dc.description.abstract |
This thesis is divided into three sections, Section A, Section B and Section C. Section A
deals with ethnomedicinal studies of flora of Southern Punjab, Pakistan and
establishment of a Herbarium in Lahore College for Women University. Section B
consists of biological activity (antimicrobial and anticancer) of extracts of some of the
plants collected from South Punjab and Section C describes the isolation and
characterization of bioactive compounds by chromatographic and spectroscopic
techniques.
It is for the first time that the flora of Southern Punjab has been searched and reported.
Complete ethno medicinal studies of 187 plants belonging to 52 families found in South
Punjab is documented and also categorized therapeutically for the first time from this
region.
A first world class herbarium has been established in Lahore College for Women
University by categorizing and preserving 186 voucher specimens of plants collected
from all over Pakistan. The herbarium is named after the renowned teacher and pioneer
Botanist Miss Prem Madan in dedication to her services in the field of Botany in Lahore
College for Women University, Lahore.
For biological activity seven popular ethnomedicinal plants collected from Southern
Punjab namely Capparis decidua (Capparidaceae), Coronopus didymus (Brassicaeae),
Heliotropium strigosum (Boraginaceae), Salsola kali (Chenopodiaceae), Salvadora
oleoides (Salvadoraceae), Tamarix aphylla (Tamaricaceae) and Withania coagulans
(Solanaceae) were selected for antimicrobial and anticancer activity.
Topical anti tumor activity of these seven ethnomedicinal plants have been investigated
in detail for the first time and all extracts of the Coronopus didymus, Salsola kali,
Salvadora oleoides and Tamarix aphylla showed anti tumor activity and provided a new
source of further exploration in this respect. While methanol extracts of Withania
coagulans, Capparis decidua and Heliotropium stirgosum had been shown to possess
best potential against the topical tumor for the first time. The Pet ether, methanolic and
dichloromethane extracts of Withania coagulans, Capparis decidua and Heliotropium
strigosum reduced the malignancy and cured the fibrous hyperplasia.
The screening of these selected medicinal plants for antibacterial activity against six
bacterial strains namely Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas
aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilus and Sarcina lutae after
fractionation in different solvents (methanol, pet ether, dichloromethane) by agar well
diffusion method showed the methanol extracts to be more potent then pet ether and
dichloromethane extracts. The antibiotic properties of these seven strains were studied
against Sarcina lutae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial
strains for the first time.
Methanol extracts of Capparis decidua and Withania coagulans were found to be best
bactericidal against all the tested bacterial strains. While methanolic extract of
Heliotropium strigosum was very active against all the bacterial strains except
Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Synergistically Withania coagulans in combination with Pinus wallichiana, Capparis
decidua, Hypericum perforatum, Heliotropium strigosum, Coronopus didymus and
Salvadora oleoides showed best activity against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC >
0.1μg/ml) only.
The methanolic extract of Salsola kali in equal amounts with Senecio chrysthenoides
synergistically inhibited the growth of all bacterial strains except Sarcina lutae.
The screening of pet ether, methanolic and dichloromethane extracts of Coronopus
didymus, Withania coagulans, Capparis decidua, Salsola kali, Heliotropium strigosum,
Salvadora oleoides, and Tamarix aphylla was performed against seven fungal strains
namely Trichoderma viridis, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium laterifum, Aspergillus
fumigatus, Candida albicans, Trichophyton mentogrophytes and Microsporum canis . By
using ANOVA critical value F.05
(6, 36)
= 2.38 the plant extracts were compared with
other antifungal drugs and it was found that extracts of Capparis decidua, Withania
coagulans and Heliotropium strigosum showed best antifungal activity against all the
fungal strains.(F-Table value< F-calculated value).
On the basis of ethnomedicinal studies and for showing best biological activity three
medicinal plants namely Heliotropium strigosum, Withania coagulans and Calotropis
procera were selected for isolation and identification of bioactive principles and some
other useful applications so as to explore the potential of these plants on commercial
basis. Due to its reported biological activityl, abundance and wild nature and use as
heavy metal ion remover Calotropis procera was also selected for the first time for
identification of its organic phytochemicals having functional groups responsible of
removing Cr (III) by spectroscopic techniques so as to put it to some commercial use.
Two Flavonoid aglycones Taxifolin (1) and quercetin (2) had been isolated from
Heliotropium stirgosum for the first time and identified by comparison of their spectral
data with that given in the literature.
Taxifolin (1)
Quercetin (2)
GC MS studies had resulted in identification of the following compounds in Withania
coagulans essential oil for the first time,
1. Cyclohexane (3) (C6H6)
2. Borane carbonyl (4) (CH3BO)
3. 3-methyl, hexane (5) (C7H8)
4. Heptane (6) (C7H16)
5. Hexanoic acid (7) (C6H12O2)
6
Nonanoic acid (8) (C9H18O2)
While n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera was subjected to GC MS analysis
following open-chain carboxylic acids and their methyl esters were identified,
1. n-Heptanoic acid methyl ester (9) (C8H16O2)
2. n-Decenoic acid (10): (C10H18O2)
3. n-Nonanoic acid methyl ester (11) (C10H20O2)
4. n-Decenoic acid methyl ester (12) (C11H20O2)
The FT-IR spectra before and after adsorption of Calotropis procera roots indicated that
bonded –OH groups and /or –NH and carboxyl groups especially played a major role in
chromium (III) biosorption which was confirmed by GC MS analysis of Calotropis
procera showing the presence of carboxylic acids for the first time. |
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