Cymbopogon citratus, Stapf (Lemon grass) is a widely used herb in tropical countries, especially in Southeast Asia. The essential oil of the plant is used in aromatherapy. The compounds identified in Cymbopogon citratus are mainly terpenes, alcohols, ketones, aldehyde and esters. Some of the reported phytoconstituents are essential oils that contain Citral α, Citral β, Nerol Geraniol, Citronellal, Terpinolene, Geranyl acetate, Myrecene and Terpinol Methylheptenone. The plant also contains reported phytoconstituents such as flavonoids and phenolic compounds, which consist of luteolin, isoorientin 2’-O-rhamnoside, quercetin, kaempferol and apiginin. Studies indicate that Cymbopogon citratus possesses various pharmacological activities such as anti-amoebic, antibacterial, antidiarrheal, antifilarial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Various other effects like antimalarial, antimutagenicity, antimycobacterial, antioxidants, hypoglycemic and neurobehaviorial have also been studied. These results are very encouraging and indicate that this herb should be studied more extensively to confirm these results and reveal other potential therapeutic effects.

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Allium schoenoprasum L. (family Amaryllidaceae), commonly known as chives has great culinary value besides being used as ethnomedicine. This review emphasises on phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of A. schoenoprasum, and discusses the future opportunities for systematic investigations. Scientific evaluation of chives validates its traditional claims and demonstrates diverse pharmacological potential including an anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, anthelmintic and antihypertensive. Though phytochemical studies revealed the presence of sulphur and phenolic compounds, flavonoids, saponin and steroidal glycosides yet methodical research to identify bioactive compounds is required. This review confirms the medicinal importance of A. schoenoprasum and could stimulate future research on its unexplored aspects, especially identification of bioactive compounds and related mechanisms and safety, which might develop it as a drug.

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Oxidative stress is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of stroke. Strategies using antioxidants to improve neurological functions after stroke have, thus, gained significant attention. Ocimum basilicum L. is used traditionally to treat CNS disorders. Its antioxidant capacity is well established. Our laboratory has reported protective effects of pre-treatment with O. basilicum in experimental stroke, but its curative (post-treatment) effects in ischemic stroke have not been documented. Hence, the present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of O. basilicum leaf extract (OBLE) on functional outcomes following cerebral injury in mice. Cerebral injury was induced in the experimental animals by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) followed by reperfusion. OBLE treatment (200 and 400 mg/kg; orally, once daily) was given for 7 days after BCCAO. Cognitive outcomes and sensorimotor disturbances were evaluated with Morris Water Maze, Elevated Plus Maze and neurological severity score, respectively. TTC (2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride) staining was used to measure cerebral infarct size. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, reduced glutathione levels and superoxide dismutase activity in mice brain homogenate were estimated to elucidate the neuroprotective mechanism of OBLE. Treatment with OBLE resulted in marked improvement in memory and motor coordination. OBLE also decreased cerebral infarct size and oxidative stress in mice. The extract was standardised with respect to total phenol content; an HPLC-PDA analysis showed the presence of eight phenolic acids in OBLE. It is concluded that treatment with OBLE improves functional outcomes after ischemic stroke and this may be developed as a neuroprotective drug.

Background Repeated failure to rescue the damaged retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) by various drugs has warranted the need to screen common herbal compounds available in the form of various eye formulations for their efficacy. Objective We aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of pretreatment with aqueous extract of A . cepa in Ischemia/Reperfusion (I/R) induced retinal injury. Methods Ischemia was induced for 2 h by pterygopalatine artery (PPA) ligation in C57BL/6J mice, followed by reperfusion. The neuroprotective role of oral pretreatment with aqueous extract of A. cepa (300 mg/kg) was analyzed with respect to control and injury only group at 7, 14, and 28 day after the surgery for expression of different genes in the retina by Real-Time PCR. Results Molecular analysis at different time points showed increased expression of BCl-2, GDNF, GFAP, and Brn3b in the retina at 14 and 28 day after A. cepa treatment in comparison to the injury alone group. However, at shorter time point (7th day), the expression of these genes was pronounced in the injury only group in comparison to the injury and pretreated group. Conclusion Pretreatment with aqueous extract of A. cepa may protect from the neuronal damage in I/R-induced retinal injury in mice by altering the expression of neurotrophic factor.