HPTLC finger printing profile and evaluation of in vitro antidiabetic potential of medicinally important plant Cassia obtusa L. (Caesalpiniaceae).

The aim of the study was to establish the finger printing profile and evaluation of in vitro antidiabetic potential of C. obtusa. In vitro antidiabetic activity was carried out according to the method adopted by Miller, 1959. HPTLC studies were carried out using CAMAG HPTLC system equipped with Linomat 5 applicator, TLC scanner 3 and Win cats-4 software for the active fractionation of aqueous-methanolic leaf extracts of C. obtusa. Among the various plant parts analyzed, leaf exhibited efficient inhibitory activity against α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. Therefore, the leaf extract was further fractionated using various solvent systems petroleum ether, chloroform, ethylacetate, butanol and water and were subjected to in vitro antidiabetic activity. Among the fractions analyzed chloroform fraction exhibited remarkable antidiabetic activity by inhibiting α-amylase and α- glucosidase enzymes. Furthermore, the active leaf fractions were analyzed with HPTLC to develop fingerprint profiles and these fractions revealed the presence of 13 and 22 major spots of alkaloids and flavonoids respectively with different Rf values. The results of the present study thus claim the folkloric usage of the plant in diabetic related maladies.

Microtuberization of Ceropegia pusilla Wight and Arn. an Endangered Medicinal Plant.

An efficient micropropagation (direct & indirect) and microtuberization protocol for an endemic and ethanomedicinal plant Ceropegia pusilla is described. The highest number of shoot initiation (3.50 0.34) and higher average shoot number in shoot subculture (15.40  1.65) were recorded on MS medium supplemented with BAP+NAA (2.5+0.5 mg/l). The best performance of callus induction and morphogenesis was found on MS medium supplemented with BAP and NAA from stem. The callus initiation was recorded on MS medium supplemented with BAP+NAA (0.5 + 1.0 mg/l) and the higher percentage of callus forming shoots from callus subculture is determinate to be 90-95  7.93. MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of cytokinins and auxins supported the induction of microtubers, in vitro flowering and roots. The microtubers and root formation occurred on the basal region of the shoots in MS medium containing BAP (1.5mg/l) and NAA (0.5mg/l). The higher average number of root length was (2.8  0.68cm) also observed in the same concentration. The plantlets regenerated in vitro with welldeveloped shoots, microtubers and roots were successfully established in pots containing hardening media and grown in a shade house with 81 3.16% survival rate.

Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant potential of methanolic extracts of the Ferns, actiniopteris radiata (SW) link. and equisetum ramosissimum desf.

Present study reports the antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts of Actiniopteris radiata and Equisetum ramosissimum. The analyses carried out were DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS·+, reducing power, and ferrous ion chelating tests. From the analyses, Actiniopteris radiata and Equisetum ramosissimum, were found to have potent antioxidant activity against DPPH with the IC50 value of 93.48 and 78.58 respectively. Actiniopteris radiata had the highest values for ABTS·+ radical scavenging activity (2523.11μ TE/g) and reducing power assay (0.853 absorbance at 700μg/ml). However, the fern, Equisetum ramosissimum exhibited higher ferrous iron chelating activity (41.18% at 5000μg/ml) than Actiniopteris radiata. Thus the results obtained in the present study indicate that these plants have the potential as natural source of antioxidants, capable of protecting against free radical mediated damage and may have applications in preventing and curing various diseases.

Screening of in vitro antioxidant activity of methanolic leaf and root extracts of Hypochaeris radicata L. (Asteraceae).

The aim of present study was to estimate the total phenolic and flavonoid contents and to investigate in vitro antioxidant potential of methanolic leaf and root extracts of the herb, Hypochaeris radicata L. (Asteraceae). Antioxidant activity was assessed by using 2,2- diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH•) assay, reducing power activity, [2,2’-azino-bis(3- ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)] ABTS•+ assay and ferrous ion chelating activity. Here, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ascorbic acid (ASA), trolox and EDTA were used as standard antioxidants. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined and expressed in gallic acid and quercetin equivalent respectively. The results of the study indicate that the methanolic extracts of the leaf and root of H. radicata posses significant scavenging activity against DPPH• (97.99% for leaf and 96.44% for root at 250μg/ml each) and ferrous ions chelating activity (38.69% for leaf and 40.52% for root at 5000μg/ml each), reducing power activity (1.38 absorbance at 600μg/ml for leaf, 0.45 absorbance at 700 μg/ml for root) and free radical scavenging activity (ABTS•+) (2706.73 for leaf and 2028.37μmol for root TE/g). The free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities may be attributed to the presence of adequate phenolic (gallic acid content is 125.5μg/10mg in leaf and 133.06μg/10mg in root) and flavonoid compounds (105.76μg/2mg in leaf and 55.16μg/2mg in root). This study revealed that the methanolic extracts of both leaf and root of H. radicata has demonstrated significant antioxidant activity.