Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant and antibacterial potential of some selected medicinal plants traditionally utilized for the management of urinary tract infection.

Recent studies on prevalence of urinary tract infection indicate that approximately one third population of the world has been suffering from this disease. The current study was designed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of aqueous-ethanolic extracts (30/70) of Tribulus terrestris (TT), Vaccinium macrocarpon (VM), Cuminum cyminum (CC), Rheum emodi (RE), Piper cubeba (PC) and their compound formulation "Crano-cure" against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Proteus mirabilis through disc diffusion method and agar well methods compared with standard Ciprofloxacin. DPPH radical scavenging methods were applied for antioxidant activities and phytochemical analysis was also performed to detect the phytoconstituents. All the plants exhibited potent antibacterial strength while Crano-cure showed most potent results comparable with that of standard drug. The zone of inhibition produced by disk diffusion test was 26±0.34, 26±0.75, 26±0.00, 18±0.64, 22.5±0.52, 29±0.39, 32±0.00 mm and for agar well diffusion test 23±0.67, 22±0.46, 23±0.77, 20±0.00, 22±0.46, 24±0.52, 33±0.00 mm against Tribulus terrestris, Cuminum cyminum, Rheum emodi, Piper cubeba, Vaccinium macrocarpon, crano-cure and ciprofloxacin. Similarly, percentage inhibition for antioxidant potential was 78.74, 24.57, 58.75, 20.23, 88.88, 90.12 and 92.35 respectively. The tested plants exhibited remarkable antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

Antihyperglycemic Activity of Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Selective Medicinal Plants Curcuma longa, Lavandula stoechas, Aegle marmelos, and Glycyrrhiza glabra and Their Polyherbal Preparation in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Mice.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder associated with relative or absolute insulin deficiency or resistance, characterized by hyperglycemia. Modern prescriptions such as pioglitazone have better therapeutic potential, but its side effects and financial burden for developing countries have motivated the researchers to find alternative natural drugs to compete hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes. The present study was conducted to explore the therapeutic potential of selected medicinal plants for the treatment of diabetes as an alternative to allopathic medicines. METHOD: In present study, hydroalcoholic extracts of Curcuma longa, Lavandula stoechas, Aegle marmelos, and Glycyrrhiza glabra and their polyherbal preparation (PHP) as compound drug were investigated for their antihyperglycemic potential in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The study subjects (mice) were divided into different groups as normal control, diabetic control, pioglitazone treated (standard drug), test groups (plant extract treated 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg body weight), and PHP-treated group. Blood glucose concentration of all the study animals was determined by Glucose strip test. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of all the plant extracts was also performed following standard methods. RESULT: It was investigated that treatment of alloxan-induced diabetic mice with hydroalcoholic extracts of studied medicinal plants showed significant (P < .05) effects on fasting blood glucose levels (from baseline to normal range) in a manner comparable to that of the reference drug, pioglitazone (1 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneal). The tested plant extracts significantly (P < .05) reduced the glucose concentration in blood of diabetes-induced mice in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: It could be concluded that studied medicinal plants have antihyperglycemic activity. The study findings favor the use of traditional herbal medicinal practices for the management of diabetes that might due to the presence of bioactive phytoconstituents in plants. However, larger studies are required to identify, isolate, and characterize the bioactive phytoconstituents responsible for antihyperglycemic activity of studied medicinal plants.