Browsing by Author "Guide - Dr. M. K. Nisha"

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    Antiurolithiatic Potential of Spermacoce articularis L.f. through In Vivo and In Silico Analysis
    (Avinashilingam, 2025-04) Gopika S; Guide - Dr. M. K. Nisha
    Kidney stone disease is common with limited treatments and high recurrence.Spermacoce articularis is being explored as a safer natural option for its antioxidant and anti-urolithiatic potential. The study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the pharmacognostic, phytochemical, antioxidant, and pharmacological properties of S. articularis with a focus on its potential antiurolithiatic activity. Pharmacognostic studies, including organoleptic and fluorescence analysis, revealed distinct characteristics among leaf, stem, and root samples. The leaf and stem extracts exhibited a richer phytochemical profile using methanol, ethanol, acetone, and aqueous solvents than the root extract. The quantitative analysis exhibited a significant amount of both primary (proteins and carbohydrates) and secondary metabolites (alkaloids, tannins, and terpenoids), indicating a rich profile of biologically active constituents. Among all the solvent extracts, the stem methanol and leaf ethanol extracts of S. articularis demonstrated the highest antioxidant potential in all enzymatic, non-enzymatic, and radical scavenging assays. The S. articularis stem methanol extract (SASM) was found to have the highest dissolution of calcium oxalate crystals through nucleation and aggregation assays, outperforming the leaf ethanol extract. Consequently, further in vivo studies were conducted using the SASM at two doses (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg) on renal calculi-induced Wistar albino rats, and the results confirmed positive efficacy, with a significant reduction in calcium oxalate crystal deposition and prevention of renal tissue damage, compared to the standard cystone group. To identify the active compounds responsible for the anti-urolithiasis activity, chromatographic methods such as TLC, HPTLC, and GC-MS were employed. TLC and HPTLC analyses confirmed the presence of terpenoids and phenols in the stem methanol extract. GC-MS profiling detected 40 bioactive compounds, and 25 organic compounds from various functional groups were selected for molecular docking. In silico analysis showed D-mannitol had high binding affinities to Tamm-Horsfall Protein, Calcitonin, and Calcium oxidoreductase. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested D-mannitol may inhibit calcitonin hormone, supporting its potential in kidney stone treatment. The top 10 hit compounds obtained from docking also showed favorable pharmacokinetic properties. Overall, the study highlights that S. articularis is a valuable natural resource that warrants further investigation for the development of anti-urolithiasis treatments.
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    Unveiling the Anticariogenic Properties of Medicinal Plants and Development of a Polyherbal Dentifrice
    (Avinashilingam, 2025-01) Gaayathiri Devi E; Guide - Dr. M. K. Nisha
    Dental caries, a prevalent multifactorial infection, results from the interaction between acid-producing microorganisms and a diet high in carbohydrates. This study harnesses the potential of a polyherbal remedy that offers a holistic approach to promote overall dental health and combat tooth decay with its natural antibacterial properties. To identify effective oral agents twelve plant extracts, Achyranthes aspera root (AAR), Acalypha indica leaf (AIL), Azadirachta indica leaf (AZL), Abrus precatorius leaf (APL), Barleria cuspidata leaf (BCL), Euphorbia hirta leaf (EHL),Ficus benghalensis prop root (FBP), Piper betle leaf (PBL), Psidium guajava leaf (PGL), Pongamia pinnata leaf (PPL), Tridax procumbens leaf (TPL), and Solanum virginianum fruit (SVF) traditionally used by local tribal populations in Thottakombai Hill, Erode district of Tamil Nadu, were studied. Methanol extracts of AAR, BCL, EHL, FBP, PBL, PGL, PPL, TPL, and SVF demonstrated a higher phytochemical content and exhibited stronger DPPH radical scavenging activity than other plants. Furthermore, clinical plaque isolates, such as Streptococcus mutans (SMU), Streptococcus salivarius (SSA), Streptococcus oralis (SOS), Streptococcus parasanguinis (SPSA), Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), Acinetobacter baumannii (AB), and Candida albicans (CA) were significantly susceptible to AAR, BCL, EHL, FBP, PGL, and SVF. Hence, further investigation of phytocompounds from these six plants through molecular docking studies revealed a high binding affinity for glucosyltransferase-C, a key virulence factor synthesized by SMU. Consequently, all six plants were optimized for the development of a polyherbal dentifrice (PHDF) in toothpowder tablet form. The PHDF demonstrated low toxicity, and showed the presence of essential minerals proving its safe use. Furthermore, PHDF effectively reduced the pH, and hydrophobicity of SMU, thereby eradicating its biofilm formation and outperforming marketed standards. The network pharmacological approach provided valuable insights into PHDF’s mechanism of action, highlighting its potential as a promising natural remedy for the prevention and treatment of dental caries. Thus, this study validates the formulation’s strong effect against oral pathogens and suggests a novel, comprehensive approach to oral health care.