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Volume 4 Numbers 1 & 2 2010 
CONTENTS AND ABSTRACTS
Number 1
Manoranjan R. Adak (Nepal), Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva (Japan) Garlic [Allium sativum] and its Beneficial Effect on Cardiovascular Disease: A Review (pp 1-20)
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Invited Review: Garlic [Allium sativum] is among the oldest of all cultivated plants and one of the best disease preventive foods. Garlic has been used as a medicinal agent for thousands of years for its antimicrobial, antithrombotic, hypolipidemic, antiarthritic, hypoglycemic and antitumor activity. Major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, such as high serum total cholesterol, increased low density lipoprotein oxidation, increased platelet aggregation, impaired fibrinolysis, etc. are controlled by garlic and its preparations. A number of studies have demonstrated that garlic is best known for its lipid-lowering and antiatherogenic activity. Recent studies reported that only aged garlic extract exhibited radical scavenging activity due to the presence of two compounds, S-allyl-L-cysteine and S-allylmercapto-L-cysteine. All bioactive components in garlic preparations, including S-allyl-L-cysteine, have been shown in a number of in vitro studies to inhibit the hepatic activities of lipogenic and cholesterogenic enzymes. Clinical trials showed a positive effect of garlic on almost all cardiovascular conditions; however, a number of negative studies have recently cast doubt on the efficacy of garlic, especially its cholesterol-lowering effect. This review has attempted to bridge the gap between the experimental and clinical studies and to discuss the possible mechanisms of such therapeutic actions of garlic.
Gunjan Biswas, Soumya Chatterjee, Sagartirtha Sarkar, Krishnendu Acharya (India) Evaluation of Antioxidant and Nitric Oxide Synthase Activation Properties of Astraeus hygrometricus (Pers.) Morg. (pp 21-26)
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Original Research Paper: The present study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant activity and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activation properties of the different extracts of Astraeus hygrometricus (Pers.) Morg. Crude, boiled and ethanolic extracts of A. hygrometricus were prepared using standard protocol. The antioxidant potential was studied by using different in vitro assay systems, viz., lipid peroxidation, carotene linoleic acid assay, DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl), hydroxyl and superoxide radical scavenging activity. Nitric oxide (NO) production was determined spectrophotometrically by conversion of oxyhemoglobin to methemoglobin. IC50 values of crude, boiled and ethanolic extracts of A. hygrometricus represented 209.3, 289.8 and 81.2 μg/ml, respectively in the case of hydroxyl radical scavenging activity; 502.53, 531.69 and 357.95 μg/ml, respectively for superoxide scavenging activity; 98.02, 119.8 and 94.74 μg/ml, respectively for DPPH radical scavenging activity; 478.65, 632.66 and 377.27 μg/ml, respectively for β-carotene bleaching activity and 99.40, 83.96 and 87.96 μg/ml, respectively for lipid peroxidation inhibition. Furthermore, crude, boiled and ethanolic extracts also increased significantly nitric oxide production (195, 220 and 955 pmol/mg dry wt/h, respectively) over the control. Among the three kinds of extracts, the ethanolic extract was the most effective in relation to antioxidant and NOS activation properties. The present results revealed A. hygrometricus as a promising source of therapeutics.
