Recent Advances in Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi L.) Cultivation: A Review

Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi L.), also known as carom seed, belongs to the family Apiaceae, a native from Egypt. It is a popular seed spice crop in India. It is an annual herbaceous plant bearing small egg shaped greyish brown fruits. Seeds contain medicinal values, especially for curing indigestion, stomach pain, and elements concerning the digestive system. Thymol (30-35%), ?-terpinene (23.92%), and p-cymene (22.9%) are the major constituents present in the seeds. The essential oil extracted from Ajwain seeds is being used in minor quantities in perfumery, food flavouring as preservatives, and most extensively in folk medicines, especially for remedies of stomach disorders. Dry and hot fruit fermentation is externally applied on the chest to cure asthma, and a crushed fruit paste is applied for colic pains. Evaluation and characterization of seed spices germplasm is required for their documentation and cataloging crop wise for further use by plant breeders and biotechnologists to improve yields, quality, and resistance against biotic as well as biotic stresses. There is an urgent need to enhance the productivity and quality of the crop by adopting suitable agronomic practices such as population densities per hectare and the nutritional status of the soil. Major research is needed on pesticide residue management to earn better foreign exchange. Recent available advanced research and development have been described in this article.

Advances in biosynthesis of indigo in plants / 中国中药杂志

Natural indigo, as one of the oldest dyes, is also a pivotal dye utilized in cotton fabrics today. A diversity of plants rich in indigo compounds belong to traditional Chinese herbal medicines. Indigo compounds have a variety of biological and pharmacological activities, including anticonvulsant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anticancer activities. A substantial progress in indigo biosynthesis has been made lately. This paper summarizes the value of indigo from the aspects of cultural history, biosynthetic pathways and the medicinal activities of its related derivatives involved in the pathways. In addition, the latest research advancements in indigo biosynthetic pathways is demonstrated in this paper, which would lay the theoretical foundation for the exploration and utilization of natural indigo.

Colours are Indicators of Phytochemical Components and Medicinal Properties of Plants: A Review of Natural Spectroscopy

Background: It is highly laborious to determine biological activities of plants using colours, despite the use of spectroscopic methods. Therefore the review is aimed at using colours to determine the phytochemical and medicinal properties of plants. Methods: Literature was searched for medicinal plant parts whose colours solely depend on their phytochemical pigments. Primary colours (green, red and blue) were cross-matched to give yellow, orange, brown, cyan, magenta and purple. Results: Each of the reflected colour is suggestive of phytochemical pigment(s) with specific medicinal properties. Black coloured plants and plant parts may be toxic and so can be used to treat cancer and cancer-related diseases. White phytochemical pigments may be used to treat diabetes, hypertension, asthma and some inflammatory diseases. Because previous studies have shown that the colours have the medicinal values. Conclusion: The combination of primary colours (red, green and blue) can form over 1000 colours with different medicinal values that may be found in both lower and higher plants.

Research progress on medicinal values of scorpion venom components / 中国中药杂志

For thousands of years, scorpions and their venoms have been applied in traditional medicine in China to treat a variety of difficult miscellaneous diseases. The venom is a complex mixture of bioactive molecules, such as peptides and proteins (e.g. neurotoxins). Among them, neurotoxins (named scorpion toxins) are the most important bioactive components. Up to now, more and more characterized venom components have been isolated from different scorpions, providing numerous candidate molecules for drug design and development. Many investigations have shown the potent effects of venom or its components against the nervous, immune, infection, cardiovascular and neoplastic diseases. Moreover, the scorpion toxins could be used as molecular backbone to develop new specific drugs based on their unique structures and functions. In this review, we focus on the medicinal values and the possible mechanisms of scorpion toxins with promising medicinal prospect against the relative diseases, providing the data basis for further development of relative drugs.

Adverse effects on health posed by consumption of Areca nut (Areca catechu L., family: Palmaceae).

This review paper discusses the impact of areca nut (Betel nut) on human health. Small pieces of betel nut are generally use with betel leaf after meals in a day or on any festival. Areca nut seed contains bioactive components like alkaloids and tannins. It is known as salivary stimulating, digestive agents and act as antimicrobial effect against oral bacteria. Along with the few beneficial effects, it has some adverse effects on the human body. Need to enhance the awareness activities regarding the health concern due to consumption of areca nut.

Progress in study on medicinal value of medicinal parts of Kochia scoparia / 中草药

All parts of Kochia scoparia have medicinal value. Through the literature retrieval of the chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, and clinical application of fruits, seedlings, and roots of K. scoparia, the article has systematically sorted out the medicinal value of each part in K. scoparia. There are triterpenoid saponins and other active constituents with anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and antipruritus effects in the fruits and seedlings of K. scoparia roughly consistent, with the effect of clearing heat and removing dampness, expelling wind antipruritic in the traditional clinical use. All of fruits, seedlings, and roots of K. scoparia have the hypoglycemic effect, which relates to the saponins in K. scoparia. The study provides the theoretical basis and application basis for more effective utilization of the resources of K. scoparia, the further development of low toxicity, high efficiency, and little adverse reaction of anti in-flammation, antifungal, anti-allergy, and hypoglycemic natural medicine as well.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) essential oil: Chemistry and biological activity

Coriandrum sativum L. (C. sativum) is one of the most useful essential oil bearing spices as well as medicinal plants, belonging to the family Umbelliferae/Apiaceae. The leaves and seeds of the plant are widely used in folk medicine in addition to its use as a seasoning in food preparation. The C. sativum essential oil and extracts possess promising antibacterial, antifungal and anti-oxidative activities as various chemical components in different parts of the plant, which thus play a great role in maintaining the shelf-life of foods by preventing their spoilage. This edible plant is non-toxic to humans, and the C. sativum essential oil is thus used in different ways, viz., in foods (like flavouring and preservatives) and in pharmaceutical products (therapeutic action) as well as in perfumes (fragancias and lotions). The current updates on the usefulness of the plant C. sativum are due to scientific research published in different web-based journals.

