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the development of modern medicine. Recently traditional medicine worldwide is being re-evaluated by extensive research on different plant species and their active therapeutic principles. The rich wealth of plant kingdom can represent a novel source of newer compounds with significant antiinflammatory activities. The major merits of herbal medicine seem to be their perceived efficacy, low incidence of serious adverse effects and low cost. Ashwagandha, also known as Indian ginseng and winter cherry, consists of dried roots of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. (Family: Solanaceae). It is a perennial plant indigenous to India, grown and cultivated throughout subtropical India. It has been recognized as an important herb in the Ayurveda, the traditional system of Indian medicine for more than 3000 years. Traditionally it has been used for several important medicinal purposes in the Indian subcontinent. Recently there has been renewed interest on ashwagandha for its effectiveness in several disease conditions, adaptogenic, immunomodulator and other health benefits. [4,5] Previous researchers have reported several pharmacological properties of ashwagandha on animals and humans. [6-10] The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of ashwagandha extract against the denaturation of protein in vitro.

The present study was conducted to evaluate and compare the anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous extracts of green tea and black tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) against the denaturation of protein in vitro. The test extracts at different concentrations were incubated with egg albumin under controlled experimental conditions and subjected to determination of absorbance to assess the anti-inflammatory property. Diclofenac sodium was used as the reference drug. The present results exhibited a concentration-dependent inhibition of protein (albumin) denaturation by both the tea extracts. From the present findings it can be concluded that both green and black tea leaves possessed a marked anti-inflammatory effect against the denaturation of protein, in vitro. Green tea was found to be more active than black tea, plausibly due to the higher flavonoid contents of green tea.

Mikania scandens (L.) Willd. (Asteraceae), known as climbing hemp weed in English, is a herbaceous climbing vine grown as a weed throughout the plains of the Indian subcontinent. The present study evaluated some neuropharmacological properties of hydroalcoholic extract of aerial parts from M. scandens (HAMS) in experimental animal models. HAMS (at 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) was evaluated for central antinociceptive activity by tail flick method. Locomotor depressant activity was measured by means of an actophotometer. Skeletal muscle relaxant effect was evaluated by using rotarod apparatus and sedative potentiating property by phenobarbitone-induced sleep potentiation study. The results of the present study revealed significant (P<0.001) and dose-dependent central antinociceptive, locomotor depressant, muscle relaxant, and sedative potentiating effects of HAMS, demonstrating its depressant action on the central nervous system (CNS). From the present study, it can be concluded that the aerial parts of M. scandens possessed prominent depressant action on the CNS, as manifested by the important neuropharmacological properties in mice.

Background:Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an important medicinal plant in Indian traditional system of medicine and traditionally has been used for several medicinal purposes in the Indian subcontinent.Objective:The present study was aimed at the evaluation of allelopathic effect of hydroalcoholic extract of ashwagandha against germination and radicle growth of Cicer arietinum and Triticum aestivum seeds.Materials and Methods:The extract at different concentrations was incubated in controlled conditions with the surface sterilized seeds of C. arietinum and T. aestivum and observed periodically for seed germination and radicle growth to assess the allelopathic behavior.Results:The extract mainly at higher concentrations demonstrated promising allelopathic potential by significantly affecting seed germination and radicle elongation of both C. arietinum and T. aestivum in a concentration dependent manner. T. aestivum was found to be more sensitive than C. arietinum.Conclusion:The present study demonstrated remarkable allelopathic potential of ashwagandha against the test seeds. The effect was plausibly due to the alkaloid and withanolide contents of ashwagandha.