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Abstract Background Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are important arthropod vectors that are responsible for transmitting numerous pathogens of major diseases. Adult mosquito traps help in effective surveillance. In this study, we compared the efficacy of the Biogents® Sentinel (BGS) traps and CO2-baited CDC traps for adult mosquito collection within four sites in India. Results We found that BGS traps collected significantly more Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (85.8% of the total catch) than CDC traps (14.9% of the total catch). We also conducted a follow-up experiment to study the effect of adding CO2 as bait along with the BG lure to determine if it increases the number of mosquitoes collected. The results showed that BGS traps with BG lure + CO2 collected significantly more mosquitoes (69.5% of the total catch) than BGS traps with BG lure only (30.5% of the total catch). Although BGS traps were developed for surveillance of Ae. albopictus (Skuse) and Ae. aegypti (L.), the traps collected more Cx. quinquefasciatus (Say.) than any other mosquito species. Conclusion BGS trap is an efficient surveillance tool, and it can be used as part of an integrated mosquito management program by public health officials in order to combat mosquito-borne diseases.

The present study was aimed to analysis and characterizes the biochemical elements of Strobilanthes ciliatus Nees leaf extract. The healthy leaves of S. ciliatus were collected and the plant extracts were prepared as dried powder. Biochemical analysis was conducted using standard procedures for the leaf extracts. The various analysis and charecterization of S.ciliatus was determined via total chlorophyll content. The results have envisaged that plant extract have significantly with a presence of bio compounds. The present study shows S. ciliatus to be an important medicinal plant, since the leaves showed good biochemical activity. Thus, it may use in the treatment of diseases and may also use in the preparation of natural or herbal drugs due to the presence of biochemical.

Abstract Background In the present era of scientific and technological advancements, the use of smartphones among people has witnessed a large-scale progression. The camera serves as an important tool on smartphones, and the quality of the built-in camera varies with megapixels. The quality of photography and videography can be enhanced by employing macro lenses that can provide precise and high-quality photographs for the documentation and monitoring of macroorganisms, particularly insects. We used a smartphone-macro lens setup (SPMLS), comprising a Redmi Note 8 Pro and Skyvik Signi-20 mm lens, along with Snapseed for image processing. The SPMLS, costing USD 217, was employed in the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary, Kashmir, during May to October 2021 for insect diversity documentation. The aim of this study is to introduce and demonstrate the utility of SPMLS as an affordable and portable photography solution for enhancing image quality in biodiversity documentation, making it accessible to a wide range of users. Results In this study, we report a device that uses a smartphone and macro lens (SPMLS), which is a portable and low-cost photography gear for researchers, photographers, citizen enthusiasts, and the general public who are not able to buy high-end and costly photography equipment for field-based biodiversity studies. The utilization of SPMLS has significantly augmented the image resolution and pixel density, thereby substantially enhancing the overall photographic quality, demonstrating its substantial scientific utility. Conclusions The SPMLS device presented in this study can be useful for researchers, scientists, students, citizen enthusiasts, and common people that are engaged in the biodiversity monitoring and conservation of animal and plant species across the globe. In addition, the post-photography part of this paper provides users with an outlook on image editing, processing, uploading, and marketing of photographs on different platforms.

The impact of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is very high; its mutant variants provide a higher transmission rate. Due to many mutations in the omicron-variant, it can evade previously available neutralizing antibodies. The inhibitory effect of the novel compound “Ignaciomycin” was investigated using various computational analyses against the RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 wild-type, Delta, and omicron-variants. Molecular docking revealed the potentially stable interaction of Ignaciomycin with an energy value of −8.65 kcal/mol for the omicron-variant. DFT and Hirshfeld surface calculations showed higher efficiency and reactivity with strong electrostatic potential values. In-silico toxicity studies revealed a significant drug-likeness score (7.5912) with non-toxic properties. MD simulation studies confirmed the stability of Ignaciomycin during ∼ 100 ns simulation. Covariance, PCA, and FEL analyses revealed significant fluctuations in residues and atom mobility in all variants based on the strong interaction of Ignaciomycin. Mutations in the Delta and omicron-variants increased the binding efficiency of the RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein with human ACE2. Ignaciomycin had high efficiency in interacting with mutated sites in the RBD, thereby blocking the interaction of the RBD with ACE2. Our findings provide a strong hypothesis for preclinical validation of Ignaciomycin as a potential drug against SARS-CoV-2 and its mutant variants.

