Abstract:
Present study is about Skimmia laureola and Zanthoxylum armatum belonging to
Family Rutaceae, comprises phytosociology, ethnobotany, pharmacognostic study,
physicochemical and pharmacological activities of these plants.
Phytosociological attributes of S. laureola were studied in six different localities
of khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Pakistan showing that this plant grows gregariously in laomy
and clay loamy soil at high altitude ranging from 2400- 3400 meters toward North facing
slopes. S. laureola was found dominent in five out of six localities in association with a
total of 44 plants with a density of 312 to 4437.5 hectare-1. Various other ecological,
ethnobotanical and commercial aspects of the plants are also worked out. Similar studies
of Z. armatum showed that the plants grows in association with 51 species on the North
and North West slopes in the foothills of khyber Pukhtunkhwa at an elevation of 850-
1600 meters with a density ranging from 560 to 1020 hectare-1.
Pharmacognostic study included leaf and bark of S. laureola and leaf, bark and
fruit of Z. armatum. Leaf of S. laureola is punctate with glabrous surfaces. Transverse
section of the leaf through the midrib region showed usual bifacial structure with
prominent oil cavities in the midrib regions. Other leaf features such as palisade ratio
(7.8±0.21), vein islets number (15.4±0.63 per mm2), vein termination number (19.1±0.43
per mm2), stomatal number (196.1±3.07 per mm2) and stomatal index (12.96±0.14) were
worked out. Eight different stomatal types were detected, in which actinostephanocytic
was the most frequently occurring one . Stomatal cluster was also observed. Morphology
and anatomy of Z. armatum was also carried out. Leaf of this plant lacks any type of
trichome, where as in the midrib region, prominent oil cavities were observed. Palisade
ratio (8.2±0.32), vein islets number (16.8±0.64 per mm2), vein termination number
(11.3±0.47 per mm2), stomatal number (122.1±4.32 per mm2) and stomatal index (12.32±
0.26) were cworked out. Anatomy of Z. armatum fruit showed two portion i.e. fruit wall
and seed, the later being non endospermic and contained small elongated embryo.
Powder drug microscopy of the parts was carried out. Ash analysis for both plants were
carried out. Results of qualitative and quantitative preliminary phytochemical screenings
of selected parts of S. laureola and Z. armatum are given, showing the presence of
carbohydrates, proteins, alkaloids, phytosterols, triterpenoids, phenols, flavonoids,
tannins, anthocyanins, saponins, glycosides, fixed and volatile oils. Similarly results of
extractive values and fluorescence analysis are also given. Elemental analysis showed
presence of Zn, Mn and Cr in fairly good amounts and may contribute to hypoglycemic
effect of these plants.
Correlations among various elements were also determined.
Proximate analysis of both plants showed carbohydrate, proteins, fibers, fats and
moisture contents in fairly large amounts.
Results of essential oils obtained from the leaves of S. laureola (SVO) and Z.
armatum (ZVO) and fixed oils (ZHO and ZEO) from the fruit of Z. armatum, extracted
with different solvents were evaluated for physicochemical characteristics including
color, odor, % yield, density, optical activity, refractive index, specific gravity, carbon
residue, absolute viscosity, kinematic viscosity, total acid number, iodine number and
saponification value are presented. A total 31 different components in SVO and 34 in
ZVO, 14 in ZHO and 14 in ZEO were identified through GC-MC analysis and their
percent concentration is given.
Toxicological studies showed that both plants are safe for human use. Antipyretic
effect was found dose dependant. SLE showed maximum antipyretic action of 72.31%,
ZLE showed 85.42 percent pyrexia inhibition of whereas ZFE showed a maximum
antipyretic action of 83.84%. Hypoglycemic effect of SLE was found to be dose
dependent and like the standard allopathic drug and
it induced reduction of blood
glucose level after 2 hour of dose administration. All the doses showed significant
reduction (p < 0.05) in glucose level at 6th hour post administration, but
300 mg/Kg
body weight dose showed maximum reduction of blood glucose level at 6 hour
(80.54±0.04).
Antispasmodic effects of ethanolic and n-hexane extracts of leaf (SLE, SLH), bark
(SBE, SBH) and leaf essential oil (SVO) of S. laureola and ethanolic and n-hexane
extracts of leaf (ZLE, ZLH), bark (ZBE, ZBH), fruit (ZBE, ZBH) and leaf essential oil of
Z. armatum on the isolated rabbit jejunum for both spontaneous and KCl induced
contractions showed that SVO and ZVO were the most efficient one, causing 100 %
relaxation of the smooth muscles at very low concentrations, thus providing a scientific
proof for its ethnopharmacological use as an antispasmodic drug.
The two plants were also evaluated for cytotoxic, phytotoxic, antibacterial and anti
fungal activities. SLE, SLH and SVO of S. laurola and ZBE, ZBH and ZVO of Z.
armatum showed outstanding cytotoxic results with LD50 values of 5.34, 7.44, 11.01,
16.79 17.06 and 15.90 μg/ml. respectively. Lemna minor phytotoxicity asssay of SBE
showed 100% inhibition at 1000 μg/ml followed by SBH, SLE and SLH with FI50 of 25,
1.38, 4.54 and 8.67 μg/ml respectively. ZBE, ZFE and ZLH also showed excellent
inhibitions with FI50 values of 7.98, 9.24 and 19.13 μg/ml respectively.
Antibacterial bioassays showed that all the samples were effective against various
bacterial strains (Micrococcus leutus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus,
Pasteurella multocida, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Streptococcus
viridanes). SVO and ZVO being the highly effective against all the test strains. Results
of various extracts of both plants against various bacterial strains are presented in this
dissertation. Dose dependent antifungal activities against test species (Trichophyton
longifusis, Candida albicans, Fusarium solani, Microsporum canis, Aspergillus flavus
and Candida glabrata) were found for all the samples but SVO and ZVO inhabited all
the test strains and C. albicans, A. flauus, T. longifusis and F. solani being the most
susceptible species.
The present study has revealed the immense and diverse medicinal properties
of S. laureola and Z. armatum, both can be exploited for therapeutic preparations on
commercial scale.