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In India, natural preparations derived from the plants are widely use for the treatments of various diseases. Hence, it becomes necessary to assess the modulating action of the plant extract when associated with other substances. Potassium canrenoate (PC) is a synthetic steroid and is used in the treatment of hypertension. It is not only a genotoxic agent, but also a tumor-initiating agent. In the present study, the effect of various doses (i.e., 5, 10, 20, and 30 µM) of PC were studied for their genotoxic effects in the presence of S9 mix in cultured human lymphocytes, using mitotic index, chromosomal aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges, and replication index as parameters. PC was found to be genotoxic at 20 and 30 µM. Treatment of 30 µM of PC was given along with different doses of Plumbago zeylanica extract (i.e., 107.5, 212.5, 315, and 417 µg/mL) of the culture medium. A dose-dependent decrease in the genotoxic effects of PC was observed. The result suggested that the plant extract per se does not have genotoxic potential, but can modulate the genotoxicity of PC in cultured human lymphocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physicochemical parameters of roots of three Plumbago species, Plumbago capensis, P. rosea and P. zeylanica belonging to Plumbaginaceae were analyzed. Microbial contamination, aflatoxins, pesticide residue and heavy metal content were also determined. Attempt has also been made to estimate the biologically active chemical plumbagin present in them and the data compared. The study ensures that the quality control parameters do help in the proper standardization of the crude drugs in drug development process for global acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Plumbago zeylanica Linn. (Family: Plumbaginaceae) is indigenous to Southeast Asia. This tree species has been of interest to researchers because it is a medicinal plant employed in Indian traditional system of medicine.Objective: Pharmacognostic Standardization, Physico-and Phytochemical Evaluation of the root of P. zeylanica was carried out to determine its macro-and microscopical characters and also some of its quantitative standards.Materials and methods: Microscopical studies were done by using trinocular microscope. Total ash, water-soluble ash and acid-insoluble ash values; Alcohol-and water-soluble extractive values were determined for physico-chemical evaluations. Preliminary phytochemical screening was also done to detect different phytoconstituents. Results and discussion: Microscopically, root showed cork, cortex, stellar region and calcium oxalate crystals. Powder microscopy showed thin walled parenchyma cells, spiral to helical elongated xylem vessels, phloem fibers, simple to compound starch grains, and cork cells. Total ash was approximately, 3 times more than acid insoluble and similar to water soluble ash. Ethanol soluble extractive was approximately same as water soluble extractive. T.L.C. of Petroleum-ether extract using Benzene: Methanol (19:1), showed nine spots. In the chloroform extract, using Benzene: Ethyl acetate (4:1), eight spots and in ethanol extract, using Chloroform: Methanol (93:7), only four spots were observed using Iodine vapor as a viewing medium. Phytochemically, root exhibited terpenes, glycosides and sugars. Conclusion: These findings might be useful to supplement information in regard to its identification parameters assumed significantly in the way of acceptability of herbal drugs in present scenario lacking regulatory laws to control quality of herbal drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the antifertility properties of extracts of leaves of Plumbago zeylanica Linn. (Plumbaginaceae)., Methods: The effects of petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, ethanol and aqueous extracts of the leaves of P. zeylanica on the estrous cycle of rats were studied at two dose levels, namely, 200 and 400 mg/kg. The effective extracts were assessed with regard to their oestrogenic activity in the same species., Results: The acetone and ethanol extracts were most effective in interrupting the estrous cycle of the rats (p < 0.05). The animals exhibited a prolonged diestrous stage of the estrous cycle corresponding to a temporary inhibition of ovulation. The antiovulatory activity was reversible on discontinuation of treatment. Both extracts showed significant oestrogenic and anti-oestrogenic activity (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: The acetone and ethanolic extracts of leaves of P. zeylanica have an antifertility activity.

Plumbago zeylanica (known as "Chitrak") is a useful Indian medicinal plant. The root of the plant and its constituents are credited with potential therapeutic properties including anti-atherogenic, cardiotonic, hepatoprotective and neuroprotective properties. To examine possible mechanisms of action of P. zeylanica (Chitrak), in relation to its reported beneficial properties, antioxidant effects of the aqueous/alcoholic extracts of root, corresponding to medicinal preparations, and the active ingredient, plumbagin, were studied. Methods used included: ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), radical scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azobis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), lipid peroxidation in rat liver mitochondria induced by different agents, and estimating phenolic and flavonoid content. In FRAP/DPPH assays, boiled ethanolic extracts were the most effective, while in the ABTS assay boiled aqueous extracts were the most efficient. These extracts also significantly inhibited lipid peroxidation induced by cumene hydroperoxide, ascorbate-Fe(2+) and peroxynitrite and contained high amounts of polyphenols and flavonoids. To examine the mechanisms of action in detail, antioxidant and pulse radiolysis studies with plumbagin were conducted. The hydroxyl (.OH), alkyl peroxyl (CCl(3)OO.), linoleic acid peroxyl (LOO.), and glutathiyl (GS.) radicals generate a phenoxyl radical upon reaction with plumbagin. The bimolecular rate constants were: .OH, 2.03 x 10(9) dm(3)mol(-1)s(-1); CCl(3)OO., 1.1 x 10(9) dm(3)mol(-1)s(-1); LOO., 6.7 x 10(7) dm(3)mol(-1)s(-1); and GS., 8.8 x 10(8) dm(3)mol(-1)s(-1). In conclusion, our studies reveal that extracts of P. zeylanica and its active ingredient plumbagin have significant antioxidant abilities that may possibly explain some of the reported therapeutic effects.