Abstract In the present study, the newly sequenced mitogenomes of three Noctuoid and one Hyblaeoid (Insecta: Lepidoptera) species were annotated based on next-generation sequence data. The complete mitogenome lengths of Oraesia emarginata, Actinotia polyodon, Odontodes seranensis, and Hyblaea puera were 16,668 bp, 15,347 bp, 15,419 bp, and 15,350 bp, respectively. These mitogenomes were found to encode 37 typical mitochondrial genes (13 protein-coding, 22 transfer RNA, 2 ribosomal RNA) and a control region, similar to most Lepidoptera species. Maximum likelihood (ML) methods and Bayesian inference (BI) were used to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of the moths. This study showed the relationships of Noctuoid families as follows: (Notodontidae + (Erebidae + (Nolidae + (Euteliidae + Noctuidae)))). Furthermore, the species H. puera was separately clustered from the Noctuoidea member groups. Till now, the species from the superfamily Hyblaeoidea have not been discussed for their phylogenetic relationships. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of one species from the superfamily Hyblaeoidea was analysed.

A Novel class of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles have been synthesized in good to excellent yields via Cu(I) accelerated azide-alkyne click chemistry reaction strategy. The newly synthesized compounds were assessed for their in vitro antimicrobial activity against five Gram-positive, seven Gram-negative bacteria and three fungi. Most of the synthesized compounds displayed significant activity against the tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Molecular docking study revealed that all docked compounds are bound efficiently with the active site of Topoisomerase IV (4EMV) receptor with the observed the free energy of binding from −7.79 to −9.44 kcal/mol. Interestingly, compound 13a forms four hydrogen bonds and displayed high binding energy (−9.44 kcal/mol) with the Topoisomerase IV (4EMV) receptor which correlated with their in vitro antimicrobial assays.

Background: Outbreak of COVID-19 has been recognized as a global health concern since it causes high rates of morbidity and mortality. No specific antiviral drugs are available for the treatment of COVID-19 till date. Drug repurposing strategy helps to find out the drugs for COVID-19 treatment from existing FDA approved antiviral drugs. In this study, FDA approved small molecule antiviral drugs were repurposed against the major viral proteins of SARS-CoV-2. Methods: The 3D structures of FDA approved small molecule antiviral drugs were retrieved from PubChem. Virtual screening was performed to find out the lead antiviral drug molecules against main protease (Mpro) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) using COVID-19 Docking Server. Furthermore, lead molecules were individually docked against protein targets using AutoDock 4.0.1 software and their drug-likeness and ADMET properties were evaluated. Results: Out of 65 FDA approved small molecule antiviral drugs screened, Raltegravir showed highest interaction energy value of -9 kcal/mol against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 and Indinavir, Tipranavir, and Pibrentasvir exhibited a binding energy value of ≥−8 kcal/mol. Similarly Indinavir showed the highest binding energy of -11.5 kcal/mol against the target protein RdRp and Dolutegravir, Elbasvir, Tipranavir, Taltegravir, Grazoprevir, Daclatasvir, Glecaprevir, Ledipasvir, Pibrentasvir and Velpatasvir showed a binding energy value in range from -8 to -11.2 kcal/mol. The antiviral drugs Raltegravir, Indinavir, Tipranavir, Dolutegravir, and Etravirine also exhibited good bioavailability and drug-likeness properties. Conclusion: This study suggests that the screened small molecule antiviral drugs Raltegravir, Indinavir, Tipranavir, Dolutegravir, and Etravirine could serve as potential drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 with further validation studies.

The marine invertebrates are vast species in the animal kingdom which consists abundant source of novel functional biopolymers like proteins, lipid and polysaccharides that possess numerous biological activities. These biopolymers had been used for multiple application and served as a functional food for health perspective. In recent times, marine organisms were effectively investigated for potential pharmaceuticals and natural drugs. Besides, marine invertebrate proteins including peptides served as a traditional food and effective alternative medicine for infectious disease. This review focuses on antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial activities of peptides and protein including collage and gelatin, were critically analysed with global market status of protein and peptides from marine invertebrates. Hence, this would give more insight on functional property of marine invertebrate, and their applications in biomedical and food industrial application. Keywords: Marine invertebrates, Functional protein, Collagen, Gelatin, Molecular weight, Biological activity

