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Parquetina nigrescens is a medicinal herb with recognized antioxidant properties and potential to alleviate conditions associated with oxidative stress, including gastric ulcers. We investigated the protective potential of methanol extract of Parquetina nigrescens (MEPN) against ischemia-reperfusion injury in the intestine of rats. Thirty (30) male Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned into five groups with Group I made up of control rats and Group II consisting of rats experimentally subjected to ischemia and reperfusion (IR) by clamping of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) for 30 minutes and 45 minutes, respectively. Groups III and IV rats also had IR, but were initially pre-treated with MEPN at 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg respectively, for seven days. Rats in Group V were also pre-treated with Vitamin C, for seven days, before induction of IR. The results showed marked reduction in intestinal epithelial lesions in groups treated with MEPN, compared to the IR group which had severe villi erosion, inflammatory cell infiltration and hemorrhages. There were significant increases in Malondialdehyde (MDA) and significant reductions in reduced glutathione (GSH) and Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity with IR injury, while pre-treatment with either MEPN or Vitamin C prevented these effects. Increases in Glutathione peroxidase (GPX), Catalase (CAT) and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) with IR provided evidence for adaptive responses to oxidative injury during IR and preservation of enzyme activity by MEPN and Vitamin C. Taken together, Parquetina nigrescens provided considerable alleviation of intestinal injury produced by IR, at values much as effective as that offered by Vitamin C.

New approaches in probing for antimicrobial metabolites require genome and chemical investigation. The rapid identification of known compounds, i.e. dereplication, is strategically crucial in bioprospecting microbes for novel metabolites. An endophytic fungal strain, CBR-18, was isolated from Cryptolepis buchanani Roem. and identified as Phomopsis liquidambaris by molecular analysis. Biosynthetic polyketide synthase (PKS) genes of CBR-18 were investigated using three sets of degenerate primers, amplified with LC1–LC2c primers. Type I PKS gene-based and chemical investigation by a chromatography-guided approach furnished a broad-spectrum antimicrobial metabolite which was identified as oblongolide Y. Minimum inhibitory concentration values of the compound against test pathogens ranged between 25 and 100 µg/ml. The present study highlights the utility of strain CBR-18 as a promising source of potential polyketide antimicrobial agents which could be exploited for industrial purposes. This approach enabled di...

This paper highlights the ethnobotanical uses of some plants by the Jaunsari tribes of Chakrata Tehsil in the Dehra Dun district. The Jaunsari tribe of Jaunsar-Bawar is a primitive group of people who have their own culture, custom and traditions. The region is quite rich in plant wealth. Living close to nature the tribals use a number of wild plants such as Aesculus indica, Asparagus filicinus, Berberis chitria, Bidens biternata, Cannabis sativa, Cinnamomum tamala, Cissampelos pareira, Crotalaria spectabilis, Cryptolepis buchananii, Datura stramonium, Oxalis corniculata, Rumex nepalensis, Solanum ferox, Thalictrum foliolosum, Viola canescens, Zanthoxylum armatum etc., to fill their day to day requirements. Local names, -habits and flowering periods are provided for each species. The family names (in parentheses) are followed by detailed uses. Finally the authors emphasize the urgent need to document and develop databases on the ethnobotanical uses of the area's plants so that the local inhabitant...

The pollen morphology of eleven (Baroniella Constantin & Galland, Baseonema Schltr. & Rendle, Camptocarpus Decne., Cryptolepis R. Br., Cryptostegia R. Br., Gonocrypta Baill., Harpanema Decne., Ischnolepis Jum. & H. Perrier, Menabea Baill., Pentopetia Decne., and Tanulepis Balf. f.) of the 13 genera of the Periplocaceae from Madagascar have been examined using light-, scanning-, and transmission electron microscopy. All of the genera are characterized by pollen grains arranged in tetrads. The arrangement of the grains may be rhomboidal, decussate or tetragonal. The 4–6 pores present are restricted to the junction area of adjacent grains. Cryptostegia differs from the other genera in that the arrangement of pollen grains is only decussate. In Menabea the tetrads are united into a pollinium. The exine is smooth and consists of a distal stratum (tectum), subtended by a granular stratum consisting of granules of unequal size. Towards the base larger granules are present. In Camptocarpus, Harpanema and...