S. Ilavenil

Dietary supplementation with Cynodon dactylon (L.) enhances innate immunity and disease resistance of Indian major carp, Catla catla (Ham.)

Indian major carp (Catla catla) was subjected to study the immunostimulatory effects when the grass Cynodon dactylon(L) ethanolic extract administrated as feed supplement. C. catla was fed with 0% (Control), 0.05% (group I), 0.5% (group II) and 5% (group III) extract provided for 60 days. Blood samples were collected at every 10 days of interval up to 60 days for analyzing the non-specific humoral (lysozyme activity, antiprotease activity and haemolytic complement) and cellular (production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, myeloperoxidase activity) immune response study. The results indicate that C. dactylon ethanolic extract administered as feed supplement significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced most of the non-specific immune parameters tested. Among the experimental diet groups, significantly increased response of non-specific immunity was seen in group III (5%). Disease resistant analysis against Aeromonas hydrophila was performed in control group and plant extract treated fish for 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Relative percent survival rate (RPS) was observed in treated samples, which is directly proportional to concentration of the extract. Additionally, electron microscopic studies and gelatin zymography for Matrix Metalo Proteinase (MMPs) were examined in spleen at 7th and 28th days of feeding. Administration of C. dactylon mixed diet delayed the lymphocyte destruction with positive ultrastructural changes. An induced stress (A. hydrophila infection) was observed by using MMPs expression, which was reduced in the experimental diet groups than the control. All these experimental results prove that C. dactylon ethanolic extract enhances the immunity of Catla fish.

Protective effects of lycorine against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in Swiss albino mice.

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a well‐known model for inducing chemical hepatic injury in Swiss albino mice. The present study was designed to examine the ability of lycorine a natural alkaloid compound to prevent CCl4‐induced hepatotoxicity in the Swiss albino mice. After the experimental period of 8 weeks, CCl4 significantly increased the generation of lipid peroxidation products, it reflected by high levels of malondialdehyde, hepatic marker enzymes like aspartate transaminase, Alanine transaminase, Lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and lipids profiles. These increases were accompanied by significant decreases of glutathione (GSH); vitamin C content and significant reduction in activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione‐S‐transferase and GSH reductase were observed in the mice liver, which were normalized by the lycorine treatment as compared with CCl4‐induced group of mice. Moreover, the histological and ultrastructural observations evidenced that lycorine effectively rescues the hepatocyte from CCl4‐induced oxidative damage without disturbing its cellular metabolic function and structural integrity. Therefore, lycorine may be considered a potent antioxidant against free radical‐related diseases.

Protection of human erythrocyte using Crinum asiaticum extract and lycorine from oxidative damage induced by 2-amidinopropane.

Abstract The intention of this investigation was to evaluate the free radical scavenging activity and erythrocyte protective activity of ethanolic extract of Crinum asiaticum (L) and lycorine. The ethanolic extract of C. asiaticum (L) and lycorine were found to have different levels of antioxidant properties in the test models. Both ethanolic extract of C. asiaticum (L) (0.5–2.5mg/ml) and lycorine (0.010mg–0.050mg/ml) increases the percentage of lipid peroxidation inhibition (26.25±0.23% and 19.25±0.23%) and enhances the free radical scavenging activity (20.92±0.22% and 20.52±0.22%), scavenging of hydrogen peroxide (25.67±0.17% and 23.07±0.3%) superoxide anion scavenging activity (27.69±0.16% and 16.09±0.7%) at concentration of 2.5 and 0.050mg of C. asiaticum (L) and lycorine, respectively. But compared with tocopherol (P <0.05) less activity was observed by C. asiaticum (L) and lycorine. The ethanolic extract of C. asiaticum (L) and lycorine were normalized to reduce the level of glutathione and also to sustain the status of protein in erythrocytes during the peroxyl radical [2,2-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)] induced oxidative damage in ex vivo model. The present results of the investigations demonstrated that protective nature of the C. asiaticum (L) and lycorine will be considered as a significant natural antioxidant source.