Fatty acid composition of some medicinally useful seeds

Fatty acid composition of seeds from the fruits of Butea monosperma, Jatropha glandulifera and Portulaca oleracea of three different families, namely Papilionaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Portulaceae were determined through Gas Liquid Chromatography to find novel natural sources of essential fatty acids for human health and of economic interest. Comparative studies were also performed to ascertain the utilization of each species for domestic as well as industrial purpose and the quality parameters developed can be utilized as marker characters for the aforesaid seeds used by the pharmaceutical industries.

Chromium in some herbal drugs

The use and demand of herbal drug is increasing day by day in both developing and developed countries due to the growing recognition that these are natural products having no or little side effects and can easily be available at affordable prices. Sometimes these are the only source of health care available to poor people particularly in South East Asia where more than 80% population depend on herbal drugs for their health care needs. Thus the quality and safety of herbal products is very important in order to have desired therapeutic efficacy. But in today's polluted environment with increasing automobile consumption and industrialization, WHO is emphasizing emphatically that without heavy metal assessment the herbal drug should not be used. The concentration of heavy metals including Cr is increasing in the environment and many hazardous effects are caused in the inhabitants of that environment (Prasad and Hagemeyer, 1999; Nriagu and Pacyna, 1998). For example, in human beings, due to Cr numbers of disorders occur like damage to liver, kidney, respiratory and nerve tissues. Besides enhancing risk of human lung cancer due to automobile exhaust and even irritation of skin have also been reported by excess of Cr (Anonymous, 1998; Anonymous 1988). Therefore it is mandatory to assess the Cr concentration in herbal drugs before use. Although some work has been carried out by Rai et al., 2001 a, b; Fuh et al., 2003; Al Ajasa et al., 2004 and Ernst 2002 but it is not enough and lot of work is required in this field.

Free radical scavenging potential of Picrorhiza kurrooa Royle ex Benth

For assessing free radical scavenging potential of P. kurrooa, the antioxidant activity of P. kurrooa extract was studied by lipid peroxidation assay using rat liver homogenate. The extract (1 mg/ml) showed marked protection (up to 66.68%) against peroxidation of liver phospholipids. Besides, reduced glutathione showed very encouraging activity. The extract also exhibited significant scavenging activity. Thus augmenting the wide use of plant in the indigenous system of medicine, which may partly be due to antioxidant and free radical scavening activity of the extract.