Bombax Research Articles

Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of bark of Bombax ceiba L.

Bombax ceiba L. is the member of family Bombacaceae. It is commonly known as Salmali, Ruka-Pusha, Semul or Semal, etc. It is a fast-growing tree because of which, is suitable for avenue plantation. Spines are found on the trunk of young tree for providing protection. The tree is about 20-40 m tall. Flowers are red-coloured and large-sized, and therefore it is known as Red-Silk cotton tree. Qualitative phytochemical screening of aqueous extract of bark shows the presence of alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, phlobatannins, carbohydrates etc. The phytochemicals present in the plant provide protection, strength to plants. The anti-microbial activity was done in different solvents. The maximum zone of inhibition of 26.67 mm was observed against Bacillus subtilis of DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) extract. The minimum zone of inhibition of 7 mm was observed against Streptococcus mutans of ethanol extract, and Bacillus subtilis of aqueous extract.

Polyphenol Content, Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, and Genotoxic Activities of Bombax ceiba Flowers in Liver Cancer Cells Huh7.

Objective: Bombax ceiba (red Silk cotton tree) has great ethnopharmacological significance due to its widespread use to treat various diseases such as dysentery, inflammation, and tuberculosis. Despite decades of research, the studies on the in vitro anticancer/genotoxic activity of B. ceiba flower remains restricted. Thus, the present research explored the effect of ethanol extract from B. ceiba flowers on three human cancer cells, including lung A549 and liver HepG2 and Huh7 cell lines. Methods:Cytotoxic and genotoxic activity of B. ceiba extract was examined by MTT and comet assay, respectively. Further, B. ceiba extract was analysed to determine total polyphenol content and DPPH antiradical scavenging activity. Results:ethanol extract from B. ceiba flowers had a high polyphenols content with very potent antioxidant activity. Further, B. ceiba extract displayed moderate cytotoxicity against Huh7 cells and no cytotoxicity against HepG2 and A549 cells. The comet assay findings showed that Huh7 cells treated with four concentrations of B. ceiba extract (¼ IC50, ½ IC50, IC50, and double IC50) increased the comet tail formation within 48 h in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion:ethanol extract from B. ceiba flowers exhibited its cytotoxicity through induction of DNA fragmentation in Huh7 cells.

Quality control parameters of prickles of Bombax ceiba Linn.

Bombax ceiba Linn. is a deciduous tree known as Red silk cotton tree. Bombax ceiba stem, stem bark and prickle are used for the treatment of rheumatism, swellings, asthma and inflammation of the legs. The stem bark of Bombax ceiba is official in the ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India recommends its use in acne. Prickles are also used and recommended in anti-acne marketed formulation. However, limited work was carried out on the prickle toward establishing quality control parameters. Studies were therefore carried out to determine the phytochemical and pharmacognostic profile of prickle of Bombax ceiba Linn. The study, including determination of macroscopic, microscopic characters, ash values, extractive values, loss on drying, phytochemical screening, total phenolic content, TLC and HPTLC fingerprinting were carried out. Successive extracts were prepared using soxhlet extraction. The phytochemical analysis of extracts revealed the presence of tannin, saponin, phenol, carbohydrate, steroids, triterpenoids and flavonoids. Total phenolic and tannin content of methanol extract was found 327.78±1.09mg GAE/gm equivalent and 4.98±0.22%w/w, respectively. The mobile phase showing distinct spots in TLC was found in Toluene: Ethyl acetate (9.5:0.5) and (9:1) for petroleum ether and methanol extracts, respectively. HPTLC fingerprinting shows 8 & 3 peaks at 366nm for petroleum ether and methanol extract, respectively.

Notes on Brazilian Pachira (Malvaceae: Bombacoideae): A new combination and lectotypification of three basionyms

Bombax cearense, endemic to Brazil, is transferred to Pachira and the name is lectotypified. The basionyms of two other species of Pachira endemic to Brazil also are lectotypified.

Review on Traditional uses, Biological activities, Phytoconstituents of Bombax ceiba Linn.

Review on Traditional uses, Biological activities, Phytoconstituents of Bombax ceiba Linn.

