Antidepressant effects of natural and micropropagated Bacopa monnieri (L.) plant extracts

Linn. an important medicinal plant in Indian system of alternative medicine belonging to Scrophulariaceae family. It is distributed in the wet and marshy lands throughout India, Nepal and many other parts of world. This study was carried out to evaluate the natural and micropropagated plant extract for antidepressant activity. Antidepressant effects of natural and micropropagated plant extract was evaluated by spontaneous motor activity. All the extracts were administered 30 min prior to the test. The standard drug chlorpromazine (2mg/kg) was used. The locomotor activity was performed using an actophotometer after different doses of test drug. Result: The locomotor activity of control and treated mice were recorded and statistically correlated among the control, standard and the test drugs. The inhibition of spontaneous motor activity in case of BMN, BMS extract was found 291, 93.5 and 277, 93.66 count at interval of 30 and 60 min. respectively. But in case of BMM plant extract it was found 290, 87.33 and 146 count at 30, 60 and 120 min. interval respectively so results showed that a significant antidepressant-like effect at a dose of 100 mg/kg. It can be used as adjuvant therapy for depression. There was statistically highly significant (p value <0.001) association observed. Further evaluation on the different mechanisms of action of ethanolic extracts of natural and micropropagated plant needs to be studied in the future.

Standardization and reproducibility of random marker based analysis of micropropagated crimson beebalm

Genetic analysis of the stability in micropropagated plant material are required to be perform by effective and reproducible techniques. When no specific DNA based markers are available for certain species, such as for crimson beebalm, standardized and optimized protocols can be used even for random based markers. Here we report for the first time the optimization of PCR conditions for RAPD analysis for the purposes of the establishment of fast, reliable and reproducible method for screening of genetic stability in Monarda dydima, L. micropropagated cultures. RAPD protocol was optimized based on the use of 50 or 100 ng of template DNA and annealing temperature of 36?C, resulted optimal amplification. Setting the standardized PCR conditions, primers used in experiments generated reproducible and distinguishable fingerprinting patterns for micropropagated cultures of crimson beebalm and is suitable for further analysis of studying genetic variation of this medicinal plant.

Microbiological and Pharmacological Evaluation of the MicropropagatedRubus liebmanniiMedicinal Plant

Rubus liebmanniiis an endemic species from Mexico used in traditional medicine primarily to treat dysentery and cough. Thein vitroactivity againstGiardia lambliaandEntamoeba histolyticathat produces the ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of the plant led us to expand the pharmacological and phytochemical research of this species. Gastrointestinal disorders including amebiasis remain one of the health problems that need to be addressed and it is of interest to find alternatives that improve their treatment. Also, it is important to emphasize thatR. liebmanniigrows wild in the country and is not found in abundance; therefore, alternatives that avoid overexploitation of the natural resource are mandatory. Ongoing with the evaluation of the potentialities thatR. liebmanniipossesses for treating infectious gastrointestinal diseases, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the biological effects and the chemical composition of the micropropagated plant.