Objective: To investigate the larvicidal activities of six varying extracts of Acalypha indica (A. indica) leaves from family Euphorbiaceae against the dengue mosquito vector, Aedesalbopictus (Ae. albopictus) in laboratory. Methods:Leaves from the study plants were separated, air dried in room temperature, grounded and extracted with different solvents (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, ethanol and aqueous) by solvent apparatus and aqueous extract by maceration method. The extra solvents were evaporated to obtain crude extracts by using rotary evaporator. The crude extracts of six different solvents were dissolved in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) to prepare test dosages of 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 ppm. Third instar larvae of Ae. albopictus were exposed to 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 ppm concentrations of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, ethanol and aqueous extracts of A. indica and compared with control to determine the larvicidal effects. Larval bioassays were carriedout according to World Health Organisation (WHO) procedures. The rate of larval mortality was recorded after 24h and 48 h of time exposure. Three duplicate trials were made for each tested dosage. IC50 and IC90 values were calculated by using probit analysis.Results: Based on probit analysis result the 24h and 48h LC50 and LC90 of petroleum ether extract of A. indica against Ae. albopictus was found to be 2805.43 ppm and 2376.11 ppm, 3825.14 ppm and 3327.8 ppm, respectively. An LC50 and LC90 value of chloroform extracts of A. indicaa gainst third instar larvae was found to be 2276.5 ppm and 4015.8 ppm (24h), 2213.36 ppm and 3430.43 ppm (48h), respectively. An LC50 value of 4472.17 ppm and 2469.61 ppm, and LC90 value of 4215.84 ppm was obtained on ethylacetate extract treatment against Ae. albopictus for 24h and 48h exposure, respectively. The 24h and 48 h LC50 and LC90 values of n-butanol extracts of A. indica was found to be 2777.88 ppm and 3628.19 ppm, 2225.61 ppm and 2518.86 ppm, respectively. In the present study, the larvicidal bioassays demonstrated that the n-butanolextract was most effective with 100% mortality against larvae of Ae. albopictus at 3000, 4000 and 5000 ppm compared to other extracts. All other extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate) of A. indica at high concentration (4000 ppm and 5000 ppm) manifested a significant (P<0.01 and 0.05) knock down effect of 100% moratality after 24h and 48h exposure. While the third instar lavae of Ae. albopictus were found to be most susceptabile and produced no mortality to ethanol and aqueous extract at varying parts per million. Conclusion:A. indica leaf extract was tested for the first time against dengue vector Ae. albopictus and the results revealed that A. indica can be used to control dengue vector. Further this extract needs to be evaluated under field conditions for proper exploitation of Ae. albopictus mosquito larvae. Thus, the present study provided a first report on A. indica as a prompting mosquito larvicid...

Aim: Hemostasis is the process of formation of clots within the walls of damaged blood vessels. To prevent abnormal bleeding and to maintain intravascular blood in a fluid state, in this study we aimed to evaluate the possible anticoagulant effect of leaf extracts of Nelumbo nucifera. Materials and Methods: The aqueous, methanol, acetone, and ethyl acetate extracts of N. nucifera at different concentrations were tested for in vitro prothrombin time (PT) test. The in vitro anticoagulant effects of different extracts of N. nucifera in different concentrations 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, and 0.062 g/ml were examined using plasma, collected from blood samples of normal individuals by measuring PT. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and saline in distilled water were used as a negative and positive control, respectively. The extract plasma was subjected to anticoagulation activity and was compared with EDTA-plasma and saline plasma. Results: The methanol leaf extract of N. nucifera was found to inhibit coagulation process in 60 min: 3 s in 0.5 g/ml. The time taken for clotting at the concentration of 0.5 g/methanol leaf extract showed the moderate effect of 10 min:20 s with respect to control while ethyl acetate extract showed the least effect of 8 min: 23 s compared to control. Overall, the concentration of 0.5 g/ml of leaf extract showed a maximum effect in all the tested extracts with respect to other concentrations 0.25, 0.125, and 0.062 g/ml. Thus, N. nucifera methanol, ethanol, and ethyl acetate leaf extract in different concentrations inhibits clot formation and increases the PT in a dose-dependent manner. The observed prolonged prothrombin activity could be due to the presence of certain phytochemical constituents in the crude extract. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids and steroid compounds in the crude extract and further, the active principles could be isolated and evaluated for clinical or physiological purposes. Conclusion: In vitro, anticoagulant activity studies results demonstrated that leaf extract N. nucifera possesses pharmacologically active anticoagulant components which could be helpful in preventing blood clotting disorders. Thus, in future N. nucifera leaf could be used as a supplementary source of natural anticoagulant.

The current study focuses on anticoagulant activity of leaf extract of Acalypha indica (A.indica) and to identify the active constituents present and responsible for the anti-coagulation activity. On sequential extraction of plant materials with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, ethanol and aqueous, crude extracts were obtained and screened for anti-coagulant activity. Anticoagulant activity of six different leaf extracts of A.indica was tested using prothrombin time (PT). In vitro anticoagulation assays were performed with different concentrations of the leaf extract on citrated plasma obtained from healthy volunteer donors. The different concentrations of crude extract tested in the present study were 0.062, 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 gm/ml. The anti-coagulant activity of six extracts exhibited a concentration dependent activity. Among the six tested extracts, petroleum ether exhibited a highest activity by increased prothrombin time of 60min and 5 sec at 0.5gm/ml compared to positive and negative control. This is followed by aqueous, n-butanol, chloroform and ethyl acetate extract. It was also noted that ethanol extract showed no prolonged prothrombin time and it was within the normal level as compared to the control. Phytochemical screening of different extracts revealed the presence of steroids, terpenoids, tannin, phenols, flavonoids and alkaloids as secondary metabolites. From the results, for the first time it was highlighted that the A.indica leaf extracts affects the intrinsic pathway of coagulation cascade and thus prolongs the clotting time, hence this plant can be used in the management of blood clotting diseases.