Public Health

S containing bioactive cancer preventive compounds in almost all major genera and in every class of primary and secondary metabolites of Euphorbiaceae.
The glucosinolates are especially abundant among families of the order Capparales: Tovariaceae, Resedaceae, Capparaceae, Moringaceae, and Brassicaceae. Families outside the order exhibit occasional occurrence and include the Caricaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Gyrotemonaceae, Limnathaceae, Salvadoraceae, and Tropaeolaceae (Fenwick et al. 1983). A recent literature review provides a comprehensive list of all species known to contain glucosinolates (Fahey et al. 2001). In Euphorbiaceae it is abundant in the Genus Drypetes, and apparently no other genera of this family is said to have these compounds (Rodman 98).

Pharmacognostical studies on Calotropis procera (Ait.) R.Br.

Ashwani Kumar

Calotropis procera (Asclepiadaceae) is a wild shrub, which grows upto a height of 1-3 m and its leaves are 10-13 cm wide by 17-19 cm long. Calotropis procera commonly known as Akra is a popular medicinal plant. This plant is very drought resistant and grows throughout the Sahelian countries, notably in Burkina Faso.

Medicinal properties:

“Nature has been a source of medicinal agents for thousands of years, and an impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated from natural sources, many based on their use in traditional medicine.” These plant-based traditional medicine systems continue to play an essential role in health care, with about 80% of the world’s inhabitants relying mainly on traditional medicines for their primary health care. Plant products also have an important role in the health care systems of the remaining 20%, who reside in developed countries. About 25% of prescription drugs dispensed from community pharmacies in the United States from 1959 to 1980 contained plant extracts or active principles derived from higher plants.

In a previous post, I published my letter to the Columbus Dispatch editor responding to their publication of an evidence-free, anti-vax screed by Dr. "Medical Licensing is Not Doing Its Job" DeMio. I also indicated that the lovely and talented Jennifer Grey had penned a response on behalf of the Central Ohioans for Rational Inquiry (CORI).

The use of natural products with therapeutic properties is as ancient as human civilization and these natural products are the foundation of preventing and curing diseases. Numerous present day medicines of the western world have been developed based on traditional medicines by studing and recognozing the mechanisms of action and their receptors.

Pharmacognosy of Chlorophytum tuberosum
Family Liliaceae
This is a genus of two hundred species and twelve are native to India. These are rhizomatous herbs and roots fascicled, often thick fleshy and tuber like.

It is a rhizomatous herb. Leaves are suberect lanceolate and many nerved. Inflorescence is an erect, dense-flowered racemes. Flowers are star like, white upto 2 cm across, sepals are acute, anthers are longer than filaments are green or yellow in colour, bracts are long. Seeds are black in colour with angular edges.

Pharmacognosy of Calotropis procera
Botanical Origin :
Calotropis procera ( Ait.) R.Br.

Family : Asclepiadaceae

Arka, an important drug of Ayurveda is known in this country from the earliest time. It is mentioned by the earliest Hindu writers and the ancient name of the plant which occurs in the vedic literature was Arka alluding to the form of leaves, which was used in the sacrifical rites. There are two common species of Calotropis, viz. C. gigantea ( Linn.) R.Br. and C. procera (Ait.) R.Br. described by the Sanskrit writers. Both the species are used as substitutes for one another and are said to have similar effects. One species is more commonly used in some parts of the country, while the other parts use the other species depending on the availability of their distribution.

Pharmacognostical characterization of some selected medicinal plants.
History of Pharmacognosy:

As you may or may not be aware, The Columbus Dispatch (the only major newspaper left in my hometown) recently got my dander up by publishing an anti-H1N1 vaccine screed by a Dr. Phillip DeMio that completely misrepresents the science surrounding vaccine safety without checking the accuracy of his claims or presenting an opposing viewpoint. As a medical doctor, DeMio was given a forum to advocate courses of action that are not supported by the evidence or leading public health authorities and encourage risky behavior is some of the most vulnerable groups.

Collection of important medicinal plants from different regions of Rajasthan.
Introduction–
Rajasthan has a large population of about 5, 64, 73, 122 crore. Around 80 percent live in villages which utilizes local medicine.
The people of Rajasthan can be broadly divided into ; those living into extreme wheather condition as in Western Rajasthan and others in milder climate.
Rajasthan has rich biodiversity consisting of a large number of plants, some of which are used for their medicinal value. Although flora of Rajasthan has been compiled by Bhandari (1978) and Sharma (1976) but detailed information about their medicinal properties are lacking.