Fig. 1: Plant of Achyranthes aspera

Herbal medicines have a strong traditional or conceptual base and the potential to be useful as drugs in terms of safety and effectiveness leads for treating different diseases.

According to the WHO more than 80 % of the world’s population relies on traditional herbal medicine for their primary health care ³. Plants continue to serve as possible sources for new drugs and chemicals derived from various parts of plants⁴. In recent time there has been a marked shift towards herbal cures because of the pronounced cumulative and irreversible reactions of modern drugs. However, due to over population, urbanization and continuous exploitation of these herbal reserves, the natural resources along with their related traditional knowledge are depleting day by day⁵.

In the present era of drug development and discovery of newer drug molecules many plant Products are evaluated on the basis of their traditional uses. One of the many plants which are being evaluated for their therapeutic efficacies is Achyranthes aspera which is commonly known as Latjeera (Hindi) & Rough Chaff tree (English). It is an erect or procumbent, annual or perennial herb, 1-2m in height, often with a woody base, commonly found as a weed of waysides, on roadsides ^{6, 7, 8}.

It is an erect herb (Fig. 1), 0.3-1 meter high with stiff branches terete or absolutely quadrangular, pubescent, leaves few, usually thick, elliptic-obovate, petiolate, acute and entire flowers are greenish white, numerous in small dense auxiliary heads or spikes, bracts and bracteoles persisting ending in a spine. Main root is long cylindrical thick; secondary and tertiary roots present slightly ribbed, yellowish brown in color; odor is slight, taste is slightly sweet and mucilaginous; stem is yellow brownish, erect branched, cylindrical hairy about 60 cm high. Seeds are sub cylindrical, truncates at apex, rounded at base, black and shining. The plant is distributed throughout India up to an altitude of 3000ft.Erect or ascending herbs or shrubs; leaves opposite, the blades entire; inflorescences terminal and axillary, spicate, erect, many-flowered; becoming elongate, with only a few flowers open at the same time; flowers hermaphrodite, solitary in axils of acute, membranous, persistent bracts, subtended by 2 bracteoles, deflexed after anthesis, the bracteoles consisting of a long spine and bearing on each side of base a shorter, membranous, nerveless wing; tepals 5, spreading during anthesis, before and after anthesis erect, membranous or herbaceous, 1- or more-nerved, acute, sometimes pungent in fruit; stamens 5, much shorter than perianth, the filaments proximally connate into a short cup, the free parts alternating with short, broad pseudostaminodes, the anthers oblong, 2-celled (4-loculed); ovary glabrous, the ovule 1, pendent from a long funicle, the style filiform, short, the stigma capitates, utricle falling off together with perianth and bracteoles, ellipsoid, indehiscent, 1-seeded, with truncate or depressed apex, thin-walled, the seed erect Species a coarse, ligneous herb or shrub 0.8-4 m high, sometimes almost tree like. The tepals are white to pale lavender; the filaments while too rich pink, and the fruit orange to reddish purple or brown. stem 0.5 to 2 m tall, angularly ribbed, generally square, more or less densely hairy and thickened above the nodes; leaves opposite, oblong-obovate to elliptic or obovate from an acute or obtuse base; tip acuminate, acute, obtuse or rounded; blade entire, flat or somewhat wavy, more or less pubescent, 2 to 10 cm long, 0.7 to 5 cm wide; petiole 0.5 to 1.5 cm long; inflorescence terminal spikes, rigid, 10 to 50 cm long excluding the peduncle, with paired branches below; flowers small, green, perfect, densely arranged at top of spike, less clustered in the center, scattered and often in pairs near the base; subtended by long-acuminate bracts or bracteoles, 2 to 3.5 mm long, stiff and spiny, erect before anthesis reflexes later, persistent; sepals 5, green with pale margins, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 3.5 to 5.5 mm long during anthesis, five filaments 2.2 to 3.5 mm long; pseudo-staminodia with or without dorsal, truncate, long-fringed scales; ovary top-shaped with 1- to 2-mm style; fruit and utricle (a small prickly bur), 2.5 to 2.8 mm long, rounded at the base; enclosed by persistent perianth and bracts, 4 to 5 mm long, detaching easily from rachis; seed 2 to 3 mm long, 1 to 1.5 mm wide, truncate above, reddish to dark brown and shiny, enclosed in chaffy calyx parts that remain attached. This species is readily distinguished by the opposite leaves, branched stem and spiny bracts that are erect before flowering but then become reflexes and readily adhere to animals and clotting^7,8.

