Rajesh K. Joshi

Chemical constituents and antibacterial property of the essential oil of the roots of Cyathocline purpurea

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Cyathocline purpurea (D. Don.) O. Ktze. (Asteraceae) is a rare existence Indian medicinal plant and traditionally has antimicrobial property. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of the present study was to identify chemical composition of the essential oil from the roots of Cyathocline purpurea and to screened in vitro antibacterial activity against eight human pathogenic bacteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS The essential oil of roots was analyzed by using GC-FID and GC-MS. The antibacterial activity of oil was tested against four Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacteria and antibacterial activity was determined by the tube dilution method. RESULTS The main constituents of the oil were thymohydroquinone dimethyl ether (57.4%) and β-selinene (14.0%), among twenty five identified compounds, which represented 90.1% of the total oil. The oil was found active against Gram-positive bacteria with minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) values in the range of 0.26-0.57 mg/mL. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report on the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil of roots of Cyathocline purpurea. The observation of MBC assay suggested that the Gram positive microorganisms were susceptible to essential oil, while oil was found to be resistant against Gram-negative bacteria, and the oil has bactericidal property.

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil) from Western Ghats of North West Karnataka, India.

Context: Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) commonly known as sweet basil, has been used as a traditional medicinal plant for the treatment of headaches, coughs, diarrhea, constipation, warts, worms, and kidney malfunctions. Materials and Methods: The essential oil of the flowering aerial parts of O. basilicum growing in the Western Ghats region of North West Karnataka, India, was obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The oil was tested against six Gram-positive, eight Gram-negative bacteria, and three fungi by the tube-dilution method at a concentration range of 5.00-0.009 mg/mL. Results: Twenty-five constituents were identified in the essential oil of O. basilicum. The major constituents were identified as methyl eugenol (39.3%) and methyl chavicol (38.3%), accounting for 98.6% of the total oil. The oil was found to be active against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi with minimal bactericidal concentration values in the range of 0.143 ± 0.031 to 0.572 ± 0.127 mg/mL, 0.781 ± 0.382 to 1.875 ± 0.684 mg/mL, and 0.312 ± 0.171 to 0.442 ± 0.207 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: The essential oil of O. basilicum of this region contains methyl eugenol/methyl chavicol chemotype and has bactericidal properties.

New Report of Triterpenoid Betulinic Acid along with Oleanolic Acid from Achyranthes aspera by Reversed-Phase-Ultra Flow Liquid Chromatographic Analysis and Confirmation Using High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatographic and Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopic Techniques

Triterpenoid betulinic acid (BA) was detected, quantified, and reported for the first time from leaf extract of Achyranthes aspera along with much known oleanolic acid (OA). Extraction was achieved using ultrasonic exposure, and reversed-phase.ultra flow liquid chromatographic (RP.UFLC) technique was employed during investigation. RP.UFLC separation was achieved on a Hibar 250–4.6 mm, 5 μ, Lichrospher 100, C18e column using methanol and water (90:10) as mobile phase with pH adjusted to 5.0 using glacial acetic acid (GAA) in an isocratic mode. The content of BA (0.25 mg g−1 fresh weight [FW]) was ∼75% higher than OA (0.06 mg g−1 FW). These results suggest BA to be the major triterpenoid compared to OA in the leaf of A. aspera. High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) separation of the two triterpenic acids (oleanolic and betulinic acid) was also achieved on silica gel G 60 F254, 50 × ~ 100 mm glass TLC plates, using benzene, ethyl acetate, and formic acid as solvent system in a ratio of 67.9:22.7:9.4. Anisaldehyde reagent was used for detection. The method was used for the screening of oleanolic and betulinic acids from A. aspera leaf extract. Similarly, Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic analysis was done in the mid IR region of 400–4000 cm−1 with 64 scan speed using OMNIC 8.1 (ver. 8.1.210) software. The results were also supported by HPTLC and FT-IR data.

