Diabetes mellitus is one of the major health problems in the world, the incidence and associated mortality are increasing. Inadequate regulation of the blood sugar imposes serious consequences for health. Conventional antidiabetic drugs are effective, however, also with unavoidable side effects. On the other hand, medicinal plants may act as an alternative source of antidiabetic agents. Examples of medicinal plants with antidiabetic potential are described, with focuses on preclinical and clinical studies. The beneficial potential of each plant matrix is given by the combined and concerted action of their profile of biologically active compounds.

https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/9/10/551/pdf

Antidiabetic Potential of Medicinal Plants and Their Active Components.

Departamento de Bioquimica e Microbiologia Instituto de Biociencias Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Avenida 24A, 1515, CEP 13506-900 Rio Claro, SP

/pdf/pectin-and-pectinases-production-characterization-and-3wj2poxkww.pdf

Pectin and Pectinases: Production, Characterization and Industrial Application of Microbial Pectinolytic Enzymes

Discrimination of teas with different degrees of fermentation by SPME–GC analysis of the characteristic volatile flavour compounds

Pectinases are the growing enzymes of biotechnological sector, showing gradual increase in their market. They hold a leading position among the commercially produced industrial enzymes. These enzymes are ecofriendly tool of nature that are being used extensively in various industries like wine industry; food industry; paper industry for bleaching of pulp and waste paper recycling; in the processing of fruit–vegetables, tea–coffee, animal feed; extraction of vegetable oil and scouring of plant fibres. Moreover, enzymatic catalysis is preferred over other chemical methods, since it is more specific, less aggressive and saves energy. This is the review which covers the information available on the applicability potential of this group of enzymes in various sectors.

/pdf/microbial-pectinases-an-ecofriendly-tool-of-nature-for-4da0kwqpbs.pdf

Microbial pectinases: an ecofriendly tool of nature for industries

Different industries related to the agriculture sector generate a lot of waste in the form of peels, seeds, whey, waste liquid, molasses, bagasse, and so on. The generated waste is not only biodegradable in nature but also rich in nutrient components (carbohydrates, proteins, fibers, minerals, vitamins, etc.) depending upon source. In the present scenario, researchers have shown a great interest in the processing of waste for fermentation processes in the development of value-added products like microbial pigments. Utilization of waste not only eliminates the disposal problems but also solves the problem of environment pollution. Moreover, the development of fermentation derived food grade pigments needs high capital investment requirements in terms of media components. Thus, effective use of cheaply available agro-industrial residues for production of microbial pigments can make the process cost effective and environment friendly. This review is mainly focused on the utilization of agro-industrial residues for the production of microbial pigments and their major applications.

Production of microbial pigments utilizing agro-industrial waste: a review

Improvement of tea leaves fermentation with Aspergillus spp. pectinase.

A new strain of Fusarium moniliforme KUMBF1201 was isolated from paddy field soil for the production of natural pigment. From an industrial point of view the necessity to obtain a suitable medium for enhanced pigment production by Fusarium moniliforme KUMBF1201 was the aim of this work. Out of eight different solid and six liquid media studied, Fusarium moniliforme KUMBF1201 grew well on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) media. It required optimum temperature (28±1°C), pH (5.5) for the growth, pigment production and sporulation. From the results, the glucose (2 %) as the carbon source and yeast extract (2 %) as nitrogen source has played a major role in enhanced cell growth and pigment production.

/pdf/influence-of-culture-media-on-growth-and-pigment-production-3xpd9xo1zo.pdf

Influence of Culture Media on Growth and Pigment Production by Fusarium moniliforme KUMBF1201 Isolated from Paddy Field Soil

Consortia of litter degrading fungal species were developed from different baiting substrates collected in and around Western ghat forest ecosystem, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. Fifty-three litter degrading fungal species were isolated by nylon litterbag technique. The production of endo-b-1,4-xylanase (1,4-b-D-xylan xylanohydrolase, E.C. 3.2.1.8), b-D-xylosidase (1,4-b-xylan xylanohydrolase, E.C. 3.2.1.37) and protease was studied using oat spelt xylan as carbon source. Results showed that all fifty-three fungal species isolated from various litter samples produced fairly good xylanolytic enzyme activity. The xylanase and b-D-xylosidase activity ranges from 4.41 to 132.20 U and 48.72 to 1510.32 U, respectively. Growth was determined in terms of mycelial dry weight, which ranged between 0.209 and 1.047 mg/ml. The protease enzyme activity was from 19.7 to 60.8 U. This is the first report concerning xylanolytic enzyme production by the litter degrading fungi, isolated from litter samples.

/pdf/isolation-identification-and-screening-of-potential-3mihj4h6e3.pdf

Isolation, identification and screening of potential xylanolytic enzyme from litter degrading fungi

Developing countries, where malaria is one of the most prevalent diseases, still rely on traditional medicine as a source for the treatment of this disease. For the present study, Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (fenugreek) were collected from Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. The test plant has been used in India by traditional healers for the treatment of fever as well as other diseases. The active principle was extracted out in different solvent systems to assess the anti-plasmodial potential, with an aim that they can further be utilized to formulate drugs. In vitro anti-plasmodial assay of the extracted fractions of fenugreek leaves was carried out using laboratory adapted chloroquine sensitive and resistant Plasmodium falciparum isolates. Schizont maturation inhibition assay was adopted to analyze the potential of the extracts. Ethanol extract (50%) seemed to possess profound anti-plasmodial activity with IC50 value of 8.75 ± 0.35 µg ml−1 and 10.25 ± 0.35 µg ml−1 against chloroquine sensitive and resistant P. falciparum isolates, respectively. Among the investigated six fractions of the plant extracts, two were found to have significant anti-plasmodial activity with IC50 values 85 µg ml−1. In addition, preliminary phytochemical screening of the various extracts indicated the presence of alkaloids, saponin, tannin like phenolic compounds, flavonoids and steroids.

/pdf/in-vitro-anti-plasmodial-activity-of-trigonella-foenum-1nhb8gfee7.pdf

In Vitro Anti-plasmodial activity of Trigonella foenum-graecum L.

Prodigiosin produced by Serratia marcescens is a promising drug owing to its reported characteristics of having antibacterial, antimalarial, antimycotic, immunomodulating and antitumor activities. Investigations were made in the present study to screen new strain of Serratia marcescens MBB05; the natural red pigment prodigiosin producing strain was isolated from Western Ghat Ecosystem, Tamil Nadu, India. The regular liquid media currently being used for prodigiosin biosynthesis are nutrient broth, peptone glycerol broth and production medium. For this, eleven natural substrates have been tested. Among these substrates, peanut powder was found to be the best natural substrate at a concentration of 2.0% in distilled water at pH-7; inoculum (5%); temperature (30°C); incubation period of 36 hours. The production was 4.5 times higher (560.4 mg/mL) than the optimized basal medium. A natural media which supports the growth of the bacteria and at the same time prove efficient to activate high levels of pigment production was the aim of this work.

Muthusamy Palaniswamy

Papers

Improvement of tea leaves fermentation with Aspergillus spp. pectinase.

Influence of Culture Media on Growth and Pigment Production by Fusarium moniliforme KUMBF1201 Isolated from Paddy Field Soil

Isolation, identification and screening of potential xylanolytic enzyme from litter degrading fungi

In Vitro Anti-plasmodial activity of Trigonella foenum-graecum L.

Optimization and production of prodigiosin from serratia marcescens mbb05 using various natural substrates