Costus speciosus (Koen) J.E. Sm. plant and its extracts are used for treatment of fever, snake bites, jaundice, and as a purgative, astringent and antibacterial agent. In the present study, an attempt has been made to evaluate in vitro antioxidant activity of different extracts of this plant by DPPH radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant capacity, nitric oxide scavenging activity, ion c...

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ubiquitous to most natural and anthropized ecosystems, and are often found in polluted environments. However, their occurrence and community composition in highly weathered petroleum-polluted soils has been infrequently reported. In the present study, two ponds of weathered crude oil and their surrounding soil from the Charapa field in the Amazon region of...

The antidiabetic effect of ethanolic extract of Costus speciosus rhizome was determined. Various secondary metabolites were also identified and quantified by HPLC analysis. The antioxidant activity is determined by hydrogen peroxide and phosphomolybdate method. The animals were divided into four groups such as normal, diabetic untreated, diabetic treated with ethanolic extract and diabetic trea...

Costus spicatus (Jacq.) Sw. and Costus spiralis (Jacq.) Roscoe var. spiralis (Costaceae) are economically important plants due to their pharmacological and medicinal properties and ornamental value. These plants are natives from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest and are fed upon by Agaraea minuta Schaus, 1892 (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae). This study describes the damage done by A. minuta on C. spic...

OBJECTIVES To investigate the mechanisms of the anti-hyperglycemic effect of Costus speciosus (C. speciosus) root ethanolic extracts (CSREt) by assessing its action on insulin synthesis and glucose catabolic enzyme gene expression and activities in streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats. METHODS This study was carried out at the Biochemical Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig Univ...

Costunolide, a sesquiterpene lactone present in Costus speciosus root exerts a variety of pharmacological activity but its effects on neuroinflammation have not been studied. Microglia, the resident phagocytic cells in the central nervous system respond to neuroinflammation and their overwhelming response in turn aggravate brain damage during infection, ischemia and neurodegenerative diseases. ...

Fragrances are widely used in topical formulations and can cause photoallergic or phototoxic reactions. To identify phototoxic effects, 43 fragrances were evaluated in vitro with a photohaemolysis test using suspensions of human erythrocytes exposed to radiation sources rich in ultraviolet (UV) A or B in the presence of the test compounds. Haemolysis was measured by reading the absorbance value...

Herbal medicine has become one of the considered alternatives in curing many diseases, including diabetes mellitus. It was found that Insulin Plant (Costus pictus) and Cherry Tree (Muntingia calabura) contain compounds can help treating diabetes. This study aims to investigate compare anti-diabetic activity fresh leaf extracts plant […]