Antimicrobial activity of the extracts of Craniotome furcata (Lamiaceae).

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Craniotome furcata (Link.) O. Kuntze (Lamiaceae) is used in the traditional medicine for the treatment of cuts and wounds indicating antimicrobial activity. AIM OF THE STUDY To validate the traditional medicinal claim, in vitro antimicrobial activity of the extracts was screened against eleven human pathogenic bacteria and fungi. MATERIALS AND METHODS The ethyl acetate (CE) and n-butanol (CB) extracts of the aerial parts of Craniotome furcata were tested against four Gram-positive bacteria, four Gram-negative bacteria and three fungi species. Antimicrobial activity was determined by the tube-dilution method. RESULTS The CE and CB extracts showed antimicrobial activity against all of the tested microorganisms, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in the range of 0.41-4.58mg/ml. CONCLUSIONS The tested microbes Micrococcus flavus and Escherichia coli were highly susceptible to extract CE and antimicrobial activity of CB is comparable to that of extract CE against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus faecalis while it is better than that of extract CE, against Klebsiella pneumoniae. Both the extracts were found less susceptible against tested fungi.

Mentha arvensis essential oil suppressed airway changes induced by histamine and ovalbumin in experimental animals

Abstract The present investigation aimed to evaluate the activity of the essential oil of Mentha arvensis L. on exogenously induced bronchoconstriction in experimental animals. The anti-asthmatic effect of M. arvensis essential oil (MAEO) was studied using histamine aerosol-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs and ovalbumin (OVA) sensitised albino mice. Treatment with M. arvensis oil significantly (p < 0.001) increased the time of preconvulsive dyspnoea in histamine-induced guinea pigs. Oral treatment of MAEO significantly (p < 0.001) decreased absolute eosinophil count, serum level of IgE and the number of eosinophils, neutrophils in BALF. Histopathological examination of lungs showed that essential oil rescinded bronchial asthma. The present investigation provides evidence that MAEO relaxes bronchial smooth muscles and suppressed immunological response to OVA.

Compound Specific Extraction of Camptothecin from Nothapodytes nimmoniana and Piperine from Piper nigrum Using Accelerated Solvent Extractor

Effects of varying temperatures with constant pressure of solvent on extraction efficiency of two chemically different alkaloids were studied. Camptothecin (CPT) from stem of Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Grah.) Mabb. and piperine from the fruits of Piper nigrum L. were extracted using Accelerated Solvent Extractor (ASE). Three cycles of extraction for a particular sample cell at a given temperature assured complete extraction. CPT and piperine were determined and quantified by using a simple and efficient UFLC-PDA (245 and 343 nm) method. Temperature increased efficiency of extraction to yield higher amount of CPT, whereas temperature had diminutive effect on yield of piperine. Maximum yield for CPT was achieved at 80°C and for piperine at 40°C. Thus, the study determines compound specific extraction of CPT from N. nimmoniana and piperine from P. nigrum using ASE method. The present study indicates the use of this method for simple, fast, and accurate extraction of the compound of interest.

Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link Essential Oil from India: β-Caryophyllene and 1-Octen-3-ol Chemotypes

Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link (Lamiaceae) is an annual, branched herb used in traditional medicine as an antipyretic and insecticide. The hydro-distilled essential oil was obtained from the aerial parts of L. aspera growing wild in North West Karnataka region of India and analyzed by gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Forty-three compounds were identified, representing 98.1% of the total oil. The main constituents were identified as β-caryophyllene (34.2%), 1-octen-3-ol (14.8%), α-humulene (6.3%), α-pinene (5.8%), epi-α-bisabolol (4.6%) and limonene (4.5%). The oil was found to be rich in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (47.7%), followed by others (long chain hydrocarbons (LCH), oxygenated LCH and phenyl derivative constituents) (20.2%), monoterpene hydrocarbons (14.8%), oxygenated sesquiterpenes (14.8%) and oxygenated monoterpenes (0.6%) type compounds.

