Differently substituted flavanones were isolated from Leguminosae and their antibacterial activity was comparatively studied against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of phytochemical flavanones to clinical isolates of MRSA were determined by a serial agar dilution method. The structure-activity relationship has indicated that 2',4'- or 2',6'-dihydroxylation of the B ring and 5,7-dihydroxylation of the A ring in the flavanone structure are important for significant anti-MRSA activity and that substitution with a certain aliphatic group at the 6- or 8-position also enhances the activity. Among the thirteen flavanones tested, tetrahydroxyflavanones with these structural characteristics isolated from Sophora exigua and Echinosophora koreensis showed intensive activity to inhibit the growth of all MRSA strains at 3.13-6.25 micrograms/ml. The present hydroxyflavanones would be useful in the phytotherapeutic strategy against MRSA infections.

Comparative Study on the Antibacterial Activity of Phytochemical Flavanones against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Chitin and chitosan are natural amino polysaccharides that have exceptional biocompatibility in a wide range of applications such as drug delivery carriers, antibacterial agents and food stabilizers. However, conventional chemical extraction methods of chitin from marine waste are costly and hazardous to the environment. Here we report a study where shrimp waste was co-fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum ATCC 14917 and Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis ATCC 6051 and chitin was successfully extracted after deproteinization and demineralization of the prawn shells. The glucose supplementation for fermentation was replaced by waste substrates to reduce cost and maximize waste utilization. A total of 10 carbon sources were explored, namely sugarcane molasses, light corn syrup, red grape pomace, white grape pomace, apple peel, pineapple peel and core, potato peel, mango peel, banana peel and sweet potato peel. The extracted chitin was chemically characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to measure the degree of acetylation, elemental analysis (EA) to measure the carbon/nitrogen ratio and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to measure the degree of crystallinity. A comparison of the quality of the crude extracted chitin was made between the different waste substrates used for fermentation and the experimental results showed that the waste substrates generally make a suitable replacement for glucose in the fermentation process. Red grape pomace resulted in recovery of chitin with a degree of deacetylation of 72.90%, a carbon/nitrogen ratio of 6.85 and a degree of crystallinity of 95.54%. These achieved values were found to be comparable with and even surpassed commercial chitin.

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Microbial extraction of chitin from seafood waste using sugars derived from fruit waste-stream

Amylase is amongst the most indispensable enzymes that have a large number of applications in laboratories and industries. Mostly, α-amylase is synthesized from microbes such as bacteria, fungi and yeast. Due to the high demand for α-amylase, its synthesis can be enhanced using recombinant DNA technology, different fermentation methods, less expensive and good carbon and nitrogen sources, and optimizing the various parameters during fermentation, e.g., temperature, pH and fermentation duration. Various methods are used to measure the production and activity of synthesized α-amylase like iodine, DNS, NS and dextrinizing methods. The activity of crude α-amylase can be elevated to the maximum level by optimizing the temperature and pH. Some metals also interact with α-amylase and increase its activity like K+, Na+, Mg2+ and Ca2+. Some industries such as starch conversion, food, detergent, paper, textile industries and fuel alcohol production extensively utilize α-amylase for their various purposes.

Biosynthesis and industrial applications of α-amylase: a review

A novel role of probiotics in improving host defence of elite rugby union athlete: A double blind randomised controlled trial.

Objective(s): Our present study sought to evaluate hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of methanol extract of Azolla microphylla phytochemically synthesized gold nanoparticles (GNaP) in acetaminophen (APAP) - induced hepatotoxicity of fresh water common carp fish. Materials and Methods: GNaP were prepared by green synthesis method using methanol extract of Azolla microphylla. Twenty four fishes weighing 146 ± 2.5 g were used in this experiment and these were divided into four experimental groups, each comprising 6 fishes. Group 1 served as control. Group 2 fishes were exposed to APAP (500 mg/kg) for 24 h. Groups 3 and 4 fishes were exposed to APAP (500 mg/kg) + GNaP (2.5 mg/kg) and GNaP (2.5 mg/kg) for 24 h, respectively. The hepatoprotective and antioxidant potentials were assessed by measuring liver damage, biochemical parameters, ions status, and histological alterations. Results: APAP exposed fish showed significant elevated levels of metabolic enzymes (LDH, G6PDH and MDH), hepatotoxic markers (GPT, GOT and ALP), reduced hepatic glycogen, lipids, protein, albumin, globulin, increased levels of bilirubin, creatinine, and oxidative stress markers (TBRAS, LHP and protein carbonyl), altered the tissue enzymes (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and GST) non-enzyme (GSH), cellular sulfhydryl (T-SH, P-SH and NP-SH) levels, reduced hepatic ions (Ca 2+ , Na + and K + ), and abnormal liver histology. It was observe that GNaP has reversal effects on the levels of above mentioned parameters in APAP hepatotoxicity. Conclusion: Azolla microphylla phytochemically synthesized GNaP protects liver against oxidative damage and tissue damaging enzyme activities and could be used as an effective protector against acetaminophen-induced hepatic damage in fresh water common carp fish.

http://nmj.mums.ac.ir/article_4089_c58ba2520d7d63afa6d22901b0a6ed21.pdf

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of azolla microphylla based gold nanoparticles against acetaminophen induced toxicity in a fresh water common carp fish (cyprinus carpio l.)

Nutrient uptake and their utilization efficiencies are the two central contemplations for identification and assessment of most suitable cultivars and for their ideal cultivation practices. Several endeavors have formularized quantitative attributes for these two important traits both at ecosystem as well as at species level across the globe under control conditions as well as on natural habitats. However, much confusion has been caused by the use of different terminology. Even the application of the most common terms, such as nutrient use efficiency, may differ among authors, leading to fundamental disagreement over interpretation of the same data. Thus, the present chapter is shaped with some important scattered attributes like definition of nutrient uptake and use efficiency, concept and levels of their measurements (ecosystem and species levels), technical terminology, and quantitative aspects for nutrient use and uptake efficiencies. Twenty-seven quantitative approaches with some supportive parameters like construction cost, resorption, and mechanistic models have also been described. The present chapter will give updated and comparative tools to researchers to facilitate their experiment layout, quantitative evaluation of their data sets, and their interpretation.

Quantitative Attributes of Nutrient Uptake and Use Efficiency

Primary healthcare systems involves use of medicinal plants as an effective source of both traditional and modern medicines. Any plant which possesses curative elements or properties in one or more of its organs may be termed as medicinal plant. Plant based medicaments have been employed since the dawn of civilization for prolonging the life of man and for combating various ailments. World Health Organization (WHO) also advocates use of traditional medicines as safe remedies for ailments of both microbial and non-microbial origins. According to WHO more than one billion people rely on herbal medicines to some extent. 21,000 plants all around the world have been listed for their medicinal uses and it has been estimated that as many as 80 percent of the world’s population depends on plants for their primary healthcare needs. Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances that can be used to treat chronic as well as infectious diseases. Medicinal value of plants depends on these inherent substances that produce a definite physiological action on the human body.

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Plant extracts and phytochemicals as herbal medicines and antimicrobials

Alternaria blight of oilseed Brassica crop is most widespread disease caused by necrotrophic ascomycetes fungus such as Alternaria brassicae and Alternaria brassicicola which cause huge economic loss. Among large reasons, the key reason for Alternaria blight infection is due to nutrients deficiency such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), sulfur (S) and potassium (K). Thus, B. juncea requires different nutrients for improving its health and capability to resist the disease. Since the use of agrochemicals and fungicides is not much efficient, fungal pathogens develop resistance and fungicides have large side effects on human and soil health, there is a need to screen biocidal agents developed through newly advanced and innovative technology known as nanotechnology. Enormous reports have recommended the use of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) for disease management such as titanium dioxide NPs (TiO2), iron oxide NPs (Fe3O4), zinc oxide NPs (ZnO NPs), cerium oxide (CeO2) and copper oxide NPs (CuO NPs). Among these, biogenic CuO NPs synthesized from different species of Trichoderma can be considered as promising and most efficient antifungal agent against Alternaria blight. Due to some specific properties, nanoparticles have been used for agricultural needs, among which CuO NPs have special feature as they activate defense system of plants and inhibit spore germination of phytopathogens. The cost effective synthesis and novel properties of CuO NPs makes them an alternative to copper fungicides. Therefore, the following review summarizes an insight into the proposed mechanism of CuO NPs as a protective and curative agent for Alternaria blight disease management. The biogenic CuO NPs monitor the disease development and its control by two methods. One is preventive method in which CuO NPs retard the growth of Alternaria brassicae on susceptible leaf tissues, thus preventing the Alternaria blight, while in another method, CuO NPs act as a curative medicine which kills the pathogen by releasing Alternaria inhibiting compounds and helps in transportation of these compounds at the site of infection. Hence, the current review focused on the properties of CuO NPs for their biocontrol efficacy against Alternaria blight through in vivo studies.

Protective and curative activity of biogenic copper oxide nanoparticles against Alternaria blight disease in oilseed crops: a review

Exploring the Impact of Bioformulated Copper Oxide Nanoparticles on Cytomorphology of Alternaria brassicicola

Biofabricated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO Np’s) are made by biological means for example microbes, plants, etc. by using nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is the technology that involves the manipulation of a matter up to a nanometre scale by various methods. The future of the industrial revolution is nanotechnology and almost all the industries developing or developed will be fundamentally renovated by this technology soon. Besides application in various fields nanotechnology have a promising role in agriculture which is the heart and soul of the Indian economy. As per the scientists, metal and metal oxide nanomaterials in agriculture can help in improving the poor agriculture conditions in India. Recent reports indicate that 80% of diseases in crop plants occur due to fungal pathogens and to cure these diseases, various chemical, as well as biological fungicides, have been used. Chemical fungicides are toxic to our environment whereas biofabricated metal and metal oxides nanoparticles for example ZnO Np’s are eco-friendly, non-toxic, cost-effective, have antimicrobial activity, and also have a role in crop growth. The mechanistic approach behind their antifungal activity and crop growth is not fully explored yet. Fungal pathogens like Alternaria species and Sclerotinia species infect Brassica species which is the second most economically important oilseed crop after groundnut. There is a need for new strategies to develop novel fungicides to control fungal infections. The present review will address the possible role of ZnO Np’s in disease suppression caused by the fungal pathogens of Brassica species and also their role in crop growth.

Arti Goel

Papers

Quantitative Attributes of Nutrient Uptake and Use Efficiency

Plant extracts and phytochemicals as herbal medicines and antimicrobials

Protective and curative activity of biogenic copper oxide nanoparticles against Alternaria blight disease in oilseed crops: a review

Exploring the Impact of Bioformulated Copper Oxide Nanoparticles on Cytomorphology of Alternaria brassicicola

Biofabricated nanoscale ZnO and their prospective in disease suppression and crop growth of Brassica species: A review