ABSTRACT
Abstract Sweet or bell pepper is a member of the Solanaceae family and is regarded as one of the most popular and nutritious vegetable. Blight, in the form of leaf and fruit blight, has been observed to infect bell pepper crops cultivated at the horticulture farm in Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur, India. Based on disease severity, we attempted to curb this newly emerged problem using different fungicides, plant extracts, bio-control agents, and commercial botanicals against the fungus in laboratory and pot experiments. Bio-control agent Trichoderma viride and plant growth promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) isolate Neist-2 were found to be quite effective against bell pepper blight. All evaluated fungicides, botanicals, commercial botanicals, and bio-control agents in vitro were further studied as seed dressers and two foliar sprays at ten days interval in pot experiments. The combinations of Vitavax, PGPR isolate Neist-2, and Mehandi extract were found to be very effective against bell pepper blight followed by Vitavax, T. viride, and Mehandi extract used individually. All treatments in the pot experiments were found to significantly reduce seedling mortality and enhance plant biomass of bell pepper. Thus, these experimental findings suggest that a better integrated management of bell pepper blight could be achieved by conducting field trials in major bell pepper- and chilli-cultivated areas of the state. Besides fungicides, different botanicals and commercial botanicals also seem to be promising treatment options. Therefore, the outcome of the present study provides an alternate option of fungicide use in minimizing loss caused by Drechslera bicolor.
Subject(s)
Plant Diseases/microbiology , Ascomycota , Capsicum/microbiology , Ascomycota/drug effects , Capsicum/chemistry , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Seedlings/drug effects , Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Antifungal Agents/chemistryABSTRACT
Las hierbas y otros productos de origen botánico, han sido utilizados por siglos en diversas culturas con fines medicinales y dietéticos. Contrario a la creencia de ser productos naturales y seguros, su potencial hepatotóxico es reconocido en diversos estudios a nivel mundial, lo que constituye un problema de salud que amerita mayor atención. La prevalencia reportada de hepatotoxicidad asociada a productos botánicos es variable y depende de diversos factores como población estudiada, período y diseño del estudio. Se han reportado un total de 60 productos a base de hierbas con fines medicinales y dietéticos, que pueden causar lesión hepática; sin embargo, el mecanismo fisiopatológico no está completamente dilucidado. Su cuadro clínico y características histológicas, no difieren de la lesión hepática asociada a medicamentos y la mayoría de los pacientes tienen un patrón de lesión hepatocelular. El diagnóstico se hace por exclusión, representando un desafío clínico importante, por lo que resulta fundamental la sospecha clínica y el diagnóstico diferencial de otras patologías agudas y crónicas. De allí que las investigaciones futuras están orientadas a mejorar los métodos diagnóstico existentes e introducir nuevas tecnologías toxicológicas, genéticas e inmunológicas. El manejo es complejo y representa un reto para el especialista puesto que no existe antídoto; el manejo se basa en suspender el uso del producto y en el tratamiento sintomático que disminuya la progresión a la falla hepática aguda fulminante.
Herbs and other botanicals have been used in different cultures with medicinal and dietary purposes for centuries. Contrary to the belief of being natural and safe products, their hepatotoxic potential is recognized in several studies worldwide, and represent a health problem that deserves greater attention. The reported prevalence of hepatotoxicity associated with botanicals is variable and depends on various factors such as population, period and design of the study. There have been reports of a total of 60 products with herbal medicinal and dietary purposes, which may cause liver damage; however, the pathophysiological mechanisms involved are not fully elucidated. Their clinical and histological features, not unlike liver injury associated with drugs in most patients, have a pattern of hepatocellular injury. Diagnosis is by exclusion, and represents a clinical challenge. It is essential the clinical suspicion and the differential diagnosis with other acute and chronic conditions. Hence, future researches are aimed at improving existing diagnostic methods and introducing new toxicological, genetic and immunological technologies. Treatment is complex and presents a challenge for the specialist, as there are no antidotes. Management based on the discontinued use of the product and in the symptomatic treatment, decreases the progression to an acute fulminant hepatic failure.
