Achyranthes Aspera

Bioassays with Achyranthes aspera L. demonstrated that aqueous root and shoot extracts against Triticum aestivum, a cultivated
species and four field associates viz. Cenchrus pennisetiformis, C. setigerus, Chloris barbata, and Peristrophe bicalyculata
impeded or reduced germination of test species. The suppression of germination in shoot extract was in the order: C. barabata <
T. aestivum < C. setigerus < C. pennisetiformis < P. bicalyculata and root extract suppressed germination in order: C. barbata <
T. aestivum < C. setigerus, P. bicalyculata < C. pennisetiformis. Shoot extract was inhibitorier than root extract. Reduction in
seedling growth was species specific. In general, inhibition was a function of the extract concentration. The suppression of
seedling growth in test species was in the order: C. barbata < C.pennisetiformis < = C. setigerus < P. bicalyculata i.e., C.
barbata being more resistant and P. bicalyculata most susceptible to Achyranthes toxicity - C. pennisetiformis and C. setigerus
being moderately susceptible. Decaying A. aspera root and shoot were pernicious to germination and growth of T. aestivum.
Artificial rain-drip arrested lettuce seedling growth at higher concentration only. Root and shoot extracts were autotoxic to A.
aspera at higher concentrations only. Phytotoxic principles of A. aspera were thermostable or thermo-convertible to secondary
inhibitors. The physico-chemical nature of soil and the soil microorganisms provided limited protection to lettuce seedling
growth against toxicity of the extracts. Coleoptile bioassay of ether fraction of aqueous extract indicated at least two Phenolic
inhibitors in the shoot and three in the root. Radicle growth bioassay of Brassica compestris indicated at least two
saponins/glycosides in shoot and two in the root. The toxic effects of the extracts facilitated explanation to the observed field
behaviour of the test species in terms of their sociological peculiarities in A. aspera dominated stands.

Nutrition plays significant role in the survival, growth and physiology of fish. Snow trout Schizothorax richardsonii larvae were cultured under three feeding regimes: control diet (diet D1) and test diets, supplemented with vitamin C (800 mg/kg diet, diet D2) and Achyranthes aspera seeds (5 g/kg diet, diet D3). There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in the survival rate of larvae cultured under three different feeding regimes. Significantly (P < 0.05) higher average weight and specific growth rate and lower food conversion ratio were found in D3 diet fed larvae compared to others. Amylase, total protease, trypsin and lipase activities were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in D3 diet fed larvae and chymotrypsin activity was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in D2 diet fed larvae compared to others. Dietary supplementation of vitamin C and Achyranthes aspera seeds improved immune system as myeloperoxidase and nitric oxide synthase levels were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in enriched diets fed larvae compared to the control one. Reduced lipid peroxidation was recorded in enriched diets fed larvae as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in D2 and D3 diets fed larvae compared to the control diet fed larvae.

Pengembangan obat herbal yang semakin maju mendorong berbagai studi eksplorasi  tanaman liar yang dipakai dalam etnomedisin. Tanaman Sangketan (Achyranthes aspera) sudah umum digunakan oleh masyarakat Indonesia, karena memiliki manfaat bagi kesehatan. Tanaman ini mudah tumbuh liar di tempat terbuka seperti perkarangan kosong dan ladang. Identifikasi tanaman obat merupakan bagian penting dalam pengembangan obat herbal, untuk memastikan kebenaran jenis tanaman yang digunakan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melakukan identifikasi Sangketan berdasarkan pengenalan makroskopik dan mikroskopik tanaman. Analisis makroskopik pada herba Sangketan dilakukan secara organoleptis dan morfologi, dengan mengamati bentuk batang, daun dan bunga menggunakan kaca pembesar. Analisis mikroskopik dilakukan dengan mengamati fragmen pengenal dari serbuk herba Sangketan, dilihat menggunakan mikroskop cahaya. Hasil  pengamatan  makroskopik, batang Sangketan jenis batang basah, arah tumbuh tegak dengan percaba...