Edible marine invertebrates from crustaceans, molluscs and echinodermata can be considered as a novel and organic-based biopolymers for various functional applications. These biopolymers are made of polysaccharide and protein, which are utilized by humans as food and nutraceutical ingredients for specific diseases in decades. In recent times the potential application of biopolymers such as of glycosaminoglycans, fucosylated chondroitin sulfate, chitin and chitosan are increasing in the biomedical industry for treating various ailments. These compounds showed specific function as an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, wound healing, hypoglycemic action and also in animal feed. Therefore, this review emphasis the specific structural and functional property of polysaccharide derived from edible marine invertebrates and their by-products. The global market value of this biopolymer in recent progress also evaluated in detail. Keywords: Marine invertebrates, Glycosaminoglycans, Fucosylated chondroitin sulfate, Chitin, Chitosan, Functional foods

The incidence of antibiotics in various environmental matrices is a major matter as the occurrence is linked to the emergence and prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Country such as China holds the largest allotment of antibiotics utilization in food animal. Whereas, Asian countries such as Myanmar, Indonesia, and Vietnam are projected to obtain the most considerable percentage increment in antibiotics consumption. Decades old agricultural practise (animal manure fertilization), aquaculture, wastewater (untreated), sewage sludge are major routes that allowed antibiotics to enter and persist in environment. Most of the veterinary antibiotics are water soluble and are not fully absorbed by animals. High percentage of the veterinary antibiotics is excreted by animals in their wastes (manure and urine). Many studies have reported detection of antibiotics in various matrices including soil and are discussed in this paper, with special highlights on manure and manure laden soil in Asian countries. Increased adsorption of antibiotics in soil unswervingly raises the potential of antibiotics being taken up by crop. This review also revealed the current state of regulations in certain countries on antibiotics sales and consumption, which is important as an effort in mitigating the spread of antibiotics occurrence as well as the dissemination of ARGs in the environment. Keywords: Veterinary antibiotic, Soil, Manure, Fertilizer, Pollutant, Regulation

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes memory and cognitive deficits. The present study was carried out to evaluate the protective effects of fucoidan in monocrotophos induced AD in Drosophila melanogaster. In silico studies showed that fucoidan exhibited binding energy of -9.3 kcal with proteins. Consistent with this, fucoidan, in a dose and time-dependent fashion, had inhibitory activity against cholinergic and monoamine-metabolized enzymes in vitro. Fucoidan inhibited the increase in total mRNA and protein in monocrotophos fed flies and prevented changes in biochemicals, neurochemicals and latency time of locomotor, learning and memory induced by monocrotophos. Together, the findings show that fucoidan serves a neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer’s disease model in D. melanogaster.

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) is one of the most important cereal crops for people in Asia and Africa. It supplies energy and nutrients for all people, particularly poor people in these continents. Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and grain quality, so an adequate amount of P is required for healthy plant life. There is considerable evidence that P deficiency affects the growths and yields of all cereals, including finger millet. The present study aimed at identifying the quantitative trait loci (QTL) for various agro-morphological and P-content traits under low P (LP) and high P (HP) conditions through linkage mapping. Two cultivars, IE-2606 (low-P-susceptible) and PR-202 (low-P-tolerant) were used to develop 100 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). In total, 55 QTL, associated with various agro-morphological (primary root length (PRL), shoot fresh weight (SFW), root fresh weight (RFW), shoot dry weight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW), and root hair density (RHD)) and P-content traits (inorganic phosphate content in shoots (PiS), inorganic phosphate content in roots (PiR), and total P content in shoots (TPS)) were detected under LP conditions. Similarly, 37 QTL for various agro-morphological (PRL, RFW, SDW, and root hair length (RHL)) and P-content traits (PiS, PiR, TPS, and total P content in roots (TPR)) were detected under HP conditions. Biotic and abiotic stress-responsive candidate genes linked to a few QTL were also identified. The identified QTL associated with agro-morphological and P-content traits in finger millet under P deficiency could be used in breeding programs to develop finger millet with better P use efficiency (PUE). Furthermore, improving finger millet growth and yield under LP soil will help to reduce Pi application and eutrophication, which may help to improve the lives of poor farmers and maintain sustainable environments in Asia and African countries.

