The present study was carried out to evaluate in vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory potential of selected medicinal plants used in Indian traditional medication. The sequentially extracted plant samples as, Cissus quadrangularis, Plumbago zeylanica, Terminalia bellarica and Terminalia chebula in water, ethanol and hexane were evaluated in-vitro for COX-1 and 2 inhibitory and antioxidant activities. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of selected samples showing promising COX-2 inhibition was assessed using carrageenan and Phorbol Myristate Acetate (PMA) induced mice edema animal model. The results obtained reveals that most of the plants were found to inhibit COX-2 activity as compared to COX-1. It was observed that the extracts of T. bellarica (73.34 %) and T. chebula (74.81 %) showed significant COX-2 selective inhibition as compared to other samples. The ethanol extract of the selected plants demonstrated effective DPPH, OH and superoxide radical scavenging activity. In vivo anti-inflammatory study shows that, T. bellarica and T. chebulla had a significant impact on inhibition of edema formation. The cytotoxicity evaluation study of ethanolic fraction of selected medicinal plants indicates that the selected samples have no effect on cell viability. HPTLC fingerprint of flavonoids of the selected samples was also prepared as a measure of quality control. The results obtained may be useful in strengthening the standardization of the selected botanicals. Moreover the selected plants can be considered as a resource for searching novel anti-inflammatory agents possessing COX-2 inhibition.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the anticancer, antioxidant, and possible anti-inflammatory properties of diverse medicinal plants frequently used in Indian traditional medication. The selected botanicals such as Soymida fembrifuga (Roxb.) A. Juss. (Miliaceae), Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers. (Menispermaceae), Lavandula bipinnata (L.) O. Ktze. (Lamiaceae), and Helicteres isora L. (Sterculiaceae) extracted in different solvents were evaluated for their in vitro anticancer and antioxidant activities. The results obtained indicate that H. isora has potent cytotoxic activity toward the selected cancer cells such as HeLa-B75 (34.21 ± 0.24%), HL-60 (30.25 ± 1.36%), HEP-3B (25.36 ± 1.78%), and PN-15 (29.21 ± 0.52%). Interestingly, the selected botanicals selectively inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) more than (COX-1), which are the key enzymes implicated in inflammation. COX-2 inhibition was observed to be in the range of 19.66-49.52% as compared to COX-1 inhibition (3.93-19.61%). The results of the antioxidant study revealed that the selected plants were found to be effective 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl (OH), and superoxide radical (SOR) scavenging agents. High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) fingerprint of flavonoids was used as a measure of quality control of the selected plant samples. The results of the present findings strengthen the potential of the selected plants as a resource for the discovery of novel anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant agents.

Inhibition of polyphenol oxidase (PPO)‐mediated browning in apple juice using different concentrations of floral honey was evaluated by performing the kinetics of PPO inhibition, effect of honey concentrations on activity of PPO and rate of quinone formation (browning) in apple juice. The antioxidant status of honey was demonstrated by 2, 2‐diphenyl‐1‐picryl hydrazine (DPPH) radical‐scavenging assay. Agar diffusion assay was carried out to demonstrate the antimicrobial activity of honey. Kinetic experiment suggests that honey is a noncompetitive inhibitor of PPO having Km = 3.33 mM. There exist a negative correlation (γ = −0.65) between different concentrations (50–100%, v/v) of honey and PPO activity with significant retardation in rate of browning reaction in apple juice. The DPPH radical‐scavenging activity showed that the antioxidant potential of honey strongly depends on its concentration with a positive correlation (γ = +0.96). Assessment of the antimicrobial activity of honey using agar diffusion assay demonstrated the significant inhibition of Candida albicans (Microbial Technology & Culture Collection [MTCC‐3018]), Escherichia coli (MTCC‐1588), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC‐2488) and Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC‐96) as compared to standard antibiotics. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Consumer demands for “freshness” in the minimally processed fruits and vegetables is a priority by the food processing industries. Alternate strategies for prevention of enzymatic browning in fruits and vegetables are necessary to maintain the quality and value of these produces. This study demonstrates that honey is an effective inhibitor of enzymatic browning in apple juice. Honey studied in this research also has antimicrobial and antioxidative properties; thus, its use as a browning inhibitor may have additional health and therapeutic properties.

Introduction: The enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) has been implicated to be a key enzyme involved in recruiting inflammations. Developing COX inhibitors has remained one of the important aspects of developing novel and safe antiinflammatory agents. An attempt has made to find the medicinal plants as alternatives to presently available NSAIDs (Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Methods: In the present study the samples of Enicostema axillare (Lam.) Raynal. [Gentianaceae], Argemone mexicana L. [Papaveraceae], Clerodendrum multiflorum (Burm.f.) O. Ktze. [Verbenaceae], Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. [Solanaceae], Polyalthia longifolia (Sonner.) Thw. [Annonaceae] and Vitex nigundo L. [Verbenaceae] were sequentially extracted in water, ethanol and hexane and were evaluated in-vitro for COX-1 and 2 inhibitory activities. The free radical scavenging activities were carried out along with cytotoxicity evaluation. Results: Among the tested plants, E. axillare showed promising COX-2 inhibiting activity in ethanol (48.71 ± 0.035 %), water (42.13 ± 0.030 %) and hexane (12.31 ± 0.040 %) as compared to COX-1 inhibition in ethanol (14.73 ± 0.030 %), water (27.64 ± 0.030 %) and hexane (6.92 ± 0.031 %). The contents of the water extracts of majority of the plant samples were found to interact with DPPH, superoxide and OH radicals. The selected plants did not showed cytoxicity except a poor toxicity demonstrated by ethanol extract of P. longifolia (0.15 ± 0.040 %). HPTLC analysis was carried out to study the flavonoids diversity of the selected plant samples. Conclusion: The results obtained shows that majority of the plants under study were found to inhibit COX-2 activity significantly as compared to COX-1 activity. However, more detailed studies are required to assess the safety and efficacy of these plants.

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