Ashfaq Ahmad Khan

Evaluation of Viburnum grandiflorum for its in-vitro pharmacological screening

-hexane, chloroform fractions and ethanolic extract of the root were significant phytotoxic having 70, 75 and 80% inhibition respectively. In case of aerial part the most significant phytotoxic effect was revealed by ethyl acetate with 85% inhibition followed by ethanolic extract with 80% growth of inhibition. The crude ethanolic extract of the aerial part showed 20, 40 and 40% mortality against

Detection of radiation treatment of beans using DNA comet assay

Abstract A simple technique of microgel electrophoresis of single cells (DNA Comet Assay) enabled a quick detection of radiation treatment of several kinds of leguminous beans (azuki, black, black eye, mung, pinto, red kidney and white beans). Each variety was exposed to radiation doses of 0.5, 1 and 5xa0kGy covering the permissible limits for insect disinfestation. The cells or nuclei from beans were extracted in cold PBS, embedded in agarose on microscope slides, lysed between 15 and 60xa0min in 2.5% SDS and electrophoresis was carried out at a voltage of 2xa0V/cm for 2–2.5xa0min. After silver staining, the slides were evaluated through an ordinary transmission microscope. In irradiated samples, fragmented DNA stretched towards the anode and the damaged cells appeared as a comet. The density of DNA in the tails increased with increasing radiation dose. However, in non-irradiated samples, the large molecules of DNA remained relatively intact and there was only minor or no migration of DNA; the cells were round or had very short tails only. Hence, the DNA comet assay provides an inexpensive, rapid and relatively simple screening method for the detection of irradiated beans.

Isolation, structure elucidation and enzyme inhibition studies of a new hydroxy ester and other compounds from Berberis jaeschkeana Schneid stem

Bioassay-guided isolation and fractionation of Berberis jaeschkeana Schneid var. jaeschkeana stem resulted in the isolation and characterisation of a new long chain hydroxy ester named as berberinol (1) along with six known compounds (2–7). All the structures were established from 1D and 2D spectroscopic data. Crude extract, sub-fractions and all the isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-fungal and urease enzyme inhibition properties. All of the sub-fractions and compounds showed good anti-fungal and urease enzyme inhibition properties. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were calculated for all active samples in case of urease enzyme inhibition. MICs values were found to be in the range of 39.03–49.78 μg/mL for urease enzyme inhibition.

Biological screening of ethyl acetate extract of Hedera nepalensis stem

Hedera nepalensisxa0is commonly used in folk medicines for the treatment of cough and other human ailments; therefore it was selected for phytochemical and antimicrobial screening. Its phytochemical screening showed the presence of different classes of secondary metabolites. The ethyl acetate extract of its stem showed the presence of steroids, terpenoids, saponins and flavonoids. Terpenoids and flavonoids were present in chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions, steroids were present in chloroform and ethyl acetate crude extract. Ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions were found most active. Among the organisms tested,xa0Escherichia colixa0was the most sensitive to the plant extract as it displayed the greatest inhibitory zone (20:0 mm). n n xa0 n n Key words:xa0Phytochemical screening,xa0Hedera nepalensis, antibacterial activity.

A new isoquinoline alkaloid with anti-microbial properties from Berberis jaeschkeana Schneid. var. jaeschkeana

One new isoquinoline alkaloid named berberidione (1) along with four new source alkaloids berberine (2), palmatine (3), jatrorrhizine (4) and chondrofoline (5) and three new source non-alkaloids syringic acid (6), β-sitosterol (7) and stigmasterol (8) was isolated and characterised from different fractions of Berberis jaeschkeana Schneid var. jaeschkeana. All the structures were determined from 1D and 2D spectroscopic data. Crude extract, sub-fractions and isolated compounds showed excellent anti-microbial properties. The toxicity level for the alkaloids was found to be very low on THP-1 cells.

A new irregular monoterpene acetate along with eight known compounds with antifungal potential from the aerial parts of Artemisia incisa Pamp (Asteraceae)

Abstract A new compound named as santolinylol-3-acetate (4-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2-methylhexa-1,5-dien-3-yl acetate) (3), along with seven known compounds; linoleic acid (1), benzoic acid (2), santolinylol (4), ethyl-(E)-p-hydroxy cinnamate (5), scopoletin (6), esculetin (7) isofraxidin (8) and eupatorin (9), were isolated from the aerial parts (ethanolic extract) of endangered species: Artemisia incisa Pamp (Asteraceae). The compounds’ structures were determined through modern spectroscopic techniques, and comparison of data (physicochemical constants) with the literature. The relative stereochemistry of santolinylol-3-acetate (3) was determined by comparing its data of NOESY, and specific rotation with its diol analogue; santolinylol (4), isolated from the same plant; A. incisa. The results of the antifungal activity showed that coumarins are as whole less active compounds. Compounds 3 (25 and 300 μg/mL), and 4 (12.5 and 300 μg/mL), showed good activities against Candida albicans, and Aspergillus flavus, respectively, which justifies A. incisa as a traditional medicine for curing the said fungal infections. Irregular monoterpene activity against Candida albicans infection.

Application of DNA comet assay for detection of radiation treatment of grams and pulses

Several types of whole pulses (green lentils, red lentils, yellow lentils, chickpeas, green peas, cowpeas and yellow peas) and grams (black grams, red grams and white grams) have been investigated for the identification of radiation treatment using microgel electrophoresis of single cells (DNA comet assay). Pulses and grams were exposed to the radiation doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 5xa0kGy covering the legalized commercial dose range for protection from insect/pest infestations. All irradiated samples showed comet like stretching of fragmented DNA toward anode, which is expected for irradiated samples. Unirradiated samples showed many intact cells/nuclei in form of round stains or with short faint tails, which is typical for unirradiated food samples. The study shows that DNA comet assay can be used as a rapid, inexpensive and highly effective screening test for the detection of radiation treatment of foods, like pulses and grams.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, antimicrobial, phytotoxic, insecticidal and leishmanicidal activities of fixed oil from Viburnum grandiflorum

The present paper deals with the proximate chemical composition and in vitro antimicrobial, phytotoxic and insecticidal activities of fixed oil isolated from aerial parts of Viburnum grandiflorum. The fixed oil was subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis which displayed the presence of saturated and unsaturated fatty acid. Palmitic acid, methyl ester was found in highest concentration (24.22%) among the recognized constituents of interest which was followed by myristic acid, methyl ester (11.28%), linolenic acid (7.79%) and linoleic acid (6.22%), while the concentration of the rest constituents was less than 3%. The fixed oil exhibited excellent activity against Aspergillus flavus and microsporum canis with zone of inhibition of 70 mm, while low phytotoxic effects with maximum growth regulation of 50% were observed. The oil was also assessed for leishmanicidal activity which exhibited moderate leishmanicidal (Lamina minor) effect with IC50 = 5.09 ± 0.04 against amphotericin B and pentamidine sensitive. n n xa0 n n Key words: Viburnum grandiflorum, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), fixed oil, phytotoxic, leishmanicidal activity.