Search

Capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-trans-6-nonenamide) is the active ingredient of chilli peppers and is responsible for the characteristic pungency. The ubiquitous human consumption of chilli peppers indicates their influence on human health. The effect of capsaicin through sensory neurons via TRPV1 activation has been well studied, but its non-neuronal effects are still not extensively explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vivo antioxidant effect of capsaicin on erythrocytes of male Wistar rats. Markers of oxidative stress in blood were determined by assessing the plasma total antioxidant potential, activity of plasma membrane redox system, intracellular glutathione (GSH) level, ROS level, protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation. Results of this study suggest a significant protective effect of capsaicin against oxidative stress by enhancing FRAP, GSH level, PMRS activity and ameliorating ROS, MDA, PCO and AOPP.

Downstream is a very affluent process for fermentation. It usually involves complicated equipment and processes to obtain desired chemicals or materials from intra- and/or extracellular spaces of microorganisms. Recently, it becomes possible to simplify the microbial cell separation processes by morphologically engineering the shapes of small microorganisms. Biologically engineered entities have enabled discoveries in the past decade and a half, spanning from novel routes for the syntheses of drugs and value-added products to carbon capture. The precise cellular reprogramming has extended to the production of nanomaterials owing to their ever-growing demand. Additionally, nutraceuticals are important natural bioactive compounds that confer health-promoting and medical benefits to humans. Globally, growing demands for value-added nutraceuticals for prevention and treatment of human diseases have rendered nutraceuticals a multi-billion dollar market. However, supply limitations and extraction difficulties from natural sources such as plants, animals, or fungi restrict the large-scale use of nutraceuticals. Metabolic engineering via microbial production platforms has been advanced as an eco-friendly alternative approach for production of value-added nutraceuticals from simple carbon sources. Microbial platforms like the most widely used Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been engineered as versatile cell factories for production of diverse and complex value-added chemicals such as phytochemicals, prebiotics, polysaccharides, and poly amino acids. This chapter highlights the recent progresses in biological production of value-added nutraceuticals via metabolic engineering approaches.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the primary causes of dementia; it causes an age-related cognitive decline and is the most common progressive neurodegenerative disease in adults. AD is mainly the consequence of a cumulative effect of inflammation, environmental exposures, genetic, psychosocial, and biological factors, and the presence of chronic diseases including diabetes, cerebral, and cardiovascular diseases. Normal aging of the brain leads to depletion of fatty acids, which need to be regained or supplemented with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), reducing the risk factors for AD. DHA is broadly neuroprotective, contributing to the maintenance of brain lipid metabolism, signal transduction, and neurotransmission mechanism, while reducing arachidonic acid metabolites and oxidative stress. Several studies have demonstrated the decline of dementia or AD incidence with increased consumption of foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids.

A plant requires favorable conditions for their growth. When minerals, temperature, light, pH, and water are present in their optimum concentration, plant grows well, but any change in their level affects the growth of the plant. A situation that does not promote plant growth is called stress. For optimum growth of plants in stress conditions, the plant accumulates compatible solutes, an organic compound that is nontoxic and nonreactive and manages osmotic pressure in plants. Plants synthesize different types of compatible solutes in different kinds of biotic as well as abiotic stress. Compatible solutes also scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), and in this way, it could protect plants from oxidative stress. In this chapter, we review different types of compatible solutes and their impact on stress conditions. We also summarize the role of compatible solutes in plant growth promotion.

Agriculture is not only a livelihood source but also fulfils the nutritional requirement of humans. To feed the world population increasing at an alarming rate, crop production must be increased. However, crop production is adversely affected by various abiotic factors or changes in climatic conditions worldwide. Climate exhibits a direct impact on the yield of the crop. In stress condition, the physiological state of plants gets altered that ultimately affects the overall growth of plants. Plants exhibit different mechanisms to survive these stress conditions. Plants synthesize and accumulated non-toxic, non-reactive organic compounds to counter the unfavourable conditions, and these compounds are known as compatible solutes. Compatible solutes exhibit beneficial characteristics by which plants could survive in hostile environments. Hereby, we discussed the role of few important compatible compounds and their role in plant growth as well as in different stress conditions. We have also summarized the effect of inducible changes in the compatible solutes on plant growth under different climatic conditions.

