In vitro antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of Zanthonitrile isolated from Zanthoxylum alatum.

The present study evaluates the antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of Zanthonitrile isolated from Zanthoxylum alatum leaves. The structure of Zanthonitrile [{4-[(3-Methyl-2-buten-1-yl) oxy] phenyl} acetonitrile] was elucidated form the data obtained from UV, IR, Mass, and NMR. The in vitro antioxidant activity of Zanthonitrile was estimated by standard 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil radical (DPPH) scavenging assay method. In vitro cytotoxicity was determined in Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) cells by MTT assay. The compound exhibited antioxidant activity in a dose dependent manner. The IC50 value of Zanthonitrile for DPPH was estimated to be 7.86 ± 0.23 μg/mL. Zanthonitrile showed satisfactory cytotoxic potential in MTT assay with the IC50 value 57.28 ± 0.64 μg/mL. Satisfactory results of both the studies correlate each other and further investigations will focus on in vivo models and cell cycle to determine the role on intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways.

Bioautography and its scope in the field of natural product chemistry / 药物分析学报

Medicinal plants, vegetables and fruits are the sources of huge number of bioactive lead/scaffolds with therapeutic and nutraceutical importance. Bioautography is a means of target-directed isolation of active molecules on chromatogram. Organic solvents employed in chromatographic separation process can be completely removed before biological detection because these solvents cause inactivation of enzymes and/or death of living organisms. They offer a rapid and easy identification of bioactive lead/scaffolds in complex matrices of plant extracts. Bioautography is a technique to isolate hit(s)/lead(s) by employing a suitable chromatographic process followed by a biological detection system. This review critically describes the methodologies to identify antimicrobial, antioxidant, enzyme inhibitor lead/scaffolds by employing bioautography. A significant number of examples have been incorporated to authenticate the methodologies.

Analgesic activity of methanol extract of Eupatorium adenophorum Spreng. leaves.

The methanol extract of the leaves of E. adenophorum (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg, po) showed significant analgesic activity, as compared to standard drugs diclofenac sodium and pentazocine, employing acetic acid-induced writhing test, tail immersion test and tail flick test models.