Gemmomodification: an emerging source of natural antioxidants from Silybum marianum

Gemmomodification is a form of herbal medicine in which young freshly growing buds of plants are used. At germinating stage, plants metabolic activities are maximum and various nutrients, hormones enzymes and bioactive phytoconstituents are released and available at this stage. Plants may be promising source of natural antioxidants at growing stage. Oxidative stress leads to many chronic and degenerative diseases. Antioxidants are very essential for human body; they can protect the body from damage caused by free radical induced oxidative stress. This research project had been designed to investigate the antioxidant potential of gemmo modified and native [dry leaves] extract of Silybum marianum. Total phenolic contents was calculated by using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and antioxidant potential was evaluated by using four radical assays [DPPH, ABTS, Super oxide and nitric oxide], reducing power assay and lipid peroxidation assay spectrophotometrically. Gemmo modified extract showed significantly higher [p<0.050] TPC [830 mg GAE/g of plant extract] as compared to native extract [800 mg GAE/g.] Results of this study revealed that gemmo modified extract demonstrated better antioxidant potential than natively used parts of Silybum marianum

Synthesis and applications of coumarin

In this work, coumarin was synthesized by Perkin reaction using salicylaldehyde, acetic acid and sodium acetate. Due to the misuse of acetic anhydride in narcotics synthesis, acetic acid was substituted for acetic anhydride in Perkin reaction. On the basis of this substitution a hypothesis was proposed that "acetic acid could be substituted as an acetylating agent in place of acetic anhydride in coumarin synthesis via Perkin reaction". In the present research project, salicylaldehyde was prepared from phenol, sodium hydroxide and chloroform for further procedure. Then four different coumarin samples were synthesized by changing the parameter of reactants proportions. From this parameter, we designed a trend of high product yield. Yields of Coumarin samples will lead towards either acception or rejection of the above proposed hypothesis. In the next step, these Coumarin samples were characterized by age yield [%], solubility and melting points. At last Antibacterial activities of all the four coumarin samples were evaluated against two bacterial strains; E.coli and S.aureus. As a consequence of all above, it was inferred that the yields of all coumarin samples obtained were low as compared to the yield obtained by the use of acetic anhydride in previous reports. This led to the rejection of proposed hypothesis. Among four Coumarin samples, sample-4 obtained by taking equal amounts of all the reactants had shown maximum yield, best characterization and excellent antibacterial activity. In spite of low yields obtained, the remarkable antibacterial activities of Coumarin samples have enabled us to suggest coumarin as a strong antibacterial agent and it must be employed for further applications