Factors Influence on the yield of Bacterial Cellulose of Kombucha (Khubdat Humza)

Kombucha(Khubdat Humza) is composed of yeast and acetic acid bacteria especially, Acetobacter xylinum which forms a cellulose pellicle on tea broth. Kombucha(Khubdat Humza) produces bacterial cellulose pellicles, with unique purity and fine structure. It can be used in many forms, such as an emulsifier, stabilizer, dispersing agent, thickener and gelling agent but these are generally subsidiary to its most important use of holding on to water. Recently, bacterial cellulose is used in many special applications such as a scaffold for tissue engineering of cartilages and blood vessels, also for artificial skin for temporary covering of wounds, as well as its used in the clothing industry. The yield of cellulose produced were investigated in this study, the tea broth was fermented naturally over a period of up to 20 days in the presence of different amounts of black tea and sucrose as nitrogen and carbon sources. 10g/L black tea produced highest weight of bacterial cellulose (55.46g/L) and 100g/L sucrose also exhibited high amount of pellicle (63.58g/L). Temperature was essential factor on growth, where the pellicle was formed at range (20°C - 50°C) and higher temperature over 50°C depressed the bacterial cellulose formation. The bacterial cellulose production increased with the increase of surface area and depth of the broth. Findings from this study suggest that the yield of cellulose depends on many factors that need to be optimized to achieve maximum yield

The Effect of Haemonchus Contortus Infection and Treatment with Ivermectin on Drug-metabolizing Enzymes

Abstract: This study was aimed at elucidating the interplay between the parasiticide ivermectin and haemonchiasis on the hepatic activities of some drug-metabolizing enzymes in Nubian goats. The in vitro experiments were confirmed in vivo by estimating the effect of ivermectin on hexobarbitone-induced sleeping time in rats. The in vivo experiments showed that there was no substantial influence of ivermectin on hexobarbital sleeping time (HST) in rats, whether administered at its recommended therapeutic dose (200ug/kg body weight) or two times the recommended dose. But there was significant decrease in HST 24 hours post administration of the double dose, although all other values of HST from day 2 to day 15 were within the normal range. In in vitro experiments, the enzymes studied in goat liver were hexobarbitone oxidase, p-nitroreductase and UDP-glucuronyl transferase. Ivermectin given at a dose rate of 200ug/kg body weight did not produce alterations in the activities of drug-metabolizing enzymes investigated, nor did it affect microsomal protein contents or liver weight. The activities of hexobarbitone oxidase, P-nitroreductase and UDP-glucuronyl transferase were significantly decreased three weeks post infection, also there was significant decrease in microsomal protein contents. Ivermectin when given at a dose rate of 200ìg/kg body weight subcutaneously resulted in a significant increase in the activities of hexobarbitone oxidase, P-nitroreductase and UDP-glyucuronyl transferase in infected animals given the drug three weeks post infection, and killed one week later