Sagarika Roychowdhury, Arpita Chakraborty, Maitree Bhattacharyya (India) Cervical Cancer-Induced Structural Disorganization of Human Erythrocyte Membrane (pp 27-31)
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Original Research Paper: Cervical cancer is the fifth most common cancer of the world, and poses a major public health problem. This paper explores a de novo observation that cervical cancer induced oxidative stress is responsible for erythrocyte membrane disorganization in the patients of advanced stage of clinical progression of the disease. The study of carbonyl content, antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, membrane fluidity and SDS-PAGE of erythrocyte membrane protein has been conducted on 94 adult cervical cancer patients and an equal number of age and sex matched normal subjects. Lipid peroxidation of erythrocyte membrane is observed to be enhanced and antioxidant enzyme activity alters significantly in the pathologic samples. Increased membrane fluidity is indicated by analysis of fluorescence depolarization using 1,6 diphenyl-1,3,5 hexatriene compared to healthy controls. The transition temperature of membrane lipids from gel to sol phase transition is observed to be shifted from 35°C (control subjects) to 25°C (cervical cancer patients). Degradation of the spectrin band is evidenced in SDS-PAGE of the membrane protein profile of the diseased subjects. It can be elucidated that cervical cancer induces oxidative stress in erythrocytes which finally results in increased erythrocyte membrane fluidity, altered phase transition temperature and modified protein profile. This is an original work reporting for the first time, the importance of the protein profile of RBC membrane which can be used as a characteristic signature of the red blood cell membranes and may be used for the diagnosis of cervical cancer.
Koduvayur Habeebullah Sabeena Farvin (Denmark/India), Alagarsamy Surendraraj, Rangasamy Anandan (India) Protective Effect of Squalene on Mitochondrial Alterations in Isoprenaline-Induced Myocardial Injury (pp 32-37)
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Original Research Paper: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are reported to play an important role in producing lethal cell injury associated with cardiac ischemia during myocardial infarction. The effects of ROS should be greatest at the level of mitochondrial membrane constituents, including the complexes of the respiratory chain and phospholipids constituents particularly rich in unsaturated fatty acids, such as cardiolipin. In the present study we have investigated the protective effect of squalene supplementation on mitochondrial function in isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in rats. A dietary supplementation of 2% (w/w) squalene significantly minimized isoprenaline-induced alterations in mitochondrial energy status by maintaining the activities of TCA cycle enzymes (isocitrate dehydrogenase, α-ketoglutarate, succinate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase) and respiratory marker enzymes (NADH dehydrognase and cytochrome-c-oxydase) at a higher level when compared to control rats that received isoprenaline. Squalene exerted an antioxidant effect by inhibiting mitochondrial lipid peroxidation. Supplementation with squalene also maintained the mitochondrial antioxidant defense system at a higher rate by increasing the level of reduced glutathione and the activities of glutathione-dependent antioxidant enzymes and antiperoxidative enzymes in the heart mitochondria. The results of this study provide evidence that dietary supplementation with squalene can improve heart mitochondrial function and prevent subsequent damage to the myocardium. The cardioprotective effect of squalene might be ascribable to its antioxidant property and membrane-stabilizing action.
Nyemb Nyunaï, Adèle Manguelle-Dicoum, Njikam Njifutié (Cameroon), El Hassane Abdennebi (Morocco), Cros Gérard (France) Antihyperglycaemic Effect of Ageratum conyzoides L. Fractions in Normoglycemic and Diabetic Male Wistar Rats (pp 38-42)
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Original Research Paper: Ageratum conyzoides L. is a plant used in traditional medicine against many human infections diseases, also in case of diabetes. In order to locate the actives fractions of this plant, which allows in the future to purifying and identifying its active ingredients, bioassay tests were performed in rats treated with glucose and in those with diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ). First, aqueous crude extract of the plant was fractionated by column chromatography into two fractions F1 and F2. Then, fraction F1 was subjected to another fractioning into three subfractions F1a, F1b and F1c. Results of this study revealed that, in both tests, the aqueous crude extract of A. conyzoides had an important antihyperglycaemic potential. However, in rats given glucose, the subfraction F1c was the more potent, while in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, the most active subfractions were F1a and F1b. Consequently, it is suggested that A. conyzoides contains more than one antihyperglycaemic compound with different chemical characteristics and mechanisms of action.
