Md. Khirul Islam

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by tribal and native people of Madhupur forest area, Bangladesh.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Madhupur forest area, Tangail is one of early human settlements in Bangladesh. Having abode in the vicinity of the forest, a strong ethnobotanical practice has prevailed in this area since ancient time. Due to the rapid deforestation during the last few decades, many plants have already disappeared or are facing extinction. Thus we attempted to document the medicinal plant use of Madhupur forest area with a view to preserve the ethnobotanical knowledge and in order to protect the biodiversity of this area. MATERIALS AND METHODS The fieldwork was conducted during a period of 1 year. Data was collected by interview, questionnaire, and group discussion with randomly selected informants including indigenous, tribal people, and Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) living in the study area. Recorded plants are listed along with their indication, part used, form of preparation and use value (UV). Results were also analysed to determine informant consensus factor (ICF) and fidelity level (FL) of the plants on the basis of their use under various ailment categories. RESULTS The present study has documented 78 medicinal plant species from 45 families used for the treatment of at least 77 different major and minor ailments and conditions. Medicinal plant species were categorised as tree, shrub, tuber, herb, and climber. Leaves were found to be the most frequently used plant part while decoction is the major form of preparation. In most cases preparations are either administered orally or applied topically. CONCLUSION The present study revealed that some of the well-known medicinal plants are used extensively demonstrating an effective ethnobotanical practice in the study area. Plants with high ICF and FL values can be subjected to bioassay guided investigation while plants which scored low UVs require bioactivity screening to justify their use for the reported ailment.

Antinociceptive and Antioxidant Activity of Zanthoxylum budrunga Wall (Rutaceae) Seeds

Different parts of the medicinal plant Zanthoxylum budrunga Wall enjoy a variety of uses in ethnobotanical practice in Bangladesh. In the present study, a number of phytochemical and pharmacological investigations were done on the ethanol extract of Z. budrunga seeds (ZBSE) to evaluate its antinociceptive and antioxidant potential. ZBSE was also subjected to HPLC analysis to detect the presence of some common antioxidants. In acetic acid induced writhing test in mice, ZBSE showed 65.28 and 74.30% inhibition of writhing at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg and the results were statistically significant (P < 0.001). In hot-plate test, ZBSE raised the pain threshold significantly (P < 0.001) throughout the entire observation period. In DPPH scavenging assay, the IC50 of ZBSE was observed at 82.60 μg/mL. The phenolic content was found to be 338.77 mg GAE/100 g of dried plant material. In reducing power assay, ZBSE showed a concentration dependent reducing ability. HPLC analysis indicated the presence of caffeic acid with a concentration of 75.45 mg/100 g ZBSE. Present investigation supported the use of Zanthoxylum budrunga seed in traditional medicine for pain management. Constituents including caffeic acid and other phenolics might have some role in the observed activity.

Pharmacological evaluation of Musa seminifera Lour. fruit

OBJECTIVE To study potential antioxidant, analgesic, antidiarrheal, and antibacterial activities of the ethanol extract of Musa seminifera Lour. fruit in different established in vivo and in vitro experimental models. METHODS In vitro antioxidant activity was studied in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay. Phenolic content was determined using Folin-Ciocalteus reagent. Reducing ability was evaluated by ferric reducing power assay. Peripherally and centrally acting analgesic activity was studied in three different in vivo models, namely, acetic acid-induced writhing, hot-plate test, and tail-flick test in Swiss albino mice. In vivo antidiarrheal activity was evaluated in castor oil- and magnesium sulfate-induced diarrhea in mice. Gastrointestinal motility test was also carried out in mice. All studies in mice were undertaken at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight. Antibacterial activity was assessed by disk diffusion assay against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Acute toxicity test was conducted to assess the safe doses of the extract. RESULTS The extract showed 50% inhibitory concentration value of 12.65 μg/mL in DPPH radical-scavenging assay. Phenolic content was found to be 589.83 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g of dried fruits extract. Reducing power was in a concentration-dependent manner, and strongly comparable with the standard ascorbic acid. The extract demonstrated significant inhibition of writhing in acetic acid-induced writhing test at both dose levels (P<0.01). The extract also raised pain threshold in both hot-plate and tail-flick test in a dose-dependent manner, and the results were statistically significant (P<0.01). The extract significantly (P<0.01) increased latent period, and decreased defecation in both castor oil- and magnesium sulfate-induced diarrhea. The extract also decreased gastrointestinal motility in mice. In disk diffusion assay, the extract showed potential antibacterial activity against all the tested bacterial strains. CONCLUSION The results suggest that the ethanol extract of M. seminifera fruit has potential antioxidant, analgesic, antidiarrheal, and antibacterial activities.

