EXPLORING THE EFFECT OF AGNIHOTRA ON THE ANTIBIOTIC PROPERTIES OF PIPER NIGRUM
Harikiran Lingabathula
Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Princeton College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Soorammagari Sunayana
Asst. Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Princeton College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Abstract - Piper nigrum L. is a significant medicinal plant with numerous antibiotic applications in Ayurveda. Piper nigrum extract has been shown to be effective in experiments on both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Another important method for treating a variety of diseases is agnihotra therapy, in which a mixture of rice and the fume of a particular plant twig and clarified butter effectively inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause illness. The effects of Agnihotra and plant extract on the growth of some pathogenic bacteria were examined in this study together. It was demonstrated that Agnihotra had an effect on the growth of some pathogenic bacteria. It was demonstrated that Agnihotra aids in the effective control of pathogenic bacteria's growth. As a result, the treatment of Agnihotra and Piper nigrum extract is recommended.
Keywords: Agnihotra, Piper nigrum, antibacterial activity are key terms.
1 INTRODUCTION
Plants have proven to be an effective weapon in the fight against disease- causing microbes, which have plagued humanity since the beginning of time.
Going back in time to the history of disease management, the tried-and- true therapy of Ayurveda contains numerous references to the antibiotic properties of plants. Synthetic antibiotics gained popularity in medical science over the past few decades, but their side effects quickly became apparent, and the entire world is now returning to herbal medicine and Ayurveda (Kumar et al.).
2013, Dandpat and others 2014). The plant Piper nigrum L., more commonly known as black pepper, is used to treat a wide range of conditions, including digestive problems, fever, sinusitis, asthma,
and congestion, among others, according to Ravindran. Agnihotra Chikitsa is the name of another treatment method that is described in Ayurvedic literature. Agnihotra is a cycle during which fire is lit in a pyramid formed pot with the assistance of cow waste, twig of certain plants and explained spread.
During sunrise and sunset, a pinch of rice is offered in flame. It has been demonstrated scientifically that the resulting fume has antibacterial properties. The debris has additionally incredible capability of killing microbe. Rao and Tewari (1987), Pathade and Abhang (2014), Mondkar (1987), Atul et al. ( Agnihotra and the ash that is produced as a result have been shown to control the growth of bacteria, as Purandre and Prasad
(2012) and 2009 respectively reported.
The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the combined effects of Piper nigrum and Agnihotra extracts on the growth of some bacteria.
2 MATERIAL AND METHODS
Before extraction, the Piper nigrum seeds were ground into a fine powder.
The pepper powder (50 grams) was then extracted with methanol through continuous heat extraction for 24 hours using the Soxlet apparatus. By evaporating the solvent at a lower pressure, the obtained extracts were concentrated to dryness. The resultant concentration was dissolved in DSMO in such a way that the extract would have a final concentration of 1 g/ml of DSMO.
2.1 Disc Diffusion Method
The disc diffusion method was used to test the pepper methanol extracts' in vitro antibacterial activity. Plates were made by mixing log phase cultures that were actively growing in nutritional broth with 1% agar in soft agar. The extract was loaded onto a variety of filter paper discs made from Whatman's No: 1 filter cloth. After that, the discs were placed on the agar medium that contained the cultures and incubated for 24 hours at 370 degrees Celsius. The zone of growth's diameter was then measured.
2.2 Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)
Not entirely settled by sequential weakening technique. In the nutrient broth, the test compound was serially
bacterial societies in log stage was immunized. For 24 hours, the culture tubes were kept at 370 degrees Celsius. The MIC of the extract was measured and expressed in ppm after the incubation, and the growth of bacteria in the tubes was checked.
2.3 Agnihotra Experiment
A pyramid molded copper pot, 14.5cmx14.5cm at top and 5.50cmx5.50 cm at the base and 6.50 cm in level was utilized for this examination. For seven days, dry twigs of Ficus benghalensis, Ficus glomerulata, Ficus religiosa, Butea monosperma, and Aegel marmelos, cow dung, and rice were offered for three minutes at sunrise and sunset.
