Posted by admin on Sep 1, 2013 in |
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of methanolic and pet-ether extract of leaves of Mesua ferrea. The antimicrobial activity was investigated against eight pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species at three concentrations (100, 300, 500 µg/disc) by using disc diffusion method. Both extracts showed moderate antibacterial activity against six bacterial species among eight and the activity was increased with increasing concentration of the sample. The maximum antimicrobial potential was obtained against Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium and Staphylococcus aureus in case of both extracts. The cytotoxic effect of the extracts was assayed on Artemica salina leaches. The LC50 values were found to be 7.94 μg/mL for methanolic extract and 3.98 μg/mL for pet-ether extract compared to 0.451 μg/mL for standard drug vincristine sulphate. The study confirms that the plant extracts have moderate antimicrobial activity and considerable amount of cytotoxic...
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Posted by admin on Sep 1, 2013 in |
The study was carried out to evaluate the immunomodulatory activity and the effect on the biochemical parameters of Averon®, an herbal formulation, on cyclophosphamide induced immunosuppression in rats. Haematological and biochemical parameters were evaluated after 21 days on blood samples collected by retro-orbital puncture at sacrifice. Results showed that death occurred in the immunosuppressed groups before collection of blood by retro-orbital puncture whereas in the immunoprophylactic groups, there was a minimal dose-boosting effect of the white blood cells that was statistically significant. There was no significant statistical difference in alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, cholesterol, high density lipoproteins, low density lipoproteins, triglycerides and total proteins (p≤0.05). However, a statistical significant difference was seen in the alanine aminotransferase and creatinine levels (p≤0.05) and aspartate aminotransferase (p≤0.001). Averon® is thus said to be better suited as an immunoprophylactic herbal formulation than immunostimulatory with better immunoboosting effects at higher doses (>400mg/kg) in the order of 800mg/kg and...
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Posted by admin on Sep 1, 2013 in |
Marine organisms possess an inexhaustible source of useful chemical substances for the development of new drugs. The present project focused to identify the bioactive compounds from the seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii. The experimental samples were collected from the sea coast of Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, in the form of fresh living sample. The fresh solvent extracts of K. alvarezii were found to be rich in total carotenoid content and vitamin C. The concentration of vitamin C was found to be 9.2 mg/g.f.wt, Polyphenol 27.2mg GAE standard, gallic acid equivalent/100 g.dry.wt, β-carotene 6.52 mg/g dry.wt and total carotenoid 0.769 mg/g.f.wt. The phytochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of high carbohydrate, protein, alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, steroid, and phenolic compound and absence of tannin in the extracts also k. alvarezii extracts revealed macromolecules contents such as carbohydrate contents of 53 g, Protein 16.2g and fat content 1.01 g /100 g of dry wt. Micronutrients were estimated that calcium content was 5.3g/100g and iron content was found to be more in 1.14 mg, phosphorus content of...
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Posted by admin on Sep 1, 2013 in |
Ancient DNA help in better understanding the evolution and migration pattern of humans throughout the world. The present work is a preliminary effort, to extract and amplify the ancient DNA from human bone samples provided by the Anthropological survey of India collected from the Himalayan region in 1952. Many technical difficulties arise during DNA extraction, PCR amplification and sequencing which make it difficult to work and interpret the analyses.Our preliminary result is encouraging, as we have successfully amplified 456 base pair PCR product of mitochondrial DNA hypervariable region I (HVR1) starting from position 15976 to 16431. Our results confirm that the ancient bone specimens harbours M haplogroup signature with considerable similarities to M21ab sub-group specific to East and Southeast Asia. Absence ofnegative amplification confirms that our ancient mitochondrial DNA is contamination...
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Posted by admin on Sep 1, 2013 in |
Sodium alginate and combinations of sodium alginate-pectin were used to study the effect on the loading efficiency and the radical scavenging activity of the polyphenols extracted from pomegranate peels (Punica granatum). The results indicate that the polyphenol content was less when the microbeads were prepared with a single type of polymer in comparison of the microbeads prepared with two types of polymers. Also there was an optimum ratio of these two polymers (2:1), which was responsible for the maximum polyphenol content. The microencapsulated particles provided to polyphenols an effective protection against the degradation phenomenon, whereas antioxidant activity remained identical. In-vitro release studies indicated that 64.87% and 48.81% of polyphenols was released in simulated gastric fluid from sodium alginate and sodium alginate-pectin microbeads respectively. 88.37% and 70.48% of polyphenols was released in simulated intestinal fluid from sodium alginate and sodium alginate-pectin microbeads respectively. The microcapsules described in this study represent an interesting food additive for incorporation into functional...
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