Raj Kumar Pandey

Elimination of infection in pulpectomized deciduous teeth: A short-term study using iodoform paste

This study was conducted to retain the pulp-involved deciduous teeth in dental arches and were restored to function by elimination of infection in pulpectomized deciduous teeth using iodoform paste. Clinically the teeth were evaluated for pain, mobility, and presence or absence of sinus for 3 months. We concluded that the iodoform paste is a suitable root canal filling material for single-visit pulp canal treatment in chronic pulp-infected deciduous teeth.

Bryophytes: Hoard of remedies, an ethno-medicinal review

Bryophytes are the second largest group of land plants after angiosperms. There is very less knowledge available about medicinal properties of these plants. Bryophytes are popular remedy among the tribal people of different parts of the world. Tribal people use these plants to cure various ailments in their daily lives. Bryophytes are used to cure hepatic disorders, skin diseases, cardiovascular diseases, used as antipyretic, antimicrobial, wound healing and many more other ailments by different tribal communities of Africa, America, Europe, Poland, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Japan, Taiwan, Pakistan, China, Nepal and different parts of South, North and Eastern India. Apart from ethno-medicinal uses some bryophytes possesses antitumor activities against different cancer cell lines and this property of bryophytes needs to be more focused in the future. Compile information about medicinal properties and anticancer properties of bryophytes is lacking till date. In the present review, the authors tried to compile all the ethno-medicinal and other related information of bryophytes and fill the knowledge lacuna in this particular field. Some published reviews are available but the information is segregated. This manuscript will help people doing research in the bryophytes.

Lignolytic mushroom Lenzites elegans WDP2: Laccase production, characterization, and bioremediation of synthetic dyes

A mycoremedial study was undertaken for decolourization of synthetic dyes using wood rot fungal culture Lenzites elegans WDP2. The culture was isolated from decaying wood as fruiting body, and identified on the basis of 5.8S ITS rRNA gene sequence analysis. Qualitative plate screening of culture showed extracellular laccase and lignin peroxidase production, while only laccase enzyme was produced in higher amount (156.793 Uml-1) in minimal salt broth medium containing glucose and veratryl alcohol. Laccase activity was increased up to 189.25 Uml-1 after optimization of laccase production by optimization of one variable at a time approach. Molecular characterization of laccase enzyme was done using SDS PAGE and Native PAGE based isozyme analyses. The culture was able to decolorize three synthetic dying compounds (congo red, Malachite green and brilliant green) in broth media, while showed very less decolourization in plate assay. The fungal culture varied in their dye decolourizing potential in broth culture, showing 92.77%, 21.27% and 98.8% maximum decolourization of brilliant green, malachite green and congo red respectively. The congo red dye was completely bio-absorbed by fungal culture within one month. The fungal decolourized broth also revealed the extracellular laccase activity; varied from 10 Uml-1 to 68.5 Uml-1 in all the three cases, supports the involvement of laccase enzyme in decolorization. Phase contrast microscopy clearly revealed bio-sorption of the dyes by fungal culture into the mycelium/spores in the photomicrographs.

Phytostimulating Mechanisms and Bioactive Molecules of Trichoderma Species: Current Status and Future Prospects

Ever-increasing pressure on the agricultural land due to various biotic and abiotic stresses made agriculture a nonprofitable venture. In order to bring back the lost glory to agriculture, there is an urgent need to reclaim this eroded agriculture with sustainable practices, one among them is the use of plant growth-promoting microorganisms such as rhizosphere-competent Trichoderma sp. In this chapter, the major mechanisms and bioactive molecules involved in plant growth promotory activity of Trichoderma sp. are described in detail. Trichoderma sp. is also known to produce growth-regulating phytohormones and other bioactive molecules which are known to protect them against antimicrobial compounds secreted by plant, but they also help the plants in overcoming various stresses. Various hydrolytic enzymes such as chitinases, glucanases, and proteinases are produced by Trichoderma which aid in its mycoparasitic response. The fungus is also able to enhance plant growth through nutrient solubilization and its uptake. It mobilizes phosphates from fixed organic/inorganic phosphorus sources through both enzymatic (phosphatases, phytases) and nonenzymatic mechanisms (production of organic acids and siderophores). Trichoderma produces a wide array of secondary metabolites and volatile compounds which are mainly responsible for its biocontrol action. Suppression of fungal plant pathogens through mycoparasitism involves signal transduction and G protein signaling in Trichoderma. Secondary metabolites and volatile compounds produced by this fungus are very diverse in their occurrence and mode of action against phytopathogens. Recent developments in molecular biology, metabolomics, and proteomics have opened an insight for the use of secondary metabolites as biopesticides rather than the application of whole organisms.

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles using Wrightia tinctoria Leaf Extract and their Antibacterial Studies

The synthesis of nanoparticles has become a matter of great interest in recent times due to their various advantageous properties and applications in a variety of fields. Recently, the exploitation of different plant materials for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles is considered a green technology because it does not involve any harmful chemicals. Among them, Iron nanoparticles (Fe NPs) are gaining importance for their use in environmental remediation technologies. In the present study, iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) were synthesized using a rapid, single step and completely green biosynthetic method by reduction of ferric chloride solution with Wrightia tinctoria leaf extract which acts as reducing agent and efficient stabilizer at room temperature. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible spectrophotometer FT-IR, X-ray diffraction and SEM methods. The morphology of the nanoparticles mostly appeared to be porous and spongy, nanoclusters with panoramic view and range from 105-145 nm in size. X-ray diffraction showed that the nanoparticles are crystalline in nature, with a cubic shape and rhombohedral geometry. The synthesized Iron oxide nanoparticles exhibited potent antibacterial activity against gram positive and moderate activity against gram negative bacterial strains tested. Novelty of this present study is that the plant extract is very cost effective and eco friendly and thus can be economic and effective alternative for the large scale synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles.