International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 11 (3), pp. 001-005, March, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Advances in the study of flavonoids in Ginkgo biloba leaves

Shui-Yuan Cheng¹, Feng Xu² and Yan Wang²*

¹College of Life Science and Engineering, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000, China.

²College of Horticulture and Gardening, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, P.R.of China.

Accepted 16 December, 2021

Abstract

Ginkgo biloba flavonoids are one of the most popular herbal supplements, taken for their perceived “memory enhancing” properties. In this paper, the current studies of Ginkgo biloba flavonoids from leaves is been reviewed. Flavonoids are derived from the products of the shikimate and acetate-malonate pathways. Flavonoid concentration in G. biloba leaves is not only regulated by the involvement of genes, but also by other factors, such as photosynthesis, tree age, season, extent of leaf maturity, plant seed- load, the reproductive ways of nursery stock and the variety, time, quantity of fertilizer application and so on. Ecological factors influence flavonoid concentration primarily during the young stage of ginkgo development. Among all ecological factors, light and temperature are the most important. Great progress in producing flavonoids by means of biological technology and chemical synthesis has been made. Comments and analysis on the methods of increasing flavonoid content in G. biloba leaves were made in this review.

Key words: Ginkgo biloba, flavonoid, mechanism of control, external synthesis.

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 11 (2), pp. 001-008, February, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Acinos species: Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidative activity

Gordana Stojanovi ¹*, Tatjana Golubovi ², Dušanka Kiti ³ and Radosav Pali ¹

¹Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia.

²Faculty of Occupational Safety, arnojevica 10 a, University of Niš, 18000 Niš, Serbia.

³Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, Bulevar Zorana  in i a 81, 18000 Niš, Serbia.

Accepted 16 December, 2021

Abstract

Published papers considering composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Acinos Miller species were reviewed. Main volatile constituents are pulegone, menthone and germacrene D. Alcoholic and water extracts contain a number of flavonoids. Reported chemical composition suggest potential use of Acinos species as phyto-therapeutic and food preservative agents. The investigation of biological activity of Acinos species has rarely been reported so further research should be carried out to determine whether the extract components posses activity both, in vitro and in vivo and ultimately are safe for human consumption.

Key words: Acinos, Lamiaceae, essential oil, antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, composition.

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-018, January, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Review

A review on trends in production of secondary metabolites from higher plants by in vitro tissue, organ and cell cultures

S. Karuppusamy

Department of Botany, The Madura College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu – 625 011, India. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 15 December, 2021

Abstract

Plant cell and tissue cultures can be established routinely under sterile conditions from explants, such as plant leaves, stems, roots, meristems etc for both the ways for multiplication and extraction of secondary metabolites. Strain improvement, methods for the selection of high-producing cell lines, and medium optimizations can lead to an enhancement in secondary metabolite production. However, most often trials with plant cell cultures fail to produce the desired products. In such cases, strategies to improve the production of secondary metabolites must be considered. One of the main problems encountered is the lack of basic knowledge of the biosynthetic routes, and mechanisms responsible for the production of plant metabolites. Where the productivity of the desired metabolites is limited by the lack of particular precursors, biotransformation using an exogenous supply of biosynthetic precursors, genetic manipulation and metabolic engineering may improve the accumulation of compounds. Feedback inhibition of metabolic enzymes as well as inhibition of membrane transport can be eliminated by the accumulation of synthesized products in a second phase introduced into the aqueous medium. Organ cultures and in vitro biomass production often have sites of synthesis and storage of secondary metabolites in separate compartments. Elicitors, compounds triggering the formation of secondary metabolites, can be abiotic or biotic. Natural elicitors include polysaccharides such as pectin and chitosan, which are also used in the immobilization and permeabilization of plant cells. Immobilization with suitable bioreactor system provides several advantages, such as continuous process operation, but for the development of an immobilized plant cell culture process, natural or artifically induced secretion of the accumulated product into the surrounding medium is necessary. The present review highlights the nature, applications, perspective and scale up methods for the production of valuable secondary metabolites in vitro.

Key words: Plant cell cultures, secondary metabolites, biotransformation, biosynthetic pathways, elicitation, immobilization, bioreactors.

