@article {1215, title = {In vitro Antibacterial and In silico Toxicity Properties of Phytocompounds from Ricinus communis Leaf Extract}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Journal}, volume = {12}, year = {2020}, month = {August 2020}, pages = {977-983}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {977}, abstract = {

Background: The rapid occurrence of multiple drug resistance and adverse side effects of aliphatic medicine threatens human health. Medicinal plants are known to possess phytocompounds with antibacterial activity and less toxic effects. Objective: This study aimed at determining the chemical composition of the methanolic Ricinus communis{\textquoteleft} leaf extract and evaluate their antibacterial and toxic effects. Methods: R. communis leaves were extracted by acetone, chloroform, ethanol and methanol. The extracts were assessed for antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10102), Escherichia coli (25922), Staphylococcus aureus (25923) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) using agar-well diffusion and microwell dilution methods. The extracts were screened for alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids. The chemical constituents of the methanolic extract were analysed by gas chromatography {\textendash} mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS). In silico toxicity of the phytocompounds were investigated using PreADMET tool. Results: The methanol extract showed the antibacterial activity against the bacterial strains, with the MIC values of 1.56 mg/mL against B. cereus, 3.13 mg/mL and 6.25 mg/mL against P. aeruginosa and E. coli. The extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, steroids, tannins, terpenoids and saponins. The GC-MS showed phytocompounds namely hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (0.62\%), tridecanoic acid (0.76\%), pentafluoropropionic acid, nonyl ester (0.85\%), 10-octadecanoic acid, methyl ester (2.93\%) and cis-vaccenic acid (94.84\%). Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester was predicted not to have mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. Moreover, all compounds exhibited low inhibitory risks against hERG gene. Conclusion: R. communis leaf extract has potential to be used as a safe source of therapeutic compounds.

}, keywords = {Antibacterial activity, Chemical compounds, Ricinus communis, Toxicity}, doi = {10.5530/pj.2020.12.138}, author = {Sandile Nduduzo Mboyazi and Mduduzi Innocent Nqotheni and Tsolanku Sidney Maliehe and Jabulani Siyabonga Shandu} } @article {809, title = {Evergreen Conventional and Modern Microscopic Methods for Solving Various Cases of Forensic Botany by Morphological and Histological Study}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Journal}, volume = {11}, year = {2019}, month = {January 2019}, pages = {171-176}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {171}, abstract = {

Introduction: The study concerning forensic evidences commences from the physical examination. Microscopic examination serves a good preliminary technique and provides a relatively quick and non-destructive means of obtaining qualitative information without much sample preparation. Various plants or plant materials such as pollens at the crime scene or a rare plant type present near a murder victim can be helpful in connecting suspect to a victim or scene. For examination of such evidences, the initial step is the identification of collected botanical evidences. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) produces images that rely on secondary electrons image and is concerned primarily with the observation of surface topography. SEM images at all direction (X-Y-Z rotation) giving a three dimensional view of the sample under study. Methods: For morphological and histological examination, compound microscope and SEM has been used. Three plant specimens have been taken i.e. Cannabis sativa, Ricinus communis and Papaver somniferum. For compound microscopic examination, sample has been stained with saffranin dye and for SEM examination; sample surface has been coated with gold-palladium layer to make it conductive. Results: The morphological and histological examination by compound microscope and SEM revealed many characteristic features like ellipsoidal pollens in Ricinus, cystolythic trichomes in Cannabis, large oval stomata in poppy, etc. Conclusion: The microscopic examination of botanical evidences by such sophisticated technique like SEM holds a lot of scope in forensic investigations with minimal evidence destruction and maximum details can be obtained in a preliminary examination only without using other complicated techniques.

}, keywords = {Botanical evidences, Cannabis sativa, Papaver somniferum, Ricinus communis, Scanning electron microscope}, doi = {10.5530/pj.2019.1.28}, author = {Astha Pandey and Shalvi Agrawal and Amruta D Patel and Dushyant Pendarkar and Jalpa D Bambhaniya} }