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This study determined the anti-listerial activity of indigenous probiotics from traditional fermented foods of Western Himalaya against meat borne Listera monocytogens isolates from Himachal Pradesh. One hundred samples of meat and meat products like chicken (n = 25), chevon (goat meat, n = 20), fish (n = 20) and pork (n = 30) were collected and were analyzed for the presence of Listeria spp. by recommended culture and biochemical methods. L. monocytogens isolates were confirmed by PCR targeting the virulence gene hlyA (haemolysin A) and by16S rRNA sequencing. Anti-listerial activity of probiotic bacteria isolated from indigenous fermented foods of Himachal Pradesh was determined by well diffusion method using Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103) as the reference strain. Five percent of tested samples were found positive for L. monocytogens with incidence of 8.0% in chicken (2/25), 10.0% in fish (2/20) and 4.0% in chevon meat (1/25). None of the tested pork samples were found contaminated with L. monocytogenes. Among 11 indigenous probiotics used in this study, highest antagonistic activity was exhibited by Lactobacillus plantarum (ADF 10) and Enterococcus faecium (ADF1) which was equivalent to the reference strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nhaA gene conferring Na+/H+ antiporter activity was used to discriminate salt tolerant plant growth promoting bacteria isolated from Western Himalayas. Fifty two isolates were obtained from rhizospheric soil of four different plants growing around the salt mines of Himachal Pradesh (India). Only six isolates were found to tolerate salt up to 1.7 M NaCl and identified by 16S rRNA typing techniques. A phylogenetic tree grouped these native strains into two clusters, first comprising Bacillus and second Enterobacter strains along with strains from different countries. The plant growth promoting traits of selected bacteria were studied under salt stress (0.86 M NaCl) to expose functional divergence. At genetic level, nhaA gene sequences of native strains were compared with other lineages available in literature. The phylogenetic tree obtained from mining of nhaA gene and distance matrix index values showed significant variations in gene sequences of salt tolerant native strains in comparison to exotic non salt tolerant strains. The deduced NhaA protein of these strains showed variations in their putative secondary structure. The sequence variation of nhaA gene revealed it to be an appropriate marker to differentiate among native salt tolerant and non salt tolerant strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Probiotics are believed to have properties that lower the risk of colon cancer. However, the mechanisms by which they exert their beneficial effects are relatively unknown.Aim: To assess the impact of probiotics in preventing induction of colon carcinogenesis in rats.Methods: The rats were divided into six groups viz., normal control, Lactobacillus plantarum (AdF10)-treated, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG)-treated, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-treated, L. plantarum (AdF10) + DMH-treated and L. rhamnosus GG (LGG) + DMH-treated. Both the probiotics were supplemented daily at a dose of 2 × 1010 cells per day. DMH at a dose of 30 mg/kg body weight was administered subcutaneously twice a week for the first 4 weeks and then once every week for a duration of 16 weeks. Glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase as protein expression of genes involved in apoptosis were assessed during DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats.Results: DMH treatment decreased the activity of GSH, GPx, GST, SOD and catalase. However, AdF10 and LGG supplementation to DMH-treated rats significantly increased the activity of these enzymes. Further, DMH treatment revealed alterations in the protein expressions of various genes involved in the p53-mediated apoptotic pathway such as p53, p21, Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-9 and caspase-3, which, however, were shifted towards normal control levels upon simultaneous supplementation with probiotics.Conclusion: The present study suggests that probiotics can provide protection against oxidative stress and apoptotic-related protein disregulation during experimentally induced colon carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An isonicotinoyldithiocarbazic acid (IN-DtczH) ligand, synthesized from isoniazid, was complexed with transition metals and evaluated for anti-mycobacterial activity as well as toxicity towards human-transformed rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells in vitro. Complexes with Ni, Co and Zn showed MIC of 2, 2 and 50 μg/ml against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, and 10, 100 and 50 μg/ml against a multidrug-resistant strain of M. tuberculosis. They had little cytotoxic effect on the RD cells. In contrast, the Cu complex was highly cytotoxic with a low anti-mycobacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bacterial strain capable of biotransformation of lantadene A (22beta -angeloyloxy-3-oxo-olean-12-en-28-oic acid), the pentacyclic hepatotoxin of lantana ( Lantana camara var. aculeata) has been isolated from soil using lantadene A as the sole carbon source. The organism isGram negative, rod shaped, motile, catalase positive and has been identified as Alcaligenes faecalis. The isolate has been found to be specific for lantadene A and did not utilize lantadene B. In studies using sucrose as an additional carbon source, A. faecalis elicited biotransformation of lantadene A to its trans isomer 22 beta -tigloyloxy-3-oxoolean-12-en-28-oic acid, designated as lantadene X and two otherminor metabolites which could not be isolated in pure state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]