The ethnomedicinal values of plants form the basis of the herbal drug industry. India has contributed its knowledge of traditional system medicines (Ayurveda and Siddha) to develop herbal medicines with negligible side effects. The World Health Organization has also recognized the benefits of drugs developed from natural products. Abutilon indicum, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Sida acuta and Sida rhomb...

Curcumin, a phytochemical isolated from curcuma plants which are used as coloring ingredient for the preparation of curry powder, has several activities which suggest that it might be an interesting drug for the treatment or prevention of cancer. Curcumin targets different pathways which are involved in the malignant phenotype of tumor cells, including the nuclear factor kappa B (NFKB) pathway....

Spermidine, N-(3-aminopropyl) butane-1,4-diamine, is a low-molecular-mass organic base (C7H19N3, CAS 124-20-9) and belongs to the polyamine family which includes spermine and putrescine, the direct precursor of spermidine (Figure 1). At ambient temperature (22-25 °C) spermidine is a colorless liquid or a white powder. In biological samples, the two primary amine groups and the secondary amine g...

The pharmaceutical industry requires the use of lubricants to prevent static electric buildup in the cohesive powders that are processed in manufacturing plants. In this report we examine the effects of common lubricant magnesium stearate on two flow properties, flow index and dynamic dilation, of lactose. We conducted two experiments using a gravitational displacement rheometer and a dynamic d...

Heroin is in the class of illicit opioid drugs which are synthesized from morphine, a natural opiate that is extracted from poppy plants. Two forms of the drug are available; a powder, which can be either white or brown in colour or as a sticky black substance, known as tar heroin [2]. The toxicity of heroin itself was not recognised until the 18th century, with the toxic effects of the drug be...

Introduction: Previous studies have suggested that plants Avena sativa, Hypericum perforatum, Passiflora incarnata and Lavandula officinalis can affect nervous system and reduce neural excitability and pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a mixture of these four plant’s alcoholic extract on morphine withdrawal symptoms. Methods: Experiments were performed on four animal...

Cissus quadrangularis L. (Vitaceae) is a common perennial climber also called Asthisamhara meaning bone setter is prescribed both in Ayurveda as well as Unani systems for its medicinal use. Pharmacognostic evaluation of Cissus quadrangularis stem revealed a stomatal index of 151 with Stephanocytic stomata in the epidermal peeling. The anatomical section of the stem showed deposits of characteri...