Sarcococca Saligna Research Articles

Assessment of floristic diversity and regeneration status of Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) Loud. stands under forest management systems in Western Himachal Himalayas: A case study of Shimla district

The documentation of forest wealth in the Himalayas is of great importance because of biotic pressure on them. The applied system of management and conservation of forests is of immediate concern for the present and future generation. Such study is useful to known the type of plant community development through succession under single stand management system. The present study revealed the dominance of Cedrus deodara an endemic species of Indian Himalayas in all Periodic Blocks with maximum dominance in PB II. Among different PBs maximum diversity in species was found in PB IV with highest density of Quercus floribunda followed by Cedrus deodara and Pinus wallichiana. Among shrub species Berberis aristata showed maximum dominance in PB I, PB II and PB IV. However, Sarcococca saligna was dominant in PB III and as a next dominant species in PB I and PB II. It also showed highest density in PB I, PB II and PB III. While Berberis aristata indicated highest density in PB IV. Among herbaceous vegetation most dominant species was Eragrostis nutans in all periodic blocks. The maximum regeneration of Cedrus deodara was found in the decreasing trend as PBI >PB >PB >IV >PBIII >PBII. The maximum contribution to regeneration among various Periodic Blocks was of Cedrus deodara followed by Quercus floribunda, Pinus wallichiana and Quercus leucotrichophora.

Studies on cardio-suppressant, vasodilator and tracheal relaxant effects ofSarcococca saligna

Sarcococca saligna is a shrub that is traditionally used for its medicinal properties in Pakistan. In this study we report the cardio-suppressant, vasodilator and tracheal relaxant activities of the aqueous-methanolic extract (Ss.Cr) of the plant. Ss.Cr, that tested positive for the presence of saponins, flavonoids, tannins, phenols, and alkaloids, exhibited a dose-dependent (0.3-5 mg/mL) negative inotropic and chronotropic effect on the isolated guinea-pig atrium which was resistant to atropine (1 microM) and aminophylline (10 microM) pretreatment. In rabbit thoracic aorta, Ss.Cr dose-dependently (0.1-3 mg/mL) relaxed the high K+ (80 mM) and phenylephrine (PE, 1 microM)-induced contractions, indicating a possible Ca++ channel blocking (CCB) effect. When tested against PE (1 microM) control peaks in normal Ca++ and Ca++-free Kreb's solution, Ss.Cr exhibited dose-dependent (0.1-3 mg/mL) inhibition, being more potent in relaxing the PE responses in Ca++-free Kreb's solution, thus indicating specific blockade of Ca++ release from the intracellular stores. Ss.Cr also relaxed the agonist-induced contractions in: a) rat aorta irrespective of the presence of endothelium or nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME and b) rabbit and guinea-pig tracheal strips. The data shows that Ss.Cr possesses possible Ca++ channel blocking activity which might be responsible for its observed cardio-suppressant, vasodilator and tracheal relaxant effects though more tests are required to confirm this Ca++ channel blocking effect.

A New Pregnane-type Alkaloid from Sarcococca saligna

A New Pregnane-type Alkaloid from Sarcococca saligna

Kinetics and structure–activity relationship studies on pregnane-type steroidal alkaloids that inhibit cholinesterases

The mechanism of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE, EC 3.1.1.8) enzymes by 23 pregnane-type alkaloids isolated from the Sarcococca saligna was investigated. Lineweaver–Burk and Dixon plots and their secondary replots showed that the majority of these compounds, that is 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15– 19, and 21 were found to be noncompetitive inhibitors of both enzymes. Compounds 8, 20, 22, and 23 were determined to be uncompetitive inhibitors of BChE, while compounds 11 and 14 were found to be uncompetitive and linear mixed inhibitors of AChE, respectively. K i values were found to be in the range of 2.65–250.0 μM against AChE and 1.63–30.0 μM against BChE. The structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies suggested that the major interaction of the enzyme–inhibitor complexes are due to hydrophobic and cation–π interactions inside the aromatic gorge of these cholinesterases. The effects of various substituents on the activity of these compounds are also discussed in details.

Three New Steroidal Amines from Sarcococca saligna

Sarcococca saligna (Buxaceae) has yielded three new steroidal amines. E-salignone (1), Z-salignone (2) and N a-demethylsaracodine (3). The proposed structures of these alkamines are based on spectroscopic studies.