@article {2124, title = {Analysis of the Phytochemical and Antibacterial Properties of the Indigenous Mizo Medicinal Plant, Helicia Excelsa}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Journal}, volume = {15}, year = {2023}, month = {October 2023}, pages = {823-828}, type = {Research Article}, chapter = {823}, abstract = {

Background: Helicia excelsa (Roxb.) Bl. is a scarcely known medicinal plant and is native to Southeast Asia. It is most notably used for the treatment of gastric problems in the Mizo traditional medicine in India. Method: The leaves of H. excelsa were collected from Aizawl, Mizoram, India. An extract was prepared using chloroform. Qualitative phytochemical tests were performed to detect the important phytocompounds. The antioxidant activity was determined by total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, total antioxidant content, DPPH- and ferric-reducing antioxidant power. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by agar well-diffusion method. Results: H. excelsa leaf contains amino acids, alkaloids, carbohydrates, glycosides, phenols, phytosterols, proteins, and tannins. It showed inhibition in selected Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The phenol, flavonoid and total antioxidant contents were 4.52{\textpm}0.09 gallic acid equivalent (GAE mg/g), 64.27{\textpm}1.04 quercetin equivalent (QE mg/g), 11.39{\textpm}0.45 ascorbic acid equivalent (AAE mg/g) respectively. IC50 value of DPPH-scavenging activity was 5.67{\textpm}0.36. The ferric ion-reducing power showed concentration-dependent activity. The plant extract showed growth-inhibitory actions against Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli, and Gram-positive species, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. :Conclusion H. excelsa leaf contains important bioactive compounds that need to be identified. The antioxidant and antibacterial activities support the basis of its medicinal application.

}, keywords = {Antibacterial activity, Antioxidant, Helicia excelsa, Mizo traditional medicine., Plant extract}, doi = {10.5530/pj.2023.15.157}, author = {Lalbiakngheti Tlau and Lucy Lalawmpuii and P.B. Lalthanpuii and K. Lalchhandama} } @article {2180, title = {Immunomodulatory and Antiallergic Potentials of the Bioactive Compounds of Ginger}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Journal}, volume = {15}, year = {2023}, month = {December 2023}, pages = {1166-1176}, type = {Research Article}, chapter = {1166}, abstract = {

Background: Allergy is an ever-increasing immune disorder and is often fatal under certain circumstances. Lack of total curative medication prompts the search for various compounds as the lead molecules. Ginger, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, is a well-established medicinal plant in different traditional practices. Its use as antiallergic or anti-inflammatory agent has been vindicated but the underlying mechanism of action is yet unknown. Method: In this study, we analyzed the phytocompounds characterized from ginger for their binding affinities on cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLTR1) and histamine H1 receptor (H1R) by molecular docking. The molecular interactions were compared against known agonists and antagonists of the two receptors. Results: The data indicate that ginger compounds have high binding affinity for both LTR1 and H1R comparable to those of antiallergic medications. The highest binding affinities were recorded for gingerenone-A (-7.3 kcal/mol) and zingiberol (-7.2 kcal/mol) on LTR1; and gingerenone-A (-8.7 kcal/mol) and α-curcumene (-8.0 kcal/mol) on H1R. Conclusion: In addition to antiallergic activity, molecular predications on the probable biological activities of the ginger compounds show that they can have a variety of medicinal applications including immunomodulatory and anticancer activities.

}, keywords = {Allergy, Ginger, Histamine Receptor; Leukotriene Receptor, Molecular Modelling}, doi = {10.5530/pj.2023.15.212}, author = {B. Lalruatfela and P. B. Lalthanpuii and C. Lalrinmawia and K. Lalchhandama} }