February 2011
Antioxidants extraction by supercritical CO2
Antioxidants such as phenolics, terpenoids, carotenoids, sterols, VE and alkaloids, are receiving increasing attention due to their demonstrated health benefits. However, conventional technologies used to extract some of these antioxidants may have some limitations. Therefore, there is a need for emerging efficient technologies that are environmentally friendly and that are cost-effective. Supercritical...
February 2011
Management, use and ecology of medicinal plants in the degraded dry lands of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
An ethnomedicinal study was conducted to document the indigenous medicinal plant knowledge on the management, use, and ecology of locally important medicinal plants in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Ethnobotanical data were collected from 250 people, using semi-structured questionnaires, field observation and informal discussion. The ethnomedicinal use of 259 plant species mainly herbs (31 to 51%), shrubs (31 to 46%) and...
February 2011
Diversity of Thymus daenensis Celak in Central and West of Iran
The plant Thymus is one of the largest and the most famous genus of Lamiacae. Thymusspecies are commonly used as herbal tea, condiment, spice and medicinal plants.Thymus daenensis Celak is an endemic species grown in Iran. The production of secondary metabolites in different ecosystems is affected by genetic and environmental factors. This study was conducted to determine variation of plant...
February 2011
Surfactant assisted ethanol extraction of dioscin
In order to achieve the cleaner production of diosgenin and more importantly to reduce the production cost of diosgenin, the ultrasonic assisted solvent extraction technology is adopted and different types of surfactants are introduced into the study of the extraction of dioscin. Moreover, dioscin is used as the evaluation indicator to study the effects that different extraction conditions may have on extraction...
February 2011
Extraction of genomic DNA from polysaccharide- and phenolics-rich Ginkgo biloba
One prerequisite to reliable molecular biology work is that the genomic DNA of a sample should be of good quality. The isolation of intact, high-molecular-mass genomic DNA is essential for many molecular biology applications including long Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), endonuclease restriction digestion, Southern blot analysis, and genomic library construction. Many protocols are available for the extraction of DNA...
February 2011
A preliminary comparative phytochemistry of metabolites of orange (Citrus sinensis) and guava (Psidium guajava) mistletoes and their host plants
In this project research, organic solvents were used to extract samples of guava and orange mistletoes and their hosts. The preliminary phytochemical studies revealed presence of saponins, tannins, and anthraquinones both in the host plants and in the parasites. Phlobatanins were found in guava parasite and its host only, while cardiac glycosides with steroidal nucleus were found only in orange parasite and its host....
February 2011
Zingiber officinale Roscoe (pharmacological activity)
February 2011
Screening of aerial parts of Abutilon bidentatum for hepatoprotective activity in rabbits
The objective of this investigation was to study the hepatoprotective activity of aqueous methanolic extracts of aerial parts of Abutilon bidentatum on carbon tetra chloride (CCl4) and paracetamol induced liver damage in rabbits. The extracts at different dosages, administered orally for three days, significantly decrease serum enzymes; Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (SGPT), Serum Glutamate Oxaloacetate...
February 2011
Anti-ulcer activity of Ficus religiosa stem bark ethanolic extract in rats
Ficus religiosa is being used in Ayurvedic and Malay traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases including gastric ulcer. Considering the above claims, the present work was undertaken to validate the anti-ulcer potential of the ethanol extract of stem bark of F. religiosa against in vivo indomethacin- and cold restrained stress-induced gastric ulcer, and pylorus ligation...
February 2011
Antiviral activity of leaves extracts of Marrubium alysson L.
Petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, chloroform, butanol and methanol extracts of the leaves ofMarrubium alysson L. were screened for in vitro antiviral activity against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) strain AD-169 (ATCC Ref. VR 538) and coxsackie B virus type 3 (CoxB-3) using a cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction assay. Total phenolic content of the extracts were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric method....
February 2011
Epimedium herb extract intervening in hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis of male rats in delayed puberty caused by diet-induced obesity
Epimedium Herb (Berberidaceae) is one of the traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) with unique effect on reproductive system in China for thousands of years. We aim to evaluate the potential activity in starting hypothalamic–pituitary–testicular (HPT) axis of male rats in delayed puberty. Delayed puberty model of male Sprague–Dawley(SD) rats were established with high-fat diet and were treated...
February 2011
Detection of bioactive compounds from Spilanthes acmella (L.) plants and its various in vitro culture products
In this study, we analyzed the active chemical compounds of in vitro plantlets of Spilanthes acmella. With 19 samples, GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) analysis revealed that the naturally occurring insecticide, N-isobutyl-2E, 6Z, 8E-decatrienamide (spilanthol) was present in mother plant, flower heads and in vitro plantlets of S. acmellawith similar retention time (43.18...
February 2011
Chemical analysis of essential oil from Lebanese wild and cultivated Origanum syriacum l. (Lamiaceae) before and after flowering
Quantitative and qualitative analysis of components from wild and cultivated LebaneseOriganum syriacum before and after flowering were carried out. Fatty acids were extracted from leaves and identified by GC, minerals and trace elements were analyzed by atomic emission spectroscopy, and essential oils were extracted and identified by GC-MS. Sixteen fatty acids were obtained, whereas 2 essentials such as...
