Ganesh R. Hegde

Ethnomedicinal practices in different communities of Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka for treatment of wounds

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Uttara Kannada district is located in the heart of the Western Ghats, one of the biodiversity hotspots, in Karnataka state of India. The thick evergreen forests are home to several ethnic communities. The study was under taken for documentation and analysis of ethnomedicinal plants in the treatment of wounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS Field trips were made in Uttara Kannada district to identify the key informants. The collection of information was through semi-structured open ended interviews with a questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to obtain the information about their experience in the field of treatment, number of patients treated per week, knowledge about the medicinal plants, vernacular names, parts of the plants used and other ingredients added during the drug formulations. Plants mentioned for treatment were photographed in the field, cuttings of the samples were taken and voucher specimens are deposited in the herbarium of P.G. Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad. The information such as botanical name, status, family, vernacular name habit and habitat, statistical analysis like percentage of parts used, Use value (UV) and Informants Consensus Factor (ICF) are provided. RESULTS Present study resulted in recording 106 medicinal plant species of 55 families and 86 formulations to treat different types of wounds by 44 key informants. Among the 106 plants recorded four species are endemic to India and 22 species have the nativity outside India. Rest of the species have nativity both in India and elsewhere. The highest number of species belonged to Apocynaceae and Rubiaceae (6 species each). Trees are used more often (35.84%), followed by herbs (28.30%), shrubs (23.58%), climbers (11.32) and parasites (0.80%). Leaves are the major part of the plants used in the formulations (28.57%). The highest Use value is for Calycopteris floribunda (1.80), followed by Rauvolfia serpentina and Achyranthes aspera (1.67). The different types of wounds treated by traditional healers are classified into 15 categories and the highest ICF scored is for the burns (0.66). CONCLUSIONS Ethnomedicinal survey in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka revealed uses of 106 plants in traditional practices for curing various types of wounds. The statistical analysis confirmed high degree of sharing the knowledge amongst 44 key informants. Information about the largest number of remedies was obtained from the Havyaka Brahmin ethnic community which has strong Sanskrit background.

Evaluation of wound healing property of Caesalpinia mimosoides Lam.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Caesalpinia mimosoides Lam. is one of the important traditional folk medicinal plants in the treatment of skin diseases and wounds used by healers of Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka state (India). However scientific validation of documented traditional knowledge related to medicinal plants is an important path in current scenario to fulfill the increasing demand of herbal medicine. AIM OF THE STUDY The study was carried out to evaluate the claimed uses of Caesalpinia mimosoides using antimicrobial, wound healing and antioxidant activities followed by detection of possible active bio-constituents. MATERIALS AND METHODS Extracts prepared by hot percolation method were subjected to preliminary phytochemical analysis followed by antimicrobial activity using MIC assay. In vivo wound healing activity was evaluated by circular excision and linear incision wound models. The extract with significant antimicrobial and wound healing activity was investigated for antioxidant capacity using DPPH, nitric oxide, antilipid peroxidation and total antioxidant activity methods. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined by Folin-Ciocalteu, Swain and Hillis methods. Possible bio-active constituents were identified by GC-MS technique. RP-UFLC-DAD analysis was carried out to quantify ethyl gallate and gallic acid in the plant extract. RESULTS Preliminary phytochemical analysis showed positive results for ethanol and aqueous extracts for all the chemical constituents. The ethanol extract proved potent antimicrobial activity against both bacterial and fungal skin pathogens compared to other extracts. The efficacy of topical application of potent ethanol extract and traditionally used aqueous extracts was evidenced by the complete re-epithelization of the epidermal layer with increased percentage of wound contraction in a shorter period. However, aqueous extract failed to perform a consistent effect in the histopathological assessment. Ethanol extract showed effective scavenging activity against DPPH and nitric oxide free radicals with an expressive amount of phenolic and moderate concentration of flavonoid contents. Ethyl gallate and gallic acid were found to be the probable bio-active compounds evidenced by GCMS and RP-UFLC-DAD analysis. CONCLUSION The study revealed the significant antimicrobial, wound healing and antioxidant activities of tender parts of C. mimosoides and proved the traditional folklore knowledge.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of some new coumarinyl thiazolopyrimidinones

Two new series of coumarin linked, linear and angularly fused thiazolo-[3,2-a]-pyrimidinones have been synthesized from 3-bromoacetyl coumarins by azole and azine approaches. Regioisomeric 5H and 7H thiazolo-[3,2-a]-pyrimidinones have been clearly distinguished by their IR and UV fluorescence spectral data. All the compounds have been characterized by analytical and spectroscopic methods. Rate and yield enhancements have been achieved using microwave irradiation. The results of in vivo diuretic activity indicate that substituents on coumarin do not enhance the activity. In vitro antimicrobial activities have shown that the compounds are specifically active against Gram-positive but are inactive against Gram-negative bacterial strains. Moderate fungal activity was observed against Candida albicans and Penicillium chrysogenum and all the compounds were found to be inactive against Aspergillus niger.