Melia azedarach used traditionally for various diseases and infections as per the klowledge of ayurveda. The acetone extraction was carried out of the plant. The phytochemical groups were identified by the tests of characterization and then quantified by the test of total phenolics. Total phenolics were determined using Folin–Ciocalteu reagent procedure. The total polyphenolic content and flavonoid content in the extract were found to be 71.13±0.11 mg/g and 11.14±0.12 mg/g respectively; since antimicrobial activity is related to phenolic compounds contained thus extract was also evaluated for the antibacterial activity. Result of study suggested that Melia azedarach having great potential as antibacterial agent. The extract at dose level of 200 mcg/ml showed highest inhibition against P. aerugunosa, S. aureus and E. coli.

Enhancing the shelf life of any product with natural extract from natural source is most desirable. These extracts with known and unknown bioactive compounds can also be exploited to inhibit the oxidation in human system. In the present study, different solvent extracts of Loranthus elasticus Desv have been assessed for their antioxidant potentials by five methods selected which represents lipid peroxidation occurring in both foods as well as in biological system. The eextract showed good antioxidant activity except Iron chelating activity; both ethanol and methanol extracts have shown impressing level of the free radical scavenging activity, which were comparable to synthetic antioxidant such as BHA, TBHQ etc. Utilization of the extract may result in formulating better health care products with enhanced shelf life and little or no side effects.

Sarcostemma secamone (L.) Bennet an ethnomedicinal plant was studied for its immunomodulatory activity. Immunomodulatory activity of different doses of ethanol extract of Sarcostemma secamone was evaluated in Swiss albino mice. Mice were treated with two doses (150 and 300mg/kg body weight) for 5 days. Body weight, relative organ weight, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response and Haemagglutionation titre (HT) were studied in various groups of animals. The results obtained show a significant increase (p<0.05) in body weight and relative organ weight of spleen, liver and kidney at dose of 300mg/kg. The Sarcostemma secamone extract eliciated a significant increase (p<0.05) in the DTH response at dose of 300mg/kg. In the HT test, the plant extract showed a stimulatory effect at all doses. The doses of 300mg/kg significantly (p<0.05) increases the WBC count, compared with the control group. Overall, Sarcostemma secamone showed a stimulatory effect on both humoral and cellular immune functions in animal models.

Guest Editorial

We have investigated different parts of Typha latifolia in pursuit of unraveling its oxidant quenching ability and discover novel, prudent and inexpensive antioxidants. Samples of rhizome, shoot, leaves and pollen from Typha latifolia were tested for total phenolic content, and flavonoids content and in vitro antioxidant activity by diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity with IC50 values of ethyl acetate extract 6.72 µg/ml, 34.06 µg/ml, 16.4 µg/ml, 9.6 µg/ml, methnolic extract 230 µg/ml, 301.32 µg/ml, 213.5 µg/ml and 11.7, Aqueous extract 4.5 µg/ml, 2.45 µg/ml, 35.47 µg/ml, 9.3 µg/ml of rhizome, shoot, leaves and pollens respectively. IC50 value of standard ascorbic acid was 2.69 µg/ml. Total phenolic content was measured in mg catechin equivalent/g dry weight (µg CE/mg). Ethyl acetate, methnolic, aqueous extract of rhizome and pollen showed higher values i.e. 102.1±7.55, 94.17±10.13, 109.25±1.67, 140.87±7.01, 137.04±4.13, 230.5± 1.41. Total flavanoid was calculated in mg rutin equivalent/g dry weight (µg RE/mg). Ethyl acetate, methnolic and aqueous extracts of pollen showed higher value i.e. 46.24±0.39, 71.87±0.45, 53.92± 5.47. Tests have shown high percentage of presence of alkaloids, sterols, sugars, flavonoids and tannins in different extracts of rhizome, leaf, shoot and pollen. These results allude that Typha latifolia has strong antioxidant potential. But, further scrutiny is essential for isolation and characterization of the active anti-oxidative components, which can be employed to allay various oxidative stress-related maladies.

The present study was designed to check the antioxidant activity of Sesbania Grandiflora. The extraction of fruit of Sesbania Grandiflora was carried out by using solvent aqueous methanol. The antioxidant activity of plant Sesbania Grandiflora determined by using different in vitro antioxidant assays. The TP (Total Phenolic) and TF (Total Flavonoid) contents in extracts of the plant Sesbania Grandiflora were found to be in the range of 48.2±0.74 mcg/mg and 11.75±0.51 mcg/mg, respectively. The DPPH scavenging activity of extract was found to be in the range of 24.13-64.44%. In conclusion, the extract of Sesbania Grandiflora was found to have potent antioxidant activity which may be due the abundant of phenolic and flavonoid contents.

The present study was aimed to scrutinize the phytochemical components present in the various extracts of Asystasia gangetica (L.) T. Anderson using FT-IR, TLC and GC-MS. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the extracts was carried out using the standard method. The crude powder of A. gangetica was passed into the FT-IR and the peak values were recorded. TLC profile for phenolics and steroids was done using the mobile phase chloroform and methanol (9:1) and benzene and methanol at 9:1 ratio respectively. GC-MS analysis was performed on the benzene extracts to find out the chemical constituents. Preliminary phytochemical investigation confirmed the presence of various primary and secondary metabolites with varied degree. FT-IR spectrum revealed the functional constituents present in the crude powder of A. gangetica. TLC profile showed distinct bands with varied Rf values. GC-MS analysis results leads to the identification of 27 different compounds. The findings of the present study recommended the use of A. gangetica for developing plant based drugs for various ailments. Further study is recommended on other constituents on a road map of development of other phyto-pharmaceuticals for disease management.

