Plants of Indian origin in drug discovery.

The Indian system of medicine (ISM) consists of several major components such as Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and homeopathy. All these components provide the major healthcare for a large part of the population in India and have been flourishing in this country for many centuries. Medicinal plants constitute a major part in all of these traditional systems.

Determination of 6-gingerol in ginger (Zingiber officinale) using high-performance thin-layer chromatography.

A sensitive and accurate High-Performance TLC (HPTLC) method has been developed to determine the quantity of 6-gingerol in rhizomes of Zingiber officinale (family: Zingiberaceae), commonly known as ginger. Methanol extracts of rhizomes from three different sources were used for HPTLC, n-hexane, and diethyl ether (40:60 v/v) as the mobile phase. The Rf of 6-gingerol was found to be 0.

Antioxidant activity of Nelumbo nucifera (sacred lotus) seeds.

Antioxidant activity of hydro alcoholic extract of Nelumbo nucifera seeds (HANN) was studied using in vitro and in vivo models. Total phenolic content in HANN was found to be 7.61 +/- 0.

Antioxidant activity of Aporosa lindleyana root.

Four successive and two crude extracts of Aporosa lindleyana Baill. root were tested for antioxidant activity using standard in vitro and in vivo models. The successive methanol and ethyl acetate and crude 50% methanol extracts showed antioxidant activity with IC50 values 3.

Determination of betulin in Grewia tiliaefolia by HPTLC.

A sensitive, rapid, simple, and accurate high performance thin layer chromatographic method has been developed to standardize the bark of Grewia tiliaefolia Vahl. (Family: Tiliaceae) using betulin as an analytical marker. Chloroform extracts of bark from five different sources were used for HPTLC on silica gel with toluene-ethyl acetate, 90 + 10 v/v, as mobile phase.

Antioxidant activity of Caesalpinia sappan heartwood.

Antioxidant activity of Caesalpinia sappan heartwood was studied both by in vitro and in vivo models. The ethyl acetate, methanol and water extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity as evidenced by the low IC50 values in both 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide methods. The values were found to be less or comparable to those of ascorbic acid and rutin, the standards used.

Pharmacognostical Evaluation of Caesalpinia sappan Heartwood.

Caesalpinia span heartwood is used in folklore in India. The present work attempts to summarize the pharmacognostical characters of the heartwood of this plant. Ash and extractive values, phytochemical tests, HPTLC and fluorescence analysis were carried out.