Search Results (7)

Eclipta alba (Linn.) Hassk. (Asteraceae) is a high value medicinal plant which possesses diverse medicinal properties. It is an important herb for the treatment of various disorders, and is primarily used as a hepatoprotectant. Its major biochemical constituents include wedelolactone and dimethyl-wedelolactone (coumestans), which possess anti-hepatotoxic properties. Due to its numerous medicinal properties, it is in high demand by the pharmaceutical industry and therefore requires urgent biotechnological interventions for its improvement. Therefore, the present study was constructed with the aim of developing an efficient genetic transformation protocol for E. alba, which will help in the mass production of the active compounds found in E. alba. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA 4404, containing vector pBI121, was used to genetically transform the plant, and the effect of various factors such as infection type, light cycle effect, effect of pH, among others, on the genetic transformation efficiency was analyzed. Regenerated transformed shoots were confirmed using the standard Polymerase Chain Reaction PCR method. Kanamycin-resistant and beta- glucurosidaseGUS-positive shoots indicated the development of transgenic shoots in E. alba. Amplification of nptll and uidA genes confirmed the integration of t-DNA transgenic shoots. In conclusion, various factors affecting the transformation efficiency were analyzed, and a reliable A. tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation protocol was developed. Full article

Herbal medicine has been studied as an alternate approach to modern medicine as it is more cost-effective and accessible via natural sources. Eclipta alba (E. alba, L.) Hassk. is a weed plant abundantly distributed throughout different regions of the world and contains abundant bioactive compounds used for various skin conditions. In this review, we aimed to gather information from the literature about the extraction, separation, and identification of these bioactive compounds and their potential in skin diseases. Relevant studies published before August 2023 were identified and selected from electronic databases, including Scopus, SciFinder, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Wiley Library, using the following keywords: Eclipta alba, Eclipta prostrata, phytochemicals, extraction, separation, isolation, identification, characterization, pharmacological activity, and skin conditions. Up-to-date extraction, separation, and identification methods of bioactive compounds from E. alba and their skin-related pharmacological activities are discussed in this review. As there are limitations regarding extraction, separation, and identification methods, and in-depth mechanistic and human studies of the skin-related pharmacological activities of bioactive compounds, these gaps are areas for future research to expand our understanding and broaden the potential applications of this medicinal weed plant, including the development of cosmeceutical and skincare products, anti-inflammatory agents, and formulations for dermatological treatments. Full article

Aphanomyces invadans is an aquatic oomycete pathogen and the causative agent of epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) in fresh and brackish water fish, which is responsible for severe mortalities and economic losses in aquaculture. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop anti-infective strategies to control EUS. An Oomycetes, a fungus-like eukaryotic microorganism, and a susceptible species, i.e., Heteropneustes fossilis, are used to establish whether an Eclipta alba leaf extract is effective against the EUS-causing A. invadans. We found that treatment with methanolic leaf extract, at concentrations between 50–100 ppm (T4–T6), protects the H. fossilis fingerlings against A. invadans infection. These optimum concentrations induced anti-stress and antioxidative response in fish, marked by a significant decrease in cortisol and elevated levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels in treated animals, as compared with the controls. We further demonstrated that the A. invadans-protective effect of methanolic leaf extract was caused by its immunomodulatory effect and is linked to the enhanced survival of fingerlings. The analysis of non-specific and specific immune factors confirms that methanolic leaf extract-induced HSP70, HSP90 and IgM levels mediate the survival of H. fossilis fingerlings against A. invadans infection. Taken together, our study provides evidence that the generation of anti-stress and antioxidative responses, as well as humoral immunity, may play a role in protecting H. fossilis fingerlings against A. invadans infection. It is probable that E. alba methanolic leaf extract treatment might become part of a holistic strategy to control EUS in fish species. Full article

Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. (Syn.: Eclipta alba (L.) Hassak, Family: Asteraceae) is an important medicinal plant in the tropical and subtropical regions. It is widely used in treating various diseases of skin, liver and stomach in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and other countries. The main aim of this review was to collect and analyze the available information on traditional uses, phytoconstituents, and biological activities of E. prostrata. The scientific information was collected from the online bibliographic databases such as Scopus, MEDLINE/PubMed, Google Scholar, SciFinder, etc. and books and proceedings. The active phytochemicals were coumestan derivatives, phenolic acid derivatives, flavonoids, triterpenoid and steroid saponins, substituted thiophenes, etc. Various extracts and isolated compounds of E. prostrata showed a wide range of biological activities such as antimicrobial, anticancer, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and hair growth promoting activities. Relatively a few studies have been performed to reveal the exact phytoconstituents responsible for their corresponding pharmacological activities. Future studies should focus on detailed mechanism based studies using animal models and clinical studies. Full article

The present work describes a facile and convenient procedure for synthesizing zinc oxide nanoparticles using luteolin isolated from Eclipta alba plant (L-ZnONPs) at room temperature. The formation of as-grown L-ZnONPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The Wurtzite structure of ZnO was observed by its hexagonal phases in diffraction patterns. The SEM images revealed the different sizes and morphologies of L-ZnONPs, with diameters between 12 and 25 nm. The HR-TEM result showed that the inter-planar distance between two lattice fringes was 0.262 nm, which coincides with the d-spacing of (002) and (101) lattice planes of the as-obtained material. The anticancer activity of L-ZnONPs against the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was greater as compared to that of luteolin or ZnO alone. The mechanistic evaluation of such an activity carried out using in silico methods suggested that the anti-breast cancer activity of L-ZnONPs was mediated by polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) proteins. Full article

Cognitive impairment, associated with ageing, stress, hypertension and various neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy, is a major health issue. The present review focuses on Alzheimer’s disease (AD), since it is the most important cause of cognitive impairment. It is characterized by progressive memory loss, language deficits, depression, agitation, mood disturbances and psychosis. Although the hallmarks of AD are cholinergic dysfunction, β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangle formation, it is also associated with derangement of other neurotransmitters, elevated levels of advanced glycation end products, oxidative damage, neuroinflammation, genetic and environmental factors. On one hand, this complex etiopathology makes a response to commonly used drugs such as donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine less predictable and often unsatisfactory. On the other hand, it supports the use of herbal medicines due to their nonspecific antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and specific cholinesterase inhibitory activity. The popularity of herbal medicines is also increasing due to their perceived effectiveness, safety and affordability. In the present article, the experimental and clinical evidence have been reviewed for various Indian herbal medicines such as Centella asiatica, Bacopa monnieri, Curcuma longa, Clitoria ternatea, Withania somnifera, Celastrus paniculatus, Evolvulus alsinoides, Desmodium gangeticum, Eclipta alba, Moringa oleifera and Convolvulus pluricaulis, which have shown potential in cognitive impairment. Some commonly available herbal formulations for memory impairment in India have also been reviewed. Full article

Unscientific use of synthetic fungicides in plant disease management has environmental ramifications, such as disease resurgence and serious health problems due to their carcinogenicity. This has prompted the identification and development of eco-friendly greener alternatives. Eclipta alba extract was evaluated for its antifungal activity in in vitro and in vivo against sorghum fungal pathogens Fusarium thapsinum, Alternaria alternata, Epicoccum sorghinum, and Curvularia lunata. The column purified methanolic extract of E. alba exhibited good antifungal activity against the target pathogens. The MIC was observed at 80 mg/mL for all tested pathogenic fungi, whereas MFC was 80 mg/mL for E. sorghinum, 100 mg/mL for F. thapsinum, A. alternata, and C. lunata. In vitro germination percentage was significantly high in seeds treated with E. alba extract (98%) over untreated control (91%). Significant disease protection of 95% was observed in greenhouse and 66% disease protection was noticed in field experiments. The efficacy of E. alba extract in field conditions was improved with the use of E. alba extract formulation. The profile of phytochemicals in E. alba methanol fractions was obtained by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) mass spectroscopy. The [M-H]⁻ at m/z 313.3, m/z 797.9, and m/z 269.0 revealed the presence of wedelolactone, eclalbasaponin II, and apigenin, respectively. The H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-NMR) chemical shift value supported the findings of the mass spectrometry. The results highlighted the possible use of E. alba methanolic extract as alternative to chemical fungicide in sorghum disease management. Full article