Leishmaniasis is caused by the intracellular parasite of the genus Leishmania. It now becomes a major public health problem in many countries all over the world. It is always better to prevent the disease than to treat it. The vaccine prevents disease in the people who receive them and protect those who come into contact with an unvaccinated individual. Because of the large genome and complex biology, developing a vaccine for this pathogen has proved to be a challenging task. Leishmania promastigotes are successfully cultivated incompletely defined medium and their excretory-secretory proteins/factors which may act as antigens are easily purified form culture supernatant of cultured Leishmania species. These leishmanial excretory-secretory antigens serve as a candidate for vaccine development in formulation with muramyl dipeptide (MDP) as an adjuvant. However, currently, there is not a single vaccine is available against any form of leishmaniasis for general human use. According to the estimate of the World Health Organization (WHO), 90% of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) occurs in just five countries (Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Nepal, and Sudan). Those in need are amongst the poorest people in these countries to develop a vaccine. The main purpose of this review is to present only the use of Leishmania excretory-secretory antigens (LESAs) as a candidate for the formulation of a potent vaccine against the severe disease leishmaniasis

Capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl

Hypericum perforatum L. also known as St John’s wort (SJW) is an effective dietary supplement for treating various nervous system related disorders. It overcome anxiety, mild to moderate depression, mood disorders and stress due to the presence of vast number of bioactive compounds. As such, hypericin and hyperforin are the major compounds along with other less abundant compounds such as flavonoids, biflavonoids, phloroglucinols, napthodianthrones, xanthones, proanthocyanidins, phenolic acid, etc. Beside its effect over nervous system, SJW also effective against cancer, oxidative stress, inflammation and microbial infections. It is one of the high selling natural supplements in USA and other western countries. However, interaction of SJW with other medicines such as warfarin, phenoprocumon, cyclosporine, oral contraceptives, theophylline, digoxin, indinavir and lamivudine have been reported and thus cautions must be taken while using these medicines along with SJW. This book chapter highlighted the phyto-pharmacological activity of SJW along with its distribution, market value and interactive effect with other medicines for better understanding of its use as nonvitamin nonmineral nutritional supplement.

To investigate two cyanobacteria isolated from different origins i.e. Lyngbya aestuarii (L. aestuarii) from brackish water and Aphanothece bullosa (A. bullosa) from fresh water paddy fields for antifungal and antileishmanila activity taking Candida albicans and Leishmania donovain as targets.Biomass of L. aestuarii and A. bullosa were harvested after 40 and 60 d respectively and lyophilized twice in methanol (100%) and redissolved in methanol (5%) for bioassay. Antifungal bioassay was done by agar well diffusion method while antileishmanial, by counting cell numbers and flageller motility observation of promastigotes and amastigotes from L. donovani. Fluconazole and 5% methanol were used as control.Both the cyanobacteria were found to be potent source of antifungal activity keeping fluconazole as positive control, however, methanolic crude extract (15 mg/mL) of A. bullosa was found more potent (larger inhibition zone) over that of methanolic crude extract of L. aestuarii. Similarly antileishmanial activity of crude extract (24.0 mg/mL) of A. bullosa was superior over that of methanolic crude extract of L. aestuarii (25.6 mg/mL).Antifungal and antileishmanial drugs are still limited in the market. Screening of microbes possessing antifungal and antileishmanial activity drug is of prime importance. Cyanobacteria are little explored in this context because most of the drugs in human therapy are derived from microorganisms, mainly bacterial, fungal and actinomycetes. Thus in the present study two cyanobacterial strains from different origins showed potent source of antifungal and antileishmanial biomolecules.

Objective To detect leishmanial antigens in pre and post treated urine of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients. Methods Urine and serum sample from three VL patients were collected. Ammonium sulphate precipitation and purification of urine sample was done for proteins isolation. SDS PAGE of proteins was done followed by western blotting, with the patient's pre and post treatment serum. Results Eight proteins of molecular weights 17 kDa, 25 kDa, 28 kDa, 42 kDa, 47 kDa, 54 kDa, 60 kDa and 85 kDa were detected in the urine of VL patients before treatment. After treatment with miltefosine, none of the above proteins was detected in urine samples. The western blot analysis with pre treatment serum confirmed the antigenicity of four urinary proteins of molecular weights 25 kDa, 28 kDa, 54 kDa and 60 kDa. The seropositivity with 25 kDa and 28 kDa antigens was negative with serum obtained after the completion of treatment. Conclusions In the context to unavailability of a prognostic tool, urinary leishmanial antigens may offer a better choice and may also be useful as immunoprophylactic candidates.