Objectives: In India control of fertility is based on the folk use of numerous Indian Traditional Plants that has been practiced for contraception from many years. Present investigation aims that, to evaluate the contraceptive potential of Achyranthes aspera leaves MeOH extract in male albino mice and has shown promising results of antispermatogenic, antiandrogenic and hypolipidaemic activities. Materials & Methods: MeOH extract of A. aspera leaves at the doses of 25 mg and 50 mg/100 gm body weight was administered orally for 30 days to adult male albino mice. On day 31st, the rats were sacrificed and the testis were removed and weighed for gravimetrical analysis. Organs were processed for biochemical estimation, histological evaluation and histomorphometry for testicular analysis.

Medicinal plants are big source of information for wide variety of chemical constituents which could be developed as drug with precise selectivity. Achyranthes aspera Linn is one of the important medicinal plants having many therapeutic uses. The present study deals with preliminary phytochemical screening and TLC investigation of Achyranthes aspera Linn. In qualitative analysis, the phytochemical compounds such as steroids, triterpenoids, sugars, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids were screened in root methanolic extract by using standard methods. Phytochemical screening of plant revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids steroids reducing sugar, glycosides and Terpenoids. The present study revealed that Achyranthes aspera roots are important source of many therapeutically and pharmacologically active constituents.

Alcoholic extract and various fractions of Achyranthes aspera leaves, traditionally used in Pakistan for treatment of infectious diseases was screened for in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activity. The chloroform and butanol fractions were found to be the most active among the fractions, showing considerable antibacterial activity against Shigella flexneri and Escherichia coli. The highest activity was found in the ethylacetate fraction (17 mm zone of inhibition) against gram-negative (Salmonella typhi) bacteria, with MIC value as 0.29 mg/mL. In antifungal screening, moderate activity was shown by the chloroform fraction (50 % inhibition) against Microsporum canis, with MIC value as 0.25mg/mL. Considerable level of antifungal activity was depicted by crude extract, hexane and butanol fractions against Aspergillus flavus and Microsporum canis. The ability of various extracts of Achyranthes aspera to inhibit different strains of fungi and bacteria indicates its potential use for ...

Many plants are claimed to be effective to treat epilepsy, but very little knowledge is available about such plants used by various ethnic communities in Pakistan. This study presents the first report on the ethnobomedicinal knowledge among the local communities of Sargodha region, Pakistan in this regards by using quantitative ethnobotanical approaches. 84 aboriginal households (house-to-house interviews) including 10 traditional healers who still practiced their aboriginal system of medicine were interviewed to collect information on the herbal preparations used by them to treat epilepsy. Data were documented by using semi-structured questionnaires to consult the residents about their awareness of plant used against epilepsy. Documented data was assessed using frequency of citation (FC) preference ranking (PR), percentage of respondents having knowledge about the use of species (PRK) and Relative Frequency Citation (RFC). A total of 49 plant species belonging to 45 genera and 34 families were reported to cure epilepsy. The highest percentage of life form was found to be the herbs (63.2%). The Leaves were the dominant plant part with 29.4% and most of the herbal medicines were prepared in the form of decoction (54%). Plants with the highest RFC values were Bacopa monnieri (0.61) followed by Xanthium strumarium (0.57), Achyranthes aspera (0.51) and Citrus maxima (0.44). High proportion of respondents (PRK) was found for Bacopa monnieri (61.2%) followed by Xanthium strumarium (57.1%), Achyranthes aspera (51.0%) and Citrus maxima (44.8%). The study will be used as baseline data for analysing phytochemical constituents and bioactive compounds of these promising medicinal plants.

In vivo and in vitro screening of anti inflammatory activity of Valeriana wallichii and Achyranthes aspera leaves crude extract was performed, using standardized procedures. Methanolic crude extract topical formulation (cream) of Valeriana wallichii and Achyranthes aspera leaves (Family Valerianaceae and Amaranthaceae respectively), were screened for their anti-inflammatory activity, through &quot;Carrageenan induced hind paw edema&quot; test, for their effect on the acute and chronic phase inflammation models in male Wistar rats. Methanolic extract and its fractions were also evaluated for their in vitro anti-inflammatory activity using lipoxygenase inhibition assay. Leaves of Valeriana wallichii showed significant (P&lt;0.001), dose dependant anti inflammatory activity, comparable with that of the standard, in animal model. The ethyl acetate fraction of Valeriana wallichii also showed considerable (IC 50=73 ± 0.36) in vitro anti-inflammatory activity as compared to standard (6.11 ...

