Objective: The study was aimed to evaluate anticlastogenic potential of ethanolic extract of T. cordifolia stem against arsenic induced genotoxicity. Methods:In the experiment twenty five animals were taken and divided into five groups and each group contain five animals. Group 01(control) and fed on tap water while the rest four (02, 03, 04, 05) groups were treated with 4 mg/kg body weight, per orally sodium arsenite for 8 w. Sodium arsenite pretreated groups 04 and 05 were followed by dose of 80 mg/kg body weight of 5% ethanolic solution of the test plant stem extract for a next 8 w. Bone marrow cells were collected in Hank's Balanced Salt Solution and smeared on a slide followed by double staining (Giemsa and Harris hematoxylin).Results: High index of micronucleus frequency was observed in the groups 02 and 03 in contrast to group 01(control) while micronucleus frequency dramatically reduced in 04 and 05 groups. The mean number of micronucleus scored/2000 cell was found to be 2.6, 19.2, 20.2, 7 and 6.8 in group 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 respectively. Arsenic treated mice (03) showed remarkable increase (p ≤0.001) in micronucleus frequency when compared to the corresponding values for control group (01). The percentage micronucleus frequency (mean and standard deviation) was markedly decreased (p≤ 0.019) when group 04 was compared with arsenic treated animals (group 02) and (p≤ 0.001) while group 05 was compared with arsenic treated animals (group 03) for their corresponding values. Conclusion:The findings of this study have shown that T. cordifolia may be used as a preventive herbal drug against chemical or arsenical toxicity which leads to damage of genetic materials.

Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial property of crude, aqueous and organic solvent extract from leaf, stem and root parts of two different var. of Catharanthus roseus (i.e. "rosea" and "alba") under in vitro conditions on various human pathogenic bacteria.Methods: Antibacterial activity of crude (fresh), aqueous, ethanolic, methanolic and equimolar (1:1) mixture of ethanolic dried leaf extract of variety "rosea" and "alba" was evaluated against various pathogenic bacteria viz. Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by disk diffusion method under in vitro conditions. Results:Gram-positive bacteria were found to be more susceptible than Gram-negative. Dried extracts of root, stem and leaf of C. roseus var. "rosea" and "alba" plants showed maximum antibacterial potency against all the test microorganisms. The equimolar mixture of ethanolic dried leaf extracts of species "rosea" and "alba" exhibited the maximum zone of inhibition against B. subtilis, E. coli and S. aureus as compare to extract prepared from individual parts. The findings of the ethanolic mixture of dried leaves of the two varieties on the tested bactera confirm that the effect is potentiating which may be synergistic or additive. Conclusion:From the findings, it could be inferred that C. roseus var. "rosea" and "alba" could be efficiently used in the development of new lifesaving drugs against bacterial pathogens.

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