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Purpose: To standardize Zakham-e-Hayat (Bryophyllum pinnatum Lam.) as well as determine its cytotoxic and insecticidal activity. Methods: Different parts of the plant (flowers, young leaves, old leaves and stem) and different solvents, viz, methanol, ethyl acetate and n-hexane were used for the extraction. Morphological characterization (macroscopic and microscopic), phytochemical screening for primary and secondary metabolites, and thin layer chromatography (TLC) using various solvent systems, namely, methanol/chloroform (MeOH/CHCl3), n-hexane/methanol/chloroform (n-hexane/MeOH/CHCl3), methanol/chloroform/water (MeOH/CHCl3/H2O), n-hexane/chloroform (n-hexane/CHCl3), n-hexane/ethyl acetate (n-hexane/EtOAc) were carried out. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was also performed. In addition, the extracts were evaluated for their cytotoxic and insecticidal activities. Results: The methanol fraction of the young leaves had 50% lethal dose (LD50) of 28.46 µg/mL while the ethyl acetate fraction of young and old leaves showed significant cytotoxicity at LD50 of 0.13 µg/mL and 142.68 µg/mL respectively. On the other hand, n-hexane fraction was inactive. The methanol fraction of the flower revealed the presence of carbohydrates, the ethyl acetate fraction showed the presence of carbohydrates and amino acids, while the n-hexane fraction showed the presence of carbohydrates as primary metabolites. Furthermore, alkaloids, flavonoid, saponins and resins were present in the methanol fraction, flavonoid and alkaloids in the ethyl acetate fraction, and alkaloids and resins in the n-hexane fraction as secondary metabolites. Conclusion: Methanol and n-hexane fractions of Bryophyllum pinnatum have some safe bioactive compounds which may exhibit potential health benefits.

Purpose: To investigate the pharmacognostic, phytochemical, biological and spectroscopic analyses of Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew root and stem bark.Methods: Plant material (root and stem bark) was collected, authenticated, shade-dried and extracted by maceration using methanol as a solvent separately. Powder microscopy was performed using a binocular microscope. Fluorescence, physico-chemical analysis and phytochemical screening for the presence of secondary metabolites were performed using standard methods. Brine shrimp lethalitybioassay was carried out using Artemia salina bioassay, while enzymatic modulatory study was performed by α-amylase inhibition assay. Microscopic analysis was carried out with scanning electron microscopy. Spectroscopic analysis was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).Results: Powder microscopy showed the presence of different cellular structures. Various colors were observed under ultraviolet (UV) and ordinary light when treated with different reagents. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins and flavonoids but phenol and cardiac glycosides were absent from both extracts. The root bark of the plant showed significant brine shrimp lethality activity.Conclusion: Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew root and stem bark contain a variety of bioactive compounds that have medicinal and therapeutic potentials. Therefore, further investigations are required to elucidate their pharmacological properties. Keywords: Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew, Phytochemical, Spectroscopy, α-Amylase

There is a long history of natural products for the treatment of infections and diseases. The objective of present study was to investigate the organoleptic, microscopic, physico-chemical, phytochemical, antidiarrheal and antidiabetic potential of leaf, flowering bud and stem bark of Moringa oleifera L. Macroscopic, microscopic, physico-chemical parameters and phytochemical screening were carried out. Diarrhea was induced with castor oil (10ml/kg), verapamil (3, 10 and 30mg/kg) were used as standard antidiarrheal drug and extract of Moringa oleifera at (100, 300 and 1000mg/kg) was used for treatment. Alpha glucosidase inhibitory assay was carried out by using acarbose (0.5mM) and extracts (5.0 mg/Ml). Diabetes was induced by alloxan (150mg/kg), while glibenclamide (10mg/kg) was used as standard drug, and extracts (at the doses of 500mg/kg) were used to determine the antidiabetic activity. Results showed the presence of primary and secondary metabolites, treatment at the dose of 1.0g/kg of leaf, flowering bud and stem bark showed 94 ±2.527, 85.42±5.460 and 84.58±6.138% protection respectively whereas verapamil (10mg/kg) showed 94.84±3.27% protection. Alpha glucosidase inhibition of stem bark (0.5mg/ml) was 95.43±1.47 and flowering bud 94.78±1.25 whereas acarbose (5mM) inhibition was 92.23±0.14%. Stem bark and flowering bud extract (500mg/kg) decreases the blood glucose level from 388.5±35.83 to 226.3±47.10 and 322.5±48.35 to 173.8±29.5 respectively whereas glibenclamide (10 mg/kg) decreases the blood glucose level from 320.7±22.9 to 146.3±17.7 and increases the body weight of the experimental animal. It was concluded from the results that stem bark has strong antidiabetic potential while leaves of the plant have promising antidiarrheal effect.

Medicinal plants of Pakistan are known for their curative properties against snake bite as rural people have been using natural herbs for such injuries for hundreds to thousands of years. People of rural areas of Pakistan are prone to snakebite, and on the whole death due to snakebite has been increasing worldwide. The objective of this study was to test the neutralizing potential of 17 Pakistani medicinal plant extracts against phospholipase A2 activity in Echis carinatus venom. Plant material was extracted by simple maceration and fractionation of active plant extracts. Venom was collected by manual massage of the venom glands. The PLA2 enzymatic assay was performed to map out the venomous activity of Echis carinatus envenomation. Snake venom released fatty acids at different concentrations (0.1-5 mg/ml) of venom in a dose-dependent manner. Reduction of pH by 01 correlated with 133 μmol of fatty acids released at 5mg/ml of venom. All plants extract inhibited PLA2 activity, however, Curcuma longa, Citrullus colocynthis and Rubia cordifolia inhibited maximum of PLA2 activity (⁓78%) comparable to the standard antidote (p0.5). Medicinal plants possess secondary metabolites and many active compounds that may have neutralizing or inhibiting properties against the PLA2 activity of Echis venom. Further studies such as compound analysis could provide an alternative against snakebites injuries resulting from Echis carinatus venom.

Hepatotoxicity is appreciably escalating health dilemma worldwide and the degree of the problem has encouraged importance in the exploration for hepatotherapeutic agents from plants. In the current research work, the hepatoprotective/hepatocurative activity of methanolic extract of Spilanthes acmella Murr aerial parts in paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity was investigated in rabbits by the analysis of different liver enzymes including ALT, AST, ALP along with histopathological investigations. In first phase of the study, paracetamol toxicated rabbits were treated with extract and standard drug jatepar TM. The hepatotoxicant (paracetamol) significantly increased the levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase compared to normal control. Spilanthes acmella Murr at (400 mg/kg) reversed the elevation in the level of ALP, AST and ALT caused by the hepatotoxicants and jeteparR TM (standard) also reversed the deleterious effects of the hepatotoxicants. In second phase of this study, extract of Spilanthes acmella Murr was given to rabbits for ten days then paracetamol was administered in one group and level of liver parameters was paralleled with regular control group and the group that was receiving the extract. It is concluded that methanolic extract of Spilanthes acmella Murr aerial parts possesses hepatocurative and hepatoprotective activity.