Context:Zanthoxylum armatum (Rutaceae) fruit, bark and leaves are used for various conditions of ailments in traditional systems of medicine since ancient times.Aims:This study is designed to lay down the various pharmacognostic and phytochemical standards which will be helpful to ensure the purity, safety, and efficacy of this medicinal plant.Materials and Methods:Various methods including macroscopic, microscopic, physicochemical, and phytochemical methods were applied to determine the diagnostic features for the identification and standardization of intact and powdered drug of Z. armatum leaf, fruit, and bark.Results:The shape, size, color, odor, surface characteristics were determined for the intact drug and powdered materials of leaf, bark and fruit of Z. armatum. Light and electron microscope images of cross-section of leaf and powdered microscopy revealed useful diagnostic features. Histochemical, phytochemical, physicochemical including fluorescence analysis of powdered drug proved useful to differentiate the powdered drug material. High performance liquid chromatography analysis showed the presence of important phytoconstituents such as gallic acid and rutin.Conclusion:The data generated from this study would be of help in the authentication of various parts of Z. armatum, an important constituent of various herbal drug formulations. The qualitative and quantitative microscopic features would prove useful for laying down pharmacopoeial standards. Morphology as well as various pharmacognostic aspects of different parts of the plant were studied and have been described here along with phytochemical, physicochemical studies, which will help in authentication and quality control.

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Tumor-promoting characteristics of seven esters, 1 -7, obtained from the latex of Euphorbia cauducifolia L. was appraised by carrying out NMRI mice back skin. The structures of 1 -7 were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques like 1 H-and (7). Compounds 1 -4 were isolated for the first time, whereas 5 -7 are known metabolites but detected for the first time in this plant. Biological investigations revealed that these compounds are tumor promoters.

BackgroundZanthoxylum armatum DC is an important medicinal plant of south East Asia, and has been used to treat various ailments in traditional medicine including diabetes. This study investigated the in vitro and in vivo antidiabetic and biochemical effects of extracts of Z. armatum in mice.MethodThe extracts of fruit, bark and leaf from Z. armatum were tested for α-glucosidase inhibition activity. Albino mice of either sex weighing (26–30 g) assigned into groups. Diabetes was induced by IP injection of alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg). The extracts (500 mg/kg) and standard (Glibenclamide 10 mg/kg) were administered to mice for 15 days. Serum biochemical parameters were monitored for the period of study.ResultsThe leaves and bark extracts showed maximum α-glucosidase inhibition (96.61 ± 2.13 and 93.58 ± 2.31% respectively). The extracts treated and the standard treated groups showed significant decrease in the fasting blood glucose levels compared to diabetic control. The effect was more pronounced in mice treated with leaves extract. In the in vivo studies body weights of diabetic mice treated with Z. armatum extracts and the standard did not reduced to extent as observed in diabetic control and this difference was significant (p < 0.05). There was a significance (p < 0.001) improvement in blood hemoglobin, urea, creatinine, cholesterol, and triglycerides of the extracts treated diabetic mice. The extracts showed hypolipidemic effect by reducing the LDL level. The extracts produced no prominent changes in proteins levels.ConclusionIt can be concluded that Z. armatum extracts showed excellent antidiabetic potential in vivo and in vitro and could be considered for further appraisal in clinical assessment and drug development.

