Phytochemical Investigation of Some Tropical Medicinal and Aromatic Plants from the Western Ghats

Abstract

Over the years a large number of plant, mineral and animal products with therapeutic properties have been identified through observations, experimentations and inference, which later formed the Materia Medica of different cultures. For the present study two traditionally used medicinal plants namely Cocos nucifera particularly its flowering inflorescence and Hemidesmus indicus specifically its roots have been selected keeping in view of their wide spread use in different Indian systems of medicine. Flowering inflorescence of C. nucifera is a constituent of a number of Ayurvedic preparations prescribed for rejuvenation, inflammation and hepato-protection. It also acts as adaptogen, antioxidant etc. Hepatoprotective activity of acetone extract of the C. nucifera inflorescence (CnAE) was assessed in Wistar rats against liver toxicity induced by acetaminophen and compared with that of silymarin (100 mg/kg b.w.). The results revealed that the groups pretreated with CnAE significantly altered the changes in serum enzyme and antioxidant levels. The activity of C. nucifera inflorescence acetone extract (400 mg/kg) is almost equal to that of the standard drug, silymarin. Hemidesmus indicus roots are widely used in Ayurvedic, Unani and traditional medicines. Because of the difficulty in obtaining H. indicus roots in quantities sufficient to meet the requirement of the industry, very often substitutes have been used in place of the original drug. One of the major substitutes that has been used in large quantities by the industries is identified as Decalepis hamiltonii. The present study supports the use of D. hamiltonii as a substitute for H. indicus in traditional medicine. For the farmer, whereas the cultivation of D. hamiltonii with higher yield is easy and brings in higher income to the farmer. Thus our study has provided scientific evidence to the use of Cocos nucifera inflorescence, Hemidesmus indicus and Decalepis hamiltonii roots in Indian systems of medicine.