A rapid HPTLC method to estimate piperine in Ayurvedic formulations

An insight into recent updates on analytical techniques for bioactive alkaloids

INTRODUCTION

Alkaloids represent a wide class of naturally existing nitrogen-containing organic compounds having diverse biological activities. They are primary bioactive substances extracted from diverse plant parts. Due to their diverse biological activities, they are frequently used as medicines. The alkaloids have diverse pharmacological impacts on the human body; alkaloids are used for prevention, treatment, and reduction of discomfort associated with chronic illnesses. As most alkaloids exist in plants in complex form, combined with numerous other natural plant components, it is essential to recognize and characterize these molecules using different analytical techniques.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to review the literature on the methods and protocols for the analysis of naturally occurring alkaloids.

METHODS

We carried out a literature survey using the PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases and other relevant published materials. The keywords used in the searches were "alkaloids," "analytical methods," "HPLC method," "GC method," "electrochemical methods," and "bioanalytical methods," in various combinations.

RESULTS

In this article, several classes of alkaloids are presented, along with their biological activities. Moreover, it includes a thorough explanation of chromatographic techniques, hyphenated techniques, electrochemical techniques, and current trending analytical methods utilized for the isolation, identification, and comprehensive characterization of alkaloids.

CONCLUSIONS

The various analytical techniques play an important role in the identification as well as the characterization of various alkaloids from plants, plasma samples, and urine samples. The hyphenation of various chromatographic techniques with mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy plays a crucial role in the characterization of unknown compounds.

Tissue-specific variations of piperine in ten populations of Piper longum L.: bioactivities and toxicological profile

P. longum L., one of the most significant species of the genus Piperaceae, is most frequently employed in Indian-Ayurvedic and other traditional medicinal-systems for treating a variety of illnesses. The alkaloid piperine, is the key phytoconstituent of the plant, primarily responsible for its' pharmacological-impacts. The aim of the study is to analyse the intra-specific variation in piperine content among different chemotypes (PL1 to PL 30) and identify high piperine yielding chemotype (elite-chemotype) collected from 10 different geographical regions of West Bengal by validated HPTLC chromatography method. The study also focused on the pharmacological-screening to better understand the antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts of P. longum by DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activity and genotoxic activity by Allium cepa root tip assay. It was found that the P. longum fruit chemotypes contain high amount piperine (highest 16.362 mg/g in chemotype PL9) than the stem and leaf chemotypes. Both DPPH and ABTS antioxidant assays revealed that P. longum showed moderate radical-scavenging activity and the highest activity was found in PL9 (fruit) chemotype with IC50 values of 124.2 ± 0.97 and 104 ± 0.78 µg/ml respectively. The A. cepa root tip assay showed no such significant genotoxic-effect and change in mitotic-index. The quick, reproducible, and validated HPTLC approach offers a useful tool for determining quantitative variations of piperine among P. longum chemotypes from different geographical-regions and also according to the different tissues and choose elite genotypes with high piperine production for continued propagation and commercialization for the pharmaceutical sector. Additionally, the plant's in-vitro antioxidant property and lack of genotoxicity directly supports its' widespread and long history of use as a medicinal and culinary plant.

Isolation, development and validation of HPTLC method for the estimation of β-carotene from Gymnosporia senegalensis (Lam.) Loes

The present study is aimed to isolate terpenoids from Gymnosporia senegalensis through analytical and preparative thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and to determine their antioxidant activity using the 2, 2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and to find out the presence of β-carotene through high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). The validation included linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), specificity, precision, recovery, and robustness. All the isolated compounds from TLC exhibited significant antioxidant activity. Among all, isolated compounds from leaf showed highest IC50 values. The highest total terpenoid content (TTC) was found 51.6 ± 0.06 in stem, then 49.02 ± 0.01 in bark, and 46.27 ± 0.01 in leaf. DPPH results indicated that leaf-isolated compound 1 (LIC1) showed the highest IC50 at 7.55 ± 0.02 and stem-isolated compound 2 (SIC2) showed the lowest IC50 at 0.616 ± 0.01 among all the isolated compounds of G. senegalensis. HPTLC separation was carried out on aluminium plates pre-coated with silica gel 60 F254 as the stationary phase and n-hexane: ethyl acetate (6:4, v/v) as the mobile phase. Quantification was achieved based on a densitometric analysis of β-carotene in the concentration range of 100-500 ng/band at 254 nm. For the calibration plots, linear regression produced r2 = 0.96450 and Rf = 0.27. The LOD and LOQ were 10.15 and 30.76 ng/mL for HPTLC and relative standard deviation were 137.26 ± 2.03 and 160.43 ± 2.95 (intra-day) and 127.88 ± 2.14 and 157.27 ± 1.90 (inter-day) for 200 and 400 ng/band, respectively. The present study shows the presence of various types of terpenoids through TLC whereas the HPTLC results indicated that the developed methods were accurate and precise. It also shows that the approach is appropriate for its intended use in routine quality control testing of commercially available tablet formulations and drug assay to assist both industries and researchers in making important decisions at a reasonable cost. Moreover, due to the use of a safer and more environmentally friendly mobile phase in comparison to the toxic mobile phases used in recent analytical techniques to estimate β-carotene, this methodology is also secure and sustainable.

