Ravi Kant Upadhyay

Antitermite Activities of C. decidua Extracts and Pure Compounds against Indian White Termite Odontotermes obesus (Isoptera: Odontotermitidae)

In the present investigation, we have tested antitermite responses of Capparis decidua stem, root, flower, and fruit extracts and pure compounds to Odontotermes obesus in various bioassays. Crude stem extract has shown very high susceptibility and very low LD50 values, that is, 14.171 μg/mg in worker termites. From stem extract, three pure compounds were isolated in pure form namely, heneicosylhexadecanoate (CDS2), triacontanol (CDS3), and 2-carboxy-1, 1-dimethylpyrrolidine (CDS8) which have shown very low LD50 value in a range of 5.537–10.083 μg/mg. Similarly, one novel compound 6-(1-hydroxy-non-3-enyl)-tetrahydropyran-2-one (CDF1) was isolated from flower extract that has shown an LD50 8.08 μg/gm. Repellent action of compounds was tested in a Y-shaped glass olfactometer in which CDF1 compounds have significantly repelled termites to the opposite arm. Besides this, C. decidua extracts have shown significant reduction ( and 0.01) in termite infestation in garden saplings when it was coated on cotton tags and employed over tree trunks. Further, C. deciduas stem extract was used for wood seasoning, which gave very good results as test wood sticks have shown significantly ( and 0.01) very low termite infestation.

Ethno-botanical importance of Pteridophytes used by the tribe of Pachmarhi, Central India

The present study mainly focuses on the ethno-botanical importance of Pteridophytes which are widely used by the people of the tribe of Pachmarhi, India. As many as 31 pteridophytes plants species belonging to 16 families are presented in this research article. The botanical name, synonyms, family name, local name, habit, part used, and their ethno-botanical uses are provided. The local people of Panarpani, Badkachhar, Rorighat, Matkuli, Pagara, Bariam, Amkhedi, Neemghan, Singanama, Tekapar, Chaka, Pisua, Monhgaun, Kadari, Binoura, and Kherghat were interviewed in this study. Key words: Pteridophytes, ethno-botanical plants, Pachmarhi tribe, India.

Biochemical and enzymatic changes after black scorpion Heterometrus fastigiousus Couzijn envenomation in experimental albino mice

The toxic effects of Asian black scorpion Heterometrus fastigiousus (Family, Scorpionidae) venom were determined in albino mice (NIH strain). Venom was isolated and fractioned by Sepharose CL‐6B column chromatography. The toxicity of fractioned venom was determined in albino mice by subcutaneous envenomation. The LD50 of venom was found to be 15 mg kg−1 body weight and range of molecular weight of venom proteins responsible for toxicity was found from 9.5–63 kDs. The effects of fractioned venom on different biochemical and enzymatic parameters in blood serum and gastrocnemius muscle tissue of albino mice were determined after experimental envenomation. An increase in serum levels of glucose, free amino acids, uric acid, pyruvic acid and total protein was observed while a decrease in the cholesterol level in serum was observed after 4 h of envenomation. Increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and glutamate–pyruvate transaminase (GPT) enzyme activity in serum was observed. Glycogen content in liver, atria, ventricle, rectus abdominus and gastrocnemius muscle was decreased after experimental envenomation. Activity of ALP, ACP, LDH, GPT, AChE and Na+K+ATPase enzymes in gastrocnemius muscle tissue of envenomed albino mice was studied. Inhibition in ALP, AChE and Na+K+ATPase enzyme activity and increase in ACP, LDH and GPT enzyme activity was observed in gastrocnemius muscle after scorpion envenomation. In vitro studies with AChE and Na+K+ATPase enzymes indicated that enzymatic activity of AChE was inhibited competitively by fractioned venom in gastrocnemius muscle. Copyright

Production of polyclonal antibodies against Indian honeybee (Apis indica) venom toxins and its efficacy in reversal of toxic effects

In this study, the efficiency of polyclonal anti-honeybee venom (HBV) antibody was successfully explored in the form of reversal of toxic effects induced by the venom. Honeybee venom expresses its toxicity not only by allergic reactions but it also causes molecular toxicity by making alteration in enzymes and bio-molecules. To come out from these toxic effects, polyclonal antibodies were generated by immunizing albino mice. Antibody was partially purified by octanoic acid precipitation and by ammonium sulphate treatment. The presence of antibody in the antiserum was confirmed by immuno-double diffusion test. 40% of LD50 of bee venom was incubated with 400, 800, and 1200 µg of purified antibody and this incubated mixture was injected into experimental mice. Parallel to this, one set of mice were injected with only 40% of LD50 and another injected with only saline which was considered as the control. The venom injected group showed 89.69% decrease in serum protein content while free amino acid, uric acid, cholesterol, pyruvic acid, total lipid and glucose was increased by 112.5, 122.10,102.48,110.0, 125.0 and 107.22% respectively. Subsequently, venom dose also elevated serum ACP, ALP, GPT, GOT, LDH up to 126.92, 128.44, 136.66, 109.09, and 114.24%. Contrarily, it depleted the AchE activity. On the other hand, the group of experimental animals that received 40% of LD50 of venom incubated with purified antiserum showed a complete reversal of the above abnormalities in the content of serum bio-molecules and enzymes.

Nutraceutical, therapeutic, and pharmaceutical potential of Aloe vera: A review

The present review explains therapeutic and pharmaceutical potential of Aloe vera a well-known plant grows in semi-arid climate of tropical and subtropical regions. This article emphasizes important uses of A. vera constituents as dietary nutraceutical, medicinal, and therapeutic potential. Plant is cultivated for agricultural and medicinal and decoration purposes for indoors as a potted plant. Plant is a good depository of chemical constituents which display a very wide array of biological activities such as anticancer, antiparasitic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, antiparasitic, antitumor, antioxidant, chemopreventive, hepatoprotective, and gastroprotective. Plant is used to prepare skin protective/care gels mainly for soothing, moisturizing, and wound healing. Thick watery plant sap works are added as key ingredient in many beauty products. Plant leaves are used to generate aroma, beverages, skin lotion, cosmetics, or ointments for minor burns. Plant contains vitamins, enzymes, minerals, sugars, lignin, saponins, salicylic acids, and amino acids as main ingredients. Plant is a good source of Vitamins A, C, and E, which are antioxidants. It also contains Vitamin B12, folic acid, and choline watery juicy of A. vera leaf which contains important minerals such as calcium, chromium, copper, selenium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Plant ingredients were found active against gingivitis, psoriasis, and used for herbal therapy in inflammatory bowel disease. A. vera contains important fatty acids mainly steroids such as cholesterol, campesterol, β-sitosterol, and lupeol. Aloin and emodin act as analgesics, antibacterials, and antivirals while lupeol shows antiseptic and analgesic properties. It also contains auxins and gibberellin hormones that help in wound healing and have anti-inflammatory action. Saponins that are the soapy substances display cleansing and antiseptic properties.

Nutritional and Therapeutic Potential of Allium Vegetables

Allium vegetables are highly nutritional, its dietary use improves digestion and mental health and lower down cholesterol level. Use of onions, garlic, scallions, chives and leeks show therapeutic efficacy against cardiovascular disease, hyperglycemia, and stomach cancer, Onions contain allylsulfides and flavonoids particularly quercetin that is an important anti-oxidative and reduces hepatocytes apoptosis in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat. Steroid saponins and sapogenins present in garlic bulbs are used to prepare soft soaps. I²-chlorogenin is a characteristic steroid sapogenin from garlic that is used for skin ointment and as a shiner. Both garlic paste and soft garlic preparations are used for flavoring the food items. Garlic products that contain the most safe, effective, stable, and odorless components are the most valuable as dietary supplements. Garlic also contains non sulfur compounds such as steroid saponins. Alliums showed antimicrobial, antithrombotic, antitumor, anti-hyperlipidaemic, antiarthritic, anti-hyperglycemic anticarcinogenic potential. Allium vegetables contain organosulfur compounds, including DATS, diallyl disulfide (DADS), ajoene, and S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC), have been found to induce cell cycle arrest in cancer cells. Alliums have great ethnomedicinal importance as these are used as native remedies against wide spectrum of diseases including diabetes. Allium origin natural products are of great therapeutic and dietary use. These are most preferred items used by nutritionists, physicians, food technologists, food chemists. Green allium vegetables are good source of natural pharmaceutics which are good for health and act against nutritionally induced acute and chronic diseases. Their possible inclusion in diets could explore new therapeutic avenues to enhance immunity against diseases.

Immuno-histochemical localization of cholesterol binding proteins in Schistocerca gregaria (Forskal)

This manuscript aims to investigate immunocytochemical localization of cholesterol binding proteins (CBPs) in semi-thin sections of midgut of Schistocerca gregaria (Forskal). For this purpose, polyclonal antibody specific to CBPs were raised in albino mice and used in immuno-fluorescence and immuno-blotting to determine the cellular location of CBPs. Midgut tissue sections were incubated with pAbs anti-cholesterol binding protein (primary antibody) and finally associate them with HRP conjugated anti-rabbit immunoglobulin (secondary antibody). Semi thin tissue sections of midgut portion were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for establishing general morphology of epithelial cells in control sections. Positive control tissue sections were stained with Sudan Black-B for microscopic visualization of cholesterol binding sites. Further, cholesterol association in tissue sections was confirmed by using tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate (TRITC) labeled florescent antibodies and immuno-blotting of CBPs. Finally, CBPs or cholesterol-carrying proteins were detected intracellularly in midgut epithelial/ microvillus cells named as CBP+. Zymogene like dense granules localized were found scattered throughout the apical portion of microvillus cells. Further, presence of these CBPS was confirmed by SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis and immuno-blotting. In treatments, dietary cholesterol was found to be internalized bound to complexed with CBPs before absorption. Further, same protein was also localized in other tissues like fat body, testis, and ovary of male and female insects of S. gregaria. However, present study done on immuno-cytochemical localization of cholesterol binding proteins in microvillus cells confirms that CBPS are main careers of cholesterol. These proteins also assist in transport of cholesterol to the various organs after its subsequent absorption. Keywords: Cholesterol binding proteins (CBPs), cholesterol, lipoprotein, midgut, immunocytochemical localization, S. gregaria (Forskal). African Journal of Biotechnology Vol 13(28) 2884-2896