Effect of rhizome extract of Acorus calamus on depressive condition induced by forced swimming in mice

The present study evaluated the anti-depressant properties of A. calamus rhizome in a forced swimming test (FST) of mice model. Three doses of methanol extract of rhizome (200,400 and 600 mg extract/kg b.wt) and imipramine (15 mg/kg b.wt), a positive control, were orally administered once a day for the consecutive period of 14 days in Balb/c mice. The effect of extract on immobility period was measured using forced swimming test. The levels of cortisol monoamine oxidase and neurotransmitters were analyzed using standard methods. The anti-depressant effect was observed maximum at the dose of 200 mg/kg. b.wt that caused 23.82% reduction in immobility period. The extract also significantly attenuated the FST-induced elevation of plasma cortisol, monoamine oxidase activity and returned the altered levels of neurotransmitters near to the normal levels in brain. These results of the present study suggest that the extract of A. calamus rhizome  has  antidepressant-like activity which is mediated by modulating the central neurochemical as well as HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis in response to stress induced by FST. Therefore, A.calamus rhizome may be used as a valuable herbal supplement for the treatment of depression related conditions

Effect of rhizome extract of Acorus calamus on depressive condition induced by forced swimming in mice

The present study evaluated the anti-depressant properties of A. calamus rhizome in a forced swimming test (FST) of mice model. Three doses of methanol extract of rhizome (200,400 and 600 mg extract/kg b.wt) and imipramine (15 mg/kg b.wt), a positive control, were orally administered once a day for the consecutive period of 14 days in Balb/c mice. The effect of extract on immobility period was measured using forced swimming test. The levels of cortisol monoamine oxidase and neurotransmitters were analyzed using standard methods. The anti-depressant effect was observed maximum at the dose of 200 mg/kg. b.wt that caused 23.82% reduction in immobility period. The extract also significantly attenuated the FST-induced elevation of plasma cortisol, monoamine oxidase activity and returned the altered levels of neurotransmitters near to the normal levels in brain. These results of the present study suggest that the extract of A. calamus rhizome  has  antidepressant-like activity which is mediated by modulating the central neurochemical as well as HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis in response to stress induced by FST. Therefore, A.calamus rhizome may be used as a valuable herbal supplement for the treatment of depression related conditions

In- vitroantioxidant and anti-obesity properties of Bauhinia variegata

Bauhinia variegata L (Synonyms: Phanera variegata Benth), commonly known as orchid tree or Kachnar belongs to the family of Leguminosae and found throughout India. All parts of the plants are used in the treatment of many ailments such as obesity, dyspepsia, bronchitis, leprosy, ulcer etc. The objective of the present study was to assess the in- vitro antioxidant and anti-obesity properties of different solvent (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol and distilled water) extracts of Bauhinia variegataleaves. All the solvent extracts were found to contain different phytochemicals with bioactive properties at varying concentrations.The results of extraction showed that methanol was the suitable solvent for extraction of phytochemical as it recorded highest yield of 6.80%. The phytochemical assay results showed the highest polyphenol content in methanol extract (243 μg GAE/mg) and flavonoids content in chloroform extract (1.87 μg CE/g).The in-vitro antioxidant and anti obesity property was observed more in methanolic extract than the other extracts. The overall study suggests that Bauhinia variegataleaf extract could be a potential ingredient for the preparation of nutraceuticals to treat obesity and oxidative stress related complications.

