Gymnema kollimalayanum A. Ramachandran and M.B. Viswan (Asclepiadaceae) is a new plant found in Kolli hills, Eastern Ghats, Peninsular India. The present investigation deals with the antibacterial potentials of the aqueous and organic solvents extracts from powdered leaves of G. kollimalayanum were tested against eight Gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella paratyphi...

The insects that feed on the related plant families Apocynaceae and Asclepiadaceae (here collectively termed "milkweeds") comprise a "component community" of highly specialized, distinctive lineages of species that frequently sequester toxic cardiac glycosides from their host plants for defense against predators and are thus often aposematic, advertising their consequent unpalatability. Such se...

Seven flavonoids were isolated from the butanol fraction of the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Cynanchum acutum L. (Asclepiadaceae). All of which have been isolated for the first time from the genus Cynanchum. Their structures were established as quercetin 3-O-beta-galacturonopyranoside (1), quercetin 7-O-beta-glucopyranoside (2), tamarixtin 3-O-beta-galacturonopyranoside (3), kaempf...

The petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, methanol and aqueous extracts of the aerial parts of Leptadenia reticulata Wight and Arn. (Asclepiadaceae) were studied for in vitro antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus ruantti, Candida tropicalis, Candida albicans, Trichodermata viride and Trichodermata koningii respectively. The methanolic extract exhibited prominent antifungal...

Medicinal plants are the local heritage with global importance playing a vital role in world health care system of developing countries. Calotropis procera (Asclepiadaceae), a giant milk weed, is known for its pharmacological importance for centuries. The coarse shrub is a very promising source of anticancerous, ascaricidal, schizonticidal, anti-microbial, anthelmintic, insecticidal, anti-infla...

Gymnema sylvestre R. Br., one of the most important medicinal plants of the Asclepiadaceae family, is a herb distributed throughout the World, predominantly in tropical countries. The plant, widely used for the treatment of diabetes and as a diuretic in Indian proprietary medicines, possesses beneficial digestive, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and anti-helmentic effects. Furthermore, it is be...

Wattakaka volubilis (Family: Asclepiadaceae) has been reported to possess medicinal effects. In the present study, the dried root ethanol extract of W. volubilis designated as 'the extract' was evaluated for pharmacological activity in rats and mice. The anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities were evaluated in rodents. The analgesic activity was evaluated in mice models. In the acute toxi...

Gymnema Sylvestre R. Br. (Asclepiadaceae) is a herb distributed throughout the world. The leaves of the plant are widely used for the treatment of diabetes and as a diuretic in Indian proprietary medicines. Gymnemic acid is the main active chemical constituent isolated from the Gymnema Sylvestre plant. The plant is documented to possess beneficial effects as digestive, anti-inflammatory, diuret...