Preliminary assay on the antioxidative activity of Laurus nobilis extracts

Antioxidative activity of Laurus nobilis leaves, bark and fruit methanolic extracts (crude and defatted) were studied on the level of lipid peroxidation in liposomes, induced by Fe(2+)/ascorbate system and measured spectrophotometrically by the TBA-test. The most significant inhibition of lipid peroxidation was obtained with methanolic extracts of laurel bark (70.6% of inhibition was obtained with 1.0 mg of crude extract).     

Preliminary assay on the radical scavenging activity of olive wood extracts

The dichloromethane and ethanol extracts of Olea europaea wood (picual olive cultivar) were screened for antioxidant activity, determined by the DPPH free radical scavenging assay. The ethanol extract displayed potent antioxidant activity.     

Preliminary study on crystal dissolution activity of Rotula aquatica, Commiphora wightii and Boerhaavia diffusa extracts

Several Ayurvedic plants are known to have activity against diverse urinary crystals. The traditional knowledge of Ayurveda, collective clinical experience in arthritis and the earlier experimental studies on urinary crystals led to the selection of three plants, viz. Rotula aquatica, Commiphora wightii Bhandari syn. C.mukul. and Boerhaavia diffusa for screening anticrystal activity against basic calcium phosphate (BCP), calcium pyrophosphate (CPPD) and monosodium urate monohydrate (MSUM). The effects of each plant were assayed on microcrystals in 24-well microplates in vitro. Our results show that the aqueous extracts of only R. aquatica and C. wightii have shown crystal dissolving activity against MSUM.     

Antimicrobial activity of the Maniltoa schefferi extracts

All fractions of Maniltoa schefferi exhibited a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity. Good activity was demonstrated by the petrol and dichloromethane fractions of seed pods, seeds with coat and by methanol fractions of stem heartwood, root bark, root heartwood and stem bark whose butanol fraction was equally good. None of the fractions showed any antifungal activity.     

Effect of certain plant extracts on alpha-amylase activity

Ethanolic extracts of Punica granatum, Mangifera indica, Boerhaavia diffusa, Embelia ribes, Phyllanthus maderaspatensis, and Withania somnifera, were tested for their effect on alpha-amylase activity (in vitro). P. granatum and M. indica were found to exhibit interesting alpha-amylase inhibitory activity.     

5种滩地造林树种水浸液灭螺效果初步研究

对枫杨、乌桕、苏柳172、夹竹桃、35杨5个树种叶片及其不同组合叶片水浸液抑螺效果进行了比较研究,同时对夹竹桃不同器官水浸液的杀螺效果进行了研究。结果表明：（1）单一树种乌桕、枫杨、夹竹桃叶片的水浸液均有较好的灭螺活性,灭螺效果依次增强;而苏柳172、35杨的灭螺效果较差。（2）在相同的实验条件下,枫杨＋乌桕＋夹竹桃组合处理明显优于单一植物材料水浸液的灭螺效果,而枫杨＋乌桕（水浸液）组合对钉螺的抑制率则低于单一树种。（3）夹竹桃不同部位灭螺效果有一定差异,根的灭螺效果明显低于叶和花,不同器官水浸液的平均灭螺效果排序为：叶〉花〉根,而不同花色灭螺效果无显著差异。     

Antibacterial activity of Cotula cinerea extracts

The antibacterial activity of ethyl ether, ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts of Cotula cinerea was investigated. The n-butanol extract was highly effective against pathogens at concentrations ranging from 12 to 200 μg/ml.     

Antibacterial activity of Pulicaria dysenterica extracts

Aqueous, methanolic and chloroformic extracts of Pulicaria dysenterica aerial parts were tested for their antibacterial activity using the disc-diffusion assay technique. The methanolic extract was found to be the most effective extract against three out of six tested bacteria. All of the extracts were active against Vibrio cholera.     

Antioxidant activity of Paraguayan plant extracts

The antioxidant properties of six medical herbs used in the traditional Paraguayan medicine were studied using free radical-generating systems. The methanol extracts from Aristolochia giberti, Cecropia pachystachya, Eugenia uniflora, Piper fulvescens, Schinus weinmannifolia and Schinus terebinthifolia protected against enzymatic and non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation in microsomal membranes of rat. C. pachystachya, E. uniflora, S. weinmannifolia and S. terebinthifolia showed the highest scavenging activity on the superoxide and DPPH radicals.     

