Multiple Changes in Peptide and Lipid Expression Associated with Regeneration in the Nervous System of the Medicinal Leech

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Streptomyces kebangsaanensis sp. nov., an endophytic actinomycete isolated from an ethnomedicinal plant, which produces phenazine-1-carboxylic acid

A spore-forming streptomycete designated strain SUK12T was isolated from a Malaysian ethnomedicinal plant. Its taxonomic position, established using a polyphasic approach, indicates that it is a novel species of the genus Streptomyces. Morphological and chemical characteristics of the strain were consistent with those of members of the genus Streptomyces. Analysis of the almost complete 16S rRNA gene sequence placed strain SUK12T in the genus Streptomyces where it formed a distinct phyletic line with recognized species of this genus. The strain exhibited highest sequence similarity to Streptomyces corchorusii DSM 40340T (98.2 %) followed by Streptomyces chrestomyceticus NRRL B-3310T (98.1 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 74 mol%. Chemotaxonomic data [MK-9(H8) as the major menaquinone; LLdiaminopimelic acid as a component of cell-wall peptidoglycan; C12: 0, C14: 0, C15: 0 and C17: 1 as the major fatty acids; phospholipid type II] supported the affiliation of strain SUK12T to the genus Streptomyces. The results of the phylogenetic analysis and phenotypic data derived from this and previous studies allowed the genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain SUK12T from the related species of the genus Streptomyces. The DNA-DNA relatedness value between strain SUK12T and S. corchorusii DSM 40340T is 18.85±4.55 %. Strain SUK12T produces phenazine-1-carboxylic acid, known as tubermycin B, an antibacterial agent. It is proposed, therefore, that strain SUK12T (=DSM 42048T=NRRL B-24860T) be classified in the genus Streptomyces as the type strain of Streptomyces kebangsaanensis sp. nov

Hypolipidemic Effect of Celastrus paniculatus in Experimentally Induced Hypercholesterolemic Wistar Rats

The objective of the present study was to evaluate hypolipidemic effect of methanolic extract of Celastrus paniculatus in experimentally induced hypercholesterolemic rats. Hypercholesterolemia was induced by feeding the animals with high fat diet. Oral administration of methanolic seed extract (50%) of Celastrus paniculatus at the optimized dose of 65 mg/kg body weight, substantially reduced the plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol in comparison with induced hypercholesterolemic animal group and the results were comparable with the standard hypocholesterolemic drug and almost similar to the control group. Atherogenic index and liver weight of treated animals also showed significant decrease compared to the hypercholesterolemic animals. It substantially increased the HDL cholesterol level as compared to control group. A significant increase in the activities of lipoprotein lipase and plasma LCAT enhanced hepatic bile acid synthesis and thereby, increased degradation of cholesterol to neutral sterols. Furthermore, the activities of HMG-CoA reductase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase were significantly reduced. Histological studies showed less cholesterol deposits in the aorta of animals fed with seed extract of C. paniculatus compared to the induced hypercholesterolemic animals not given C. paniculatus supplement