Clinically proven natural products, vitamins and mineral in boosting up immunity: A comprehensive review

BACKGROUND

and Purposes: The terminology "immune boost-up" was the talk of the topic in this Covid-19 pandemic. A significant number of the people took initiative to increase the body's defense capacity through boosting up immunity worldwide. Considering this, the study was designed to explain the natural products, vitamins and mineral that were proved by clinical trail as immunity enhancer.

METHODS

Information was retrieved from SciVerse Scopus ® (Elsevier Properties S. A, USA), Web of Science® (Thomson Reuters, USA), and PubMed based on immunity, nutrients, natural products in boosting up immunity, minerals and vitamins in boosting up immunity, and immune booster agents.

RESULT

A well-defined immune cells response provide a-well functioning defense system for the human physiological system. Cells of the immune system must require adequate stimulation so that these cells can prepare themselves competent enough to fight against any unintended onslaught. Several pharmacologically active medicinal plants and plants derived probiotics or micronutrients have played a pivotal role in enhancing the immune boost-up process. Their role has been well established from the previous study. Immune stimulating cells, especially cells of acquired immunity are closely associated with the immune-boosting up process because all the immunological reactions and mechanisms are mediated through these cells.

CONCLUSION

This article highlighted the mechanism of action of different natural products, vitamins and mineral in boosting up the immunity of the human body and strengthening the body's defense system. Therefore, it is recommended that until the specific immune-boosting drugs are available in pharma markets, anyone can consider the mentioned products as dietary supplements to boost up the immunity.

Method development and validation for quantification of six bioactive compounds (andrographolide, columbin, piperine, gallic, paracoumaric and oleanolic acids) by HPTLC

OBJECTIVES

During the spread of pandemic diseases, immunity boosting herbal drugs are taken as a preventive medicine. Kapacurak Kuṭinīr Cūraṇam is a Siddha drug used for flu like viral infections, cold and fever. Developing an analytical method to estimate the content of active phytoconstituents in such antiviral immune boosting drug will be useful in the phyto pharmaceutical industry.

METHODS

A precise, reliable and sensitive ordinary phase high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method has been developed and validated for identification and simultaneous estimation of six bioactive components namely like andrographolide, columbin, gallic acid, ρ-coumaric acid, piperine and oleanolic acid from any Indian traditional medicine, medicinal plant, drugs and food materials etc. The separation was achieved on silica gel 60F₂₅₄ TLC plates using toluene: ethyl acetate: formic acid (7:3:0.5, v/v) as mobile phase. The gallic acid, ρ-coumaric acid, piperine markers were estimated using the densitometric scanning in absorption mode at 254 nm. The densitometric scanning was done after derivatization (vanillin-sulphuric acid reagent) at λ=520 nm for andrographolide, columbin and oleanolic acid.

RESULTS

The linear regression analysis data for the calibration plots showed a correlation coefficient in the concentration range 1-5 μg per band for the bioactive markers with respect to area. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), and quantitation of limit (LOQ).

CONCLUSIONS

Developed method was accurate, precise and fast to ensure the quality of Kapacurak Kuṭinīr Cūraṇam.

Piper longum L.: A comprehensive review on traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and health-promoting activities

Piper longum (family Piperaceae), commonly known as "long-pepper" or "Pippali" grows as a perennial shrub or as an herbaceous vine. It is native to the Indo-Malaya region and widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical world including the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Middle-East, and America. The fruits are mostly used as culinary spice and preservatives and are also a potent remedy in various traditional medicinal systems against bronchitis, cough, cold, snakebite, and scorpion-sting and are also used as a contraceptive. Various bioactive-phytochemicals including alkaloids, flavonoids, esters, and steroids were identified from the plant extracts and essential oils from the roots and fruits were reported as antimicrobial, antiparasitic, anthelminthic, mosquito-larvicidal, antiinflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, anticancer, neuro-pharmacological, antihyperglycaemic, hepato-protective, antihyperlipidaemic, antiangiogenic, immunomodulatory, antiarthritic, antiulcer, antiasthmatic, cardioprotective, and anti-snake-venom agents. Many of its pharmacological properties were attributed to its antioxidative and antiinflammatory effects and its ability to modulate a number of signalling pathways and enzymes. This review comprehensively encompasses information on habit, distribution, ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of P. longum in relation to its medicinal importance and health benefits to validate the traditional claims supported by specific scientific experiments. In addition, it also discusses the safety and toxicity studies, application of green synthesis and nanotechnology as well as clinical trials performed with the plant also elucidating research gaps and future perspectives of its multifaceted uses.