Taxonomic classification

Kingdom – Plantae

Subkingdom - Tracheobinota

Super Division - Spermatophyta

Division - Mangoliophyta

Class - Mangoliophsida

Subclass - Caryophyllidae

Order - Caryophyllales

Family - Amaranthaceae

Genus - Achyranthes

Species – Aspera

Botanical description:

Synonyms

Latin - Achyranthes aspera

Sanskrit - Aghata

Hindi - Latjira, Chirchira

Gujarati - Safad Aghedo

English: Chaff-flower, Hawai chaff flower, devil‘s horse whip, prickly chaff flower

Tamil - Shiru-kadaladi

Telugu - Uttaraene

Malayalam - Kadaladi

Punjabi - Kutri

Unani - Chirchitaa

Ayurvedic-Apaamaarga, Chirchitaa, Shikhari, Shaikharika

Persian - Khare-vazhun

Arabian - Atkumah

French - Achyranth a feuilles rudes, collant, gendarme

Spanish - Mosotillo, rabo de gato, rabo de chango, rabo de raton

Geographical source

Easily found anywhere in India on road sides or on the edges of field and waste places as a weed throughout up to an altitude of 2100 m and also in South Andaman Islands Some other places in the world also we can found this plant like in Baluchistan, Ceylon, Tropical Asia, Africa, Australia and America. It was reported as an invasive alien species in northern Bangladesh⁹

Plant parts used

The whole plant, the root, the seeds.

Constituents

Compounds in the seeds of A. aspera are the saponins A and B. They are glycosides of oleanolic acid. The carbohydrate components are the sugars D-glucose, L-rhamnose, Dglucuronic acid (= Saponin A). Saponin B is the ß-D-galactopyranosyl ester of Saponin A¹⁰.

The content of free oleanolic acid in A. aspera roots is 0.54 % ^{11, 12}.

From the roots ecdysterone and oleanolic acid have been isolated. In the unripe seeds saponines, oleanolic acid, amino acids and hentriacontane, a long chained carbohydrate, have been found.

In the shoots an aliphatic dihydroxyketone 36,37-dihydroxyhenpentacontan-4-on and triacontanol could be found ¹¹. Two long chain compounds, isolated from the shoots, have been characterized as 27-cyclohexylheptacosan-7-ol and 16-hydroxy.26-methylheptacosan-2-on by chemical and spectral investigations ¹³.

The petrol extract of the shoots produced a yellow semi-solid mass. From this a pink coloured essential oil with a pleasant odour and an aliphatic alcohol (17-pentatriacontanol) were found ¹⁴.

The whole plant was extracted with methanol. After the removal of the solvent the residue was extracted successively with different solvents and with butanol by column chromatography. Ecdysterone, a phytoecdysone, was yielded and characterized by its colour and special chemical reactions. Contents (g/kg) were: 0.25 (seeds), 0.09 (roots), 0.04 (stem, leaves) ¹⁵. The pronounced insect moulting hormonal activity of this extract from the roots has been found due to the presence of ecdysterone ¹⁶.

In an investigation for alkaloids only one indication was found in A. aspera stems. But this was assessed only by color reactions and not with modern techniques. Therefore this result can be neglected. It is in contradiction to the general characteristics of the family Amaranthaceae to which A. aspera belongs ¹⁶.

Phytochemistry

Isolation & identification of Saponins A and B were done during chemical investigations of the seeds of Achyranthes aspera ^{10, 17}. Saponin A was identified as D-Glucuronic Acid and saponins B was identified as β Dgalactopyranosyl ester of D-Glucuronic Acid. Along with these constituents certain other constituents were also isolated like oleanolic acid, amino acids and hentriacontane. The seeds also contain chemical constituents like 10-tricosanone, 10-octacosanone & 4-tritriacontanone ^{17, 18}.

