Wheatgrass is one of nature\'s true super foods and can be considered as a complete food capable of sustaining human life in the absence of other nourishment for long periods. Single-track approach to nutrition is not recommended, but this amazing thing contains almost everything necessary to keep us going. It is a very good provider of the proteins required for cell regeneration and is renowned for its healing properties. Apart from being a blood builder, wheatgrass is also a blood purifier greatly assisting in the removal of waste products of the body because of its \'detergent\' properties. It helps drainage of the lymphatic system and breaks down mucous, which can render the body\'s natural processes less efficient. It is said to be helpful in the removal of carcinogens, harmful chemicals and heavy metals present in the body. It is also an excellent blood tonic as it increases the hemoglobin content of the blood and improves oxygen transport. It has natural antibiotic properties, which help to maintain a healthy digestive tract. It can also be used externally to help with wounds, skin conditions, and dandruff. The vitamin content of this is outstanding and it is a powerful antioxidant. Thus it can be said that wheat grass is a fabulous supplement as it consists nutrients having therapeutic value as vitamins, mineral, enzymes, protein and chlorophyll.
Keywords:-Wheatgrass, Dietary Supplement, Green blood.
2.
IN VITRO SCREENING OF ANTI LICE ACTIVITY OF THREE DIFFERENT LEAVES
Hemamalini K, Umavasi Reddy, Viswaja M, Nagarjuni Y, Sandhya rani V and Vinitha G
Growing patterns of pediculocidal drug resistance towards head louse laid the foundation for research in exploring novel anti lice agents from medicinal plants. In the present study, various leaf extracts were tested against the head louse pediculus humanus capitis. A filter paper diffusion method was conducted for determining the potential pediculocidal and ovicidal activity of methanolic extracts of Anogessius acuminate, Solanum pubescens, Gymnosporia emerginata leaves. The findings revealed that Anogessius acuminate and Solanum pubescens possess excellent anti lice activity with values ranging between 70% and 88% where as Gymnosporia emerginata extracts showed moderate pediculocidal effects. All the results were well comparable with benzyl benzoate. These results showed the prospect of using Anogessius acuminate and Solanum pubescens leaves extracts against pediculus humanus capitis in different situations of emergence of resistance to synthetic anti lice agents.
KEYWORDS: Anogessius acuminate, Solanum pubescens, Gymnosporia emerginata, Anti lice activity, Filter paper bioassay, Head louse.
3.
STANDARDIZATION OF THE STEMS OF PSEUDARTHRIA VISCIDA (L.) WIGHT AND ARNOTT (PAPILIONACEAE)
Pseudarthria viscida (L.) Wight and Arnott, commonly known as Salaparni in Sanskrit, is a perennial viscid pubescent semi erect diffuse under shrub, belonging to the family Papilionaceae. The plant is traditionally used as astringent, sweet, bitter, emollient, digestive, antidiabetic, antidiarrhoeal, anthelmintic, antiinflammatory, diuretic, cardiotonic, aphrodisiac, antirheumatic, antiasthmatic, febrifuge, rejuvenating and tonic. In the present study, the pharmacognostic standardization of fresh, powdered and anatomical sections of the stems of Pseudarthria viscida (L.) was carried out to determine its macro and microscopical characters and also some of its quantitative standards. Physico-chemical evaluation includes ash values, extractive values, moisture content was evaluated. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the different extracts of P. viscida stem powder was carried out. These findings will be useful towards establishing pharmacognostic standards on identification, purity, quality and classification of the plant, which is gaining relevance in plant drug research.
Flemingia (Willd.), a genus of the Fabaceae family, includes a wide range of herbs which are mostly dispersed in temperate and hilly areas. About 7 species are found in India, of which Flemingia macrophylla (Willd.) is the most commonly used as drug traditionally. It is an erect shrub with young branches found in hilly regions of Uttaranchal, in Dehradun and Western Ghats at the height 300-1700m from sea level. It is an important drug used in the treatment of pain of muscle, pain of body. Also employed in treatment of Kala azar, fever etc. Flemingia macrophylla has no reported literature of detailed pharmacological work so far. Hence, it has been decided to undertake pharmacological studies where acute toxicity study and analgesic study were performed with successive extracts Chloroform, Ethanol and Water. There was no sign of toxicity observed at the dose level of up to 6gm/kg body weight. Analgesic activity was shown by the Alcoholic and Chloroform extracts by the method of tail immersion as compared to standard drug diclofenac sodium 3mg/kg.
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by unprovoked, recurring seizures that disrupt the nervous system and can cause mental and physical dysfunction. Based on the ethnopharmacological information of the plant, the methanol and aqueous extract of the whole plant of Indigofera linneai Ali was evaluated for its antiepileptic activity in wistar albino rats. Antiepileptic activity was assessed by using MES and PTZ induced models. 200 and 400mg/kg body weight doses were used for the present study. In the MES model the methanol and aqueous extracts showed a dose dependent reduction in the duration of hind limb extensor phase. In pentylenetetrazole induced model methanol and aqueous extracts at dose level of 400mg/kg body weight showed significant reduction in the tonic convulsions induced by PTZ when compared with control group. The results suggest a possible anticonvulsant effect of the methanol and aqueous extracts of Indigofera linneai Ali in rats.
Key words: Epilepsy, Indigofera linnaei. PTZ, MES
6.
ANTI-DERMATOPHYTIC ACTIVITY OF PASSIFLORA FOETIDA L: AN EXOTIC PLANT
Skin infections are common diseases in developing countries, of which dermatophytoses are of particular concern in the tropics, especially in infants. This study was aimed to test in vitro antifungal activity of certain dematophytes by the leaf and fruit extracts of Passiflora foetida L. were tested for against three fungi such as Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes and a yeast fungus i.e.Candida albicans, by agar tube dilution technique. The result showed ethanolic leaf extract exhibited better activity againstT. rubrum followed by T. mentagrophytes and C. albicans. The acetone and ethanol fruit extracts contribute least to moderate activity against test fungi. The results concluded this plant may pave the way to treatment of dermatomucosal and skin infections.