Crude methanolic extracts of selected legumes namely, black gram (Vigna mungo L.), green gram (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek ), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) and lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) were investigated for anti-inflammatory effects, using COX-2 producing PGE(2) inhibitory assay. Percentage inhibition observed was 73.93, 79.84, 92.17 and 74.47 for black gram, green gram, soybean and lentil respectively at 20μg/ml extract concentration. The 100μg/ml concentration showed increase in the percent inhibition except for soybean. This is the first report on COX-2 inhibitory potential of food legumes.

In present study, the anti-inflammatory potential of three medicinal plants, Xanthium strumarium, Achyranthes aspera and Duchesnea indica were evaluated, using both in vitro and in vivo assays. Carrageenan induced hind paw edema model was used to carry out the in vivo anti-inflammatory activity, while for in vitro screening lipoxygenase inhibition assay was used. Crude extract of all the selected plants depicted significant (plt;0.001) anti-inflammatory activity, at late phase of inflammation. Achyranthes aspera also showed considerable anti-inflammatory activity (47%) at relatively lower concentration (200 mg/ml), at the initial phase of inflammation. Similarly the ethyl acetate fraction of all the selected plants showed significant lipoxygenase inhibition activity when compared with the standard drug (Baicalein). The results obtained from both in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity suggest that the ethyl acetate fraction of the crude extract of all the selected plants can be used for the isolation of new lead compounds with better anti-inflammatory activity.

The methanol extract of Hypericum patulum Thumb. leaves were investigated for the evaluation of their wound healing potential on different experimental models of wounds in rats. The methanol extract of leaves (HPM), in the form of an ointment with two different concentrations (5% and 10% w/w ointment of leaf extract in simple ointment base) was evaluated for wound healing potential in an excision wound model and an incision wound model in rats. Both concentrations of the methanol extract ointment showed significant responses in both the wound types tested when compared with the control group. The effect produced by the extract ointment, in terms of wound contracting ability, wound closure time, regeneration of tissues at wound site, tensile strength of the wound and histopathological characteristics were comparable to those of a standard drug nitrofurazone ointment.

In the present investigation, invitro methods have been described for initiation and development of callus from excised leaf explants of aseptically germinated seedlings of Achyranthes aspera Linn, Amaranthaceae, in Murashige and Skoogs and Gamborg B5 media, supplemented with different combinations and concentrations of plant growth regulators. The effect of oral administration of ethanolic extracts of plant leaves and leaf callus of Achyranthes aspera was studied for their hepatoprotective activity. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) induced serum levels of transaminase, total bilirubin, total protein, serum albumin and serum alkaline phosphatase were used as indices of liver damage. A significant hepatoprotective effect was observed as evident from lowered serum biochemical parameters and normal architecture of liver.

Alcoholic extract and various fractions of Achyranthes aspera leaves, traditionally used in Pakistan for treatment of infectious diseases was screened for in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activity. The chloroform and butanol fractions were found to be the most active among the fractions, showing considerable antibacterial activity against Shigella flexneri and Escherichia coli. The highest activity was found in the ethylacetate fraction (17 mm zone of inhibition) against gram-negative (Salmonella typhi) bacteria, with MIC value as 0.29 mg/mL. In antifungal screening, moderate activity was shown by the chloroform fraction (50 % inhibition) against Microsporum canis, with MIC value as 0.25mg/mL. Considerable level of antifungal activity was depicted by crude extract, hexane and butanol fractions against Aspergillus flavus and Microsporum canis. The ability of various extracts of Achyranthes aspera to inhibit different strains of fungi and bacteria indicates its potential use for ...

Medicinal plants have played an important role in the treatment and prevention of diseases since ancient times. They are also potential sources of nutrients and drugs. This study evaluated Achyranthes aspera ethanolic extracts for their in vitro antioxidant activity and anti-hyperglycemic effects on alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Diabetes was induced in Swiss albino mice through intra-peritoneal administration of alloxan and their blood glucose levels and weight were measured weekly. At the end of the experiment, all animals were sacrificed and tissue samples were collected. A. aspera extracts had potent antioxidant activity compared to reference standard compounds. Treatment with an A. aspera extract at doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg significantly reduced blood glucose levels in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. A. aspera extract also prevented lipid peroxidation as gauged by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and hydroperoxides. Moreover, A. aspera extract increased th...