ABSTRACT
Ethno botanical studies reveal that the indigenous knowledge of a community is a key player in the identification of medicinal plants and such plants have been often tested by generations of indigenous people. In the present investigation, the hydro-alcoholic extracts of leaves of Azadirachta indica (Neem) and Swertia chirayta (Chirayta) were assessed for anti-helminthic potential against helminths (earthworms were used as model) at 10, 50 and 100 mg/ml. No anti-helminthic potential was observed at 10 mg/ml of dose of the hydro-alcoholic extracts of Swertia chirayta. The hydro-alcoholic extracts of both the plants showed significant anti-helminthic activity on selected worms at higher doses. Hydro-alcoholic leaves extracts of Azadirachta indica (Neem) was found to be more active as compared to hydro-alcoholic whole plant extracts of Swertia chirayta (Chirayta) at concentration of 100 mg/ml. It was observed that with the variation in dose, the death time and paralysis time of the worms’ decreases. The results indicated that extracts possessed dose dependent anti-helminthic activity. The results were compared to Piperazine citrate and Albendazole (15 mg/ml). The hydro-alcoholic extracts demonstrated paralysis as well as death of worms in a less time in comparison to the standard drugs. The anti-helminthic activity of the extracts indicates the presence of active principle responsible for anti-helminthic activity.
ABSTRACT
In the present investigation, the compound responsible for antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties in methanolic extract of leaves of Murraya koenigii L. was determined by Perkin- Elmer GC Claurus 500 system and Gas Chromatograph interfaced to a Mass Spectrometer GC/MS technique. GC-MS analysis of methanol extract of the leaves of the plant revealed the existence of 1- Methyl-pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid (69.00%), Ethyl α-d glucopyranoside (13.36%), Isolongifolene, Isolongifolene (3.68%), c-Himachalene (2.88%), 1,2-Ethanediol, monoacetate (2.79%), 1,2- Benzenedicarboxylic acid, di-isooctyl ester (2.55%). The pure compounds were separated using a Shimadzo LC 2010 HPLC system (Kyoto, Japan), equipped with a Shimadzo LC 2010 UV-VIS detector with a thermostated flow cell and a selectable two wavelengths of 190 - 370 nm or 371–600nm. These were further screened for their antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. All the compounds possessed some or the other activity. It was found that the compound 9, 12 octadecadienoic acid having the retention time 18.81 and the peak area 0.60 % had potent antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. The compound showed potent antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis, E.coli, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisae, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium notatum at MIC value from 0.05-0.56 μg/ml. The compound showed less activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in comparison to other pathogens. The compound possessed to have strong antioxidant activity with IC50 value of 45.65 μg/ml as measured by DPPH assay. The compound possessed 85 % reduction in paw edema at a dose of 150 μg/ml in reference to standard anti-inflammatory drug, aspirin which showed 68.62 % reduction. The compound was further assayed for cellular toxicity to fresh sheep erythrocytes and found to have no cellular toxicity.