Oxidative DNA damage preventive activity and antioxidant potential of plants used in Unani system of medicine

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is increasing recognition that many of today's diseases are due to the "oxidative stress" that results from an imbalance between the formation and neutralization of reactive molecules such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), which can be removed with antioxidants. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of plants routinely used in the Unani system of medicine. Several plants were screened for radical scavenging activity, and the ten that showed promising results were selected for further evaluation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Methanol (50%) extracts were prepared from ten Unani plants, namely <it>Cleome icosandra, Rosa damascena, Cyperus scariosus, Gardenia gummifera, Abies pindrow, Valeriana wallichii, Holarrhena antidysenterica, Anacyclus pyrethrum, Asphodelus tenuifolius </it>and <it>Cyperus scariosus</it>, and were used to determine their total phenolic, flavonoid and ascorbic acid contents, in vitro scavenging of DPPH^·, ABTS^·+, NO, ^·OH, O₂^.-and ONOO^-, and capacity to prevent oxidative DNA damage. Cytotoxic activity was also determined against the U937 cell line.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>IC₅₀values for scavenging DPPH^·, ABTS^·+, NO, ^·OH, O₂^.-and ONOO^-were in the ranges 0.007 ± 0.0001 - 2.006 ± 0.002 mg/ml, 2.54 ± 0.04 - 156.94 ± 5.28 μg/ml, 152.23 ± 3.51 - 286.59 ± 3.89 μg/ml, 18.23 ± 0.03 - 50.13 ± 0.04 μg/ml, 28.85 ± 0.23 - 537.87 ± 93 μg/ml and 0.532 ± 0.015 - 3.39 ± 0.032 mg/ml, respectively. The total phenolic, flavonoid and ascorbic acid contents were in the ranges 62.89 ± 0.43 - 166.13 ± 0.56 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g extract, 38.89 ± 0.52 - 172.23 ± 0.08 mg quercetin equivalent (QEE)/g extract and 0.14 ± 0.09 - 0.98 ± 0.21 mg AA/g extract. The activities of the different plant extracts against oxidative DNA damage were in the range 0.13-1.60 μg/ml. Of the ten selected plant extracts studied here, seven - <it>C. icosandra, R. damascena, C. scariosus, G. gummifera, A. pindrow, V. wallichii </it>and <it>H. antidysenterica - </it>showed moderate antioxidant activity. Finally, potentially significant oxidative DNA damage preventive activity and antioxidant activity were noted in three plant extracts: <it>C. icosandra, R. damascena </it>and <it>C. scariosus</it>. These three plant extracts showed no cytotoxic activity against U937 cells.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The 50% methanolic extracts obtained from different plant parts contained significant amounts of polyphenols with superior antioxidant activity as evidenced by the scavenging of DPPH^·, ABTS^·+, NO, ^·OH, O₂^.-and ONOO^-. <it>C. icosandra, R. damascena </it>and <it>C. scariosus </it>showed significant potential for preventing oxidative DNA damage and radical scavenging activity, and the <it>G. gummifera, A. pindrow, V. wallichii, H. antidysenterica, A. pyrethrum, A. tenuifolius </it>and <it>O. mascula </it>extracts showed moderate activity. The extracts of <it>C. icosandra, R. damascena </it>and <it>C. scariosus </it>showed no cytotoxicity against U937 cells. In conclusion, these routinely used Unani plants, especially <it>C. icosandra, R. damascena </it>and <it>C. scariosus</it>, which are reported to have significant activity against several human ailments, could be exploited as potential sources of natural antioxidants for plant-based pharmaceutical industries.</p

Antioxidative role of lutein esters extracted from Indian marigold flower on soybean oil during heating

297-302Soybean oil is rich in linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) which is susceptible to oxidation during heating/frying. The present study attempts to protect the oil during heating by adding a natural anti-oxidant, lutein–ester, isolated from Indian marigold flower by solvent extraction. Two sets of experiment have been carried out by taking 1 L of soybean oil. In one set, 500 mL of soybean oil is heated for 24 h (8 h daily for 3 consecutive days) and in the second set, lutein ester of 0.01g/kg is added to the remaining 500 mL of soybean oil and the oil is heated for 24 h in the similar manner. Heated oil samples are collected in every 4 h and the protective effects of lutein-ester have been assessed by monitoring the color, viscosity, acid value, peroxide value, p-anisidine value and 4-hydroxy-2-trans-nonenal (HNE) content of the heated oil samples. The content of HNE, which can be used as an index to monitor the overall progression of PUFA towards oxidation, show a value of 10.09±0.1 µM/g in case of control soybean oil and value of 1.11±0.02 µM/g in experimental soybean oil, after 24 h of heating. All the other parameters also confirm that lutein-ester can act as effective antioxidant to protect the oil during frying/heating. </span

Pediatric patient with Bombay blood group: A rare case report

Bombay blood group is a rare blood group in which there is the absence of H antigen and presence of anti-H antibodies. At the time of blood grouping, this blood group mimics O blood group due to the absence of H antigen, but it shows incompatibility with O group blood during cross matching. Serum grouping or reverse grouping are essential for confirmation of the diagnosis. Patients carrying this blood group can receive blood only from a person with this blood group. Reported cases of anesthesia in the pediatric patient with Bombay blood group are relatively rare. Here, we present successful anesthetic management along with intraoperative blood transfusion in a pediatric patient with Bombay blood group posted for ovarian cystectomy

