Biochemical and Pharmacological Screening of Costus pictus

Costus pictus is now well known as an antidiabetic plant with several medicament potentials. It is the plant material for the present research work presented in this book. Chapter one describes the overall importance of this study with particular reference to C. pictus with important antidiabetic properties. The second chapter summarizes the cultivation and morphological characterization of Costus pictus. The third chapter contains details of work done to evaluate the propagation protocols suited for the multiplication of C. pictus, by using 6 plant growth regulators (PGRs). The investigations on molecular and physiological characteristics of C. pictus have also been evaluated during the study (Chapter: 4). Chapter 5 describes investigations on active extracts (leaf, stem, and rhizome) made with various solvents, in order to screen major phytochemicals, and towards separation and tentative identification of the active principles for improved exploitation of the plant in antidiabetic therapeutics. Chapter 6 assess the antidiabetic activity of various extracts and fraction obtained from C. pictus leaves in albino mice, through OGTT, and in streptozotocin-induced mice models.