Background Herbal tea, known as health-promoting due to its therapeutic potential for several ailments and consumption increased over decades. The Western Himalayan region of India affluent with herbs has therapeutic values. However, these herbs have not been used in the tea and are still untouched by mankind. Therefore, the present study aimed to pioneer and manufacture herbal teas from Western Himalayan region plants. Results Our findings showed that total polyphenol content was ranged from 4.42 ± 0.53 to 13.37 ± 0.50% compared to green tea (GT) and black tea (BT) (13.37 ± 0.50 and 10.05 ± 0.11%) of C. sinensis , total flavonoid and total catechin content was ranged from 1.81 ± 0.67–4.68 ± 0.26% to 4.43 ± 0.28–15.17 ± 0.53% in all the herbal tea samples. Moreover, antioxidant activity was ranged in DPPH from (27.58–226.28 µg/mL) and in ABTS (14.17–117.62 µg/mL). Highest antioxidant activity was observed in GT and lowest was observed in rose tea (RT). Heatmap was made for catechin visualization in green herbal teas (GHT). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed the variation of amino acids in all the herbal tea samples which was found in the range from 0.82 to 2.86%. Taxus green tea (TGT) exhibited remarkable cytotoxic activity against SW480 (50.9 ± 0.7 at 200 µg/mL). Whereas, sea-buckthorn green tea (SGT) exhibited the highest activities on A549 cells (87.01 ± 1.1 at 200 µg/mL). Maximum volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified in lemongrass black tea (LBT) (96.23%), namely, geranial, levoverbenone, pulegone, l -linalool and cineol. In addition, the sensory analysis revealed that herbal tea shows sweet and better taste with high sensory attributes. Conclusions Current study revealed that the Western Himalayan region plants could be used as herbal tea with additional health benefits. The prepared herbal teas can be used in nutraceuticals as a beverage and a new dietary source for bioactive compounds. Graphical Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate comparative essential oils (EOs) composition and cytotoxic activity of Valeriana jatamansi Jones, from wild growing samples at higher altitude and cultivated sample at lower altitude. Hydrodistilled EOs from the rhizomes of this herb were analyzed using Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID), Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (13C NMR). Thirty-six diverse metabolites were characterized in EOs samples accounting 68.5–88.2% of the total oils. The extracted EOs were found to be enriched in patchouli alcohol (7.6–70.5%), β-bisabolol (17.2–21.4%), maaliol (0.3–28.1%) and α-bulnesene (1.4–8.5%). The obtained EOs were further evaluated for cytotoxic activity against human lung carcinoma (A549) and human skin carcinoma (A431) cancer cells. Isolated component (patchouli alcohol) and extracted oils were represented good to moderate cytotoxic activity. These findings showed that EOs of these plants could be employed in the field of flavour, fragrance and pharmaceutical applications.

A new N-oxide, Pseudolycorine N-oxide (1) was characterised along with eleven known alkaloids homolycorine (2), O-methylmaritidine (3), 8-O-demethylhomolycorine (4), homolycorine N-oxide (5), lycorine (6), narciclasine (7), pseudolycorine (8), ungeremine (9), 8-O-demethylmaritidine (10), zefbetaine (11) and lycorine N-oxide (12), from Narcissus tazetta. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis. The extract, fractions and isolated compounds were screened for in vitro cytotoxicity against two human cancer cell lines, human cervical cancer (SiHa) and human epidermoid carcinoma (KB) cells. The study demonstrated the cytotoxic potential of extract and its chloroform and n-butanol fractions. Further, the results revealed the bioactive potential of narciclasine, pseudolycorine and homolycorine alkaloids. However, new N-oxide (1) was not active against these cell lines.

Background: Currently, many compounds of different medicinal plants are under investigation for curing various types of cancers. In extension with this ongoing research, Arnebia euchroma is taken for the study of cytotoxic compounds present in its roots. The sensitivity of human cervical cancer (SiHa), human epidermoid carcinoma (KB), and human colorectal cancer 116 (HCT116) cell lines toward C1 and C2 isolated from A. euchroma roots was evaluated. Materials and Methods: The root extract of A. euchroma was subjected to extraction, chromatographic separation to afford two naphthazarin esters C1 and C2 as well as two white-colored compounds. The structures of purified compounds were determined by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Results: Both C1 and C2 showed potent cytotoxicity against SiHa, KB, HCT116 cells at different concentrations. Conclusion: C1 and C2 exhibited strong cytotoxicity with IC50 = 0.02 mu M and 0.09 mu M against SiHa cells and with IC50 = 0.11 mu M HCT116 cells than the vinblastine standard, respectively.

