Antioxidant and antigenotoxic properties of Alpinia galanga,Curcuma amada,and Curcuma caesia

Objective:To compare the antioxidant and anti-genotoxic properties of Alpinia(A.)galanga,Curcuma(C.)amada,and C.caesia.Methods:Cytotoxicity of ethanolic extracts of A.galanga,C.amada,and C.caesia at selected doses was evaluated by trypan blue,MTT,and flow cytometry-based assays.Genotoxicity and anti-genotoxicity(against methyl methanesulfonate,35μM and H2O2,250μM)of these plants were studied by comet assay in human lymphocytes in vitro.Furthermore,DPPH,ABTS,FRAP,lipid peroxidation,and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays were performed to study the antioxidant potentials of the plants.Finally,anti-genotoxic potential of C.amada was validated in Swiss albino mice using comet assay.Phytochemical composition of C.amada was determined by GC/MS and HPLC.Results:The selected doses(2.5,5,and 10μg/mL)of A.galanga,C.amada,and C.caesia were non-toxic by cytotoxicity tests.All three ethanolic extracts of plant rhizomes demonstrated antioxidant and anti-genotoxic properties against methyl methanesulfonate-and H2O2-induced oxidative stress in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro.Multivariate analysis revealed that various antioxidant properties of these extracts in DPPH,ABTS,and FRAP assays were strongly correlated with their total phenolic constituents.C.amada extract conferred protection against cyclophosphamide-induced DNA damage in the bone marrow cells of mice and DNA damage was significantly inhibited by 2.5 mg/kg C.amada extract.Conclusions:C.amada is rich in potentially bioactive molecules and exhibits potent antioxidant activities.Its anti-genotoxicity against cyclophosphamide-induced oxidative stress is also confirmed in this study.

Pollen Morphology of Indian Species of Saraca L.(Leguminosae)-A Threatened and Legendary Medicinal Tree

The genus Saraca L.(Leguminosae)is a universal panacea in herbal medicine.The present study investigates the comparative pollen morphology of four species of Saraca viz.S.asoca(Roxb.)de Wilde,S.declinata(Jack)Miq.,S.indica L.,and S.thaipingensis Cantley ex Prain growing in India to reveal differences of their pollen structures to aid taxonomic and evolutionary values.The detailed morphology and surface structure of pollen grains were studied and described using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.The pollen grains of Saraca showed isopolar,para-syncolporate,tricolporate,with radially symmetric,prolate and prolate-spheroidal structure.The surface of pollen of S.indica is rugulate with large lirae but in S.declinata,the surface is micro-rugulate to vermiculate with relatively thin lirae and that of S.thaipingensis is indistinct as the psilate surface with a frequent protuberance and fewer perforations were observed along with the gemmae like structure.Exine ornamentation helped to separate S.indica and S.asoca.Exine thickness varies from 3-4μm.Presence of protuberance and exine thickness varies among individuals of the species spread over different locations.Present work also provides a unique palynological identity and interrelationship of these four species based on cluster analysis taking 23 pollen characters with the help of statistical method like the plotting of ternary graph.Ternary plots also helped to calculate the level of plasticity of each character in the intra-and inter-specific level.