This dissertation consists of two parts; “Part A” and “Part B”. The “Part A” consists of phytochemical studies on three indigenous medicinal plants; Berberis brevissima Jafri, Berberis parkeriana Schneid and Berberis royleana Ahrendt. The selected species of Berberis have been investigated for the first time for their phytochemical constituents. Three new (tirahamine (65), 13-nitrotirahamine (67) and peshawarine (68)) and eighteen known compounds (berberine (69), dehydrocheilanthifoline (70), jatrorrhizine (71), berberrubine (72), 8-oxoberberine (73), columbamine (74), palmatine (75), glutamic acid (76), glutamic acid, methyl ester (77), di-glutamic acid (78), di-glutamic acid, methyl ester (79), di-glutamic acid, di-methyl ester (80), docosanoic acid (81), 23a- homostigmast-5-en-3ß-ol (82), β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (83), nonacosane- 10-ol (84), palmitic acid (85) and linoleic acid (86)) have been isolated for the first time from these selected species. The three new bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids (tirahamine, 13-nitrotirahamine and peshawarine) have been isolated from B. brevissima. The spectral studies of the two of the compounds tirahamine and 13-nitrotirahamine were performed at different temperature using different solvents. Acetylation and nitration of tirahamine (65) have also been performed. In this part (Part A) we have described the isolation and structural elucidation of the three new and eighteen reported compounds. The structural characterization of the compounds have been achieved by using UV-Vis, IR, EI-MS, ESI-MS, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, DEPTq, DEPT-90, DEPT-135, HMBC, HSQC, COSY, NOESY and NOE techniques. xiIn the “Part B” of the dissertation anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antitrypanosomal and nematicidal activities of the fractions and the compounds isolated from B. brevissima, B. parkeriana and B. royleana have been discussed. The anticancer activities were performed against six cancer cell lines i.e. L1210 (Murine lyphocytic leukemia), Colon 38 (Murine colon adrenocarcinoma), CFU-GM (Murine granulocyte macrophage colony forming unit), H-116 (Human colon adrenocarcinoma), H-125 (Human lung adrenocarcinoma) and CEM (Humane leukemic lymphoid). Berberine (69) and jatrorrhizine (71) showed significant activity and selectivity against L1210 and Colon 38 cell lines while palmatine (75) was inactive. The antidiabetic activities were performed against Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP 1B) which is a negative insulin regulator. Amongst the tested compounds, 8-oxob- berberine (73) was significantly active and showed 29 % of the control. The other isolated compounds i.e berberine (69) (35 %), dehydrocheilanthifoline (70) (38 %), columbamine (74) (33 %) and jatrorrhizine (71) (36 %) also showed good activity while glutamic acid (76) (78 %) was inactive. Antimicrobial activities were carried out against four microbial strains i.e Mycobacterium marinum, sporadic methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (SMRSA), endemic methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (EMRSA) and Escherichia coli while antitrypanosomal against Trypanosoma brucei which is a protozoa belonging to the genus Trypanosoma, causing sleeping sickness. Tsetse fly is responsible for the transferring of this parasitic protozoa from infected human and animals. The Berberis brevissima roots xiifraction C (BBR-C) showed good activity against M. marinum (2.4 % of DMSO (D) control), high activity against SMRSA (0.2 % of D control) and EMRSA (0.2 of % D control) while against E. coli it was inactive. Berberine (69) showed good selectivity and activity against SMRSA and EMRSA (1.1 and 0.5 % of D control). Some of the fractions and compounds have also been tested for % mortality of stage two juvenile of root knot nematodes i.e Meloidogyne javanica. Amongst the various fractions, the Berberis brevissima roots fraction A (BBR-A) exhibited the highest mortality (62.22 %) followed by Berberis parkeriana roots fraction C (BPR-C) 57.22 % and BBR-C (54.00 %). Berberine (69) showed the highest nematicidal potential at 97.3 % of the standard (carbofuran) at the highest conc. (300 μg ml -1 ). Jatrorrhizine (71) ranked second and exhibited 59.50 % mortality followed by berberrubine (72) (49.17 %). Dehydrocheilnthifoline (70) was the least effective, nevertheless, showed good mortality at the highest conc.
