ANTI-DIABETIC ACTIVITY OF EPIPREMNUM AUREUM.L IN NORMAL AND ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

ABSTRACTObjective: The study was carried out with the objective of phytochemical screening and to evaluate the anti-diabetic activity of aqueous and alcoholicextract of E. aureum.Methods: The anti-diabetic activity was determined alloxan-induced diabetic rats. A total of 24 albino Wistar rats of either sex weighing 200-250 gwere divided into 4 groups consisting of 4 rats in each group. Group-1 served as control, Group-2 received standard drug, Group-3 received test drugaqueous extract of E. aureum, and Group-4 received test drug alcoholic extract of E. aureum.Results: Phytochemical investigation of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of E. aureum revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids,and flavonoids as secondary metabolites. The both aqueous and alcoholic extracts of E. aureum showed a significant reduction in blood glucose levelsdue to the presence of phytochemicals such as flavonoids, terpenoids, and alkaloids in both extracts of E. aureum. The administration of drug (IP) wascontinued upto 15 days.Conclusion: Extracts of E. aureum have shown the great potential of anti-diabetic activity in normal and alloxan-induced rats. Flavonoids might beproducing hypoglycemic effect by a mechanism independent from insulin secretion, e.g. by the inhibition of endogenous glucose production or bythe inhibition of intestinal glucose absorption. This study E. aureum of both aqueous and alcoholic extracts was showed significant effect on alloxaninducedrats.Keywords: Epipremnum aureum, Anti-diabetic activity, Alloxan-induced diabetic rats, Glucometer

Follistatin concentrations in women from Kerala with polycystic ovary syndrome

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder in which there are numerous benign cysts that form on ovaries under a thick white covering that is one of the causes of infertility. Follistatin is a single chain glycosylated polypeptide that can bind to activin. When follistatin binds to activin it suppresses the role of activin to stimulate the secretion of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). FSH plays an important role in folliculogenesis and decrease in FSH level may arrest follicular development. Objective: The aim is this study was to determine the circulating follistatin concentrations in PCOS patients compared to regularly menstruating women. Materials and Methods: The PCOS study group consisted of 88 oligo/amenorrheic women with PCOS. The control group consisted of 60 healthy women with regular menstrual cycles (26-30 days) and with no signs of hyperandrogenism. Body mass index (BMI, Kg/m2) was calculated. Serum follistatin, Serum Leutenizing hormone (LH), and FSH were determined. Student's t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficients were used carried out statistical analysis of the data. Results: Serum follistatin levels were 0.11±0.04 and 0.31±0.08 ng/ml in control subjects and PCOS patients respectively (mean ± SD), and mean follistatin concentration in PCOS was high. The relationship between serum follistatin and FSH for control study was negatively correlated (r= -0.107, p=0.415) and was not significant, whereas for PCOS patients, the correlation was negative (r= -0.011, p=0.027) and however significant. Conclusion: Follistatin concentrations were high in PCOS patients compared to control subjects in this study. The high concentration of follistatin in PCOS decreased the FSH level and thus follistatin and FSH levels were negatively correlated in this study

Multiplex PCR based screening for microdeletions in azoospermia factor region of Y chromosome in azoospermic and severe oligozoospermic south Indian men

Background: Y chromosomal microdeletion is an important genetic disorder, which may arise due to intrachromosomal recombination between homologous sequences in the male specific region of the human Y chromosome. It is frequently associated with the quantitative reduction of sperm. The screening for Y chromosomal microdeletions has a great clinical value. Objective: To develop a sequence tagged site (STS) based multiplex PCR protocol, which could be specific for the rapid detection of AZF deletions and thereby estimating the frequency of AZF sub deletions in infertile South Indian men. Materials and Methods: In the current study, PCR based Y chromosomal microdeletion screening analysis was performed in 75 men including 30 non-obstructive azoospermic men, 20 severe oligozoospermic, and 25 normozoospermic fertile men (controls) using 15 known STS primer pairs mapped within the AZF locus. Deletion frequency was estimated after successful PCR amplification. Results: We designed and optimized a STS based multiplex PCR protocol, which could be helpful for the clinicians to detect the Y chromosomal deletions rapidly and specifically. In our study, we estimated an overall deletion frequency of 36%. Among these 12 (40%) were azoospermic and 6 (30%) were oligozoospermic. No microdeletions were observed in normozoospermic fertile men. Conclusion: Our Study emphasizes the fact that Y chromosomal microdeletion screening tests are unavoidable in the workup of idiopathic male infertility. Mandatory screening for Y deletions should be done in all azoospermic and severe oligozoospermic patients before undergoing assisted reproductive technology

