NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF SARGASSUM ILICIFOLIUM TURNER C. AGARDH ON ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY AND ATTENUATION OF SCOPOLAMINE-INDUCED AMNESIA IN RODENTS

ABSTRACTObjective: In day to day life, occupational stress is responsible for oxidative stress by altering sleep cycle. Scopolamine induction of amnesia correlatesto stress-induced amnesia in youngsters. Hence, the present study was aimed to investigate the anti-amnesic effect of ethanolic extract and ethylacetate fraction of Sargassum ilicifolium Turner (C. Agardh) against scopolamine.Methods: In this study, seven groups of animals were used and scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg b.wt/intraperitoneally) was administered to all groups exceptpositive control to induce memory loss. Elevated plus maze, Morris water maze served as an exteroceptive behavioral model in testing memory inyoung rats. Brain acetylcholinesterase, a biomarker enzyme was estimated. Finally histopathology of cerebral cortex was performed.Results: The extract and fraction treated group showed an interesting result in memory scores, and the significant enzyme inhibition might beresponsible to attenuate acetylcholine in cholinergic neurons to enhance memory. Finally, histopathology of cerebral cortex proved the neuroprotectiveeffect of S. ilicifolium. All the results were statistically significant.Conclusion: Neuroprotective role of S. ilicifolium Turner C.Agardh was highlighted well in this study and it will be interesting infuture to dissect outthe kinetics of individual components in the fraction and to strengthen the phytomolecule role by insilico studies.Keywords: Learning, Memory, Acetylcholinesterase, Sargassum ilicifolium Turner (C. Agardh)

VITEX NEGUNDO EXTRACTS PROTECT HUMAN CORNEAL EPITHELIAL CELLS FROM ULTRAVIOLET C-INDUCED PHOTOTOXICITY

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the protective effects of Vitex negundo (VN) extracts against ultraviolet (UV) light C-induced oxidative stress in human corneal epithelial cells (HCEC) in vitro. Methods: The VN extracts were checked for their antioxidant activities by biochemical tests. The preliminary phytochemical analysis was done to check the presence of secondary metabolites. To trigger oxidative stress, the HCEC were exposed to UVC irradiation (200 J/m2). Then, different concentration of VN extracts was administered after 1 h of UVC irradiation. The effects of UVC irradiation and the extracts on the HCEC viability, morphology, cell migration by scratch assay, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by dichlorofluorescein diacetate method were measured. Results: VN ethanol (VNE) extract showed the highest antioxidant activity than the aqueous extract. Phytochemical screening shows the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, proteins, phenolics, and tannins. The extracts showed no cytotoxicity on the HCEC and also the VNE extract did not alter the morphology of the cells. Results suggest that the VNE extract enhanced the proliferation and migration of HCEC. The VNE extract significantly decreased UVC-induced oxidative toxicity by inhibiting the intracellular ROS production and maintained cell viability. Conclusion: VN extracts with its strong antioxidant potential protects HCEC from UVC-induced oxidative stress. The results suggest that these extracts can be used as prophylactic agents or as a therapeutic agent in overcoming UV light-induced damage in various ocular surface diseases such as pterygium and photokeratitis

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF CASSIA FISTULA EXTRACTS AGAINST ULTRAVIOLET C INJURY IN HUMAN CORNEAL EPITHELIAL CELLS

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant activity of Indian laburnum (Cassia fistula L. [CF]) leaf extracts and their impact on ultraviolet C (UVC) radiation-induced damage on human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells. Methods: The antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging ability of CF leaf extracts were determined by in vitro methods such as 1,1-diphenyl- 2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity, Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and reducing power. The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and preliminary phytochemical screening were done to ensure the pharmacological effects of the extracts. The UVC radiation at wavelength 254 nm was used to irradiate HCE cells and cell viability was assessed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. Results: Extracts at the concentration of 200 μg/ml did not affect the cell viability of HCE cells. Almost 50% cell death was observed after UVC irradiation at a dose of 200 J/m2. Both extracts showed a protective effect by increasing the cell viability of irradiated cells up to 57.28% and 62.39%. A dose-dependent increase in the TAC and reducing power of the extract was observed. The TPC in aqueous and ethanol extracts of CF leaves was 18.8 and 27.80 mg gallic acid equivalent/g sample while TFC was 8.47 and 16.5 mg quercetin equivalent per/gsample, respectively. Conclusions: CF leaves are a potent source of bioactive compounds with good antioxidant potential. Exposure to UVC radiation cause harmful effects on HCE cells and the extracts have shown to have potent protective effects on UV light-induced oxidative stress in HCE cells