Monitoring seasonal variation of epicatechin and gallic acid in the bark of Saraca asoca using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method

Background: Saraca asoca (Roxb.) Wilde (Fabaceae) is a high valued but vulnerable medicinal plant of Western Ghats region. This plant is mainly known for its use in various gynecological disorders. Objective: The objective of the present study was to investigate seasonal variation of the polyphenolic compounds viz., epicatechin and gallic acid in the bark of S. asoca by using Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector (RP-HPLC-DAD) method. Materials and Methods: The bark was collected in six different Ritu (season) viz. Varsha (monsoon), Sharad (autumn), hemant (early winter), Shishir (winter), Vasanta (spring), and Grishma (summer) mentioned in Ayurveda. Results : The RP-HPLC-DAD analysis indicated that levels of epicatechin and gallic acid in the bark of S. asoca vary seasonally. The highest concentration of epicatechin was observed in Shishir Ritu (3315.19 ± 165.76 mg/100g) and gallic acid during Hemant Ritu (211.90 ± 10.60 mg/100 g). Conclusions: In present study, the ability to synthesize and accumulate both the compounds in bark of S. asoca varied greatly throughout the seasons. It was also observed that the compound epicatechin was present abundantly as compared to gallic acid throughout the seasons.

Comparative study on the chemical constituents of essential oils from different organs of the Sicilian Kundmannia (Kundmannia sicula L.) DC. (Apiaceae) growing spontaneously in Tunisia

Essential oils from odorous and volatile compounds possessing several therapeutic benefits are considered of a paramount importance in everyday human life. This study deals with a comparative study of essential oils from different parts of an aromatic plant Kundmannia sicula (L.) DC. (Apiaceae) growing in Tunisia. The hydro-distilled essential oils of the leaves and inflorescences with mature seeds (IMS) of K. sicula were analysed for the first time by gas chromatography equipped with flame ionisation detector and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Fifty leaves and 47 IMS constituents were identified, accounting for 97.9% and 98.2% of the total oil, respectively. The major compounds identified from the leaves and IMS oils were isocurcumenol (9.9–10.1%), hexadecanoic acid (9.5–10.9%), spathulenol (6.9–3.4%), 10-epi-γ-eudesmol (6.3–5.5%), α-cubebene (5.9–6.1%) and trans-dihydro occidentalol (52–6.6%). The essential oil consists mainly of oxygenated monoterpenes (50.7–53.2%).

Evaluating Nothapodytes nimmoniana population from three localities of Western Ghats using camptothecin as phytochemical marker and selection of elites using a new-content range chart method

Background: Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Grah.) Mabb. is a high valued medicinal plant endemic to Western Ghats of India, distributed in fragmented populations. The plant is valued for potent anticancer drug camptothecin (CPT). Objective: The study compares and expounds variation in CPT content from leaves and stems of N. nimmoniana obtained from three populations of Western Ghats, India. The study also describes a method for categorizing these populations using content range chart (CRC) method for percent yield of CPT. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 samples were investigated including ten each of leaves and stems from three localities. Micro-extraction method was implemented to extract CPT. reversed phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography photo diode array technique was used to quantify CPT. Results: Leaf samples of an individual collected from Joida, yielded lowest CPT content (0.002 ± 0.000 g/100 g), whereas a stem sample from Amgaon, yielded highest CPT content (0.123 ± 0.006 g/100 g). The findings suggest great variation in individuals producing and accumulating CPT. Using this data along with earlier published work, five categories of CPT yielding plants were made viz. I: Very low: <0.020, II: Low: 0.021-0.039, III: Moderate: 0.040-0.059, IV: High: 0.060-0.079 and V: Very high: >0.080. Based on CPT content in leaves, majority of individuals were under very low category (Ist) and on the other hand stem samples were in ‘II’ category. Besides, very few individuals were observed in category ‘V’. Conclusion: The study expounds use of CRC method for identifying elite population and suggests the need for its conservation.