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Objective: The inhibitory properties of successive extracts from Dioscorea bulbifera (Dioscoreaceae) tubers have been evaluated for the presence of phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial efficacy against multidrug-resistant (MDR) clinical isolates was evaluated. Methods: The tuber of D. bulbifera was oven dried and extracted successively with n-hexane, chloroform, methanol, ethanol, and water. The antimicrobial potential of successive extracts against MDR isolates was studied by agar well-diffusion method. Qualitative phytochemical analysis was performed. Results: Qualitative phytochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of steroids, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, saponins, and reducing sugars in almost all the extracts tested. Anthraquinones, phlobatanins, and tannins were not reported in any extracts tested. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of various solvents and water extracts of D. bulbifera was further investigated against ten MDR bacteria and three fungi, respectively. Aqueous and chloroform extracts were found to be more potent being capable of exerting significant inhibitory activities against the majority of the isolates such as Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter sp., Salmonella paratyphi, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Candida albicans. The highest inhibitory activity was observed for K. pneumoniae with wide inhibition zone diameters (17 ± 0.15 mm), followed by E. coli 1(13 ± 0.11) mm, and Acinetobacter sp. (11 ± 0.12). Conclusion: Based on the present study, the extracts of D. bulbifera tubers have shown excellent activity against MDR microbial cultures tested. Further study is recommended for clinical evaluation, of the efficacy of crude extract in herbal medicine that can serve as a base for the development of novel potent drugs and phytomedicines.

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of tobacco use and knowledge of and attitude towards cessation counselling among dental students in Himachal Pradesh State, India.The present study was conducted with the 219 third-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students in the five dental colleges of Himachal Pradesh during the month of March 2012. The Global Health Professional Students Survey (GHPSS) questionnaire, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Canadian Public Health Association, was used in this study. The data were evaluated using statistical software and statistically tested with the chi-square test.The response was 210 (96%). Lifetime prevalence was 15% for smoking and 2% for tobacco use other than for smoking. Eighteen (9%) students were current smokers and four (2%) were tobacco users other than for smoking. Male students were significantly (P0.001) more likely than female students to be current cigarette smokers. Approximately 14 (47%) of sometime smokers had smoked on school property and two (50%) of the sometime users of other tobacco products had used those products on school property. As for attitudes, 169 (85%) felt that health professionals serve as role models for their patients and the public. Only 17 (8.5%) of surveyed students had received formal instruction in smoking-cessation approaches during their training and 167 (84.3%) thought that health professionals should receive specific training on cessation techniques.Although the current prevalence of tobacco use among third-year dental students in Himachal Pradesh is low, it still needs to be addressed by providing them with the necessary skills and support to quit smoking successfully and to provide counselling.

An investigation of an alkaline thermostable amylase secreted by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MTCC-610 strain was carried out in order to test its compatibility and wash performance as a detergent additive. The optimum pH and temperature for amylase activity was found to be 8.0 and 50°C. The enzyme was quite stable for 1 h at 400C while at 500C, 50% of the original activity was lost, respectively. The compatibility of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens amylase with certain commercial detergents was shown to be good as the enzyme retained 96.4%, 94% and 86% of its activity after 1hr of incubation at 40°C in the presence of the detergent brands Surf Excel Blue, Surf Excel and Fena Bar respectively. The wash performance of detergents (7 mg/ml) prepared with enzyme amylase was studied on cotton, terrycloth and chiffon fabric samples stained with potato curry sample. Maximum stain removal was observed for chiffon samples where supplementation of the enzyme to the detergent Surf excel blue enhanced the cleansing ability of the detergent followed by cotton and terrycloth. We report here the compatibility and wash performance of alkaline amylase from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MTCC-610.

The in vitro antibacterial activity of various solvents and water extracts of aloe vera, neem, bryophyllum, lemongrass, tulsi, oregano, rosemary and thyme was assessed on 10 multi-drug resistant clinical isolates from both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and two standard strains including Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. The zone of inhibition as determined by agar well diffusion method varied with the plant extract, the solvent used for extraction, and the organism tested. Klebsiella pneumoniae 2, Escherichia coli 3 and Staphylococcus aureus 3 were resistant to the plant extracts tested. Moreover, water extracts did not restrain the growth of any tested bacteria. Ethanol and methanol extracts were found to be more potent being capable of exerting significant inhibitory activities against majority of the bacteria investigated. Staphylococcus aureus 1 was the most inhibited bacterial isolate with 24 extracts (60%) inhibiting its growth whereas Escherichia coli 2 exhibited strong resistance being inhibited by only 11 extracts (28%). The results obtained in the agar diffusion plates were in fair correlation with that obtained in the minimum inhibitory concentration tests. The minimum inhibitory concentration of tulsi, oregano, rosemary and aloe vera extracts was found in the range of 1.56-6.25 mg/ml for the multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates tested whereas higher values (6.25-25 mg/ml) were obtained against the multi-drug resistant isolates Klebsiella pneumoniae 1 and Escherichia coli 1 and 2. Qualitative phytochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of tannins and saponins in all plants tested. Thin layer chromatography and bioautography agar overlay assay of ethanol extracts of neem, tulsi and aloe vera indicated flavonoids and tannins as major active compounds against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.