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Background: Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell, commonly known as Brahmi is an important medicinal plant traditionally used as memory enhancer and antiepileptic agent. Objective: The present study investigated antioxidant and stress resistance potentials of B. monnieri aqueous extract (BMW) using Caenorhabditis elegans animal model system. Materials and Methods: The antioxidant activity of the BMW was measured using in vitro (DPPH, reducing power and total polyphenol content) and in vivo (DCF-DA assay) assays. The antistress potential of BMW (0.1, 0.01, and 0.001 mg/ml) was evaluated through thermal stress (37°C) and oxidative stress (10 mM paraquat) using C. elegans. Quantification of the HSP-16.2 level was done using CL2070 transgenic worms. Results: Present study reveals that BMW possess in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities. BMW significantly enhanced stress tolerance and increased the mean lifespan of worms during thermal and oxidative stress, although it did not extend lifespan at 20°C and attenuated age dependent decline in physiological behaviors. Moreover, it was shown that BMW was able to up-regulate expression of stress associated gene hsp-16.2, which significantly (P < 0.001) extends the mean lifespan of worms under stress conditions. Conclusion: The study strongly suggests that BMW acts as an antistressor and potent reactive oxygen species scavenger which enhances the survival of the worms in different stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of herbs in pharmaceutical preparation is ever increasing, and the demand for pesticides free material by the concern industries is on the rise. Consequently the need to grow disease-free plants using non-chemical fertilizers and pesticides is the need of the hour. Mentha arvensis cv. kosi is highly infested with Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood, and severe oil yield loss occurs due to this nematode pest. Employing ecofriendly ways of nematode management, the mutualistic endophytes (Trichoderma harzianum strain Thu, Glomus intraradices) and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (Bacillus megaterium and Pseudomonas fluorescens) were assessed individually and in combination on plant biomass, oil yield of menthol mint (M. arvensis cv. kosi), reproduction potential and population development of root knot nematode, M. incognita under glasshouse conditions. These microbes enhanced the plant biomass and percent oil yield both with and without M. incognita inoculation. Dual application of mutualistic fungal endophytes and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPRs) may be a wise option for enhancing the oil yield and tolerance of menthol mint against M. incognita infection. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aging, the major cause of several ailments has led to intense exploration of potential drugs that delay aging and its associated effects. We mined the information on traditional Indian medicines and identified an iridoid, 10-O-trans-p-Coumaroylcatalpol (OCC), a major ingredient of Premna integrifolia Linn. (syn: Premna serratifolia). OCC forms an important constituent of famous herbal formulation 'Dashmula', a ten herb formulation, commonly used for its various medicinal properties. Employing model system C. elegans, the effect of OCC on life span, stress resistance, chemotaxis, the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and on the aggregation of alpha synuclein was studied. OCC extended the mean life span of nematodes, increased their tolerance against chemical induced stress, improved the chemotaxis index and reduced the ROS content. Further, the aggregation of Parkinson's disease (PD) associated protein, alpha synuclein (asyn), was decreased when transgenic a-syn expressing worms were raised on OCC mixed diet. We extended the studies further to explore the possible genetic mechanism that mediates the observed effects of OCC. Employing the genetic knockout mutants TK22 [mev-1(kn1)III]; GR1307 [daf-16(mgDf50)I]; VC199 [sir-2.1(ok434)IV] and transgenic GFP expressing strain TJ356 [zls356; DAF-16::GFP], our studies revealed that the effects were mediated by daf-16 and not by sir-2.1 or mev-1. Our results indicate that OCC has the ability to ameliorate a-syn aggregation, reduce oxidative stress and promote longevity in C. elegans via activation of longevity promoting transcription factor DAF-16. Thus, OCC may serve as a lead compound of plant origin for important nutraceutical intervention against aging and age associated PD.