Phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activities of some plants commonly used in Indian traditional diet.

Dietary antioxidants are known to play a key role in combating the cellular oxidative stress imposed by the free radicals as well as in inhibiting the undesirable changes in nutritional quality of food. The present investigation was designed to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant properties and the major phytoconstituents of some plants regularly used in Indian traditional diet. Methanolic extracts of Costus igneus, Foeniculum vulgare, Leucas aspera, Muntingia calabura, Physalis minima and Sauropus androgynus were prepared by maceration. Antioxidant activities were assessed using phosphomolybdenum method and ferric reducing power assays. Total antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts ranged between 4.89 μg/ml to 46.0 μg/ml ascorbic acid equivalents for the tested extracts. F. vulgare methanolic extract possessed maximum antioxidant activity. This investigation revealed the potential antioxidant activity of the tested extracts and therefore, their use in the regular diet will be helpful in combating free radical associated health effects. Also, antioxidant rich formulations can be prepared using these plant materials.

Evaluation of Antioxidant activity of traditional formulation Giloy satva and hydroalcoholic extract of the Curculigo orchioides gaertn.

Herbal plants produce a diverse range of bioactive molecules, making them a rich source of different types of medicines. Thus, a proper scientific evidence or assessment has become the criteria for acceptance of herbal health claims. In the present study, the antioxidant effect of the traditional Ayurvedic formulation Giloy Satva (Tinospora cordifolia linn. known as Guduchi) and hydro alcoholic extract of the plant Curculigo orchioides linn. (Kali Musali) were examined. The present study was concentrated on the in vitro antioxidant methods where traditional formulation and hydro alcoholic extract screened for DPPH free radical scavenging activity, total reducing power assay and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity assay. The results revealed potent scavenging activity when compared with standard. The plant extracts and formulation further phytochemically screened with thin layer chromatographic analysis indicating presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins and some amount of phytosterols. These active constituents alone or in combination may be responsible for the observed antioxidant activity. The findings indicated promising antioxidant activity of crude extracts needs further exploration for their effective use in both modern and traditional system of medicines.

Diversity and Biological Activities of Endophytic Fungi of Emblica officinalis, an Ethnomedicinal Plant of India

In the present study, an attempt to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of fungal endophytes inhabiting Emblica officinalis has been made keeping in view the medicinal importance of the selected host plant in Indian traditional practices. A total of four endophytic fungi belonging to Phylum Ascomycetes were isolated from different parts of the plant which were characterized morphologically and by using rDNA-internal transcribed spacer. The most frequently isolated endophyte was Phomopsis sp. The antioxidant activity by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and reducing power assay, and total phenol were evaluated using ethanolic extract of endophytic fungi. DPPH activities in all the ethanolic extract increased with the increase in concentrations. Endophytes, Phomopsis sp. and Xylaria sp. showed highest antioxidant activity and also had the higher levels of phenolics. Antimicrobial activity of fungal extract were tested against four bacteria namely, Escherichia coli MTCC730, Enteroccocus faecalis MTCC2729, Salmonella enterica ser. paratyphi MTCC735 and Streptococcus pyogenes MTCC1925, and the fungus Candida albicans MTCC183. In general, the fungal extracts inhibited the growth of test organisms except E. coli.