Sonia Singh

Genetic Variability and Interrelationship Among Opium and its Alkaloids in Opium Poppy (Papaver Somniferum L.)

SummaryThe plant species Papaver somniferum L. (opium poppy) is grown commercially in several countries under secure area to produce opium and its major alkaloids i.e. morphine, codeine, thebaine, narcotine and papaverine for pharmaceutical industries. In recent years the global demand for these alkaloids and its derivatives are growing. Seeing the global demand there is urgent need to develop high opium yielding varieties integrated with high specific alkaloids. However, a breeding programme focused on developing improved varieties requires knowledge about the genetic variability for the concern traits. Therefore the present investigation was undertaken to examine phenotypic and genotypic variability, broad sense heritability, genetic advance under selection and interrelationship of traits. A total of 122 accessions were found to be highly variables for all the traits studied. Broad sense heritability ranged from 74.18% (for opium yield/plant) to 99.00% (for papaverine content). Expected genetic advance was varied between 33.91% (for morphine content) and 257.46% (for papaverine content). Genetic correlation analysis revealed that opium yield is negatively correlated with morphine and papaverine content. Among alkaloids codeine, thebaine, narcotine and papaverine showed positive correlation among themselves. The correlations among alklaloids were justified based on the biosynthetic pathway of opium alkaloids.

Genetic divergence in parental genotypes and its relation with heterosis, F1 performance and general combining ability (GCA) in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.)

SummaryGenetic divergence in 110 population (20 parents and 90 F1 hybrids) of opium poppy was studied by multivariate analysis. All the entries were grouped in 14 clusters. Out of 20 parents, ten were accumulated in one cluster and rest 10 distributed over seven clusters. Estimates of cluster distance showed that maximum intra-cluster distance was in -cluster IX (25.62) followed by cluster I (22.41), V (22.23) and IV (21.06). The inter cluster distances varied from 16.62 (between cluster XII and XIV) to 195.10 (between cluster IV and IX). The cluster analysis indicated substantial diversity among the parental genotypes, which had the potential to release considerable variation in their crosses. The first four principal components (PCs) with eigen values >1 accounted for 68% of variation among the population. The first and second components could account for 29 and 20% of the total morphological and alkaloidal variations, respectively. The PC1 was closely related to yield and yield related traits. The characters contributing greatest positive weight on PC1 were opium yield, plant height, stem diameter, capsule weight/plant and seed yield/plant. The possibilities of relationship between genetic divergence, F1 performance, heterosis and GCA of parents have been explored.

Impact of mutagenesis on cytological behavior in relation to specific alkaloids in Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum L.)

Abstract The present study was an effort to identify appropriate dose of mutagens for the elevation of specific alkaloids especially thebaine through induced mutagenesis in opium poppy (P. somniferum L.) using two stable high yielding varieties NBRI-1 and NBRI-5. Simultaneously, the study also deals correlation between cytological aberrations and their effects on alkaloid quantity. Among the two varieties NBRI-1 was more sensitive than NBRI-5. The EMS was reported most potent mutagen for creation of chromosomal abnormalities. The treatment kR 10+0.2% EMS and kR10+0.4% EMS possessed high chiasms frequency. The dose 0.2% EMS in combinations with all doses of gamma accelerates the total alkaloid as well as individual alkaloid content.

Genetic combining ability estimates in the F1 and F2 generations for yield, its component traits and alkaloid content in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.)

The F1 and F2 generations of a twenty parent fractional diallel cross of opium poppy (P. somniferum L.) were analyzed for combining ability for ten quantitative and five quality (alkaloids) traits. The results indicated significant differences among the parents for combining ability for all the traits. The GCA and SCA components of variances were significant for all the characters. However, the SCA component of variance (δ2s) was predominant indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene effect for all the traits except for leaves/plant and papaverine in F1 hybrids. The average degree of dominance (δ2s/δ2g) was more than unity indicating over dominance and also confirming non-additive mode of gene action. Among the parents IS-16, IS-13 and NBRI-1 for early flowering, BR226 and BR241 for branches/plant, capsule weight/plant, seed yield/plant and husk yield/plant, BR227 for leaves/plant, UO1285 for capsule size and opium yield/plant, NBRI-5 for husk yield/plant, morphine, codeine, and thebaine and ‘Papline’ for plant height and papaverine content were found good general combiners. Parent ND1001 was good combiner for codeine and narcotine content. Inclusion of good general combiners in a multiple crossing program or an intermating population involving all the possible crosses among them subjected to bi-parental mating may be expected to offer maximum promise in breeding for higher opium, seed yield and alkaloid contents.

Role of morphometry and proliferative parameters in grading of urothelial neoplasms.

Introduction Mean nuclear area of 10 nuclei (MNA–10), mitotic activity index (MAI) and Ki–67 are highly reproducible and can be routinely used as adjuncts to histopathological grading in classifying tumors. Assays of these biomarkers are non–invasive, rapid, easy to perform, more objective and accurate, with high sensitivity and specificity, and correlate well with tumor grade. Material and methods This study was conducted at the Department of Pathology PGIMS, Rohtak on 50 cases, of which 25 cases were high–grade, 15 low–grade, 6 Papillary Urothelial Neoplasm of Low Malignant Potentialand 4 reactive lesions as per the 2004 ISUP/WHO classification. MNA–10, MAI and Ki–67 immunoquantitation were performed on stained sections. Results The age of the patients varied from 35 to 87 years. Male: female ratio was 3.5:1. The mean MNA–10 (μm2) for High Grade Malignant Potential was 104.52 ±25.64 μm2, which was significantly higher than in PUNLMP (47.64 ±10.23) and LMP (51.57 ±15.66). MAI (/10 HPF) showed an increasing trend from reactive lesions to HMP, with a mean of (3 ±1.16)/10 HPF to (21.36 ±5.31)/10 HPF respectively. Ki–67 labelling index, a proliferative marker, revealed increasing trend lowest with reactive lesions (10 ±2.83%) and highest in high grade tumors (65.96 ±14.44). Spearmans correlation showed maximum correlation between MAI and Ki–67 and the increasing grade of tumor. Conclusions MNA–10 in combination with Ki–67 and MAI was found to be stronger than MNA–10 alone. MAI has high reproducibility in differentiating low and high grade, with simple assessment in paraffin embedded sections allowing adequate histopathological analysis and visualization of proliferating cells simultaneously. This multivariate grading model should be applied in routine grading to overcome interobserver variability and to increase reproducibility of grading.

Solitary fibrous tumor arising from pericardium Case report of a rare entity

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare spindle cell neoplasm mainly originated in the pleural cavity. We report here an unusual case of a large SFT arising from the pericardium. A 40 year female with complaints of left sided chest pain was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of pericardial mass. CT showed a 11x7 cm mass arising from pericardium showing enhancement and peripheral calcification. Excised mass showed a grey brown well circumscribed nodular mass measuring 8x6x5cm along with attached lobe of lung measuring 6x4x3 cm. Microscopic examination showed a predominant population of monotonous bland looking ovoid to spindle cells arranged in patternless pattern or interlacing bundles with areas of necrosis , hemorrhage and myxoid change, mild nuclear atypia and no mitotic activity. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the tumor cells were positive for CD34, BCL-2, Vimentin and Desmin (focally) and negative for EMA, SMA and Calretinin. Based on histomorphology and immunohistochemistry, the final diagnosis of solitary fibrous tumor was made.