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Ravenia spectabilis Engl. belongs to the family Rutaceae is known to possess several biologically active phytomolecules. This study was planned to investigate the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the leaf essential oil of R. spectabilis. The hydrodistillation of fresh leaves of R. spectabilis gave 0.19 ± 0.02% essential oil. The resulting essential oil was analysed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Altogether, thirty-one constituents forming 97.6 ± 1.72% of the total oil composition were identified. Major components of the oil were sabinene (60.8 ± 0.36%), α-pinene (5.4 ± 0.30%), myrcene (4.8 ± 0.25%), δ-3-carene (4.7 ± 0.62%) and β-pinene (4.3 ± 0.17%). The in-vitro antimicrobial potential of the oil was examined against eight human pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains. The essential oil showed significant activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida albicans, and Candida kefyr. This is the first report on R. spectabilis leaf essential oil composition and its antimicrobial activity. The essential oil could be a promising natural source of sabinene and antimicrobial for developing new phytotherapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical investigations on the stem of Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (Convolvulaceae) led to the isolation of one new compound characterised as 3′,4′-dimethoxy-1-phenyl-1α, 2-ethanediol (1), along with eight known compounds as tridecanyl palmitate, palmitic acid, n-pentatriacontane, n-triacont-21, 27-dien-1-ol, kaempherol, chlorogenic acid, 5,7-dimethoxyapigenin and quercitin. The chemical structures were established with the help of physical, chemical and spectroscopic methods. The antimicrobial potential of the new compound (1) was evaluated against three bacterial and three fungal pathogenic strain and showed significant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of the senescent leaves of Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae). The hydrodistilled essential oil of the leaves was analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was assessed against human and plant pathogenic microorganisms by disc diffusion, microdilution broth and poison food techniques. A total of forty-six constituents, representing 90.9% of the total oil composition were identified. Major constituents of the oil were limonene (29.1%), (E)-caryophyllene (15.7%), caryophyllene oxide (8.8%), caryophylla-4(12),8(13)-dien-5-ol (6.5%), (E)-nerolidol (4.0%), α-cadinol (3.4%), and muurola-4,10(14)-dien-1-β-ol (2.5%). The chemical composition of the examined essential oil was quite different from those reported earlier. The essential oil showed significant inhibition of human pathogenic bacteria (MIC: 0.065–0.261 mg/mL) and plant pathogenic fungi, namely Curvularia lunata (86.02%) and Fusarium chlamydosporum (82.80%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study was aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity, bactericidal mechanism of action, killing kinetics and anti-inflammatory activity of Isodon melissoides (Benth.) H. Hara essential oil. The gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of carvacrol (45.4%), p-cymene (11.6%) and thymol (11.3%) as major constituents of the oil. The oil displayed broad spectrum significant antibacterial activity (MIC: 0.13–8.33 ppm; MBC: 0.13–>33.34 ppm) against test strains. The oil exhibited a time and dose-dependent bactericidal effect. The oil disrupted the cell membrane by changing the cell membrane permeability. The essential oil significantly decreased the overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines in LPS-induced inflammation in HaCaT cells without any cytotoxic effect. I. melissoides essential oil can be a promising alternative antimicrobial agent for the control of methicillin resistant staphylococci and other pathogenic bacteria tested, and also useful for the topical anti-inflammatory properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polyphenolic flavonoid, Silymarin isolated from Silybum marianum is widely known for its hepatoprotective action. In the present study anti-plasmodial activity of Silymarin has been demonstrated for the first time having IC50 of 14 ± 0.33 μM against the NF-54 strain of P. falciparum with high selectivity index (>100). The parasitostatic action is exerted through inhibition of β-hematin/hemozoin formation which is due to the interaction (Kd = 3.63 ± 0.9µM) of silymarin with free heme in a Stoichiometry of 1:1 Silymarin: heme complex resulting