Kousik Santra, Anandamoy Rudra, Biswajit Mukherjee (India) Development, Physicochemical and In-Vitro Evaluation of Dexamethasone-Containing Liposomes (pp 43-47)
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Original Research Paper: The purpose of this research was to develop dexamethasone-containing liposomes (DCL) based on different combination of cholesterol and soy L-α-lecithin by lipid film hydration method. Although many studies are available on DCL, none of them provides sufficiently convincing technologies for manufacturing DCL with all the standardized process parameters such as amount of drug loading, drug-release, liposome size, etc. Therefore, more research is required in the field. Different process parameters such as drug-excipient interaction (by FTIR study), surface morphology by scanning electron microscope (SEM), particle size analysis and in-vitro drug release study were done. The average particle size of the liposomes was 1 µm. It was found that drug loading of the formulations were between 1.39% w/w and 1.49% w/w. In vitro drug release study shows that between 87% and 96% release of drug obtained from the different experimental liposomes in 500 min. Drug release was found to follow Korsmeyer kinetics.
Biswajit Ruhidas, Kartick Chandra Pramanik, Rajat Ray, Tapas Pal, Biswanath Sa, Tapan Kumar Chatterjee (India) Pharmacological Activities of Diclofenac Sodium-Loaded Microspheres (DSMSs) in Rats (pp 48-53)
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Original Research Paper: Diclofenac sodium (DS), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) has been used as a novel anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic agent for many years both in human and animal pharmacotherapy. It is however, commonly associated with side effects including a high incidence of gastric and duodenal ulceration. Peptic ulceration, perforation, and gastrointestinal bleeding, sometimes severe and occasionally fatal, have been reported during the drug therapy. The present study has been designed to evaluate and compare the ulcerogenic effect of various doses of DS-loaded microspheres of polymethylmethacrylate (DSMSs), a sustained release dosage form, with DS in 150-200 g adult male albino Wistar rats and to make a comparative study of anti-inflammatory activities of DSMS with DS. Results indicate that ulcerogenicity decreases significantly with DSMS in comparison to the DS, while retaining the anti-inflammatory property intact.
Kartick Chandra Pramanik, Shayanki Lahiri, Debanjan Sen, Sumana Mallick, Joseph R. Vedasiromoni, Tapan Kumar Chatterjee (India) Antiproliferative Effect of Liposome Encapsulated PITC-2 on Cancer Cell Line (U937, K562 and HL60) in Vitro (pp 54-60)
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Original Research Paper: PITC-2, a new thiophene derivative was encapsulated in vitro in liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and PITC-2 at a molecular ratio of 9: 1: 1. Permeation studies were carried out with a Keshary-chien diffusion cell apparatus (with a capacity of 100 ml), using rat skin membrane as the diffusion barrier. In vitro studies showed that the liposome formulations provided an increasing drug release profile, up to 24 hrs. After 24 hrs it gradually decreased and followed a steady-state pattern up to 48 hrs. Ex vivo studies with excised rat skin revealed that liposome formulation was released and penetrated slowly into rat skin. This result is consistent with the fact that hydrophobic thiophene derivative is effective on the percutaneous absorption for sustained release dosage form. The anticancer property and cytotoxic effect of PITC-2, liposome-encapsulated PITC-2 and tissue cultured Pluchea indica root extract (TCPIRE) was compared against human leukemic cell lines U937, K562 and HL60. Liposome-encapsulated PITC-2 significantly inhibited the cell proliferation (in the case of U937 - 93.01%, K562 - 78% and HL60 - 89.525%) and showed a higher cytotoxic effect than free PITC-2 and tissue-cultured P. indica root extract (TCPIRE) in vitro. An MTT assay showed that the growth of metabolically active cells was inhibited by treatment with the drugs. Result revealed that liposome formulation of PITC-2 possesses potent antiproliferative activity in vitro. The PITC-2 liposome formulation can show great promise against leukemia in the future.
