Leishmanicidal activity of Maytenus illicifolia roots

In vitro evaluation of leishmanicidal activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Maytenus illicifolia against three species of Leishmania. The root extracts showed differential activity against parasites, whereas the aerial part of the extracts was inactive.     

喜树叶提取物的抗菌活性研究

采用滤纸片法研究喜树叶乙醇提取物和水提物对金黄色葡萄球茼（Staphylococcus aureus）、大肠杆菌（Escherichia coli）、枯草杆茼（Bacillus subtilis）、八叠球菌（Sarcina ventriculi）、黑曲霉（aspergillus niger）、木霉（Trichoderma virid）和青霉（Penicillium chrysogenum）的抗菌活性。结果表明,喜树叶乙醇提取物和水提物对细菌有明显的抑制作用,浓度越大抑制效果越好;喜树叶乙醇提取物对3种霉菌都有抑茼效果,水提物对霉菌没有抑制作用。     

Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of Cleome viscosa and Gmelina asiatica

The ethanolic extracts of the leaves and flowers of Cleome viscosa and roots of Gmelina asiatica were tested for antimicrobial activity. The two plants exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, particularly significative against Escherichia coli , Proteus vulgaris and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The leaf extract of C. viscosa showed moderate activity against pathogenic fungi.     

Antioxidant effects of Gongronema latifolium in hepatocytes of rat models of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

Gongronema latifolium is a rainforest plant, which has been traditionally used in the South Eastern part of Nigeria for the management of diabetes. The effects of oral administration of aqueous and ethanolic G. latifolium leaf extracts for 2 weeks on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were investigated. Both extracts were shown to significantly increase the activity of superoxide dismutase and the level of reduced glutathione. The aqueous extract further increased the activity of glutathione reductase while the ethanolic extract caused a significant increase in the activity of glutathione peroxidase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and a significant decrease in lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that the extracts from G. latifolium leaves could exert their antidiabetic activities through their antioxidant properties.     

Antimicrobial activity of Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Euphorbia hirta and Asystasia gangeticum

The ethanolic extracts of the dry fruits of Caesalpinia pulcherrima, aerial parts of Euphorbia hirta and flowers of Asystasia gangeticum were tested for antimicrobial activity. The three plants exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, particularly against Escherichia coli (enteropathogen), Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.     

Biological effects of indigenous medicinal plants Curcuma longa and Alpinia galanga

The ethanolic extracts of Curcuma longa and Alpinia galanga exhibited excellent (100%) phytotoxic activity against Lemma minor. These extracts were also found to possess good antifungal activities against Trichophyton longifusus (65% and 60%, respectively), while in the brine shrimp lethality bioassay were found to be toxic with LD50 of 33 and 109 mincrog/ml, respectively. These extracts were found quite inert in antibacterial bioassay, while the extract from C. longa, tested for insecticidal activity, was also found to be devoid of any activity.     

Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities of the ethanolic extract and its fractions of Cleome rutidosperma

Oral administration of the ethanolic extract (200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o) and its fractions (200 mg/kg each) of the aerial parts of Cleome rutidosperma produced significant analgesic activity in acetic acid-induced writhing and tail immersion tests, anti-inflammatory effect against carrageenin induced inflammation and adjuvant induced polyarthritis and antipyretic activity against yeast-induced pyrexia. Fractionation of the ethanolic extract potentiated the activities.     

Antimicrobial activity of the leaves and flowering tops of Acanthospermum hispidum

The ethanolic extracts of the leaves and flowering tops of Acanthospermum hispidum showed varying degrees of activity against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria. The activity resided mostly in the polar fractions of the alcoholic extract, being only slight in the non-polar fractions. No activity was observed for the aqueous extract of the fresh plant material.     

Anti-microbial activity of Bidens pilosa, Bischofia javanica, Elmerillia papuana and Sigesbekia orientalis.

The ethanol extracts of Bidens pilosa (whole plant), Bischofia javanica (leaves), Elmerillia papuana (root bark) and Sigesbekia orientalis (whole plant) were partitioned (petrol, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate). The crude ethanolic extracts and all the obtained fractions showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity, the ethyl acetate fractions and the petrol fraction of E. papuana being the most effective. No activity was observed against the tested moulds.     

