Narayanan Marimuthu Prabhu

Protective effect of ferulic acid and resveratrol against alloxan-induced diabetes in mice.

The present study was to investigate the effect of ferulic acid and resveratrol on alloxan-induced diabetic mice, through analysis of basic biochemical parameters, enzymic as well as non-enzymic activities, lipid peroxidation and immunohistochemical studies. Alloxan was administered as a single dose (75 mg/kg body weight) to induce diabetes in mice. A dose of ferulic acid (10 mg/kg body weight) and resveratrol (20 mg/kg body weight) were administrated orally, to the alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The levels of basic biochemical markers and lipid peroxidation were significantly (P<0.05) increased in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The levels of antioxidants were significantly (P<0.05) decreased in liver, kidney and serum. Immunohistochemical studies in alloxan induced mice demonstrated a marked increase in the immunoreactivity of nuclear transcription factor (NF-κB). Treating the diabetic mice with doses of ferulic acid and resveratrol restored the changes in the above parameters analyzed. The present study, showed that ferulic acid and resveratrol exerted antioxidant as well as anti-diabetic effects, consequently alleviate liver, kidney and pancreas damage caused by alloxan-induced diabetes, probably through inhibition of the proinflammatory factor, NF-κB.

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using ethanolic petals extract of Rosa indica and characterization of its antibacterial, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities.

The present study was aimed at biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using ethanolic extract of rose (Rosa indica) petals and testing their potential antibacterial activity using selective human pathogenic microbes, anticancer activity using human colon adenocarcinoma cancer cell line HCT 15 as well as anti-inflammatory activity using rat peritoneal macrophages in vitro. The biologically synthesized AgNPs were also characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The characterized AgNPs showed an effective antibacterial activity against Gram negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae) than Gram positive (Streptococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis) bacteria. MTT assay, analysis of nuclear morphology, mRNA expression of Bcl-2, Bax and protein expression of caspase 3 as well as 9, indicated potential anticancer activity. In addition, green synthesized AgNPs also attenuated cytotoxicity, nuclear morphology and free radical generation (O2(-) and NO) by rat peritoneal macrophages in vitro. The results of our study show the potential green synthesis of silver nanoparticles in mitigating their toxicity while retaining their antibacterial activities.

Synergistic anticancer activity of curcumin and catechin: An in vitro study using human cancer cell lines

The most practical approach to reduce morbidity and mortality of cancer is to delay the process of carcinogenesis by usage of anticancer agents. This necessitates that safer compounds are to be critically examined for anticancer activity especially, those derived from natural sources. A spice commonly found in India and the surrounding regions, is turmeric, derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa and the major active component is a phytochemical termed curcumin. Green tea is one of the most popular beverages used worldwide, produced from the leaves of evergreen plant Camellia sinensis and the major active ingredients are polyphenolic compounds known as catechins. In this study, synergistic anticancer activity of curcumin and catechin was evaluated in human colon adenocarcinoma HCT 15, HCT 116, and human larynx carcinoma Hep G‐2 cell lines. Although, both curcumin or catechin inhibited the growth of above cell lines, interestingly, in combination of both these compounds highest level of growth control was observed. The anticancer activity shown is due to cytotoxicity, nuclear fragmentation as well as condensation, and DNA fragmentation associated with the appearance of apoptosis. These results suggest that curcumin and catechin in combination can inhibit the proliferation of HCT 15, HCT 116, as well as Hep G‐2 cells efficiently through induction of apoptosis. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2011.

Exploitation of chemical, herbal and nanoformulated acaricides to control the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus ) microplus – A review

The tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is a key vector of bacterial and protozoan diseases causing heavy economic losses directly and indirectly in animal husbandry. In the past decades, the control of ticks faced some major issues, such as the rapid development of resistance in targeted vectors and non-target effects on human health and the environment, due to the employ of synthetic acaricides and repellents. Eco-friendly pesticides for treating and controlling animal parasites such as ticks were mainly from medicinal plants and thus they form the richest entity for manufacturing resources for drugs. Even though there are efforts made to discover reliable plant-based acaricides to control ectoparasites in animal husbandry, the effective control of R. (B.) microplus ticks still represent a major challenge in current veterinary entomology. Recently, a wide number of promising attempts have been conducted to use herbal preparations and green-fabricated nanoparticles for the control of R. (B.) microplus. The aim of this review is to critically summarize and discuss the use of herbal preparations used in ethno-veterinary as well as green-fabricated nanoparticles as novel acaricides for the control of the cattle tick R. (B.) microplus.

Isolation of fucoidan from Sargassum polycystum brown algae: Structural characterization, in vitro antioxidant and anticancer activity

In this study antioxidant and anticancer effect of fucoidan isolated from brown seaweed Sargassum polycystum was investigated. The total yield of fucoidan was 4.51±0.24%, of these, 46.8% of fucose and 22.35±0.23% of sulphate respectively. The structural characteristic of fucoidan was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. The antioxidant properties were determined by DPPH scavenging, reducing power and total antioxidant assays. The maximum DPPH scavenging activity (61.2±0.33%), reducing ability (67.56±0.26%) and total antioxidant activity (65.3±0.66%) were obtained at 1000μg/ml of fucoidan. The cytotoxicity effect of fucoidan showed a higher percentage (90.4±0.25%) of inhibition against the MCF-7 cell line at 150μg/ml with an estimated IC50 at 50μg/ml. Further, cytomorphological and apoptosis changes of fucoidan treated cells were observed under inverted light microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). The results demonstrated that the isolated fucoidan from S. polycystum possessed potent antioxidant and anticancer properties.

A novel clip domain serine proteinase (SPs) gene from the haemocytes of Indian white shrimp Fenneropenaeus indicus: molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis.

The Indian white shrimp, Fenneropenaeus indicus (formerly Penaeus indicus), is one of the major commercial shrimp species of the world. It is reported in the Indo-West Pacific from eastern and south-eastern Africa, through Malaysia and Indonesia to southern China and northern Australia [1,2]. The defense mechanism in F. indicus is poorly understood, but knowledge of this is a prerequisite for the development of intervention strategies to control diseases in Indianwhite shrimp culture. The immune related genes in arthropods have been discovered and characterized during the past few years and shown to participate in immunological processes. The proPO system plays an important role in the immune responses of invertebrates [3] and activated by an endogenous activating system and exogenous materials/agents such as lipids, detergents, organic solvents, and microbial elicitors like b-1, 3-glucan, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and peptidoglycan (PG) [4e7]. The inactive proPO zymogen is converted to the active phenoloxidase (PO), by a clip domain serine proteinase (SPs) designated as a proPO activating enzyme (PPAE) [3,8]. The proPO cascade involves several proteolytic steps which are catalyzed by multiple SPs [9e13]. The terminal clip domain SP (PPAE) that

Biocompatibility and antibacterial activity of the Adathoda vasica Linn extract mediated silver nanoparticles.

The aim of this study is to investigate the biocompatibility and anti-Vibrio efficacy of green synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using an aqueous leaf extract of Adathoda vasica (A. vasica). The green synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). A. vasica AgNPs showed significant antibacterial activity against Vibrio parahaemolyticus in agar bioassay and well diffusion method. Further, nanoparticles interactions with bacteria and its antibacterial activity were confirmed by CLSM analysis. In vivo evaluation results confirmed that synthesized A. vasica AgNPs had good antibacterial efficacy and also nontoxic to the Artemia nauplii.

Ameliorative effect of ferulic acid against renal injuries mediated by nuclear factor-kappaB during glycerol-induced nephrotoxicity in Wistar rats

Abstract The pathogenesis of glycerol-induced myoglobinuric acute renal failure involves ischemia, vascular congestion and reactive oxygen metabolites. In this study, we have investigated for the first time, the role of ferulic acid in attenuating glycerol-induced nephrotoxicity. Male Wistar rats were injected intramuscularly with 8 mL/kg body weight of 50% glycerol, glycerol + ferulic acid at the dose of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mg/kg body weight. After 24 h, the rats were sacrificed and the kidneys were removed for histological and immunohistochemical studies. Furthermore, determinations of lipid peroxidation (LPO) as well as antioxidant enzymes were also analyzed; blood, urine samples were collected in order to quantify renal function and nitric oxide generation, respectively. Glycerol-induced rats showed a significant increase in the level of urinary markers assessed in serum as well as kidney and these were reversed upon ferulic acid treatment. A significant increase in urine nitric oxide, serum as well as kidney LPO, decrease in activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase and reduced glutathione were observed in glycerol-induced rats. Immunohistochemical study in glycerol-induced rats demonstrated an increase in the level of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB). All these effects induced by glycerol were reduced upon treatment with ferulic acid in a dose-dependent manner. To conclude, ferulic acid enhances antioxidants and decreases NF-κB, thereby protecting the cells against stress induced by glycerol.

In vitro and in vivo efficacy of rosmarinic acid on quorum sensing mediated biofilm formation and virulence factor production in Aeromonas hydrophila

Abstract Rosmarinic acid (RA) was assessed for its quorum sensing inhibitory (QSI) potential against Aeromonas hydrophila strains AH 1, AH 12 and MTCC 1739. The pathogenic strains of A. hydrophila were isolated from infected zebrafish and identified through biochemical analysis and amplification of a species-specific gene (rpsL). The biofilm inhibitory concentration (BIC) of RA against A. hydrophila strains was found to be 750 μg ml−1. At this concentration, RA reduced the QS mediated hemolysin, lipase and elastase production in A. hydrophila. In FT-IR analysis, RA treated A. hydrophila cells showed a reduction in cellular components. Gene expression analysis confirmed the down-regulation of virulence genes such as ahh1, aerA, lip and ahyB. A. hydrophila infected zebrafish upon treatment with RA showed increased survival rates. Thus, the present study demonstrates the use of RA as a plausible phytotherapeutic compound to control QS mediated biofilm formation and virulence factor production in A. hydrophila.

Biocatalytic and antibacterial visualization of green synthesized silver nanoparticles using Hemidesmus indicus.

In the present investigation, we described the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using plant leaf extract of Hemidesmus indicus. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). TEM images proved that the synthesized silver nanoparticles were spherical in shape with an average particle size of 25.24 nm. To evaluate antibacterial efficacy, bacteria was isolated from poultry gut and subjected to 16S rRNA characterization and confirmed as Shigella sonnei. The in vitro antibacterial efficacy of synthesized silver nanoparticles was studied by agar bioassay, well diffusion and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) assay. The H. indicus mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles shows rapid synthesis and higher inhibitory activity (34 ± 0.2 mm) against isolated bacteria S. sonnei at 40 μg/ml.