ABSTRACT
Introduction@#Throughout the history of humankind, herbs had been playing a major role in the treatments of human illness. As a result of thousands of research works, humankind›s identified excellent herbs to treat various illnesses such as malignancy, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. One of them is weak wheat named <i>Triticum aestivum Linn</i>. Wheat germinate and buds 7-14 days after germination are rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals and chlorophyll, which has similar structure to blood hemoglobin. Furthermore, hemoglobin is rich in iron and chlorophyll is rich in magnesium. Therefore, it is called “green blood”. Internationally, the wheatgrass is being clinically studied as it has antioxidant, antibacterial, and therapeutic effects for diabetes, respiratory tract illness, urinary tract disorders, atherosclerosis, and tumor.</br> Although Mongolians had been using the wheatgrass as a nutritional supply for cattle, during recent years, as it was identified that health benefits for humans, wheatgrass is being used for a human meal. We aimed to cultivate wheat seed and conduct the phytochemical study.@*Method@#In order to achieve our goal, we planted wheatgrass, prepared extract and identified some of the chemical constituents. Moreover, we germinated wheat seed, dried, grinded, and extracted it with hexane, chloroform, methanol, and distilled water by using Soxhlet apparatus.</br> A preliminary screening was carried by the application of various testing methods of Molisch’ test, Fehling’s test, Biuret test, Xantho protein test, Buchard’s test, Mayer’s test, Wagner’s test, Ferric chloride test, Lead acetate test, Ninhydrin test, Keller-Killiani test, Foam test for determining the presence of alkaloids, terpenes, steroids, saponins, flavonoids, polysaccharides, and tannins, respectively. Moreover, we used spectrophotometry to determine the chlorophyll content@*Conclusion@#All the extracts derived from <i>T. aestivum</i> L showed the qualitative presence of major phytochemicals including alkaloids, steroids, and tannins, flavonoids, carbohydrates, saponins, triterpenoids. It was found that chlorophyll content 66%±0.2.
ABSTRACT
Background: Evidence shows that high density lipoproteins (HDLs) may exert multiple anti-atherogenic and anti-thrombotic effects that together decrease the risk of cardiovascular morbidity in hyperlipidaemic state. Experimental studies showed that fresh wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum Linn.) juice exerts lipid lowering effect as well as increases HDL-cholesterol level in rats. Objective: The present study was done to observe the effect of wheatgrass juice on serum HDL-cholesterol on experimentally induced dyslipidaemic rats evident by reduced HDL-cholesterol level. Materials and method: This experimental study was carried out in the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, from July 2009 to June 2010. A total number of 48 healthy adult male Long Evans rats, age ranging from 2-3 months, and weighing from 140-200 grams were used for the present study. Six rats were taken in each group of total 8 groups treated differently with 1 control group. Rats of the first 5 groups were sacrificed at 29th day and their lipid profile was measured. Rests of the rats were sacrificed at 57th day and their lipid profile was measured. Results: Mean HDL-cholesterol of the group of rats treated with 10 mL/kg grass juice and 1% cholesterol diet, with 10 mL/kg grass juice and with 20 mL/kg grass juice were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.05, P<0.01 respectively). The mean HDL-cholesterol of the group treated with Atorvastatin for 28 days were also significantly increased (P<0.001). Conclusion: The present experiment showed that HDL-cholesterol level is increased by ingestion of wheat grass juice in experimental animals. Therefore, it provides the initial step for demonstrating cardio-protective effect of wheatgrass juice by increasing HDL-cholesterol level in blood in dyslipidaemic state.
ABSTRACT
The aim of the work is to perform the pharmacognostic study of the leaves of plant Triticum aestivum Linn., Family Poaceae, commonly known as ‘Wheatgrass’. It is cultivated on large scale all over India and also occasionally cultivated in garden. For the present study samples of the Wheatgrass leaves were collected over a specific period of nine days. The drug was cultivated with specific type of hybrid seeds obtained from most reputed institution of India and were scrupulously analysed. For standardization of the herbal drug morphological, phytochemical, physicochemical and microscopical examination was done. The leaves grown were found to be lax, cauline, flat, 0.6 to 0.25 inches (4 to 6 mm) wide, 6-9 inches long and green in color. The chemical compositions of the leaves are proteins, flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoides, saponins, fibers, tannins and phenolic compounds. The specific variety of seeds, specific time of collection made it more specific to be used for further pharmacological studies.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To screen the phytochemical constituents and study antioxidant properties of the aqueous extract of the wheatgrass.@*METHODS@#The current study was focused on broad parameters namely, phytochemical analysis, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis and antioxidant properties in order to characterize the aqueous extract of wheatgrass as a potential free radical quencher.@*RESULTS@#The phytochemical screening of the aqueous extract of wheatgrass showed the presence of various secondary metabolites but the absence of sterols and quinone in general. Wheatgrass was proved to be an effective radical scavenger in all antioxidant assays. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the presence of diverse category of bioactive compounds such as squalene, caryophyllene and amyrins in varying percentage.@*CONCLUSIONS@#From the results obtained, we conclude that wheatgrass aqueous extract contains various effective compounds. It is a potential source of natural antioxidants. Further analysis of this herb will help in finding new effective compounds which can be of potent use in pharmacological field.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To screen the phytochemical constituents and study antioxidant properties of the aqueous extract of the wheatgrass. Methods: The current study was focused on broad parameters namely, phytochemical analysis, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis and antioxidant properties in order to characterize the aqueous extract of wheatgrass as a potential free radical quencher. Results: The phytochemical screening of the aqueous extract of wheatgrass showed the presence of various secondary metabolites but the absence of sterols and quinone in general. Wheatgrass was proved to be an effective radical scavenger in all antioxidant assays. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the presence of diverse category of bioactive compounds such as squalene, caryophyllene and amyrins in varying percentage. Conclusions: From the results obtained, we conclude that wheatgrass aqueous extract contains various effective compounds. It is a potential source of natural antioxidants. Further analysis of this herb will help in finding new effective compounds which can be of potent use in pharmacological field.
ABSTRACT
The aim of the work is to perform the pharmacognostic study of the leaves of plant Triticum aestivum Linn., Family Poaceae, commonly known as ‘Wheatgrass’. It is cultivated on large scale all over India and also occasionally cultivated in garden. For the present study samples of the Wheatgrass leaves were collected over a specific period of nine days. The drug was cultivated with specific type of hybrid seeds obtained from most reputed institution of India and were scrupulously analysed. For standardization of the herbal drug morphological, phytochemical, physicochemical and microscopical examination was done. The leaves grown were found to be lax, cauline, flat, 0.6 to 0.25 inches (4 to 6 mm) wide, 6-9 inches long and green in color. The chemical compositions of the leaves are proteins, flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoides, saponins, fibers, tannins and phenolic compounds. The specific variety of seeds, specific time of collection made it more specific to be used for further pharmacological studies.