Leishmania silently evades host immune system and establish in the hostile environment of host macrophage phagolysosomes. For differentiation, growth and division parasite acquires divalent cations especially iron from the host nutritive pool. Natural resistance associated with macrophage protein1 (NRAMP1), a cation transporter that effluxes out divalent cations specifically iron from phagosomal milieu to the cytosol, to create ions deprived status for pathogenic microorganisms. The mechanisms of NRAMP1 regulation are largely unknown in leishmanial infections. In the present study, we identified a secretory Leishmania donovani peroxidase (Prx) that showed peroxidoxin like peroxidase activity and significantly reduced H(2)O(2), O(2).(-) and NO levels in LPS activated macrophages. Further, we also observed down regulated Nramp1 expression and concomitantly declined labile iron pool in activated macrophages treated with identified peroxidase. Prx also decreased levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-12 in LPS activated macrophages. These observations indicate a bifunctional protective role of secretory Prx; first it reduces redox activation of macrophages, and secondly it allows iron access to Leishmania by down regulating NRAMP1 expression.

Growing incidence of drug resistance against leishmaniasis in endemic areas and limited drug options necessitates the need for a vaccine. Notwithstanding significant leishmanial research in the past decades, a vaccine candidate is far from reality. In this study, we report the potential of two urinary leishmanial proteins to induce macrophage effector functions, inflammatory cytokines production and human lymphocytes proliferation. A total four proteins of molecular mass 25, 28, 54 and 60 kDa were identified in human urine samples. The 25 and 28 kDa proteins significantly induced NADPH oxidase (p

Leishmania donovani, an obligate intracellular parasite of genus Leishmania causes visceral leishmaniasis that affects millions of people worldwide, especially in the Indian subcontinent and East Africa. Generic pentavalent antimonials have been the mainstay for therapy in the endemic regions due to efficacy and cost effectiveness but the growing incidence of their resistance has seriously hampered their use. This study discloses strong in vitro antileishmanial activity of 2-methyl-5 -(3′-methyl-but-2′-enyloxy)-[1,4]naphthoquinone (1), a prenyloxy-naphthoquinone isolated and characterised from roots of the plant Plumbago zeylanica (family – Plumbaginaceae). The observed EC50 for the compound 1 against promastigote and amastigote forms of L. donovani was significantly (p

The objective of this study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory role of leishmanial excretory-secretory antigens (LESAs) released by in vitro cultured protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani promastigotes. A total of seventeen excretory-secretory proteins of relative molecular weights 11, 13, 16, 18, 21, 23, 26, 29, 33, 35, 42, 51, 54, 58, 64, 70 and 80 kDa were identified. The proteins were divided into five fractions (F1-F5) along with the whole LESAs, these fractions were evaluated for their potential antigenicity to induce macrophage effector functions, lymphoproliferation and cytokines production capabilities. Two fractions, F1 (11, 13 and 16 kDa) and F3 (26, 29 and 33 kDa), were found to be highly immunogenic as they significantly induced NADPH oxidase and SOD activities as well as NOx, TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-12 production in stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Further, these antigens also induced significant proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells along with increased production of IFN-γ and IL-12. The results strongly suggest the potential role of LESAs in the modulation of macrophage effector functions and Th1 immune response that gives a hope to develop potent vaccine for visceral leishmaniasis.

Leishmania is known to elicit Th2 response that causes leishmaniasis progression; on the other hand, Th1 cytokines restricts amastigote growth and disease progression. In this study, we report the potential of two leishmanial antigens (65 and 98 kDa, in combination) which enhance strong macrophage effector functions, viz., production of respiratory burst enzymes, nitric oxide, and Th1 cytokines. The identification of antigens were done by resolving the crude soluble antigens on SDS-PAGE and eluted by reverse staining method. Further, RAW264.7 macrophages were challenged with eluted antigens, and the innate immune response was observed by detecting respiratory burst enzymes, nitric oxide (NOx), TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-12, toll-like receptors (TLRs) gene expression, and TLR-signaling proteins. These antigens increased the production of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, superoxide dismutase, NOx, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-12, TLR2, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. These antigens also induced human peripheral blood mononuclear cells proliferation and Th1 cytokine production. This study concludes that these antigens induce innate immune response as well as have prophylactic efficacy.