May 2012
Towards conservation of Nigerian medicinal plants
The scientific world today, seems to have gone indigenous, searching the grassroots for potential plants and animals that could confer solutions to problems that have puzzled mankind, to search for newer and more potent drugs and perhaps even to develop vaccines against diseases plaguing the nation. Whatever it may be, it is not farfetched to say that indigenous knowledge is now the “in-thing”. Africa is...
May 2012
Dactylorhiza hatagirea: A high value medicinal orchid
The family Orchidaceae, best represented by the species Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D.Don) Soo, is known worldwide for its manifold uses. It is widely used to cure various diseases like dysentery, diarrhoea, chronic fever, cough, stomachache, wounds, cuts, burns, fractures, general weakness, etc., and widely used in modern medicine. Therefore, an attempt has been made to assess the medicinal potential of the...
May 2012
Phytochemical composition of the essential oil, total phenolic content, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity in Iranian Satureja sahendica Bornm. at different ontogenesis conditions
The effects of different ontogenesis conditions (pre-flowering, full-flowering and post flowering) on the yield, essential oil composition, total phenolic content, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Satureja sahendica Bornm. was investigated. The essential oil was obtained from the aerial parts of the plant by hydro distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass...
May 2012
The protective effect of Chrysanthemum fantanesii extract, vitamin E and C on sodium valproate-induced embryotoxicity in pregnant mice
Valproate (VPA) has been shown to induce neural tube defect in human and mice. In this study, we investigated the ability of butanolic extract from leaves of Chrysanthemum fantanesii, vitamin E and C to modulate VPA-induced toxicity and oxidation damage in maternal and fetal tissues in mice. Plant extract, VPA and vitamins were administered orally to pregnant mice from the 6 to 17th day of...
May 2012
Phytochemical analysis and acute toxicity tests of two medicinal plant extracts
Cassia fistula L. (Caesalpiniaceae) is used in folk medicine for abdomeninal cramps, glands, liver, stomach and throat cancer, carcinomata, impostumes of the uterus, aperient, astringent, laxative purgative and vermifuge, burns, constipation, convulsions, delirium, diarrhea, dysuria, epilepsy, gravel, hematuria, pimples and glandular tumors. Hippophae rhamniodes (Elaeagnaceae) is used for nutritional...
May 2012
Interrelationships among flower yield and related characters in chamomile populations (Matricaria chamomilla L.)
Awareness of interrelationship between flower yield and its components will improve the efficiency of breeding programs through the use of appropriate selection criteria. This research uses sequential path analyses to determine the interrelationships among flower yield and related-traits. 20 chamomile populations were cultivated to determine the important components of flower yield. Flower yield and its components were...
May 2012
Assessment of nitrate and nitrite contamination in herbal tea products
Herbal tea products, are used for medicinal purposes for infants, yet do not fall under strict regulations, like drugs. Herbal tea products, may lead to a cure, but under certain conditions may lead to serious health problems, due to over dosage, heavy metal contamination and presence of other contaminants and active ingredients. This research investigated the nitrate and nitrite contamination of herbal tea products...
May 2012
Protective effect of L-3-n-Butylphthalide on the brain of ethanol dependence rats
This study was carried out to explore the protective effect of L-3-nbutylphthalide (NBP) on the brain of ethanol dependence rats. With the administration of different dosage of NBP, the variation of withdrawal scores, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) contents, cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) activities and expression N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor 2B subunit (NR2B) in the hippocampus tissue of ethanol dependent...
May 2012
Composition and insecticidal activity of the essential oil of Cananga odorata leaves against Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
The aim of this research was to determine chemical composition and insecticidal activity of the essential oil of Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. and Thomson leaves against maize weevils (Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky). Essential oil of C. odorata leaves was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 23 components of the...
May 2012
Screening of Vernonia amygdalina and Hymenocardia acida extracts and 1, 3-diaminopropane for their antitrypanosomal activities: In vitro model
Using an in vitro experimental model, 1,3-diaminopropane and water, and methanol and dichloromethane extracts of Vernonia amygdalina (leaf) and Hymenocardia acida (leaf, stem bark, root bark) were screened for antitrypanosomal activity at concentrations of 0.25-4 mg/ml. Decrease or arrest of parasites motility coupled with loss of infectivity to mice was taken as the indicator...
May 2012
Influence of polyamines on in vitro organogenesis in bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.)
An efficient protocol for in vitro organogenesis was achieved from callus derived petiole explants of bitter melon. The effects of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) along with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and thiadiazuron (TDZ) for callus induction and multiple shoot induction were investigated. Murashige and Skoog (MS) plus Gamborg et al. (B5) medium containing a combination of 3.0 μM NAA,...
May 2012
In vitro multiplication of the important medicinal plant, harmal (Rhazya stricta Decne)
An improved protocol for successful micropropagation of the important medicinal plant ‘harmal’ (Rhazya stricta Decne) has been developed. Nodal segments containing axillary buds were surface sterilized and inoculated aseptically on culture medium. The effect of the combinations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and kinetin (kin) on shoots initiation, proliferating and elongation of the explants, as...
May 2012
Antimicrobial activity of sennosides from Cassia pumila Lamk.
Ayurveda recommends the application of different parts of Cassia pumila Lamk. plant species in the forms of paste, powder, juice, and decoction for treatment of various infections. The chloroform active sub-fraction and five sennosides were investigated for their antimicrobial activity by using microdilution method. The reported results indicated that sennoside D demonstrated maximum activity...
May 2012
ISSR and SRAP markers in the genetic relationship analysis among Pinellia in China
The genetic relationship among five species of Pinellia endemic in China was examined by inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers. Twelve ISSR primers amplified a total of 569 DNA fragments, of which 504 (88.58%) were polymorphic, whereas 38 SRAP primer combinations amplified 1826 fragments, of which 1431 (78.37%) were polymorphic. Cluster analysis showed...
May 2012
Ethnomedicinal survey of medicinal plants used for the management of HIV/AIDS infection among local communities of Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa
An ethnomedicinal survey was conducted on medicinal plants used for the management of HIV/AIDS infection in the local communities of Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape Province. Information was obtained through a well-structured questionnaire and interviews administered to traditional healers and herbalists in various regions. The survey revealed 18 species belonging to 12 families. The members of Asphodelaceae...
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