Subject(s)
Humans , Plants, Medicinal/adverse effects , Plant Preparations/adverse effects , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/etiology , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Prevalence , Dietary Supplements/adverse effects , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/diagnosis , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/epidemiology , Phytotherapy/adverse effects , Medicine, Traditional/adverse effectsABSTRACT
La apropiación por parte de la ciencia imperial hispánica del conocimien-to botánico de los nativos americanos, especialmente en lo relativo al uso y consumo de plantas medicinales, es un fenómeno ampliamente conocido y estudiado: en él, la Compañía de Jesús desempeñó un papel preponderante, puesto que los jesuitas difundieron estos conocimientos por las distintas pro-vincias de la Orden dentro del Imperio, y también hacia el mundo europeo. Se sabe menos de la manera en que estos conocimientos se difundieron entre otras poblaciones indígenas y sectores subalternos de la América española, como ocurrió por ejemplo con la influencia del Florilegio Medicinal de Juan de Esteyneffer entre los sectores populares de Nueva España. Dentro de esta misma tradición podemos situar la oferta de ayuda mé-dica realizada en 1791 por parte de las autoridades coloniales chilenas a los mapuche durante un brote epidémico de viruelas que afectó sucesivamente a las poblaciones de ambos lados de la frontera. En esa ocasión, los españoles aconsejaron a los nativos el uso de yerbas medicinales de cuyo uso se habían apropiado durante el siglo XVII, cuando los misioneros jesuitas aprendieron su utilización de los mismos indígenas. El ofrecimiento muestra entonces la vuelta a casa, después de cien años de una vasta circulación que implicó también su incorporación por parte de los sectores populares hispano-criollos, de prácticas y saberes que tenían su origen en las poblaciones y el territorio de la Araucanía. El caso, reconstruido a partir de diversas fuentes documentales y bibliográficas, ilustra la circulación de los conocimientos médicos a través de las fronteras étnicas y sociales, movida por la búsqueda común de la eficacia curativa y del aprovechamiento de los recursos botánicos locales.
he appropriation of American native people's botanical knowledge by Hispanic imperial scien-ce is a widely known and studied phenomenon, especially as concerns the use and consumption of medicinal plants. The Compañía de Jesús played a prominent role: the Jesuits spread this knowledge to different provinces within the Empire and outside of Europe. Less studied is the way in which the same knowledge was transmitted amongst other indigenous peoples and sub-altern sectors across Spanish America, as occurred, for instance, with Juan de Esteyneffer's Flori-legio Medicinal, influential amongst the popular classes in New Spain.We can situate in this same tradition the example of the medical aid the Chilean colonial authorities provided to the Mapuche people during a smallpox epidemic in 1791, which succes-sively affected populations at both sides of the frontier. In this instance, the Spaniards advised natives about the traditional use of medicinal herbs, from knowledge appropriated during the 17th century that the Jesuit missionaries had learned from the Indians themselves. The Spanish contribution shows the return of practices that had their origin from the people and territory of Araucanía, but that circulated through and were influenced by popular hispano-criollo sectors.This case, reconstructed through different documental and bibliographic sources, illustrates the circulation of medical knowledge through ethnic and social frontiers, moved by the common search of curative efficacy and the exploitation of local botanic resources.
