the tested bacteria. In general, B. subtilis was the most susceptible. On the other hand, K. pneumoniae exhibited low degree of sensitivity. Majority of the oils showed antibacterial activity against the tested strains. However Cinnamon, clove and lime oils were found to be inhibiting both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Cinnamon oil can be a good source of antibacterial agents.

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In vitro antibacterial activity of some plant essential oils.

Compendium of Indian medicinal plants

Screening of Indian plants for biological activity: I.

Two hundred and eighty-five botanically identifide plant materials have been extracted with 50 percent ethanol and the extracts put through a wide biological screen of 61 tests. These include tests for antibacterial, antifungal, anthelminthic, antiprotozoal, anticancer, antifertillity, hypoglycaemic and a wide range of pharmacological activities.

B N Mehrotra

Papers

Compendium of Indian medicinal plants

Screening of Indian plants for biological activity: I.

Screening of indian plants for biological activity: part i

Screening of Indian plants for biological activity. II.

Screening of Indian plants for biological activity: Part IX.