A new cyclic chain aliphatic fatty acid (I) was isolated from seeds of the plant ¹⁹. Sapogenin along with oleanolic acid was also isolated from the seeds ²⁰.

From the ethanolic extracts of the roots a new aliphatic acid was isolated and identified as n-hexacos-14-enoic acid from the roots of Achyranthes aspera. This compound is reported for the first time from any natural and synthetic source. Certain other were also isolated and identified as strigmasta-5, 22-dien-3-β-ol, trans-13-docasenoic acid, n-hexacosanyl n-decaniate, n-hexacos-17-enoic acid and n-hexacos-11-enoic acid. Strigmasta-5, 22-dien-3-β-ol is a phytosterol, was obtained as a colourless crystalline mass from petroleum ether: benzene 75:25 elute. It responded positively to Liebermann Burchard test for sterols ²¹.

Three oleonolic acid glycosides was isolated from the seeds of Achyranthes aspera which were identified as α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(14)-(β-Dglucopyranosyluronic acid)-(13)-oleanolic acid, α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(14)-(β-Dglucopyranosyluronic acid)-(13)-oleanolic acid-28-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and α-Lrhamnopyranosyl-(14)-(β-D- glucopyranosyluronic acid)-(13)-oleanolic acid-28-O-β-Dglucopyranosyl-(14)-β-D- glucopyranoside ²².

Ecdysterone was isolated from the methanolic extract of roots of Achyranthes aspera¹⁶. Ecdysterone was also isolated from Achyranthes aspera root extracts by chromatography on silica gel column, followed by elution with CHCl3-MeOH (4:1) ²³. Ecdysone was also isolated from the roots of Achyranthes aspera ^{16, 11, 24}. Oleanolic acid was also isolated from glycosidic fraction of the roots ^{18, 25}.

Chemical compounds of the volatile oil were isolated from Achyranthes aspera leaves, growing in Dehra Dun were analyzed by G.C. M.S. Seven compounds viz., pbenzoquinone, hydroquinone, spathulenol, nerol, α-ionone, asarone and eugenol constituting 63.05% of the oil were identified. Hydroquinone (57.7%) was found to be the chief constituent ²⁶.

Achyranthine, a water soluble alkaloid which possess pharmacological actions like dilation of the blood vessels, lowering of the blood pressure, depression of the heart and increase the rate and amplitude of respiration was also reported from plant ^{7, 27}.

From the fruits two constituents were isolated and were identified as Saponins C and D ^18,
28. Various compounds were isolated from the stem like Pentatriaontane, 6- pentatriacontanone, Hexatriacontane and Tritriacontane ^18,
20.

Traditional Uses

Through age-long trial and error methods there is a treasure of informations about plants used medicinally often in hidden ethnic groups. Old Indian medicinal systems like Ayurveda are using plants for many symptoms. In a newer study 23 medicinal claims were recorded for A. aspera, but not verified by experimental data ^29,
30.

Based on an ethnopharmacological survey of Gonda district forests (India) in 1994 plants which are widely used in folk medicine three medicinal claims for A. aspera roots were investigated

1) For snake bites the ground root is given with water until the patient vomits and regains consciousness

2) A fresh piece of root is used as tooth brush

3) Crushed leaves rubbed on aching back to cure strained back ³¹.

Traditionally, the plant is used in asthma and cough. It is pungent, antiphlegmatic, antiperiodic, diuretic, purgative and laxative, useful in oedema, dropsy and piles, boils and eruptions of skin etc. Crushed plant is boiled in water and is used in pneumonia. Infusion of the root is a mild astringent in bowel complaints. The flowering spikes or seeds, ground and made into a paste with water, are used as external application for bites of poisonous snakes and reptiles, used in night blindness and cutaneous diseases ³².

It is useful in haemorrhoids, leaves and seeds are emetic, hydrophobia, carminative, resolve swelling, digestive and expel phlegm. Ash of the plant is applied externally for ulcers and warts.

A fresh piece of root is used as tooth brush. Paste of the roots in water is used in ophthalmia and opacities of the cornea. Paste of fresh leaves is used for allaying pain from bite of wasps ³³.