PROPERTIES OF FIBRES/CULM STRANDS FROM MAT SEDGE – CYPERUS PANGOREI ROTTB

The anatomical, chemical, and physico-mechanical properties of the fibres of C. pangorei were investigated in this study. The results indicate that the rind region that is split and used in mat making contains compactly arranged fibrovascular bundles and a discontinuous patch of fibrous sheath. The frequency and the R/T ratio of the bundles were high in the rind region and were indicative of fibre strength. Lignin and cellulose, the major cell wall substances, were localized with heterochromatic, fluorescent, and natural dyes. The holocellulose content was high (82.2 %), and the lignin content was comparatively low (13.28 %) as analyzed by the method of Doree. Very thick walled, thick walled, very thin walled, and thin walled fibres were characterized when fibres were macerated, and their derived values indicated a high Slenderness and Runkell ratio that is indicative of tear resistance. The tenacity and percentage elongation of the split culm strands was also high, and this implies high strength of the fibre strands. The fibre of this mat sedge thus has favorable characteristics to be potentially utilized in the mat and silkmat industry. Furthermore the plant’s annual harvesting period, biomass, and appropriate fibre characteristics makes this sedge very attractive as an alternative fibre source in the miscellaneous plant fibre industry

Multiplex PCR based screening for microdeletions in azoospermia factor region of Y chromosome in azoospermic and severe oligozoospermic south Indian men

Abstract Background: Y chromosomal microdeletion is an important genetic disorder, which may arise due to intrachromosomal recombination between homologous sequences in the male specific region of the human Y chromosome. It is frequently associated with the quantitative reduction of sperm. The screening for Y chromosomal microdeletions has a great clinical value. Objective: To develop a sequence tagged site (STS) based multiplex PCR protocol, which could be specific for the rapid detection of AZF deletions and thereby estimating the frequency of AZF sub deletions in infertile South Indian men. Materials and Methods: In the current study, PCR based Y chromosomal microdeletion screening analysis was performed in 75 men including 30 nonobstructive azoospermic men, 20 severe oligozoospermic, and 25 normozoospermic fertile men (controls) using 15 known STS primer pairs mapped within the AZF locus. Deletion frequency was estimated after successful PCR amplification. Results: We designed and optimized a STS based multiplex PCR protocol, which could be helpful for the clinicians to detect the Y chromosomal deletions rapidly and specifically. In our study, we estimated an overall deletion frequency of 36%. Among these 12 (40%) were azoospermic and 6 (30%) were oligozoospermic. No microdeletions were observed in normozoospermic fertile men. Conclusion: Our Study emphasizes the fact that Y chromosomal microdeletion screening tests are unavoidable in the workup of idiopathic male infertility. Mandatory screening for Y deletions should be done in all azoospermic and severe oligozoospermic patients before undergoing assisted reproductive technology

Structural and functional studies on Salmonella typhimurium pyridoxal kinase: the first structural evidence for the formation of Schiff base with the substrate

A large number of enzymes depend on the ubiquitous cofactor pyridoxal 5 ` phosphate (PLP) for their activity. Pyridoxal kinase (PLK) is the key enzyme involved in the synthesis of PLP from the three forms of vitamin B-6 via the salvage pathway. In the present work, we determined the unliganded structure of StPLK in a monoclinic form and its ternary complex with bound pyridoxal (PL), ADP and Mg2+ in two different tetragonal crystal forms (Form I and Form II). We found that, in the ternary complex structure of StPLK, the active site Lys233 forms a Schiff base linkage with the substrate (PL). Although formation of a Schiff base with the active site Lys229 was demonstrated in the Escherichia coli enzyme based on biochemical studies, the ternary complex of StPLK represents the first crystal structure where the Schiff bond formation has been observed. We also identified an additional site for PLP binding away from the active site in one of the ternary complexes (crystal Form I), suggesting a probable route for the product release. This is the first ternary complex structure where the modeled gamma-phosphate of ATP is close enough to PL for the phosphorylation of the substrate. StPLK prefers PL over pyridoxamine as its substrate and follows a sequential mechanism of catalysis. Surface plasmon resonance studies suggest that StPLK interacts with apo-PLP-dependent enzymes with mu m affinity supporting the earlier proposed direct transfer mechanism of PLP from PLK to PLP-dependent enzymes