The current research focuses on the fabrication of water-soluble, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) employing thiourea (T) using a simple cost-effective method, and subsequently examining its anticancer characteristics. The cytotoxicity caused by graphene oxide (GO) and T-rGO is investigated in detail. Biological results reveal a concentration-dependent toxicity of GO and T-rGO in human colon cancer cells HT-29. A decrease in cell viability alongside DNA fragmentation is observed. Flow cytometry analysis confirms the cytotoxic effects. The novelty in this work is the use of raw graphite powder, and oxidants such as KMNO4, NaNO3, and 98 percent H2SO4 to produce graphene oxide by a modified Hummers method. This study demonstrates a simple and affordable procedure for utilising thiourea to fabricate a water-soluble reduced graphene oxide, which will be useful in a variety of biomedical applications.

Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for plants and humans. Nearly 50% of the agriculture soils of world are Zn-deficient. The low availability of Zn reduces the yield and quality of the crops. The zinc-regulated, iron-regulated transporter-like proteins (ZIP) family and iron-regulated transporters (IRTs) are involved in cellular uptake of Zn, its intracellular trafficking and detoxification in plants. In addition to Zn, ZIP family transporters also transport other divalent metal cations (such as Cd2+, Fe2+, and Cu2+). ZIP transporters play a crucial role in biofortification of grains with Zn. Only a very limited information is available on structural features and mechanism of Zn transport of plant ZIP family transporters. In this article, we present a detailed account on structure, function, regulations and phylogenetic relationships of plant ZIP transporters. We give an insight to structure of plant ZIPs through homology modeling and multiple sequence alignment with Bordetella bronchiseptica ZIP (BbZIP) protein whose crystal structure has been solved recently. We also provide details on ZIP transporter genes identified and characterized in rice and other plants till date. Functional characterization of plant ZIP transporters will help for the better crop yield and human health in future.

A checklist of the superfamily Noctuoidea (Erebidae, Noctuidae, Euteliidae, and Nolidae) from Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve and Kodaikanal Hills in Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu is presented. We collected noctuoid moths monthly from June 2010 to December 2014. We collected 9095 individuals (5242 males and 3853 females) belonging to 188 species, 106 genera, 5 subtribes, 25 tribes, 26 subfamilies and 4 families. The most species-rich families were Erebidae (106 species) and Noctuidae (51 species). The Erebinae was found to be the richest subfamily with 64 species. Additional sampling might reveal 2–3 times more species.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the fruit piercing moth Eudocima phalonia (Linnaeus, 1763) (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea) was sequenced and characterized (Genbank Accession No: KY196412). The complete mitogenome is a circular molecule of 15,575 bp length, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rrnS and rrnL), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and an A + T-rich region (D-loop). The nucleotide composition of the genome is highly A + T biased, accounting for 80.67% of nucleotides. All tRNAs have putative secondary structures that are characteristic of mitochondrial tRNA. Most of the PCGs were initiated by typical ATN codons. Five genes were initiated by unusual codons. Cox1 gene was initiated by an unusual CGA codon and terminated by the typical stop codon GAA. Six genes ended with a single T. The A + T-rich region of 336 bp consisted of repetitive sequences, including two ATAGA motifs, a 19 bp poly-T stretch and three microsatellite-like regions ((TA)4, (TA)6 and two (TA)7). Moreover, three large tandem (one 40 bp and two 25 bp) repeated elements were identified in A + T-rich region. Phylogenetic analysis using PCGs revealed that Superfamily Noctuoidea is a monophyletic group.

Introduction: Microbial diseases are increasing year by year and they are becoming a big threat to public health. There are more than 200 known diseases transmitted by bacteria, fungi, viruses, prions, rickettsia and other microbes to humans. The emergence of drug resistance to chemical drugs is the biggest threat in controlling human pathogens. Hence novel antimicrobial agents from actinomycetes are timely needed for the control of several human pathogens. Aim: The aim was to find some actinomycetes with antimicrobial metabolites. Methods: Soil samples were collected from Nilgiris district in Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India. Actinomycetes were isolated using serial dilution and plating techniques on actinomycetes isolation agar. Streptomycin and ketoconazole (25 μg/disc) were used as reference controls. The active strains were identified by 16S rRNA and phylogenetic tree was constructed; the sequences were submitted in the GenBank. Results: Totally 106 actinomycete strains were isolated and cross streaked against various human microbial pathogens. Only 44 (41.50%) exhibited good antimicrobial activity against different pathogenic microbes. Five isolates (FMS-20, TGH-30, TGH-31, TGH-31-1 and IS-4) were chosen for secondary screening using filtrate. Among them FMS-20 filtrate showed good inhibition on the 16th day against all tested microbial pathogens. Further the intracellular methanol extract of FMS-20 showed maximum zone of inhibition against A. brasiliensis (22 mm) at 5 mg/disc. Similarly the extracellular ethyl acetate extract of FMS-20 showed maximum zone of inhibition against B. subtilis (25 mm). Conclusions: The present work revealed that, among 106 actinomycetes screened, Streptomyces rimosus (FMS-20) (Accession No-KT827106) showed promising antimicrobial activity against all the tested human microbial pathogens.

