ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY (PHENOL AND FLAVONOID CONTENT ) OF THREE DIFFERENT CULTIVARS OF PIPER BETLE L. (PIPERACEAE)

In the present study, an attempt has been made for the estimation of total phenol and flavonoid content and their radical scavenging properties using Piper betle (L.) leaves. In that, Cultivars i.e., Nov Bangla (NB), Sirugamani-1 (SGM-1) and Halisar Sanchi (HS) were selected for this study. The total phenolic content was ranged from 95.04 to 127.33 mg/100g equivalent to gallic acid and flavonoids were ranged from 51.72 to 61.08 mg/ 100g equivalent to standards of Catechin.  In vitro antioxidant activity was estimated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), free radical scavenging activity, improved ABTS radical cation decolorization assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Among all the cultivars, The highest Phenol content (93.79%) was observed  for Sirugamani-1 by DPPH method  and highest Phenol content (96.12% & 6791.86 (µg/g) was obtained  for Halisar Sanchi by ABTS assay and FRAP activity  respectively. The study revealed that the leaves of Piper betle (L.) has higher amount of antioxidant activity and it could be used for any novel drug preparation

Disparate levels of beta-catenin activity determine nephron progenitor cell fate.

Formation of a functional kidney depends on the balance between renewal and differentiation of nephron progenitors. Failure to sustain this balance can lead to kidney failure or stem cell tumors. For nearly 60 years, we have known that signals from an epithelial structure known as the ureteric bud were essential for maintaining this balance. More recently it was discovered that one molecule, Wnt9b, was necessary for both renewal and differentiation of the nephron progenitor cells. How one ligand signaling through one transcription factor promoted two seemingly contradictory cellular processes was unclear. In this study, we show that Wnt9b/beta-catenin signaling alone is sufficient to promote both renewal and differentiation. Moreover, we show that discrete levels of beta-catenin can promote these two disparate fates, with low levels fostering progenitor renewal and high levels driving differentiation. These results provide insight into how Wnt9b regulates distinct target genes that balance nephron progenitor renewal and differentiation