into heme-induced membrane damage in the parasite. Silymarin could hinder the glutathione and hydrogen peroxide-induced heme detoxification. Silymarin also induces apoptosis in the parasite through the elevation of caspase-3 level in a dose-dependent manner. Results from the docking studies suggest that Silymarin interacts with heme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eugenol is a phytochemical present in aromatic plants has generated considerable interest in the pharmaceutical industries mainly in cosmetics. A series of eugenol esters (ST1-ST7) and chloro eugenol (ST8) have been synthesized. The structures of newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by ¹H and 13C NMR and mass spectrometry. In an effort to evaluate the pharmacological activity of eugenol derivatives, we explored its anti-inflammatory potential against skin inflammation using in-vitro and in-vivo bioassay. Synthesized derivatives significantly inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines against LPS-induced inflammation in macrophages. Among all derivatives, ST8 [Chloroeugenol (6-chloro, 2-methoxy-4-(prop-2-en-1-yl)-phenol)] exhibited most potent anti-inflammatory activity without any cytotoxic effect. We have further evaluated the efficacy and safety in in-vivo condition. ST8 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity against TPA-induced skin inflammation without any skin irritation effect on experimental animals. These findings suggested that ST8 may be a useful therapeutic candidate for the treatment of skin inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical investigations on the fruits of Zanthoxylum armatum Roxb. (Rutaceae) led to the isolation of two new constituents characterised as 2α-methyl-2β-ethylene-3β-isopropyl-cyclohexan-1β, 3α-diol (1) and phenol-O-β-D-arabinopyranosyl-4′-(3″, 7″, 11″, 15″-tetramethyl)-hexadecan-1″-oate (2) along with known compounds m-methoxy palmityloxy benzene (3), acetyl phenyl acetate (4), linoleiyl-O-α-D-xylopyranoside (5), m-hydroxyphenoxy benzene (6) and palmitic acid (7). The chemical structures were established with the help of physical, chemical and spectroscopic methods. The anti-inflammatory potential of isolated compounds 1 and 2 was evaluated using in vitro target-based anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-stimulated primary peritoneal macrophages isolated from mice. Production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) was significantly inhibited by the treatment of isolated compounds 1 and 2 in a dose-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cymbopogon distans (Nees ex Steud.) Will. Watson (Poaceae) is a promising aromatic plant distributed in the Himalayas. In this study, five acyclic monoterpenoids, namely geranyl acetate (RS1), neral (RS2), geranial (RS3), citral (RS4) and geraniol (RS5) were isolated from the essential oil of C. distans . The isolated compounds were tested for in-vitro neuroinflammation inhibitory potential in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. RS1-RS4 exhibited significant neuroinflammation inhibition without any cytotoxic effect at the dose of 10 μM. RS4, the most active anti-neuroinflammatory compound (TNF-α 31.48 ± 1.00%; IL-6 24.02 ± 0.63%; IL-1β 42.15 ± 1.76%) was also able to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in a dose-dependent manner. The results showed that RS4 (an isomeric mixture of neral and geranial) has the potential to inhibit neuroinflammation and AChE, which are the biomarkers of neurodegenerative disorders.

Eugenol( 1 ), a terpenoid found in Ocimum, has various biological activities. The present study aims at extraction, isolation of the plant secondary metabolite eugenol ( 1 ), it's derivatisation and structure identification as bioactive molecules. Synthesis and antiplasmodial activity ( in-vitro and in-vivo ), of a series of fourteen novel eugenol-based 1,2,3-triazole derivatives was done in the present study. Derivatives 5a - 5n showed good antimalarial activity against the strain Plasmodium falciparum NF 54 . Derivative 5 m , IC 50 at 2.85 µM was found to be several times better than its precursor 1 (106.82 µM) whereas the derivative 5n showed three fold better activity than compound 1 , in vitro . The structure-activity relationship of the synthesised compounds indicated that the presence of triazole ring in eugenol analogues is responsible for their good activity. Compound 5m , was further evaluated for in-vivo antimalarial activity which showed about 79% parasitemia suppression. It is the first report on antimalarial activity of triazole eugenol derivatives.