Muthuswamy Umamaheswari, Kuppuswamy Asokkumar, Ramajayam Chandra, Andichettiyar Thirumalaiswamy Sivashanmugam, Varadharajan Subhadradevi (India) Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Activity of Sphaeranthus indicus L. against Paracetamol-induced Hepatic Damage in Mice (pp 61-65)
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Original Research Paper: Sphaeranthus indicus L., belonging to the family Asteraceae, is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of hepatopathy, indigestion, bronchitis, anaemia, epileptic convulsions, asthma, etc. The petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and residual fractions of hydromethanol extract of the whole plant of S. indicus at a dose of 200 mg/kg bw was administered orally for 7 days. Silymarin (25 mg/kg, orally) was used as the standard. On 7th day, paracetamol (2 g/kg) was administered orally, 1 h before drug administration to induce hepatotoxicity. After 24 h of final drug administration, blood samples were collected and activities of serum marker enzymes (aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, alkaline and acid phosphatase) uric acid and biluribin levels were determined. The levels of tissue protein, enzymatic antioxidants like superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and non-enzymatic antioxidant reduced glutathione and end products of lipid peroxidation namely, lipid hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in the liver homogenate. Oral administration of the fractions resulted in a significant reduction in serum marker enzymes, uric acid and bilirubin levels and liver MDA level and a significant improvement in antioxidant enzymes when compared with paracetamol damaged mice. Profound fatty degeneration, fibrosis and necrosis observed in the hepatic architecture of paracetamol-treated mice were found to acquire near-normalcy in drug co-administered mice. The hepatoprotective activity of the chloroform fraction was found to be comparable with silymarin. The aerial parts of S. indicus protected the liver against paracetamol damage. The probable mechanism of action may be due to the protection against oxidative damage produced by paracetamol.
Shaswati Chaki, Sayanti Mukherjee, Sukhen Das, Musfiqua Mookerjee, Sujata G. Dastidar (India) Evaluation of Bactericidal Action of Methylglyoxal and its Further Potentiation in the Presence of Honey (pp 66-69)
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Research Note: Despite widespread availability of antibiotics, it is currently advised that clinical administration of antibiotics against pathogenic bacteria should be prohibited due to the emergence of multi-drug resistant bacterial strains. Therefore newer and more effective antimicrobials are in demand to treat such cases. The aldehyde form of pyruvic acid called methylglyoxal has been reported to induce lanthanum-sensitive Ca2+ transients for growth inhibition in Escheriachia coli. Based on this observation several Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria were tested to determine antibacterial potentiality of methylglyoxal alone and in combination with honey, since methylglyoxal is known to be present in the honey of manuka flowers. Methylglyoxal alone was found to be distinctly active against Staphylococcus aureus and also against E. coli, salmonellae and vibrios, while Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter boumanii were less sensitive to this agent. Supplementation of honey augmented antimicrobial property of methylglyoxal to a great extent. Methylglyoxal was found to be highly bactericidal in nature since there was a sharp fall in the number of viable bacteria after addition of methylglyoxal at the logarithmic growth phase and all the cells were killed within one hour. Rod-shaped cells of E.coli became round and adhered to each other after treatment with methylglyoxal in one hour.
Number 2
Maji Sushomasri, Maji Himangshu S., Chakraborty Pranabesh, G. Dastidar Sujata (India) Potential of Dopamine Hydrochloride as a Novel Antimicrobial Agent (pp 70-75)
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Original Research Paper: The sympathomimetic drug dopamine HCl (HCl) showed significant in vitro antibacterial activity against 389 strains of bacteria belonging to 3 Gram-positive and 11 Gram-negative genera. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the drug, as determined both by agar dilution and broth dilution methods ranged from 25-400 µg/ml against most bacteria tested, including several pathogenic ones, in the in vitro studies. Dopamine HCl was bacteriostatic in action. In an in vitro study for combination effect of dopamine HCl with other antimicrobial drugs, this agent showed significant synergistic activity against five different Gram-positive and -negative bacterial strains. Dopamine HCl acts synergistically with antibiotics like penicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, triflupromazine and methdilazine when tested in vitro against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholera, Salmonella typhimurium and Shigella boydii. In vivo studies with this drug showed that it could offer statistically significant protection (P < 0.001) to mice challenged with a virulent bacterium. Thus dopamine HCl has immense potential to be developed as an antibacterial agent.