Context: The decoctions of Ficus carica Linn. (Moraceae) leaves are used in the folklore treatment of diabetes. Objective: To evaluate the effect of F. carica on glucose and lipids levels, carbohydrate metabolism enzymes and β-cells protective effects in type 2 diabetes. Material and methods: Diabetes was induced in 15 days high-fat diet (HFD)-fed Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (40 mg/kg). The ethyl acetate extract (250 and 500 mg/kg) of F. carica leaves was administered for 28 days. Oral glucose tolerance (OGTT) and intraperitoneal insulin tolerance tests (ITT) were evaluated on 15th and 25th days, respectively. Results: The ethyl acetate extract (250 and 500 mg/kg) of n F. carica leaves showed significant effect (p

Background: It is well known that diet plays a vital role in the pathogenesis, prevention, and management of diseases. In indigenous medical systems of India, diet is an integral component of treatment, and such knowledge is poorly documented. This study quantified the consensus about the dietary recommendations prescribed by the noninstitutionally trained Siddha practitioners of Virudhunagar District of Tamil Nadu, India. Methods: After obtaining prior informed consent, 87 noninstitutionally trained Siddha practitioners were interviewed using the free-list method. The data were segregated into different groups and the consensus was analyzed using informant consensus factor (Fic). Results: In the case of recommended diets, blood ailments, fever, hemorrhoids, male infertility, kapha, and dermatological ailments had high Fic values. In this group, 500 use-reports were recorded for the treatment of 27 illness categories. The fruits of Vitis vinifera (blood ailments), Panicum sumatrense (fever), and Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (hemorrhoids) were the highly recommended foods. In the case of restricted diets, dermatological ailments, jaundice, gastrointestinal, vadha, and blood ailments had high Fic values and 26 illness categories were reported with 368 citations. In this category, Solanum melongena (dermatological ailments), Tamarindus indica (jaundice and anemia), and Gallus gallus domesticus (gastrointestinal ailments) were the important restricted foods. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that a major portion of local knowledge, other than that of local uses of medicinal species, is still undocumented and underutilized. If the recommendations of dietary changes take the claims from local knowledge beyond scientific evidence, the rate of adherence may increase, since these recommendations have a traditional-brand identity. This study also warrants the need of scientific analyses in some cases.

The gastroprotective effect of luteolin-7-O-glucoside (LUT7G) on different ulcer models using rats including the indomethacin model, the ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model and the Shay ulcer model was examined. The ethanol-induced ulcer group showed significant increases in MPO, NO, iNOS, MMP-2, MMP-9, caspase-3, apoptosis, IL-6, TNF-α, IKK, NF-κB p65, and ICAM-1 and declines in PGE2, arginase, SOD, GSH, mucin, IL-10, eNOS, COX-1, HSP-70, and IκBα levels. However, LUT7G (25 mg/kg) pretreatment significantly reverted the pathophysiological levels of these biomarkers to near normal levels. The gastroprotective activity of LUT7G was abolished by pretreatment with SC560, rofecoxib, and L-NAME, demonstrating the participation of COX and NOS in LUT7G-facilitated gastroprotection against ethanol-induced ulcers. Convincingly, LUT7G (25 mg/kg) provided protective effects in the rat gastric mucosa against ethanol-induced gastric injury at least in part to antisecretory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antiapoptotic activity, and augmentation of PGE2, mucin and HSP-70 synthesis.

Ecbolin A and ecbolin B were isolated from ethyl acetate extract of Ecbolium viride (Forsk.) Alston root and evaluated for larvicidal and growth disturbance activities against Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae). For larvicidal activity, the third instar larvae of A. aegypti were exposed to different concentrations viz., 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10 ppm for each compound. Among the two compounds screened, ecbolin B recorded highest larvicidal activity with LC50 and LC90 values of 0.70 and 1.42 ppm, respectively. In control, the larval behaviour was normal. The active compound ecbolin B was tested for growth disruption activity at sub lethal concentrations viz., 0.5, 1.0 ppm and observed for malformation like larval gut elongation, larval longevity, intermediates, malformed adults, failed adult emergence and compared with methoprene. The results showed significant level of larva–pupa intermediates, pupa–adult intermediates, malformed adult emergence and less adult formation against A. aegypti. The histopathological results revealed a severe damage on the midgut epithelial columnar cells (CC) and cuboidal cells (CU) in ecbolin B treated larvae of A. aegypti. Similarly peritrophic membrane (pM) was also observed to be damaged in the treated larvae. The present results suggest that, ecbolin B could be used as a larvicidal agent against dengue vector A. aegypti.

