ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITES AND PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF METHANOL EXTRACT OF LEAVES OF ARTOCARPUS HETEROPHYLLUS LAM

Objective: The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the phytochemical constituents, free radical scavenging activities and antioxidant properties of the methanol extract of leaves of Artocarpus heterophyllus. Methods: The phytochemicals in the methanol extract of leaves of A. heterophyllus were determined qualitatively and quantitatively using standard methods. The antioxidant activities were carried out by DPPH free radical scavenging assay, OH• radical scavenging assay, NO• radical scavenging assay, Fe3+reducing power assay and phosphomolybdenum reduction assay methods. Results: The methanol extract of leaves of A. heterophyllus showed good radical scavenging activities and reducing power activities which were found to increase with the increasing concentration of the extract. The study indicated that the presence of the major phytochemicals viz. flavonoids and phenols in the methanol extract of leaves of A. heterophyllus were 86.75 mg/g and 524.86 mg/g, respectively. Conclusion: The present study revealed that the methanol extract of leaves of A. heterophyllus showed significant antioxidant activities as well as phenolic content

OPTIMIZATION OF LIPASE PRODUCTION FROM DIFFERENT AGROINDUSTRIAL WASTES BY MARINE ACTINOMYCETES

Objective: To identify the production of extracellular lipase by solid state fermentation (SSF) using coconut cake and groundnut cake using thermophilic strain of marine actinomycetes. Methods: From the isolated strains of marine actinomycetes a comparative study has been evaluated on different intends such as pH, temperature, carbon sources, nitrogen sources and additive sources were optimized for maximum yield. Results: Five different pH was used from 5 to 9 and on the other hand 3 different temperatures were maintained, sucrose, fructose and dextrose were used as carbon sources while urea, peptone and Ammonium nitrate was used as nitrogen sources similarly Tween 20 was used as additive sources. On comparing coconut oil cake and groundnut oil cake for all these different intends, there was maximum extracellular lipase specific activity was obtained in groundnut oil cake

Chemical composition of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seeds and its supplemental effect on Indian women with metabolic syndrome

his study aimed to investigate the effect of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seed supplementation on the anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters, and blood pressure (BP) of Indian women with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Initially, in vitro antioxidant activities of pumpkin seeds extract were assessed using standard methods. In vitro alpha-amylase, alphaglucosidase, and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibition effects, along with glucose uptake assay using 3T3-L1 cell lines were performed to determine the antidiabetic effects of the seeds extract. Fatty acids and phytoconstituents were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Indian women aged 30–50 years, having MetS were assigned either to intervention (n = 21) or control (n = 21) group on a random basis. Participants in the intervention group received 5 g of pumpkin seeds for 60 days. Participants in both intervention and control were advised to follow certain dietary guidelines throughout the study. Pumpkin seeds extract exhibited not only strong reducing power but also scavenged DPPH and ABTSd+ free radicals with low IC 50 values. Pumpkin seeds inhibited alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, and DPP-IV enzymes at varying concentrations with IC 50 values of 138, 22, and 246 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, glucose uptake was enhanced by 213% at 300 ng/mL on the 3T3-L1 cell line. GC–MS analysis showed the presence of propyl piperidine, flavone, oleic acid, and methyl esters of fatty acids in the seed extract. On comparing the changes in mean reduction/ increment in the anthropometric measurements as well as biochemical parameters and BP between the groups, significant difference (P = 0.012) was observed only for fasting plasma glucose. Findings of the present study highlight the role of pumpkin seeds as a cost-effective adjunct in treating MetS

Potential of Wild relatives in Sorghum Improvement through Molecular Approaches

Wild relatives of crops play a key role in the development of high performing cultivars. Of the 22 species comprising the highly variable genus, Sorghum, only one, S. bicolor, is commercially cultivated for food, feed, and bioenergy production. Profitable utilization of wild species however, demands an interdisciplinary, multi-pronged approach to increase the probability of achieving the desired genetic improvement. In the past, plant breeders selected breeding material based on morphological characteristics that were readily observable and co-inherited with the desired traits. However, a combination of morphological and molecular analyses on large samples and smaller samples, respectively, would maximize both information and usefulness. Molecular diversity data can potentially bridge conservation and use when employed as a tool for mining germplasm collections for genomic regions associated with adaptive or agronomically-important traits (i.e., genes that have been important in adaptation to local environments or are associated with phenotypes selected by farmers or breeders. For sorghum, which is constrained by over 40 diseases and 150 insect pests, host plant resistance offers an effective, economical and environment friendly method of pest/pathogen control since it does not involve any additional investments by the resource poor farmers..