Preliminary evaluation of cytotoxic properties of Laurus nobilis leaf extracts

n-Hexane, ethanol and water extracts of Laurus nobilis L. leaves were evaluated for cytotoxic properties using the Brine shrimp bioassay. Only the n-hexane extract exhibited cytotoxic activity.     

Antimicrobial activity of Bridelia ferruginea leaves extracts

Methanol, ethyl acetate, and hexane extracts of Bridelia ferruginea leaves exhibited significant activity against Pseudomonas frutescens, Bacillus subtilis, Echerichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis.     

Antiinflammatory activity of Sambucus ebulus hexane extracts

Hexane extracts of aerial parts (flowered browes), leaves and roots of Sambucus ebulus were investigated for their antiinflammatory activity in rats. Aerial parts and roots extracts produced statistically significant and dose dependent inhibition of edema induced by carrageenan at all doses when compared to the control groups. On the contrary, hexane extract of leaves did not show any activity up to 600 mg/kg i.p. The highest activity was showed in the aerial parts and roots that at 600 mg/kg i.p. inhibited inflammation by ca. 80% (78% for diclofenac at 100 mg /kg i.p.). No extracts exhibit toxicity when injected up to 2 g/ kg intraperitoneally in mice.     

A simple HPLC-UV method for the assay of ginkgolic acids in Ginkgo biloba extracts

Extracts from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba are among the most widely used phytotherapeutics. Some alkylphenols (ginkgolic acids, cardanols and cardols) have been described as potentially hazardous constituents in Ginkgo extracts. Accordingly, a requirement for a maximum concentration of ginkgolic acids has been proposed in the UE and US pharmacopoeias Ginkgo monographs establishing a limit value of 5 ppm. A novel HPLC-UV method, developed by the use of HPLC-APCI-MS HPLC-DAD techniques and allowing the identification of ginkgolic acids and related phenols, is described. The new analytical method, not requiring enrichment procedures, can be used for the quantification of ginkgolic acids in Ginkgo extracts.     

Antifeedant activity of Momordica dioica fruit pulp extracts on Spodoptera litura

The hexane extract and ethyl acetate soluble fraction of methanolic extract of the fruit pulp of Momordica dioica exhibited moderate and concentration dependent antifeedant activity against Spodoptera litura.     

Preliminary studies on the immunomodulatory activity of Cedrus deodara wood oil

The volatile oil of Cedrus deodara wood, administered orally at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg, significantly inhibited neutrophil adhesion to nylon fibers, indicating inhibition of process of margination in the blood vessels. It also significantly inhibited Type III hypersensitivity reaction, i.e. Arthus reaction induced by methylated bovine serum albumin, and Type IV, i.e. delayed type hypersensitivity reaction induced by sheep erythrocytes and oxazolone, indicating an inhibitory effect on humoral and cell-mediated immune responses.     

Biological activity of extracts fromCupressus lusitanica cell culture

Ethyl acetate extracts ofCupressus lusitanica suspension cell cultures were examined for their biological activities (viz., tyrosinase inhibitory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities). The extract from elicitor-treated cells showed all of the biological activities, whereas the extract from cultures without elicitor was not bioactive to a discernible extent. The biological activities shown by the cell culture extracts were almost solely accounted for by-thuj aplicin contained in the extracts. These results suggest that the ethyl acetate extract ofC. lusitanica cells treated with the elicitor is a valuable bioactive source without isolation or purification of-thujaplicin.     

Cytotoxic activity of extracts from Linum cell cultures

Callus and suspension cultures of Linum narbonense and Linum leonii were developed to study the production of lignans and their cytotoxic activity. Justicidin B was determined to be the main lignan. The maximal yield of justicidin B up to 2.22 mg/g of the cell dry weight was detected in the callus cultures of L. leonii, followed by the callus cultures of L. narbonense (1.57 mg/g dwt). The cytotoxicity of the obtained extracts was measured using the MTT-dye assay. L. narbonense and L. leonii both showed cytotoxic activity.     

Investigations on the antinociceptive activity of crude extracts from Croton cajucara leaves in mice

The crude leaf extracts of Croton cajucara Benth. were studied for their antinociceptive property in chemical and thermal models of nociception in mice. All the tested extracts (hexanic, chloroformic and methanolic), at oral doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg demonstrated significant inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing and the second phase response of formalin, but did not manifest a significant effect in hot-plate test.     

Screening of Costus speciosus extracts for antioxidant activity

Different parts of Costus speciosus were investigated for their polyphenol content and antioxidant activity.