Evaluation of Anti–Inflammatory, Anti–diabetic activity of Indian Bauhinia vahlii (stembark)

Chemometric profile, antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of Camel's foot creeper leaves (Bauhinia vahlii)

The present study is the first effort to a comprehensive evaluation of antityrosinase activity and chemometric analysis of Bauhinia vahlii. The experimental results revealed that the methanol extract of Bauhinia vahlii (BVM) possesses higher polyphenolic compounds and total antioxidant activity than those reported elsewhere for other more conventionally and geographically different varieties. The BVM contain saturated fatty acids such as hexadecanoic acid (10.15%), octadecanoic acid (1.97%), oleic acid (0.61%) and cis-vaccenic acid (2.43%) along with vitamin E (12.71%), α-amyrin (9.84%), methyl salicylate (2.39%) and β-sitosterol (17.35%), which were mainly responsible for antioxidant as well as tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Tyrosinase inhibitory activity of this extract was comparable to that of Kojic acid. These findings suggested that the B. vahlii leaves could be exploited as potential source of natural antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory agent, as well.

Observations on traditional usage of ethnomedicinal plants in humans and animals of Kangra and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh in North-Western Himalaya, India

ETHNOBOTANICAL RELEVANCE

Medicinal plants are frequently used by Gaddi and Gujjar tribes of Kangra and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh, India to cure various ailments in humans and livestock. Therefore, extensive field work was conducted to document the traditional use of ethnomedicinal plants by these tribes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Direct interviews of 208 informants were conducted. The data generated through interviews was analysed using quantitative tools such as use-value (UV), factor informant consensus (Fic) and fidelity level (Fl).

RESULTS

A total of 73 plant species in 67 genera and 40 families were observed to be medicinal and used to cure 22 ailment categories. The highest number of ethnomedicinal plants was recorded from the family Asteraceae followed by Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Acanthaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Polygonaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae and Rutaceae. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part used to treat various ailments followed by whole plant and roots or rhizomes. Ajuga parviflora, Berberis lycium, Viola canescens, Vitex negundo and Zanthoxylum armatum were the most important medicinal plants used for treating human diseases, whereas Achyranthes bidentata, Aloe sp., Cassia fistula, Podophyllum hexandrum and Pogostemon benghalensis were the most important medicinal plants used for treating animal diseases as per use value. The important ailment categories classified on the basis of factor informant consensus were gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders.

CONCLUSION

The present study revealed that people of the study area are extensively using the ethnomedicinal plants to cure various ailments. Plants with high use value and fidelity level should be subjected to pharmacological investigation for scientific validation.