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Gentiopicroside (GPD) is a major secoiridoid glucoside in plants of the family Gentianaceae, predominantly in the genus Gentiana. The roots and shoots of Gentiana kurroo Royle, indigenous to the Indian Himalayas are rich in GPD. It is used extensively for treating various diseases in Ayurvedic medicine. In this study, in vitro shoot cultures of G. kurroo were stimulated with Trichoderma viride, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, and an endophytic fungal cell wall extract to enhance the production of GPD. The results showed that treatment with the endophytic fungal extract produced the highest concentration of GPD (30.4 mg/g DW) than other treatments after 48 hours. The endophytic fungus was identified as Parengyodontium album. This study provides a simple and efficient method for in vitro elicitation of GPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of modified Zarrouk’s medium on the growth response of 6 different Spirulina strains was evaluated. Specific growth rate, doubling time, mean daily division rate, biomass, and chlorophyll-A contents were analyzed. Growth patterns of these strains were monitored continuously for 40 days. The results revealed significant differences in the growth parameters for different strains. S. platensis (SP-6) and S. platensis (CCMB) showed the maximum specific growth rates (µ = 6.1, µ = 5.8), doubling times (Td = 6.93, Td = 6.87), mean division rates (k = 0.27, k = 0.23) biomasses (5.1, 5.0 g/l) and chlorophyll A contents (78, 65 µg/ml) respectively, when compared with the other strains used in this study. Therefore, S. platensis (SP-6) and S. platensis (CCMB) strains can be suggested for large scale commercial cultivation with modified Zarrouk’s medium. This provides the basis of a low cost medium for cultivating Spirulina, which is known to be a promising microalgae with several benefits.

Byline: Kalaivani. Thiagarajan, Shalini. Mohan, Tapas. Roy, Rajasekaran. Chandrasekaran OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to analyze the antiproliferative activity of Acacia nilotica (L.) leaf ethanolic extract against cancer [...]

Gentiana kurroo Royle is an endemic plant of the Himalaya and the roots and rhizomes of this species possess pharmaceutically important seco-iridoid glucosides. Traditionally, wild-grown plants are widely used for various ailments. Therefore, for the first time, the in vitro samples like callus, shoot, and adventitious roots of G. kurroo were analyzed for total phenolics, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity effect. The antioxidant activity of in vitro G. kurroo cultures was analyzed using different biochemical assays namely, diphenyl-picrylhy-drazyl (DPPH), 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothi-azoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Among the samples tested, adventitious roots showed the highest antioxidant potential and total phenols (91.2 mg/g DW) and flavonoids (32.43 mg/g DW). The MTT assay showed the IC50 of 550 µg/mL for in vitro adventitious root extract on human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Therefore, the in vitro roots can be used as a viable option to meet its great demand and replace its natural sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylmercury (MeHg), an organometallic contaminant is a well spotted cause for a series of disorders, especially in the central nervous system. As there is no proper treatment, Selinum vaginatum (Edgew) C. B. Clarke, a traditional medicinal plant, is taken in the present study for assessing its neuroprotective effect against MeHg induced toxicity using rat brain mitochondrial fractions. The results of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide dye (MTT) assay indicated that there was a reduction in the mitochondrial viability in MeHg treated sample and IC50 value recorded was 2.5μg/ml. Biochemical analysis showed that there was a significant inhibition of glutathione levels (GSH) and catalase activity and an elevation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels in MeHg treated sample. These changes were prevented by co-incubation with essential oil extracted from Selinum vaginatum. The GSH reduction caused by MeHg is restored by essential oil, endorsing its chelating effect, an important molecular mechanism of defense against oxidative injury. Some of the major compounds are detected in Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of essential oil, which could be accountable for its neuroprotection against MeHg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluates the neuroprotective effect of Brahmi against methyl mercury (MeHg) toxicity. The results demonstrated that MeHg-decreased mitochondrial viability in MTT assay and IC50 value was found to be 2.5 μg/mL. However, Brahmi at 250 μg/mL concentration effectively prevented mitochondrial damage caused by MeHg in MTT assay. Our results also demonstrated MeHg significantly inhibited catalase enzyme activity, glutathione content and increased the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in mitochondrial-enriched fractions of rat brain. These alterations were prevented by preincubation with Brahmi. In addition, Brahmi reverted glutathione level to normal that was depleted by MeHg, confirming its chelating effect, one of the molecular mechanisms that underlie protection against oxidative damage. Our study also focused on total phenolic and flavonoid contents of Brahmi, and it was found to contain significant amount of phenols and flavonoids. The presence of saponins was detected by HPLC which might be responsible for neuroprotection against MeHg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although some polyphenols are known to possess anticancer activity against different cancer cell lines through induction of apoptosis, the mode of antiproliferative effect of ethyl gallate against human oral squamous carcinoma cell line KB was not studied until now. Therefore, the antiproliferative effect of ethyl gallate was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay in comparison with the reference drug paclitaxel. Generation of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial membrane potential loss, DNA damage and apoptosis were determined using 2,7-diacetyldichlorofluorescein fluorescence, uptake of rhodamine-123 by mitochondria, comet assay and acridine orange/ethidium bromide dual-dye staining method. Both ethyl gallate and paclitaxel exhibited cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. The 50% inhibitory concentration for ethyl gallate was 30 and 20 μg/mL for paclitaxel. A volume of 50 μg/mL of ethyl gallate was found to be significantly effective (P < 0.05) in controlling the cancer cell proliferation leading to acute apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]