Olufunsho Awodele, Vincent O. Osunkalu, Olakanmi R. Akinde (Nigeria), Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva (Japan), Wahab O. Okunowo, Evelyn C. Odogwu, Alade Akintonwa (Nigeria) Modulatory Roles of Antioxidants against the Aqueous Stem Bark Extract of Alstonia boonei (Apocynaceae)-induced Nephrotoxicity and Testicular Damage (pp 76-80)
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Original Research Paper: Alstonia boonei is a commonly used medicinal plant that has been documented to be nephrotoxic and capable of inducing testicular damage. The protective effect of vitamins E and C against A. boonei-induced toxicity was examined using albino rats. Oral administration of 1000 mg/kg of aqueous A. boonei stem bark extract (AABSBE)alone, AABSBE+ a therapeutic dose of vitamin E, AABSBE+ a therapeutic dose of vitamin C and AABSBE+ a therapeutic dose of vitamins E + C were carried out for 8 weeks using 5 rats per group. The AABSBE-treated group showed a significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase in the levels of urea and creatinine compared to the control group. Oxidative stress tests of both the kidneys and testes showed a significant increase in the level of malondialdehyde in the AABSBE-treated group while a significant decrease was observed in the levels of Catalase (CAT), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Reduced glutathione (GSH) and Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities of the AABSBE- treated group compared with the control. The results further showed the AABSBE + vitamins E and C-treated group demonstrated a significant (P ≤ 0.05) decrease in the levels of urea, creatinine and MDA compared with the AABSBE-treated group. There was also a significant increase in the levels of CAT, SOD, GSH and GST activities of the AABSBE + vitamins E and C-treated group compared with the AABSBA-treated group. These findings indicate that antioxidants (vitamins E and C) have the potential to protect against A. boonei-induced renal and testicular damage. Thus, traditional practitioners should be encouraged to always include either synthetic or natural antioxidants in the AABSBE-containing remedy.
Vellingiri Maheshu, Jagathala Mahalingam Sasikumar, Deivamarudhachalam Teepica Priya Darsini, G. Smilin Bell Aseervatham (India) In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Polyphenolic Contents of Rauvolfia tetraphylla L., Rhinacanthus nasutus Kurz. and Solena amplexicaulis (Lam.) (pp 81-86)
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Original Research Paper: Methanol extracts of the leaves of Rauvolfia tetraphylla L., Rhinacanthus nasutus Kurz. and Solena amplexicaulis (Lam.) were evaluated for their antioxidant activity. The extracts were investigated for total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antihemolytic activity, reducing power capacity and radical scavenging activity towards DPPH and ABTS radicals. The total phenol content was in the range of 25-41.7 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight (DW) of sample and the total flavonoid content varied from 10.2-25.8 mg quercetin equivalent/g of DW sample. The antioxidant activity was expressed as IC50 values. The IC50 values of DPPH activity for R. tetraphylla, R. nasutus and S. amplexicaulis extracts were 170, 230 and 190 µg extract/ml, respectively. The IC50 values of ABTS scavenging (80-120 µg extract/ml) and antihemolytic activity (135-157 µg extract/ml) were calculated. The IC50 value of reducing power activity for R. tetraphylla extract was 200 µg extract/ml while R. nasutus and S. amplexicaulis extracts at a concentration of 250 µg/ml did not reach 50% of reducing capacity. In the present study, linear regression analysis of antihemolytic, DPPH and reducing power activities with total phenol and flavonoid contents were evaluated and showed a positive correlation (R2 > 0.735). However, no correlation was found between ABTS activity and polyphenol content. The results confirm that polyphenols in methanol extracts of plants are largely responsible for their antioxidant activities.
