Studies on antimicrobial, antioxidant and antidiabetic properties of selected herbs

Abstract

The use of medicinal plants for the treatment of various ailments has been newlinedocumented in history of all civilizations. Traditional systems of medicine continue to newlinebe widely practiced on many accounts. With the onset of scientific research in herbals, newlineit is becoming dearer that the medicinal herbs have a potential in today s synthetic era. newlineThe herbal products today symbolize safety in contrast to the synthetics. So, newlinemedicinal plants find application in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. newlineSide effects of several synthetic drugs and development of resistance to newlinecurrently used drugs for infectious diseases have led to increased emphasis on the use of newlineplant materials as a source of medicine for a wide variety of human ailments. newlineRestrictions on the use of synthetic antioxidants has led to an upsurge of interest in the newlinetherapeutic potentials of medicinal plants as antioxidants in reducing free radical newlineinduced tissue injury. Management of diabetes without any side effects is still a newlinechallenge in the medical field. Since the existing drugs for the treatment of diabetes do newlinenot satisfy our need completely, the search for new drugs especially from plant source is newlinegaining importance. Traditional plant remedies might offer a natural key to unlock newlinediabetic complications. Ancient knowledge coupled with scientific principles can come newlineto the forefront and provide us with powerful remedies to eradicate the diseases. newlineOur study aimed at identifying the antimicrobial, antioxidant and antidiabetic newlineactivities of herbs. From the literature review it was found that Andrographis newlinepaniculata, Tinospora cordifolia and Trigonella foenum-graecum are used widely in newlineAyurveda and other traditional systems of medicine for treating various ailments. newlineMajority of the studies done on these plants are mainly on their seeds in T. foenumgraecum, newlinestem and roots in T. cordifolia and aerial parts in A. paniculata. So, we were newlinekeen to study the activity of their leaves, as they are used in various formulations in newlinetraditional