HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF VARIOUS EXTRACTS OF CLAUSENA DENTATA (WILLD.) ROEM. (SYN. CLAUSENA WILLDENOVII WIGHT. AND ARN.) RUTACEAE

Objectives: Clausena (Rutaceae) is a genus of about 23 species of unarmed trees and shrubs. The stem bark of Clausena dentata is used in veterinary medicine for the treatment of wounds and sprains. Even though C. dentata has a lot of potential medical uses, the study on pharmacological activities is in scarce. The present study was undertaken hepatoprotective activity of various extracts of C. dentata. Methods: The plant C. dentata was collected from Kadagaman, near Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India. The dry powder of stem bark (2.5 kg) was first soaked in hexane for 24 hrs. The extract was suction filtered. This was repeated for two more days, and similar extracts were pooled together and concentrated at 40°C using Buchi R - 153 Rotavapor. The residual plant material was extracted successively with chloroform and methanol same manner. Preliminary phytochemical test and hepatoprotective activity of various extracts of C. dentata against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatotoxicity in rats were carried out. Biochemical and histopathological changes were observed.Results: The highly significant (p<0.01) reduction in the levels of serums glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin observed in the study in rats simultaneously treated with C. dentata extracts and CCl4 as compared to CCl4 alone treated.Conclusion: CCl4 induced hepatic damage was counteracted by the extracts of C. dentata. Changes were observed in enzymatic and histopathological level, when compared to CCl4 alone treated group.

Extraction of flavonoids from garden (Salvia officinalis L.) and glutinous (Salvia glutinosa L.) sage by ultrasonic and classical maceration

Flavonoids were analyzed in the extracts of garden (Salvia officinalis L.) and glutinous (Salvia glutinosa L.) sage. Ultrasonic extraction (20 minutes at 40?C) and classical maceration (6 h at room temperature) of the extractable substances from dried herbs and dried residual plant materials from which the essential oil had previously been removed by hydrodistillation were performed with petroleum ether, 70 % aqueous solution of ethanol and water. It was found that the extracts from both plants contained flavonoids, but their compositions were dependent of the plant species, the polarity of the extracting solvent and the extraction technique applied. Apigenin and its derivatives (e.g., apigenin 4'-methyl ether), scutellarein 6-methyl ether, isoscutellarein 8-methyl ether, luteolin and 6-OH-luteolin-6-methyl ether where distinctive for S. officinalis. Apigenin, luteolin, 6-OH-luteolin-6-methyl ether, kaempherol 3-methyl ether, kaempherol 3,7-dimethyl ether, quercetin 3,7,3'-trimethyl ether and quercetin 3,7,3',4'-tetramethyl ether were distinctive for S. glutinosa. The flavonoids were also detected in considerable quantities in the plant material from which the essential oils had been already removed. Hence, this industrial waste plant material might be further used as a source of the flavonoids. .

Recolonization of bigleaf maple branches by epiphytic bryophytes following experimental disturbance

The dynamics of epiphytic bryophyte communities following natural and human disturbance have rarely been quantified. We describe the response of bryophyte communities on bigleaf maple trees (Acer macrophyllum Pursh) in Olympia, Washington, following their experimental removal. Approximately 8% of the exposed area was recolonized by bryophytes 1 year after clearing, and 27% after 3 years. Lateral encroachment from bryophytes on the sides of the 20-cm-long plots accounted for 75% of this recolonization, with growth from residual plant parts or aerially dispersed diaspores accounting for the remaining 25%. Though it was not possible to distinguish between the latter two sources of cover, the number of clear de novo colonization events over the course of the year was low (0.18 dm-2). Disturbance appeared to reduce bryophyte diversity at this successional stage, as alpha and gamma diversity remained low after 1 year and had not recovered after 3 years. Reflecting the preponderance of lateral encroachment as the mechanism for recolonization, disturbance size may significantly affect the time needed to recolonize disturbed branch substrates. In addition to contributing to ecologists' understanding of processes of succession, these experiments may help to develop sustainable practices for moss-harvesting in the Pacific Northwest.Key words: succession, bryophytes, epiphytes, Acer macrophyllum, recolonization, canopy studies.

775 PB 383 A LEACHING FRAME FOR DETERMINING MEDIA RETENTION OF DRENCH-APPLIED PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS

A leaching frame was constructed to detect residual plant growth regulators in media. The table was 0.9 × 1.8 m and designed to hold 40 10-cm diameter by 30-cm PVC cylinders. Each cylinder was cut lengthwise in half and resealed with duct tape. Rooted cuttings of `Freedom' poinsettias were planted into each cylinder using two media combinations: 2 vermiculite: 2 peat moss: 1 pine bark and 2 vermiculite: 1 peat moss: 2 pine bark (by volume). Four growth regulator treatments were applied to the medium two weeks after transplanting: control, 0.25 mg paclobutrazol, 0.25 mg uniconazole, and 0.125 mg paclobutrazol applied as spike. After plant growth was recorded, the cylinders were removed and sliced lengthwise. Snapdragon plugs were then transplanted into the medium along the length of the cylinder to determine if any residual paclobutrazol remained. Paclobutrazol and uniconazole reduced stem length. The presence of pine bark in the media reduced the effect of the plant growth regulators.