A new narciclasine glycoside, narciclasine-4-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (1) was characterised along with four known alkaloids pancratistatin (2), 1-O-(3-hydroxybutyryl) pancratistatin (3), vittatine (4), 9-O-demethylgalanthine (5) from Zephyranthes minuta. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis. The in vitro cytotoxic study of extract, fractions and isolated compounds against two human cancer cell lines (KB and SiHa) indicated the potential activity of extract and n-butanol fraction due to presence of active alkaloids pancratistatin, 1-O-(3-hydroxybutyryl) pancratistatin, lycorine and haemanthamine.

In this study, a series of new alantolactone (AL) amino scaffolds (AL1–AL13) had been synthesized and evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines: human cervical cancer (SiHa), human epidermoid carcinoma (KB), and human lung cancer (A549). The compounds AL 2, 4, 5, 7, and 13 were found to be nearly as equally active as AL against three tested cell lines, whereas AL 1 and 12 against SiHa cells. This study also provides a correlation on the structure activity relationship of AL and derivatized analogues against tested cells. The retention of cytotoxicity with enhanced water solubility in derivatized amino adducts including AL 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, and 13 indicates that these adducts can further be tested for the detailed in vivo safety and anticancer studies.

Needles of seven cultivated clones (C1 – C7) of Juniperus communis at lower altitude and three wild Juniperus species (J. communis, J. recurva and J. indica) at higher altitudes were investigated comparatively for their essential oils (EOs) yields, chemical composition, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities. The EOs yields varied from 0.26 to 0.56% (v/w) among samples. Sixty‐one volatile components were identified by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and quantified using gas chromatography GC (FID) representing 82.5 – 95.7% of the total oil. Monoterpene hydrocarbons (49.1 – 82.8%) dominated in all samples (α‐pinene, limonene and sabinene as major components). Principal component analysis (PCA) of GC data revealed that wild and cultivated Juniperus species are highly distinct due to variation in chemical composition. J. communis (wild species) displayed cytotoxicity against SiHa (human cervical cancer), A549 (human lung carcinoma) and A431 (human skin carcinoma) cells (66.4 ± 2.2%, 74.4 ± 1.4% and 57.4 ± 4.0%), respectively, at 200 μg/ml. EOs exhibited better antibacterial activity against Gram‐positive bacteria than against Gram‐negative bacteria with the highest zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 96 (19.2 ± 0.7) by clone‐7. As per the conclusion of the findings, EOs of clone‐2, clone‐5 and clone‐7 can be suggested to the growers of lower altitude, as there is more possibility of uses of these EOs in food and medicinal preparations.

Purple coloured tea shoot clones have gained interest due to high content of anthocyanins in addition to catechins. Transcript expression of genes encoding anthocyanidin reductase (ANR), dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR), anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), flavonol synthase (FLS) and leucoantho cyanidin reductase (LAR) enzymes in three new purple shoot tea clones compared with normal tea clone showed higher expression of CsDFR, CsANR, CsANS and lower expression of CsFLS and CsLAR in purple shoot clones compared to normal clone. Expression pattern supported high content of anthocyanins in purple tea. Four anthocyanins (AN1–4) were isolated and characterized by UPLC-ESI-QToF-MS/MS from IHBT 269 clone which recorded highest total anthocyanins content. Cyanidin-3-O-β-d-(6-(E)-coumaroyl) glucopyranoside (AN2) showed highest in vitro antioxidant activity (IC50 DPPH = 25.27 ± 0.02 μg/mL and IC50 ABTS = 10.71 ± 0.01 μg/mL). Anticancer and immunostimulatory activities of cyanidin-3-glucoside (AN1), cyanidin-3-O-β-d-(6-(E)-coumaroyl) glucopyranoside (AN2), delphinidin-3-O-β-d-(6-(E)-coumaroyl) glucopyranoside (AN3), cyanidin-3-O-(2-O-β-xylopyranosyl-6-O-acetyl)-β-glucopyranoside (AN4) and crude anthocyanin extract (AN5) showed high therapeutic perspective. Anthocyanins AN1–4 and crude extract AN5 showed cytotoxicity on C-6 cancer cells and high relative fluorescence units (RFU) at 200 μg/mL suggesting promising apoptosis induction activity as well as influential immunostimulatory potential. Observations demonstrate potential of purple anthocyanins enriched tea clone for exploitation as a nutraceutical product.

Abstract Potentilla atrosanguinea is well known for its ethnomedicinal uses since ancient times. The present study includes the isolation of a new nortriterpene, 28-methyl-acanthochlamate (1), from the roots of P. atrosanguinea. The structure of 1 was established from HR-ESI-MS and NMR spectroscopic analysis. Its relative stereochemistry was set with the help of NOESY correlation experiment. Compound (1) has been quantified by a new developed UPLC-DAD method (1.1 mg/g). The in vitro cytotoxicity of the new compound (1) was evaluated by sulforhodamine B assay against three cancer cells; human cervical cancer (SiHa), epidermal carcinoma (KB), and human adenocarcinoma (Colo-205). The new isolated compound (1) showed a significantly higher cytotoxicity against all the cells (SiHa, IC50 30.5 µg/mL; KB, IC50 22.6 µg/mL and Colo-205, IC50 18.8 µg/mL).

Picroliv, a mixture of picroside I and kutkoside isolated from rhizome of Picrorrhiza kurroa has been reported for many pharmaceutical properties such as hepatoprotective, anticholestatic, antioxidant and immune-modulating activity. However, picroliv possessed lesser efficacy due to its poor aqueous solubility and lesser bioavailability. To find solution, picroliv was loaded into biodegradable poly lactic acid nanoparticles (PLA NPs) using solvent evaporation method. The picroliv-loaded PLA NPs were characterised by UV-vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared and Zeta sizer. The size of picroliv-loaded PLA NPs was 182 ± 20 nm. Zeta potential of picroliv-loaded PLA NPs was -23.5 mV, indicated their good stability. In vitro picroliv release from picroliv-loaded PLA NPs showed an initial burst release followed by slow and sustained release. The efficacy of picroliv-loaded PLA NPs was assessed against KB cell lines. Blank PLA NPs showed no cytotoxicity on KB cells. The picroliv-loaded PLA NPs showed more cytotoxic activity on KB cells as compared to the pure drug. Hence, the developed picroliv nanoformulation would find potential application in pharma-sector.

Objectives Betulin (BT) is an abundant triterpene found predominantly in the bark of Himalayan birch. It is difficult to deliver it in vivo because of its low aqueous solubility. We have therefore developed novel formulations of BT for improving its solubility, bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. Results Poly- d , l -lactide nanovectors (PLA NVs) were synthesized using poly(vinyl alcohol) and Lonicera japonica leaf extract (LE) as a stabiliser and named as PLA-1 NVs and PLA-2 NVs. PLA-1 NVs and PLA-2 NVs were used for the encapsulation of betulin (BT) and named as BT-En-1 and BT-En-2 NVs. The encapsulation efficiency of BT-En-1 and BT-En-2 NVs were 99.3 and 100 % respectively. Prepared nanoformulations were physically stable. An in vitro study revealed 45 % BT was released over 24 h. BT had a prolonged release from BT-En-2 NVs as compared to BT-En-1 NVs. BT-En-2 NVs had better anticancerous activity against SiHa cells than BT-En-1 NVs. Conclusions Developed BT-EN-2 NVs had better biocompatibility, excellent stability and enhanced release characteristics than BT-En-1 NVs.

Twenty one accessions of Acorus calamus were evaluated for essential oil composition and biological activities during 2009–2014. Essential oil from fresh rhizomes of A. calamus was obtained by hydro–distillation method, and analyzed by GC–FID and GC–MS. The essential oil yield ranged from 1.10 ± 0.28 to 2.50 ± 0.01%. β-asarone, shyobunone and α-asarone were the major constituents in the rhizome oil. Accession IHBT/AC/16 recorded the lowest β-asarone content (31.56%) and IHBT/AC/1 recorded the highest (91.27%). Two accessions, viz., IHBT/AC/7 and IHBT/AC/16, representing triploid and diploid accessions that contain high and low β-asarone content, respectively, were tested for biological activities. The cytotoxicity of these accessions was evaluated against human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT–29), human epidermoid carcinoma (KB) and human cervical cancer (SiHa) cells at 24, 48 and 72 h. Both accessions at 300 μg/mL and 72 h showed the highest activity against all the tumoral cells. The essential oils of two accessions showed promising larvicidal activities against 2nd instar larvae of Spodoptera litura and Plutella xylostella. However, P. xylostella larvae were more susceptible than the S. litura larvae, and essential oils of accession IHBT/AC/7 were more toxic than accession IHBT/AC/16.

