Ethnoveterinary practices among the tribal community of Malda district of West Bengal, India

359-367Present study aimed at documenting and analyzing the ethnoveterinary practices of domesticated animals and birds of Malda district of West Bengal in India. Successive field surveys were conducted to assemble data from tribal practitioners by means of semi-structured individual interviews, open ended questionnaires, informal interviews, group discussion, etc. Present study recorded 70 phytotherapeutic practices involving 60 plants which were used to treat 34 types of disease and disorders of livestock. Out of 34 livestock disease and disorders, mostly treated ailment was agalactia with 7 different therapeutic uses followed by fever, treated with 5 different preparations. Leaves were most frequently used plant parts in preparing medicinal formulations. However, five new ethnoveterinary formulations were documented during this survey for the first time. The informants’ consensus factor (FIC) was found very high (0.88 - 1) establishing the study more authentic. This is the first detailed documentation of ethnoveterinary knowledge as well as first report of determining FIC among the tribal communities of this region

Diversity of the genus Ocimum (Lamiaceae) through morpho-molecular (RAPD) and chemical (GC–MS) analysis

In this present study, we have described the diversity of nine Ocimum genotypes naturally grown in the Dakshin Dinajpur district of West Bengal, India. Their diversity was determined on the basis of morphological, chemical and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) to determine the level of variation present in the genus Ocimum. Among nine Ocimum genotypes six (O. americanum, O. × africanum, O. basilicum, O. gratissimum, O. kilimandscharicum and O. tenuiflorum) are found to be different Ocimum species and the rest are as varieties. A total of 18 qualitative and 17 quantitative morphological traits and chemical compositions were evaluated. Significant variations were observed in the morphological traits except O. × africanum and O. basilicum species. Cluster generated from the morphological data showed two different groups viz. basilicum group and sanctum group. Chemical analysis did not show much variation between morphologically similar species viz. O. × africanum and O. basilicum. However, RAPD analyses clearly showed that O. × africanum and O. basilicum are different species. Thus the combined analyses of morphological traits, chemical and molecular markers represent the best possible approach to confirm taxonomic delineation. Moreover, we are reporting O. × africanum for the first time from this region as well as from West Bengal, India

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-GB">Assessment of haemolytic, cytotoxic and free radical scavenging activities of an underutilized fruit, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Baccaurea ramiflora </i>Lour. (Roxb.) Muell. Arg.</span>

115-125<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Baccaurea ramiflora Lour. (Roxb.) Muell. Arg. is an underutilized juicy fruit bearing plant found in sub-Himalayan area, South China, Indo-Burma region, etc. The fruit is considered to be nutritive, and in this study, we evaluated its antioxidant, haemolytic and cytotoxic properties. The juice was examined for the quenching activity of hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide, singlet oxygen, peroxynitrite, total antioxidant activity (TAA), erythrocyte membrane stabilizing activity (EMSA) along with quantification of phenolic and flavonoid contents and also tested for its potential activity as iron chelator, inhibitor of lipid peroxidation and total reducing power. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were also performed to correlate antioxidant capacities with the phenolic and flavonoid content. Haemolytic activity on murine erythrocyte and MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) cytotoxic test was performed on murine splenocytes, thymocytes, hepatocytes and peritoneal exudates macrophage to examine the cytotoxic effect of its juice. The result exhibited its potent free radical scavenging activity. In case of TAA, DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), EMSA and lipid peroxidation, the fruit juice was found to have significant (P <0.001) antioxidant capacity, which is evident from low IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) value. Results obtained from haemolytic inhibition assay and MTT cytotoxic test confirms that the juice does not contain any cytotoxic effect and the fruit is safe for consumption. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra analysis exhibited high possibility of presence of flavonoid compounds in the juice

Effect of Acacia catechu (L.f.) Willd. on Oxidative Stress with Possible Implications in Alleviating Selected Cognitive Disorders.

In human body, several categories of degenerative processes are largely determined by free radicals originating in cell. Free radicals are also known to have correlated with a variety of cognitive disorders (CDs) resulting in neuronal injury and eventually to death. Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are such kind of killer CDs that occur due to dysfunction of cholinergic and dopaminergic neurons. Plant parts of Ginkgo biloba, Bacopa monnieri etc. are being used for the treatment of cognitive disorders in several countries. The present study was aimed to explore the detailed antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase activity of Acaciacatechu leaf (ACL) over CDs. Gas chromatography-Mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) were employed to identify the bioactive components present in ACL. Furthermore, the extract was evaluated to check the cytotoxic effects of ACL on normal cells. Amongst several antioxidant assays, DPPH assay, hydroxyl radical, nitric oxide radical and hypochlorous acid inhibitory activities were found to be greater in ACL than that of the respective standards while other assays exhibited a moderate or at per inhibitory activity with standards. Total phenolic and flavonoid content were also found to be present in decent amount. In addition, we found, a greater acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity of ACL when compared to other medicinally important plants, indicating its positive effect over CDs. Forty one bioactive components were explored through GC-MS. Of these, gallic acid, epicatechin, catechin, isoquercitrin etc. were found, which are potent antioxidant and a few of them have anti-neurodegenerative properties. Eventually, ACL was found to be nontoxic and safer to consume. Further studies with animal or human model however, would determine its efficacy as a potential anti-schizophrenic drug

Schematic representation of possible biosynthetic pathway of catecholamines identified in ACL extract.

<p>Schematic representation of possible biosynthetic pathway of catecholamines identified in ACL extract.</p

List of metabolites detected in <i>A</i>. <i>catechu</i> leaf extract by GC-MS analysis.

<p>List of metabolites detected in <i>A</i>. <i>catechu</i> leaf extract by GC-MS analysis.</p

Gas chromatogram-Mass spectroscopy of <i>A</i>. <i>catechu</i> leaf extract.

<p>Gas chromatogram-Mass spectroscopy of <i>A</i>. <i>catechu</i> leaf extract.</p

Iron (Fe²⁺)-chelation activities of ACL extract and the reference compound.

<p><b>(A)</b> ACL extract and <b>(B)</b> standard Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), represented as % of Fe²⁺-ferrozine complex (IC₅₀ value: ACL = 320.63±10.82μg/ml and EDTA = 1.45±0.01μg/ml; p<0.001). [Each value represents mean ±SD (n = 6); Where, α = <i>p</i><0.001 Vs 0 μg/ml].</p

Free-radical scavenging potentials of ACL extract.

<p><b>(A)</b> Singlet oxygen scavenging capacities of ACL extract and standard lipoic acid (IC₅₀ value: ACL = 1103.79±24.69μg/ml and lipoic acid = 48.40±2.02μg/ml; <i>p</i><0.001). <b>(B)</b> Nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activities of ACL extract and standard Curcumin (IC₅₀ value: ACL = 45.57±1.33μg/ml and curcumin = 96.88±5.09μg/ml; <i>p</i><0.01). <b>(C)</b> Peroxynitrite scavenging activities of ACL extract and standard gallic acid (IC₅₀ value: ACL = 854.05±59.96 μg/ml and gallic acid = 734.81±28.30 μg/ml; <i>p</i>>0.05). <b>(D)</b> Hypochlorous acid (HOCL) scavenging activities of ACL extract and standard ascorbic acid (IC₅₀ value: ACL = 130.675±4.78 μg/ml and ascorbic acid = 165.91±16.31μg/ml; <i>p</i><0.01). [Each value represents mean ±SD (n = 6); Where, α = <i>p</i><0.001 Vs 0 μg/ml].</p