Department of Biotechnology

About: Department of Biotechnology is a government organization based out in New Delhi, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Silver nanoparticle. The organization has 4800 authors who have published 5033 publications receiving 82022 citations.

Phytochemical composition, GC-MS analysis, in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial potential of clove flower bud (Eugenia caryophyllus) methanolic extract.

Abstract: Plant derived pharmacologically active compounds have gained importance in food and pharmaceutical industries. The aim of the present study is to identify and study the antioxidant, antimicrobial properties of the phytochemicals present in the crude extract of Eugenia caryophyllus flower buds. The antioxidant activity of the methanol, acetone and chloroform extract was evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The methanol extract showed better radical scavenging activity than other selected solvents. Preliminary screening of phytochemicals was carried out in methanol extract and total phenol content was found high. Antibacterial activity was determined by well diffusion assay and methanol extract was found effective against Klebsiella pneumonia. FTIR and GC-MS results indicate the presence of aromatic compounds and major constituents were found to be eugenol and eugenyl acetate. Results of this study implied that Eugenia caryophyllus flower bud extract could be considered as health nutriments in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Biodegradation of textile dyeing industry wastewater using modified anaerobic sequential batch reactor – Start-up, parameter optimization and performance analysis

Abstract: In this study a novel modified anaerobic sequential batch reactor (MASBR) was employed to treat the textile dyeing industry wastewater. The anaerobic sequential batch reactor (ASBR) was modified by the addition of a sorbent (ground nut shell powder) and plastic media. The start-up phase of the MASBR was observed over a period of 80 days. Statistical based experiments were performed in order to optimize the parameters viz., sorbent dosage and particle loading, and to study the interactive effects using response surface method (RSM). At the optimized conditions, experiments were performed at various organic loading rates by varying initial textile dye wastewater concentration and hydraulic retention time (HRT). The anaerobic biodegradation of textile dyeing wastewater in the MASBR was analyzed in terms of decolorization, COD reduction, biogas production, volatile fatty acids (VFA) at different organic loading rate (OLR) between 0.110 and 0.650 kgCOD/m3 d. A maximum decolorization of 94.8% and COD reduction of 97.1% were obtained in the MASBR. The novel sorbent utilized in the study was characterized using FTIR and SEM analysis.

Sodium Phenylbutyrate and Edaravone Abrogate Chronic Restraint Stress-Induced Behavioral Deficits: Implication of Oxido-Nitrosative, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Cascade, and Neuroinflammation

Abstract: Chronic stress exposure can produce deleterious effects on the hippocampus (HC) which eventually leads to cognitive impairment and depression. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been reported as one of the major culprits in the development of stress-induced cognitive impairment and depression. We investigated the neuroprotective efficacy of sodium phenylbutyrate (SPB), an ER stress inhibitor, and edaravone, a free radical scavenger, against chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced cognitive deficits and anxiety- and depressive-like behavior in mice. Adult male Swiss albino mice were restrained for 6 h/day for 28 days and injected (i.p.) with SPB (40 and 120 mg/kg) or edaravone (3 and 10 mg/kg) for the last seven days. After stress cessation, the anxiety- and depressive-like behavior along with spatial learning and memory were examined. Furthermore, oxido-nitrosative stress, proinflammatory cytokines, and gene expression level of ER stress-related genes were assessed in HC and prefrontal cortex (PFC). CRS-exposed mice showed anxiety- and depressive-like behavior, which was significantly improved by SPB and edaravone treatment. In addition, SPB and edaravone treatment significantly alleviated CRS-induced spatial learning and memory impairment. Furthermore, CRS-evoked oxido-nitrosative stress, neuroinflammation, and depletion of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor were significantly ameliorated by SPB and edaravone treatment. We found significant up-regulation of ER stress-related genes in both HC and PFC regions, which were suppressed by SPB and edaravone treatment in CRS mice. Our study provides evidence that SPB and edaravone exerted neuroprotective effects on CRS-induced cognitive deficits and anxiety- and depressive-like behavior, which is possibly coupled with inhibition of oxido-nitrosative stress, neuroinflammation, and ER stress cascade.