Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine

337-340

Authors: S Kumar, V Kumar, Om Prakash

Objective: To study detail microscopic evaluation and physiochemical analysis of Dillenia indica (D. indica) leaf. Methods: Fresh leaf sample and dried power of the leaf were studied macroscopically and microscopically. Preliminary phytochemical investigation of plant material was done. Other WHO recommended parameters for standardizations were also performed. Results: The detail microscopy revealed the presence of anomocytic stomata, unicellular trichome, xylem fibres, calcium oxalate crystals, vascular bundles, etc. Leaf constants such as stomatal number, stomatal index, vein-islet number and veinlet termination numbers were also measured. Physiochemical parameters such as ash values, loss on drying, extractive values, percentage of foreign matters, swelling index, etc. were also determined. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed the presence of steroids, terpenoids, glycosides, fatty acids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds and carbohydrates. Conclusions: The microscopic and physiochemical analysis of the D. indica leaf is useful in standardization for quality, purity and sample identification.

348-352

Authors: Sundaram Ravikumar, Murugesan Gnanadesigan

Objective: To identify the hepatoprotective and in vitro antioxidant activity of Lumnitzera racemosa (L. racemosa) leaf extract. Methods: Animals in Group 1 served as vehicle control, Group 2 served as hepatotoxin (CCL4 treated) group, Group 3 served as positive control (Silymarin) group, and Group 4, 5 and 6 served as (75, 150 and 300 mg/kg bw p.o.) L. racemosa leaf extract treated groups. Moreover, in vitro antioxidant DPPH, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (HRSA), NO, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), lipid hydroperoxide (LPO) and super oxide dismutase (SOD) were also analyzed for the leaf extract. Results: The levels of the serum parameters such as serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin, cholesterol (CHL), sugar and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly increased in CCL4 treated rats when compared with the control group (P<0.05). But the L. racemosa leaf extract treated rats showed maximum reduction of SGOT [(210.36±19.63) IU/L], SGPT [(82.37±13.87) IU/L], ALP [(197.63±23.43) IU/L], bilurubin [(2.15 ±0.84) mg/dL], cholesterol [(163.83±15.63) mg/dL], sugar [(93.00±7.65) mg/dL] and LDH [(1134.00 ±285.00) IU/L] were observed with the high dose (300 mg/kg bw) of leaf extract treated rats. Histopathological scores showed that, no visible changes were observed with high dose (300 mg/ kg bw) of leaf extract treated rats except few mild necrosis. The IC50 values were observed as (56.37 ±4.87) µg/mL, (57.68±1.98) µg/mL, (64.15±2.90) µg/mL, (61.94±3.98) µg/mL, (94.53±1.68) µg/mL and (69.7±2.65) µg/mL for DPPH, HRSA, NO, FRAP, LPO and SOD radical scavenging activities, respectively. Conclusions: In conclusion, the hepatoprotective effect of the L. racemosa leaf extract might be due to the presence of phenolic groups, terpenoids and alkaloids and in vitro antioxidant properties.

359-364

Authors: Abd El-Moneim MR Afify, Hossam S El-Beltagi, Sayed A Fayed, Emad A Shalaby

Objective: To investigate the acaricidal activity of different extracts from Syzygium cumini (S. cumini) (Pomposia) againsst Tetranychus urticae Koch (T. urticae) and the biochemical changes in antioxidants enzymes. Methods: Six extracts of S. cumini (Pomposia) at concentrations of 75, 150 and 300µg/mL were used to control T. urticae (Koch). Results: The ethanol extract showed the most efficient acaricidal activity agent against T. urticae (98.5%) followed by hexane extract (94.0%), ether and ethyl acetate extract (90.0%). The LC50 values of the promising extract were 85.0, 101.0, 102.0 and 98.0µg/mL, respectively. The activities of enzymes including ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in susceptible mites were increased. The activities of all antioxidant enzymes reach the maximum value in mites at LC50 with ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts, respectively. Conclusions: The extract of S. cumini has acaricidal acivity against T. urticae, and the ethanol extract is the most efficient.

370-375

Authors: Biruhalem Taye, Mirutse Giday, Abebe Animut, Jemal Seid

Objective: To evaluate the activity of selected Ethiopian medicinal plants traditionally used for wound treatment against wound-causing bacteria. Methods: Samples of medicinal plants (Achyranthes aspera, Brucea antidysenterica, Datura stramonium, Croton macrostachyus, Acokanthera schimperi, Phytolacca dodecandra, Millettia ferruginea, and Solanum incanum) were extracted using absolute methanol and water and tested for their antimicrobial activities against clinical isolates and standard strains of wound-causing bacteria using agar well diffusion and micro titer plate methods. Results: Most of the plant extracts had antibacterial activities, among which Acokanthera schimperi and Brucea antidysenterica inhibited growth of 100% and 35% of the test organisms, respectively. Methanolic extracts had higher activities compared with their corresponding aqueous extracts. The most susceptible organism to the extracts was Streptococcus pyogens while the most resistant were Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris. Conclusions: This finding justifies the use of the plants in wound healing and their potential activity against woundcausing bacteria. Their toxicity level and antimicrobial activity with different extraction solvents should further be studied to use them as sources and templates for the synthesis of drugs to control wound and other disease-causing bacteria.

