Phytochemical

Kalanchoe pinnata (Family: Crassulaceae) is an important plant which has many traditional medicinal uses. The main objective of this literature review was to give advance information for the drug discovery research for K. pinnata. It was found that this plant showed various pharmacological activities such as anthelmentic, immunosuppressive, wound healing, hepatoprotective, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, nephroprotective, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, analgesic, anticonvulsant, neuropharmacological and antipyretic. Anthelmentic activity was found due to the presence of tannins of the extract of K. pinnata and steroid glycosides such as bufadienolide showed wound healing activity. It was also found that the different flavonoids, polyphenols, triterpenoids and other chemical constituents of the plant were responsible for the antinociceptive, antiinflammatory and antidiabetic properties. Quercetin had a marked protective effect on cadmiuminduced nephrotoxicity and possessed potent oral efficacy against cutaneous leishmaniasis. The two new novel flavonoids such as 5Methyl 4, 5, 7 trihydroxyl flavone and 4, 3, 5, 7 tetrahydroxy 5-methyl 5 Ipropenamine anthocyanidines could be responsible for the antimicrobial activity of K. pinnata. Five bufadienolides (1-5) isolated from the leaves of K. pinnata were potential cancer chemopreventive agents. Quercitrin, a flavonoid, is a critical component of K. pinnata extract against an extreme allergic reaction. This literature review gave the evidence based information regarding the pharmacognostical, phytoconstituents and pharmacological activity of the medicinal plant, K. pinnata which could help researchers for more advanced qualitative research.

In view of an increasing interest in developing plant derived insecticides as an alternative to chemical insecticides, this study was undertaken to assess the larvicidal potential of  Erythrina indica root and leaf extracts  against two medically important species of mosquito vectors, Aedes aegypti  and Culex quinquefasciatus. Larvicidal activity of methanol, aqueous, ethyl acetate, chloroform and petroleum ether extracts of leaf and root of Erythrina indica were tested against the early fourth instar larvae of A.aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus. Fourth instar larvae of A. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus were used for assessing the larvicidal activity. A number of 125 larvae were exposed in five replicates of 25 larvae each. Experiments were maintained at 28±1° C, 65±2% relative humidity. The mortality data were subjected to probit analysis to determine the lethal concentrations (LC50 and LC90) to kill 50 and 90 per cent of the treated larvae of the respective species. Among the leaf and root extracts studied for mosquito larvicidal activity, both root and leaf extracts showed the moderate activity. The chloroform extract of the root was moderatively effective against the larvae of C. quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti; the respective values for LC50 and LC90 were 125.55, 118.90 ppm and 375.27, 354.03 ppm. The methanol extract of the leaf was also moderatively effective against the larvae of  C. quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti with respective LC50 and LC90 values 126.60, 126.76 ppm. The finding of the present investigation revealed that the leaf and root extract possesses remarkable larvicidal activity against two medically important vector mosquitoes C.quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti. So this present ecofriendly paradigm proves the efficacy of E.indica as an botanical larvicide.

E. littorale (Chota-kirayat or Chota–chirayata) is a glabrous perennial herb belongs to family Gentianaceae. It is traditionally used as antidiabetic, urinary astringent, antiperiodic, anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, laxative and carminative. It possesses antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiedematologinic. antitumour activities. The present study deals with the pharmacognostical evaluation of Enicostemma litorale Blume. The physicochemical parameters like ash and extractive values were determined. The fluorescence analysis was observed both under ordinary light and UV light. The phytochemical analysis on extract was done by using different solvents and revealed the presence of steroids, terpenoids, alkaloids, phenolic compound, quinine, flavanoid, Tannin and Amino acid and identified by the basis of IR and gas chromatography-MS. The results of this study could be useful in setting some diagnostic indices for identification and preparation of the monograph of the plant.