2-Pyrazolines as Biologically Active and Fluorescent Agents, An Overview.

Nitrogen-containing five-membered heterocyclics play a vital role in pharmaceuticals as well as medicinal chemistry. Pyrazolines play a significant role among other heterocycles because of their therapeutic and pharmacological properties. 2-Pyrazolines displayed a wide variety of biological activities such as anticancer, antiepileptic, anti-aids, antimalarial, insecticidal, antitubercular, etc.

Baicalein-phospholipid complex: a novel drug delivery technology for phytotherapeutics.

Flavonoids are a group of low-molecular-weight polyphenolic compounds of plant origin. They exhibit a variety of biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and antitumor etc. Baicalein, is a bioactive flavone constituent of Scutellariae radix with a wide range of beneficial activities.

Techniques for the discovery and evaluation of drugs against alopecia.

Introduction: Hair care, color and style play an important role in physical appearance and self-perception. Hair loss or alopecia is a common dermatological and affective disorder. Factors contributing to alopecia include genetic predisposition, hormonal factors, disease status, side effects of chemotherapeutic agents and stress.

Chemical constituents from the stem bark of Symplocos paniculata Thunb. with antimicrobial, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The stem bark of Symplocos paniculata Thunb. has been used to check abortion in folk medicine in India.

Aim Of The Study: The present study was undertaken to isolate the phytochemicals from the plant together with the evaluation of antimicrobial, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of the plant extract and isolated compounds.

RP-HPLC analysis and antidiabetic activity of Swertia paniculata.

1,2,6,8-Tetrahydroxyxanthone (SR1) and 2,8-dihydroxy-1,6-dimethoxyxanthone (SR2) have been qualitatively and quantitatively determined in leaves and rhizomes of Swertia paniculata. The methanol extracts were analyzed on a C18 column using MeOH and H20 as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. Identification was achieved using an UV variable lambda detector set at 260 nm.

Hair growth and rejuvenation: an overview.

Hair has psychological and sociological importance throughout the ages in framing the personality and general appearance of an individual. Significant progress is being made on discovering an effective and safe drug for hair growth. Angiogenesis, androgen antagonism, vasodilation, potassium channel opening and 5-alpha reductase inhibition are the major non-surgical therapeutic strategies of hair growth promotion.

Habitat-dependent variations in berberine content of Berberis asiatica Roxb. ex. DC. in Kumaon, Western Himalaya.

The variation of the berberine content in roots and stem bark of Berberis asiatica with altitude and edaphic conditions in the western Himalaya was estimated by HPLC. The comparative assessment revealed a significantly higher berberine content in roots than in stem barks. Moreover, the berberine content varied significantly with altitude and edaphic conditions both in root and stem bark samples.

Study on the variations of mineral elements in Swertia speciosa (G. Don).

Variations of micro- and macrominerals concentration in Swertia speciosa were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The mineral elements showed significant changes in roots and leaves collected from different altitudes. Among all the elements, highest concentration (more than 2,000 mg/kg) of Ca and K were recorded in S.

Quantification of mineral elements of Rheum emodi Wallr. (Polygonaceae).

Present investigation was carried out to estimate mineral elements in Rheum emodi Wallr. by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The samples of R.

Supramolecular phospholipids-polyphenolics interactions: the PHYTOSOME strategy to improve the bioavailability of phytochemicals.

The poor and/or erratic oral bioavailability of polyphenolics can be improved using the PHYTOSOME delivery system, a strategy that enhances the rate and the extent of solubilization into aqueous intestinal fluids and the capacity to cross biomembranes. Phospholipids show affinity for polyphenolics, and form supramolecular adducts having a definite stoichiometry. This article reviews the preparation and characterization of PHYTOSOME complexes and their activity in various medicinal (cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anticancer) and cosmetic (skin aging) realms of application.

Trace elements contents in Asparagus curillus (Buch.-Ham.) ex Roxb.

Concentration level of nine elements viz. Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Co, Na, K, Ca, and Li were determined in leaves and roots of Asparagus curillus (Buch.-Ham.

Variation of trace elements contents in Asparagus racemosus (Willd).

The present study was carried out to determine the accumulation and variation of trace elements in roots and leaves of Asparagus racemosus collected from four different altitudes in Uttarakhand, India, by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The metals investigated were Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Co, Na, K, Ca, and Li. The concentration level of Fe was found to be highest at an altitude of 2,250 m, whereas the level of Cu was lowest.

Chemical constituents and antioxidant activity of Mallotus roxburghianus leaves.

Mallotus roxburghianus is used in the traditional medicine in North-Eastern India, but previously no work has been done on the identification of bioactive compounds. Two new compounds, 3-(1-C-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-2,6-dihydroxy-5-methoxybenzoic acid (6) and 2,4,8,9,10-pentahydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyanthracene-6-O-beta-D-rhamnopyranoside (7) together with beta-sitosterol (1), stigmasterol (2), betulinic acid (3), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4), beta-sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside (5), and bergenin (8) were isolated and identified from the leaves of M. roxburghianus.

A new xanthone glycoside and antioxidant constituents from the rhizomes of Swertia speciosa.

From the rhizomes of Swertia speciosa, a traditional medicinal plant from the Himalayan region of Uttaranchal (North India), a new constituent, 6-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-1-[(6-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)oxy]-9H-xanthen-9-one (8), was isolated, together with nine known compounds. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical, physical, and spectroscopic evidence. Both the acetone and MeOH extracts, as well as the known constituents ursolic acid (5) and 1,5,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxy-9H-xanthen-9-one (6) exhibited potent antioxidant activities in different biological assays (Table 2).

Chemopreventive action of xanthone derivatives on photosensitized DNA damage.

Photosensitized DNA damage participates in solar-UV carcinogenesis, photogenotoxicity and phototoxicity. A chemoprevention of photosensitized DNA damage is one of the most important methods for the above phototoxic effects. In this study, the chemopreventive action of xanthone (XAN) derivatives (bellidifolin [BEL], gentiacaulein [GEN], norswertianin [NOR] and swerchirin [SWE]) on DNA damage photosensitized by riboflavin was demonstrated using [32P]-5'-end-labeled DNA fragments obtained from genes relevant to human cancer.