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 10 (6), pp. 001-010, June, 2021. © International Scholars Journals

Review 

Traditional practice, bioactivities and commercialization potential of Elephantopus scaber Linn.

Wan Yong Ho¹, Huynh Ky^1,2, Swee Keong Yeap¹, Raha Abdul Rahim¹, Abdul Rahman Omar³, Chai Ling Ho¹ and Noorjahan Banu Alitheen^1,*

¹Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400 Selangor, Malaysia.

²Department of Agriculture Genetics and Breeding, College of Agriculture and Applied Biology, Cantho University, 3/2 Street, CanTho City, VietNam.

³Institure of Bioscience, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, 43400 Selangor, Malaysia.

Accepted 16 March, 2021

Abstract

Elephantopus scaber Linn. is known as Prickly-leaves elephant’s foot or di dan tou in Chinese. It has been used in traditional medicine to stimulate diuresis, reduce fever and eliminate bladder stones, as well as to treat nephritis, edema, dampness, chest pain, pneumonia, scabies, arthralgia and leukemia. A number of phytochemicals have also been isolated from this plant, such as deoxyelephantopin, 11,13, dihydrodeoxyelephantopin, lupeol, epifriedelinol and stigmasterol. Most of the major studies only involved the bioactivities of the compounds especially deoxyelephantopin. The effects of the plant extract which can benefit a broad mass of people are still lacking. This paper briefly reviews the traditional usage and scientifically proven bioactivities of E. scaber which contributed its commercialization potential.

Key words: Elephantopus scaber Linn, deoxyelephantopin, anticancer, antibacterial.

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 10 (5), pp. 001-008, May, 2021. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Bioavailability enhancing activities of natural compounds from medicinal plants

Myung Joo Kang¹⁺, Jae Youl Cho²⁺, Byung Ho Shim¹, Duk Ki Kim¹ and Jaehwi Lee¹*

¹College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, 221 Heuksuk-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 156-756, Korea.

²School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Kangwon National University, 192-1 Hyoja-2-dong, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea.

Accepted 16 January, 2021

Abstract

There is an increasing interest and medical need for the improvement of bioavailability of a large number of drugs. Of the promising approaches, the co-administration of therapeutic agents with natural compounds possessing absorption improving activities has gained great interest in oral drug delivery. Many natural compounds from medicinal plants have demonstrated capacity to enhance the bioavailability of co-administered drugs by inhibiting efflux pumps or oxidative metabolism, and perturbing the intestinal brush border membrane. These natural compounds include quercetin, genistein, naringin, sinomenine, piperine, glycyrrhizin and nitrile glycoside. This article reviews the improvement of drug bioavailabilities exhibited specially by natural compounds from plants mentioned above.

Key words: Bioavailability enhancer, natural compound, absorption, P-glycoprotein.

International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN 2169-303X Vol. 10 (4), pp. 001-009, April, 2021. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Rheum tanguticum, an endangered medicinal plant endemic to China

X. M. Wang¹* and Y. Ren²

¹School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, PR China.

²College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, PR China.

Accepted 21 January, 2021

Abstract

Rheum tanguticum, endemic to east part of Qinghai- Tibet Plateau in China, is one of three genuine species of rhubarb and has better medicinal quality than other two species, Rheum palmatum and Rheum officinale. The roots and rhizomes of R. tanguticum have been used for more than a thousand years in China as the well-known traditional medicines with the purgation, antibacterial, antipyretic and hemostatic effects etc. The young stems and petioles of the species are recently made as a nourishing food. However, the wild resources of R. tanguticum decrease rapid annually and the species becomes an endangered species because of the very limited distribution, poor living habitat, and over-harvest due to the increasing market request. However, since some new medicinal effects, such as antineoplastic and immune activity, were reported recently, more detailed research on the species is necessary. On the other hand, R. tanguticum is poorly known in the Western countries. The morphology, distribution, habitat, chemistry, properties, pharmacology, and planting of the species are reviewed in the present paper.

Key words: Rheum tanguticum, botany, distribution, property, chemistry, pharmacology.