Experiments were conducted in parallel in two sets. In one set, only aqueous Piper nigrum extract was used, while Agnihotra practice and the same concentration of Piper nigrum extract were used in another set. In both situations, there was evidence of a zone of inhibition and a minimum concentration of inhibition.
The Students t test was used to statistically test the obtained results.
3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Tables 1 and 2 show the obtained results. In the test plant extract, the ZOI for Staphylococcus aureus was 22 mm, but when plant extract and Agnihotra treatment were used together, it was 24 mm. Bacillus cereus settlement decreased to 14 mm when treated with plant just though Agnihotra and plant separate in mix hindered state to 26 mm. In the case of Streptococcus faecalis, the
was 20 mm. Plant extract alone inhibited the Escherichia coli colony to 18 mm, whereas Agnihotra combined with plant extract reduced the zone to 26 mm. Treatment with test plant extract reduced the Salmonella typhi zone to 10 mm, while Agnihotra combined reduced the zone to 18 mm. Agnihotra's positive effect on Piper nigrum's antibacterial property was also seen at the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC). At 125ppm, the test plant extract reduced the size of Staphylococcus aureus, but at 80ppm, Agnihotra inhibited the bacteria. In a similar vein, both the combination condition and the test plant extract inhibited the colony of Bacillus cereus by 250ppm and 140ppm, respectively. The test plant's extract was effective against Streptococcus faecalis at a concentration of 140ppm; however, when Agnihotra was practiced in conjunction with the treatment with plant extract, it was later effective at a concentration of 90ppm. At 180ppm of plant extract, the Escherichia coli colony decreased, but Agnihotra further decreased the concentration to 100ppm. The effective concentration of plant extract against Salmonella typhi was 90ppm, but even 60ppm proved to be effective. Results plainly showed that Agnihotra rehearses altogether upgrade antibacterial adequacy of Flute player nigrum extricate. There is anyway variety up until this point effect of this training on various microbes are concerned.
The highest increase in ZOI was observed in Bacillus cereus and
Streptococcus faecalis, indicating that these two strains were the most affected by Agnihotra. There was also a significant effect on other bacteria that were tested. Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli were found to be more susceptible to MIC. Other strains' MICs also changed significantly. Ulrich Berk (2016) of German Relationship of Homa Treatment has broadly returned to the study of Agnihotra which is otherwise called Homa and has directed a few tests which decisively lay out significance of this framework for treatment of different infections.
Mishra (2016) has made sense of science of Agnihotra seethe and attempted to make sense of the component behind its activity.
Agnihotra's ability to purify the air has been clearly demonstrated by recent research. Agnihotra is mostly made of cellulose and lignocelluloses.
Water vapour is produced when the released hydrogen atoms combine with oxygen following combustion.
Additionally, compounds like thymole, engomal, pinen, and terpenol can be found in this vapor. and travels in all directions for a considerable distance.
Following these photochemical reactions, harmful gases are broken down into harmless components through oxidation-reduction and decomposition. After agnihotra, formaldehyde, one of the most common toxic gases, is converted into carbon dioxide, resulting in relatively clean air. As a result of its antiseptic properties, the formed formaldehyde kills pathogens in the air.
Table 1 Zone of inhibition (ZOI) in mm of Piper nigrum L. extract and extract in combination with Agnihotra on some pathogenic bacteria
Level of significance: p˂0.001
Table 2 Minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) in Piper nigrum L. extract and extract in combination with Agnihotra on some pathogenic bacteria
Level of significance: p˂0.005
4 CONCLUSION
Agnihotra Therapy, also known as homotherapy, has been proven to be a scientific and safe method for treating a wide range of conditions, particularly infections. Additionally, the method reduces medication doses by probably acting as a bioenhancer.
It contributes to the preservation of medicinal plants in addition to increasing the efficacy of plant extracts. By conducting and supporting research in this area, this neglected area of Ayurveda must be strengthened. People will have a relatively safe choice thanks to this.
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