Isolation and Identification of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria Highly Effective in Suppressing Root Rot in Fava Beans.

In this study, 18 plant growth-promoting bacterial (PGPB) strains were isolated from the rhizosphere of both Red silk-cotton tree (Bombax malabaricum) and Chinese banyan (Ficus retusa). Culture morphology was observed and genotypic characterization was accomplished by sequencing partial 16S rRNA gene. Plant growth promotion traits and antagonistic activities of the strains against phytopathogenic fungi were evaluated. Among all strains, Bacillus thuringiensis (MN419208) exert the highest indole acetic acid (38µg/ml), produced exopolysaccharides (587.2µg/ml), and fixed nitrogen which in turn increased both fresh and dry weights of bean plants by 41.5% and 18.8%, respectively. In another greenhouse experiment studying the antifungal activities of seven strains and their co-culture against Rhizoctonia solani (LN735538), B. sonorensis MN419205, B. wiedmannii MN419207, B. subtilis MN419218, and the mixture of (MN419207) and (MN419208) reduced total damping off from 81.7% in control to 30%, 35%, 35%, and 38.3%, respectively, and reduced disease severity index from 33.3% to 20.5%, 22.5%, 14.2%, and 19.3% as well. Our data indicate that these strains are effective in promoting plant growth and in inhibiting R. solani infection nonetheless field experiments are needed to examine their effectiveness as a viable alternative to chemical fertilizers and conventional pesticides.

Physicochemical, Qualitative and Quantitative Phytochemical Analysis of the Leaf and Bark of Bombax Ceiba L (Red Silk Cotton Tree)

Bombax ceiba L is a big deciduous tree found in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa and Australia. Conventional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani have been highlighted the use of B. ceiba parts (bark, leaves and flower) for the treatment of manydiseases like hypertension, HIV infections, inflammation, catarrhal affection, ulcer, acne, gynecological disorders, fever, dysentery, algesia, hepatotoxicity, piles and urinary infections. The aim of the present study was to evaluate pharmacognostic, physicochemical, qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis of leaf and bark of B. ceiba collected from Bhopal region of Madhya Pradesh. The pharmacognostic studies out in terms of various investigations like organoleptic or morphological characters, microscopic or anatomical studies, physicochemical evaluations (loss on drying, ash value, extractive values and acid insoluble ash value). Qualitative analysis of various phytochemical constituents and quantitative analysis of total phenolics and flavonoids were determined by the well-known test protocol available in the literature. The detail microscopy of bark revealed the presence of cork cell, lignified fibre, calcium oxalate crystals, xylem vessels. Physiochemical parameters such as percentage of foreign matters, ash values, loss on drying swelling index, extractive values were determined. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenols, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids and glycosides. In the procedure of quantitative analysis of flavonoids and phenolic compound was carried out by aluminium chloride Folins and Ciocalteau reagent method .In this methodthe totalflavonoids content and phenolic content of B. ceiba ethanolic and aqueous barks extracts was found to be 6.272, 3.363 and 2.607, 1.607mg /100mg respectively and total phenolic and flavonoids content of B. ceiba ethanolic, aqueous leaves extracts was found to be 7.381, 4.590 and 3.200, 1.792 mg/100mg respectively. These information will also be helpful to differentiate B. ceiba from the closely related other species. The diverse array of phytochemicals present in the plant thus suggests its therapeutic potentials which may be explored in drug manufacturing industry as well as in traditional medicine.

De novo genome assembly of the red silk cotton tree (Bombax ceiba).

Background Bombax ceiba L. (the red silk cotton tree) is a large deciduous tree that is distributed in tropical and sub-tropical Asia as well as northern Australia. It has great economic and ecological importance, with several applications in industry and traditional medicine in many Asian countries. To facilitate further utilization of this plant resource, we present here the draft genome sequence for B. ceiba.FindingsWe assembled a relatively intact genome of B. ceiba by using PacBio single-molecule sequencing and BioNano optical mapping technologies. The final draft genome is approximately 895 Mb long, with contig and scaffold N50 sizes of 1.0 Mb and 2.06 Mb, respectively.ConclusionsThe high-quality draft genome assembly of B. ceiba will be a valuable resource enabling further genetic improvement and more effective use of this tree species.

