Metals in herbal drugs from Himalayan region.

Various herbal products from Himalayan region may provide a huge source of supply in the domestic and international markets. In this study, the heavy metal load in various herbal drugs of the region was investigated. The studied toxic elements were present in the herbal drugs (0.2-8.34 mg/kg As, 0.11-0.48 mg/kg Cd, 2.5-6.0 mg/kg Pb). Zinc was found in the range 7-32 mg/kg and all the samples were free from mercury contamination.

Chemical composition and larvicidal activities of the Himalayan cedar, Cedrus deodara essential oil and its fractions against the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella.

Plants and plant-derived materials play an extremely important role in pest management programs. Essential oil from wood chips of Himalayan Cedar, Cedrus deodara (Roxburgh) Don (Pinales: Pinaceae), was obtained by hydrodistillation and fractionated to pentane and acetonitrile from which himachalenes and atlantones enriched fractions were isolated. A total of forty compounds were identified from these fractions using GC and GC-MS analyses. Essential oils and fractions were evaluated for insecticidal activities against second instars of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae), using a leaf dip method. All samples showed promising larvicidal activity against larvae of P. xylostella. The pentane fraction was the most toxic with a LC50 value of 287 µg/ml. The himachalenes enriched fraction was more toxic (LC50 = 362 µg/ml) than the atlantones enriched fraction (LC50 = 365 µg/ml). LC50 of crude oil was 425 µg/ml and acetonitrile fraction was LC50 = 815 µg/ml. The major constituents, himachalenes and atlantones, likely accounted for the insecticidal action. Present bioassay results revealed the potential for essential oil and different constituents of C. deodara as botanical larvicides for their use in pest management.

Development and applications of single-drop microextraction for pesticide residue analysis: A review.

Single-drop microextraction (SDME) has become more popular than other microextraction techniques because it is simple, cost-effective, easy to operate and nearly solvent-free. The technique has been employed successfully for trace analysis in environmental, biomedical and food applications. In view of the increasingly stringent regulatory limits for many pesticides, which are below the LOD of the existing instruments, SDME may provide a cost-effective solution for reducing the LOD of pesticides. The present review focuses on recent development in SDME technique, and its application coupled with various analytical techniques, such as GC-MS, GC and HPLC for pesticide residue analysis in different matrices. The advantages, limitations and outlook on the future of SDME technique for its wider applications are also discussed.

A new method for determination of myricetin and quercetin using solid phase microextraction-high performance liquid chromatography-ultra violet/visible system in grapes, vegetables and red wine samples.

A new approach for the extraction and determination of myricetin and quercetin by using SPME-HPLC-UV system has been developed. The method involves adsorption of flavonoids on CAR/TPR fiber followed by desorption in the desorption chamber of SPME-HPLC interface using citrate buffer (0.001 M):acetonitrile (70:30) as mobile phase and UV detection at 372 nm. The detection limits for myricetin and quercetin are 48.3 and 24.7 pgmL(-1), respectively. The proposed method was validated by determining myricetin and quercetin in tomato, onion, grapes and red wine samples.

A review on development of solid phase microextraction fibers by sol-gel methods and their applications.

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) is an innovative, solvent free technology that is fast, economical and versatile. SPME is a fiber coated with a liquid (polymer), a solid (sorbent) or a combination of both. The fiber coating takes up the compounds from the sample by absorption in the case of liquid coatings or adsorption in the case of solid coatings. The SPME fiber is then transferred with the help of a syringe like device into the analytical instrument for desorption and analysis of the target analytes. The sol-gel process provides a versatile method to prepare size, shape and charge selective materials of high purity and homogeneity by means of preparation techniques different from the traditional ones, for the chemical analysis. This review is on the current state of the art and future trends in the developments of solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers using sol-gel method. To achieve more selective determination of different compound classes, the variety of different coating material for SPME fibers has increased. Further developments in SPME as a highly efficient extraction technique, will greatly depend on new breakthroughs in the area of new coating material developments for the SPME fibers. In sol-gel approach, appropriate sol-gel precursors and other building blocks can be selected to create a stationary phase with desired structural and surface properties. This approach is efficient in integrating the advantageous properties of organic and inorganic material systems and thereby increasing and improving the extraction selectivity of the produced amalgam organic-inorganic stationary phases. This review is mainly focused on recent advanced developments in the design, synthesis, characterisation, properties and application of sol-gel in preparation of coatings for the SPME fibers.

Chemical composition and larvicidal activities of the essential oil of Zanthoxylum armatum DC (Rutaceae) against three mosquito vectors.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: In view of the recently increased interest in developing plant origin insecticides as an alternative to chemical insecticide, this study was undertaken to assess the larvicidal potential of the essential oil from the seeds of Zanthoxylum armatum DC [syn. Z. alatum Roxb] (Rutaceae) against three medically important species of mosquito vectors, Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus. METHODS: Essential oil was hydro distilled in the laboratory from the seeds obtained from the market and the chemical constituents of the oil were determined using GC/GC-MS. Bioefficacy of the essential oil was evaluated under laboratory conditions using III instar mosquito larvae. RESULTS: Among the three mosquito species tested, Cx. quinquefasciatus was the most sensitive (LC50 = 49 ppm) followed by Ae. aegypti (LC50 = 54 ppm) and An. stephensi (LC50 = 58 ppm). GC-MS analysis of the oil revealed at least 28 compounds, consisting mainly of oxygenated monoterpenes (75%) and monoterpenes (22%). Linalool though constituted a major part (57%), failed to produce any appreciable mortality when tested alone. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: From the results it can be concluded that the larvae of the three mosquito species were susceptible to the essential oil composition. Such findings would be useful in promoting research aiming at the development of new agent for mosquito control based on bioactive chemical compounds from indigenous plant sources as an alternative to chemical larvicides.

Investigation in tea on fate of fenazaquin residue and its transfer in brew.

Fenazaquin is a non-systemic acaricide/insecticide used widely in controlling mites and other related pests in fruits, vegetables and tea. The objective of this research was to investigate the disappearance trend in tea of fenazaquin residue level and its transfer in brew. Fenazaquin was applied on a tea crop at two rates, 125 and 250 g AI/ha in wet and dry seasons under field conditions. Samples (green shoots, made tea and its brew) were analyzed for fenazaquin and quantification was by high performance liquid chromatography using a UV detector. The residue dissipated faster in the wet season than in the dry season. Seven days after the treatment (normal round of plucking) the residues observed in the green shoots at the two rates were 2.17, 3.07 mg/kg and 2.04, 2.84 mg/kg in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. However, the degradation rale in both seasons followed first-order kinetics. Half-lives in green shoots were in range 1.43-1.70 and 2.10-2.21 days and in made tea 1.59-1.73 and 1.87-1.94 days for wet and dry seasons, respectively. During processing of green shoots to made tea considerable loss (42-70%) of residue was observed. The transfer of residue from made tea brew was in the range 3-22%. In brew residue were below 0.02 mg/l after 5 days of application at both the rates in either of the seasons. The estimated intake with brew (normal consumption of 10 cup/day/adult) thus would be below the acceptable daily intake for fenazaquin (0.005 mg/kg-body weight). To avoid health hazards due to the toxic effect of residues in brew, a waiting period for plucking the tea shoots after fenazaquin application of more than 5 days for both the seasons at recommended rate (125 g AI/ha) may be suggested and considered quite safe.