Forest Research Institute

About: Forest Research Institute is a facility organization based out in Dehra Dūn, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Forest management. The organization has 5320 authors who have published 7625 publications receiving 185876 citations.

Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Hypericum rumeliacum subsp. apollinis (Boiss. & Heldr.)

Abstract: The composition and the antimicrobial activity of the aerial parts of Hypericum rumeliacum are reported. Analysis was carried out by GC/MS. The major constituents were α-pinene (43.80%), β-pinene (9.82%), dehydro-aromadendrene (6.81%) and α-copaene (5.41%). The essential oil showed a moderate in vitro activity against the six Gram negative and positive bacteria and a stronger one against the three-tested pathogenic activity. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Discovery of Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids as potential inhibitors against Dengue virus NS2B-NS3 protease.

Abstract: Dengue virus (DENV) infection causes serious health problems in humans for which no drug is currently available. Recently, DENV NS2B-NS3 protease has been proposed as a primary target for anti-dengue drug discovery due to its important role in new virus particle formation by conducting DENV polyprotein cleavage. Triterpenoids from the medicinal fungus Ganoderma lucidum have been suggested as pharmacologically bioactive compounds and tested as anti-viral agents against various viral pathogens including human immunodeficiency virus. However, no reports are available concerning the anti-viral activity of triterpenoids from Ganoderma lucidum against DENV. Therefore, we employed a virtual screening approach to predict the functional triterpenoids from Ganoderma lucidum as potential inhibitors of DENV NS2B-NS3 protease, followed by an in vitro assay. From in silico analysis of twenty-two triterpenoids of Ganoderma lucidum, four triterpenoids, viz. Ganodermanontriol (−6.291 kcal/mol), Lucidumol A (−5.993 kcal/mol), Ganoderic acid C2 (−5.948 kcal/mol) and Ganosporeric acid A (−5.983 kcal/mol) were predicted to be viral protease inhibitors by comparison to reference inhibitor 1,8-Dihydroxy-4,5-dinitroanthraquinone (−5.377 kcal/mol). These results were further studied for binding affinity and stability using the molecular mechanics/generalized Born surface area method and Molecular Dynamics simulations, respectively. Also, in vitro viral infection inhibition suggested that Ganodermanontriol is a potent bioactive triterpenoid.

Proteolysis of the Pericellular Matrix: A Novel Element Determining Cell Survival and Death in the Pathogenesis of Plaque Erosion and Rupture

Abstract: The 2 major general concepts about the cell biology of atherogenesis, growth of smooth muscle cells, and lipid accumulation in macrophages, ie, foam cell formation, have not been able to satisfactorily explain the genesis of acute coronary syndromes. Rather, the basic pathology behind the acute atherothrombotic events relates to erosion and rupture of unstable coronary plaques. At the cellular level, we now understand that a switch from cellular growth to cellular death, notably apoptosis, could be involved in turning at least some types of atherosclerotic plaques unstable. Because intimal cells require a proper matrix environment for normal function and survival, the vulnerability of an atherosclerotic plaque may critically depend on the integrity of the pericellular matrix of the plaque cells. In vitro studies have revealed that plaque-infiltrating inflammatory cells, such as macrophages, T-lymphocytes, and mast cells, by secreting a variety of proteases capable of degrading pericellular matrix components, induce death of endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, and so provide a mechanistic explanation for inflammation-dependent plaque erosion and rupture. Thus, a novel link between inflammation and acute coronary syndromes is emerging. For a more explicit understanding of the role of proteases released by inflammatory cells in the conversion of a clinically silent plaque into a dangerous and potentially killing plaque, animal models of plaque erosion and rupture need to be established.

Modeling aluminum and organic matter solubility in the forest floor using WHAM

Abstract: Several studies suggest that solution concentration of Al in organic surface soils are controlled by complexation with organic matter. The authors applied the mechanistic Windermere humic aqueous model (WHAM) to describe the solubility of Al and organic matter as observed in a batch equilibrium study with a forest floor Oe horizon. WHAM is unique in that it considers interactions of soil organic matter with protons and metals. They also compared WHAM with a previously proposed linear regression model that describes Al solubility. A range of soil Al contents was established by adding different amounts of Al in batch prior to titration with acid or base. The soil Al content was described by the bound Al ratio (BAR), defined as the equivalent ratio of organically bound Al and carboxyl groups. The bound Al ratio and pH ranged from 0.1 to 3, and from 1.7 to 6.3, respectively. Solutions were undersaturated with respect to Al(OH){sub 3}, except at BAR {ge} 2 and pH {ge} 4.5. Aluminum solubility increased with increasing BAR. Organic matter solubility was greatest at low BAR and high pH. WHAM reproduced the observed pH and Al concentrations, using parameters derived from experimental data. At BAR {lt} 0.7, pH-pAl relationshipsmore » were approximately linear. At BAR {ge} 0.7, there was a nonlinear increase in {Delta}pAl/{Delta}pH with pH. WHAM simulated the changing slope of the pH-pAl curves satisfactorily and reproduced observed trends in dissolved organic C (DOC) concentrations. This supports the hypotheses and assumptions concerning mechanisms for binding Al to soil organic matter in a forest floor, as embodied in WHAM.« less