Evaluation of phytochemical parameters, antibacterial and antihelminthic activity of leaves and bark extracts of plant Bombax ceiba

Bombax ceiba, commonly known as the red silk-cotton tree, is a large, briefly deciduous tree occurring in warm monsoon forests in southern Asia. Various phytochemical constituents present in different plant parts has been already reported earlier to possess many biological activities, here in this work extraction was performed by mixture of solvent (distilled water: ethanol) as well as the individual solvents (water) and (ethanol). The phytochemical screening of the leaves and barks was found to exhibit the presence of carbohydrates, glycoside, saponin, phytosterol phenol, tannins, flavonoid, proteins and diterpenes and negative result for alkaloids in all the solvent extracts. The ethanolic extract of leaves was subjected to antihelmenthic activity and the result was found to be moderate

The Diet of the Cave Nectar Bat (Eonycteris spelaea Dobson) Suggests it Pollinates Economically and Ecologically Significant Plants in Southern Cambodia.

Hoem Thavry, Julien Cappelle, Sara Bumrungsri, Lim Thona, and Neil M. Furey (2017) The importance of the cave nectar bat Eonycteris spelaea as a pollinator of economically significant crops and ecologically important plant species is increasingly documented, although information on the plants visited by this widely distributed bat species is currently confined to Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. We undertook a dietary study on E. spelaea by sampling faecal rain produced by a colony in Kampot, southern Cambodia each month for one year and identifying plant taxa visited by the bats by their pollen. Our results indicate the diet of E. spelaea in Cambodia includes at least 13 plant taxa, eight of which were identi ed to genus or species. Pollen of Sonneratia spp. and Musa spp. had the highest mean monthly frequency at 30.9% and 16.9% respectively, followed by Oroxylum indicum (11.3%), Bombax anceps (11.2%), Parkia spp. (9.8%), Durio zibethinus (6.3%), Ceiba pentandra (6.0%) and Eucalyptus spp. (0.3%). With one exception, all of the plant taxa recorded at our study site are also visited by the bat species in Peninsular Malaysia and Thailand, although their relative dietary contributions differ. This variation likely reflects local differences in the availability, proximity and flowering phenology of chiropterophilous plants between regions, but also suggests a reliance of Cambodian bats on species that ower continuously, coupled with periodic shifts to species that ower profusely for short periods. Only three signi cant colonies (> 1,000 bats) of cave-roosting pteropodids are currently known in Cambodia, all of which are in Kampot and threatened by bushmeat hunting and roost disturbance. We recommend public education and law enforcement e orts to conserve these colonies, not least because Kampot is the premier region for Cambodian durian and this crop depends on nectarivorous bats for fruit set. Protection of mangroves would also bene t durian farmers because these are an important resource for nectarivorous bat populations.

Qualitative and Quantitative Phytochemical Analysis of the Leaf, Stem Bark and Root of Bombax Ceiba (red Silk Cotton Tree) in North Central Nigeria

Qualitative and Quantitative Phytochemical Analysis of the Leaf, Stem Bark and Root of Bombax Ceiba (red Silk Cotton Tree) in North Central Nigeria

A Comparative Study on the Antioxidant Activity of Commonly Used South Asian Herbs

The antioxidant activities of curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, Indian malabar leaves, red silk cotton tree leaves, cowitch leaves, holyfruit tree leaves, and black mustard seeds were compared. Their effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were investigated. The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay determined the antioxidant potential of the extracts, while the ROS scavenging ability was explored in hyperglycemia-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The SOD assay determined if the extracts stimulated the enzyme activity in the HUVECs. Curry leaf and fenugreek extracts had high ORAC values and superior free radical scavenging abilities compared with the rest of the extracts. The curry leaf extract had also increased the SOD activity. Fenugreek extract had not increased the SOD activity of the HUVECs. Thus, the two herbs displayed two distinct pathways of action for scavenging of ROS.