Nicotiana Tabacum Overexpressing c-ECS Exhibits Biotic Stress Tolerance likely through NPR1-Dependent Salicylic Acid-Mediated Pathway

The elaborate networks and the crosstalk of established signaling molecules like salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), ethylene (ET), abscisic acid (ABA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) play key role in plant defense response. To obtain further insight into the mechanism through which GSH is involved in this crosstalk to mitigate biotic stress, transgenic Nicotiana tabacum overexpressing Lycopersicon esculentum gammaglutamylcysteine synthetase (LeECS) gene (NtGB lines) were generated with enhanced level of GSH in comparison with wild-type plants exhibiting resistance to pathogenesis as well. The expression levels of non-expressor of pathogenesis- related genes 1 (NPR1)-dependent genes like pathogenesis-related gene 1 (NtPR1), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (NtMAPKK), glutamine synthetase (NtGLS) were significantly enhanced alongwith NtNPR1. However, the expression levels of NPR1-independent genes like NtPR2, NtPR5 and short-chain dehydrogenase/ reductase family protein (NtSDRLP) were either insignificant or were downregulated. Additionally, increase in expression of thioredoxin (NtTRXh), S-nitrosoglutathione reductase 1 (NtGSNOR1) and suppression of isochorismate synthase 1 (NtICS1) was noted. Comprehensive analysis of GSH-fed tobacco BY2 cell line in a time-dependent manner reciprocated the in planta results. Better tolerance of NtGB lines against biotrophic Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci was noted as compared to necrotrophic Alternaria alternata. Through two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and image analysis, 48 differentially expressed spots were identified and through identification as well as functional categorization, ten proteins were found to be SA-related. Collectively, our results suggest GSH to be a member in cross-communication with other signaling molecules in mitigating biotic stress likely through NPR1- dependent SA-mediated pathway

Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity and Cytotoxicity of Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles Using Scoparia Dulcis

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is gaining momentum in the field of nano-research. Scoparia dulcis leaves were used as a reducing agent for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles from an aqueous solution of silver nitrate (AgNO3). Synthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD, SEM with EDAX and TEM. UV-VIS surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy was observed at 430 nm. XRD data depicts that the NPs are crystalline in nature. The EDAX data indicate that 63.76% presence of Ag metal. The TEM & SEM results indicate that size of the AgNPs ranges from 15-25 nm. The results also support that spherical shape of the nanoparticles. In addition, the NPs are in polydispersed condition. The antimicrobial activities indicate significant inhibition of the growth of three pathogenic bacteria such as Pseudomonas ariginosa, Bacillua subtillis and Staphylococcus aureous. Cytotoxicity of this nanoparticle showed that this Ag-NP also has more cytotoxic effect on a lung cancer cell line, A549 cells compared to ovarian cancer cell line, PA1 indicating a possible therapeutic use of this AgNP

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Not AvailableFor the first time, jute activated carbon (JAC) derived from jute stick, a byproduct of the jute industry, was characterised and evaluated for its cleanup efficiency in a mixture of 181 multiclass pesticide residue testing using gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Four commercially-important food matrices including okra, spinach, pomegranate and tea were chosen. Various physico-chemical techniques were used to characterise the material. The cleanup method involved dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) using a combination of JAC (5 mg) with 25 mg of primary secondary amine per mL of the sample extract (in ethyl acetate). The findings demonstrated a lower matrix effect and higher signal-to-noise ratio were recorded for JAC. Overall, the method offered satisfactory recoveries for most of the pesticides in all the tested matrices. The cleanup effectiveness of JAC showed superiority over the commercially available, non-renewable dSPE sorbent viz. graphitised carbon black (GCB). With a production cost of only US Dollar ~10/kg, JAC is a low-cost alternative to commercial GCB (cost = US Dollar 11–12/g). The study valorises the potential of JAC and anticipates its largescale application in food testing laboratories.Not Availabl

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Not AvailablePublic exposure to pesticides through tobacco has attracted serious attention. Here we report a simultaneous screening and quantitation method for the non-target multiresidue analysis of pesticides in different tobacco types. The method involved extraction of a homogenate (20 g, containing 2 g tobacco) in ethylacetate (10 mL), cleanup of 2 mL extract by dispersive solid phase extraction with PSA (50 g) + C 18 (50 mg) + GCB (25 mg) + MgSO 4 (100 mg), followed by reconstitution in 1 mL acetonitrile:water (3:7) and analysis using HPLC with Quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry. The high resolution accurate mass analysis was performed through sequential full-scan (resolution = 35000) and variable data independent acquisition (resolution = 17500) events. When the method was evaluated in a mixture of 181 pesticides, it effectively minimized matrix interferences and false negatives. The target compounds included 5 pairs of isomers and 27 pairs of isobars, which were distinguished based on chromatographic separation, mass resolving power and/or unique productions. The screening detection limit (SDL) for 86.4% of the test pesticides was set at 5 ng/g, while the remainder had the SDLs at 10 ng/g (9.3%) and 40 ng/g (4.3%). Nearly, 75% of the compounds showed recoveries of 70–120% at 10 ng/g. The rest of the compounds showed satisfactory recoveries at 40 and 100 ng/g. In all cases, precision-RSDs were < 20%. The established method demonstrated a successful performance in four different types of tobacco matrices while aligning with the guidelines of SANTE and US-FDA. Owing to its efficiency, the method is recommended for screening and quantitation of multiclass pesticides in tobacco.Not Availabl