Industrial Innovations

The lead molecule 5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1, 4-naphthalenedione has been identified from plumbago indica/rosea, an indigenous medicinal. Plumbago indica/rosea (Family: Plumganicaceae) is a perennial shrub found growing throughout India. The methanolic extract of roots of this plant when tested at 0.05 mg/ml in vitro against Setaria digitata, a filarial parasite of cattle resulted in 100% immobilization at an incubation period of 30 min. The macrofilaricidal activity was further confirmed by MTT reduction assay. The novel composition comprising of one or more derivatives of this molecule may result in a potential macrofilaricide.