Antidiabetic potential of Lantana aculeata root extract in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

The present study investigates the antidiabetic potential of dried mature roots of Lantana aculeata, a weed belonging to verbenaceae family on biochemical profile in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The effects of an ethanolic extract of the dried mature roots of Lantana aculeata on serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, plasma insulin and liver glycogen were examined in control and experimental groups. Lantana aculeata root extract reduced the serum glucose concentration at 24, 48 and 72 hours. To verify the activity sub-chronically, the extract administered orally in the doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg to diabetic rats for 30 days, that significantly reduced the level of glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides with an increase in insulin and glycogen concentration to near normal levels in a dose-dependent manner. The results indicate that roots of Lantana aculeata possess antidiabetic potential in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The activity might be due to high concentration of oleanolic acid present in the roots.Keywords: Antidiabetic activity, Lantana aculeata roots, Oleanolic aci

A special schedule of foliar application of nutrients for the tea fields under extensive mechanized harvesting

To overcome the problem of acute shortage of work force faced by the south Indian tea industry, UPASI Tea Research Institute recommends mechanized harvesting to cover large areas with high worker productivity. While adopting extensive mechanized harvesting, total leaf area of the maintenance foliage on the plucking surface is reduced. As a result growth of the crop shoots has been adversely affected leading to reduction in productivity. Excessive banji shoot formation and nutrient deficiency symptoms were also noticed. To overcome all these adverse impacts of extensive mechanization, foliar application of primary, secondary and micro-nutrients has been attempted. The practical utility of foliar feeding of all these nutrients when applied as a mixture after every harvest, except during continuous heavy rainy months, showed an increase in yield up to 21% compared to the current recommended practice, in spite of extensive harvesting using shears and machines. The problem of dwarfing of crop shoots due to extensive shear/machine harvesting could be minimized due to increase in internodal length by 0.87 cm and the dry weight of the crop shoots increased by 0.09 g/shoot. Excessive production of banji shoots also came down from 65 to 52%

Carica Papaya’s Anti-Diabetic and Anti-Cancer Properties – A Review

The Carica papaya originates from the Caricaceae family, and various members of this family have been used as treatments for a range of ailments. The perennial plant C. papaya, which is currently found over the whole tropical region, is thought to have originated in the southern region of Mexico. To assess the biological activity of distinct C. papaya sections, several scientific studies have been carried out. Since ancient times, the papaya plant's many components have been employed for medicinal purposes. In this article, the process of extracting Carica papaya leaves as well as the anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties of papaya leaf activity were all things we wanted to assess. The information for this review paper, which focuses mostly on the therapeutic potential of papaya leaf extract was obtained via researching a collection of wider internet databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, and Elsevier. The papaya plant, which has different parts such as fruit, leaves, seeds, bark, latex, and other substances, is very important in controlling the spread of illness. Alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, saponins, and flavonoids are just a few of the bioactive constituents in this, we focused on the papaya plant leaf's anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties. The papaya has a wide range of therapeutic qualities. Papaya is a potent remedy, according to traditional beliefs. Biological activities have been the subject of much research. In the current review, all the pharmacological applications and activities of certain chemical components are discussed

Effect of Emblica officinalis fruits against metallic-lead induced biochemical and hematological alterations in Wistar rats

Lead toxicity and related health issues have become global concern due to increased use of lead-based products in the modern world. Though attempts are being made to tackle this malady through many ways, the use of naturally occurring materials that are available locally is a subtle approach. In this investigation, the fruits of E. officinalis (EO) were studied for their potential in overcoming biochemical and hematological alterations caused by metallic lead in rat model. Four groups of rats, each containing six animals, were considered for the study. Group I served as normal control while to other groups (II– IV), metallic lead powder (100 ppm/rat) was orally administrated for 30 consecutive days. From day 31, the animals in groups III and IV were treated with EO in doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight (p. o.), respectively, for the following seven days. Group II served as lead-treated control. On day 38, the animals in all groups were sacrificed and the blood was collected and serum separated. The changes in biochemical (aspartate aminotrasferase, alanine aminotrasferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyltrasferase, total cholesterol, triglycerides, urea, creatinine and calcium) and hematological (red blood cell count, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, packed cell volume and platelet count) parameters were estimated. Lead treated animals in Group - II showed appreciable changes in hematological and biochemical parameters. Treatment with EO (50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly restored the changes in the above parameters to near normal values implying that the fruit of E. officinalis is an effective natural material to overcome widespread lead toxicity. This observation is further supported by histopathological studies of liver and kidney tissues wherein the distorted architecture, degeneration and other changes found in lead-treated animals were brought back to near normal stages by the treatment of EO

Uranium(III) coordination chemistry and oxidation in a flexible small-cavity macrocycle

