Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry

Suruthi Chandrasekaran ¹, Vijaya Bharathi Rajkishore ¹, Radha Ramalingam ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Madras Medical College, Chennai, IN

Abstract

The plant Vigna unguiculata belongs to the family Fabaceae/Papilionaceae. It is native to India, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. It grows upto 15-80 cm height, 3-6 inch; long, slender, round, two valved pods. These are herbaceous, erect or sub erect, climbing, prostrate. The plant is known by a variety of names, but cowpea is the most popular worldwide name. In the United states, it is called black-eyed beans, black-eyed peas or sourthern peas, whereas in Indian and Brazil, it is referred to as lobia and caupi respectively In tamil, it is called caramunnipayira/ karamani. Every part of this plant is reported to be useful, the leaves, stem, ischolar_main, legumes of carramunnipayira are edible. Vigna unguiculata contains the following constituents such as saponin, thiamine (appreciable amount), riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid and also foliate. It also has small amount of iron, sodium, zinc, selenium, manganese and copper. Carramunnipayira leaves, stem, ischolar_main and legumes are used for multipurpose in many parts of India and were found to show interesting medicinal properties including diuretic activity, anti oxidant property, anti diabetic activity and anti bacterial activity. The present article summarizes review on the plant, its phytochemistry and its pharmacological activity which have been reported.

Keywords

Vigna unguiculata, Diuretic, Anti Oxidant, Anti Diabetic, Anti Bacterial, Phytochemistry.

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Umesh Annappan ¹, Vijaya Bharathi Rajkishore ¹, Radha Ramalingam ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Madras Medical College, Chennai, IN

Abstract

The genus Zanthoxylum belonging to family Rutaceae comprises over 250 species, among them Zanthoxylum alatum Roxb is a medicinal shrub, locally known as "Timber" growing in the valleys of sub-tropical Himalayas. Local names of this plant are: Tejphal (Hindi), Tejowati (sanskrit), Mukthrubi (Manipuri) and Timur (Nepal)18. It occurs in hot valleys of the sub-tropical Himalayas from jammu to assam and khasi hills at 600 to 1800m. Its fruits branches and thorns are generally used as carminative, stomachic, and remedy for toothache. In India, different parts of the Z. alatum are used in Ayurvedic practices for the treatment of skin diseases, abdominal pain, anorexia. The genus has much ethanobotanical importance and is used as source of pharmaceutical and cosmetic raw material. Traditionally, leaves and fruits are used for mouth freshing and tooth care while bark is used for intoxicating the fishes. The ethano medicinal importance of its seeds has been well known for a long time in indian medicinal system as a stomachic, carminative, disinfectant, antiseptic, and for the treatment of fever, dyspepsia, cholera and general debility. Leaves, fruits and barks are used as spice. Z. alatum consists of following constituents identified from various parts which are alkaloids, flavonoids, saponin, tannins, steroids, terpenes, glycosides, carbohydrates, phenolic, proteins, aminoacids and essential oil possessed several type of biological activities such as larvicidal, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antibiotics, anthelminthic, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-spasmodic, hepatoprotective activity, anti-fungal and anti-viral activity.

Keywords

Zanthoxylum alatum, Anti-Diabetic, Anthelmentic, Anti-Spasmodic, Phytochemistry.

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Thiyagarajan Varudharaj ¹, Muthusamy Periyannan ¹, Jayshree Narayanan ¹, Vijaya Bharathi Rajkishore ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Madras Medical College, Chennai, IN

Abstract

The plant Adansonia digitata belongs to the Bombacaceae family and is generally known as African Baobab. It is a tree species native to Africa. The common English names for the Baobab include Dead-rat tree, Monkey bread tree, Upside-down tree, and Cream of Tartar tree. The Baobab is a traditional food plant in Africa, but is little known elsewhere. The tree is a massive deciduous tree up to 25 m in height and may live for up to hundred years. Every part of the Baobab tree is reported to be useful .The seeds, leaves, ischolar_mains, flowers, fruit pulp and bark of Baobab are edible. The African Baobabs fruit is 15 to 20 centimeters or 6 to 8 inches long. It contains 50% more calcium than spinach, has high anti-oxidants and has three times the vitamin C of an orange. It is sometimes called a super fruit. Adansonia digitata consists of following constituents identified from various parts which are terpenoids, flavonoids, sterols, vitamins, saponins, tannins, amino acids, carbohydrates and lipids. Baobab leaves, bark, ischolar_mains, fruit pulp, and seeds are used for multi purposes in many parts of Africa and were found to show interesting medicinal properties including anti- inflammatory, analgesic, anti-pyretic activity, anti-oxidant, anti-diarrhoea and anti-dysentery. The present article summarizes review on the plant, its phytochemistry and its pharmacological activity which have been reported.

Keywords

Adansonia digitata, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Oxidant, Analgesic Activity, Phytochemistry.

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Shalini Karunanithi ¹, Vijaya Bharathi Rajkishore ¹, Radha Ramalingam ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Madras Medical College, Chennai, IN

Abstract

The plant Erythrina variegata belongs to the Fabaceae family, is a tree with prickly stems. It is a wild growing forest plant in India. The common English names for Erythrina variegata include Indian coral tree, Moochy wood tree. The genus includes 110 species, many of which are cultivated as ornamentals. This is the most cultivated member of the genus. Erythrina variegata also called as Erythrina indica is a thorny deciduous tree growing upto 60 feet tall. Its young stems and other parts are finely hairy, its leaves are mostly ovate and sometimes variegated with yellow. Flowering and fruiting is done in the February-may. It is popular in indigenous system of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy. A wide range of chemical compounds have been isolated from this plant mainly alkaloids, flavonoids, triterpenoids and lectin. Different parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicine as a nervinesedative, collyrium in opthalmia, anti-asthmatic, antiepileptic, antiseptic, astringent, toothache, emmenagogue and galactagogue. Erythrina variegata is an adulterant to the ayurvedic drug Rohitaka. The younger the leaves are the better is their food value, and is an unsurpassed stuff for mixing with rice-straw. The present article summarize review on the plant, its phytochemistry and pharmacological activities.

Keywords

Erythrina variegata, Phytochemitry, Pharmacological Activity, Emmenagogue, Galactagogue.

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