I read this book the same weekend that the Packers took on the Rams, and the experience of the latter event, obviously, colored my judgment. Although I abhor anything that smacks of being a handbook (like, \"How to Earn a Merit Badge in Neurosurgery\") because too many volumes in biomedical science already evince a boyscout-like approach, I must confess that parts of this volume are fast, scholarly, and significant, with certain reservations. I like parts of this well-illustrated book because Dr. Sj6strand, without so stating, develops certain subjects on technique in relation to the acquisition of judgment and sophistication. And this is important! So, given that the author (like all of us) is somewhat deficient in some areas, and biased in others, the book is still valuable if the uninitiated reader swallows it in a general fashion, realizing full well that what will be required from the reader is a modulation to fit his vision, propreception, adaptation and response, and the kind of problem he is undertaking. A major deficiency of this book is revealed by comparison of its use of physics and of chemistry to provide understanding and background for the application of high resolution electron microscopy to problems in biology. Since the volume is keyed to high resolution electron microscopy, which is a sophisticated form of structural analysis, but really morphology in a modern guise, the physical and mechanical background of The instrument and its ancillary tools are simply and well presented. The potential use of chemical or cytochemical information as it relates to biological fine structure , however, is quite deficient. I wonder when even sophisticated morphol-ogists will consider fixation a reaction and not a technique; only then will the fundamentals become self-evident and predictable and this sine qua flon will become less mystical. Staining reactions (the most inadequate chapter) ought to be something more than a technique to selectively enhance contrast of morphological elements; it ought to give the structural addresses of some of the chemical residents of cell components. Is it pertinent that auto-radiography gets singled out for more complete coverage than other significant aspects of cytochemistry by a high resolution microscopist, when it has a built-in minimal error of 1,000 A in standard practice? I don't mean to blind-side (in strict football terminology) Dr. Sj6strand's efforts for what is \"routinely used in our laboratory\"; what is done is usually well done. It's just that …

Methods in Enzymology.

There are concerns about using synthetic phenolic antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) as food additives because of the reported negative effects on human health. Thus, a replacement of these synthetics by antioxidant extractions from various foods has been proposed. More than 8000 different phenolic compounds have been characterized; fruits and vegetables are the prime sources of natural antioxidants. In order to extract, measure, and identify bioactive compounds from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, researchers use multiple techniques and methods. This review includes a brief description of a wide range of different assays. The antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties of phenolic natural products from fruits and vegetables are also discussed.

/pdf/phytochemicals-extraction-isolation-and-identification-of-4uq807l5d8.pdf

Phytochemicals: Extraction, Isolation, and Identification of Bioactive Compounds from Plant Extracts

In this study, the antioxidant activity of water and ethanol extracts of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed (FS) was evaluated by various antioxidant assay, including total antioxidant, free radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, metal chelating activities and reducing power. Those various antioxidant activities were compared to standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and α-tocopherol. The water and ethanol extracts of FS seeds showed strong antioxidant activity. 100 μg of water and ethanol extracts exhibited 99.1% and 77.5% inhibition of peroxidation in linoleic acid system, respectively, and greater than the same dose of α-tocopherol (36.1%). The both extracts of FS have effective reducing power, free radical scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and metal chelating activities. This antioxidant property depends on concentration and increasing with increased amount of sample. In addition, total phenolic compounds in the water and ethanol extracts of fennel seeds were determined as gallic acid equivalents. The results obtained in the present study indicated that the fennel (F. vulgare) seed is a potential source of natural antioxidant. Although, the tests presented here show the usefulness of FS extracts as in vitro antioxidants it still needs to be that this extracts show their activity in emulsions, biological systems, health implications or dry foods.

Determination of in vitro antioxidant activity of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed extracts

Foeniculum vulgare Mill commonly called fennel has been used in traditional medicine for a wide range of ailments related to digestive, endocrine, reproductive, and respiratory systems. Additionally, it is also used as a galactagogue agent for lactating mothers. The review aims to gather the fragmented information available in the literature regarding morphology, ethnomedicinal applications, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of Foeniculum vulgare. It also compiles available scientific evidence for the ethnobotanical claims and to identify gaps required to be filled by future research. Findings based on their traditional uses and scientific evaluation indicates that Foeniculum vulgare remains to be the most widely used herbal plant. It has been used for more than forty types of disorders. Phytochemical studies have shown the presence of numerous valuable compounds, such as volatile compounds, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and amino acids. Compiled data indicate their efficacy in several in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties such as antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antinociceptive, antipyretic, antispasmodic, antithrombotic, apoptotic, cardiovascular, chemomodulatory, antitumor, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and memory enhancing property. Foeniculum vulgare has emerged as a good source of traditional medicine and it provides a noteworthy basis in pharmaceutical biology for the development/formulation of new drugs and future clinical uses.

/pdf/foeniculum-vulgare-mill-a-review-of-its-botany-40qny7m2tn.pdf

Foeniculum vulgare Mill: A Review of Its Botany, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Contemporary Application, and Toxicology

https://pedclerk.uchicago.edu/sites/pedclerk.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/1-s2.0-S0749070412000589-main.pdf

A review of acetaminophen poisoning.

Following the oral administration of acetone extract of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) seeds for 15 days is male rats, total protein concentration was found to be significantly decreased in testes and vas deferens and increased in seminal vesicles and prostate gland There was a decrease in activities of acid and alkaline phosphatase in all these regions, except that alkaline phosphatase was unchanged in vasa In female rats, oral administration of the extract for 10 days led to vaginal cornification and oestrus cycle While moderate doses caused increase in weight of mammary glands, higher doses increased the weight of oviduct, endometrium, myometrium, cervix and vagina also The results confirm the oestrogenic activity of the seed extract

Effect of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. seed extract on the genital organs of male and female rats.

Acorus calamus (AC) is a traditional medicinal plant that is commonly used for treating central nervous system abnormalities. In ayurvedic medicine, it is used for the treatment of insomnia, melancholia, epilepsy, hysteria, loss of memory remittent fevers and neurosis. This plant extract is mainly used for various pharmacological activities like antidiabetic, antiproliferative and immunosuppressive, antidiarrhoeal, hypolipidemic activities. The main constituents of AC were found belonging to monoterpene, sesquiterpene, phenylpropanoid, flavonoid and quinone. The present study is aimed to evaluate the antihepatotoxic and antioxidant activities of ethanolic extract of Acorus calamus at two dose level of 250mg/kg & 500 mg/kg B/W on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. It observed that the ethanol extract of AC confers hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities by histopathological and biochemical observations against acetaminophen induced liver injury in rats. The activity of ethanol extract of AC (500 mg/kg B/W) is comparable to the standard drug silymarin (25mg/kg B/W).

/pdf/therapeutic-efficacy-of-antihepatotoxic-and-antioxidant-3l6fom90r0.pdf

Therapeutic efficacy of antihepatotoxic and antioxidant activities of Acorus calamus on acetaminophen-induced toxicity in rat

Raman spectroscopic analysis on Li, N and (Li,N) implanted ZnO

Cassia auriculata and Aegle marmelos are used extensively in the indigenous system of medicine as an anti-diabetic agent. The current investigation focuses on the serum insulin augmentation, anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic property of a combined aqueous extracts of C.auriculata and A.marmelos on streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. The diabetes induced animals were fed with plant extracts at the increasing dosage of 250mg, 350mg and 450mg of body wt. The combined plant extracts administrated animals revealed a significant (P<0.001) increment of serum insulin levels, higher reduction in hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia when compared to the diabetic control rats (P<0.001). The histological studies of the endocrine region of pancreas of diabetic animals revealed that shrinkage of β cells of islets of langerhans. The combined plant extracts treated animals revealed restoration of β-cells. The restoration of β cells was evident at higher dose level i.e. 450mg/by wt extracts fed groups.

Anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effect of combined plant extract of Cassia auriculata and Aegle marmelos in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic albino rats.

Aegle marmelos (vilvam in Tamil) leaves are used extensively in the indigenous system of medicine as an anti-diabetic agent. The current investigation focuses on the lipid lowering property of an aqueous extract of Aegle marmelos leaves on streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. The lipid profiles such as serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) were studied. Extracts were administered orally at increasing dose levels of 250mg, 350mg, 450mg/kg body wt., to STZ induced diabetic rats. The levels of TC, TG, LDL, HDL, and VLDL were found to be reduced significantly (P<0.001) when compared to that of diabetic control rats. These results further suggest that Aegle marmelos may be useful in the therapy and management of hyperlipidemia by reducing lipid levels.

/pdf/hypolipidemic-effect-of-aegle-marmelos-leaf-extract-in-46v1vmlyws.pdf

K. Devi

Papers

Effect of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. seed extract on the genital organs of male and female rats.

Therapeutic efficacy of antihepatotoxic and antioxidant activities of Acorus calamus on acetaminophen-induced toxicity in rat

Raman spectroscopic analysis on Li, N and (Li,N) implanted ZnO

Anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effect of combined plant extract of Cassia auriculata and Aegle marmelos in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic albino rats.

Hypolipidemic effect of Aegle marmelos leaf extract in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic male albino rats.