Natural Products Journal, The - Volume 2, Issue 4, 2012

The effect of extraction solvents (methanol, 95%ethanol, and water) on total phenolic contents and free radical scavenging activity (FRSA) of Gynura procumbens leaf was investigated. The contents of total phenolic and in vitro FRSA were significantly higher in the methanol extract compared to the 95% ethanol and water extracts. Consequently, the effect of the methanol extract on plasma lipid peroxidation and plasma total antioxidant status in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) -induced oxidative stress in rats was determined. The administration of CCl4 to rats showed significant increase in plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels. The plasma lipid peroxidation elevation produced by CCl4 was reversed in rats fed with the methanol extract of G. procumbens leaf for 14 days before CCl4 challenge. Administration of CCl4 to rats did not showed significant alteration in plasma total antioxidant status (TAS).

Phytochemical investigation of the methanolic extract of Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr. (Rutaceae) roots resulted in the isolation of two new diterpenic coumarin ethers characterized as 8-(2´,6´,10´,14´-tetramethylhexadec-5´,13´-dien-3´-oxo) coumarin (2) and 8-(2´,6´,10´,14´-tetramethylhexadec-13´-en-3´-oxo) coumarin (3) and two new sesquiterpenic coumarin ethers identified as 8-(4´β,10´α-dimethyl-7´-isopropenyl-4´α-hydroxy-6´-oxo-decalin) coumarin (4) and 8-(4´β,10´α- dimethyl-7´-isopropenyl-4´α,5´β-dihydroxy-6´-oxo-decalin) coumarin (5) along with known compound n-hexacosan-1-ol (1). The structures of the isolated compounds were established by spectral data analysis.

A new phenyl alcohol and two new phenolic glycosides isolated from the methanolic extract of the stem bark of Morus alba L. (Moraceae) have been characterized as n-triacontan-7-ol-13-oxo-yl 3,4-dioxymethylene benzene (1), noctadecanyl- β-D-arabinofuranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-arabinofuranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-arabinofuranosyl-3” ” -methoxy-4” ” -hydroxy cinnamate (stearyltriarabinoferulate) (2) and 3-methoxy-4,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid-4-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1” →6’)-β-Dglucopyranoside (methoxygallic acid diglucoside) (3) on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic methods.

Objective: Alpinia calcarata Roscoe (F. Zingiberaceae) rhizomes are often used in Sri Lankan traditional systems of medicine as a remedy for bronchitis, cough, respiratory ailments, diabetics, asthma and arthritis. Present review summarizes chemical, pharmacognostical, pharmacological and toxicological investigations carried out on A. calcarata of Sri Lankan origin. Methods: Composition of A. calcarata essential oil was analyzed by capillary GC and GC/MS. Pharmacognostical evaluation was carried out using physico-chemical parameters and TLC – densitometric and HPLC fingerprints. In vitro and in vivo experiments were used to investigate pharmacological and toxicological investigations. Key Findings: Eighteen volatile constituents have been identified in essential oil of Sri Lankan grown A. calcarata rhizomes, leaves and roots. Moreover, A. calcarata exerts strong effects on antiinflammatory, antinociception, diabetes, gastroprotection and reproductive competence of male rats, validating the claims in traditional medicinal systems of Sri Lanka. In addition, hitherto unreported bioactivities such as antioxidant, insecticidal and antifungal activities were also discovered. Further, A. calcarata extracts did not produce any serious overt signs of toxicity. Conclusions: The above findings indicate the vast potential of A. calcarata yet to be harnessed for the benefit of mankind.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has use in certain parts of the world and has gained increasing interest. People with epilepsy (PWE) take natural products or other forms of CAM mainly to enhance general health, but also to prevent seizures or to alleviate symptoms of co-morbidities or side effects of antiepileptic medications. The well developed medical systems, such as traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Unani and Ayurveda are often the basis for treating PWE. Based on reports of efficacy in PWE, natural products from these traditions are increasingly being studied in animal models of epilepsy and for further clinical development have been identified. It is likely, therefore, that natural products will be further evaluated for safety, tolerability and efficacy in PWE with drug-resistant seizures.

