Advancement in Medicinal Plant Research

Number 1, 2021

1-10
Mirabilis jalapa: A review of ethno and pharmacological activities

Authors: Farjana Islam Liya, Mt. Farzana Yasmin, Nargis Sultana Chowdhury, Tasnia Khasru Charu and Ismat Benta Fatema

Abstract

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Plants have been used for thousands of years to treat, prevent, and control a variety of diseases throughout the world. The initial benefits of using plant-derived medicine are that they are relatively safer than artificial alternatives. Mirabilis jalapa Linn. (Nyctaginaceae) is one of the plants that used for health care and medicinal purposes for several thousands of years. It is a perennial bushy herb promulgate by flowers or leaves, a native of America and commonly known as ‘four-o-clock’. It has traditionally been used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, muscle pain, abdominal colic, and diarrhea in ancient Mexico, Japan, China and Brazil. The literature review revealed that Mirabilis jalapa is widely used as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, cytotoxic, antinociceptive, and several other’s medicines. In aerial parts of the Mirabilis jalapa, triterpene and flavonoids are found. Flowers mostly contain anthocyanins and flavonoids. Carbohydrate, resin and alkaloids are found in roots. Tricosan-12-one, n-hexacosanal, β-sitosterol, and tetracosanoic were isolated from the leaves of the M. jalapa. Seeds contain β-sitosterol, β-amyrin and β-sitosterol-D-glucoside. The presence of various bioactive compounds validates the whole plant for different medicinal practitioners. It has been extensively used in almost all folklore remedies worldwide for treating a variety of conditions. It has also been used for reducing agents for the production of gold nanoparticles. The purpose of my review is to find out the areas of scope and to give the detail of the work done on M. jalapa Linn. The present review article focused on ethno-pharmacological and other essential aspects of M. jalapa Linn in an attempt to provide a direction to further research.

11-21
Protective effect of pomegranate peel extract on diabetic ocular structural changes in experimental diabetic rats: A histological, immunohistochemical and clinical study

Authors: Saied K. M. Belal and Abdulhamid Al Ghamdi

Abstract

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Ocular complications of diabetes mellitus are rapidly progressing and have become a leading cause of vision impairment. The present study evaluated the potential protective role of pomegranate peel extract, as a powerful antioxidant agent, on the ocular complications of diabetes. One hundred, 8 weeks old, male Wistar rats were subdivided into three groups; the first control group (non-diabetic) was injected intraperitoneally with a single dose (2 ml/animal) of citrate buffer alone. The second group (diabetic untreated) was subjected to induction of diabetes by an intraperitoneal single dose of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight). The third group (diabetic treated) was subjected to induction of diabetes as the second group and given simultaneously, 500 mg/kg body weight of pomegranate peel extract orally once per day with the drinking water. Clinical examination of lens and fundus was made, and the biochemical analysis was done at 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36 and 40 weeks after diabetes induction. At the end of the investigation (40 weeks), the rats were anesthetized, and the eyeballs were removed and sampled for histopathological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural investigations. The study revealed that the lens of 12 rats from a total of 40 rats of the second group (diabetic untreated) depicted the onset of cataract at 16 week, which increased gradually. The retina of the same group showed gradual inter-retinal microvascular abnormalities and histopathological changes. The third group (diabetic treated) showed marked amelioration as compared to the second group. ANOVA test for the biomedical indicators showed a statistically significant improvement in the third group. In conclusion, the pomegranate peel extract possesses strong potential for its development as a protective agent against ocular complications of diabetes.

22-29
Composition and structure of Gastropoda in the Lavandula dentata L. (Labiatae) stations in the Ghazaouet region (Tlemcen, North-West Algeria)

Authors: DAMERDJI Amina

Abstract

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An approach to the diversity of malacofauna associated with toothed lavender was carried out in three stations belonging to the coastal region of Ghazaouet (Wilaya de Tlemcen) from January to July 2013. The specific richness of gastropods is 14 species. Four species are accessories and ten others are accidental. The relative importance of snails varies by station and by month and season. Gastropods preferring certain humidity are easily collected in winter and spring. In April, the species richness is relatively important (6 species) in the 1st and 2nd stations respectively. Milax gagates has a frequency of 78.57% in the first station (Sidi-Aissa) and 57.14% in the 2nd station (Sidi- Amar). Helicella pyramidata has a frequency of 35.71% in station 3 (Bab Khroufa). Similarly, this Helicellinae has a density equal to 0.50 in the same station.