381-385

Authors: Thirumalai T, Viviyan Therasa S, Elumalai EK, David E

Objective: To investigate the hypolipidaemic and antioxidant effects of aqueous leaf extract of Enicostemma littorale (E. littorale) Blume (Ens) against ethanol induced hepatic injury in albino rats. Methods: Male albino rats of six numbers in each group were undertaken for study. Hypolipidaemic and antioxidant effect of E. littorale Blume (Ens) aqueous leaf extract at a dosage of 250 mg/kg bw was evaluated. Results: Levels of serum and tissue cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids were elevated and levels of tissue thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid hydroperoxide were increased in ethanol treated rats. The activity levels of liver antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) were decreased. After adiminstration of extract of E. littorale Blume, levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids were decreased in serum and liver tissue, levels of TBARS and lipid hydroperoxide were decreased, and liver antioxidant enzymes were increased in liver tissue. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the aqueous leaf extract of E. littorale Blume (Ens) has potent restorative effect on hyperlipidaemic and oxidative stress.

391-394

Authors: Ramaraj Thirugnanasampandan, Rajarajeswaran Jayakumar

Objective: To analyze the total phenolic content, DNA protecting and radical scavenging activity of ethanolic leaf extracts of three Lamiaceae plants, i.e. Anisomelos malabarica (A. malabarica), Leucas aspera (L. aspera) and Ocimum basilicum (O. basilicum). Methods: The total polyphenols and flavonoids were analyzed in the ethanolic leaf extracts of the lamiaceae plants. To determine the DNA protecting activity, various concentrations of the plant extracts were prepared and treated on cultured HepG2 human lung cancer cells. The pretreated cells were exposed to H2O2 to induce DNA damage through oxidative stress. Comet assay was done and the tail length of individual comets was measured. Nitric oxide and superoxide anion scavenging activities of lamiaceae plants were analyzed. Results: Among the three plant extracts, the highest amount of total phenolic content was found in O. basilicum (189.33 mg/g), whereas A. malabarica showed high levels of flavonoids (10.66 mg/g). O. basilicum also showed high levels of DNA protecting (85%) and radical scavenging activity. Conclusions: The results of this study shows that bioactive phenols present in lamiaceae plants may prevent carcinogenesis through scavenging free radicals and inhibiting DNA damage.

401-405

Authors: A Vijayalakshmi, V Ravichandiran, Malarkodi Velraj, S Hemalatha, G Sudharani, S Jayakumari

Objective: To investigate the anti-anaphylactic, anti-inflammatory and membrane stabilizing properties of plumerianine (compound 1) isolated from the root bark of Plumeria acutifolia Poir. Methods: The anti-anaphylactic activity of compound 1 (10, 25 and 50 mg/kg) was studied by using models such as passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, passive paw anaphylaxis and its antiinflammatory activity against carrageenin induced paw edema and cotton pellet granuloma in albino rats was also investigated using ketotifen and indomethacin as reference drugs. Results: A dose-dependent beneficial effect was observed on leakage of evans blue dye in skin challenged with antigen and on paw anaphylaxis induced by antiserum. The compound 1 also exhibited significant (P<0.01) inhibition of rat paw edema and granuloma tissue formation, including significant protection of RBC against the haemolytic effect of hypotonic solution, an indication of membrane-stabilizing activity. Conclusions: Anti-anaphylactic activity of compound 1 may be possibly due to inhibition of the release of various inflammatory mediators. Anti-inflammatory activity of compound may be related to the inhibition of the early phase and late phase of inflammatory events.

409-412

Authors: Golam Kader, Farjana Nikkon, Mohammad Abdur Rashid, Tanzima Yeasmin

Objective: To investigate antimicrobial effects of ethanolic extract of Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbet) (L.) Smith and its chloroform and petroleum ether soluble fractions against pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Methods: The fresh rhizomes of Zingiber zerumbet were extracted in cold with ethanol (4.0 L) after concentration. The crude ethanol extract was fractionated by petroleum ether and chloroform to form a suspension of ethanol extract (15.0 g), petroleum ether fraction (6.6 g) and chloroform soluble fraction (5.0 g). The crude ethanol extract and its petroleum ether and chloroform fractions were evaluated for antibacterial and antifungal activity against thirteen pathogenic bacteria and three fungi by the disc diffusion method. Commercially available kanamycin (30 µg/disc) was used as standard disc and blank discs impregnated with the respective solvents were used as negative control. Results: At a concentration of 400 µg/disc, all the samples showed mild to moderate antibacterial and antifungal activity and produced the zone of inhibition ranging from 6 mm to 10 mm. Among the tested samples, the crude ethanol extract showed the highest activity against Vibrio parahemolyticus (V. parahemolyticus). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the crude ethanol extract and its fractions were within the value of 128-256 µg/mL against two Gram positive and four Gram negative bacteria and all the samples showed the lowest MIC value against V. parahemolyticus (128 µg/mL). Conclusions: It can be concluded that, potent antibacterial and antifungal phytochemicals are present in ethanol extract of Z. zerumbet (L).

419-420

Authors: Jakiyah Daud, Siti Raihan Ishak, Zakuan Zainy Deris, Wan Hazabbah Wan Hitam

Infectious conjunctivitis is a very common presentation to medical professional and ophthalmologist all over the world. Although its typically self-limiting and treatable in almost all of the cases, but we need to be aware of the rare and potentially life threatening if the cause is not promptly identified and treated accordingly. In our case report, we highlighted the rare case of Neisseria meningitidis as a primary cause of keratoconjunctivitis. Neisseria meningitidis is a rare etiology of keratoconjunctivitis and its ocular presentations are quite similar with other bacterial or viral infection. The infection may potentially fatal if systemic invasion occurred, however with immediate and proper treatment the outcome is satisfactory. Early diagnosis and proper antibiotic treatment are critical to prevent systemic spread of the infection. Public health intervention is needed to prevent outbreak of the disease.