The plant is useful in liver complaints, rheumatism, scabies and other skin diseases. It also possesses tranquillizing properties ^{34, 35}.

Seven leaves, crushed, and taken as a single dose twice a week, can effectively treat the bite of a dog, if delivered within 21 days after the bite ³⁶.

In an study on herbal remedies of the Nepalese in Assam authors recommend 5g of root mixed with an equal amount of black pepper powder divided in three parts given three times daily ³⁷. A similar schedule is applied with the same both plants against diarrhoea by Danuwar tribes in Sindhuli district of Nepal ³⁸.

In the northern part of India medicine men use A. aspera as an antidote for snake bites. 10 - 20 g root dried in the shade and powdered is given with water³⁹.

In the native phytotherapy for women and child diseases A. aspera root is applied with precise prescriptions ⁴⁰.

Inhaling the fume of A. aspera mixed with Smilax ovalifolia roots is suggested to improve appetite and to cure various types of gastric disorders which are supposed to be caused by an evil-spirit or due to an ill-look of a neighbour ⁴¹.

In India indigenous healers recommend the following prescription against diarrhoea: 5 - 10 ml juice expressed from the fresh leaves should be given every third hour in case of diarrhoea ⁴².

Pharmacological Study

Antiviral and anticarcinogenic effects

In an in vitro assay the methanolic extract of A. aspera leaves (100 µg) revealed significant inhibitory effects on the Epstein-Barr virus early antigen induced by the tumour promoter 12- O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in Raji cells. The fraction containing mainly non-polar compounds showed the most significant inhibitory activity (96.9 % and 60 % viability). In the in vivo two stage mouse skin carcinogenesis test the total methanolic extract possessed a pronounced anticarcinogenic effect. The total extract and the fraction are believed to be valuable antitumour promoters in carcinogenesis ⁴³.

Hypolipidemic effect

Present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the hypolipidemic activity of aqueous extract of Achyranthes aspera in high fat diet induced atherogenic rats. High fat diet produced a significant increase in total cholesterol, VLDL, LDL, PL, Triglycerides, Free fatty acids and decrease in HDL. It also increased HMG CoA reductase activity. Reduction in the activity of Lipo protein lipase was observed. High fat diet also decreased the levels of SOD, CAT and reduced glutathione with associated increase in lipid peroxidation. Treatment with Achyranthes aspera (200mg. /kg body weight) altered the deranged metabolic profile and was effective in producing hypolipidemia ⁴⁴.

Antioxidant and antibacterial activity

The radical scavenging activity of the different extracts of root, stem, leaf and inflorescences was evaluated by DPPH assay and the antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus a gram positive and Escherichia coli a gram negative bacteria was studied by Agar well cut diffusion method. All of the extracts exhibited different antioxidant and antibacterial activities and the activities varied from solvent to solvent and the activities are concentration and time dependant. The antioxidant and antibacterial activities were compared with the positive control Ascorbic acid and Gentamycin. A qualitative phytochemical analysis was carried out and found to possess bioactive compounds like alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, tannins ⁴⁵.

In Toluene-Di-Isocyanate Induced Occupational Asthma

In the present investigation, study on bronchoprotective effect of ethanolic extract of Achyranthes aspera Linn. in toluene diisocyanate (TDI) induced occupational asthma in wistar rats was done.

Wistar rats were divided into four different groups of eight animals each. All animals except control group were sensitized by the intranasal application of 10% TDI to induce airway hypersensitivity. At the end of the study, after provocation with 5%TDI the symptoms were observed in all animals. The total and differential leucocytes were counted in blood and bronchoalveolar (BAL) fluid. Liver homogenate was utilized for assessment of oxidative stress and lung histological examination was performed to investigate the inflammatory status in the airway. TDI sensitized rats exhibited asthmatic symptoms while A. aspera and dexamethasone treated rats did not show any airway abnormality. The neutrophils and eosinophils in blood were decreased significantly; the total cells and each different cell in particular eosinophils in BAL fluid were markedly decreased in treatment groups as compared to TDI sensitized rats. The antioxidant activity and histopathological observations also showed protective effect. From all above findings and observations, it can be concluded that A. aspera has beneficial role in occupational asthma ⁴⁶.