The whole genome sequence (WGS) of the much awaited, nutrient rich and climate resilient crop, finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) has been released recently. While possessing superior mineral nutrients and excellent shelf life as compared to other major cereals, multiploidy nature of the genome and relatively small plantation acreage in less developed countries hampered the genome sequencing of finger millet, disposing it as one of the lastly sequenced genomes in cereals. The genomic information available for this crop is very little when compared to other major cereals like rice, maize and barley. As a result, only a limited number of genetic and genomic studies has been undertaken for the improvement of this crop. Finger millet is known especially for its superior calcium content, but the high-throughput studies are yet to be performed to understand the mechanisms behind calcium transport and grain filling. The WGS of finger millet is expected to help to understand this and other important molecular mechanisms in finger millet, which may be harnessed for the nutrient fortification of other cereals. In this review, we discuss various efforts made so far on the improvement of finger millet including genetic improvement, transcriptome analysis, mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for traits, etc. We also discuss the pitfalls of modern genetic studies and provide insights for accelerating the finger millet improvement with the interventions of WGS in near future. Advanced genetic and genomic studies aided by WGS may help to improve the finger millet, which will be helpful to strengthen the nutritional security in addition to food security in the developing countries of Asia and Africa.

Newly developed Phytopesticidal formulations from pongam and neem oils were evaluated for their feeding deterrent activity using leaf disc choice and no-choice methods, and genotoxic study using comet assay against Helicoverpa armigera at different concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 20 ppm. Among various phytopesticidal formulations, neem and pongam oils at 1:1 ratio, called PONNEEM showed significant feeding deterrent activity against H. armigera at 20 ppm concentration and wasgenotoxic to H. armigera (P>0.001). The comet parameters, namely tail moment (arbitrary units), tail length (µm) and tail DNA (%) were observed at all the concentrations of PONNEEM. Statistically significant changes in all the comet parameters of H. armigera were observed at 20 ppm (P

Flindersine, an alkaloid isolated from Toddalia asiatica, was evaluated for their antifeedant, larvicidal and growth inhibitory activities against Helicoverpa armigera, Spodoptera litura and larvicidal activity against vector mosquitoes Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus. For this, leaf disc no choice method was used for agricultural pests; larvicidal activity was tested on second and fourth instar larvae for mosquitoes at different concentrations. Flindersine showed antifeedant, larvicidal and growth inhibitory activities against H. armigera and S. litura and larvicidal activity against vector mosquitoes An. stephensi and Cx. quinquefasciatus. It showed high regression (R2) values of 0.91 and 0.87 against H. armigera and S. litura, respectively for antifeedant activity. Flindersine exhibited more than 65% larvicidal activity against both the pests with LC50 values of 443.04 and 568.88 ppm and R2 values of 0.87 and 0.90 against H. armigera and S. litura, respectively. The larval and pupal duration of tested insects increased to more than five days at 1000 ppm when compared with the control. The adult emergence was reduced when the concentration of flindersine was increased. At 1000 ppm, no adult emergence was observed in both the pests. Flindersine exhibited 100% larvicidal activity against both the tested mosquitoes at 20 ppm concentration, which showed LC50 values of 2.90, 4.19, 1.68 and 2.71 ppm for 2nd and 4th instar larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus and An. Stephensi, respectively. High regression values were observed for antifeedant, larvicidal and growth inhibitory activities. Flindersine could be used to develop an ecofriendly pesticide formulation to control the agricultural pests and vector mosquitoes.

