Pharmacological Properties

The present work offers a review addressing the chemistry and pharmacology of Limnophila aromatica (Lamk.) Merr. (Belonging to Scrophulariaceae family) regarded as one of the most significant plant species in traditional system of medicine and is established as a source of flavonoids, terpenoids etc. The isolated phytochemicals as well as different extracts exhibited significant biological activities such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, vascular protective activities. Exhaustive research regarding isolation of more phytochemicals and pharmacology study on this medicinal plant is still necessary so as to explore the plant regarding its medicinal importance. Therefore, the aim of this review is to boost up present day researchers in this direction to undertake further investigation of this plant for searching new drugs. The present review covers literature up to January 2014 and enlists 24 references.

Cucurbits are edible crops, belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae. They are climbers with reserves in roots and are distributed mainly in tropical zones. They are mostly moist vines and are distributed in both the eastern and western hemispheres. The member of this family are excellent fruit crops having most of the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals required for the good health of humans. All parts of the Cucurbitaceae plants (leaf, stem, root or tuber, fruit and seeds) are used in the traditional system of medicine. Wide research is going on to search a new active compound and to analyze their medicinal properties. The present review of Cucurbitaceae family deals with the very large amount of updated information of scientific research and report in the field of phytochemistry and pharmacology. In this study, we have documented some of the important plants viz., Mukia maderaspatana, Solena amplexicaulis, Citrullus colocynthis, Citrullus lanatus, Coccinia indica, Cucumis sativus, Cucurbita pepo, Lagenaria siceraria, Luffa acutangula, Trichosanthes cucumerina, Corallocarpus epigaeus, Luffa cylindrica, Momordica charantia, Trichosanthes dioica and Kedrostis foetidissima

Presently, there is growing interest to use agricultural wastes as by-products for further exploitation as food additives or supplements. The waste product which is typically thrown into the environment has been revealed to exhibit certain nutritional and pharmacological properties. Some functional compounds have been reported to exert significant nutritional and pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, etc. Based on recent literature, many reports or studies focused on the utilization and pharmacological effects of some selected agro-industrial by-products. This trend could provide the theoretical basis for further rational development and utilization of the waste for the therapeutic and health purposes.

Keywords: fruits by-products, fruits waste, nutritional value, pharmacological properties

Juniperus communis is a shrub or small evergreen tree, native to Europe, South Asia, and North America, and belongs to family Cupressaceae. It has been widely used as herbal medicine from ancient time. Traditionally the plant is being potentially used
as antidiarrhoeal, anti-inflammatory, astringent, and antiseptic and in the treatment of various abdominal disorders. The main
chemical constituents, which were reported inJ. communisL. are𝛼-pinene,𝛽-pinene, apigenin, sabinene,𝛽-sitosterol, campesterol,
limonene, cupressuflavone, and many others. This review includes the last 20 years journals and various books update on this plant, representing its pharmacological activity and health benefits against various diseases

Shade dried flowers of Plumeria rubra f. rubra and Plumeria
rubra f. lutea were subjected to successive solvent extraction by
soxhlation using n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and
methanol. The extracts were subjected to preliminary
phytochemical screening using standard procedures and the data
obtained from the flowers of both the species was comparatively
evaluated. The methanolic extracts, rich in phytochemical
constituents, were screened for analgesic activity (acetic acidinduced
writhing & tail immersion methods) using diclofenac
(10mg/kg b.w) as standard and antipyretic activity (brewer’s
yeast-induced pyrexia test) using paracetamol (100mg/kg; p.o.) as
standard at dose levels of 250 and 500 mg/kg b.w. Oral
administration of methanolic extracts of Plumeria rubra f. rubra
and Plumeria rubra f. lutea (MEPR & MEPL) produced
significant reduction in number of writhes induced by acetic-acid.
Moreover, in tail immersion, MEPR & MEPL significantly raised
the pain threshold at different time intervals, in comparison with
control. There was a significant dose-dependent inhibition in both
the methods. In antipyretic activity, MEPR & MEPL significantly
reduced hyperthermia at either dose levels. The results obtained in
all the animal models were highly significant and comparable to
that of standard drugs. Hence, from the above findings, it can be
concluded that Plumeria rubra possesses potent analgesic and
moderate antipyretic properties. However the methanolic extract
of flowers of Plumeria rubra f. rubra was found to be more potent
than that of Plumeria rubra f. lutea flower extract.

Date Fruits are consumed in Arab areas for a long time as a part of essential diet. Phoenix dactylifera belongs to family Arecaceae and its leaves, barks, pits, fruits and pollens have anticancer, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, antiulcertavie, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antimutagenic, antidiarheal, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral potential. Besides these, Dates also increase level of estrogen, testosterone, RBCs, Hb, PCV, reticulocytes and platelet counts. It can also cure lead induced heamotoxicity, side effects of methylprednisolon, male and female infertility. It has also cerebroprotective, neuroprotective and haemopoietic activity. Phoenix dactylifera can be used for number of complications if further evaluated and isolated. The present paper is an overview of pharmacological properties of Phoenix dactylifera reported in literature.

Juniperus communis is a shrub or small evergreen tree, native to Europe, South Asia, and North America, and belongs to family Cupressaceae. It has been widely used as herbal medicine from ancient time. Traditionally the plant is being potentially used as antidiarrhoeal, anti-inflammatory, astringent, and antiseptic and in the treatment of various abdominal disorders. The main chemical constituents, which were reported in J. communis L. are α-pinene, β-pinene, apigenin, sabinene, β-sitosterol, campesterol, limonene, cupressuflavone, and many others. This review includes the last 20 years journals and various books update on this plant, representing its pharmacological activity and health benefits against various diseases.

Gymnema sylvestre(Asclepiadaceae), popularly known as “gurmar” for its distinct property as sugar destroyer, is a reputed herb in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. The phytoconstituents responsible for sweet suppression activity includes triterpene saponins known as gymnemic acids, gymnemasaponins, and a polypeptide, gurmarin. The herb exhibits a broad range of therapeutic effects as an effective natural remedy for diabetes, besides being used for arthritis, diuretic, anemia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolemia, cardiopathy, asthma, constipation, microbial infections, indigestion, and anti-inflammatory.G. sylvestrehas good prospects in the treatment of diabetes as it shows positive effects on blood sugar homeostasis, controls sugar cravings, and promotes regeneration of pancreas. The herbal extract is used in dietary supplements since it reduces body weight, blood cholesterol, and triglyceride levels and holds great prospects in dietary as well as pharmacological applications. This r...

The genus Cassia, comprising about 600 species widely distributed worldwide is well known for its diverse biological and pharmacological properties. Cassia spectabilis (sin Senna spectabilis) (DC) Irwin et Barn (Fabaceae) is widely grown as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical areas. C. spectabilis has been commonly used in traditional medicine for many years. Information in the biomedical literature has indicated the presence of a variety of medicinally-important chemical constituents in C. spectabilis. Pharmacological studies by various groups of investigators have shown that C. spectabilis possesses significant biological activity, such as antibacterial, antibiofilm, antifungal and antioxidant properties. Beside this, toxicity studies of this plant have revealed no toxic effect on mice. In view of the immense medicinal importance of C. spectabilis, this review aimed at compiling all currently available information on C. spectabilis's botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and mechanism of actions, toxicology and its ethnomedicinal uses.