February 2011
Long-term treatment with Kigelia africana fruit extract ameliorates the testicular toxicity following cisplatin administration in male Sprague-Dawley rats
Cisplatin is one of the most potent chemotherapeutic antitumor drugs that generates reactive oxygen species and also inhibits the activity of antioxidant enzymes in testicular tissues. In the present study, we investigated the long term effects of treatment with Kigelia africana fruit extract (KAFE) and cisplatin in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Our literature survey indicated a lack of any experimental study...
February 2011
The effects of the aqueous extract of Pterocarpus santalinus heartwood and vitamin E supplementation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats
Diabetic Nephropathy (DN) is a major complication of Diabetes Mellitus (MD) resulting in end-stage renal disease. Prevention or reversal of diabetic nephropathy is a major challenge in the current management of diabetes. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the hypoglycemic, antioxidant, hypolipidemic and nephroprotective effects of the aqueous extract of the Pterocarpus santalinus L (red...
February 2011
The ginsenoside profile of ginseng cultivated under mountainous forest
Ginseng cultivated under forest was formally called “Lin-Xia-Shan-Shen” (LXSS) according to Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition) meaning that the seeds of ginseng were disseminated in mountainous forest and the plants grew naturally without pesticide and fertilizer. The accumulation of ginsenosides in LXSS and profile comparison between garden ginseng and LXSS were studied, thus a chromatographic method to...
February 2011
Cell line screening of Catharanthus roseus for high yield production of ajmalicine
Cell line screening of Catharanthus roseus for high yield production of ajmalicine was conducted through subculturing of callus that induced from tetraploid plant leaves. The cell line was characterized as green colour with photosynthetic capacity. The content of ajmalicine reached 2.578 and 0.895 mg/g DW in callus and in cell suspension culture, respectively. The cell suspension culture treated with methyl...
February 2011
Statistical optimization of the key medium components by response surface methodology to promote ganoderic acid formation by medicinal mushroom Ganoderma sinense in submerged culture
Statistical experimental design was used to optimize ganoderic acid (GA) production of the medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma sinense in submerged culture. A Central Composite Design (CCD) was employed to determine Ganoderic Acid (GA) yield at optimum levels for the key medium compositions, sucrose, peptone and Yeast Extract (YE). A mathematical model was then developed to show the effect of each medium composition...
February 2011
Microsporogenesis in Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth ex Kurz (Apocynaceae): An evidence for dual cytokinesis in microspore mother cells
Rauvolfia serpentina is being used worldwide for its extensive medicinal value. A very few studies were done about microsporogenesis and male gametophyte formations in R. serpentina and they lack in accurate information about it. The aim of the present study was to give accurate information regarding microsporogenesis and male gametophyte formations in R. serpentina. Results...
February 2011
Ethno-floristic survey in sacred groves, Pudukottai district, Tamil Nadu- India
Sacred groves serve as the conservation pockets of local biodiversity, medicinally and economically important plants for future uses. Ethnobotanically (Medicinal value), these areas remain unexplored and no comprehensive account on local traditional knowledge is available. In order to explore the medical values of the sacred groves an ethno-floristic survey in sacred groves was done to identify medicinal plants used by...
February 2011
Food borne pathogen contamination in minimally processed vegetable salads in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The increasing demand for fresh fruits and vegetables and for convenience foods is causing an expansion of the market share for minimally processed vegetables in different areas. Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia witness flourishing of hotel and food industry and eating green salad is a daily habit of about 50% individuals in the country. Hence microbial quality of minimally processed vegetable salads (Tabbouleh,...
February 2011
Weight-lowering effects of Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Cassia fistula and Senna alata leaf extracts
Methanol extract of Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Cassia fistula, and Senna alata were evaluated for their hypolipidemic activity in diet-induced lipidemia in mice. Preliminary phytochemical screening was performed following standard procedures. The bioassay was conducted in three-week old female mice. Results demonstrated that C. fistula and S. alata extracts can significantly lower...
February 2011
Compensatory effects of curcumin on cisplatin-induced toxicity in rabbit testis
Curcumin, a widely used spice and colouring agent in food, has been shown to possess potent antioxidant, antitumor promoting and anti-inflammatory properties in vitro and in vivo. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects of curcumin on changes in the levels of lipid peroxidation and endogenous antioxidants induced by cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II, CDDP) in the...
February 2011
Micropropagation of multipurpose medicinal tree Acacia auriculiformis
Acacia auriculiformis is a multipurpose leguminous tree of medicinal forestry importance. This plant is gaining importance because of its spermicidal and anti-HIV properties along with safe to use on vaginal epithelium. Clonal propagation of this pharmacologically important tree species via in vitro micropropagation is a prerequisite because propagation through seed route can otherwise lead to...
February 2011
The clinical evaluation of herbal anti-round worm medicine: Kemol
February 2011
Root biomass of Euphorbia seguieriana in Shanjan rangelands, East Azerbaijan, Iran
Roots of plants stable soils on slope and provide resistance against the forces that improve slope instability. In NW of Iran (East Azerbaijan Province), rangelands was utilized with animal grazing and changed to agricultural land use, this vegetation is unsuitable vegetation on slope to stable them. We studied Euphorbia seguieriana to determine its root biomass characteristics. Data were collected with...
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