Larvicidal activity of pectolinaringenin from Clerodendrum phlomidiswas evaluated against Anopheles stephensi and antifeedant, larvicidal and growth inhibitory activities were evaluated against Earias vittella. Pectolinaringenin exhibited larvicidal activity of 100 and 98.24% against 2nd and 4th instar larvae of Anopheles stephensi at 5ppm concentration. It exhibited LC50 values of 0.35 and 0.55 ppm for 2nd and 4th instar larvae, respectively. At 100 ppm concentration, pectolinaringenin exhibited maximum antifeedant activity of 74.00% and larvicidal activity of 89.98%. The LC50 values were 36.2 and 10.23 ppm for antifeedant and larvicidal, respectively. The compound completely prevented the adult emergence at 50 and 100 ppm concentrations. This is the first report of pectolinaringenin from C. phlomidis evaluated against An. stephensi and E. vittella. The results suggested that the pectolinaringenin from C. philomidis could be used to develop a new botanical formulation to manage vector mosquitoes and agricultural pests.

Twelve fractions from chloroform extract of Clerodendrum phlomidis and 5,7-dihydroxy- 4',6-dimethoxy-flavone (pectolinaringenin) were evaluated against Helicoverpa armigera. Maximum antifeedant (89.41%), larvicidal (83.77%) and ovicidal (69.25%) activities were observed in fraction 5. The least LC50 value for antifeedant (178.09 ppm) and larvicidal (198.23 ppm) were observed in fraction 5. No adult emergence was recorded in fractions 4-6 at 1000 ppm. The oviposition deterrent activity was 100% in fraction 5 at all the concentrations. Pectolinaringenin recorded maximum antifeedant (74.68%) and larvicidal (81.11%) activities at 100 ppm; it completely prevented the adult emergence of H. armigera at 100 ppm. Maximum ovicidal activity at 100 ppm concentration was 67.95%. The oviposition deterrent activity was 100% in 100 and 50 ppm concentrations. C. phlomidis could be effectively used to develop a new formulation to control the economically important pests.

Adult moths of the Noctuidae subfamily Catocalinae from Tamil Nadu, Western Ghats are reviewed. During this study, eleven species have been newly recorded from Tamil Nadu (Western Ghats) and one species has been recorded from India for the first time.

Antifeedant and growth regulating activities of PONNEEM, an oil formulation containing neem and pungam (karanj) oils were evaluated along with individual neem and karanj oils and Nimbicidine, a commercial neem-based pesticide against fourth instar larvae of Spodoptera litura (Fab.). Among all the treatments, PONNEEM recorded the maximum antifeedant activity (88.6%) at 0.6%. Neem and karanj individual treatments as well as PONNEEM extended larval duration compared to control. Pupal weight and fecundity were significantly reduced and pupal period was greatly increased by PONNEEM treatment compared to other treatments. The PONNEEM was found to be compatible with Trichogramma chilonis Ishii, an egg parasitoid of many lepidopteran pests, at 0.15, 0.3 and 0.5% concentrations. PONNEEM did not affect the parasitoid emergence significantly at 0.3% concentration compared to control. PONNEEM also showed growth disruption activity against fourth instar larvae.

The aim of the study was to assess the bioefficacy of violacein isolated from Chromobacterium violaceum against Spodoptera litura, an important field pest. Antifeedant, larvicidal and pupicidal activities of violacein were evaluated for its bioefficacy against the third instar larvae of Spodoptera litura at 125, 250, 500 and 1000 ppm concentrations. After 24 h of treatment, violacein treated larvae showed maximum antifeedant activity of 72.46% at 1000 ppm concentration with LC50 of 392.25 ppm. Four days after treatment, violacein treated larvae showed a mortality of 77.10% at 1000 ppm concentration with a LC50 value of 255.06 ppm. Violacein treated larvae recorded 20–24% pupicidal activity at 125–1000 ppm concentration. The antifeedant and larvicidal activities were increased with increasing concentration. Violacein could also be considered for use in the management of pests.

Hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts of the leaves of Atalantia monophylla (L.) Correa. were evaluated for their antifeedant and larvicidal activities along with their effect on pupation and adult emergence against bhendi fruit borer, Earias vittella Fab. at 5, 2.5 and 1.25% concentrations. Commercial botanical insecticide, Vijay Neem was used as positive control. Hexane extract at 5% concentration showed significant antifeedant and larvicidal activity of 70.89 and 85.33% respectively. A reduction of 16.66% in adult emergence was recorded in hexane extract followed by 25% reduction in ethyl acetate extract at 5% concentration. The results revealed that hexane extract showed significant antifeedant, and larvicidal activity and good reduction in adult emergence. This extract could be further investigated to isolate the active principles.

