Biologically Active Natural Products

Microbial Technologies and Phyto-Pharmaceuticals in Drug Development

Debarshi Kar Mahapatra, Swati Gokul Talele, Tatiana G. Volova, A. K. Haghi, Debarshi Kar Mahapatra, Swati Gokul Talele, Tatiana G. Volova, A. K. Haghi

• Publisher: Apple Academic Press
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781000094183
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Toxicology

Biologically active natural products and their substructures have long been valuable starting points for medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. This new volume explores biologically active natural products and their use in microbial technologies and as phyto-pharmaceuticals in drug development. It presents detailed scientific principles and recent research on applications of nanotechnology in diagnostics and drug delivery.

Topics include pharmacotherapeutically active proteins and peptides; the biotechnological potential of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria; synthesis and production; synthetic colorants, pigments, dyes, and lakes; and more. The use of various plants is discussed in several chapters, including Artemisia, Asteraceae, Abutilon indicum, Prosopis juliflora, Acacia arabica, Aloe barbadensis, Tabermontana divaricate Linn., among others.

With the information presented in Biologically Active Natural Products: Microbial Technologies and Phyto-Pharmaceuticals in Drug Development, scientists, faculty, and graduate students will gain a unique insight into nanotechnology and natural pharmaceuticals today with practical implementation in various industrial sectors.

CHAPTER 1
Azadirachta indica: Imperative Mini-Opinions on an Ethnopharmacological Savior

ANSHDA BHATNAGAR¹ and DEBARSHI KAR MAHAPATRA²

¹Department of Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry CV15FB, United Kingdom

²Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Dadasaheb Balpande College of Pharmacy, Nagpur – 440037, Maharashtra, India

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The tree which is called neem (Azadirachta indica) a natural tropical evergreen tree and found to be deciduous in drier regions native to the Indian sub-continent [1]. It has been found that neem is used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine for more than 1000’s of years because of its long-lasting medicinal properties. Neem is regarded as ‘arista’ in Sanskrit, this word means ‘perfect, imperishable, and complete’ [2]. Most of the parts of this plant such as fruits, seeds, leaves, bark, and roots contain components, which are proved to have antiseptic, antiviral, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, and antifungal uses. The Sanskrit name for neem called ‘nimba’ taken from the term ‘nimbatiswasthyamdadati’ which signifies ‘to give good health.’ The significance of the Neem tree is scripted in ancient documents ‘Charak-Samhita’ and ‘Susruta-Samhita,’ which builds the basics of the Indian system of natural treatment, Ayurveda. It is generally known as ‘Margosa’ or ‘Indian lilac’ and associates to the family Meliaceae. The Persian name of neem is termed ‘Azad-Darakth-E-Hind’ which denotes the ‘Free tree of India.’ Neem is accepted to be a division of India’s genetic diversity [3, 4].

Neem tree is considered to be the most researched tree in the entire world and is regarded to be the most beneficial tree of the 21^st century. It has been found that Neem holds great potential in the streams of environment protection, pest management, and medicine. Neem is a natural medium of pesticides, agrochemicals, and insecticides [5, 6].

Neem is a huge tree with a height, which grows up to 25 m, semi-erect to the straight trunk, has a girth of 3 m, and enlarged branches forming a broad ring. Generally, the Neem tree initially starts fruiting after a gap of 3–5 years. In a span of 10 years, this tree becomes fully mature to produce. After 10 years and onwards, this tree becomes capable of producing up to 50 kg of fruit annually [7].

The plant ‘Neem’ is reported to have a life of about two centuries. The tree has proved adaptability to a vast range of climatic, edaphic, and topo-graphic conditions. It rebels well in stony, dry, and shallow soils. Also, on soils, which have a solid calcareous or clay pan, at a facile depth. Neem tree needs a small amount of water and a huge amount of sunlight [3, 4].

This tree nurtures naturally in regions where rainfall of range 450 to 1200 mm is experienced. However, it has been proved that even in areas where the rainfall is as less as 150 to 250 mm this tree can grow. Neem is noticed to grow on altitudes which extend up to the area of 1500 m [8–10]. This tree grows good in the vivid temperature range of 0°C to 49°C [11]. This tree is not prone. This tree withstands water-logged areas and a soil type which is poorly drained. It is found that this tree grows best in the pH, which ranges between 4 and 10. It is famous for its attribute that it can be grown on multiple types of soil including clayey, saline, and alkaline soil, but is noticed to be grown best on deep well-drained soil and black cotton soils with good partial soil water. Neem trees have the classic property to neutralize acidic soils by a notable property of calcium mining [11].

All these parts are proven to contain compounds which have antifungal, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and others use [12]. Traditionally, the Neem tree is used for the treatment of commonly known diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy, and fever. Extracts of Neem are traditionally administered through the routes which include its application-oral, topical uses, and vaginal [13].

1.2 GENERAL INFORMATION

1.2.1 TAXONOMY CIRCUMSCRIPTION [14]

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Order: Ratulae
• Suborder: Ratinae
• Family: Malaceae
• Subfamily: Maleoideae
• Tribe: Miliceae
• Genus: Azadirachta
• Species: Indica

1.2.2 BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

This tree gains a height of about 35–50 ft and higher. This tree has branches that are massively spread and an erect trunk with dark and rough bark forms. Its bark has comprehensive fissures bifurcated by ridges. Fruits are green and turn yellow when ripe. These fruits have a pungent smell. The leaves are imparipinnate, compound, and each leaf consists of 5–15 leaflets. A leaf has multiple panicles which flower later on leaf’s axil. These leaves produce drupes that are yellow in color and glabrous in structure. These drupes are 12–20 mm long in height. It is an evergreen tree but fresh and flowers come. In March–April, whereas fruits grow and mature in the months of July and August. The growth of fresh leaves and fruit depends on the locality and atmospheric conditions [15].

1.2.3 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

Its maximal growth is found in South-East Asia and West Africa. They have been recently found out to grow best in Central America and the Caribbean. In Asian countries, mostly in India, it is observed that neem occurs naturally in Siwalik Hills which are dry forests of Andhra Pradesh. It is Cultivated and Naturalized all along the dry regions of tropical and sub-tropical.

1.2.4 PHYTOCHEMISTRY

Active principles which are extracted from the different sub-units of this neem tree are Nimbidin, Azadirachtin, Salanin, valassin, gedwin; get along to make up the bitter constituents of neem oil. 30–50% of oil which is taken from the kernels of neem is used by the pesticides, soap, pharmaceutical industries and contains many active ingredients which together are known as triterpene or liminoids. The top-four best known liminoid compounds include nimbin, ...