Ranga Rao Ambati, Sarada Ravi, Ravishankar Gokare Aswathanarayana (India) Enhancement of Carotenoids in Green Alga-Botryococcus braunii in Various Autotrophic Media under Stress Conditions (pp 87-92)
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Original Research Paper: Botryococcus braunii is a green colonial micro alga that is used mainly for the production of hydrocarbons, exopolysaccharides, and carotenoids. Growth and carotenoid production of B. braunii culture were studied by using autotrophic media such as CHU13, Z8, BBM and BG11 under stress conditions at high light intensity (3.5 ± 0.2 klux). The cultures were grown under low light (1.5 ± 0.2 klux) intensity at 25 ± 1°C temperature for a period of 14 days followed by exposure to stress conditions (0.1% sodium chloride, 0.1% sodium chloride with 0.1% sodium bicarbonate and 0.1% sodium chloride with 4 mM sodium acetate) and incubated further for a period of 21 days under high light intensity (3.5 ± 0.2 klux). Among the different autotrophic media used, BG11 and Z8 media were found to be the best for biomass and carotenoid production. The data in the table shows 3.6 and 3.2 (g/L) biomass with a carotenoid content of 0.28 and 0.27% (w/w) in BG11 and Z8 media with 0.1% sodium chloride, respectively. Under these conditions, the carotenoid profile indicated violaxanthin (6-9%), lutein (79-84%), astaxanthin (3-8%), zeaxanthin (0.32-0.78%), and β-carotene (1.75-2.14%), which are identified by mass spectrum. These results indicate that B. braunii culture can grow in a wide range of media and produce lutein as major carotenoid which can be enhanced under stress conditions.
Dimal A. Shah, Kashyap K. Bhatt, Sunil L. Baldania (India) Stability-Indicating LC Method for Simultaneous Estimation of Rabeprazole Sodium Hydrochloride and Itopride Hydrochloride in Combined Dosage Form (pp 93-97)
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Techniques Paper: A simple, sensitive and precise stability indicating HPLC method has been developed for the estimation of rabeprazole and itopride in combined dosage form. A Phenomenex Gemini C-18, 5 µm column with a mobile phase containing 0.02 M ammonium acetate (pH 6): acetonitrile: methanol (45: 20: 35, v/v/v) was used. The flow rate was 1.0 mL min-1 and effluents were monitored at 284 nm. Rabeprazole and itopride stock solutions were subjected to acid and alkali hydrolysis, chemical oxidation and dry heat degradation. The proposed method was validated with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness. The retention times of rabeprazole and itopride were 8.8 and 3.8 min, respectively. The method was linear in the range of 0.4–20 µg mL-1 for rabeprazole and 0.8–150 µg mL-1 for itopride. The degraded product peaks were well resolved from the pure drug peak with significant differences in their retention time values. Stressed samples were assayed using the developed HPLC method. The method was successfully applied to the estimation of rabeprazole and itopride in combined capsule dosage forms.
Sankhadip Bose, Arti Bose, Sushomasri Maji, Pranabesh Chakraborty (India) Lipid Lowering Activity of Ixora coccinea leaves in Hyperlipidemic Rats (pp 98-100)
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Short Communication: Hyperlipidemia is defined as increase in the lipid content in blood. Abundant evidence exists to proof the link between hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. Ixora coccinea (Rubiaceae) is one member of this family which is traditionally used in dysentery, dysmenorrhoea and in urinary dysfunctions of females. In Indo-China, an infusion of leaves is given for fevers. Flowers and leaves of I. coccinea are reported to have antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, anticancer and anti-inflammatory property. The lipid lowering activity of I. coccinea leaf extracts has been studied in Triton-X-100 induced hyperlipidemia in rats. The results of our study demonstrated that I. coccinea extracts caused a decrease in the plasma lipid levels in Triton-induced hyperlipidemic rats. These results proved that both lipid lowering and antioxidant activities are present in leaf extraxts of I. coccinea, which could help prevention of hyperlipidemia and related diseases.
