Justicia Carnea Research Articles

Acanthaceae in the Serra Negra, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract We provide the floristic treatment for Acanthaceae in the Serra Negra, a region belonging to the Mantiqueira Range. We recorded nine genera and 16 species of Acanthaceae: Aphelandra longiflora, Hygrophila costata, Hypoestes phyllostachya, Justicia carnea, J. citrina, J. dasyclados, J. minensis, J. serrana, Lepidagathis kameyamana, Mendoncia puberula, M. velloziana, Odontonema barleriodes, Ruellia brevifolia, R. elegans, R. macrantha, and Staurogyne euryphylla. They occur naturally in the Atlantic Rainforest and other Brazilian domains, found predominantly in forest environments. Species studied had their distribution area expanded, with new records for the Atlantic Rainforest and for the state of Minas Gerais. Morphological descriptions, identification key, photographs, and the geographic distribution are provided for each species.

Phytochemical, Proximate, In-vitro Antimalarial and Antimicrobial screening of leaf Extracts of Justicia carnea Lindl

Aim: To study the phytochemical, proximate, antimicrobial and anti-malarial activities of leaf extracts of Justicia carnea
 Methods: The leaf sample of Justicia carnea which has been used in Nigeria folklore in treating malaria, cancer and many other diseases was extracted with methanol, ethyl acetate and n-hexane. The extracts were subjected to qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening, proximate, anti-malarial and antimicrobial screening.
 Results: The results showed that alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phenolic compounds were present. Ethy acetate extract also exhibited the highest suppression against malaria parasite in-vitro, more than chloroquine. This inhibition and high abundance of alkaloids and glycosides gave credence to the therapeutic use of the plant as anti-malaria drug. The three extracts showed a concentration-dependent inhibition against S. aureus, Aspergillus spp and Bacillus spp. S. typhi, K. pneumonia, P. aerogenosa and C. albicans were resistant in all concentrations of the extracts.
 Conclusion: The therapeutic use of the leaves of J. carnea in treatment of malaria was validated. Its antimicrobial activity was also affirmed in some of the tested organisms.

Biochemical evaluation of chloramphenicol-induced lymphoma and ameliorative potentials of Justicia carnea and Cnidoscolus aconitifolius in male Wistar rats

The biochemical implication of chloramphenicol-induced lymphoma and the ameliorative potential of Justicia carnea and Cnidoscolus aconitifolius on male Wistar rats were evaluated in this study. Seventy (70) male Wistar rats with average body weights of 128g were randomly grouped into 14 of 5 rats each. Group 1 received commercial rat feed and water ad libitum. Rats in groups 2-14 were given 250mg/kg bodyweight of chloramphenicol by oral intubation for 28 days. Results of blood samples collected after 28 days from all the groups showed normal blood film in Group 1 and abnormal increases and lymphocytes and the presence of blast cells in Groups 2-14. Group 2 did not receive any treatment and is referred to as the negative control. The remaining groups (3-14) were administered with aqueous leaf extracts of J. carnea (Groups 3-6), C. aconitifolius (Groups 7-10), and a combination of both extracts (Groups 11-14) in doses of 500mg/kg, 1000mg/kg, 1500mg/kg and 2000mg/kg respectively, for 28 days. Data obtained showed that lymphocytes were elevated (p<0.05) in Group 2 lymphocytosis and there was the presence of blast cells indicating lymphoma when compared to Group 1. The combination of J. carnea and C. aconitifolius was able to ameliorate the chloramphenicol-induced lymphoma better than the single therapy of each extract. The result of the investigation supports the earlier findings that chloramphenicol could cause acute lymphocytic leukemia. It further provides evidence that combined extracts of J. carnea and C. aconitifolius may have an ameliorative effect in blood diseases connected to over-exposure to chloramphenicol.

Biochemical evaluation of chloramphenicol-induced lymphoma and ameliorative potentials of Justicia carnea and Cnidoscolus aconitifolius in male Wistar rats

Biochemical evaluation of chloramphenicol-induced lymphoma and ameliorative potentials of Justicia carnea and Cnidoscolus aconitifolius in male Wistar rats

Comparative Study of Proximate and Phytochemical Analysis of the Roots of Justicia carnea Lindi. and Justicia secunda Vahl

Proximate and phytochemical analyses of the root extracts of Justicia carnea and Justicia secunda in the Acanthaceae family were investigated using standard procedures and compared. The result of the proximate analysis indicated that the roots of both species contain nutrients in varying levels. Protein (11.38±0.01), lipid (4.81±0.01) and moisture content (17.01±0.01) were higher in the roots of J. carnea than in J. secunda (8.32±0.01, 2.01±0.01, 11.22±0.02) respectively, while Carbohydrate (6.62±0.00), Ash (16.75±0.05) and Fibre (55.18±0.01) were higher in J. secunda than in J. carnea (4.73±0.02, 9.81±0.01, and 52.29±0.00) respectively. Qualitative phytochemical analysis showed the presence of tannin, flavonoid, alkaloids, saponin, phytate and cyanogenic glycosides whereas the result for the quantitative analysis showed that the quantity of phytochemicals in Justicia carnea and Justicia secunda were: tannin (46.75±0.00 and 41.01±0.01), flavonoid (2.72±0.01 and 3.21±0.00), alkaloid (10.16±0.00 and 11.21±0.01), saponin (3.31±0.01 and 2.7±0.00), phytate (30.54±0.01 and 33.86±0.00) and cyanogenic glycoside (100.01±0.00 and 500±0.00) respectively. Justicia carnea contained higher quantity of tannin and saponin while Justicia secunda contained higher amount of flavonoid, alkanoid, phytate and cyanogenic glycoside. These results conceivably indicated that the two species are good sources of essential nutrients which could be used in diets to supplement the daily nutrient needs in humans and animals, and phyto-nutrients which possess strong pharmacological activities, providing scientific credence for its therapeutic usage in folklore medicine.

Anti-obesity, antioxidant and in silico evaluation of Justicia carnea bioactive compounds as potential inhibitors of an enzyme linked with obesity: Insights from kinetics, semi-empirical quantum mechanics and molecular docking analysis

Obesity is a global health problem characterized by excessive fat deposition in adipose tissues and can be managed by targeting pancreatic lipase (PL) activity. In the present study, we investigated the in vitro antioxidant and anti-obesity potentials of methanolic leaf extract of Justicia carnea(MEJC) using lipase inhibition kinetics model. In silico evaluations of MEJC bioactive compounds as potential drug-like agents and inhibitors of PL were also investigated using SwissADME prediction tool, semi-empirical quantum mechanics(SQM), molecular electrostatic potential(MEP) and molecular docking analysis. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC–MS) revealed presence of campesterol, stigmasterol, beta-amyrin etc. MEJC scavenged reactive species and inhibited PL activity via a mixed inhibition pattern (Ki = 107.69 μg/mL; Kii = 398.00 μg/mL) with IC50 > orlistat's IC50. Molecular docking of GC–MS identified compounds with porcine PL showed compounds 8,10,12 and 14 having high PL-binding affinity and similar binding pose with orlistat. Hydrophobic interactions and van der Waals forces were predominantly involved in the ligands' interactions with some key catalytic site amino acid residues (Ser-153,His-264). Compounds 10,12,13 and 14 indicated high drug-likeness, bioavailability, electronegativity, ELUMO-EHOMO energy gaps and MEP. Our findings show that MEJC is a rich natural source of antioxidant and anti-obesity agents which could be optimized for development of new anti-obesity drugs.

Green Synthesis, Characterization and In-vitro Antioxidant Property of Silver Nanoparticles Using the Aqueous Leaf Extract of Justicia carnea

This study investigated the synthesis, characterization and in vitro antioxidant activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the aqueous leaf extract of Justicia carnea. The aqueous leaf extract of J. carnea was used as a potential reducing and capping agent. To identify the compounds responsible for the reduction of silver ions, the functional groups present in the plant extract were subjected to FTIR. The in vitro antioxidant activity of synthesized nanoparticles was evaluated in terms of ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2`-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) free radicals scavenging assays. The surface plasmon resonance confirmed the formation of AgNPs with maximum absorbance at kmax = 446 nm. FTIR revealed the biological macromolecules of J. carnea leaf extract involved in the synthesis and stabilization of AgNPs. UV-Visible spectrophotometer showed absorbance peak in the range of 436-446 nm. The silver nanoparticles exhibited moderate antioxidant activities compared to standard antioxidants (ascorbic acid and BHT). These results confirmed this protocol as simple, eco-friendly, nontoxic and an alternative for conventional physical and chemical methods. It can be concluded that J. carnea leaf extract can be used effectively in the production of potential antioxidant AgNPs which could be useful in various bio-applications such as cosmetics, food and biomedical industry.

Safety assessment of oral administration of ethanol extract of Justicia carnea leaf in healthy wistar rats: hematology, antioxidative and histology studies

BackgroundConsumption of medicinal plants has diverse therapeutic benefits and could also have toxic effect. Justicia carnea is a medicinal plant that is used conventionally as blood tonic from time immemorial in Nigeria. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety of ethanol extract of J. carnea leaf assessing the hematology indices, organ antioxidant system and histology in healthy male wistar rats.MethodsPowdered sample was extracted using absolute ethanol and concentrated to obtain a slurry paste of J. carnea ethanol extracts. Acute toxicity was determined in two phases using Lorke method. In subacute study, rats were randomized into six groups of five rats per group: Group 1 (control) received distilled water, group 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 received 50, 100, 500, 800 and 1200 mg/kg body weight of J. carnea ethanol extract once daily using oral gavage. At the end of 14th day of administration, rats were allowed to fast overnight, sacrificed to collect samples for biochemical analysis and histopathological examination.ResultsThe LD50 of extract was greater than 5000 mg/kg body weight. Higher doses (> 500 mg/kg) of extract significantly (p < 0.05) increased RBC, hemoglobin and platelet compared to the control. Liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly (p < 0.05) increased at 1200 mg/kg while other tested doses caused no detrimental effect on glutathione, catalase, SOD and malondialdehyde level in liver and kidney. Histopathological examination of liver and kidney showed mild to severe pathological lesion in a dose dependent manner.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggests that ethanol extract of J. carnea leaf is relatively safe, could be beneficial in alleviating hematology related abnormalities without causing adverse effects on endogenous antioxidant system. However, caution should be taken as higher dose at 1200 mg/kg could cause noticeable tissue injury.

Phytochemical profile, antioxidant, α-amylase inhibition, binding interaction and docking studies of Justicia carnea bioactive compounds with α-amylase

The present study investigated the antioxidant and invitro antidiabetic capacities of Justicia carnea aqueous leaf extract (JCAE) using α-amylase inhibition model. α-Amylase binding-interaction with JCAE was also investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular docking. Phytochemical screening and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis indicated presence of bioactive compounds. Phenolic (132 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid contents (31.08 mg CE/g) were high. JCAE exhibited high antioxidant capacity and effectively inhibited α-amylase activity (IC50, 671.43 ± 1.88 μg/mL), though lesser than acarbose effect (IC50, 108.91 ± 0.61 μg/mL). α-Amylase intrinsic fluorescence was quenched in the presence of JCAE. Ultraviolet-visible and FT-IR spectroscopies affirmed mild changes in α-amylase conformation. Synchronous fluorescence analysis indicated alterations in the microenvironments of tryptophan residues near α-amylase active site. Molecular docking affirmed non-polar interactions of compounds 6 and 7 in JCAE with Asp-197 and Trp-58 residues of α-amylase, respectively. Overall, JCAE indicated potential to prevent postprandial hyperglycemia by slowing down carbohydrate hydrolysis.

Effects of Justicia carnea Leave on Hematological Parameters in Albino Mice Carried Out in Mbingo Annex Hospital Laboratory in Bamenda, North West Region, Cameroon

This study is design to ascertain the hematological status in albino mice treated with Justicia carnea leave, which could aid in the treatment of anemia. The hematological parameters investigated include Mean Cell Volume (MCV), Mean Cell Hemoglobin (MCH), Mean Cell Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Platelets (PLTS), Hemoglobin (Hb), Red Blood Cells (RBCs), Pack Cell Volume (PCV) and White Blood Cells (WBCs). Nine (9) male albino mice of approximately the same weight 300 g were grouped into 3 groups that’s Negative Control (NC) Positive Control (PC) and Test Control (TC), each made up of 3 mice. Negative control mice were given normal feed moisten with water, Positive control received diluted iron folate with normal feed, finally Test control mice were administered powdered leaves of Justicia carnea with normal feed for 7 days, after which blood samples were collected using EDTA tubes by exsanguination and run for hematological parameters using auto-hematological analyzer. The results of various groups were found to be; as there was a significant increase in RBCs, Hb, &amp; PCV (P=0.05), between the groups. No significant change was observed on the MCV, MCH, and MCHC. Lymphocytosis was observed in all groups with mark difference in granulocytosis. TC had granulocytosis, NC showed normal granulocyte scores and the PC show granulocytopenia with a statistical difference of P=0.0017. A significant difference was seen in platelets between the groups P=0.02. This study shows that J. carnea leaves possess anti-anemic potential, lending credence to the use of these plant leaves in folk medicine for the management of hemolytic anemia would be helpful. Further research on the various phytochemicals of the plant should be done and also its toxicological aspects.

Inhibitory Potential and Antidiabetic Activity of Leaf Extracts of Justicia carnea

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in-vitro inhibitory potential of various leaf extracts of Justicia carnea on alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase activities and the anti-diabetic activity of the ethanol leaf extract using albino wistar rats. The analyses were carried out using standard biochemical methods. The oral acute toxicity test (LD50) in rats of the ethanol leaf extract was determined using Lorke’s method. Diabetes was induced in the rats by a single intraperitoneal dose of 120 mg/kg. b.w of alloxan. Six (6) experimental groups of rats (n=6) were used for the study. Three groups of diabetic rats received oral daily doses of 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg ethanol leaf extract of Justicia carnea respectively while gilbenclamide (5 mg/ml); a standard diabetic drug was administered to a specific group. Treatment lasted for 14 days. From the results of the in-vitro inhibitory activity, the different extracts of Justicia carnea demonstrated dose dependent strong inhibitory activity against α-amylase but moderate inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase. The ethanol leaf extract was the most potent inhibitor of both α-amylase and α-glucosidase in comparison with other extracts and acarbose; the standard. The ethanol leaf extract exhibited maximum of 82.18% inhibition with IC50 of 2.99 ± 1.14 mg/ml for α-amylase and 41.66% with IC50 of 9.66 mg/ml ± 0.32 mg/ml for α-glucosidase. From the analysis of the Lineweaver-Burk plot, the ethanol leaf extract exhibited mixed noncompetitive inhibition of α-amylase and competitive inhibition of α-glucosidase activities. The acute toxicity study showed that the extract had an LD50 &gt; 5000 mg/kg. From the result of the anti-diabetic study, the fasting blood glucose levels significantly (p&lt;0.05) decreased in the animals treated with the ethanol leaf extract of Justicia carnea when compared to the untreated rats. It can be concluded from the results that the leaf extracts of Justicia carnea can be used in the management of diabetes.

In-vitro and In-vivo Antioxidant Activity of Ethanol Leaf Extract of Justicia carnea

This study investigated the in-vitro antioxidant activity of ethanol leaf extract of Justicia carnea and its effect on antioxidant status of alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats. The in-vitro antioxidant activity was assayed by determining the total phenol, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, β-carotene and lycopene contents and by using 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, reducing antioxidant power and inhibition of lipid peroxidation antioxidant systems. Oxidative stress was produced in rats by single intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg alloxan and serum concentration of malonaldehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were determined. Five experimental groups of rats (n=6) were used for the study. Two groups of diabetic rats received oral daily doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg Justicia carnea leaf extract respectively while gilbenclamide (5 mg/ml); a standard diabetic drug was also given to a specific group for 14 days. From the result, the leaf extract contained a higher concentration of flavonoids followed byphenols, ascorbic acid, lycopene and β-carotene. The extract displayed more potent reducing power ability with EC50 of 40 µg/ml compared to BHA (EC50 of 400µg/ml). The percentage DPPH radical scavenging activity of the extract was also higher with EC50 of 200µg/ml and increased with increase in concentration while BHA had EC50of 320µg/ml. The inhibition of lipid peroxidation also increased with increase in concentration with EC50 of 58µg/ml and comparable with BHA (EC50=60µg/ml). The effect of the plant extract on antioxidant enzyme activities was concentration-dependent. Administration of 100mg/kg of the plant extract resulted in a significant decrease (p&lt;0.05) in serum MDA concentration, while 200 mg/kg of the extract caused a significant (p˂0.05) increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities with a non-significant increase (p&gt;0.05) in the serum level of MDA when compared with the diabetic untreated group. These findings suggest that ethanol leaf extract of Justicia carnea have antioxidant properties and could handle diabetes-induced oxidative stress.

Hepatoprotective Effect of Methanol Extract of Justicia carnea Leaves on Carbon Tetrachloride-Intoxicated Albino Rats

Introduction: Hepatotoxicity can be caused by drugs overdose (in some cases even when the drugs are administered in therapeutic doses). This may damage the liver temporarily or permanently. The reason for this study is to evaluate the amount of damage caused by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) on liver and establish a dose-dependent treatment and prevention with Justicia carnea leaves extract. Aim: Hepatoprotective effect of methanol extract of Justicia carnea leaves on carbon tetrachloride intoxicated albino rats was investigated. Methods: A total of thirty-five female wistar albino rats were used for the study and were grouped into 7 groups (I-VII) of 5 rats each. Group I served as normal control which received only feed and water, group II served as CCl4- treated control receiving 0.5 mg/kg bodyweight (bw) in of CCl4 alone in olive oil (1:1 v/v), group III served as extract control which received 1000 mg/kg bw of methanol extract of Justicia carnea (JC) only, groups IV, V and VI received 200, 500 and 1000 mg/kg bw of methanol extract of Justician carnea respectively prior to CCl4 administration while group VII received 100 mg/kg bw of silymarin as a standard drug prior to CCl4 administration. Some biochemical parameters were evaluated using biochemical methods. Results: The activities of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin levels showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in the group treated with CCl4 only when compared with the normal control while total protein and albumin levels showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the group treated with CCl4 only when compared with the normal control. However, groups pre-treated with different doses of 200, 500 and 1000 mg/kg bw of Justicia carnea showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the activities of ALT, AST and ALP, and bilirubin level while total protein and albumin levels increased significantly (p<0.05) when compared with the rats treated with CCl4 alone. Histopathological examinations of sections of the liver collected from the different groups showed that the normal control had a normal liver architecture compared to the group treated with CCl4 alone which showed a diffuse vacuolar degeneration and coagulative necrosis of the hepatocytes. However, groups pre-treated with different doses of the extract showed lesser necrosis and a better liver architecture compared with the group treated with CCl4 alone. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the methanol extract of Justicia carnea may exhibit hepatoprotective properties that may be effective in the management of liver toxicity.

Nutritive properties of aqueous extract Justicia carnea leaves and its effects on haematological and some biochemical indices of anaemia induced male wistar albino rats

This study investigated nutritive properties of aqueous extract of J. carnea leaves and its effects on haematological and biochemical indices of anaemia induced male Wistar albino rats. In the nutritional study, proximate composition, phytochemicals, antinutritonal factors, minerals and vitamins analyses were carried out using standard analytical procedures. Eighteen male Wistar albino mice were used for the acute toxicity study while 28 male Wistar albino rats were used for haematological and biochemical study. The rats were randomly distributed into seven groups of four rats each with group 1 as normal control. Group 2 was anaemia induced untreated, and group 3 was anaemia induced treated with 50 mg/kg b. wt. of Astyfer. Groups 4-6 were anaemia induced and treated with 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg b. wt. of the extract respectively. Group 7 was non-anaemic rats that received 500 mg/kg b. wt. of the aqueous extract. Nutritional study showed richness of the aqueous extract in proximate composition, phytochemicals, minerals and vitamins contents. The extract caused no adverse reactions or death in the animals indicating it is relatively safe for consumption. Significant (p<0.05) reduction in the levels of haematological indices observed in anaemic rats were significantly (p<0.05) reverted within 4 to 8 d of treatment with the extract when compared with group 2. There were no significant difference observed in the liver marker enzymes activities and renal function indices concentrations of all the anaemic rats treated with the aqueous extract when compared with normal control, which could be attributed to the aqueous extract lacking potentials of causing liver and renal damage. These findings suggest that aqueous of J. carnea leaves is safe, nutritionally rich with no toxic effects on liver and kidney function indices, and possesses anti-anaemic effects due to its blood boosting and replenishing properties.

The Modulatory Activity of &lt;i&gt;Justicia carnea&lt;/i&gt; in Plasmodium Infected Mice

The study investigated the antiplasmodial potency of Justicia carnea in plasmodium infected mice. The aqueous leaf extract of Justicia carnea was subjected to phytochemical screening using GC-FID. The suppressive, prophylactic and curative activity of the studied plant was accessed after oral administration of standard drugs (5mgkg-1 choroquine and 4mgkg-1 artesunate) and 400-800mgkg-1 of the extract. The effect of the aqueous leaf extract of the studied plant was also explored in the activities of liver enzymes, oxidative stress markers and hematological indices of plasmodium infected mice using spectrophotomertic methods and a hematology auto analyzer (BC 5300 Mindray England) respectively. The aqueous leaf extract of Justicia carnea showed considerable dose dependent antiplasmodial activity in the suppressive, prophylactic and curative test conducted. The suppressive activity of (92%) of the aqueous leaf extract of the studied plant at 800mgkg-1 was comparable to the standard drugs used while the mean survival time of plasmodium infected mice at 800mgkg-1 was beyond the mean survival time of the infected untreated group. The aqueous leaf extract of the studied plant also exhibited significant improvements in the activities of liver enzymes, oxidative stress markers and some hematological parameters at 800mgkg-1 of the extract when compared with the infected and untreated group. The results of the study exhibited the antiplasmodial activity of the studied plant, nonetheless, the crude extracts of the studied plant can be further purified for synergistic use with other potent antimalarial drugs to combat and achieve total clearance of plasmodium resistant infections.

Haematological and biochemical studies on Justicia carnea leaves extract in phenylhydrazine induced-anemia in albino rats.

Justicia carnea is a medicinal plant used widely in Nigeria which is reported to have diverse functions, including blood-boosting potential. Aim. The effect of the ethanol extract of Justicea carnea (JC) leaves in phenylhydrazine induced-anemia albino rats on haematological and lipid profile parameters was investigated. The experimental animals were randomly grouped into five groups of six rats each &ndash; group 1 (non-anemic control), group 2 (anemic control), group 3 (500 mg/kg of JC extract), group 4 (1000 mg/kg of JC extract) and group 5 (DMSO control). Phenylhydrazine was administered once at a dose of 80 mg/kg b.w.&nbsp; to induce hemolytic anemia. After 28 days of extract administration, they were humanely sacrificed and the serum collected was used for biochemical analysis. In the acute toxicity study, the LD50 was found to be above 5000 mg/kg body weight. Packed Cell Volume (PCV) values, Red Blood cell (RBC) and haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations decreased (p < 0.05) sig- nificantly after 48 hours of phenylhydrazine induction, but after 28 days of administering extracts of Justicia carnea, PCV values, RBC and Hb increased (p < 0.05) significantly. There were significant (p < 0.05) de- creases in cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and LDL cholesterol concentrations in the extract-administered groups (groups 3&4) relative to the anemic control. There was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in HDL-cholesterol concentrations in the extract groups (3&4) relative to the non-anemic control. Extracts of Justicia carnea not only reversed anemic conditions in the phenylhydrazine-induced rats, it also improved the lipid profile, and this may be attributed to its rich phytochemical, nutrient and vita- min composition. Therefore, the findings of the study suggest that J. carnea leaves could be used to manage lipid abnormalities associated with anemia.

Haematological and biochemical studies on Justicia carnea leaves extract in phenylhydrazine induced-anemia in albino rats [pdf

Haematological and biochemical studies on Justicia carnea leaves extract in phenylhydrazine induced-anemia in albino rats [pdf

Development of compost-based media for containerized perennials

Growth of Bolivian sunset ( Gloxinia sylvatica (HBK) Wiehler), Brazilian plume ( Justicia carnea Lindl.), and golden globe ( Lysimachia congestiflora) transplants was evaluated in media containing 25, 50, 75, or 100% compost (derived from biosolids and yard trimmings) as compared to commercial peat-based media. Compost-based media had higher pH, EC, bulk density, particle density and total porosity as compared to peat-based media. The effects of media composition on plant growth and development varied with each species tested. Gloxinia generally were smaller with reduced flower development when grown in compost-based media as compared to peat-based media. However, regardless of media composition, plants were of high visual color and quality. Justicia were similar in size or smaller when grown in compost-based media as compared to peat-based media but flower development was unaffected. However, the visual color and quality of the plants suffered when plants were grown in compost alone. Growth indexes of Lysimachia were similar among media or slightly reduced by 12%. Although, flower development was reduced by 16% in the second trial, plants were still acceptable in terms of visual color and quality, regardless of media composition.