NISCAIR Online Periodicals Repository Collection: NPR Vol.7(5) [September-October 2008]

Wild vegetables of Karbi - Anglong district, Assam

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Wild vegetables of Karbi - Anglong district, Assam

Authors: Kar, A; Borthakur, S K

Abstract: The paper deals with 57 species of wild plants used as vegetable by the Karbi tribe of Karbi - Anglong district, Assam. The scientific names of the plants, method of use, regeneration, demand and form of use of these vegetables are included. The paper also highlighted the medicinal value, market price and shelf-life of the vegetables after harvest. The conservation of the indigenous plant wealth through cultivation and further follow up investigation on these plants for chemical analysis has also been emphasized.

Page(s): 448-460

Spatial influence on the important bio-chemical properties of Piper nigrum Linn. leaves

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Spatial influence on the important bio-chemical properties of Piper nigrum Linn. leaves

Authors: Parthasarathy, Utpala; Asish, G R; Zachariah, T J; Saji, K V; George, Johnson K; Jayarajan, K; Mathew, P A

Abstract: Black pepper (Piper nigrum Linn.) is available in a vast altitudinal diversity and shows great adaptability to a wide range of climatic and soil conditions. The study of leaf bio-chemical components such as chlorophyll, carotene and phenol concentration and bio-mass percentage, showed considerable intra species variation in wild black pepper collected from the Western Ghats (Karnataka and Kerala). The results plotted in map with the help of ARC-GIS software to get an idea of spatial variation, indicated that, the diversity of chlorophyll and carotene percentage is wide in a narrow geographical range, but certain patch showed high phenol concentration (between 10º48' and 12º25' latitude).

Page(s): 444-447

Shigellocidal activity of some medicinal plants used in folklore remedies by tribals of Mahakoshal region of Central India

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Shigellocidal activity of some medicinal plants used in folklore remedies by tribals of Mahakoshal region of Central India

Authors: Sharma, Anjana; Patel, Virendra Kumar; Ramteke, Padmini

Abstract: The present study has been conducted to evaluate the shigellocidal activity of traditional folk medicine used by tribal people of Mahakoshal region in Central India for the treatment of infectious diseases. Shigellocidal activity was detected using disc diffusion assay and TLC bioautography. In the search for bioactive compounds, aqueous, ethanol, chloroform and acetone extracts of 25 Indian folklore medicinal plants were screened for shigellocidal property. The shigellocidal activity was observed in ethanolic extract of Saraca asoca (Roxb.) De Wilde syn. Saraca indica auct non Linn., Bacopa monnieri (Linn.) Penn., Zingiber officinale Rosc., and Terminalia chebula Retz. with the MIC range of 5-10 mg/ml, 5-15mg/ml, 5-15mg/ml and 5-10mg/ml, respectively. While chloroform extract of Pimpinella anisum Linn. and Azadirachta indica A. Juss. showed shigellocidal activity with MIC range between 5-10mg/ml and 5-20mg/ml, respectively. The active antibacterial compounds analysed by bioautography, were further confirmed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). It is concluded that the crude chloroform extract of P. anisum (seed) containing saponin, exhibited maximum shigellocidal activity at 10mg/ml concentration with 8-12 mm inhibitory zone against all the isolates of Shigella dysenteriae. Thus, this plant can be used as potential source of natural antimicrobial against Shigella dysenteriae.

Page(s): 426-436

Antibacterial potential of three naked-seeded (Gymnosperm) plants

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Antibacterial potential of three naked-seeded (Gymnosperm) plants

Authors: Bissa, Sharad; Bohra, Avinash; Bohra, A

Abstract: The aerial parts of three gymnosperms, Pinus roxburghii Sarg. (bark, needles and female cones), Cycas circinalis Linn. (stem and leaves) and Thuja orientalis Linn. (stem and leaves) were extracted by Soxhlet apparatus using petroleum ether, ethanol, chloroform and water as solvent. The extracts were subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening and tested against four human pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter aerogenes) and one plant pathogenic bacteria, Agrobacterium tumefaciens by disc diffusion method. Among these extracts, the petroleum ether was found to be most effective in all the three plants. Maximum inhibition (20 mm) was recorded for needles extract of P. roxburghii against Klebsiella pneumoniae. The study suggests that these plants are promising phytomedicine for antibacterial activity.

Page(s): 420-425