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Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate in-vitro efficacy of antibacterial, and antifungal activities of chloroform extract of leaf of Sida cordifolia L. against some human pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains. S. cordifolia (Malvaceae) is used as anti-rheumatic, analgesic, antipyretic, anti-asthmatic, nasal decongestant, antiviral, laxative, diuretic, aphrodisiac, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective and in the treatment of Parkinson disease. Methodology: Chloroform extract of S.cordifolia was used for antimicrobial screening. Antibacterial activity was tested against pathogenic bacterial strains Eschericha coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Also antifungal activity was tested against one human pathogenic fungal strain i.e. Candida albicans. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of S. cordifolia extract was carried out by using disc diffusion method. Results: Chloroform extract of S. cordifolia showed the largest zone of inhibition (10mm) against S. aureus at 50µgm/mL and no zone of inhibition against E.coli at 50µgm/ml. Chloroform extract has shown more potent antibacterial activity against S.aureus. Chloroform extract was found to be more effective against human pathogenic fungus C. albicuns. The zone of inhibition of chloroform extract was 10mm.The phytochemical screening demonstrated the presence of different types of compounds like alkaloids, tannins and phenolic compounds which may contribute for the anti-microbial action of this plant. Conclusions: The results concludes that chloroform extract of S. cordifolia leaf possess antimicrobial activity.

Hydrodynamic modelling is a powerful tool to understand and analyse a river flow and its conditions. The identification of flood vulnerability areas of Pamba river helps to minimize the damages associated with the flood. A hydrodynamic river model was customised and calibrated for the river Pamba in Kerala using MIKE HYDRO River model. The model was calibrated using Manning’s roughness coefficient. In this study, we utilize the time series of daily discharge and water level of different gauging station of Centre Water Commission at Kallooppara, Malakkara, Thumpamon and water level data of Thottappalli spillway. The SRTM DEM was used to generate the flood model for the period June to August 2010. The model performance was assessed by comparing observed and stimulated water level at the upstream and downstream of the river. The correlation coefficient value obtained in the range of 0.53 to 0.94. The outcomes of the study can benefit future modelling effort through the provision of robust tool to predict water levels at various points of the river. This study can help the water resources policy makers for arriving at suitable mitigation measures.

The peach-soy leather was prepared from different blends of peach pulp and soy-slurry. The peach pulp and soybean slurry were blended in the ratios of 100:0, 95:5, 90:10, 85:15, 80:20, 75:25 and 70:30. The prepared leather was stored for a period of four months to ascertain changes in physico-chemical and sensory characteristics. The analysis of leather revealed significant differences among different blends. Highest moisture content i.e. 21.99 percent was recorded in B1 (100:0:: P:S). The highest TSS and acidity of 12.05 degree Brix and 2.77 percent were recorded in B1 (100:0:: P:S), respectively, whereas the highest reducing sugar and total sugar contents of 30.16 and 60.41 percent were found in B1 (100:0:: P:S), respectively. The highest protein and fat contents were recorded in B7 (70:30:: P:S), whereas ascorbic acid content was the highest (23.54 mg 100g-1) in B7 (70:30:: P:S). Sensory evaluation of leather revealed that the highest score of 8.14 was recorded in B4 (85:15:: P:S) and lowest score of 5.63 was recorded in B7 (70:30::P:S). In general there was an increase in TSS, acidity and sugars and decrease in protein, fat and ascorbic acid contents and all sensory attributes during four months storage in different blends of leather. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sja.v12i1.21114 SAARC J. Agri., 12(1): 73-88 (2014)

To evaluate the effect of oral administration of Kombucha tea (K-tea) on lead induced oxidative stress.Sprague Dawley rats were administered 1 mL of 3.8% lead acetate solution daily alone or in combination with K-tea orally for 45 d, and the antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation were evaluated.Oral administration of lead acetate to rats enhanced lipid peroxidation and release of creatine phosphokinase and decreased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD and glutathione peroxidase, GPx). Lead treatment did not alter humoral immunity, but inhibited DTH response when compared to the control. Lead administration also increased DNA fragmentation in liver. Oral administration of Kombucha tea to rats exposed to lead decreased lipid peroxidation and DNA damage with a concomitant increase in the reduced glutathione level and GPx activity. Kombucha tea supplementation relieved the lead induced immunosuppression to appreciable levels.The results suggest that K-tea has potent antioxidant and immunomodulating properties.

At high altitudes, the reactive oxygen species are continuously generated as a consequence of low oxygen partial pressure (hypoxia), which causes tissue damage. The body's defence system to combat the oxidative stress (e.g., anti-oxidant enzymes, free radical scavengers such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, reduced glutathione and minerals such as selenium, etc.) may diminish. In the present study, the antioxidant effect of selenium (Se) in reducing the hypoxia-induced oxidative stress was evaluated by exposing male albino rats to hypoxic stress in a decompression chamber. Exposure to hypoxia resulted in an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in plasma and tissues and a concurrent decrease in blood glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), plasma protein and plasma selenium content when compared with controls. Haemoglobin concentration (Hb%), red blood corpuscles (RBC) and white blood corpuscles (WBC) count were also increased in the hypoxia-exposed group. Selenium supplementation to animals reversed the trend. There was a significant decrease (P0.001) in MDA and subsequent increase in plasma and tissue GSH levels. Similarly the blood and tissue GPx and plasma protein also increased significantly in the Se supplemented animals compared with control animals. The Hb%, RBC and WBC counts showed no significant difference between Se-fed and control rats. These results suggest that selenium may help in reducing the lipid peroxidation during hypoxia.

The objective of the study was to evaluate toxicity, anti-stress activity and hepato-protective properties of Kombucha tea.Kombucha tea was fed orally for 15 days using three different doses i.e. normal dose, five and ten times the dose. Rats were then sacrificed and various biochemical, and histological parameters were estimated. Anti-stress activity was evaluated either by 1) by exposing animals to cold and hypoxia and estimating the levels of malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione in plasma/blood or 2) by subjecting the animals to restraint stress and recording faecal output. Hepato-toxicity was induced by challenging the animals to an acute dose of paracetamol (1 gm/kg) orally and determining the plasma levels of SGPT, SGOT and MDA.The effect of oral administration of different doses of K-tea to albino rats was examined and the results indicate that K-tea has no significant toxicity as revealed by various biochemical and histopathological parameters. K-tea has been found to prevent lipid peroxidation and fall in reduced glutathione level when rats were exposed to cold and hypoxia in simulated chamber. Further, K-tea has also been found to decrease the Wrap-restraint faecal pellet output in rats. K-tea has also been found to decrease paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity significantly.The study shows that K-tea has anti-stress and hepato-protective activities.