Indian Journal of Pharmacology Medknow Publications on behalf of Indian Pharmacological Society ISSN: 0253-7613 EISSN: 1998-3751 Vol. 38, Num. 4, 2006, pp. 301-301

Indian Journal of Pharmacology, Vol. 38, No. 4, July-August, 2006, pp. 301

Correspondence

Antiinflammatory activity of leaf and leaf callus of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.

Ahmad S

Department of Pharmacognosy & Phytochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi
Correspondence Address:Department of Pharmacognosy & Phytochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, shoaibpharm@rediffmail.comé

Code Number: ph06085

Related article: ph06055, ph06086

I have read the research letter "Anti-inflammatory activity of leaf and leaf callus of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. in albino rats" by Balian et al (Indian J Pharmacol 2006;38(3): 213-14). The authors have attributed maximum inhibition of rat paw edema (by leaf callus extract) to the presence of 'higher amount' of secondary metabolites as in comparison to those in natural leaf. It has not been clearly mentioned which of the samples (leaf extract or leaf callus extract) had shown the presence of 10 or 8 spots in HPTLC fingerprinting of methanolic extracts. Going by language of the text explaining the preliminary phytochemical screening of the extracts, one gets the impression that 10 spots were observed in the HPTLC fingerprint of methanolic leaf extract and 8 in that of leaf callus. If this is not the case, it may be claimed that maximum inhibition of rat paw edema produced by leaf callus extract is due to the presence of 'higher number' of plant (not secondary) metabolites in leaf callus extract as compared to those in leaf extract. The usage of the term 'higher amount' is justified only when quantitative estimation of secondary metabolite(s) has been done and mentioned either in the study being published or previously reported by the authors.

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