Quantitative evaluation and chromatographic fingerprinting for the quality assessment of Pudilan tablet

An easy, quick, and sensitive approach adopting ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) equipped with diode array detector was used to analyze and systematically evaluate the quality of Pudilan tablets manufactured by 12 distinct pharmaceutical companies. In this research, 15 peaks were chosen as the common peaks to assess the similarities for different batches (S1–S43) of Pudilan tablet samples. In comparison with the control fingerprint, similarity values for 43 batches of samples exceeded 0.922. In addition, by analyzing the reference substances of epigoitrin, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, acetylcorynoline, baicalin and baicanshialein, the chromatogram of the 6 reference substances was established. The recoveries for the reference substances which demonstrated good regression in the linear range (r 2 > 0.999) were in the range of 98.3–101.1%. The results demonstrated that the established method was highly accurate, efficient and reliable. This study provides a valid, dependable and pragmatic method to evaluate the quality of Pudilan tablet.

Is Trikatu; an ayurvedic formulation effective for the management of flu-like illness? A narrative review

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this review is to summarise and appraise the findings of various studies on Trikatu.

CONTENT

COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 disease a pandemic principally contaminating the respiratory tract and bringing about Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is liable for significant mortality around the world. Far-fetched, there is no exact treatment accessible till today. Consequently, it is critical to discover the alternative methodology which can decrease the weight of illness. Trikatu powder recommended by authorities for the management of mild cases of COVID-19 is a conventional ayurvedic formulation containing three spices; Zingiber officinale, Piper nigrum, and Piper longum. A comprehensive search of the articles published since inception to 01/08/2020 on Trikatu was carried out. Major electronic medical databases such as Pub Med/MEDLINE and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were used for the literature search.

SUMMARY

A total of 21 records were identified by electronic searches between since inception to 01/08/2020 of which 13 records were included for review. The reviewed articles highlight Trikatu as a safe, anti-inflammatory, and immune-modulatory property by suppression of the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-a, IL-1b, IL-6, IL-17, alteration in levels of circulating immune complexes, anti-dyslipidaemia agent by reduced triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol, enhancing bio-availability of co-drug by reducing the elimination half-life (t1/2β) and zero time intercept of the elimination phase.

OUTLOOK

The findings of this review seem to show Trikatu as a potential anti-inflammatory, anti-dyslipidaemia, and immune-modulatory ayurvedic formulation can be used for combating flu like illnesses and also in the management of COVID-19 as an adjuvant. However, rigorous double blind randomized controlled trials with larger sample size are warranted for better validation in such clinical conditions.

HIGHLIGHTS

– COVID-19 has affected the lives of millions worldwide and unfortunately no precise treatment available till today. – Trikatu an ayurvedic formulation suggested by various authorities in India. – Trikatu found to be a potential anti-inflammatory; anti-dyslipidaemia and immune-modulatory drug can be used for combating flu like illnesses.

A plant-mediated synthesis of nanostructured hydroxyapatite for biomedical applications: a review

The engineering of calcium-based phosphate materials at the nanoscale gains several unique properties compared to the bulky state. The effort to scale down, e.g., from bulky state to nanoscale in order to control the morphology and improve structural properties requires the use of varying reagents that can be detrimental to the environment. A typical example of these materials is hydroxyapatite (HAp), one of the well-known calcium phosphate materials, which has a close resemblance to human bone tissue. HAp has valuable applications in catalysis, drug delivery, bone and dental implant formation, and adsorption. Hydroxyapatite-based nanomaterials synthesized through conventional routes make use of reagents that are not environmental friendly and are very costly. Since the current research trends are geared towards producing/synthesizing nanomaterials through an eco-friendly approach, there is the need to consider the techniques and reagents involved in the synthesis of HAp. This review touches on the possible replacement of such synthetic chemical reagents, synthesis routes, and toxic capping agents with plant extracts for synthesizing HAp-based nanomaterials for multi-functional applications. The influence of biomolecules from plants on synthesized HAps and the attainable mechanism during these green approaches are discussed. Viable future modifications of the methods used to obtain extracts from plants are also studied.