The present work was designed to compare the in vitro antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic properties of microwave assisted (MWSV) and Soxhlet assisted extracts of Solanum viarum fruits (SESV). The total phenol and flavonol contents of both the extracts were determined. The extracts were evaluated for in vitro antioxidant activity in different models and antibacterial activity against different bacterias and also cytotoxic effect on HeLa cancer cell line. Total phenol and flavonol contents were higher in SESV. The MWSV exhibited excellent results in nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide radical inhibition and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity and SESV has potent reducing power with the absorbance 0.448 at the concentration of 10 μg/ml and strong cytotoxicity to HeLa cells. SESV also exhibited broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against six bacteria tested by disc diffusion method. These results suggest that Soxhlet extract of Solanum viarum could be considered for curing diseases from oxidative deteriorations and the bacterias.

Investigation on the secondary metabolites of the leaves of Phlogacanthus pubinervius Nees. led to the isolation of a new terpenoidal glycoside, 3-O-[ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1’→2’)-α-L-rhamnopyranosylphlogaca-nthoside], 5 along with five other compounds including β-sitosterol (1), β-sitosterol-D-glucoside (2), Stigmasta-5,22-dien-7-on-3ß-ol (3), 19-hydroxy- phlogacantholide (4), and (2E,7Z)-2,6-dihydroxycycloocta-2,7-dienone (6). The structures of the compounds (1-6) were established by physical and spectroscopic analysis. Free radical scavenging activities of the isolates were evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and the Isosbestic points of the isolates were also reported.

The contents of cell wall polysaccharides in pericarp tissues of immature Hayward kiwifruit were determined during development. Two methods employed to remove starch from the crude cell wall preparations were enzymatic digestion (porcine pancreatic α-amylase and Pseudomonas iso-amylase, Method 1) and dimethyl sulfoxide extraction (DMSO, Method 2). Method 2 was more effective in removing starch than Method 1. After extensive removal of starch, cell wall materials were successively extracted with 50 mM EDTA, followed by 4% and 24% KOH. The hot EDTAsoluble (pectic) and alkaline-soluble (hemicellulosic I and -II) polysaccharides were further treated with enzymatic digestion. In subsequent amylase digestions of fractions derived from cell walls previously subjected to the two methods the glucose content was further depleted by 28-77% (Method 1) and 85-91% (Method 2) in the pectin fraction, and 51- 86% (Method 1) and 45-91% (Method 2) in the hemicellulose fractions, suggesting starch in the crude cell walls was not released by initial enzymatic treatment or DMSO extraction. Moreover, the crude cell walls yielded α-amylase activity upon extraction by 1 M NaCl, further suggesting that starch is present in the cell walls. Methylation analysis of the starch fraction revealed a molar ratio of 0.2∼0.6:3.8∼11.6:1 for T-Glc, 4-Glc and 4,6-Glc. The red-violet starch-iodine complex had an absorption maximum of 550∼565 nm. These results provide evidence for an amylopectin-type starch present in the cell walls of immature kiwifruit.

An in vitro method to improve the production of vincristine (VCR) was developed by using CaCl2 elicitor in embryogenic suspension culture of C. roseus. CaCl2 at various levels [0 mM (T0), 5 mM (T1), 25 mM (T2), 50 mM (T3), 75 mM (T4) and 100 mM (T5)] was added in MS medium as an elicitor molecule. Cultural growth in terms of absolute dry mass, packed cell volume, colony area was increased up to T2 treatment and thereafter it declined. Antioxidant enzyme activities such as Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and Glutathione reductase (GR) in response to CaCl2 treatment were assayed. We noted that as the concentration of CaCl2 was increased in medium the activity of the above said enzymes increased linearly. HPTLC analysis of embryogenic tissues and of liquid medium at periodic intervals was performed to quantify the alkaloid yield. We noted early accumulation of VCR (after 20 days of culture) in suspended cells in response to calcium elicitation. No VCR was, however, detected in liquid medium, used for tissue cultivation.