Health Food for Soldiers

One of the biggest challenges the Indian army has been confronting is maintaining its troops at tough high altitude battle field of more than 18,000 feet.  At such high altitude, troops are exposed to inclement weather, perilous altitude, difficult terrain and psychological problems arising out of being isolated from the main land miles away from their near and dear ones.  Under such circumstances if an army has to keep its soldiers physically fit and in high morale to fight against the enemy and protect the integrity of the nation, it has to be provided with palatable, healthy and adequate nutritious food.  Hence, it is essential to formulate health foods keeping in aid the real need of the soliders to alleviate such situations also. There are hundreds of phytochemicals reported to possess therapeutic effects. The health foods containing these phytochemicals can be classified in to six categories, viz. health promotion - to improve health on a regular basis, sickness prevention - to prevent seasonal climate related problems, disease control - to fight early symptoms of health problems, supporting - to complement the primary treatment and to combat adverse side effects of harsh drugs during sickness, recuperating - to revive and regain vitality after sickness, rejuvenating - to repair damages and body malfunctions to restore healt

Evolutionary view of acyl-CoA diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT), a key enzyme in neutral lipid biosynthesis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Triacylglycerides (TAGs) are a class of neutral lipids that represent the most important storage form of energy for eukaryotic cells. DGAT (acyl-CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase; EC 2.3.1.20) is a transmembrane enzyme that acts in the final and committed step of TAG synthesis, and it has been proposed to be the rate-limiting enzyme in plant storage lipid accumulation. In fact, two different enzymes identified in several eukaryotic species, DGAT1 and DGAT2, are the main enzymes responsible for TAG synthesis. These enzymes do not share high DNA or protein sequence similarities, and it has been suggested that they play non-redundant roles in different tissues and in some species in TAG synthesis. Despite a number of previous studies on the DGAT1 and DGAT2 genes, which have emphasized their importance as potential obesity treatment targets to increase triacylglycerol accumulation, little is known about their evolutionary timeline in eukaryotes. The goal of this study was to examine the evolutionary relationship of the DGAT1 and DGAT2 genes across eukaryotic organisms in order to infer their origin.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have conducted a broad survey of fully sequenced genomes, including representatives of Amoebozoa, yeasts, fungi, algae, musses, plants, vertebrate and invertebrate species, for the presence of DGAT1 and DGAT2 gene homologs. We found that the DGAT1 and DGAT2 genes are nearly ubiquitous in eukaryotes and are readily identifiable in all the major eukaryotic groups and genomes examined. Phylogenetic analyses of the DGAT1 and DGAT2 amino acid sequences revealed evolutionary partitioning of the DGAT protein family into two major DGAT1 and DGAT2 clades. Protein secondary structure and hydrophobic-transmembrane analysis also showed differences between these enzymes. The analysis also revealed that the MGAT2 and AWAT genes may have arisen from DGAT2 duplication events.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this study, we identified several DGAT1 and DGAT2 homologs in eukaryote taxa. Overall, the data show that DGAT1 and DGAT2 are present in most eukaryotic organisms and belong to two different gene families. The phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses revealed that DGAT1 and DGAT2 evolved separately, with functional convergence, despite their wide molecular and structural divergence.</p

Brésil, Itaú Cultural

The two last decades have seen the strengthening of cultural institutions through support from companies and financial institutions in Brazil. Criticism over the controversial intentions of those centers (particularly regarding the advantage gained from tax incentives) aside, one of the most important is Itaú Cultural. Founded in 1987, it now has a vast range of activities, including in literature and theater. Particularly useful are the “Rumos Program” (created in 1997 to stimulate the produ..

Cloning and characterization of diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) cDNA sequence from Brassica juncea cv. Pusa Bold

30-36Diacylgycerol acyltransferase (DGAT: EC 2.3.1.20) is the only enzyme in the Kennedy pathway that is exclusively committed to the synthesis of storage oil in plants. In this study, cloning and characterization of DGAT gene sequence from Brassica juncea cv Pusa bold, an important oil seed crop of India is reported. A partial gene sequence of 2003 bp was PCR amplified and cloned from B. juncea. Sequence analysis showed that it has 10 exonic and 9 intronic sequences in the partial gene. Two cDNA sequences namely BjDGAT 1 and BjDGAT 2 (1.5 kb) encoding DGAT enzymes were amplified by RT-PCR from the developing seeds. The complete length of these two cDNAs as determined by RACE technique was 1768 bp, including 5’ and 3’-UTR. Comparative analysis of the sequences showed that BjDGAT1 was 85.1% and 96% identical to BjDGAT2 across 1512 coding region and 503 overlapping deduced amino acids respectively. These proteins were alkaline in nature (pI, 8.5-8.6), having similar molecular size (56-57 kD), an N-terminal hydrophilic segment and 9 transmembrane segments. Diacylglycerol/phorbol ester-binding motif (HKWXXRHXYXP) and acyl CoA binding motif (FYXDWWN) required for binding of substrates remained conserved in these proteins. Expression of the two transcripts of DGAT and their role in oil biosynthesis can further be studied