Cardiac activity

Cardiac stimulant activity of the saponin of A. aspera seed has been observed when it was found to cause increase in force of contraction of isolated and intact hypodynamic heart ⁴⁷. Leaf decoction was reported for cardiovascular toxicity ⁴⁸. Achyranthine, the water soluble alkaloid showed lowering of blood pressure, depression of heart and increase in rate and amplitude of respiration in anaesthetized dogs. Effect of saponin of A. aspera on phosphorylase activity of rat heart was noted ⁴⁹. In tropical West Africa, the plant was found to have activity on cardiovascular system ⁵⁰.

Estrogenic and Pregnancy Interceptory effects

Four successive solvent extract of Achyranthes aspera Linn were screened for infertility activity in female albino rats. The chloroform and ethanol extract exhibited 100 % Anti-implantation activity when given orally at dose of 200 mg/kg of body weight. Both the extracts at the dose of 200 mg/kg body weight also exhibited estrogenic activity ⁵¹.

Antifungal activity

The aqueous, ethanol and methanol leaves extracts of Achyranthes aspera Linn. were evaluated for antifungal activity against clinically important fungal species viz. Candida albicans (MTCC 227), C. tropicalis (MTCC 750), C. krusei (ATCC 6258), C. kefyr (ATCC 4235), C. guilliermondi (ATCC 6260), C. glabrata (ATCC 2001),Cryptococcus neoformans (MTCC 1346), Aspergillus niger (MTCC 277), Aspergillus fumigatus (MTCC 343) , Aspergillus flavus (MTCC 418), Rhizopus oryzae (MTCC 262).The in vitro antifungal activity was performed by agar well diffusion method. The ethanol extract of the leaves of A. aspera Linn revealed an elevated antifungal activity against C. kefyr, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus. The methanol extract of the leaves showed higher antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus flavus. Aqueous extract of the leaves did not show activity against tested fungal strains. The results obtained in the present study suggest that the ethanol and methanol extracts of the leaves of A. aspera Linn revealed a significant scope to develop a novel broad spectrum of antifungal herbal formulation ⁵².

Immunomodulatory Activity

The extract of A. aspera Linn. was found to enhance the induction of ovalbumin (OVA)- specific humoral antibody response in mice, on intraperitoneal injection of extract along with OVA. The antibody response was evaluated by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) and ELISA for IgE and other classes or subclasses of antibodies, respectively. Furthermore, the plant extract was found to increase the induction of OVA-specific antibody response in a dose-dependent manner. A significant elevation of IgM, IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies was observed (p < 0.01); however, interestingly, the anti-OVA PCA titers were suppressed.

The adjuvant property of the extract was further examined in different strains of mice and a significant elevation of the OVA-specific IgG antibody response in all strains tested was found. When the extracts of different parts of the herb were tested, the seed and root extracts appeared to exhibit relatively higher activity. These results confirm the immunostimulatory properties of A. aspera ⁵³.

Hepatoprotective activity

Hepatoprotective activity of the Aerial parts was also observed in rats ⁵⁴.

Hypoglycemic activity

Powdered whole plant and certain aqueous and methanolic extracts, when orally administered showed hypoglycemic in normal and alloxan-diabetic rabbits. The authors concluded that there is a possibility that the plant could act by providing some necessary elements like calcium, zinc, magnesium, manganese and copper to the beta-cells ²⁹. Redox and oxidative status in plasma and other tissues of rats fed with high doses of fructose were studied after applying seeds of the plant ⁵⁵.

In Renal disorders

Mineralization of urinary stones (calculi) like calcium oxalate, calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate were found to be inhibited by A. aspera ⁵⁶. Methanolic extracts were found to prevent lead induced nephrotoxicity in albino rats. Efficacy of the roots of the plant was tested on calcium oxalate crystal nucleation and growth in vitro and on oxalate induced injury in NRK-52E (rat renal tubular epithelial) cells ⁵⁷. As an approach to antilithiasis, Inhibitory effect of hydroalcoholic extract of the plant on crystallization of calcium oxalate in synthetic urine was Studied ⁵⁸.