Subject(s)
Humans , Indians, South American , Catholicism , Ethnobotany/history , Chile , Cultural DiffusionABSTRACT
Poultry is challenged by microbial infection owing to the restrictions in the use of synthetic antibiotic growth promoters. This study investigated the use of ginger, Zingiber officinale Roscoe (family Zingiberaceae) for the control of infections in poultry. Aqueous extracts of fresh ginger was administered to the birds by dispersing in water. A completely randomized experimental design using 100 day old broiler chicks distributed to two treatments having five replicate per treatment. The ginger extract was given to a set of 50 day old birds (ginger treatment 2) and was not added in a second set, which served as the control. The population of microbes (Lactobacillus, Salmonella, E. coli and coliforms) in the crop, ileum and caecum of the birds were determined 7 days before and 7 days after the administration of the fresh ginger extract. Before the administration of ginger, Salmonella population was highest at the crop 1.852 Log cfu/g and decreased afterwards being 1.744 Log cfu/g at the ileum and 1.710 Log cfu/g at the caecum. E. coli was 1.789, 1.821 and 1.727 Log cfu/g at the crop, ileum and caecum respectively. E. coli accounted for over 90% of the coliform population, hence they exhibited the same pattern was observed. Lactobacillus was highest at the crop (1.933 Log cfu/g) and declined through the ileum (1.842 Log cfu/g) to the caecum (1.705 Log cfu/g). The administration of aqueous extract of ginger resulted in a significant decline of all microbial species analyzed over the control (P<0.05). Hence, it is recommended that the use of ginger for the control of infection is plausible but its use must be modified to prevent killing of beneficial microbes in the broiler GIT. The proximate composition of the fresh ginger rhizome used in the study was also presented.
ABSTRACT
Rodents are the major limiting factor right from nursery to harvest stage in paddy. Repeated application of rodenticides for managing rodent damage may lead to development of resistance among rodents, environment risks and human health hazards. Hence, Field experiments were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of various botanicals as alternatives against rodent pests instead of continuous application of rodenticides in irrigated rice ecosystem during kharif and rabi seasons of 2011-12. The efficacy of botanicals was assessed by live burrow count before and after imposition of treatments at 7 and 15 days after treatment during tillering and panicle initiation stage of the rice crop. Among all the botanicals evaluated for their efficacy against rodent pests the commercial castor based product, Ecodon recorded highest percent control success ranging from 44.36 to 59.20 % followed by crude castor oil (10%). The Crude castor oil (10%) was also proven to be superior next to Ecodon in order of efficacy against rodent pests. The other botanicals like pongamia oil, neem oil and papaya extract shown no significant control success in suppression of rodent pests. It is inferred from the present study that botanicals cannot substitute the rodenticides in rodent management but can be used in combinations and alternate applications in minimizing their incidence in irrigated paddy.
ABSTRACT
Ficus pseudopalma Blanco is an ornamental plant endemic to the Philippines, especially in the island of Luzon. It is commonly used to treat kidney stones and diabetes and used for edible fruits. The leaves are cooked and eaten as vegetable despite the absence of studies on its possible toxic effect. This study was conducted to assess any toxicity of its leaf extract. Acute oral toxicity of the crude ethanolic leaf extract of F. pseudoplama was performed according to the guidelines set by OECD 425 on six 8-12 week old female Sprague Dawley rats weighing from 160-210g. One rat was treated with normal saline solution that served as the control. Toxicological and pharmacological observations were completed for 14 days. On day 14, all test animals were sacrificed via cervical dislocation and subjected to gross necropsy; liver samples were subjected to histopathological examination. Gross examination of the rodent’s organs was all normal and regarded as unremarkable. Toxicological screening showed that the experimentally treated rats behaved almost normally as the control. Histopathological examination showed no area of hepatic zonal necrosis and tumor formation was identified, no cytological aypia and sinusoid congestion, intact and uninterrupted hepatic lobular architecture, and portal tracts and vessels were unremarkable. These findings strongly suggest that the leaf extract is non toxic and safe for consumption up to 2000 mg/kg BW and may therefore be used for future nutraceuticals and drug development.
ABSTRACT
Soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr. seeds, pods and seedlings are susceptible to fungal attack due to its rich nutrient content. The most commonly isolated soybean (JS-335) seed-borne fungi were Fusarium spp., Macrophomina phaseolina., Pythium spp., Aspergillus spp., Phoma spp., and Phomopsis spp. Macrophomina phaseolina is an important plant pathogenic fungus that causes charcoal rot of soybean and infects more than 500 hosts. In humid climates, the fungus causes a post emergence damping-off of soybean seedlings leading to 50% of crop losses. The objective of this work was to study the efficacy of the botanicals on soybean seed-borne Macrophomina phaseolina. Among the 10 botanicals screened, Datura metel (L.) methanol leaf extract showed the most promising activity against Macrophomina phaseolina.