A viable short-term strategy for breeding composite populations

A viable short-term strategy has been outlined to breed productive composite populations. The major steps in the strategy are generating a base gene pool, reordering it into a productive gene pool by appropriate systems of mating and siphoning composite populations through effective selection. The strategy was field tested in Pennisetum typhoides and Brassica campestris and found efficient. The utility and implication of this strategy are discussed

Carbon translocation accounting for yield variation in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L)

Nine lines of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) including four high yielders, one non-nodulating line and its progenitor parents, one high nitrogen fixer and a national check, were studied in situ for 14c translocation to various plant's parts- leaves, stem, root nodule, shell and kernel - at peg development and harvest stages. Of the 68% of observed yield variation accounted for by the carbon translocation to roots, nodules, shells and kernels at harvest, 65% was accounted by the former two traits alone. The relative increase in translocation to roots, nodules, shells and kernels at harvest, 65% was accounted by the former two traits alone. The relative increase in translocation to roots and nodules at harvest over peg development stage directly influenced pod yields. This was substantiated by the nature and magnitude of correlations between pod yield (PY) and % 14c at peg development (PD) and harvest (HS) stages. There was no correlation between PY and % 14c in (root + nodule) at PD; but that correlation at HS was positive and significant. The observed differences in 14c partitioning between the high and low yielders suggest partitioning of carbon to reproductive parts as an additional economic selection criterion for improving productivity in peanuts

Single and three way crosses for generating composite populations in rapeseed

This article does not have an abstract

Effect of Sintering Temperature on Metal-Insulator Phase Transition in La1-xCaxMnO3 Perovskites

Lanthanum calcium based perovskites are found to be advantageous for the possible applications in magnetic sensors/reading heads, cathodes in solid oxide fuel cells, and frequency switching devices. In the present investigation La0.3Ca0.7MnO3 perovskites were synthesised through solid state reaction and sintered at four different temperatures such as 900, 1000, 1100 and 1200˚ C. X-ray powder diffraction pattern confirms that the prepared La0.3Ca0.7MnO3 perovskites have orthorhombic structure with Pnma space group. Ultrasonic in-situ measurements have been carried out on the La0.3Ca0.7MnO3 perovskites over wide range of temperature and elastic constants such as bulk modulus of the prepared La0.3Ca0.7MnO3 perovskites was obtained as function of temperature. The temperature-dependent bulk modulus has shown an interesting anomaly at the metal-insulator phase transition. The metal insulator transition temperature derived from temperature-dependent bulk modulus increases from temperature 352˚ C to 367˚ C with the increase of sintering temperature from 900 to 1200˚ C

An approach to population improvement in self compatible turnip-rape

A total of 233 single plant selection were made from diverse sources of self-incompatible brown-seeded turnip-rape [Brassica rapa (Linn.) The4ll, emend, Metzger var. napus Linn. Sensu stricto]. The progenies were tested for important attributes during 1978-79. Ten initial gene pools were constituted with the genotypes selected based on critical norm fixed for corresponding component character. An additional population was constituted with genotypes following beyond the critical mean for 5 out of 10 yield attributes. Intra-genepool selective mating in each resulted in high-yielding population, particularly in population where the number of primary branches, plant biomass and single-plant yield were considered for improvement. The study stressed the importance of method of (A) selection of genotypes and (B) selective mating within population in bringing about an overall improvement of seed yield in brown-seeded turnip-rape