Background Gaultheria trichophylla (Royle) is used as food and for treating many ailments in folk medicine especially against inflammation. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the ability of extracts of G. trichophylla as anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent and for its mineral contents.MethodsPowdered plant material (100 g) was extracted with 100 ml each of methanol, chloroform, and n-hexane using soxhlet extractor. Antioxidant activity of methanol extract was assessed by DPPH radical scavenging and FRAP assays. Determination of enzyme inhibition activity was determined using 5-LOX inhibitory activity. Total phenolic and flavonoids contents were measured by Folin-Chicalteu and colorimeteric methods respectively. Minerals and heavy metals contents were determined using Atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Qualitative HPLC analysis were performed using some standard phenolic compounds.ResultsThe highest phenolic (17.5 ± 2.5 mg GA equivalent/g) and flavonoids (41.3 ± 0.1 mg QE equivalent/g) concentrations were found in methanol extract, which also showed more scavenging activity of 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and ferrous reducing power with IC50 = 81.2 ± 0.2 and IC50 = 11.2 ± 0.1 μg/ml, respectively. The methanol and chloroform extracts showed best inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase enzyme with 90.5 ± 0.7% and 66.9 ± 0.1% at 0.5 mg/ml, respectively. G. trichophylla extract was also evaluated for mineral contents (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, and Cu), and for chemical profiling of heavy metals (Cr, Pb, Cd, Co, Zn, Ni and Hg).ConclusionOur current findings suggest that this plant is good source of minerals and concentration of all heavy metals were within permissible limits. The results revealed that this ignored plant has great pharmaceutical and nutraceutical potential.

Zanthoxylum armatum fruits are used traditionally as a spice in various food preparations. The aim of this study was analysis of antimicrobial, cytotoxic, phytotoxic, insecticidal, and anti-leishmanial activity. The crude extract showed 86 ± 10% antifungal activity (Agar tube dilution method) against Trichophyton longifusis while n-hexane, chloroform, and aqueous-methanol fractions inhibited this pathogen by 90 ± 7, 85 ± 10 and 70 ± 9% respectively. The n-hexane and aqueous-methanol fraction also, respectively, showed 40 ± 10 and 87 ± 9% inhibition of Microsporum canis. Chloroform fraction also displayed antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus (60 ± 10%) and aqueous-methanol fraction against F. solani (40 ± 8%). The crude ethanolic extract and its chloroform and aqueous-methanol fraction exhibited significant toxicity (Brine shrimps lethality assay) against brine shrimps having LC50 value of 6.66 ± 1.1, 21.4 ± 3.3 and 29.6 ± 3.9 μg/ml, respectively. The crude ethanolic extract and its n-hexane soluble portion exhibited good anti-leishmanial activity (well serial dilution method) each having IC50 values of 50 ± 5 μg/ml. The crude extract and various fractions possessed excellent herbicidal activity (Lemna minor assay), and caused more than 90% inhibition of the plant growth at 1000 μg/mL. The ethanolic extract, n-hexane and chloroform soluble portions caused 90% mortality in insecticidal activity (direct contact method) of Rhyzopertha dominica. The ethanolic extract and its n-hexane soluble portion, respectively, caused 80 and 90% mortality of Callosobruchus analis. The present study showed that the tested fruit extracts of Z. armatum exhibited strong antifungal, cytotoxic, phytotoxic, insecticidal, and anti-leishmanial effects.

Root extract of Euphorbia cornigera Boiss. (Euphorbiaceae) was separated into seven (compound 1-7) isolates through multiple Craig's distributions and preparative HPLC. The structures and relative configuration of theses compounds were established via spectral analyses as 7,8,12- O-triacetyl-3- O-(2-methylbutanoyl)-ingol (1), 3,8,12- O-triacetyl-7- O-(2-methylbutanoyl = -ingol (2), 3,7,12- O-triacetyl-8- O-(2-methylbutanoyl)-ingol (3), 3,7,8- O-triacetyl-12- O-(2-methylbutanoyl)-ingol (4), 7,12- O-diacetyl-3- O-(2-methylbutanoyl)-8- O-methylingol (5), 3,12- O-diacetyl-7- O-(2-methylbutanoyl)-8- O-methylingol (6) and 3,7- O-diacetyl-12- O-(2-methylbutanoyl)-8- O-methylingol (7). All these compounds, except for 2, are novel metabolites and have not been reported earlier. It has further been demonstrated that all the compounds (1 - 7) are cytotoxic.

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