Phytochemistry and Antigenotoxic Properties of Six Ethnobotanically Important Members From the Family Zingiberaceae

Genotoxicity is considered as a potential cause of various diseases including cancer. During the last decade, herbal extracts attained a great deal of attention due to its safe and effective applications against various DNA damaging agents. However, the mechanism of DNA strand breaks by various mutagens and genotoxins is often correlated with the generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Herbal extracts constitute a number of phytochemicals and those are reported to have considerable antioxidant properties, which are in turn capable of neutralizing ROS mediated DNA damage. The botanical family Zingiberaceae is reported to have significant antioxidant and antigenotoxic potential by various researchers. Among a number of species belonging to this family, six species, namely Alpinia galanga, A. zerumbet, Curcuma amada, C. caesia, Zingiber officinale, and Z. zerumbet, attract notable attention due to their remarkable ethnobotanical and medicinal importance. This chapter deals with phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and antigenotoxic properties of these six Zingiberaceous plant extracts.

Effect of drying methods on quality of dried white tumeric (Curcuma amada)

White turmeric (Curcuma amada) is a traditional medicine that contains phenolic as an antioxidant—usually processed into drinks or capsules. Currently, the drying method used is sunlight can reduce the quality of white turmeric. The study’s objectives were to investigate the most optimal drying method based on physical and chemical quality and drying rate. There were seven drying methods employed: sun-drying (SD), cabinet drying with the heating temperature of 50 °C, 60°C, and 70°C (namely CD50, CD60, and CD70, respectively), freeze-drying with the final heating temperature of 30°C, 40°C, and 50°C (namely FD30, FD40, and FD50, respectively). Quality parameters measured were moisture content, color, volume, particle density, morphological visualization, and total phenolic compound. The results showed that the drying method affected the observed parameters. The freeze-drying with a heating temperature of 30°C was the most optimal drying method, with moisture content reduced from 91.41% to 7.56%. After the drying process, the color changed value was 19.18, with a volume shrinkage of 69.37% and particle density of 0.41 g/cm3. The total phenolic compound of freeze-dried white Tumeric was 8.427 mgGAE gsolid −1.

Comparative Study of Postpartum Therapeutic Batisa from Southern Rajasthan

ABSTRACT Southern Rajasthan is region in rich therapeutic herbal medicines and is cautious about women and neonatal health. It uses various herbs for postpartum therapeutic foods among which is a 32 Herbal Composition Formulation, which forms an important recipe. The present study states the principle 45 ingredients of Batisa and composition of this formulation in Ghee or emulsified and alcohol media. Fifteen ingredients, that is, Anethum graveolens, Areca catechu, Curculigo orchioides, Curcuma amada, Embelia ribes, Litsea glutinosa, Mesua ferrea, Myristica fragrans, Quercus infectoria, Rubia cordifolia, Sida cordifolia, Terminalia chebula, Tribulus terrestris, Trigonella foenum-graecum and Vitex negundo are common to both alcohol and Ghee based Batisa.

Neuroprotective role of Curcuma amada in F1 progeny of Juvenile Danio rerio (Zebrafish) from Nickel Chloride Induced Maternal Stress in Gestationally Challenged Adult Fishes

Background: Nickel chloride, a widely occurring heavy metal compound is reported to be neuro toxic to organisms. It was shown to cause detrimental behaviour and biochemical changes. However, its effect on the nervous system of offspring of the victimized organisms and the combating strategies remain unexplained. Such studies could broaden our knowledge on the detrimental effect of toxic compounds and help in developing suitable combating strategies. Purpose: To evaluate the neuroprotective role of ethyl acetate extract (EA) of Curcuma amada in the brain of F1 progeny of Danio rerio (Zebrafish) which has been gestationally exposed to neurotoxicant nickel chloride. Methods: The group distribution of the study was Group I-Control Juvenile Fish, Group II-Juvenile fish obtained from female fishes subjected to nickel chloride exposure for 50 days, Group III-Juvenile fish obtained from female fish subjected to nickel chloride exposure and co- treated with EA extract of Curcuma amada (150µg) from 30th day to 50th day, Group-IV-Juvenile fish treated with EA extract of Curcuma amada (150µg) for 50 days. Neuroprotective role of ethyl acetate extract of Curcuma amada was evaluated in the juvenile fish (F1 progeny) by performing anxiety and memory test, visualizing ultra-structural changes of juvenile brain using transmission electron microscopy and biochemical assay of membrane bound enzymes. Result: In Colour preference test, there was marked reduction in anxiety behavior in the F1 progeny of exposed fish co treated with EA extract of Curcuma amada (Group III) compared to F1 progeny of metal exposed group (Group-II). In the novel object rejection test, there was a marked improvement in the memory and learning pattern of the EA extract of Curcuma amada treated fishes (Group III) compared to F1 progeny of metal exposed group (Group-II). TEM analysis showed clumped and condensed chromatin, peripheral margination and empty mitochondria with loss of cristae and lipid droplets in Nickel exposed model (Group-II) which was found to be alleviated in EA extract of Curcuma amada co-treated group (Group-III). Altered activities of Calcium ATPases and Sodium potassium ATPases was noted in Nickel chloride exposed Group (Group-II) which however were regulated by EA extract of Curcuma amada. Conclusion: The study suggests that Curcuma amada could combat the toxic effect of nickel chloride in the juvenile fish, the progeny of the exposed adult female.