Mujahid Khan

New antifungal steroids from Turbinaria conoides (J. Agardh) Kutzing

Two new steroids 3,6,17-trihydroxy-stigmasta-4,7,24(28)-triene (1) and 14,15,18,20-diepoxyturbinarin (3), together with a known compound, fucosterol (2), were isolated from the cyclohexane extract of Turbinaria conoides. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. The isolated compounds were screened against a panel of microorganisms. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by the standard broth dilution method. Compounds 1–3 exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria and inhibited the fungal growth with MIC values ranging from 2 to 16 µg mL−1. Compound 3 was found to be most potent against Aspergillus niger, with an MIC value of 2.0 µg mL−1. The isolation of antifungal compounds from T. conoides is reported for the first time. These results suggested that 14,15,18,20-diepoxyturbinarin (3) could be developed as a new lead antifungal agent.

Antihistaminic and antiviral activities of steroids of Turbinaria conoides

The steroids 3,6,17-trihydroxy-stigmasta-4,7,24(28)-triene (A) and 14,15,18,20-diepoxyturbinarin (B) were isolated from the cyclohexane extract of brown alga, Turbinaria conoides (J. Agardh) Kutzing, and have been reported for their antimicrobial activity by us. In this study, the isolated compounds were evaluated for comprehensive antihistaminic, antiviral and cytotoxicity screening. The antihistaminic study was performed using in vitro standard animal models. Evaluation of the potency (EC50), affinity (pA2) and the maximal response (E max) of the histamine alone and in the presence of the compounds were determined. Antiviral activity and cytotoxicity were performed in Crandell-Rees feline kidney (CRFK) cells by a colorimetric formazan-based MTS assay. No significant antiviral activity or cytotoxicity were observed for the compounds in the CRFK cells. Compound A inhibited the histamine-induced concentration at 20 µg mL−1(p < 0.05). The most significant inhibition (97%) was observed for compound B (p < 0.01) at the same concentration, which was comparable to that of the positive control chlorpheniramine maleate (10 µg mL−1). This potentiality suggests that 14,15,18,20-diepoxyturbinarin (B) can be developed as a new lead antihistaminic agent.

Newspapers Reading Frequency and Readership Pattern towards Swachh Bharat Mission

Print media is the oldest communicating tool still being used in all the life stages. The importance of print media especially newspaper can be accounted from the fact that millions of people across the country depend on the information that appears in the newspapers. Newspapers are a source of information from last many years. However, with the dissemination of television news channels, readers’ choice of getting news and information has now changed. This creation of new media has expended the horizons for news and information gatherers; therefore, the focus of this study is on newspapers reading frequency and readership pattern of respondents towards Swachh Bharat Mission among Hisar city of Haryana state. The study also identifies language preferences and time spent on reading newspapers. A sample of 100 urban respondents was interviewed randomly from two wards (50 from each ward) of the Hisar city. The results of readership behaviour signifies that majority of the respondents were having the print as well as electronic media possession, listen/watched programmes related to Swachh Bharat Mission, got new information from friends, aware about national newspapers in both Hindi and English languages, read newspapers regularly and spent 15–30 min per day in reading newspapers. Most of the respondents read newspapers for improving their knowledge and preferred Dainik Bhaskar newspaper. About one-fourth of the respondents preferred political section in the newspapers. Majority of the respondents read news related to Swachh Bharat Mission followed by campaigns.