Traditional systems of medicines are playing an important role in providing health care to a large section of population, especially in the developing countries. Indian systems of medicine are among the well-known global traditional systems of medicine. In this review, an attempt has been made to provide general information pertaining to different aspects of these systems. The aspects covered include information about historical background, conceptual basis; different disciplines studied in the systems, research and development aspects. Unani System of medicine is based on established knowledge and practices relating to the promotion of positive health and prevention of diseases. Homeopathy is a system of medicine, which believes in a specialized method of treatment of curing diseases by administration of potency drugs, which have been experimentally proved to possess the power of producing similar artificial systems on human beings.

DOI: 10.31555/jpbs/2018/6/2/13-17

The aim of this study concludes that toxic medicinal plants have some medicinal values. Certain precautions about those plants are enough to use these toxic plants as medication purpose. Since plant toxins show many useful effects, they can be used in treating respective diseases. They can be modified to show better affinity and efficacy. Poisonous, medicinal plants are used for various ailments. This study reveals that wide numbers of phytochemical constituents have been reported from various medicinal plants which possess pharmacological activities, herbal remedies, and other important medicinal properties. This information is the most important for pharmaceutical companies could formulate drug.

DOI: 10.31555/jpbs/2018/6/2/18-35

Dandruff is caused by Malassezia (Pityrosporum) species. Dandruff is controlled by fungistatic ingredients in Antidandruff shampoos. Comparative study on the effectiveness of chemical and herbal antidandruff ingredients and their performance in shampoos was done in vitro against Malassezia furfur. Selenium Sulfide has a good antidandruff activity along with the chemical ingredients. Herbal ingredients such as rosemary oil, basil oil, and coleus oil also have an antidandruff activity, but their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values are much more than the synthetic ingredients. Essential oils can be great allies in the fight against fungi/dandruff. Most of the essential oils are excellent antibacterial and antifungal treatment making an excellent fighter against dandruff. The antifungal activities of essential oils and synthetic chemical, i.e., selenium sulfide were analyzed towards M. furfur. The data obtained indicated that rosemary essential oil exhibited the strongest inhibitory activities. MIC of rosemary oil against M. furfur was at 0.5%. Basil oil is also possessed considerable antifungal activity, and MIC of Basil oil against M. furfur was at 0.7%. Coleus essential oil exhibited the minimum inhibitory activity at 0.9% while that of selenium sulfide possessed considerably lower antifungal activity than these essential oils and was measured at 2.5%.The results of MICs revealed that the rosemary, basil, and coleus essential oils exhibited the best antifungal activities toward M. furfur than that of selenium sulfide.

DOI: 10.31555/jpbs/2018/6/2/36-39

During the present study, the antibacterial activity of Momordica dioica Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae) fruit pericarp and leaves was done. The methanolic extracts of M. dioica were evaluated for antibacterial activity by disc diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by tube dilution method. The diameter of the zone of inhibition against various Gram-positive and Gramnegative bacteria was measured. The concentration of stock solution was prepared as 1000 μg/ml. Ampicillin was used as positive control. The results indicate weakly active inhibition on the growth of Gram-positive bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus followed by Bacillus subtilis, among Gram-negative bacteria Shigella followed by Salmonella typhi in fruit pericarp. In leaf, Gram-positive bacteria like B. subtilis followed by S. aureus, among Gram-negative bacteria Shigella followed by S. typhi.

DOI: 10.31555/jpbs/2018/6/2/40-42