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The present study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of a methanol extract of Bauhinia racemosa (MEBR) (Caesalpiniaceae) stem bark in various systems. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical, superoxide anion radical, nitric oxide radical, and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays were carried out to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the extract. The antioxidant activity of the methanol extract increased in a concentration-dependent manner. About 50, 100, 250, and 500 µg MEBR inhibited the peroxidation of a linoleic acid emulsion by 62.43, 67.21, 71.04, and 76.83%, respectively. Similarly, the effect of MEBR on reducing power increased in a concentration-dependent manner. In DPPH radical scavenging assays the IC 50 value of the extract was 152.29 µg/ ml. MEBR inhibited the nitric oxide radicals generated from sodium nitroprusside with an IC 50 of 78.34 µg/ml, as opposed to 20.4 µg/ml for curcumin. Moreover, MEBR scavenged the superoxide generated by the PMS/NADH-NBT system. MEBR also inhibited the hydroxyl radical generated by Fenton's reaction, with an IC 50 value of more than 1000 µg/ml, as compared to 5 µg/ml for catechin. The amounts of total phenolic compounds were also determined and 64.7 µg pyrocatechol phenol equivalents were detected in MEBR (1 mg). The antimicrobial activities of MEBR were determined by disc diffusion with five Grampositive, four Gram-negative and four fungal species. MEBR showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms. The results obtained in the present study indicate that MEBR can be a potential source of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents.

Hypercholesteremia is one of the risk factors for coronary artery disease. The present study highlights the e‹cacy of Ayurvedic herbal formulation Triphala (Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belerica, and Emblica o‹cinalis) on total cholesterol, Low density lipoprotein (LDL), Very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), High density lipoprotein (HDL) and free fatty acid in experimentally induced hypercholesteremic rats. Four groups of rats were employed namely control, Triphala treated, hypercholesterolemia rats (4％ Cholesterol＋1％ cholic acid＋egg yolk) and Triphala pre-treatment in hypercholesteremic rats. Results showed signiˆcant increase in the total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, and free fatty acid in hypercholesteremic rats were signiˆcantly reduced in Triphala treated hypercholesteremic rats. The data demonstrated that Triphala formulation was associated with hypolipidemic eŠects on the experimentally induced hypercholesteremic rats.

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