The current study was designated to explore the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the methanolic extract of Magnolia champaca stem bark and its different fractions. Antioxidant activity was assessed using total antioxidant capacity, ferric reducing power, DPPH, hydroxyl and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. Antibacterial activity was evaluated against five gram positive and five gram negative bacteria using disc diffusion assay method. Among the different fractions, chloroform fraction (CHF) and ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) showed the highest antioxidant activity whereas aqueous fraction (AQF) showed lowest activity in DPPH radical scavenging assay with IC50 of 12.12, 22.41 and 55.16 μg/ml, respectively. Both of the extracts CHF and EAF also exhibited highest total antioxidant capacity, ferric reducing power and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity with concentration dependent manner when compared to standard BHT. Moderate to potent antibacterial activity was observed against all tested organisms compared to standard azithromycin. The results from the present study revealed that the different fractions of stem bark of M. champaca specially CHF and EAF possess antioxidant and antibacterial property which support its use in traditional medicine and suggesting that the plant may be further investigated to discover its pharmacologically active natural products. Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 23(2): 96-102, 2020

Background. The leaves of Leea rubra contain an abundance of phenolic constituents and have medicinal uses as antipyretic and diaphoretic agents and are also used in the treatment of stomach ache, rheumatism, arthritis etc. In spite of the traditional uses, data on the scientific evaluation of the plant are not sufficient. So, the present study was designed to evaluate the protective role of the extract against oxidative damage to DNA and human erythrocytes as well as antitumor and antibacterial activities against some resistant bacteria. Methods. The protective activity of the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of the extract was investigated by evaluating the inhibition of oxidative damage of pUC19 plasmid DNA as well as hemolysis and lipid peroxidation damage to human erythrocytes induced by 2,2′-azobis-2-amidinopropane (AAPH). Antitumor activity was assessed by evaluating the percentage inhibition of cell growth, morphological changes of Ehrlich’s ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells, and hematological parameters. Antimicrobial activity was determined by the disc diffusion method against different resistant microorganisms. Results. EAF effectively inhibited AAPH-induced oxidative damage to DNA because it can inhibit the transformation of the supercoiled form of plasmid DNA to open circular and further linear form. The oxidative hemolysis caused by AAPH in human erythrocytes was inhibited by EAF extract in a time-dependent manner, and the production of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly reduced, which indicates the prevention of lipid peroxidation. In antitumor assay, 76% growth of inhibition of EAC was observed compared with the control mice ( p < 0.05 ) at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated against two pathogenic resistant microorganisms (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and the highest antimicrobial activity was observed against Pseudomonas spp. Conclusion. EAF may have great importance in preventing oxidative damage to DNA, erythrocytes, and other cellular components as well as can be a good candidate in cancer chemotherapy and treating infectious diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

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Objectives: In the modern days multiple drug resistance has been developed against many microbes due to the random use of existing antimicrobial drugs in the treatment of infectious diseases. This paves the way for reconsidering traditional medicine; hence we have carried out to evaluate the wound healing potentials of Marigold flower (Tagetes erecta) in the surgical wound model in black Bengal goats. Methods: A total of sixteen surgical wounds were made in eight goats under proper restraint and analgesia. Wounds were topically treated with Marigold flower paste (Group A) and normal saline (Group B, control). Post-treatment information was recorded from day 1 to day 21. Planimetric features such as swelling of the wound area, elevation of suture line, and length of the wound were monitored. Histopathological and in vivo anti-microbial studies were also investigated. Results: Results revealed that aqueous paste of Tagetes erecta flower modulated inflammation and promoted wound contraction leading to earlier healing than those with saline. Histological findings highlighted the normal cutaneous architecture of the marigold treated wound more than that appeared in the saline-treated wound. The antibacterial study revealed that the aqueous paste of marigold flower was highly effective against Staphylococcus aureus which is the ubiquitous bacterial pathogen both in humans and animals. Conclusions: These results, thus, demonstrate that the aqueous paste of Tagetes erecta flower possesses wound healing activities and it could be a potential candidate for the treatment of dermal wounds by topical application.

Background: Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.), an evergreen medium-sized, spiny tree which have vast nutritional values and widely used in ayurvedic medicines and home remedies. The plant has also been a rich source of biologically active compounds. The present study was designed to isolate pure compound and to know the efficacy as antioxidant as well as its anti-tumor activity on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cell (EAC). Methods: The isolation of the compound was carried out by column chromatography and structure was revealed by 1H-NMR and 13C NMR. The antioxidant activity was investigated by the scavenging of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals as well as the inhibition of oxidative damage of pUC19 plasmid DNA, hemolysis and lipid peroxidation induced by 2, 2’-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) in human erythrocytes. In vivo anti-tumor activity of the compound was also evaluated by determining the viable tumor cell count, hematological profiles of experimental mice along with observing morphological changes of EAC cells by fluorescence microscope. Results: The isolated compound showed strong antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging with IC50 of 14.6μg/ml. It also effectively inhibited AAPH induced oxidation in DNA and human erythrocyte model and lipid per oxidation. In anti-tumor assay, 70.89±6.62% growth of inhibition of EAC was observed as compare to the control mice (p<0.05) at a dose 50mg/kg body weight. Conclusion: The compound may have a great importance as a therapeutic agent in preventing oxidative damage of biomolecules and therapeutic use in chemotherapy.