Chemical Analysis of Flowers of Bombax ceiba from Nepal

From the flowers of Bombax ceiba L. (Family: Bombacaceae) twenty-four compounds were isolated and identified, including ten flavonoids, quercetin (1), quercetin-3- O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), quercetin-3- O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside (3), rutin (4), sexangularetin-3- O-sophoroside (5), vitexin (6), isovitexin (7), vicenin 2 (8), kaempferol-3- O-rutinoside (18), and kaempferol-3- O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside (23); three xanthones, isomangiferin (9), mangiferin (10), and 7- O-methyl mangiferin (11); four coumarins, esculetin (12), scopoletin (13), fraxetin (14), and scopolin (21); and seven other compounds, blumenol C glucopyranoside (15), benzyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (16), phenylethyl rutinoside (17), protocatechulic acid (19), chlorogenic acid (20), methyl chlorogenate (22) and vanillic acid (24). Among these, 13 compounds (3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23 and 24) were isolated for the first time from B. ceiba.

Impacts of climate change on marginal community and bio-diversity in Terai, Nepal

6Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Nepal. 7 Institute of Forestry (IOF), Hetauda, Nepal. 8 Netherlands Development Organisation, Nepal. Accepted 12 October, 2012 This paper aims at exploring the impacts of climate change on the marginal communities and the status of silvo-agriculture species. Mahottary district of Nepal was selected for this study in 2012. A pertinent questionnaire was used to determine the impacts of climate change. The key respondents were interviewed and workshops organized at three different levels to triangulate the information. Stratified random sampling was applied to collect the bio-physical data. The results showed a shift in flowering and ripening seasons of agriculture crops. The associate species of Shorea robusta were at threat. Those species were abundant in the past, but rarely found nowadays. The values of Shannon Weinner and Simpson indices were 2.53 and 0.86 respectively in 2005 and 2.34 and 0.85 respectively in January, 2012 showing the impacts of climate change on forest species. Bees that make hive on Bombax ceiba were not found and the marginal communities were affected. Similarly, Terai indigenous communities and Dalits were found to have been affected because of insufficient fish in the paddy fields. Frogs and storks were scarcely found in the farmlands. Extreme drought, untimely floods and mass-wasting have been damaging the wealth and health in the locality.

Studies on the chemical compositions and anti nutrients of some lesser known Nigeria fruits

Fruit samples of Cola millenii, Strychnos innocua, Bombax glabra, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Parkia biglobosa and Gardenia erubescens were collected from various locations in Oyo and Osun States of Nigeria. The chemical compositions of these fruits were analyzed with a view to evaluating their levels of nutrient and anti-nutrients. The nutrients compositions of the fruits showed that the amount of crude fat ranged between 0.78 and 40.0 g/100 g; crude fibre, 1.23 – 14.57 g/100 g; crude protein, 4.54 - 34.1 g/100 g; ash, 1.79 - 6.10 g/100 g and carbohydrate, 7.88 - 72.67 g/100 g. Concentrations of iron, manganese and zinc were highest in C. milleniimesocarp; calcium and magnesium were highest in the yellowish pulp of P. biglobosa while potassium content was highest in B. glabra seed. S. innocua juice contained the highest amount of sodium while G. erubescens fruit contained the highest amount of copper. Ascorbic acid was highest in C. millenii mesocarp with a value of 953 mg/100 g; S. innocua juice contained highest levels of total sugar (168.49 mg/g) and reducing sugar (83.25 mg/g) while C. millenii seed contained highest amount of starch (739.38 mg/g). The results of anti-nutrient factors showed that tannin content ranged between 1.0 and 7.5 mg/g catechin equivalent. Phytate, oxalate and trypsin inhibitor ranged from 0.20 - 6.65 mg/g, 0.23 - 1.17 g /100 g, 9.64 - 58.2 TIU/g respectively. The fruit parts with low level of anti nutrient, high elemental composition, protein, lipid, carbohydrates and ascorbic acid could serve as supplementary sources of essential nutrient to man and livestock. Key words: Cola millenii, Strychnos innocua, Bombax glabra, Arthocarpusheterophyllus, nutrients, anti-nutrients.