حفیظ الرحمان احسنؔ(۱۹۳۴ء۔پ) کا اصل نام حفیظ الرحمان اور احسن ؔتخلص کرتے ہیں۔ آپ پسرور کے ایک مذہبی گھرانے میں پیدا ہوئے۔ ۱۹۵۹ء میں اسلامیہ کالج سول لائن لاہور سے ایم۔اے عربی کیا اور گورنمنٹ انٹر میڈیٹ کالج فیصل آبادمیں عربی لیکچرا ر کی حیثیت سے تعینات ہوئے۔ ۱۹۶۳ء میں مرے کالج سیالکوٹ میں عربی کے لیکچرا ر کے طورپر تقرری ہوئی۔ ۱۹۶۶ء میں لاہور میں ایوانِ ادب ادارہ قائم کیا۔ (۸۶۴) حفیظ الرحمن احسنؔ کا پہلا شعری مجموعہ ’’ننھی منھی خوبصورت نظمیں‘‘ ایوانِ ادب لاہور سے ۱۹۸۳ء کو شائع ہوا۔ دوسرا شعری مجموعہ ’’فصلِ زیاں‘‘ سدا بہار پبلشرز لاہور نے ۱۹۹۰ء میں طبع کیا۔ ’’
Epilepsy which is also called seizures disorder is an uncontrolled action of the central nervous system. It is not a single disease but a set of neurological disorders. Actually in this situation, the brain does not receive a precise signal and as a result an abnormal condition is produced that is usually involuntary in action. In this review, we aimed to focus on the relationship of anti-epileptic drugs with sexual dysfunction and adaptation of better remedies that improve a patient’s family life. Sexual dysfunction is a common comorbidity in people with epilepsy which badly affects their quality of life. Sexual dysfunction is caused by different factors like psychiatric problems, anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) and social factors etc. Sexual dysfunctions include ejaculatory failure, lessen libido, penile erection in men and irregular menstrual cycle in women. Common drugs such as Topiramate, Gabapentin (GBP), Valproate (VA), Carbamazepine (CBZ), Olanzapine (OL) and Risperidone (RTG) that are in practice to treat epilepsy usually produced adverse effect on sexual dysfunction. Even though a lot of studies have been carried out to control sexual dysfunction in epilepsy’s patient, but still research is going on. Medicine such as Cyproheptadine, Mianserin, Buspirone, Yohimbine were found better to treat epilepsy with minimum side effects of sexual dysfunction. Moreover, it is also seen that certain vasodilators, folate , and vitamin supplements are effective in improving the quality of life.
Composite materials are superior to other known structural materials in specific strength and stiffness, high temperature strength, fatigue strength and other properties. The present study was carried out to prepare such types of polymer composites which possess the better properties than the pure polymer. In this study we prepared seven different types of composites of PMMA with clay, Na2SO4, CaCO3, activated carbon, SiO2, ceramics and glass, PMMA was used as Matrix. The films were prepared by solvent cast method, using benzene as solvent. The structure and properties of these composites were investigated by SEM, EDX, DSC, UTM, TG/DTA and FTIR techniques. SEM of pure PMMA showed uniform surface while the morphology changed by the addition of various fillers .Clay, glass and Na2SO4 were uniform and well dispersed in PMMA matrix while CaCO3 show somewhat spherical structure, SiO2 and ceramics seemed to be embedded in between cavities. The size of the particles varied with the system. EDX studies on all these composites showed that the particles were incorporated in the PMMA matrix and have sufficient amount in the matrix. FTIR studies revealed that there was interaction between the polymer molecule and the various fillers added to them .The peak at 1729 cm -1 in PMMA was assigned to be due to C=O group. This is strong electron donor group so the cations tend to make complexes with this group. It was shown that the cations of Na+, Ca++ and Si++ interact with this and shift toward lower wave number. In the case of clay, the silicates present in the clay tend to interact and shift it again toward lower wave number. The thermal properties of all these composites were studied. These TGA showed that the added materials in to polymer matrix increased the thermal stability .The order of increasing thermal stability of various composites was: PMMA < PMMA-activated carbon < PMMA-SiO2 < PMMA-Na2SO4 < PMMA – CaCO3 < PMMA- clay < PMMA-ceramics < PMMA-glass The glass composite showed maximum thermal stability among all the studied composites. The mechanical studies of these composites were investigated by universal testing machine .It was shown that the tensile strength of the tested composites were much better than the pure PMMA. The order of increasing tensile strength of various composites was: PMMA < PMMA-Na2SO4 < PMMA-glass < PMMA- clay < PMMA-ceramics < PMMA -CaCO3 < PMMA-SiO2 <PMMA-activated carbon The activated carbon composite showed maximum tensile strength among all the studied composites. The elongation at break was another parameter showing strength of material and the values of elongation at break for the composites was found to be higher than the pure polymer. The order of increasing elongation at break of various composites was: PMMA < PMMA-Na2SO4 < PMMA-activated carbon < PMMA- clay < PMMA- ceramics < PMMA-glass < PMMA -CaCO3 ≤ PMMA-SiO2 Finally, the present study has shown that various composites of PMMA have been successfully prepared showing incorporation of filler. The interaction of cations of the compositing materials with the polymer has also been shown. The composite materials showed improved thermal and mechanical stability.