BACKGROUND Species of Cephalotaxus (the plum yews) produce nematotoxic compounds of unknown identity. Consequently, bioassay-guided fractionation was employed to identify the compound(s) in Cephalotaxus fortunei twigs and leaves with activity against plant-parasitic nematodes. RESULTS A crude alkaloid extract, particularly drupacine, was responsible for much of the nematotoxicity. The ED50 of...

BACKGROUND In this study, we suggested characterizing the vasodilator effects and the phytochemical characteristics of a plant with food usage also used in traditional treatment of arterial high blood pressure in Senegal. METHODS Vascular effects of crude extract of dried and powdered calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa were evaluated on isolated thoracic aorta of male Wistar rats on organ chamber...

BACKGROUND Chewing stick (miswak Salvadora persica L.) is an effective tool for oral hygiene. It possessed various biological properties including significant antibacterial and anti-fungal effects. In the present study, we evaluated the antioxidant compounds in miswak. METHOD Miswak root was extracted with 80% methanol. Methanol extract as antioxidant was evaluated by using DPPH, ABTS and pho...

The study aims to evaluate the diuretic effect and acute toxicity of a crude aqueous extract of Nigella sativa using animal models. To evaluate the diuretic activity of the plant, Albino rats were divided into five groups. The control group received normal saline (10 mL/kg), the reference group received furosemide (10 mg/kg) and the test groups were administered different doses (i.e., 10, 30 an...

The antibacterial and antifungal activities of Terminalia arjuna, Tephrosia purpurea and Thuja occidentalis extracts were investigated against the standard drugs, which are presently available in the market as Gentamicin, Cephradine, Amoxicillin clavulanate, Norfloxacin and Itraconazole. Well method was used for antimicrobial activity and the zones of inhibition were measured in millimeters. Th...

Poria cocos, Bai Fu Ling in Chinese, is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat diabetes. However, its claimed benefits and mechanism are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the effect and action of P. cocos on type 2 diabetes. We first performed phytochemical analysis on the crude extract and factions of P. cocos. P. cocos crude extract at 50 mg/kg body weight or more s...

background: bifenthrin and acorus calamus linn extract were evaluated against dengue vectors in the laboratory. methods: both bifenthrin and acorus calamus linn crude hexane extract were bioassayed against the adults and larval stages of dengue vectors aedes aegypti l. and aedes albopictus(skuse) in the laboratory. results: the a. calamus crude hexane extract exhibited a larvicidal activity aga...

To test the efficacy of Withaniasomnifera(W.somnifera)on serum lipid profile and protein fractions of heat stressed Japanese quails, a study was conducted using root ethanolic extract and crude powder in two different levels for each. Three hundred 6 weeks old Japanese quail hens was assigned to one of the following five treatments: control T0 (without any addition), T1= daily oral administrati...

Adenosine (1 microM) was incubated in the presence of dialyzed crude tissue extract from mouse liver and its degradation determined. At high concentration of tissue extract, a fraction of adenosine was not metabolized. This phenomenon, termed sequestration of adenosine, was shown to be affected in the same way by the same factors (pH, salt, reducing agent and adenine) as those affecting the pro...

In the present study, the aphrodisiac properties of the purple corn ( Zea mays) in male rats were analyzed. The aqueous crude extract of purple corn (at 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg) was administered to ( a) copulating male rats and ( b) anesthetized and spinal cord transected male rats. Behavioral parameters of copulatory behavior and parameters of the genital motor pattern of ejaculation previous to ...