Phytochemical investigation and pharmacological evaluation of medicinal plants for anti microbial anti oxidant anti inflammatory activities and nephrotoxicity

Abstract

Chemical composition and biological activities of many herbs have been studied by newlineresearchers for purposes of investigation or new drug development. Our aim was to newlineanalyze anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory activities and nephrotoxicity newlineof the following five traditionally used herbs: Abies pindrow, Cordyceps sinensis, newlineDracaena cinnabari, Doronicum hookeri and Flacourtia cataphracta. newlineAbies pindrow Royle leaves are referred as Taalisa in ayurvedic medicinal newlinesystem and are used as a remedy for fever, hypoglycemia, bronchitis, asthma, newlinehaemoptysis and inflammatory conditions. Cordyceps sinensis, a rare and exotic newlinemedicinal fungus, is parasitic on lepidopteron larvae, and has been used in Traditional newlineChinese Medicine ever since, to treat kidney, lung, and heart ailments, male and newlinefemale sexual dysfunction, fatigue, cancer, hiccups, and serious injury, to relieve pain, newlineand the symptoms of tuberculosis and hemorrhoids, to restore general health and newlineappetite, and to promote longevity. Dracaena cinnabari resin is called Dragon s newlineblood and Dammul-akhwain (Unani), has been known for a long time in Yemeni newlinefolk medicine as an astringent in diarrhoea and dysentery, as well as an antiseptic, newlinehaemostatic and anti-ulcer remedy. The dried roots of Doronicum hookeri, newlinecommonly known as Drunajagrabi (Unani) are used as a stimulant, carminative, newlineexpectorant, anodyne, oil placed on wounds and ulcers in unani medicine. Dried newlineleaves of Flacourtia cataphracta are commonly known as Zarnab (Unani) and used newlineas tonic, astringent, antiseptic and diuretic. newlineThese medicinal plants were initially extracted with solvents of different newlinepolarity and screened for their antimicrobial activities. All herbal extracts were found newlineto show inhibition to the test microorganisms, with dichloromethane extract of D. newlinecinnabari resin showing the highest inhibitory activity and highest correlation newlinebetween minimum inhibitory concentration and zone of inhibitions against test newlinemicroorganisms.