Eucalyptus citriodora is a well-known source of essential oil. Essential oil from the fruit's of E. citriodora was extracted using the hydrodistillation method with the help of a Clevenger-type apparatus (yield 0.23%). The phytochemicals composition of the oil was evaluated using gas chromatography (GC), GC/ mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. The essential oil was found to be a complex mixture of mono- and sesquiterpenoids. The major chemical constituents identified were -pinene (54.1g/100g), -terpinene (8.6g/100g), E-caryophyllene (6.6g/100g), -pinene (6.3g/100g), limonene (5.5g/100g) and 1,8-cineole (4.3g/100g). In vitro cytotoxicity of the essential oil was evaluated using the sulphorhodamine B (SRB) assay against human lung carcinoma (A549), human epithelial cervix carcinoma (HeLa) and Chinese hamster ovarian carcinoma (CHOK1) cells. The IC50 values of the E. citriodora fruits essential oil against A549, HeLa and CHOK1 cells ranged from 87.5 to 96.8 mu g/ml. The toxicity of the isolated essential oil was also assessed against human lymphocytes using the [3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] (MTT) assay. Essential oil possesses significant cytotoxic activity. The aim of the present study was to search the Northwestern Himalaya for the new potent source of toxicologically safe essential oils. This is a first report on the chemical composition and cytotoxicity of essential oil extracted from the fruit's of E. citriodora. Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In this study, a series of sixteen new isoalantolactone (IAL 1) amino derivatives (IAL 2 – IAL 17) had been synthesized. IAL 1 and synthesized analogs were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines including cervical cancer (SiHa), epidermoid carcinoma (KB) and colorectal carcinoma (HCT116). The compounds IAL 2, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 17 were found to be nearly active as IAL 1 against all the three tested cell lines, whereas IAL 4 and 16 against HCT116 cells. Findings of the cytotoxicity had provided a correlation on the structure activity relationship of IAL 1 and derivatized analogs against tested cells. The retention of cytotoxicity with enhanced water solubility in derivatized amino adducts including IAL 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12, 16 and 17 suggest that these adducts can further be tested for the detailed in vivo safety and anticancer studies with the aim to develop them as a drug.

The present study reports the comparative in vitro cytotoxicity of theaflavin digallate (2) and isotheaflavin digallate (1), a new black tea theaflavin against Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHOK1) and rat glioma cells (C-6). Compound 1 was formed by the immobilized polyphenol oxidase (PPO) mediated enzymatic oxidation of (–) GCG and (–) ECG along with compound 2, which was formed by enzymatic oxidation of (–) EGCG and (–) ECG. The structures of the compounds were elucidated using ESI-Q-TOF-MS and 1D and 2D NMR. The results of a comparative cytotoxicity assay have revealed that isotheaflavin digallate is more cytotoxic than theaflavin digallate (IC50 246.8 μg/mL against CHOK1, IC50 288.8 μg/mL against C-6 cells).

Background: Roscoea purpurea or Roscoea procera Wall. (Zingiberaceae) is traditionally used for nutrition and in the treatment of various ailments. Objective: Simultaneous reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (RP-HPLC) photodiode array detector identification of phenolic acids (PA's) was carried out in whole extract of tuber and their cytotoxic potential was estimated along with radical scavenging action. Bioactivity guided fractionation was also done to check the response potential against the same assay. Materials and Methods: Identification and method validation was performed on RP-HPLC column and in vitro assays were used for bioactivity. Results: Protocatechuic acid, syringic acid, ferulic acid, rutin, apigenin, and kaempferol were quantified as 0.774%, 0.064%, 0.265%, 1.125%, 0.128%, and 0.528%, respectively. Validated method for simultaneous determination of PA's was found to be accurate, reproducible, and linearity was observed between peak area response and concentration. Recovery of identified PA's was within the acceptable limit of 97.40–104.05%. Significant pharmacological response was observed in whole extract against in vitro cytotoxic assay, that is, Sulforhodamine B assay, however, fractionation results in decreased action potential. Similar pattern of results were observed in the antioxidant assay, as total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were highest in whole extract and decreases with fractionation. Radical scavenging activity was prominent in chloroform fraction, exhibiting IC50 at 0.25 mg/mL. Conclusion: Study, thus, reveals that R. purpurea exhibit significant efficacy in cytotoxic activity with the potentiality of scavenging free radicals due the presence of PA's as reported through RP-HPLC. SUMMARY Proto-catechuic acid, syringic acid, ferulic acid, rutin, apigenin and kaempferol were quantified as 0.774, 0.064, 0.265, 1.125, 0.128 and 0.528 % Preliminary cytotoxic activity revealed that whole extract of R. purpurea exhibit promising effect and after fractionation the potentiation of action reduces The radical scavenging potential of whole extract and fractions are well reflected by TPC, TFC and DPPH assay.