Medicinal plants

To find out the medicinal contribution to the local population of the plants colonizing the mountains of the town of Man, we traveled 5 mountains and interviewed 129 people from the said town. The chosen mountains are called: Kôh mountain, Mount Zélé, Glaha mountain, Glèhè mountain and Gôhô mountain. These mountains were chosen for their significant plant diversity. Plots made at an altitude of 300 to 400 meters were used to inventory the plants. Two indices were used to evaluate the ethnobotanical data, namely the frequency of citation of species (FC) and the relative exploitation level of these plants (NER). The study made it possible to inventory 48 plant species divided into 44 genera and 26 families. The Fabaceae family is the most represented. Ethnomedic investigations revealed the use of these plants in the treatment of 25 common pathologies. The leaves are the organs most used in these treatments. And the technique for preparing drugs is decoction. The ethnobotanical indices evaluated indicated that the species best exploited by the population are Alchornea cordifolia and Euphorbia hirta with a NER = 55% each. These indices also reveal that Chromolaena odorata (FR = 19.58%) and Tithonia diversifolia (FR = 13.23%) are the most common species found at low altitude in the Man Mountains. The results of this work could stimulate further in-depth studies on mountain plants in the search for effective phytomedicines.

Methanolic extracts of 4 Indian medicinal plants, traditionally used in different ailments, were evaluated for antioxidant activity using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) radical scavenging assay. Among the extracts, C. lanceolatus significantly decreased the absorption at 10 µg/ml indicating that it is effective even at a very low concentration.

Medicinal Plants form the basis of traditional medicinal system. The medicinal plants usage is higher in developing countries with respect to the developed nations. In past the usage of medicinal plants use of medicinal plants and traditional medicines derived from medicinal plants has increased at great pace. The reported sales of medicinal plants or herbal medicines have crossed $ 60, 000 million dollars in year after 2000. Luffa accutangula is herbal plant, whose fruit is commonly used as vegetable as well as traditional medicines derived from medicinal plants were reported to be around 40 to 50 percent of population using it in Germany, around 43 percent usage in America, and around 48 percent in Australia and 49 percent in France. However in recent few decades (i.e. three decades) in Asian countries the sales have risen sharply. The plant is highly rich in medicinal values, and many pharmacological activities have been reported in the plant. Looking at the richness of Gourd (Luffa accutangula) the present review has been written in order to provide an up-to-date report on this imperative species of medicinal plant. Keywords: Medicinal plants, Herbal remedies, Pharmacology of medicinal plants, Luffa accutangula  

Medicinal plants are major source of bioactive compounds and chemical structures that gives potential beneficial effects. Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) belongs to the Lamiaceae family, cultivated around tropical and semitropical zone of India and other surrounding Asian countries. In the present review on O. sanctum, the traditional uses, chemical constituents and pharmacological activities are explored. Various medicinal and therapeutic characteristics of Tulsi are found in the aerial parts, roots, leaves and seeds which havea broad range of activity on human being. O. sanctumhas multiple medicinal and therapeutic properties such as antibacterial, anticholinesterase, antioxidant, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiaflatoxigenic, anti-inflammatory and antinoceceptive, anticandidal, toxicological, anti-stress and anticonvulsant, anticancer, wound healing activities. Recent research has proven the anticancer and anti-HIV activity of O. sanctum. The chemical compounds of O. sanctum like alkaloids, phenolics, phenyl, coumarins, flavonoids, fatty acids, essential oils, steroidal, and tannin contents play an important role in herbal medicine. This paper examines the various traditional uses, phytochemical constituents and therapeutic potentials of Tulsi plant will be helpful in the treatment of oral diseases and many medicinal disorders and also will be useful in the expansion of new active principles.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the Diuretic and antiurolithiatic activities of Ethanolic leaf extract of Sida Acuta in Albino rats. Ethanolic leaf extract was administered to experimental rats orally at doses of 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg (each p.o). Furosemide (5mg/kg) was used as a standard. The diuretic effect of the extract was evaluated by measuring the urine volume and determining sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate contents. In In vitro antiurolithiatic activity Calcium oxalate crystallization was induced by the addition of 0.01M sodium oxalate solutions in synthetic urine. The effect of extract (100, 300 and 500μg/ml) was studied by time course measurement of absorbance. In-vivo Urolithiasis was induced in male rats by administering ethylene glycol (0.75%) in drinking water to groups II-V except normal control (Group I) for 28 days. Groups I, II and III served as normal control, positive control (hyperurolithiatic), and standard (cystone 750mg/kg), respectively, Groups IV and V served as curative regimen. Oxalate, calcium, phosphate were monitored in urine. Serum calcium, creatinine and uric acid were also recorded. The extract of Sida acuta was safe and exhibited no gross behavioral changes in the rats. A significant diuretic effect was observed from the experimental animals treated with extract of Sida acuta individually compared to the control. The results obtained suggest potential usefulness of extract of Sida acuta leaf as an antiurolithiatic agent.

Traditional medicines have been recently recognized as a precise and knowledge for new source of anticancer drugs and new chemotherapy adjuvant to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy and to ameliorate the side effects of cancer chemotherapies however their healing mechanisms are still largely unknown. The current available methods of treatment like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery can induce certain side effects, so there is urge for alternate or adjuvant therapies has arisen. The natural compounds present in plants were known to inhibit or kills carcinogenic cells. In the race for the designing of new anti-cancer drugs development the phytochemical investigation of herbs has contribute new ideas in some extent. Apoptosis is the programmed cell death in which the cells activate an intracellular death program and kill themselves in a controlled way. The phytochemicals that have the anticancer property by inducing apoptosis are safe, abundantly available from dietary sources and the drugs have good immunomodulatory properties.  This attempt has been made to review plant and plant products used in the prevention and treatment of cancer by inducing apoptosis.

Liver harm is most vital health issues or so a lot of than 900 medicines involved in case of liver injury. World health organization estimate that eightieth of total population used herbal drugs for some characteristic of primary health care while not any facet effects. Herbal medicine has emerged as a skilled approach with sensible values in handling various diseases, developing an affordable phytotherapy to treat severe liver diseases needs economical exploration of properties like antiviral action, antihepatotoxicity, stimulation of liver regeneration besides choleretic activity. The search used