Phytochemical Screening and Toxicity Studies on the Leaves of Capparis sepiaria Linn. (Capparidaceae).

Capparis sepiaria Linn. (Family: Capparidaceae) is a rare indigenous in South India but has widespread distribution in many tropical and sub-tropical countries. The present study intended with various phytochemical screening and toxicity studies were carried out on the leaves of the Capparis sepiaria. Preliminary phytochemical evaluation of the ethanolic extract of revealed that the presence of reducing sugar, flavonoids, steroids, tannins, glycosides, alkaloids, gums, resins, amino acids, proteins and anthraquinones. The toxicity studies were performed as acute, sub-acute and chronic toxicity determined the LD50 value of 300-5000 mg/kg body weight 4-6 weeks. The results of the various phytochemical tests indicated that the plant to be rich in various biologically active compounds which could serve as potential source of the crude drugs and in addition the plant is not toxic to the experimental model.

Antidiabetic Activity of the Ethanol Extract of Capparis sepiaria L Leaves.

Capparis sepiaria L, a profusely branched hedge plant, is used in Indian traditional medicine. Capparis sepiaria leaves were extracted with ethanol and concentrated to dryness. The LD(50) value was determined as 894.43 mg/kg body weight by acute toxicity study. The ethanol extract was investigated for possible hypoglycemic effect produced by single oral administration at various dose levels 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg in the streptozotocin induced diabetic rats and compared against normal saline control and the standard glibenclamide. A maximum fall of plasma glucose level 9.40%; 13.57%; 15.25% and 18.80% was observed after 12 h of treatment when administered with ethanol extract of Capparis sepiaria at 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg, and glibenclamide 10 mg/kg dose, respectively. The findings from the study suggest that the Capparis sepiaria leaves may be prescribed as an adjunct to traditional formulation and drug treatment for controlling diabetes mellitus.

Study of Ba3M(II)M(IV)WO9 (M(II) = Ca, Zn; M(IV) = Ti, Zr) perovskite oxides: competition between 3C and 6H perovskite structures.

We describe an investigation of Ba3MIIMIVWO9 oxides for MII = Ca, Zn, and other divalent metals and MIV = Ti, Zr. In general, a 1:2-ordered 6H (hexagonal, P63/mmc) perovskite structure is stabilized at high temperatures (1300 degrees C) for all of the Ba3MIITiWO9 oxides investigated. An intermediate phase possessing a partially ordered 1:1 double perovskite (3C) structure with the cation distribution, Ba2(Zn2/3Ti1/3)(W2/3Ti1/3)O6, is obtained at 1200 degrees C for Ba3ZnTiWO9. Sr substitution for Ba in the latter stabilizes the cubic 3C structure instead of the 6H structure. A metastable Ba3CaZrWO9 that adopts the 3C (cubic, Fmm) structure has also been synthesized by a low-temperature metathesis route. Besides yielding several new perovskite oxides that may be useful as dielectric ceramics, the present investigation provides new insights into the complex interplay of crystal chemistry (tolerance factor) and chemical bonding (anion polarization and d0-induced distortion of metal-oxygen octahedra) in the stabilization of 6H versus 3C perovskite structures for the Ba3MIIMIVWO9 series.

Pharmacognostical studies on leaves of commiphora caudata (wight & arn) engl.

Commiphora caudata (Wight & Arn) is a potential medicinal plant used for its antispasmodic activity, cytotoxic activity and hypothermic activity. Owing to its medicinal importance, macroscopic and microscopic characters of leaves of Commiphora caudata were studied.