Wound healing activity

The plant has shown wound healing activity. There has been a report on comparative protein profile of granulation tissues of burn, diabetic and immunocompromised wounds treated with 5.0% (w/w) ointment of methanol extract of the plant ⁵⁹.

Anti-arthritic activity

Anti-arthritic activity of Achyranthine from A. aspera has been reported ⁶⁰. Ethanolic plant extract has shown antiarthritic activity. The plants efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis was also reported ⁶¹.

Diuretic activity

While discussing Cystone®-a vegetable diuretic, the plant has been mentioned. Antagonistic effect of A. aspera on uterine contractility induced by oxytocin was reported. Saponins from the plant have shown diuretic activity208-209. The active compound responsible for the plant’s diuretic property is achyranthine, marketed as Cystone®, a polyherbal formulation. Effect of Cystone® on glycolic acid-induced urolithiasis in rats was investigated ^{62, 63, 64, 65}.

CONCLUSION:

From this study, it is clear that Achyranthes aspera is an important source of many therapeutically and pharmacologically active constituents. The plant has been widely studied for its pharmacological activities and finds its position as a versatile plant having a wide spectrum of medicinal activities. The plant shows many pharmacological activities like spermicidal, anti allergic, cardiovascular, nephroprotective, antiparasitic, hypoglycemic, analgesic and antipyretic. Thus, Achyranthes aspera is quite promising as a multipurpose medicinal agent.

REFERENCES:

1. Shankar D., Ved D. K. Indian Forester. 129; 2003: 275-288.

2. Mukherjee P.K. Quality control of herbal drugs. Business Horizon Pharmaceutical Publishers, 2008.

3. Arun V., Liju V.B., John J., Reena V., Parthipan B., Renuka C. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 6(4); 2007: 589-594.

4. Tijani Y., Uguru M. O., Salawu O. A. African Journal of Biotechnology. 7(6); 2008: 696-700.

5. Pande P.C., Tiwari L., Pande H.C. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 6(3); 2007: 444-458.

6. Jain J. B., Kumane S.C., Bhattacharya S. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 5(2); 2006: 237-242.

7. Anonymous. The Wealth of India - Raw Materials, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi. 2005.

8. Zafar R. Medicinal Plants of India. CBS publishers & distributors. 2009.

9. Akter A, Zuberi MI, Invasive alien species in Northern Bangladesh: Identification, inventory and impacts, International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation. 1(5); 2009: 129-134.

10. Hariharan V, Rangaswami S. Structure of saponines A and B from the seeds of Achyranthes aspera. Phytochemistry. 9; 1970: 409-414.

11. Batta AK, Rangaswami S. Crystalline chemical components of some vegetable drugs Phytochemistry. 12; 1973: 214-6.

12. Li X, Hu S. Determination of oleanolic acid in the root of Achyranthes bidentata from different places of production by TLC-scanning Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 20; 1995. 8: 459-60 PubMed 8561880.

13. Misra TG, Singh RS and Pandey HS. Two long chain compounds from Achyranthes aspera. Phytochemistry. 33, 1; 1993: 221-3.

14. Gariballa Y, Iskander GM, Daw El and Beit A. Investigation of the alkaloid components in the Sudan Flora III. Fitoterapia. 54; 1983: 269-7.

15. Banerji A, Chintalwar GJ and Joshi NK. Isolation of ecdysterone from Indian plants. Phytochemistry. 10; 1971: 2225-6.

16. Banerji A, Chadha MS. Insect moulting hormone from Achyranthes aspera. Phytochemistry. 9; 1970: 1671

17. Ali M. Oriental Journal of Chemistry. 9(1); 1993: 84-85.

18. Ram P. Rastogi, B. and Mehrotra N. Compendium of Indian Medicinal plants. Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow and National institute of science communication and information resources, New Delhi, 2004.

