PHARMACOGNOSTICAL & PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATIONS OF LEAVES OF AMARANTHUS SPINOUSUS LINN. IN CHHATTISGARH

The present study aimed at detailed pharmacognostic evaluation of the crude drug, Morpho-anatomy of the leaves of A. spinosus Linn. was studied to aid pharmacognostic and taxonomic species identification using light and con- focal microscopy, WHO suggested Physico-chemical determinations and authentic phytochemical measures. Ama- ranthus spinosus Linn. (Family Amaranthaceae), a very common Indian plant is known for its medicinal properties and is commonly known as 'spiny amaranth' or 'pig weed', ''Kate wali Chaulai (Kanatabhajii)" in 'Hindi", cultivated throughout in India, Sri Lanka and distributed throughout the tropics and warm temperate regions of Asia, it has antidiabetic, antitumor, analgesic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic, bronchodilator, hepato-protec- tive, spermatogenic, anti-fertility, anti-malarial, antioxidant properties. The present study aims at developing a standardized profile of leaf, stem and root of A.spinosus which would be of immense use to identify and establish the authenticity of the plant A.spinosus Keywords: A Spinosus. Linn., kanta cholai, Pharmacognostical, Phytochemical

Justicia segoviaensis, a new name for Justicia micrantha (Oerst.) V.A.W.Graham (Acanthaceae)

Justicia micrantha (Oerst.) Graham (1988: 603) is a Central American species originally described by Oersted as Chaetothylopsis micrantha Oersterd (1855: 163). However, it is illegitimate name under Art. 53.1 of the ICN (McNeill et al., 2012) because an earlier homonym Justicia micrantha Wall. ex Clarke (1885: 536) already exist for another Indian plant. Therefore, a new name, Justicia segoviaensis, is proposed here for the later homonym, J. micrantha (Oerst.) V.A.W. Graham.

Flavopiridol as cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor: a review

Flavopiridol (alvocidib) is a synthetic flavonoid based on the extract from an Indian plant developed for potential treatment of cancer whose first clinical trials were initiated in 1994 as a frontline combination therapy for leukaemia.