The study progress of chemistry and pharmacology of termite nests / 国际中医中药杂志

Termite nests is rarely seen in the clinical applications of traditional Chinese medicine, generally used for the treatment of the bone injuries and internal medical diseases. According to the recent research on termite nests, this article makes a summarize of its distribution, types, pharmacognosy characteristics, chemical composition, pharmacological effects and its application research aspects, so as to provide reference for the further development and utilization of termite nests.

A Comprehensive Review of Tropical Milky White Mushroom (Calocybe indica P&C)

A compressive description of tropical milky white mushroom (Calocybe indica P&C var. APK2) is provided in this review. This mushroom variety was first identified in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal and can be cultivated on a wide variety of substrates, at a high temperature range (30~38degrees C). However, no commercial cultivation was made until 1998. Krishnamoorthy 1997 rediscovered the fungus from Tamil Nadu, India and standardized the commercial production techniques for the first time in the world. This edible mushroom has a long shelf life (5~7 days) compared to other commercially available counterparts. A comprehensive and critical review on physiological and nutritional requirements viz., pH, temperature, carbon to nitrogen ratio, best carbon source, best nitrogen source, growth period, growth promoters for mycelia biomass production; substrate preparation; spawn inoculation; different supplementation and casing requirements to increase the yield of mushrooms has been outlined. Innovative and inexpensive methods developed to commercially cultivate milky white mushrooms on different lignocellulosic biomass is also described in this review. The composition profiles of milky white mushroom, its mineral contents and non-enzymatic antioxidants are provided in comparison with button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus). Antioxidant assay results using methanol extract of milky white mushroom has been provided along with the information about the compounds that are responsible for flavor profile both in fresh and dry mushrooms. Milky white mushroom extracts are known to have anti-hyperglycemic effect and anti-lipid peroxidation effect. The advantage of growing at elevated temperature creates newer avenues to explore milky white mushroom cultivation economically around the world, especially, in humid tropical and sub-tropical zones. Because of its incomparable productivity and shelf life to any other cultivated mushrooms in the world, milky white mushroom could play an important role in satisfying the growing market demands for edible mushrooms in the near future.

The development of Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae) in clinical research

Medicinal plants are part and parcel of human society to combat diseases from the dawn of civilization. Terminalia chebula Retz. (Fam. Combretaceae), is called the 'King of Medicine' in Tibet and is always listed at the top of the list of 'Ayurvedic Materia Medica' because of its extraordinary power of healing. The whole plant possesses high medicinal value and traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments for human beings. Some of the folklore people used this plant in the treatment of asthma, sore throat, vomiting, hiccough, diarrhea, dysentery, bleeding piles, ulcers, gout, heart and bladder diseases. The plant has been demonstrated to possess multiple pharmacological and medicinal activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antiproliferative, radioprotective, cardioprotective, antiarthritic, anticaries, gastrointestinal motility and wound healing activity. But no systematic updated information on the therapeutic effectiveness of Terminalia chebula, a popular herbal remedy in India and South-East Asia has so far been reported. This review highlights an updated information particularly on the phytochemistry and various pharmacological and medicinal properties of Terminalia chebula Retz. and some of its isolated compounds, along with their safety evaluation. This may provide incentive for proper evaluation of the plant as medicinal agent against the human diseases and also to bridge the lacunae in the existing literature and future scope which may offer immense opportunity for researchers engaged in validation of the traditional claims and development of safe and effective botanical medicine.

Therapeutic potential of Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae):The Ayurvedic wonder

Medicinal plants are part and parcel of human society to combat diseases from the dawn of civilization. Terminalia chebula Retz. (Fam. Combretaceae), is called the‘King of Medicine’ in Tibet and is always listed at the top of the list of ‘Ayurvedic Materia Medica’ because of its extraordinary power of healing. The whole plant possesses high medicinal value and traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments for human beings. Some of the folklore people used this plant in the treatment of asthma, sore throat, vomiting, hiccough, diarrhea, dysentery, bleeding piles, ulcers, gout, heart and bladder diseases. The plant has been demonstrated to possess multiple pharmacological and medicinal activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antiproliferative, radioprotective, cardioprotective, antiarthritic, anticaries, gastrointestinal motility and wound healing activity. But no systematic updated information on the therapeutic effectiveness of Terminalia chebula, a popular herbal remedy in India and South-East Asia has so far been reported. This review highlights an updated information particularly on the phytochemistry and various pharmacological and medicinal properties of Terminalia chebula Retz. and some of its isolated compounds, along with their safety evaluation. This may provide incentive for proper evaluation of the plant as medicinal agent against the human diseases and also to bridge the lacunae in the existing literature and future scope which may offer immense opportunity for researchers engaged in validation of the traditional claims and development of safe and effective botanical medicine.

The Medicinal Value of Gold and Silver / 国际中医中药杂志

On the basis of extensive study of literature,we summed up the medicinal value and pharmacological functions of gold and silver,and put forward our views on the further research and development of these metals.