ABSTRACT
Melasma is one of the most common and distressing pigmentary disorders presenting to dermatology clinics. The precise cause of melasma remains unknown; however, there are many possible contributing factors. It is notably difficult to treat and has a tendency to relapse. The existing and most tried topical therapy is hydroquinone and the triple combination with tretinoin and corticosteroids, which is considered the gold standard for melasma. Besides that, azelaic acid, kojic acid, arbutin, ascorbic acid, glycolic acid and salicylic peels have also been tried with limited success. However, multiple novel topical agents are being investigated for their potential as hypopigmenting agents with unique mode of action. But, further trials are required to study their efficacy and safety before they can be further recommended. The article highlights these newer formulations and also briefly mentions about the newer chemical peels and the much hyped lasers in treating this difficult and frustrating condition.
ABSTRACT
Availability of rapid and reliable methods for detection of quality in plant raw materials and botanicals is urgently needed. The recent HPTLC instrumentation allows to obtain fingerprints useful to ascertain identity and composition. The results of direct application of HPTLC devices in selected cases, using the fingerprint approach, are here reported, considered and compared with other methods. HPTLC is proposed as an useful tool for analytical validation of the novel forms of natural products.
ABSTRACT
All over the world, especially in developing countries herbal drugs are playing an important role in health care programmes.This is because they are being cheap and locally available. There is a general belief amongst the consumers globally that herbal drugs are always safe because they are “natural". However evidences suggests otherwise. The mere fact that a product is "natural" may not signify that the product is safe. Although limited evidence suggests that adverse effects associated with the use of herbal drugs are less likely to occur than with conventional drugs, theydo occur though usually mild and only affecting a small number of people. Recent evidence suggests that some of the herbs considered to be safe over the last many decades have proven to be associated with health hazards. Herbal remedies can act either as agonists or antagonists that potentiate some drug therapies. Therefore , an understanding of conventional drugs is an essential prerequisite for effective herbal therapeutics.The advancement of technology has enabled the scientists to detect minute amounts of carcinogenic and toxic chemicals in these herbs and recognize or evaluate potentially hazardous effects of some of the herbs which had been used in traditional medicine since centuries.
ABSTRACT
Colorectal cancer is becoming increasingly common in Asian countries and still remains the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Efforts to prevent colon cancer have targeted early detection through screening and chemoprevention. For the last ten years our laboratory has utilized an in vivo screening assay for the testing of potential cancer preventives for colon cancer. We have conducted investigations on over 150 compounds including many with botanical or herbal origins. As part of our program on natural products we have examined a number of herbal and botanical products in the aberrant crypt foci (ACF) assay including Korean red ginseng powder, green tea catechins, curcumin from the Indian culinary spice, tumeric, compounds from garlic and onion, resveratrol from red grapes, among others. In the ginseng experiments groups of 10 F344 rats were fed ginseng powder at a dose of 0.5 g/kg or 2 mg/kg for 5 weeks. During weeks 2 and 3 rats were injected with 10 mg/kg azoxymethane to induce ACF. Controls (n=10) did not receive azoxymethane (AOM). Rats were killed by CO2 overdose and ACF counted in the rat colon. In 8 week post-initiation experiments ginseng powder inhibited the progression of established ACF, indicating a cytostatic effect. This may be due to an anti-inflammatory effect. There is a body of literature that suggests that compounds in wine, tumeric, and tea inhibit cyclooxygenases, thus reducing prostaglandin-mediated effects on the colon. As colon tumors have been shown to highly express COX-2 protein, and given, that many NSAID drugs also suppress COX-1, it is tempting to speculate that herbal products that inhibit one or both forms of the COX enzyme will be effective agents for the prevention of cancer in man.