Preliminary pharmacological evaluation of Alocasia indica Schott tuber

OBJECTIVE To elucidate potential antioxidant, antidiarrheal, cytotoxic, and antibacterial activities of the ethanol extract of Alocasia indica Schott tuber in different experimental models established in vitro and in vivo. METHODS In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay. Phenolic content was estimated by using Folin-Ciocalteus reagent while reducing ability was measured by ferric reducing power assay. In vivo antidiarrheal studies were carried out in mice, and the activity was evaluated in castor oil and magnesium sulfate-induced diarrhea. Disk diffusion assay was utilized to determine antibacterial activity against a number of pathogenic bacterial strains. Acute toxicity test was carried out to measure the safe doses for the extract. RESULTS In DPPH radical-scavenging assay, the extract exhibited strong radical-scavenging activity with the 50% inhibitory concentration value of 42.66 μg/mL. Total phenolic content was found to be 542.26 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g of dried tuber extract, whereas flavonoid content was found to be 4.30 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dried tuber extract. In reducing power assay, the extract showed strong reducing power in a concentration-dependent manner. The extract significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced the latent period and decreased defecation in both castor oil- and magnesium sulfate-induced diarrhea. The extract also lessened gastrointestinal motility in mice. Potential antibacterial activity was exhibited by the extract against all the tested bacterial strains in disk diffusion assay. The 50% lethal concentration against brine shrimp nauplii was 81.09 μg/mL. CONCLUSION The results demonstrated that the ethanol extract of A. indica has potential antioxidant, antidiarrheal, cytotoxic, and antibacterial activity.

Anti-Inflammatory andAntioxidant Activity of Acalypha hispidaLeaf and Analysis of its Major Bioactive Polyphenols by HPLC

PURPOSE Inflammation and oxidative stress can lead to different chronic diseases including cancer and atherosclerosis. Many medicinal plants have the potential to show as anti-inflammatory activity. Present investigation was performed to investigate anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activity, and quantification of selected bioactive plant polyphenols of the ethanol (EAH) and aqueous (AAH) extracts of Acalypha hispida (Euphorbiaceae) leaves. METHODS Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by carragenan and histamine induced rat paw edema models while antioxidant capacity was evaluated by DPPH free radical scavenging, Fe+2 chelating ability, reducing power, NO scavenging, total phenolic and total flavonoid content assay. Identification and quantification of bioactive polyphenols was done by HPLC. RESULTS At the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, both EAH and AAH showed statistically significant inhibition of paw volume in the anti-inflammatory activity test. Both the extracts showed DPPH scavenging (IC50: 14 and 17 µg/ml, respectively), Fe+2 ion chelating (IC50: 40 and 46 µg/ml, respectively), NO scavenging activity (65.49 and 60.66% inhibition at 100 µg/ml), and concentration dependent reducing power ability. For EAH and AAH, flavonoid content was 126.30 and 149.72 mg QE/g dry extract, while phenolic content was 130.51 and 173.80 mg GAE/g dry extract, respectively. HPLC analysis of EAH and AAH indicated the presence of high content of ellagic acid along with other phenolic constituents. CONCLUSION High content of ellagic acid along with other phenolic constituents might have played an important role in the observed anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity.

Ethnomedicinal, phytochemical and pharmacological profile of a mangrove plant Ceriops Decandra GriffDin Hou.

Abstract Ceriops decandra is a mangrove tree species, reputed for its folkloric uses in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, infection, snakebites, inflammation, and cancer. Different parts of the plant are rich with various phytoconstituents which include diterpenoids (ceriopsin A-G), triterpenoids (lupeol, α-amyrin, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid), and phenolics (catechin, procyanidins).These phytoconstituents and their derivatives could form a new basis for developing new drugs against various diseases. The objective of the present study is to compile the phytochemical, ethnobotanical, biological, and pharmacological significance of the plant to provide directions for future research to find out therapeutically active lead compounds for developing new drugs against diseases of current interest including diabetes, inflammation, and cancer.