Life Sciences

To evaluate the antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects of methanolic leaf extract of the traditional medicinal plant, Cryptolepis grandiflora. The plant leaves were subjected to solvent extraction by using methanol for obtaining crude extract. The crude extract (9.12g/ml) was tested for assaying antioxidant properties by total antioxidant (ABTS•+), DPPH•, reducing power and metal chelating activities.

The present investigation was carried out to determine the possible bioactive components of Piper schmidtii. The chemical compositions of the methanolic extract of aerial parts of P. schmidtii were investigated using GC-MS, while the mass spectra of the compounds found in the extract was matched with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) library. Results showed that essential oil of the sample has a complex mixture of thirty compounds, many of which are found in trace amounts. Hence, the identified phytocomponents can be used as a pharmacognostical tool.

The aim of this study is to quantify the amount of phenols, tannins and flavonoids present in different fractions of root tubers of Ipomoea mauritiana, a traditional medicinal twining shrub and GC-MS profiling of acetone extract. It was found that the higher contents of phenolics (285.05mg GAE/g extract), tannins (190.02mgGAE/g extract) and flavonoids (174.44mgRE/g extract) were determined to be present in acetone fraction. Further, the GC-MS analysis of the acetone extract revealed the presence of 27major compounds. It indicates the presence of therapeutic potential of this species.

Hydrocotyle conferta Wight is an endangered plant species in Southern Western Ghats. Methanolic whole plant extract of H. conferta study was investigated for various DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl radical scavenging, reducing power and ferrous ion chelating assays. The results of DPPH activity showed that the extract at the dose of 50μg/ml has exhibited in 89.15±0.16 inhibition with an IC50 value of 34.21±0.52mg/ml.

Mosquitoes transmit serious human diseases, causing millions of deaths every year.Snails' species are associated with transmission parasitic disease as intermediate host. The environmental problems caused by overuse of high toxicity, non-biodegradable materials of pesticides and the residue in soil, water resources and crops that affect public health. Thus, on the one hand, one needs to search the new highly selective, biodegradable pesticides and environmental friendly pesticides.

Mosquitoes are the most important vectors for serious human and animal diseases causing millions of deaths every year. Among these diseases, malaria, yellow fever, dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever, filariasis and Rift Valley fever at endemic and epidemic areas in many countries. The ethanolic extract of Cleomedroserifolia was evaluated against Culexpipiens and Ochlerotatuscaspius LC50 were 178.61 & 162.63 respectively. The pupation percent was significantly reduces as a result of extract application Culexpipiens.

Forest seeds present a particular importance because they are the principal organs which condition the reforestation success. Furthemore, successful production of replanting seedlings for outplanting sites depends on many parameters, especially biological ones. Along this study, we were interested in the valorization of Cedrus atlantica seeds, by the chemical characterization of essential oils extracted by steam distillation, during different stages of their germination.

The use of tanniferous plants was suggested as a possible alternative option for controlling gastrointestinal nematodes of small ruminants. This experiment evaluated the possible in vitro effects of three phenological stages (Bloom, Seeds formation, Seeds) of Tunisian fabacae (Hedysarum carnosum Desf.) against Haemonchus contortus third stage larvae. The larval exsheathment assay (LEA) was used to determine the proportions (%) of exsheathment of three plant acetonic extracts at different concentrations (1200, 600, 300, 150 μg/ml).

The aim of this research project was to provide a thorough and comprehensive analysis of ethnobotanical and floristic investigations of medicinal and food-based plants. The study was based on a collection of data on food and therapeutical uses among the people of Zerhoun area.A series of ethnobotanical surveys were carried out in the field for three months long(from April to June 2014).

Enzymes are biological catalysts produced by living cells they catalyze metabolic reactions. They are soluble and colloidal substances characterized by great activity, specificity and susceptibility to the influence of environmental changes. Enzymes are the most important tools of the living cells. Cells cannot be without enzymes. They function as catalysts in a wide variety of biological reactions.