CNS activity of the methanol extract of Mallotus peltatus (Geist) Muell Arg. leaf: an ethnomedicine of Onge.

The aim of the present study was to investigate several neuropharmacological effects of the methanol extract and different fractions of Mallotus peltatus (Geist) Muell Arg. var acuminatus (Euphorbiaceae) leaves in Wistar albino rats and Swiss albino mice. General behavior, exploratory behavior, muscle relaxant activity and phenobarbitone sodium-induced sleeping time were studied. The results revealed that the crude extract at 200-300 mg kg(-1) p.o. and its fractions A and B at 50 mg kg(-1) caused a significant reduction in spontaneous activity (general behavioral profile), remarkable decrease in exploratory behavioral pattern (Y-maze and head dip tests), a reduction in muscle relaxant activity (rotarod, 30 degrees inclined screen and traction tests), and also significantly potentiated phenobarbitone sodium-induced sleeping time. The phytochemical study of crude leaf extract revealed the presence of tannin, triterpenoid, flavonoid, sterol, alkaloid and reducing sugar. Further fractionation and purification yielded two major fractions A (ursolic acid) and B (beta-sitosterol) with some fatty acids as the major compounds. The psychopharmacological activity of the crude leaf extracts appeared to be either due to fraction A (50 mg kg(-1)) or a combination of fractions A and B (50 mg kg(-1)) along with some fatty acids present in the n-butanol part of methanol extract of M. peltatus leaf (MEMPL).

Antimicrobial activity of Alstonia macrophylla: a folklore of bay islands.

The methanolic crude and methanol-aqueous extract of Alstonia macrophylla leaves and n-butanol part of the crude extract showed antimicrobial activity against various strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Streptococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes and Microsporum gypseum. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranges from 64 to 1000 microg/ml for bacteria and 32-128 mg/ml for dermatophytes. However, the strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella sp. and Vibrio cholerae showed resistance against in vitro treatment of the extracts up to 2000 microg/ml concentration, while the two yeast species were resistant even at 128 mg/ml concentration. The stem bark extract prepared similarly was found to be less active compared to the leaves. Phytochemical study indicates that the crude extract contains tannins, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, triterpene and reducing sugars. Further fractionation and purification of n-butanol part of the extract showed the presence of beta-sitosterol, ursolic acid, beta-sitosterol glucoside and a mixture of minor compounds only detected in TLC.

Transient studies of light-adapted cultures of hairy roots of Catharanthus roseus: growth and indole alkaloid accumulation.

Cultures of C. roseus transgenic ("hairy") root clones LBE-6-1 and LBE-4-2 were adapted with periodic daily illumination to investigate the effect of light on growth and nutrient utilization, and the accumulation of the indole alkaloids. Light-adapted roots appeared green and had radially thickened morphology compared with dark-grown controls. Their growth rates were higher than dark-grown controls, with 45% lower doubling times: LBE-6-1, 3.6 days; LBE-4-2, 2.8 days. Relative to dark-grown controls, light-adapted growth increased the biomass (DW) of LBE-6-1 by 25%, but had no effect on the DW of LBE-4-2. The macronutrients NH4+, NO3-, Pi, and sugars, were depleted completely by light-adapted root cultures in that order. The specific and total levels of the indole alkaloid serpentine was enhanced and of tabersonine was lowered in both root clones, while the overall trends of growth and non-growth association of tabersonine and serpentine, respectively, remained unaltered by light adaptation. Ajmalicine accumulation was enhanced in LBE-6-1, but lowered in LBE-4-2; its accumulation was growth-associated in dark-grown LBE-6-1, but appeared non-growth associated in light-adapted cultures. The accumulation of tabersonine-related compounds, lochnericine, and hörhammericine exhibited growth-associated trends, and were either negatively affected or unaffected by light adaptation of LBE-6-1. Neither vindoline nor its precursor, deacetylvindoline, was detected.

Hydroalcoholic human placental extract: skin pigmenting activity and gross chemical composition.

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is a pigmentary disorder of the skin of unknown etiology. It is thought to be of autoimmune origin after demonstration of antibody-mediated destruction of melanocytes. Photochemotherapeutic PUVA therapy is widely used in vitiligo with about 33% success. Aqueous or hydroalcoholic extracts of human placenta of ill-defined composition have also been used therapeutically for vitiligo. A hydroalcoholic human placental extract has been developed by us with pigmenting activity based on experimental therapies. Its chemical analysis was the primary objective of this study. METHODS: For the guinea pig experiment, 20 drops of the extract or vehicle (60% alcohol) as control was topically applied around the nipples covering the areola zones of male immature white guinea pigs (wt. 175-250 g) daily for 60 days with 15 minutes infrared (IR) exposure used for vascular dilatation and enhancement of the absorption of the extract. Standard methods have been followed for all chemical analyses. RESULTS: The guinea pig experiment showed clear pigmentation and hypertrophy of the experimental nipples to varying degrees. Chemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of small-molecular-weight proteins/peptides, lipids (including glycosphingolipids), carbohydrates, sialic acids, cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoproteins (HDL), and others, including amino acids, nucleotides, carotenes, vitamins, etc. CONCLUSION: Glycosphingolipids, known modulators of B and T cells, were reported capable of inducing adhesion, spreading, and motility of melanoma. It is present in the extract and, therefore, may lead to skin pigmentation through induction of melanocytes. Endothelin, a 21-amino acid peptide, detected in human placenta and possibly extractable by our process, has been reported to be indispensable for melanocyte growth.