魔芋飞粉乙醇提取物对木材霉菌的抑制作用初探

采用生长速率法及显微观察探究不同浓度魔芋飞粉乙醇提取物及其不同有机萃取物对黑曲霉的抑菌效果。结果表明:15%和20%浓度的魔芋飞粉乙醇提取物及浓度为4%的魔芋飞粉乙醇提取物的三氯甲烷萃取物、乙酸乙酯萃取物和正丁醇萃取物对黑曲霉菌落生长有一定的抑制作用;提取物主要是通过抑制黑曲霉孢子的萌发和扩散,抑制菌丝的生长以及改变菌丝细胞壁的通透性达到对黑曲霉的抑菌效果。该研究可为开发利用魔芋飞粉制备天然木材防霉剂提供理论参考。     

Phytochemical and antimicrobial activities of the Daniellia oliveri leaves

The n-butanol soluble part and four chromatographic fractions of the aqueous ethanolic extract of the leaves of Daniellia oliveri were investigated for antimicrobial properties. All fractions showed activity against Staphylococcus aureus. A chromatographic fraction showed significant activity against the fungus Tricophyton rubrum.     

Investigation of the free radical scavenging activity of Ginkgo biloba L. leaves

The free radical scavenging activity of methanolic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts from Ginkgo biloba leaves, has been determined by EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) using the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging method. The investigation has also included selected constituents of G. biloba leaves, protocatechuic and p-coumaric acids, quercetin, rutin, isoginkgetin and (+)-catechin.     

Antimicrobial activity of Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract

The ethanolic extract of Gymnema sylvestre leaves demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Bacillus pumilis, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus and inactivity against Proteus vulgaris and Escherichia coli.     

Evaluation of the antitussive effect of stigma and petals of saffron (Crocus sativus) and its components, safranal and crocin in guinea pigs

The antitussive activity of Crocus sativus stigma and petal extracts and its components, safranal and crocin, was evaluated using the nebolized solution of citric acid 20% in guinea pigs. The extract and agents were injected intraperitoneally. The ethanolic extract of C. sativus (100-800 mg/kg) and safranal (0.25-0.75 ml/kg) reduced the number of cough. The ethanolic and aqueous extracts of petal and crocin did not show antitussive activity.     

Evaluation of antioxidant effect of extracts of Symphyopappus casarettoi

The ethanolic extract of Symphyopappus casarettoi syn. Eupatorium casarettoi was partionated in hexanic, chloroformic and methanolic fractions. Extract and fractions were tested for their antioxidant activity in vitro and ex vivo assays. The methanolic fraction showed a higher antioxidant potential compared to the others fractions, which was correlated with its total phenol content. In addition, the ethanolic extract and the methanolic fraction attenuated ex vivo iron-induced cell death, quantified by lactate dehydrogenase leakage, and effectively protected against lipid damage induced by iron. These findings suggest that the ethanolic extract of S. casarettoi inflorescence and its methanolic fraction have in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant properties.     

Cytotoxic activity screening of some indigenous Thai plants

The 50% ethanolic extracts from 14 plant species used in Thai traditional folklore were screened for cytotoxic activity against a malignant human hepatoma (HepG2) cell line and a normal African green monkey kidney (Vero) cell line. The extracts of Polyalthia evecta and Erythroxylum cuneatum showed potent anticancer activity in the HepG2 cell line with IC(50) of 70+/-3 microg/ml and 64+/-4 microg/ml, respectively. P. evecta demonstrated more selectivity to the HepG2 than the Vero cell (selectivity index>14.3) indicating its potential for biopharmaceutical use.     

Antimicrobial activity of the leaves and seeds of Bixa orellana

The ethanolic extracts of the leaves and seeds of Bixa orellana showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. The activity of the leaf extract was more pronounced.     

Antifungal activity of Agapanthus africanus extractives

The ethanolic extract of the rhizomes of Agapanthus africanus showed antifungal activity. In bioassay guided fractionation, n-butanol fraction exhibited significant activity against human pathogens. A saponin, (25R)-spirost-7-en-2alpha,3beta,5alpha-triol-3-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-[beta-D-galactopyranosyl (1-->3)] beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), responsible for the antifungal activity and having MIC value of 15.6 microg/ml against Trychophyton mentagrophytes and Sporothrix schenekii, was isolated and identified as active constituent of the plant.     

Antimicrobial activity of Solidago virgaurea L. from in vitro cultures

The antimicrobial activity of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Solidago virgaurea herb from micropropagated plants and callus tissue was evaluated.     

Cytotoxic activity of some Asarum plants

The cytotoxic activity against some tumor cell lines of 16 commonly used species of Asarum was evaluated in this study. All of these plants were widely used in Asian countries as traditional medicines or folk medicines. Their inhibitory activities against four tumor cell lines (HL-60, BGC-823, KB and Bel-7402) were compared. It was observed that 10 of the tested extracts (eight ethanol extracts and two water extracts) among 32 extracts of these plants showed cytotoxic activity. Those 95% ethanol extractions from A. caudigerellum, A. forbesii, A. inflatum and A. maximum exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity, and 95% ethanol extracts or water extracts of A. sieboldii var. seoulense, A. himalaicum, A. splendens and A. crispulatum showed selective activity against one or two cells among the tested tumor cells. This is the first report of Asarum plants possessing cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines.