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Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants

About: The article was published on 1956-01-01 and is currently open access. It has received 5524 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Glossary.
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The data indicate that the possible mechanism of inhibition by plant extract is mediated by its modulatory effect on hepatic activation and disposition processes.
Abstract: Benzo [α] pyrene (B[α]P) and cyclophosphamide (CP) are potent carcinogens/mutagens. Effect of Emblica officinalis extract administration on the in vivo genotoxi-city of B[α]P and CP was studied using bone marrow chromosomal aberration and micronucleus induction tests in mice.Three doses (50,250 and 500mg/kgbodyweight) oftheplant extractwere administered orallyfor 7 consecutive days prior to the administration of single dose of mutagens (B[α]P 125 mg/kg oral; CP 40 mg/kg i.p.).It was found that administration of 250 and 500 mg/kg of E. officinalis extract significantly inhibited the genotoxi-city of B [α] P as well as CP in both the assay systems. Administration of 50 mg/kg of the plant extract had no inhibitory effect.Vitamin C, a major constituent of E. officinalis when administered at dose level of 9 mg/kg b.w. (the approx-imate estimated amount present in the highest dose of plant extract, i.e. 500 mg) for 7 days did inhibit chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei induction, but not in a significant ma...

72 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results demonstrate that the LSFE has a definite antihyperlipidemic potential and there is also a valid scientific basis for consuming it in the treatment of coronary artery diseases in India.

72 citations

01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: The Cholistan desert is characterized by large saline compacted areas with alluvial clay, sandy ridges and dunes, and semi-stabilized to frequently shifting dunes as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The Cholistan desert can be divided into two distinct regions on the basis of topography, soil type and texture, and vegetation structure: the northern Lesser Cholistan and southern Greater Cholistan. The desert is characterized by large saline compacted areas with alluvial clay, sandy ridges and dunes, and semi-stabilized to frequently shifting dunes. The climate is subtropical, harsh, hot and arid, and influenced by seasonal monsoons. Vegetation cover on the sand dunes is comprised by a few tussock-forming grasses including Cenchrus ciliaris, Panicum turgidum and Lasiurus scindicus, along with perennial shrubs Calligonum polygonoides, Leptadenia pyrotechnica and Aerva javanica. Interdunal flats are dominated by grasses, mainly Cymbopogon jwarancusa, Sporobolus ioclados, Panicum antidotale, and Ochthochloa compressa, and tall shrubs Calligonum polygonoides and Capparis decidua. Vegetation of saline patches is specific, dominated by halophytes mainly belonging to family Chenopodiaceae (Amaranthaceae). Many plants of the Cholistan desert, including Neurada procumbens, Aerva javanica, Capparis decidua, Cleome brachycarpa, Dipterygium glaucum, Gisekia pharnacioides, Suaeda fruticosa, Achyranthes aspera, Aerva javanica, Alhagi maurorum, Calotropis procera, Capparis decidua, Zaleya pentandra, Mollugo cerviana, Ziziphus mauritiana, Boerhavia procumbens, Cressa cretica and Crotalaria burhia, are frequently used by the local inhabitants to cure chronic and acute diseases. A variety of medicinally important chemical compounds have been extracted and identified from the plants of the Cholistan desert, including terpenes and triterpenoids, sterols and steroids, phenolics, flavonoids, gums and resins, quinones, anthocyanidines, saponins, antioxidants and fatty acids. Habitat degradation, intensive agricultural practices and overexploitation of resources pose a serious threat to the diversity of ethnobotanically important plant species. Allopathic medicines are generally highly priced and out of reach for many of the desert inhabitants. Herbal medicines are preferentially used by local people because they are cheaper than allopathic medicines and have relatively few side effects. Therefore, it is imperative to devise strategies to meet the increasing demand for medicinal plants, not only for the local inhabitants but also for international markets. Institutional support, therefore, can play a decisive role in improving the medicinal plant sector while providing financial support, cultivation and conservation of some important medicinal plants and promoting the domestic and international market systems.

