Origanum majorana

The evaluation of plant products on the basis of medicinal and therapeutic properties forms a platform for the discovery of newer drug molecules from different plant sources. To compare anti-diabetic effect between two ethanolic extracts of selected plants locally available in Bobbili region, Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh, India on Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. To compare anti-diabetic study, experimental rats were divided into five groups viz. Group I (Control), Group II (Diabetic, Streptozotocin, 50mg/kg bwt, i.p.), Group III (Diabetic with Glibenclamide(4mg/kg)), Group IV (Diabetic with Origanum majorana) and Group V (Diabetic with Indigofera linnaei Ali). Both plants extracts were supplemented with same dose i.e. 100mg/kg b.wt, orally. The blood glucose levels, lipid profile, body weight were evaluated in all above experimental groups before and after diabetes induction in 21 days pharmacological evaluation. Significantly decreased blood glucose level and simultaneously improved lipid profile and body weight in Group IV rats after oral administration of ethanol extract whereas in Group V rats are showing less effect compare to Group IV rats. Both the plant extracts effect compare with Group II and Group III rats statistically. Origanum majorana shows better antidiabetic activity because the leaf contain huge amount of antidiabetic phytoconstituents like rutin and quercetin flavonoids. In Indigofera linnaei Ali whole plant ethanol extract also shows antidiabetic activity because it contains kaempferol like important antidiabetic active constituents. Origanum majorana and Indigofera linnaei Ali plants may be used as a dietary supplement in diabetic patients. Further study is required to evaluate the antidiabetic activity.

Arbutin and quercetin are anti-cancer agents, extracted from leaves and flowers of Origanum majorana L which can be simultaneously estimated using a rapid, specific and sensitive high – performance thin layer chromatographic technique using silica gel G60F254 as the stationary phase and butyl acetate: methanol: formic acid: toluene (8: 1.5: 5: 0.5) as mobile phase for the separation. The method was validated for linearity, precision and recovery. Linearity was established in the range 300-900 ng/spot for arbutin and 150-450 ng/spot for quercetin, respectively. The % RSD values of repeatability of application, repeatability of measurement, intra-day and inter day precision studies of arbutin and quercetin were found to be below 1 for 500 and 250 ng/spot of arbutin and quercetin, respectively. The recovery of the drugs were found to be 99.8 and 100.2%, proves that the developed method was highly accurate. Hence the proposed validated method could be applied for the simultaneous analysis of arbutin and quercetin in methanolic extract of Origanum majorana L as well as for its marketed formulation.