Raka Kamal

Evaluation of antidiabetic and antioxidant activity of Moringa oleifera in experimental diabetes

Background:  Moringa oleifera, a widely cultivated species in India, is an exceptionally nutritious vegetable with a variety of potential uses in treating rheumatism, venomous bites, and microbial infections. In the present study, we investigated the antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of methanol extracts of M. oleifera pods (MOMtE) in streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic albino rats.

Studies on trigonelline from Moringa oleifera and its in vitro regulation by feeding precursor in cell cultures

Trigonelline (N-methylnicotinate) biosynthesized from nicotinate is one of the metabolically active pyridine alkaloid, widely distributed in plant kingdom. In the present study trigonelline has been isolated from various plant parts and callus cultures of Moringa oleifera Lam., Moringaceae, and was identified using TLC, GLC, GC-MS, which was comparable to that of the standard trigonelline. The trigonelline recovery was found to be maximum in the pods and minimum in flowers. In order to enhance the production of trigonelline in vitro grown cultures, different treatment doses of nicotinic acid (250, 500 and 750 mg L-1) were supplemented in the medium as precursor. Maximum increase (up to 1.10 fold) was observed in the treatment dose of 500 mg L-1 of nicotinic acid.

Antiradical efficiency of 20 selected medicinal plants

The antioxidant system of a plant comprises a group of chemicals that are highly diverse in their sources, effects and uses. These antioxidants are capable of contracting and damaging free radicals. This investigation deals with a screening and comparison of the antioxidant activities of 20 selected medicinal plants and their parts, individually and in combination with vitamins A, C or E, using the DPPH radical scavenging method. Phyllanthus emblica L., Santalum album L., Syzygium cumini L. and Trigonella foenum-graecum L. presented highly significant antiradical efficiency (AE) singly and in combination with either vitamin A, C or E. Further, Curcuma longa L., Momordica charantia L., S. cumini, T. foenum-graecum, Moringa oleifera Lam and S. album have also shown fairly significant AE in a vitamin combination dose of 0.001 mM concentration.

In Vitro Regulation of Non-enzymatic Antioxidant Efficiency ofMomordica dioica Roxb by Elicitation and Salt Stress

Antioxidants play an important role in inhibiting the free radicals thereby provides protection against infection and degenerative diseases. Natural antioxidants are scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), they are preferred over synthetic antioxidants because of their safety over the synthetic antioxidant chemicals. Momordica dioica Roxb., have been used in Indian traditional medicine for various ailments like antiallergic, hepatoprotective , antihyperglycemic, nephroprotective and antimicrobial. In the present investigation sequentially extracts of various plant parts of M. dioica, and its tissue cultures were analyzed for their antioxidant potential. Standard protocols of scavenging effect on the DPPH free radical, Haemoglobin glycosylation Assay, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power, Nitric oxide and Lipid Peroxidation Assay were performed with some modifications. The fractionated extractives using different solvents analyzed for their antioxidant potential, the DCF of fruits with DPPH, MF of callus with HG and MF of stem with FRAP assays showed the highest AE. Elicitation increased the AE from 85 to173% in various treated samples. Effect of salt and Vitamin C gave significant blockage that increased with time treatment. Effect of various elicitors (sodium nitroprusside and salicylic acid), ascorbic acid and sodium chloride in different concentrations and time period on AE (antiradical efficiency) was also investigated. Results were expressed as AE, which is 1000/ IC50 in case of DPPH while in FRAP it was expressed as μM/l/g. M. dioica showed that this plant is a potent antioxidant agent. It is able to increase cellular survival by reducing intracellular lipid and protein oxidation levels and ROS scavengers.

Relative Toxicity of Natural Pyrethrins against Mesocyclops leuckarti sensu lato —the Carrier of Dracunculiasis

Pyrethrins I and II were extracted from five seasonal Compositae herbs collected from semi-arid and hilly areas of North India. The relative toxicity of natural pyrethrins were evaluated against Mesocyclops leuckarti sensu lato. Based on the LC50 values, the extract of the plants could be arranged as follows: Tageles minuta > Pulicaria crispa > T. patula > T. minuta > P. angustifolia.RésuméPerythrin I et Perythrin II furent extraits de cinq plantes composites collectées dans les regions semi-arides et montagneuses du Nord de l’Inde. La toxicité relative du Perythrin naturel etait evaluée contre le Mesocyclops leuckarti sensu lato. En considerant la valeur du LC50, les extraits de ces plantes peuvent être classifier comme suit: Tagetes minuta > Pulicaria crispa > T. patula > T. minuta > P. angustifolia.