19. Chauhan A.S., Rawat G. S. and Singh C. P. Asian Journal of Chemistry. 14(2); 2002: 1059-1061.

20. Khastgir H.N., Sen Gupta S. K. and Sen Gupta P. Journal of the Indian Chemical Society. 35; 1958: 693-694.

21. Sharma S.K., Vasudeva N. and Ali M. Indian Journal of Chemistry - Section B Organic and Medicinal Chemistry. 48(8); 2009: 1164-1169.

22. Rameshwar R.D. and Akito N. Natural Product Communications. 2(7); 2007: 727-730.

23. Ikan R., Ravid U., Trosset D. and Shulman E. Experientia. 27(5); 1971: 504-505.

24. Khastgir H.N. and Gupta P.S. Journal of the Indian Chemical Society. 35; 1958: 529-530.

25. Rameshwar R.D. Indian Perfumer. 51(1); 2007: 33-34.

26. Neogi N. C., Garg R. D. and Rathor R. S. Indian Journal of Pharmacy. 32(2); 1970: 43-46.

27. Seshadri V., Batta A. K. and Rangaswami S. Indian Journal of Chemistry - Section B Organic Chemistry Including Medicinal Chemistry. 20(9); 1981: 773-775

28. Akhtar MS and Iqbal J. Evaluation of the hypoglycaemic effect of Achyranthes aspera in normal and alloxan-diabetic rabbits. J Ethnopharmacol. 31; 1991: 49-57.

29. Kamboj VP and Dhawan BN. Research on plants for fertility regulation in India. J. Ethnopharmacol. 6; 1982: 191-226.

30. Singh VK, Ali ZA and Zaidi STH. Ethnomedicinal uses of plants from Gonda district forests of Uttar Pradesh, India. Fitoterapia. 2; 1996: 129-39.

31. Nadkarni K.M. Indian Materia Medica. Bombay Popular Prakashan, 2009.

32. Gupta R.K. Medicinal & Aromatic Plants. CBS publishers & distributors, 2010.

33. Khare C.P. Indian medicinal plants. Springer, 2007.

34. Anonymous. The Wealth of India - Raw Materials, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR). New Delhi, 2007.

35. Singh VK, Ali ZA and Siddiqui MB. Ethnomedicines in the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh. Fitoterapia. 1; 1996: 65-76.

36. Borthakur SK, Nath K and Gogoi P. Herbal remedies of the Nepalese in Assam Fitoterapia. 3; 1996: 231-7.

37. Manandhar NP. Traditional phytotherapy of Danuwar tribes of Kamlokhonj in Sindhuli district, Nepal. Fitoterapia. 4; 1990: 325-31.

38. Siddiqui MB and Husain W. Traditional antidotes of snake poison in northern India. Fitoterapia. 1; 1990: 41-3.

39. Borthakur SK. Native phytotherapy for child and women diseases from Assam in Northeastern India. Fitoterapia. 6; 1992: 483-488.

40. Bhattaraj NK. Folk use of plants in veterinary medicine in Central Nepal. Fitoterapia. 6; 1992: 497-506.

41. Siddiqui MB and Hussain W. Traditional treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery through herbal drugs in rural India. Fitoterapia. 4; 1991: 325-9.

42. Chakraborty A, Brantner A and Mukainaka T. Cancer chemopreventive activity of Achyranthes aspera leaves on Epstein-Barr virus activation and two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis Canc Lett 2002 Mar 8, 177(1): 2002 PubMed 11809524.

43. Venkatalakshmi P, Vedha Valli N and Sangeetha S. Hypolipidemic effect of Achyranthes aspera on High fat diet induced atherogenic rats. Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences. 3(3): 75.

44. Abi Beaulah G, Mohamed Sadiq A and Jaya Santhi R. Antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Achyranthes aspera: An in vitro study. Annals of Biological Research. 2 (5); 2011: 662-67.

45. Goyal B. R., Goyal R. K. and Mehta A. A. Beneficial Effect of Achyranthes apsera Linn. In Toluene-Di-Isocyanate Induced Occupational Asthma in Rats, The Open Natural Products Journal. 1; 2008: 44-49.

46. Gupta SS, Bhagwat AW and Ram AK. Cardiac stimulant activity of the saponin of Achyranthes aspera (Linn.). Indian Journal of Medical Research. 60(3); 1972: 462-471.

