ABSTRACT
Background: Numerous plants are claimed to possess anti-inflammatory phytoconstituents in folk medicine, however, one among them is Cassia fistula linn leaves. The tree is 6-9 m high with straight trunk and smooth bark. It is pale green when young and gets rough and dark when old. The leaves are 23-30cm long and have got 4-8 pairs of oblong leaflets. Due to lack of specific scientific reports regarding its use for its anti-lipoxygenase property, this particular plant was selected for this particular study with the aim to bring scientific evidence for its therapeutic use.Methods: The anti-lipoxygenase study as carried by using 5-lipoxygenase(5-LOX) assay and 12-lipoxygenase(12-LOX) assay. In both the methods, absorbance of various concentrations of the tests and the control solutions were measured at 234nm.Results: Preliminary phytochemical study showed the presence of flavonoids, glycosides, tannins and phenolics. It was found that both the 5-LOX and 12-LOX were inhibited by the extract with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 6.23mg/ml obtained for the 5-LOX assay and an IC50 of 3.22mg/ml attained for the 12-LOX assay.Conclusions: The methanolic extract of the plant’s leaves showed anti-lipoxygenase activity similar to Indomethacin, thus ensuring that it could be used as an effective anti-inflammatory medicine.
ABSTRACT
Antidermatophytic activity (Agar well diffusion technique) of petroleum ether and 98% methanolic leaf extracts of Thevetia nerrifolia (Apocynaceae) was evaluated against mycotic fungi namely, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum gypseum, dimorphic fungi such as, Candida albicans and pathogenic bacteria like, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Brevibacillus spp. The significant antidermatophytic activity was shown by 98% methanolic extract, which inhibited all the test fungi and bacteria with time and dose dependent activity. The 98% methanolic extract retarded the growth of all the organisms at 40 mg/ml up to three weeks and beyond. The MIC’s, MFC’s and MBC’s were determined against all the test strains. Preliminary Phytochemical tests were carried out using both the crude extracts. This study provides basis for the isolation and purification of antidermatophytic inter polar compounds from the leaves of T. nerrifolia.
ABSTRACT
The antifungal activity of methanolic extracts of Centella asiatica and Andrographis paniculata leaves was observed against fourteen fungi, viz., Alternaria alternata, A. brassicae, A. brassicicola, A. solani, A. tenuissima, Cercospora blumae, Curvularia lunata, C. penniseti, and Drechslera monoceras, D. oryzae, D. turitica, Fusarium albizziae and F. udum. Different concentrations of the methanolic extract (1000, 2000, 3000, 5000, 7000, 10000ppm) were used. The effect of mixed leaf extract (1500 ppm of C. asiatica + 1500 ppm of A. paniculata) and its 1:2 ad 1:4 dilutions were also studied. The individual extracts of both the plants showed significant inhibitory effect on spore germination of all the fungi tested. F. udum, F. albizzae, D. oryzae, D. turtica, and D. monoceras were particularly sensitive to these extracts. In general, the extract of C. asiatica showed a higher inhibitory effect in all concentrations against all the fungi as compared to A. paniculata, except for A. brassicae A. solani, D. oryzae, D. penniseti and Curvularia sp. The inhibitory effect of extracts increased when they were used in combination with or without dilutions against A. brassicicola, A. solani A. brassicae, A. alternata, A. tenussima, C. blumae, C. lunata, C. penniseti and Curvularia species. Higher efficacy of active ingredient of these extracts under field condition is envisaged against plant pathogens.