P. S. Sujan Ganapathy, Y. L. Ramachandra, S. Padmalatha Rai (India) Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Activities of Holarrhena antidysenterica Wall. Leaf Extract in Experimental Animal Models (pp 101-103)
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Short Communication: The methanolic extract of Holarrhena antidysenterica Wall. leaf was subjected to pharmacological screening using various animal models. The extract showed anti-inflammatory activity in the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model method and analgesic activity when tested in the acetic acid–induced writhing test in Swiss albino mice and tail-flick response tests in Swiss albino rats. The plant extract, at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight, showed significant inhibition of rat paw edema at the fourth hour after carrageenan injection and peripheral as well as central analgesic activity by oral route. Therefore, the current study indicates that the methanol extract of H. antidysenterica leaf has significant anti-inflammatory and peripheral and central analgesic activity.
Ibironke Adetolu Ajayi, Sarah O. Nwozo, Adewale Adewuyi (Nigeria) Antimicrobial Activity and Phytochemical Screening of Five Selected Seeds from Nigeria (pp 104-106)
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Short Communication: The phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of five selected seeds (Enterolobium cyclocarpum, Delonix regia, Mucuna flagellipes, Adenanthera pavonina and Pentaclethra macrophylla) from Nigeria was carried out. Some secondary metabolites such as alkaloid tannin, saponin, flavonins, anthraquinones, phenols, phlobatannins, chalcones, steroids, terpenes cardenolides and glycosides were detected in these seeds at different concentrations ranging from 0.229 to 3.524%. These seed extracts showed inhibitory activity against all tested microorganisms except for E. cyclocarpum andM. flagellipes. This study suggests that the aqueous extracts from these seeds could be explored as possible antimicrobial agents.
Nidhi Dubey, Nitin Dubey, Rajendra Mehta, Ajay Saluja (India) In-Vitro Antimicrobial Activity and Toxicological Aspects of a Polyherbal Oil Formulation: Tuvaraka taila (pp 107-110)
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Research Note: The objective of the study was to test the polyherbal oil Tuvaraka taila (TT) for in vitro antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and -positive bacteria, Candida species and dermatophytes and to evaluate its acute toxicological effects in vivo. The TT was found effective against all tested strains in agar well diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration of TT ranged from 156 to 2500 µg/ml, the minimum bactericidal concentration ranged from 312 to 5000 µg/ml while the minimum fungicidal concentration ranged from 325 to 5000 µg/ml. The acute administration and dermal application of TT was devoid of toxicity in rats. TT may be a promising source in the search for new antifungal drugs due to its efficacy and low toxicity.
Kambalagere Yogendra, Sharma Prabhakar Arpana, Eralagere Thimmanaik Puttaiah, Reddy Aall Hanumanthareddy Manjunatha (India) Occurrence of Allergenic Fungi in the Ambient Air of Bhadravathi Town, Shimoga District, Karnataka State, India (pp 111-113)
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Research Note: It has been established that about 80 genera of fungal species cause allergic disorders and these reactions are further aggravated by factors like environment, age and sex. The present study area is an industrial town having several major industries, which are responsible for many chemicals circulating in the air. The inhabitants of this industrial town are susceptible to a variety of health hazards usually associated with deteriorating air quality. The investigation revealed that various allergenic fungi like Nigrospora sphaerica, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, Fusarium solani, F. moniliforme, Candida albicans, Cladosporium herbarum, Penicillium digitatum, Trichophyton rubrum and Alternaria alternate were abundant in Bhadravathi town and their diversity fluctuated with seasonal variation. This paper deals with the preliminary information about the occurrence of the various allergenic fungi in the selected sites. |
