A comparative study on total phenolic content, reducing power and free radical scavenging activity of aerial parts of Barleria prionitis

Context: Barleria prionitis L. (Family Acanthaceae; commonly known as Vajradanti), is an annual shrub, 1–3 feet high, found throughout tropical Asia and in South Africa.Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of 50% ethanolic extract of leaf, flower, and stem of B. prionitis by using β carotene bleaching assay, reducing power and free radical scavenging activity (DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity). Total phenolic content (TPC) was analysed by the Folin–Ciocalteu colorimetric method using gallic acid as standard and expressed as mg/g gallic acid equivalent (GAE).Results: Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (AOA) in B. prionitis leaves were found to be 67.48 mg/g GAE dry plant material and 79.20%. The B. prionitis leaves exhibited strong free radical scavenging activity as evidenced by the low IC50 values in both DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) (336.15 μg/ml) and hydroxyl radical (568.65 μg/ml) methods.Conclusions: The leaf of B. prionitis possesses high phenolic content, potential antioxidant activity, reducing power & radical scavenging activity in comparison to flower and stem.Keywords: Barleria prionitis, total phenolic content, β carotene bleaching assay, reducing power, free radical scavenging activity

Folate Decorated Dual Drug Loaded Nanoparticle: Role of Curcumin in Enhancing Therapeutic Potential of Nutlin-3a by Reversing Multidrug Resistance

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular tumor in children. Malfunctioning of many signaling pathways regulating cell survival or apoptosis, make the disease more vulnerable. Notably, resistance to chemotherapy mediated by MRP-1, lung-resistance protein (LRP) is the most challenging aspect to treat this disease. Presently, much attention has been given to the recently developed anticancer drug nutlin-3a because of its non-genotoxic nature and potency to activate tumor suppressor protein p53. However, being a substrate of multidrug resistance protein MRP1 and Pgp its application has become limited. Currently, research has step towards reversing Multi drug resistance (MDR) by using curcumin, however its clinical relevance is restricted by plasma instability and poor bioavailability. In the present investigation we tried to encapsulate nutlin-3a and curcumin in PLGA nanoparticle (NPs) surface functionalized with folate to enhance therapeutic potential of nutlin-3a by modulating MDR. We document that curcumin can inhibit the expression of MRP-1 and LRP gene/protein in a concentration dependent manner in Y79 cells. In vitro cellular cytotoxicity, cell cycle analysis and apoptosis studies were done to compare the effectiveness of native drugs (single or combined) and single or dual drug loaded nanoparticles (unconjugated/folate conjugated). The result demonstrated an augmented therapeutic efficacy of targeted dual drug loaded NPs (Fol-Nut-Cur-NPs) over other formulation. Enhanced expression or down regulation of proapoptotic/antiapoptotic proteins respectively and down-regulation of bcl2 and NFκB gene/protein by Fol-Nut-Cur-NPs substantiate the above findings. This is the first investigation exploring the role of curcumin as MDR modulator to enhance the therapeutic potentiality of nutlin-3a, which may opens new direction for targeting cancer with multidrug resistance phenotype

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE Breeding for Crop Improvement

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Test Your Knowledge: Forestry

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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

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Test Your Knowledge

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Test Your Knowledge

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Test Your Knowledge

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A clinical study of hemoglobin E with special reference to serum ferritin level

Introduction: The spectrum of anaemia is modified in many parts of world, due to prevalence haemoglobinopathies. The common haemoglobinopathies includes HbS, HbC, D (Punjab) and E. In Assam with its population consisting of diverse ethnic groups, is a rich reservoir of abnormal haemoglobin and thalassaemia. The incidence of HbE from various population survey of Assam showed that 20% among Indig Assamese, 57.4% among Ahoms and as high as 80% among Bodo-Kacharis. Iron therapy is hazardous in haemoglobinopathies due to risk of tissue iron toxicity, so needs evaluations of iron status before iron therapy. The size of the stored iron in the body is accurately indicated by serum ferritin estimation, which is single most sensitive and non-invasive method for iron status evaluation. Keeping all in minds the aim of the our study is to study the serum ferritin level of patients with HbE attending AMCH, Dibrugarh. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the department of medicine, AMCH for 1-year. 80 HbE patients of various religions and tribes were selected for study. Patients with HbE having malignancy, end stage renal disease, arthritis, chronic liver disease, and sepsis were excluded from the present study by careful history taking and laboratory investigations. Serum ferritin level was estimated by IRMA technique. Result and Observation : The incidence of HbE disease (E/E), trait (A/E) and HbE-thalassaemia (E/F) was 47.5%, 42.5%& 10% respectively. Most of the patients were in their second and third decade (57.5%). Male female ratio was 13:7, most being Ahom (60%) and Kochari (12.5%). The haemoglobin concentration in A/E, E/E and E/F were 8.94±0.928, 8.04±0.8840 and 6.02±0.1500; serum ferritin level 24.95±11.90, 162.26±59.5 and 1017±322.19 respectively. E/E patients on blood transfusions have a higher level of serum ferritin (122.85±4.95) than those without transfusions (95.75±9.54). Again those cases of E/F on regular blood transfusions have a higher ferritin (1260±188.14) level than those with occasional transfusions (715±155.80). Conclusion : Serum ferritin assay IRMA technique is simple and suitable for evaluation of serum iron status. Iron deficiency may be seen among HbE trait but normal or higher serum ferritin in E/E and E/F cases in this study suggests that indiscriminate iron therapy could be harmful in most of the patients without prior evaluation of serum ferritin