Chlorogenic acid loaded chitosan nanoparticles with sustained release property, retained antioxidant activity and enhanced bioavailability

In this study, chlorogenic acid (CGA), a phenolic compound widely distributed in fruits and vegetables, was encapsulated into chitosan nanoparticles by ionic gelation method. The particles exhibited the size and zeta potential of 210 nm and 33 mV respectively. A regular, spherical shaped distribution of nanoparticles was observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the success of entrapment was confirmed by FTIR analysis. The encapsulation efficiency of CGA was at about 59% with the loading efficiency of 5.2%. In vitro ABTS assay indicated that the radical scavenging activity of CAG was retained in the nanostructure and further, the release kinetics study revealed the burst release of 69% CGA from nanoparticles at the end of 100th hours. Pharmacokinetic analysis in rats showed a lower level of Cmax, longer Tmax, longer MRT, larger AUC0–t and AUC0–∞ for the CGA nanoparticles compared to free CGA. Collectively, these results suggest that the synthesised nanoparticle with sustained release property can therefore ease the fortification of food-matrices targeted for health benefits through effective delivery of CGA in body

Optimisation of extraction of bioactive compounds from Feronia limonia (wood apple) fruit using response surface methodology (RSM)

In this study, the extraction conditions for the maximum recovery of polyphenols with high antioxidant activity were optimised by response surface methodology (RSM) in Feronia limonia fruit. The independent variables were viz, concentration of ethanol (X-1: 30-70%), incubation temperature (X-2: 37-60%) and solvent-to-solid ratio (X-3: 20-40%). ANOVA results showed that concentration of ethanol and temperature affected the total polyphenol content (TPC, Y-1), DPPH (Y-2) and ABTS (Y-3) radical scavenging activities significantly (p 80% radical scavenging activities were derived at X-1 = 62.7%, X-1 = 49.7 degrees C and X-3 = 39.4 mL/g. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Pelargonidin Modulates Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway Gene Expression and Ameliorates Citrinin-Induced Oxidative Stress in HepG2 Cells

Pelargonidin chloride (PC) is one of the major anthocyanin found in berries, radish and other natural foods. Many natural chemopreventive compounds have been shown to be potent inducers of phase II detoxification genes and its up-regulation is important for oxidative stress related disorders. In the present study, we investigated the effect of PC in ameliorating citrinin (CTN) induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress. The cytotoxicity of CTN was evaluated by treating HepG2 (Human hepatocellular carcinoma) cells with CTN (0–150 μM) in a dose dependent manner for 24 h, and the IC50 was determined to be 96.16 μM. CTN increased lactate dehydrogenase leakage (59%), elevated reactive oxygen species (2.5-fold), depolarized mitochondrial membrane potential as confirmed by JC-1 monomers and arrested cell cycle at G2/M phase. Further, apoptotic and necrotic analysis revealed significant changes followed by DNA damage. To overcome these toxicological effects, PC was pretreated for 2 h followed by CTN exposure for 24 h. Pretreatment with PC resulted in significant increase in cell viability (84.5%), restored membrane integrity, reactive oxygen species level were maintained and cell cycle phases were normal. PC significantly up-regulated the activity of detoxification enzymes: heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), glutathione transferase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and quinone reductase. Nrf2 translocation into the nucleus was also observed by immunocytochemistry analysis. These data demonstrate the protective effect of PC against CTN-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells and up-regulated the activity of detoxification enzyme levels through Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway