Litsea Glutinosa Research Articles

Antiproliferative Aporphine Alkaloids from Litsea glutinosa and Ethnopharmacological Relevance to Kuuku I’yu Traditional Medicine

Australian Aboriginal people have a long history of relying on plants for the treatment of various ailments and illnesses. Our ongoing collaborative research project initiated by Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation (Cape York, Australia) has recently focussed on revealing whether Kuuku I’yu plant medicines possess anticancer-related activities and the chemistry responsible for this. Here, we present results from a study of the plant Litsea glutinosa, used traditionally for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Four known aporphine alkaloids N-methylactinodaphnine (1), boldine (2), N-methyllaurotetanine (3), and isoboldine (4) were isolated by activity-guided fractionation and tested for cytotoxicity against HT29, SKMEL28, and primary human keratinocytes. Compound 1 was the most cytotoxic and this observation may be explained by the presence of a 1,2-methylenedioxy group. In silico docking revealed that a plausible mechanism for the observed cytotoxicity is the stabilization of a topoisomerase II (β) DNA–enzyme complex. The ethnopharmacological relevance of this study is discussed in the context of researching and using traditional knowledge in biomolecular discovery.

Maize and pea germination and seedling growth responses to compost generated from biowaste of selected invasive alien plant species

Plant biowaste of alien species represents a potential resource for compost production. This study investigated the seed and seedling responses of maize and pea to composts generated from the biowaste of four invasive species in eThekwini, South Africa: Acacia podalyriifolia, Hedychium gardnerianum, Litsea glutinosa, and Tithonia diversifolia. Except for a 40% concentration of T. diversifolia, leachates of the biowaste from the four species had no marked effects on germination. In seedling growth studies, Berea Red soil (control) was supplemented with composts produced using combinations of the four species (A. podalyriifolia + T. diversifolia [T1], A. podalyriifolia + H. gardnerianum [T2], L. glutinosa + T. diversifolia [T3], and L. glutinosa + H. gardnerianum [T4]), and a commercial compost (T5). Carbon and nitrogen levels of the biowaste composts were higher than the control, while their associated C/N ratios were low enough to encourage microbial growth, facilitate rapid decomposition, and support plant growth. A comparison of percentage seedling production, growth rate, and biomass production between the commercial compost and alien biowaste treatments revealed all parameters to be statistically comparable among T5, T1, and T3 for maize, and between T5 and T1 for pea. These superior biowaste composts did not enhance growth relative to the commercial compost, but supported growth to the same extent. However, N and P levels in T1 and T3 were lower than the commercial compost and appear to have altered biomass allocation patterns in both species relative to the commercial compost. The results suggest that there is potential to use invasive alien plant biowaste to improve soil for agricultural purposes.

Plant utilization against digestive system disorder in Southern Assam, India

Ethnopharmacological relevanceBeing one of the most common types of life threatening diseases in Southern Assam, India, the digestive system disorders (DSD) have gained much attention in recent decades. Traditional beliefs and inadequate income of mass population result in the use of alternative phytotherapies to treat the diseases. Aim of the studyThe present paper documents the medicinal knowledge and utilization of plants for treatment of digestive system disorders in Southern Assam, India by Disease Consensus Index (DCI). It also determines the most suitable plant species used to treat digestive system disorders in the study area. Materials and methodsThe study was based on ethnomedicinal field survey covering a period of 1 year from 2014–2015. The ethnomedicinal information was collected by using semi-structured questionnaires from different traditional Bengali people having knowledge on medicinal plants. Collected data were analyzed by calculating DCI. ResultsDuring the survey, 29 informants were interviewed and a total of 49 plants under 46 genera belonging to 33 families were listed. Data analysis revealed that Litsea glutinosa, Momordica charantia, Andrographis paniculata, Lawsonia inermis, Cleome viscosa, Psidium guajava, Ageratum conyzoides, Cuscuta reflexa, Cynodon dactylon and Carica papaya are the most prominent plants among the people of Southern Assam for treating DSD. ConclusionThis explorative survey emphasizes the need to preserve and document the traditional healing practices for managing DSD inviting for more imminent scientific research on the plants to determine their efficacy as well as safety. With the help of statistical analysis (DCI), we propose 10 priority plants for DSD in present work. Systematic pharmacological study with these plants may contribute significant result.

Characterization of chemical groups, and investigation of cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of Litsea glutinosa leaves

The present study was conducted to investigate possible phytochemicals, cytotoxic activity, total phenolic content and antioxidant property of different extracts of Litsea glutinosa leaves. To determine different pytochemicals, various standard group tests were done. For cytotoxicity test, brine shrimp lethality bioassay was carried out. To evaluate the antioxidant properties, some complementary test systems, namely DPPH free-radical scavenging assay and reducing power assay and determination of total phenolic content were conducted. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrate, flavonoid, saponin, gum, steroid, tannins and terpinoids. In brine shrimp lethality bioassay, results showed that all the extracts possess significant (P˂0.05) activity when compared to the standard, Colchicine. Among the extracts, the n-hexane soluble fraction showed the highest activity (LC50 30.32±0.46µg/ml) which is very close to the standard (LC50 30.11±0.30µg/ml) used. In DPPH free radical scavenging test, IC50 value of the ethyl acetate extract was found fairly significant (9.68±0.15μg/ml) while compared to that of the reference standards ascorbic acid (1.82±0.15μg/ml). In reducing power assay, the maximum reducing capacity for the methanolic extract was found 257.67±4.04 at 200μg/ml while compared to standard ascorbic acid (356.33±5.68μg/ml). The total phenolic amount was also calculated as quite high in the ethyl acetate extract (69.00±0.58mg/g of gallic acid equivalent). Presence of significant antioxidant properties of different extracts would justify its traditional use. However, it would be interesting to investigate possible causes and their mechanisms responsible for the cytotoxic and antioxidant properties of the plant L. glutinosa.

广西扶绥黑叶猴食物利用方式的初步研究

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 广西扶绥破碎化生境中黑叶猴的食物种类多样性和季节性重叠 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201307011809 作者: 作者单位: 广西师范大学生命科学学院,广西师范大学生命科学学院,广西师范大学生命科学学院 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金资助研究(31060059); 珍稀濒危动植物生态与环境保护省部共建教育部重点实验室研究基金资助(桂科能1001Z016) Dietary diversity and monthly overlap of François' langur in a fragmented habitat in Fusui, Guangxi, China Author: Affiliation: College of Life Science,Guangxi Normal University,Guilin Guangxi;Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education,,College of Life Science,Guangxi Normal University,Guilin Guangxi Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:动物使用生境中食物种类的方式对其适应性有重要的影响。为了研究黑叶猴在破碎化栖息地中利用食物的方式,2006年1-12月,采用焦点动物取样法和连续记录技术于每月初连续观察8 d,记录破碎化栖息地中黑叶猴取食的种类和时间,分析其食物多样性和月份间种类的重叠度。结果表明,黑叶猴年均食物多样性指数为3.03(范围1.93-2.62),且多样性指数在各月间没有显著的差异(One-sample K-S Test, P=0.99),说明黑叶猴在各月份中取食的食物种数相似,不同季节利用食物种数的变异程度不大。在所有的食物种类中,仅两种食物青檀Pteroceltis tatarinowii和潺槁树Litsea glutinosa 在12个月份都被取食,其他种类则表现了月份间明显的季节性替代。各月份间食物种类的相似性在0.42(3-4月)和0.75(9-10月)之间变化。黑叶猴对破碎化生境中食物种类的利用方式是:首先利用常年均有的食物种类以保证食物来源稳定,同时选择性地利用新出现的种类,使食物种类多样化,满足不同的营养需求。 Abstract:The manner in which animals use potential food in their environment, the diversity of species they consume, and the seasonal variation they display in their preferences for food, forms the basis of adaptive foraging strategies that maximized fitness. Although food specialists are more sensitive to environmental change than are food generalists, all species must meet their nutritional requirements while avoiding the potential harm that can result from the ingestion of noxious materials. François' langur is a rare and threatened primate that is endemic to the limestone habitat of southwest China and northern Vietnam. In recent decades, the langur population has declined rapidly, and remnant populations are severely threatened by habitat fragmentation. Elucidating the spatial and temporal foraging habits of langurs will provide an understanding of the mechanisms by which langurs respond to habitat fragmentation and allow us to speculate on the adaptive significance of these strategies. In this study, we investigated the dietary diversity and seasonal variation (i.e. the monthly overlap in species consumed) of François' langurs in a fragmented forest habitat in Fusui County, Guangxi, China. Field observations were obtained via focal animal sampling. These were conducted for eight days at the start of each month throughout 2006. On each day of sampling we randomly selected a focal adult and observed that individual from 06:30 until 19:30. This observation period was divided into 15-min sessions, with foraging behaviors (i.e. the species of food consumed and the time spent feeding) recorded only during the first 5 min of each 15-min session. Analyses were conducted to determine the monthly dietary diversity and the degree of temporal (monthly) overlap in dietary species. We found that the annual dietary diversity of langurs at this site was 3.03, with the lowest diversity recorded in January (1.93) and highest diversity recorded in December (2.62). There was no significant monthly variation in the dietary diversity index (One-sample K-S Test, Z = 0.44, n = 12, P = 0.99), which suggests that langurs exhibit little variation in the number and types of species they consume throughout the year. Nevertheless, some species (for example, Pteroceltis tatarinowii and Litsea glutinosa) were consumed in all months, whilst others were consumed more selectively, in some months but not others, despite being available in all months. The degree of monthly overlap in species consumed ranged from 0.75 (September and October) to 0.42 (March and April). Our results suggest that the foraging strategy of langurs in fragmented habitats could be characterized as being generalist as a diverse number of species were consumed throughout the year. This strategy is likely to be adaptive in this fragmented habitat, because langurs must balance the need to consume food efficiently, so as to meet their nutritional requirement, with the need to selective in their preferences, so as to avoid consuming plant species that contain noxious secondary compounds. Our work has shown that langurs maximize their foraging efficiency by foraging predominately on common species that are readily available in the environment, and subsequently, supplementing their diet with rare plant species that are of high nutritional quality. We contend that this foraging strategy maximizes the langurs' survival probability and reproductive success in fragmented habitat. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

In vivo analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory potential in Swiss albino mice and in vitro thrombolytic activity of hydroalcoholic extract from Litsea glutinosa leaves.

BackgroundThe study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro thrombolytic activity, and in vivo analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic potentials of different hydrocarbon soluble extracts of Litsea glutinosa leaves for the first time widely used in the folkloric treatments in Bangladesh. This work aimed to create new insights on the fundamental mechanisms of the plant extracts involved in these activities.ResultsIn thrombolytic activity assay, a significant clot disruption was observed at dose of 1 mg/mL for each of the extracts (volume 100 μL) when compared to the standard drug streptokinase. The n-hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and crude methanolic extracts showed 32.23 ± 0.26, 37.67 ± 1.31, 43.13 ± 0.85, and 46.78 ± 0.9% clot lysis, respectively, whereas the positive control streptokinase showed 93.35 ± 0.35% disruption at the dose of 30,000 I.U. In hot plate method, the highest pain inhibitory activity was found at a dose of 500 mg/kg of crude extract (15.54 ± 0.37 sec) which differed significantly (P <0.01 and P <0.001) with that of the standard drug ketorolac (16.38 ± 0.27 sec). In acetic acid induced writhing test, the crude methanolic extract showed significant (P <0.01 and P <0.001) analgesic potential at doses 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (45.98 and 56.32% inhibition, respectively), where ketorolac showed 64.36% inhibition. In anti-inflammatory activity test, the crude methanolic extract showed significant (P <0.001) potential at doses 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (1.51 ± 0.04 and 1.47 ± 0.03 mm paw edema, respectively), where ketorolac showed 1.64 ± 0.05 mm edema after 3 h of carrageenan injection. In antipyretic activity assay, the crude extract showed notable reduction in body temperature (32.78 ± 0.46°C) at dose of 500 mg/kg-body weight, when the standard (at dose 150 mg/kg-body weight) exerted 33.32 ± 0.67°C temperature after 3 h of administration.ConclusionsOur results yield that the crude hydroalcoholic extract has better effects than the other in all trials. In the context, it can be said that the leaves of L. glutinosa possess remarkable pharmacological effects, and justify its traditional use as analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and thrombolytic agent.

Analysis of the Essential Oils from Five Vietnamese Litsea Species (Lauraceae)

In this paper, the compositional pattern of essential oils from five plants in the genus Litsea (Lauraceae family) cultivated in Vietnam, were being reported. The air-dried plant materials were hydrodistilled and the oils were analysed by Gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and Gas chromatography coupled with Mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The leaf oil of Litsea helferi Hook.f., was rich in limonene (17.5 %), β-caryophyllene (14.2 %), bicyclogermacrene (13.1 %), bicycloelemene (12.4 %) and α-phellandrene (8.0 %). The main constituents of Litsea ferruginea Liou., leaf oil were dominated by monoterpenes comprising of sabinene (34.5 %), α-pinene (10.1 %), γ-terpinene (7.8 %), limonene (6.9 %) and terpinen-4-ol (6.6 %). The quantitative significant constituents of the leaf oil of Litsea verticillata Hance were also monoterpene compounds represented by linalool (23.4 %), α-pinene (26.1%) and β-pinene (11.7 %). In addition, the monoterpene hydrocarbons (E)-β-ocimene (57.4 %), along with α-pinene (7.8 %) and β-pinene (7.3 %) were the main constituents in the leaf oil of Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C. B. Rob. The main compounds in the leaf, stem, fruits and roots oils of Litsea cubeba (Lours.) Pers., were (Z)-citral (32.9-66.1 %), sabinene (1.4-14.2 %), limonene (7.0-13.6 %) and linalool (1.9-9.5 %). The chemical compositions of L. helferi, L. ferruginea and L. verticillata are being reported for the first time.

Propagation, antibacterial activity and phytochemical profiles of Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C. B. Robinson

The propagation, antibacterial activity and phytochemical profiles of Litsea glutinosa have been focused. Percentage of viable seed was 70 by tetrazoliumchloride staining technique, while germination rates were 75, 70, 55 and 20% in clay loam soil, clay loam: compost, compost and sand, respectively. Propagation of basal cutting in clay loam soil under the sun was faster than the apical stem cuttings. Both the ethanolic and water soluble extracts of the leaves and bark showed against Escherichia coli, Enterobacter intermedium, Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermis. Phytochemical profiling of the bark of L. glutinosa showed the presence of a number of secondary metabolites including steroids and terpenoids. The isolated compounds from ethanolic bark extract (T?1 and T?3) were identified as stigmasterol and ??sitosterol, respectively by comparing the 1H?NMR data of the isolated compounds with that of the published data. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/dujbs.v23i2.20096 Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 23(2): 165-171, 2014

Species Composition and Carbon Accounting for Landscape Trees in Urban Parks of Dongguan, China

Carbon accounting was carried out using Volume-Biomass Method based on field survey data from four urban parks of Dongguan. The results are as follows: 1) Shuilianshan Park (SLS) and Tongsha Park (TS) are sparsely covered with large trees, while Dapingzhang Forest Park (DPZ) and Huangqishan Park (HQS) are abundant with dense but small arbors. 2) Elaeocarpus apiculatus and Khaya senegalensis are the two major trees grown in Tongsha Park, which is located in urban core of Dongguan. A lot of individuals of Litsea glutinosa and Microcos paniculata occur in Huangqishan Park and Shuilianshan Park in the suburb, while many Acacia magium and Lithocarpus glaber trees have been planted in Dapingzhang Forest Park. 3) Carbon density and biomass density for the parks are in the following order: SLS &gt; HQS &gt; TS &gt; DPZ, which reflects the gradient of rapid urbanization. Carbon sink of urban forest was affected by land-use and land-cover change, vegetation types and stand ages, reforestation, and forest management.

Determination of informant consensus factor of ethnomedicinal plants used in Kalenga forest, Bangladesh

The present article tried to document the ethnomedicinal uses of plants and determine the consensus factor among villagers of Kalenga forest area to evaluate the potential for new drugs of herbal origin. This study was conducted in 2010 using semi-structured questionnaire with villagers engaged in the forest management. The present study documented 35 plant species under 25 families for treatment of 11 categories of ailments using 52 medicinal formularies in Kalenga forest area. There was great agreement among the informants regarding ethnomedicinal uses of plants with Factor of Informants Consensus (FIC) value ranging from 0.50 to 0.95, with an average value of 0.73. The study revealed that most of the informants agreed in the use of Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) Roxb. to treat dysentery (FIC 0.95) that showed the highest fidelity level (95.23%). The results of the study also indicated that L. glutinosa might be used for the development of new, cheap, effective, and eco-friendly herbal formulations for healthcare management. Villager’s views and our observations confirmed that L. glutinosa is a rare plant in the study area. Illegal and unsustainable collection of bark from this tree by the local crude drug traders considered as major causes of its depletion from nature.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjpt.v21i1.19272Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 21(1): 83-91, 2014 (June)

Free Radical Scavenging Activities of Some Indigenous Plants of Bangladesh

Four indigenous plant, Bryophyllum daigremontianum (Raym.), Coccinea cordifolia (Linn.), Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) and Micromelum minutum (G. Forst.) have been investigated for their antioxidant activity. The extractives were subjected to assay by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) for evaluation of free radical scavenging property. The IC50 value of the organic extracts ranged from 336.45 to 23.85 μg/ml. The aqueous soluble fraction of L. glutinosa demonstrated potent free radical scavenging activity (IC50-23.85μg/ml) as compared to tert-butyl- 1-hydroxytoluene (standard) that showed an ICso value of 34.89 μg/ml. The results primarily suggest the presence of potent oxidation inhibitory principles in the leaves of L. glutinosa.

Cytotoxicity potentials of eleven Bangladeshi medicinal plants.

Various forms of cancer are rising all over the world, requiring newer therapy. The quest of anticancer drugs both from natural and synthetic sources is the demand of time. In this study, fourteen extracts of different parts of eleven Bangladeshi medicinal plants which have been traditionally used for the treatment of different types of carcinoma, tumor, leprosy, and diseases associated with cancer were evaluated for their cytotoxicity for the first time. Extraction was conceded using methanol. Phytochemical groups like reducing sugars, tannins, saponins, steroids, gums, flavonoids, and alkaloids were tested using standard chromogenic reagents. Plants were evaluated for cytotoxicity by brine shrimp lethality bioassay using Artemia salina comparing with standard anticancer drug vincristine sulphate. All the extracts showed potent to moderate cytotoxicity ranging from LC50 2 to 115 µg/mL. The highest toxicity was shown by Hygrophila spinosa seeds (LC50 = 2.93 µg/mL) and the lowest by Litsea glutinosa leaves (LC50 = 114.71 µg/mL) in comparison with standard vincristine sulphate (LC50 = 2.04 µg/mL). Among the plants, the plants traditionally used in different cancer and microbial treatments showed highest cytotoxicity. The results support their ethnomedicinal uses and require advanced investigation to elucidate responsible compounds as well as their mode of action.

English

Litsea glutinosa (Lour) C.B (Hindi: Maida lakri) is a medicinal plant of immense pharmaceutical value. The species is critically endangered due to its indiscriminate collection as raw material for pharmaceutical industry, where it is used for manufacturing drugs for pain, arousing sexual power and in treatment of diarrhea and dysentery etc. An attempt has been made for development of in vitro propagation procedure for the species, involving four steps, namely: culture establishment, shoot multiplication, rooting and hardening. Aseptic cultures were established on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented 10.0 µM N6-benzyladenine (BA) using nodal segments (1 cm). Four sets of simple randomized experiment were carried out on MS medium to study the effect of four doses of each BA, GA3, IAA, (0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10 µM) and ascorbic acid (0, 284, 852 and 1136 µM) for in vitro shoot multiplication. MS medium supplemented with 5.0 µM BA with 852 µM ascorbic acid significantly proved optimum for in vitro shoot multiplication and resulted in 1.05 shoot number explant-1, 1.72 node number shoot-1 and 1.79 node number explant-1 at one month after inoculation. The in vitro multiplied shoots were tested for in vitro root induction on MS culture media containing auxin IBA (Indole-3-butaric acid) treatments (0, 2.5, 5.0 and10.0 µM) in simple randomized designs experiment. MS media supplemented with 10.0 µM IBA, screened out to be significantly excellent for induction and growth of adventitious roots, resulting in 72.2% rooting and 0.72 root number explant-1 at 30 days after inoculation. The in vitro propagated plants exhibited excellent growth. Therefore, the present study recommends a four step micropropagation procedure for in vitro production of L. glutinosa plants on a commercial scale to meet the requirement of pharmaceutical industries and save the species from extinction. Key words: Litsea glutinosa (Lour) C.B, ascorbic acid, nodal segments.

In vitro antioxidant and antinociceptive potentialities of methanolic extract of Litsea glutinosa

The methanolic extract of Litsea glutinosa (Lauraceae) was evaluated for in vitro antioxidant activity by determination of hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, total antioxidant capacity, assay of nitric oxide scavenging activity and reducing power test and in vivo antinociceptive effect in acetic acid induced writhing model in swiss albino mice. The results revealed the presence of pronounced antioxidant property as compared with ascorbic acid used as standard and a dose-dependent (250 and 500 mg/kg) analgesic effect. The antioxidant and antinociceptive properties observed seem to be in good accordance with the traditional uses of Litsea glutinosa. Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(4), 401-406, 2012 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v47i4.14069

Butanolides from Methanolic Extract of Litsea glutinosa

Phytochemical investigations of a MeOH extract obtained from the heartwoods of the Litsea glutinosa (Lauraceae) led to the isolation and characterization of four new butenolides, (3R,4S,5S)-2-hexadecyl-3-hydroxy-4-methylbutanolide 1, litsealactone C (2), and litsealactone D (4), litsealactone G (5), and a new benzoic acid derivative named eusmoside C (3). The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral studies.

Arbuscular-mycorrhizal networks inhibit Eucalyptus tetrodonta seedlings in rain forest soil microcosms.

Eucalyptus tetrodonta, a co-dominant tree species of tropical, northern Australian savannas, does not invade adjacent monsoon rain forest unless the forest is burnt intensely. Such facilitation by fire of seedling establishment is known as the "ashbed effect." Because the ashbed effect might involve disruption of common mycorrhizal networks, we hypothesized that in the absence of fire, intact rain forest arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) networks inhibit E. tetrodonta seedlings. Although arbuscular mycorrhizas predominate in the rain forest, common tree species of the northern Australian savannas (including adult E. tetrodonta) host ectomycorrhizas. To test our hypothesis, we grew E. tetrodonta and Ceiba pentandra (an AM-responsive species used to confirm treatments) separately in microcosms of ambient or methyl-bromide fumigated rain forest soil with or without severing potential mycorrhizal fungus connections to an AM nurse plant, Litsea glutinosa. As expected, C. pentandra formed mycorrhizas in all treatments but had the most root colonization and grew fastest in ambient soil. E. tetrodonta seedlings also formed AM in all treatments, but severing hyphae in fumigated soil produced the least colonization and the best growth. Three of ten E. tetrodonta seedlings in ambient soil with intact network hyphae died. Because foliar chlorosis was symptomatic of iron deficiency, after 130 days we began to fertilize half the E. tetrodonta seedlings in ambient soil with an iron solution. Iron fertilization completely remedied chlorosis and stimulated leaf growth. Our microcosm results suggest that in intact rain forest, common AM networks mediate belowground competition and AM fungi may exacerbate iron deficiency, thereby enhancing resistance to E. tetrodonta invasion. Common AM networks–previously unrecognized as contributors to the ashbed effect–probably help to maintain the rain forest–savanna boundary.

Sablot (Litsea glutinosa) Lour. Rob.: Bringing it Back to the Landscape

Sablot (Litsea glutinosa) Lour. Rob. Leaves of a multipurpose tree belonging to the Lauraceae family, an original component of plastering in the construction of brick houses in the old Ciudad Fernandina now Vigan City in Ilocos Sur, Philippines is fast disappearing due to urbanization and many factors. This study determined the versatility of sablot (Litsea glutinosa) in order to bring back its use in the plastering industry. New frontiers in the discovery of the multipurpose tree showed medicinal value. Phytochemical analyses of sablot leaves showed antimicrobial properties against bacteria. Products like extracts formulated into ointments were derived from both leaves and barks manifested high growth inhibitions. Propagation techniques using seeds, cuttings, propagation by transplanting and by marcotting and other experimental strategies are studied to bring back sablot (Litsea glutinosa) to the landscape for human livelihood specially in the tropical rural areas of Ilocos of the Philippines. The primary objective of this study is to account the many uses of sablot both indigenous practices as well as new discoveries in order to fully utilize its potentials. Keyword: Sablot

A new arabinoxylan from green leaves of Litsea glutinosa (Lauraeae): Structural and biological studies

A water soluble new arabinoxylan, isolated through hot water extraction from the green leaves of Litsea glutinosa (Lauraceae) was found to contain xylose and arabinose in a molar ratio of nearly 1:3. On the basis of NMR (1H, 13C, DQF-COSY, TOCSY, NOESY, ROESY, HMBC and DEPT-135), GLC and GLC–MS analyses, the backbone was established as (1→4)-α-d-xylopyranosyl residue, substituted at C-2 with one unit of two adjacently linked (1→3)-α-l-arabinofuranosyl residues and the other one was terminated by β-l-arabinofuranosyl residue. The proposed repeating unit of the molecule was established as:▪This molecule showed strong splenocyte, thymocyte, and macrophage activations. The optimum doses of the polysaccharide for splenocyte and thymocyte proliferation were observed at 25μg/mL and 50μg/mL, respectively. An enhanced production of NO was observed at 100μg/mL of the polysaccharide.

Stimulation of cellular proliferation of human fibroblasts and human keratinocytes cell by Eclipta prostrata and Litsea glutinosa extracts

Stimulation of cellular proliferation is central mechanism within the complex physiology of wound healing. This study aimed to investigate the influence of extracts (EtOH 95%) from the aerial parts from Eclipta prostrata Linn. (Asteraceae) and of an aqueous extract from Litsea glutinosa C.B.Robinson (Lauraceae) leaves on the proliferation of primary human dermal fibroblasts and immortalized human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). Both plants are extensively used within Thai traditional medicine for wound healing.

Extraction and Phytochemical Evaluation of LitseaGlutinosa Bark Methanolic Extract

The present investigation deals with the extraction of bark powder of Litsea glutinosa and its preliminary phytochemical screening. The bark powder was subjected to methanolic extraction and further explored for its phytochemical constituents using TLC and GC MS. Preliminary phytochemical screening reveals the presence of alkaloids, flavonoides, glycosides, phenols, tannins and saponins. The extract was further subjected to separation using TLC and fractions were evaluated using GC MS. GC MS analysis of the total methanolic extract showed the presence of Oliec acid, tricosene, erucic acid, tetra decanoic acid, pyrrolidinone, piperidine, eicosanoic acid like major phytochemicals. Alkaloid fraction was found to be rich in therapeutically potential compounds like Eicosane, Pieprizine, pyridine, thio-coumarin, tetrahydroisoquinoline. Apart from this various Androstane, Androsta-trione, pregnene like phytoestrogens were also observed in this plant, justifying its aphrodisiac and osteoprotective effect. TLC of various subfractions of alkaloids revealed that this plant is rich in variety of potential therapeutic phytochemicals, hence justifying its ethnomedical usage.