The present paper deals with the phytochemical screening of therapeutic importance fromStrychnos potatorumL.f., an important medicinal plant. This study involves the preliminary screening, quantitative determination and the qualitative thin layer chromatographic separation of secondary metabolites from the root, stem bark and seeds (collected and market) ofS.potatorum. Further, HPLC alkaloid profile of the seed has been studied. The generated data has provided the basis for its wide use as the therapeutant both in the traditional and folk medicines.

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Abstract:The present paper deals with the phytochemical studies on Bauhinia racemosa Lam., Bauhinia purpurea Linn. and Hardwickia binata Roxb. The phytochemical study of three plants involve preliminary phytochemical studies, physico-chemical studies, quantitative estimation of primary and secondary metabolites, TLC study and HPLC fingerprint study of ethanolic extract of leaves of three plants. In HPLC fingerprint study, the three peaks at a retention time of 15min, 17min and 19min were identical in B. racemosa and B. purpurea which was confirmed by overlaid spectra. The generated data may be useful in suggesting chemotaxonomical interrelation between three plants.

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Ethanol extract of whole plant of Trichosanthes cucumerina L. var. cucumerina was evaluated for antiovulatory activity in adult rats. The ethanol extract at the doses 200 and 400mg/kg body weight (orally) affected the normal estrous cycle showing a significant increase in estrus and metestrus phases and decrease in diestrus and proestrus phases. The extract also significantly reduced the number of healthy follicles (Class I-Class VI) and corpora lutea and increased the number of regressing follicles (Stage IA, Stage IB, Stage IIA, and Stage IIB). The protein and glycogen content in the ovaries were significantly reduced in treated rats. The cholesterol level was significantly increased, whereas, the enzyme activities like 3b-HSD and 17b-HSD were significantly inhibited in the ovary of treated rats. Serum FSH and LH levels were significantly reduced in the treated groups were measured by RIA. In acute toxicity test, neither mortality nor change in the behavior or any other physiological activities in mice were observed in the treated groups. In chronic toxicity studies, no mortality was recorded and there were no significant differences in the body and organ weights were observed between controls and treated rats. Hematological analysis showed no significant differences in any of the parameters examined (RBC, WBC count and Hemoglobin estimation). These observations showed the antiovulatory activity of ethanol extract of whole plant of Trichosanthes cucumerina L. var. cucumerina in female albino rats.

An efficient protocol was established for in vitro shoot multiplication from shoot tip explant of Trichosanthes cucumerina L. var. cucumerina on semisolid MS basal medium supplemented with BA. NAA in the culture medium along with BA promoted higher number of shoot multiplication than BA alone. The rate of shoot multiplication was maximum 12.00 ± 0.70 after four weeks of culture on MS basal medium supplemented with BA 1.0 mg/l + NAA 0.1 mg/l. The elongated shoots rooted within seven -eight days in half strength of MS basal salts supplemented 1.0 mg/l IBA and 3% (w/v) sucrose. About 90% of the rooted plantlets were acclimatized and transferred to the greenhouse and successfully transferred to the field with 80% survival rate. The histological study shows that the organogenesis occurs directly, without callus formation on epidermal and sub epidermal layer of the explants. Adventitious shoots were characterized by the development of shoots apical meristem and leaf primordial.

Alkaloid fractions isolated fromStrychnos potatorumL.f. (Loganiaceae) seed were tested for their antimicrobial properties against some pathogenic gram positive, gram negative and acid-fast bacteria and fungi. These fractions have shown considerable antimicrobial activity against both bacteria and fungi at the tested concentrations (100 & 200 μg/mL). Further, the growth ofProteus vulgaris, taphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Vibrio cholerae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Aspergillus nigerandCandida albicanswere significantly inhibited. These findings have confirmed the use of this plant in treating of several microbial infections both in traditional and folk medicine in India.