72 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The present work is an effort to prove the safety and efficacy of Hemidesmus indicus Linn in the management of nephrotoxicity induced by aminoglycosides such as gentamicin.
Abstract: SUMMARY: Background and Aims: Owing to the global trend towards improved ‘quality of life’, there is considerable evidence of an increase in demand for medicinal plants. The WHO guidelines define basic criteria for the standardization of herbal medicines. The present work is an effort in this direction to prove the safety and efficacy of Hemidesmus indicus Linn. in the management of nephrotoxicity induced by aminoglycosides such as gentamicin. Methods and Results: Simple, quality control methods using high performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) phytochemical fingerprint, proximate analysis, and the stability of the H. indicus root powder were developed. From the toxicity study using albino Swiss mice, it was observed that the drug (H. indicus) was relatively safe up to 7 g/kg bodyweight dose. Efficacy was evaluated against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in albino Wister rats. The study examined animals from the following groups: no treatment, gentamicin treated, gentamicin treated recovery, and gentamicin and plant treated. Animals from all groups were killed on day 13 of the study; those from gentamicin treated group were killed on the seventh day. Assessment of the drug efficacy drug was conducted by using haematological and histological examination. Conclusion: The treatment with H. indicus helped in the management of renal impairment, which was induced by gentamicin in rats. This is evident from the results obtained for various kidney function tests for gentamicin, along with the results from the plant treated group, and is in comparison with the results found for the gentamicin recovery group. A histological examination of kidneys also supports the findings from haematological evaluations. The plant shows promise as an adjunct therapy along side aminoglycosides as it reduces nephrotoxicity caused by aminoglycosides.

72 citations


Cites background from "Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants..."

  • ...indicus, which has been mentioned in the literature to be useful in the treatment of kidney disorders.(1,2) To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study providing information on the renoprotective action of the herbal drug, H....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This study explored the safer and effective potential of plant extracts against vector responsible for diseases of public health importance, and partially purified secondary metabolites showed potent mosquito larvicidal activity against the fourth instar larval form.
Abstract: In a search for natural products that could be used to control the vectors of tropical diseases, extracts of medicinal plants Plumbago zeylanica and Cestrum nocturnum have been tested for larvicidal activity against second, third, and fourth instar larvae of Aedes aegypti. The LC50 values of all the extracts in different solvents of both the plants were less than 50 ppm (15.40–38.50 ppm) against all tested larval instars. Plant extracts also affected the life cycle of A. aegypti by inhibition of pupal development and adult emergence with increasing concentrations. The larvicidal stability of the extracts at five constant temperatures (19°C, 22°C, 25°C, 28°C, and 31°C) evaluated against fourth instar larvae revealed that toxicity of both plant extracts increases with increase in temperature. Toxicity studies carried out against fish species Poecilia reticulata, the most common nontarget organism in the habitats of A. aegypti, showed almost nil to meager toxicity at LC50 and LC90 doses of the plant extracts. The qualitative analysis of crude extracts of P. Zeylanica and C. nocturnum revealed the presence of bioactive phytochemicals with predominance of plumbagin in P. zeylanica and saponins in C. nocturnum. Partially purified plumbagin from P. zeylanica and saponins from C. nocturnum were obtained, and their presence was confirmed by thin-layer chromatography and biochemical tests. The bioassay experiment of partially purified secondary metabolites showed potent mosquito larvicidal activity against the fourth instar larval form. Therefore, this study explored the safer and effective potential of plant extracts against vector responsible for diseases of public health importance.

72 citations


Cites background from "Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants..."

  • ...Use of plumbagin in the treatment of p388 lymphocytic leukemia has been reported (Chopra et al. 1996; Parimala and Sachdanandam 1993)....

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  • ...The tincture of its root bark is a powerful sudorific and antiperiodic, and its milky juice is used to treat scabies and ulcers (Chopra et al. 1996)....

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  • ...P. zeylanica reported to contain plumbagin which stimulates muscular tissue in smaller dose and paralyzes in larger doses (Chopra et al. 1996)....

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  • ...However, use of plumbagin in the treatment of p388 lymphocyte leukemia has been reported (Chopra et al. 1996; Parimala and Sachdanandam 1993) and has not been found toxic to human beings....

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  • ...zeylanica reported to contain plumbagin which stimulates muscular tissue in smaller dose and paralyzes in larger doses (Chopra et al. 1996)....

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