ABSTRACT
Four new corynanthe-type alkaloids, meloslines C-F (1-4), together with four known ones (5-8) were isolated from the roots of Alstonia scholaris. Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited potent vasorelaxant activity on endothelium-intact renal arteries precontracted with KCl.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#The present study investigated the anticataract activity of a novel isoflavonoid, isolated from stem bark of Alstonia scholaris, against fructose-induced experimental cataract.@*METHODS@#The bioactivity of fractions extracted from A. scholaris, an isolated isoflavonoid (ASII) was screened using in vitro (goat lens) and in vivo (albino rats) experimental cataract models. For the in vivo evaluation, albino rats (12-15 weeks old) were divided into five groups (n = 6). Group I (normal) received 0.3% carboxymethyl cellulose solution (10 mL/[kg·d], p.o.). Group II (control) received 10% (w/v) fructose solution in their drinking water. Groups III-V received ASII at three different doses, 0.1, 1.0 and 10 mg/(kg·d), concurrently with 10% (w/v) fructose solution. Treatment was given daily for 8 consecutive weeks. During the protocol, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, blood glucose level and lenticular opacity were monitored at 2-week intervals. Pathophysiological markers (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione and malondialdehyde) in eye lenses were examined at the end of the 8-week treatment period.@*RESULTS@#The results of in vitro study showed that A. scholaris extract and the active fraction (A) reduced the lenticular opacity as compared to toxic control group. The in vivo study showed that 8-week administration of ASII (0.1, 1.0 and 10 mg/[kg·d], p.o.) led to significant reduction in blood pressure and blood glucose level and retarded the initiation and evolution of cataractogenesis, compared to the fructose-induced cataract model control. Additionally, ASII treatment led to significant improvement in lens antioxidants (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and reduced glutathione) and decreased lens malondialdehyde, compared to the control group (group II).@*CONCLUSION@#Results revealed that administration of ASII played a crucial role in the reduction of cataract formation in diabetic and hypertensive models.
ABSTRACT
There is increasing global interest in herbal and other forms of traditional medicines. Herbs have long been an important source of numerous effective drugs. As per World Health Organization recommendations, there is a need for investigation of traditional medicinal plants for their potential therapeutic efficacy. The bark of Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. (Family: Apocynaceae) locally known as ‘Sapthaparni’ or ‘Satwid’, is reported to have anticancer, antihelminthic, antidiarrhoeal, antiasthamatic, antimalarial etc. The present work embodies the study carried out for quality control of herbal drugs which comprises of macroscopy, microscopy, physicochemical properties, phytochemical analysis, fluorescence analysis and HPTLC fingerprint. The anatomical markers present were found to be stone cells, sclereids, cork cells, fibers and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate. Methanol soluble extractive value was found to be higher than Water, Ethanol and Petroleum ether soluble extractive values. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, steroids, amino acids, fats, fixed oil, glycosides, proteins, starch and flavonoids. A unique HPTLC fingerprint for A. scholaris (L.) R. Br. bark was developed. Results of the present study on pharmacognostical and phytochemical investigation of A. scholaris (L.) R. Br. bark will be helpful in developing standards for quality, purity and sample identification of this plant.
ABSTRACT
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer associated death among women worldwide. Current cancer treatments include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. However, since these conventional methods often have undesirable side effects,new focus towards the use of plant extract to treating cancer with eliminating the side effects. The objective of present study is to asses the anticancer effect of leaves of Alstonia scholaris, using the cytosolic marker enzymes like Aspartate transaminase (AST),Acid phosphatase(ACP) , Alkaline phosphatase(ALP), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Gamma - glutamyl transferase(γ– GT), and 5'-nuclcotidase(5'-NT) in vitro over breast cancer tissue. These are key enzymes in the metabolic pathways and these are the target for the drugs used in chemotherapy. An elevated level of enzyme concentration signals the presence of malignancy .The effect of leaves of Alstonia scholaris is also assessed by studying the effect of non-enzymatic antioxidants like vitamin A, E, C in vitro over breast cancer tissue. The present study revealed the leaves of methanolic extracts of Alstonia scholaris on cancer cells/tumor cells in vitro has been justified by its cytotoxic effect and anti proliferative effect.
ABSTRACT
Plants are a source of wide range of bioactive molecules. Alstonia scholaris, a tree species of Apocynaceae family is being reported as a well known herbal remedy of various diseases. In the present investigation, n-hexane fraction of crude methanolic extract of Alstonia scholaris Linn. R.Br. stem bark was evaluated for antibacterial activity using four human pathogenic multi-drug resistance bacterial strains Enterobacteriaceae bacterium IK1_01, Shigella dysentery, Enterobacter cloacae and Serratia marcescens. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were also performed to evaluate the multi-drug resistance patterns of these strains. All the strains showed multi-drug resistance against several commercially available antibiotics. The n-hexane fraction showed significant inhibitory activities against all the strains by agar-diffusion assay. The n-hexane fraction of crude methanolic extract of stem of A. scholaris showed MICs of 5.5 mg/ml, 5 mg/ml, <5.5 mg/ml and 8 mg/ml, and induced a maximum of 85.7%, 95.6%, 89.3% and 94.4% growth inhibition against E. bacterium IK1_01, S. dysentery, E. cloacae and S. marcescens, respectively.
ABSTRACT
Alstonia scholaris is a traditionally important medicinal plant. This evergreen tree is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asian countries. The plant is used in traditional, Ayurvedic, Unani, Homoeopathy and Sidhha/Tamil types of alternative medicinal systems against different ailments such as asthma, malaria, fever, dysentery, diarrhea, epilepsy, skin diseases, snakebite etc. Among the phytochemicals, alkaloids are mostly reported. This review compiles reports on phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of A. scholaris.