Guest Editorial

A simple and sensitive spectroscopic method in ultraviolet region was developed for the estimation of Emtricitabine in Bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms. The method is based on Emtricitabine, showing absorbance at 278 nm for zero order spectroscopy in distilled water. The method obeys Beers law in the concentration range of 40 to 400μg/ml. The proposed method is precise, accurate, linear, stable and reproducible and can be extended to the analysis of Emtricitabine in bulk and pharmaceutical formulations.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease in which the immune system recognizes proteins of the myelin sheath as antigenic, thus initiating an inflammatory reaction in the central nervous system. It is characterized by intermittent or chronic damage to the myelin sheaths (demyelination), focal inflammation and axonal degeneration Inflammation has always been as the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis. The present pharmacological treatment of MS administration of immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory drugs, which are only palliative and slow progress of the disease. Infection, trauma or autoimmune inflammation in experimental allergic multiple sclerosis and they are competent presenters of antigen and interact with T cells recruited to the inflamed CNS. Symptoms of inflammation in general and more specifically in multiple sclerosis, a demyelinating, autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS). Inflammation has always been thought of as detrimental in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis. However, emerging genetic data, magnetic-resonance-imaging studies, and immunopathological evidence challenge this simplistic view. Inflammatory cells normally occurs via emigration or insitu apoptosis. Characterization of the inflammatory infiltrates present in MS brain and spinal cord tissue. Studies in of myelin proteins can become immune system targets resulting in demyelination, and these models have also served to define multiple immunological mechanisms of disease. Primary inflammatory cytokines and chemokines with a proretention activity have been found in active MS. Plaquesfocal inflammation and axonal degeneration. During the early relapsing/remitting stages of MS, myelin can regenerate, but as the disease progresses the remyelination of axons becomes insufficient, leading to impaired axon conduction, neurodegeneration and the worsening of symptoms. The rationale to influence immunological activity in MS is to suppress myelin and axonal damage and thus to prevent clinicaldisability.

Objective: Pharmacognostical and phytochemical study of Moringa oleifera leaves. Method: Morphology, Microscopy and physico chemical parameters/methods were used for pharmacognostical evaluation and Successive solvent method was used for extraction of powdered leaves. Result: The pharmacognostical studies made on the leaves of Moringa oleifera like macroscopical and characters, powder microscopy, and physico-chemical constants like ash values, extractive value and loss on drying gave valuable information. Conclusion: On the basis of present study we can be conclude that physiochemical, morphological and histological parameters presented in this paper may be proposed as parameters to establishes the authenticity of Moringa oleifera leaves and can possibly help to differentiate the drug from its other species/varieties.

Sarcostemma secamone (L.) Bennet an ethnomedicinal plant was studied for its immunomodulatory activity. Immunomodulatory activity of different doses of ethanol extract of Sarcostemma secamone was evaluated in Swiss albino mice. Mice were treated with two doses (150 and 300mg/kg body weight) for 5 days. Body weight, relative organ weight, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response and Haemagglutionation titre (HT) were studied in various groups of animals. The results obtained show a significant increase (p<0.05) in body weight and relative organ weight of spleen, liver and kidney at dose of 300mg/kg. The Sarcostemma secamone extract eliciated a significant increase (p<0.05) in the DTH response at dose of 300mg/kg. In the HT test, the plant extract showed a stimulatory effect at all doses. The doses of 300mg/kg significantly (p<0.05) increases the WBC count, compared with the control group. Overall, Sarcostemma secamone showed a stimulatory effect on both humoral and cellular immune functions in animal models.

The powder microscopy and photomicrography study was carried out on the gum of Butea monosperma (Lam.)Taubert belonging to the family leguminaceae, which showed the largest body of the mucilage is 400 µm in diameter, pollen grain was upto 40 µm in diameter and the largest crystal of calcium oxalate was 110 µm thick in rhomboidal to polyhedral in shape when seen under the polarised light.

Background and Objectives: The use of Myristica fragrans as an anxiolytic agent has been mentioned in the ayurveda but still no study has been reported. The present study was evaluated for its anxiolytic activity using Open field model. Methods: In the open field test, the parameters measured were ambulation, rearing, grooming, and fecal pellets. Results: In the open field test the Myristica fragrans at doses of 25mg/kg and 50mg/kg significantly increased the number of ambulations and rearing. The Myristica fragrans at doses 25mg/kg and 50mg/kg significantly decreased the number of grooming and fecal pellets. Myristica fragrans showed anxiolytic activity in dose dependant manner. Interpretation and conclusion: Myristica fragrans at doses of 25mg/kg and 50mg/kg possess anxiolytic activity in the model tested and was found that higher dose (50mg/kg) was more significant than lower dose (25mg/kg). More investigations are necessary to prove the anxiolytic activity of Myristica fragrans by other models. Further the molecule responsible for the anxiolytic activity can be separated and identify the mechanism of action.