No abstract

Bioactive molecules of plant origin play a significant role as defensive agents in different insect species. Chemical compounds in medicinal plants have been an exciting alternative to standard methods of controlling mosquito larvae. The present study evaluates the different solvent extracts of D. hamiltonii for toxicity against three different mosquito larvae. Bioassay revealed that the effect of the methanol extracts increased the larval mortality with increasing concentration. The highest larval mortality was observed in Culex quinquefasciatus with 98.33%, followed by 95 and 90% mortality in Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi, at 24 h exposure. GC-MS analysis of methanol extract of D. hamiltonii showed six major peak compounds. They are benzaldehyde, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-(10.35%), dodecanoic acid (11.02%), n-hexadecanoic acid (21.05%), linoleic acid methyl ester (14.20%), oleic acid (21.04%), octadecanoic acid (22.21%). The level of α and β Carboxylesterases gets significantly decreased post-treatment with the methanol extract of D. hamiltonii in a dose-dependent manner.In contrast, glutathione S-transferase (GST) and cytochrome-P450 (CYP450) levels get up-lifted steadily when the dosage gets increased. The ratio of GST level has drastically proclaimed to in Ae. aegypti 0.702 mg/m Lin parallel to Cx. quiquefasciatus (0.656mg/mL) and An. stephensi (0.812 mg/mL). Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) activity was observed to increase significantly post-treatment with the sub-lethal dosage of methanol extract of D. hamiltonii. Correspondingly, the non-target screening against the aquatic predators reveals that the crude root extracts and their derivatives are ecologically safe and less toxic. Overall, the present research highlights the chemical characterization of crude methanol extracts of D. hamiltonii, their insecticidal activity against the medically challenging pests, and their non-target activity delivers an ecologically safe, and target specific bio-active agents and suitable substitute for chemical pesticides.

No abstract

No abstract

The present survey was undertaken to explore the traditional knowledge of plant species found in four villages (Athamangalam, Vadukkuveli, Thalainayar and Perumangalam) in Sirkali taluk of Nagapattinam district, Tamilnadu state, The ethnomedicinal information was collected through oral interviews to village elders and vaidyas (those who cure disease by traditional methods) of the rural areas of this district. The knowledge available to the rural population of the area is transmitted only through oral language from generation to generation over time and therefore it needs to be recorded in order to be preserved. Medicinal plants are listed by botanical name, family name, local name, plant parts used and mode of preparation and the names of the diseases cured. About 50 plant species belonging to 27 families were described as effective herbal drugs for various ailments. The documented ethnobotanical uses of plants mostly related to the treatment in curing stomach pain, breast pain, headache, bleeding, yellow fever, muscle pain and blood purifier.