Heterostemma Wight & Arn. (Asclepiadaceae) and a new species from India. Heterostemma vasudemni Swarupanandan & Mangaly, a new species belonging to Asclepiadaceae is described and illustrated. The discoid‐urceoloate corolla and the staminal coronal scales with a ventral appendage show this species to be intermediate between the two genera Heterostemma and Oianthus. Basically, the concepts of the two genera differ only in a pair of characters which, in the light of the new species seem not to be particularly diagnostic. On this basis it is proposed to merge the two genera together, by reducing Oianthus as a section under Heterostemma. Consequently, three new combinations are proposed. Examination of recent collections extends the distribution of what was 0. decanense, earlier considered to be endemic to Maharashtra, further south to Kerala.

Present study reveals the antiproliferative and antikeratinizing effects of S. asoca in uterus endometrium possibly through its anti-estrogenic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Saraca asoca (Fabaceae) is a prime ingredient in Asokarishta, a well-known Ayurvedic preparation for gynecological ailments. Due to scarcity, adulteration or substitution of related raw drugs is a common practice in its preparation. The bark of Kingiodendron pinnatum (Roxb. ex DC.) Harms, morphologically similar to S. asoca (Asoka) is a widely used substitute. The present study aimed to evaluate the pharmacological effectiveness of K. pinnatum as an alternative for S. asoca in Asokarishta by determining the inhibitory effect of estrogen induced uterus endometrial thickening in immature female rats. Arishta was prepared using S. asoca and with the substitute, K. pinnatum as per Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia. Uterus endometrial thickening was induced by the administration of estradiol (20 μg/kg b. wt, i.p) to 8-day-old rats for 5 alternate days. On day 16, following estradiol administration, the serum estrogen level was found elevated to 156.5 ± 8 pg/ml from the normal value 32.4 ± 5 pg/ml and consequently increased the thickness of uterus endometrium from 16.7 ± 1.4 to 75.2 ± 15.3 μm. Upon oral administration of 400 μl/kg b. wt Asokarishta (ASA) and Arishta made with K. pinnatum (AKP), the thickening was reduced to 42.5 ± 12.7 and 47.1 ± 10.5 μm and the estrogen level diminished to 102.6 ± 10 and 97.3 ± 8 pg/ml, respectively. Arishta also reduced the chronic/acute inflammations in mice and improved the antioxidant status of rats. No toxic symptom was observed in the animals by the treatment of Arishta. The study supports the use of K. pinnatum as an alternative to S. asoca in Asokarishta and gives a scientific validation for Asokarishta in gynecological ailments.

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The study assessed the annual consumption of raw drugs by the Ayurvedic medicine manufacturing industry in Kerala. Although, about 400 raw drugs are used in the manufacture of various medicines, for the present study, 230 items which are consumed at the rate of over one thousand kg per year were selected. There are 713 pharmaceutical units having drug license from the Industries Department. The study focuses on the consumption/requirement of the licensed units. Based on the annual turnover, the medicine manufacturing units were classified into small, (below 1 crore) medium (1-3 crores) and large (over 3 crores). The annual consumption of the 230 raw drugs studied is 20,517 tonnes, of which 48% is consumed by the large units, 37% by small units and 15% by medium units. Annual consumption of 27 items of raw drugs is over 200 tonnes; 28 items between 200-100 tonnes; 39 items between 100-50 tonnes; 53 items between 50-25 tonnes and 53 items between 25-10 tonnes; 30 items below 10 tonnes. Sida rhombifolia ssp. retusa (Kurumthotti) [1,194 tonnes] and Phyllanthus emblica (Nellikkai) [860 tonnes] are most abundantly consumed items. The raw drugs consumption is highest in Thrissur (6,276 tonnes) and Malappuram (4,433 tonnes) districts, as some of the larger units are located here. The lowest consumption is in Kasaragod (22 tonnes) and Wayanad (133 tonnes), where the manufacturing units are very less.

Scutellaria species of Western Ghats showed cytotoxic and antioxidant potential and the presence of baicalein. This suggests that S. colebrookiana and S. violacea could be used as alternative sources for baicalein in view of the reported scarcity of S. baicalensis.

Pseudarthria viscida is the preferred source of the raw drug Salaparni in Ayurvedic system of medicine, especially in the preparation of Dasamoolarishtam. Due to its scarcity, other trifoliate leguminous plants, particularly the species of Desmodium and Uraria are used as substitutes. The phytochemical and biological properties of these plants were analyzed to sort out the genuineness of the substitutes. Qualitative as well as quantitative chemical profiles obtained for P. viscida showed similarity to U. rufescens. In vitro antioxidant and in vivo gastroprotective assays carried out to determine the biological properties of the extracts revealed that the acetone extract of P. viscida inhibited the formation of hydroxyl, superoxide, nitric oxide radicals, and lipid peroxidation. The oral administration of P. viscida extract significantly reduced ethanol-induced gastric ulceration in mice. Even though more or less the same chemical profile was obtained for P. viscida and U. rufescens, only P. viscida exhibited significant biological properties.

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