47. Han, ST, Un and CC. Cardiac toxicity caused by Achyranthes aspera. Vet. Hum. Toxicol. 45(4); 2003: 212-213.

48. Ram AK, Bhagwat AW and Gupta SS. Effect of the saponin of Achyranthes aspera on the phosphorylase activity of rat heart. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 15(3); 1971: 107-110.

49. Oliver-Bever B. Medicinal plants in tropical West Africa. I. Plants acting on the cardiovascular system. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 5; 1982: 1-71.

50. Vasudeva N. and Sharma S.K. Estrogenic and Pregnancy Interceptory effects of Achyranthus aspera Linn. Root. Afr. J. Trad. CAM. 4 (1); 2007: 7-11.

51. Elumalai EK., Chandrasekaran N., Thirumalai T., Sivakumar C., Viviyan therasa S. and David E. Achyranthus aspera Leaf Extracts Inhibited Fungal Growth. International Journal of PharmTech Research. 1(4): 1576-1579.

52. Rao YV., Rao GD., Babu GS. and Rao RA. Immunomodulatory Activity of Achyranthes aspera on the Elicitation of Antigen-Specific Murine Antibody Response. Pharmaceutical Biology. 40(03); 2002: 175–178.

53. Bafna AR and Mishra SH. Effect of methanol extract of Achyranthes aspera L. on rifampicin induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Ars. Pharmaceutica. 45(4); 2004: 343 – 351.

54. Malarvili T and Gomathi N. Effect of Achyranthes aspera (Linn) seeds on redox and oxidative status in plasma and selected tissues of rats fed with high doses of fructose. Biosciences Biotechnology Research Asia. 6(2); 2009: 659-664.

55. Farook NAM, Rajesh S and Jamuna M. Inhibition of mineralization of urinary stone forming minerals by medicinal plants. E-Journal of Chemistry. 6(3); 2009: 938-942.

56. Aggarwal A, Tandon S, Singla SK and Tandon C. Reduction of oxalate induced renal tubular epithelial (NRK-52E) cell injury and inhibition of calcium oxalate crystallisation in vitro by aqueous extract of A. aspera. International Journal of Green Pharmacy. 4(3); 2010: 159-164.

57. Pareta SK, Patra KC and Harwansh R. In-vitro calcium oxalate crystallization inhibition by Achyranthes indica Linn. Hydroalcoholic extract: an approach to antilithiasis. International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences. 2(1); 2011: 432-437.

58. Barua CC, Talukdar A, Begum SA, Handique AK, Handique GK, Roy JD and Buragohain B. Impact of Achyranthes aspera L. on protein profile in impaired wound models. Indo Global Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 1(1); 2011: 13-24.

59. Aggarwal D and Singh H. Kshara basti in amavata (rheumatoid arthritis), Sachitra Ayurved, 2006.

60. Neogi NC, Rathor RS, Shrestha AD and Banerjee DK. Studies on the anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity of Achyranthine. Indian Journal of Pharmacology. 1(3); 1969: 37-48.

61. Ram AK and Gupta SS. Diuretic activity of Achyranthes aspera saponin. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 14; 1970: 47.

62. Gupta SS, Verma SC, Ram AK and Tripathi RM. Diuretic effect of the saponin of Achyranthes aspera (apamarga). Indian J. Pharmacol. 4; 1972: 208-214.

63. Maurya DK, Devasagayam TP and Nair CK. Some novel approaches for radioprotection and the beneficial effect of natural products. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. 44(02); 2006: 93-114.

64. Bhutani KK and Gohil VM. Natural products drug discovery research in India: Status and appraisal. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. 48(03); 2010: 199-207.

65. Mitra SK, Gopumadhavan S, Venkatarangannna MV and Sundaram R. Effect of Cystone, a herbal formulation, on glycolic acid-induced urolithiasis in rat. Phytotherapy Research. 12(5); 1998: 372-374.

Received on 10.04.2013

Modified on 28.04.2013

Accepted on 03.05.2013

Research J. Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics. 5(4): July–August 2013, 266-272