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Botany & Pharmacognosy Overrview | |
Research activities of the department are aimed at survey, collection and authentication of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) from different phyto-geographical regions of the country. Collation and documentation of traditional knowledge on medicinal plants from tribal people. Introduction of MAPs in CSIR-CIMAP campus for developing new chemo- types and varieties. Enhancement of herbarium specimens and crude drugs in repository of CIMAP and its maintenance. Publication of Books on MAPs for awareness in R & D activities of the institute and Knowledge Calendar. Investigations on various physiological factors affecting accumulation of secondary metabolites viz. alkaloids and essential oil in important MAPs. Established techniques of sand and hydroponics culture suitable for MAPs are employed to grow the plants. Development of conventional (emulsion/suspension/gel/cream/solution/syrup/capsule etc) and novel drug delivery (micro-emulsion /nanoemulsion/ phytosomes/ microsphere/ nanogel etc.) based herbal formulations. Drug-Safety evaluation of developed formulation using skin, mucus membrane and irritation assay. |
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Botany & Pharmacognosy Department Achievements | |
A tracer technique developed to evaluate carbon fixation efficiency in terms of primary metabolites and its biosynthetic utilization for accumulation of secondary metabolites viz. alkaloids and essential oils in MAPs. Standardized Sand and Hydroponics culture medium were developed for growing MAPs and reported for medicinal herb Centella asiatica for the first time. Effect of plant growth regulators on growth and secondary metabolite yield reported. Interspecific variations in root architecture grown in Root Boxes evaluated. Micronutrient studies in MAPs conducted in Sand Culture to determine optimum dose for maximal biomass and secondary metabolite production. A Radio-TLC method developed for separation of Patchoulol in the Patchouli oil. Monthly assessment of the effect of storage with respect to various medium and temperature conditions on bio-deterioration of secondary metabolites in crude bark drugs studied. Effect of season on yield and composition of the essential oil of Eucalyptus citriodora Hook leaf grown in sub-tropical conditions of North India evaluated. Survey and assessment of biodiversity of Aromatic plant species in five districts viz. Amethi, Barabanki, Lucknow, Raebareli and Sultanpur completed. Proper storage conditions and stability assessment of guggulsterones identified. Oral formulation based on ayurvedic principle for synergistic combination of three plant extracts effective at low dose for the treatment of arthritis related conditions and method of preparing the same were developed. Total number of Publications (SCI Journals) – 240 Books and Technical Manuals-10. Total number of national & international patents- 1 |
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Research Facilities | |
Light Meter Leaf Area Meter Spectrophotometer Light Microscope, Texture analysis of semisolid dosage forms Dissolution studies of pharmaceutical dosage forms. Development of different herbal formulations
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Recent Research | |
Maintenance of MAPs viz. Artemisia, Adhatoda, Commiphora, Gymnema, Ocimum, Uraria, etc. in field as well as glass house, collected from different regions. Demonstration and awareness on MAPs weekly, to public of plants, conserved in Manav-Upvan (Health Garden). Dose dependent effect of important micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn & B) and influence of Heavy Metals as Cr, Cd, As, on plant growth, Photosynthetic performance, oil yield and its biosynthetic composition. Plants were grown in established sand culture technique. In-vivo antidiabetic and hepatoprotective studies of plant extracts/plant derived compounds in small animal models. In-vivo evaluation of plant extracts/enrich fraction/essential oil for anti-psoriatic/anti-inflammatory/wound healing potential in small animal models. |
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