TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         i

Certification           –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         ii

Dedication   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iii

Acknowledgements         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iv

Table of contents   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         v-vi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study – –         –         –         –         –         1-2

CHAPTER TWO: TAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION OF Acalypha wilkesiana       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         3

2.1Common Names of A. wilkesiana   –         –         –         –         –         3-4

2.2 Botanical Description of Acalypha wilkesiana   –         –         –         4-6

2.3 Traditional uses of wilkesiana – –         –         –         –         6-9

2.4 Phytochemistry of A. wilkesiana    –         –         –         –         –         9-11

CHAPTER  THREE: PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES of A. wilkesiana

3.1 Anti-microbial and antifungal activities            –         –         –         12-13

3.2 Anti-obesity effect     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         14

3.3 Anti- diabetic activity          –         –         –         –         –         –         14-15

3.4 Anti- hypertensive activity             –         –         –         –         –         15

3.5 Anti- cholesterol and anti- arrhythmic activity             –         –         16-17

3.6 Anti- oxidant activity           –         –         –         –         –         –         17-18

3.7 Anti-malaria activity            –         –         –         –         –         –         18

3.8 Hypnotic and anticonvulsant effect          –         –         –         –         19

3.9 Hepato protective activity              –         –         –         –         –         19

3.10 Antiemetic activity   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         20

3.11 Anti- cancerous activity     –         –         –         –         –         –         20

3.12 Anti- parasitic and analgesic activity      –         –         –         –         21

3.13 Diuretic and anti HIV activity      –         –         –         –         –         21

CHAPTER FOUR: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

4.1     Summary     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         22

4.2     Conclusion  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         23

            References

 

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Plant are reservoirs of different phytochemical compounds and enzymes. These compounds can be alkaloids, tannins, volatile oils, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, phenolics glycosides, etc. which have been assessed for their anti-oxidant, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic and other biological effects (Patil et al., 2009; Krishnaswamy and Raghuramulu, 1998). Twenty-five  percent of people in the world depend on traditional medicinal plants as drugs for curing various diseases and ailments (Reddy, 2004; Kumara et al., 2011., Sharma and Painuli, 2011).over 6000 plants in India are used in traditional, folk and herbal medicine representing about 75% of the medicinal needs of the developing countries (Rajshekharan, 2002). There are always side effects associated with synthetic drugs. Researchers are diverting their attention to folk medicines which are safe and effective and are the oldest health care products (Mukherjee, 2002). Interestingly, natural  product research guided  by ethno-pharmacological knowledge has made substantial contributions to drugs innovation by providing novel chemical structures of mechanisms of action (De Smet, 1997). Pharmaceutical industries use tradition medicines as a source of bioactive agents that can be used in the preparation of medicines. Most medicinal plants are being formulated into pharmaceutical dosage forms like tablets, creams, ointments, syrups, and lotion.