Objective: To investigate nephroprotective potential of Urtica parviflora (UP) against paracetamol (PCM) induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Methods: Nephrotoxicity was induced in rats by chronic administration of PCM (1 g/kg body weight p.o.) for 21 days. Different doses of UP (250, 500 and 750 mg/kg b.w., p.o.) were administered for 21 days along with PCM. Blood urea, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, total protein, serum and tissue nitrite, renal enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants along with lipid peroxidation were evaluated. The effect of extract treatment on the renal histopathological profile in PCM nephrotoxic rats was also evaluated. Results: PCM treatment significantly elevated blood urea, BUN, creatinine, serum nitrite and renal lipid peroxidation along with significant decrement in renal enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, total proteins while UP treatment significantly attenuated these alterations. The extract was also effective in mitigating renal histopathological changes induced by PCM. Conclusions: The results suggested potent nephroprotective and antioxidant properties of Urtica parviflora.

Context: Celtis australis L. (Ulmaceae) is a deciduous tree distributed in mountainous and sub-mountainous Himalaya. This plant has been used as traditional medicine in bone fracture, pimples, contusions, sprains and joint pains in India. Objectives: This is the first evaluation of C. australis extracts (bark and fruits) and fatty acids (fruits) for acute toxicity, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Materials and methods: The ethanol extracts of air dried stem bark and fruits were prepared at 30-50°C with 95% EtOH for 15h. The solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure and the powdery extracts so obtained were used for present study along with crude fatty acids obtained from column elution of n-C6H12-CHCl3 (6:4) of EtOAc fruit extract. Crude extracts and fatty acids were screened for analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities by oral administration of three different doses at 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg of each text sample on Swiss albino mice and Sprague-Dawley rats, respectively. Results: All doses (i.e. 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg) of test samples were found active when compared with negative control. Crude extracts and fatty acids at higher concentration (i.e. 500 mg/kg) showed analgesic activity protection of 59.28, 63.22, and 45.79%, respectively, whereas at the same concentration, the anti-inflammatory inhibition was 44.26, 45.90, and 42.62%, respectively. Paracetamol and phenylbutazone were used as positive controls for analgesic and antiinflammatory activities, respectively. Discussion and conclusion: Present study concludes that extracts (stem bark and fruits) and fatty acids (fruits) of C. australis have significant (plt;0.05) analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities.

Although there are many chemicals used for sterilization purposes such as ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, bromine water, mercuric chloride, silver nitrate and antibiotics, sodium hypochlorite solutions have been most widely used. Since NaOCl has a strong oxidizing property which makes it highly reactive with amino acids, nucleic acids, amines, and amides, it is highly effective against all kinds of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The general reaction between amino acids and NaOCl produces the respective aldehyde, NH4Cl and CO2. Thus, during the sterilization process, direct contact of the tissue with NaOCl depending on it’s concentration, application period and temperature may have a hazardous effect on the health of the tissue. In plant tissue culture studies, high-frequency shoot regeneration which is highly affected by tissue health, is a prerequisite for an efficient gene transformation system and a clonal propagation of plants. The most important treatment prior to culture initiation is the sterilization of the tissue. In plant tissue culture, elimination of microorganisms from the tissue has great importance. From one hand, sterilization process aims to eliminate all microorganisms that can easily grow on the tissue; on the other hand, it should guarantee the tissue’s viability and regeneration capacity. This review has focused on the effects of concentration, application period and temperature of NaOCl using for eliminating microorganisms on the viability and in vitro regeneration capacity of the tissue.