In agriculture, there is an urgent need for alternate ecofriendly products to control plant diseases. These alternate products must possess preferable characteristics such as new modes of action, cost effectiveness, biodegradability, and target specificity. In the current scenario, studies on macrofungi have been an area of importance for scientists. Macrofungi grow prolifically and are found in many parts of the world. Basidiomycetes (mushrooms) flourish ubiquitously under warm and humid climates. Basidiomycetes are rich sources of natural antibiotics. The secondary metabolites produced by them possess antimicrobial, antitumor, and antioxidant properties. The present review discusses the potential role of Basidiomycetes as anti-phytofungal, anti-phytobacterial, anti-phytoviral, mosquito larvicidal, and nematicidal agents.

Objective: To assess the feeding deterrent, growth inhibitory and egg hatchability effects of PONNEEM on Helicoverpa armigera (H. armigera). Methods: Five oil formulations were prepared at different ratios to assess the feeding deterrent, growth inhibitory and egg hatchability effects on H. armigera. Results: Invariably all the newly formulated phytopesticidal oil formulations showed the feeding deterrent and growth inhibitory activities against H. armigera. The maximum feeding deterrent activity of 88.44% was observed at 15 μL/L concentration of PONNEEM followed by formulation A (74.54%). PONNEEM was found to be effective in growth inhibitory activities and egg hatchability at 10 μL/L concentration. It exhibited statistically significant feeding deterrent activity and growth inhibitory activity compared with all the other treatments. Conclusions: PONNEEM was found to be effective phytopesticidal formulation to control the larval stage of H. armigera. This is the first report for the feeding deterrent activity of PONNEEM against H. armigera. This newly formulated phytopesticide was patented in India.

Hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate extracts of Couroupita guianensis leaves were studied for ovicidal activity against S. litura. All the extracts showed ovicidal activity against S. litura. Maximum activity was noticed in hexane extract and it showed the least LC50 and LC90 values; the regression equation was also higher than the other extracts. All the analyzed values showed homogeneity variance. The active hexane extract was fractionated and eight fractions were isolated. The fractions were studied at different concentrations. Among the fractions, fraction 8 showed maximum ovicidal activity with least LC50 and LC90 values. Fraction 8 differed statistically from the other fractions; the regression equation value was higher than the other fractions. All the P values obtained from regression analysis were significant. The results of the present investigation clearly suggest that the active fraction could be purified to isolate active compound(s) and could be used to develop an insecticidal formulation to control economically important agricultural pests.

Chromobacterium violaceum, Gram-negative bacteria species found in tropical regions of the world, produces a distinct deep violet-colored pigment called violacein. In the present study, we investigated whether violacein can promote a gastroprotective effect and verified the possible mechanisms involved in this action. For this study, an indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer rat model was used. The roles of biomolecules such as MPO, PGE2, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, caspase-3, NO, K+ATP channels, and α2-receptors were investigated. Violacein exhibited significant gastroprotective effect against indomethacin-induced lesions, while pretreatment with L-NAME and glibenclamide (but not with NEM or yohimbine) was able to reverse this action. Pretreatment with violacein also restored cNOS level to normal and led to attenuation of enhanced apoptosis and gastric microvascular permeability. Our results suggest that violacein provides a significant gastroprotective effect in an indomethacin-induced ulcer model through the maintenance of some vital protein molecules, and this effect appears to be mediated, at least in part, by endogenous prostaglandins, NOS, K+ATP channel opening, and inhibition of apoptosis and gastric microvascular permeability.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. To date, improvements in hormonal and cytotoxic therapies have not yet led to a sustained remission or cure. In the present study, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo antitumor activities of a novel Calotropis procera protein (CP-P) isolated from root bark. CP-P protein inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis of breast cancer cells through the suppression of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kB) activation. CP-P, when administered individually or in combination with cyclophosphamide (CYC, 0.2 mg/kg) to rats with 7, 12-dimethyl benz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast cancer decreased tumor volume significantly without affecting the body weight. To elucidate the anticancer mechanism of CP-P, antioxidant activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and non-enzymatic antioxidant - reduced glutathione (GSH), vitamin E and C generation in the breast were analyzed by various assays. SOD, CAT, GST, GSH, vitamin E and C levels were high in combination-treated groups (CP-P+CYC) versus the CYC alone-treated groups. Also, the combination was more effective in down-regulating the expression of NF-kB-regulated gene products (cyclin D1 and Bcl-2) in breast tumor tissues. Our findings indicate that CP-P possesses significant antitumor activity comparable to a commonly used anticancer drug, cyclophosphamide, and may form the basis of a novel therapy for breast cancer.