Kh. Sangeeta Devi

A study on ethnomedicinal plants of Kalavai, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu, India

Article history: Received on: 28/10/2012 Revised on: 15/11/2012 Accepted on: 21/11/2012 Available online: 28/01/2013 A qualitative ethanobotanical survey was carried out among the local Irula tribals of Kalavai village, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, to study the various medicinal plants that are used by the people for the treatment of common ailments such as fever, cold, cough, diabetes, jaundice, diarrhea, rheumatism, snake bite, and headache, in order to evaluate the potential medicinal uses of local plants. 250 respondents were interviewed. A total of 50 species of plants used by the local tribes of Kalavai are described in this study based on questionnaire, interviews and discussions with the local people. Several plants were found to be effective in curing asthma, skin disease, headache, wound healing, cough, cancer, fever, cold, rheumatism, hepatitis, diarrhea, paralysis, dyspepsia, ulcers, dysentery, tumors, some viral infections and scorpion bite. Conservation and cultivation of these plants is essential for sustaing the medicinal and cultural resource of mankind.

Phytoconstituents evaluation and antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of Mahonia leschenaultia Takeda in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Hyperlipidemia is an associated complication of diabetes mellitus. Many spices and herbs are known to be hypoglycemic. Mahonia leschenaultia Takeda (Berberidaceae) (MLT) is a traditional medicinal plant that is commonly used against diseases in India and other Asian countries. The aim of this study is to identify the phytoconstituents by gas chromatography–mass spectrography (GC–MS) and evaluate the antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of the ethanol extract of MLT on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Phytoconstituents like oleicacid, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)-n-hexadecanoic acid were identified as high % peak when compared with other compounds by GC–MS. STZ-induced diabetic animals were fed with plant extracts at different doses (250 or 500 mg kg−1 body wt) of ethanol extract of MLT. The results of the study revealed a significant increase in total hemoglobin and glycosylated hemoglobin along with the reduction in hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia effects in MLT-treated STZ-induced diabetic rats compared to diabetic only rats. Further, ethanol extracts of MLT-treated animals at 500 mg kg−1 showed that shrinkage of β cells of islets of Langerhans was restored as evidenced by histological studies of pancreas of diabetic animals. Thus the ethanol extract of MLT might serve as a reliable adjuvant for antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of STZ, and may be promising for development of phytomedicines for diabetes mellitus.

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of Monochoria vaginalis against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

SUMMARY The present study was aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities ofethanol extract from Monochoria vaginalis (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg B/W) on acetaminophen (APAP)induced rat hepatic injury. Monochoria vaginalis is a traditional medicinal plant that is commonlyused to treat and improve liver conditions in India and other Asian countries. The developmentof hepatotoxicity induced by APAP is promoted by oxidative stress. APAP treated groupsignificantly (P < 0.01) elevated the serum enzymatic levels like glutamate oxaloacetatetransaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase (SALP), total bilirubin andmalondialdehyde (MDA), which were restored towards normalization significantly (P < 0.01)thanol extract of yonochoria vagin is (EEMV). In addition, the EEMV significantly (P < 0.01)elevated the decreased level of total protein and antioxidant enzymes such as superoxidedismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-s-transferase and reduced glutathione.Apart from these, histopathological changes also showed the protective nature of the EEMVagainst APAP induced hepatic damage in liver tissues. The activity of EEMV at 500 mg/kg B/Wwas comparable to the standard drug silymarin (25 mg/kg B/W). In conclusion, these datasuggest that the EEMV possess hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects against APAP-inducedhepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats.Key words: Hepatoprotective; Monochoria vaginalis; Acetaminophen; Silymarin; Antioxidant