U(III) complexes of the conformationally flexible, small-cavity macrocycle trans-calix[2]benzene[2]pyrrolide (L)2–, [U(L)X] (X = O-2,6-tBu2C6H3, N(SiMe3)2), have been synthesized from [U(L)BH4] and structurally characterized. These complexes show binding of the U(III) center in the bis(arene) pocket of the macrocycle, which flexes to accommodate the increase in the steric bulk of X, resulting in long U–X bonds to the ancillary ligands. Oxidation to the cationic U(IV) complex [U(L)X][B(C6F5)4] (X = BH4) results in ligand rearrangement to bind the smaller, harder cation in the bis(pyrrolide) pocket, in a conformation that has not been previously observed for (L)2–, with X located between the two ligand arene rings

Moringa oleifera seeds attenuate benzene-induced alterations in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in liver and kidney tissues of Wistar rats

Benzene is a notorious toxicant that is responsible for a host of diseases including leukemia. Its concentration in the environment is increasing day-by-day due to excessive automobile use, accelerated industrial activities and cigarette smoke. The awareness on the harmful effects of benzene on health is limited and no antidote has been reported yet. In this study, an attempt has been made to find out a suitable remedy to overcome benzene toxicity in a living organism from a natural source with the seeds of the plant Moringa oleifera (MO). Thirty six Wistar rats were considered for the study and divided into six groups (n=6). While group I remained as control with normal animals, those in groups II – VI received benzene by oral route (800 mg/kg body weight) for 28 consecutive days. On day 29, the benzene-treated animals in groups III – VI received respectively the standard drug ascorbic acid (AA, 25 mg/kg body weight) and MO (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight) for the following 7 days. Group II rats that received only benzene served as negative control without any treatment. On day 36, all the animals were sacrificed and vital organs liver and kidney were removed for studying lipid peroxidation (LPO) and antioxidant markers [Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Total reduced glutathione (TRG), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and Catalase (CAT)] in addition to histopathological changes in the tissues. The results of the study revealed that significant changes occurred in the above parameters due to benzene dosing to animals were reverted to near normal values on MO administration in the liver and kidney tissues as compared to untreated animals, suggesting MO’s pro-active role in attenuating benzene toxicity

Free radical scavenging activity of Lantana aculeata root extract in hyperlipidemic rats.

Abstract: Lantana aculeata is a common weed that grows abundantly in many parts of India. The aerial part of the plant is reported to be toxic while the roots were found to be non-toxic when tested in albino rats. The alcoholic extract of the roots showed a significant hypolipidemic activity in normal rats. Hence the roots were studied for their free radical scavenging potential in hyperlipidemic animals by administering the alcoholic extract (LAR) in doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg for 30 days. The levels of LPO, non-enzymatic antioxidant (TRG) and enzymatic antioxidants viz. SOD, CAT and GPx that showed changes in diseased condition were reverted back to near normal values by LAR extract treatment of plasma, liver and heart tissues. The presence of flavonoids besides oleanolic acid in large amounts might have caused the observed effect

Organometallic neptunium(III) complexes

Studies of transuranic organometallic complexes provide a particularly valuable insight into covalent contributions to the metal–ligand bonding, in which the subtle differences between the transuranium actinide ions and their lighter lanthanide counterparts are of fundamental importance for the effective remediation of nuclear waste. Unlike the organometallic chemistry of uranium, which has focused strongly on UIII and has seen some spectacular advances, that of the transuranics is significantly technically more challenging and has remained dormant. In the case of neptunium, it is limited mainly to NpIV. Here we report the synthesis of three new NpIII organometallic compounds and the characterization of their molecular and electronic structures. These studies suggest that NpIII complexes could act as single-molecule magnets, and that the lower oxidation state of NpII is chemically accessible. In comparison with lanthanide analogues, significant d- and f-electron contributions to key NpIII orbitals are observed, which shows that fundamental neptunium organometallic chemistry can provide new insights into the behaviour of f-elements

Coevolution of Male and Female Genital Morphology in Waterfowl

Most birds have simple genitalia; males lack external genitalia and females have simple vaginas. However, male waterfowl have a phallus whose length (1.5–>40 cm) and morphological elaborations vary among species and are positively correlated with the frequency of forced extra-pair copulations among waterfowl species. Here we report morphological complexity in female genital morphology in waterfowl and describe variation vaginal morphology that is unprecedented in birds. This variation comprises two anatomical novelties: (i) dead end sacs, and (ii) clockwise coils. These vaginal structures appear to function to exclude the intromission of the counter-clockwise spiralling male phallus without female cooperation. A phylogenetically controlled comparative analysis of 16 waterfowl species shows that the degree of vaginal elaboration is positively correlated with phallus length, demonstrating that female morphological complexity has co-evolved with male phallus length. Intersexual selection is most likely responsible for the observed coevolution, although identifying the specific mechanism is difficult. Our results suggest that females have evolved a cryptic anatomical mechanism of choice in response to forced extra-pair copulations