Nanocurcumin is superior to native curcumin in preventing degenerative changes in Experimental Cerebral Malaria

Curcumin has many pharmacological activities despite its poor bioavailability and in vivo stability. Here, we show that a nanoformulated curcumin (PLGA-curcumin) has better therapeutic index than native curcumin in preventing the onset of neurological symptoms and delaying the death of mice in experimental cerebral malaria. Oral PLGA-curcumin was at least as effective as native curcumin at a 15-fold lower concentration in preventing the breakdown of blood-brain barrier and inhibition of brain mRNAs for inflammatory cytokines, chemokine receptor CXCR3 and its ligand CXCL10, with an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. This was also reflected in serum cytokine and chemokine levels. At equivalent concentrations, a single oral dose of PLGA-curcumin was more effective in inhibiting serum IFN gamma levels and enhancing IL-10 levels than native curcumin. Even at low concentrations, PLGA-curcumin was superior to native curcumin in inhibiting the sequestration of parasitized-RBCs and CD8(+) T cells in the brain. A single oral dose of 5 mg PLGA-curcumin containing 350 mu g of curcumin resulted in 3-4 fold higher concentration and prolonged presence of curcumin in the brain than that obtained with 5 mg of native curcumin, indicating better bioavailability of PLGA-curcumin. PLGA-curcumin has potential as an adjunct drug to treat human cerebral malaria

International Journal of Environment and Climate Change (British Journal of Environment and Climate Change)

Not AvailableOrganic farming is considered as a solution to environmental ills associated with modern agriculture. Survey covered crop, livestock, homestead, agro forestry systems with data pertaining to 120 farmers from 06 villages of Sambha district in Jammu division. Data refer to the input output details and other socio-economic characteristics of farm households in the crop year 2019-2020

Simultaneously targeting inflammatory response and parasite sequestration in brain to treat Experimental Cerebral Malaria

Malaria afflicts around 200 million people annually, with a mortality number close to 600,000. The mortality rate in Human Cerebral Malaria (HCM) is unacceptably high (15-20%), despite the availability of artemisinin-based therapy. An effective adjunct therapy is urgently needed. Experimental Cerebral Malaria (ECM) in mice manifests many of the neurological features of HCM. Migration of T cells and parasite-infected RBCs (pRBCs) into the brain are both necessary to precipitate the disease. We have been able to simultaneously target both these parameters of ECM. Curcumin alone was able to reverse all the parameters investigated in this study that govern inflammatory responses, CD8(+) T cell and pRBC sequestration into the brain and blood brain barrier (BBB) breakdown. But the animals eventually died of anemia due to parasite build-up in blood. However, arteether-curcumin (AC) combination therapy even after the onset of symptoms provided complete cure. AC treatment is a promising therapeutic option for HCM

Not Available

Not AvailableAgricultural modeling has long suffered from fragmentation in model implementation. Many models are developed, there is much redundancy, models are often poorly coupled, model component reuse is rare, and it is frequently difficult to apply models to generate real solutions for the agricultural sector. To improve this situation, we argue that an open, selfsustained, and committed community is required to co-develop agricultural models and associated data and tools as a common resource. Such a community can benefit from recent developments in information and communications technology (ICT). We examine how such developments can be leveraged to design and implement the next generation of data, models, and decision support tools for agricultural production systems. Our objective is to assess relevant technologies for their maturity, expected development, and potential to benefit the agricultural modeling community. The technologies considered encompass methods for collaborative development and for involving stakeholders and users in development in an integrated farming system manner. The next generation of data models is developed through incorporation of all independent variables which affect directly or indirectly the output of a system. Models can also be useful in teaching processes involved in the systems and its behavior in response to input variables. Calibration, verification, and validation are very important procedure to produce accurate simulation models. This paper deals with the discussion that how the integrated farming system (IFS) ver. 1.1 model has been developed simulating the entire farm based situations faced by innovative farmers of western Uttar Pradesh with desired technological modifications needed to boost the farmers’ productivity and profitability on sustainable basis. Integration of sugarcane crop and practically feasible farm enterprises, we can earn better net profitability with lesser annual cost of cultivation with overall holistic B: C ratio under (IFS) ver. 1.1 models. These results reveal that induction of IFS principles and technological interventions on the basis of land use planning, the system can fetch better gains and livelihood through their farms. IFS ver. 1.1 model can act as an innovative tool to transform less remunerative farm production systems into highly remunerative systems using available farm resources to generate better farm gains on sustainable basis towards a new generation of agricultural system data models.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableNot AvailableNot Availabl

Curcumin-Artesunate Based Polymeric Nanoparticle; Antiplasmodial and Toxicological Evaluation in Murine Model

Mainstay chemotherapy for malaria is often faced with the problem of instability and poor bio-distribution thus resulting in impaired pharmacokinetics. Nanomedicine has been acclaimed for its success in drug delivery and improved efficacy. The aim of the study was to assess the antiplasmodial efficacy and safety of curcumin-artesunate co-entrapped nanoparticle in mice model. Curcumin (C) and artesunate (A) were loaded in poly (d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) using solvent evaporation from oil-in-water single emulsion method. The nanoparticle formed was characterized for size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency. The in vitro release of the drug was also determined. The in vivo antiplasmodial activity of CA-PLGA nanoparticle was tested on Plasmodium berghei at 5 and 10 mg/kg doses. The drug efficacy was determined at day 5 and 8. Hematological and hepatic toxicity assays were performed. The mean particle size of drug entrapped PLGA-nanoformulation was 251.1 ± 12.6 nm. The drug entrapment efficiency was 22.3 ± 0.4%. There was a sustained drug release from PLGA for 7 days. The percentage suppression of P. berghei was consistently significantly higher in CA-PLGA 5 mg/kg at day 5 (79.0%) and day 8 (72.5%) than the corresponding values 65.3 and 64.2% in the positive control group (p < 0.05). Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was significantly lower in mice exposed to 5 mg/kg (42.0 ± 0.0 U/L) and 10 mg/kg (39.5 ± 3.5 U/L) nanotized CA-PLGA compared with the negative control (45.0 ± 4.0 U/L) (p < 0.05). Although alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was lower in nanotized CA-PLGA, the variation was not significant compared with the negative control (p > 0.05). No significant difference in the mean values of the different blood parameters in all exposed groups with the exception of platelets which were significantly higher in the positive control group. A simple method of dual entrapment of curcumin and artesunate with better antiplasmodial efficacy and low toxicity has been synthesized

Not Available

Not AvailableThe rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) is a major production system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India covering nearly 10.5 million hectares including 4.1 million hectares of the northwestern (NW) states comprising Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and western Uttar Pradesh. In India, RW systems account for >80% of the total cereal production and about 50% of the total calorie intake. More than 90% area of the RW area is irrigated and is facing yield stagnation, soil degradation, declining ground water table and air pollution (Singh et al., 2011). Planting techniques are among the important factors affecting soil properties and crop yield. Among the crop production factors, tillage contributes up to 20% (Khurshid et al., 2006) and affects the sustainable use of soil resources through its influence on soil properties (Lal and Stewart, 2013).Conservation tillage positively influences several aspects of the soil whereas excessive and unnecessary tillage operations give rise to opposite phenomena that are harmful to soil. Therefore, currently there is a significant interest and emphasis on the shift from extreme tillage to conservation and no-tillage methods for the purpose of controlling erosion process (Jill et al., 2011; Naresh et al., 2015). The human population continues to grow steadily with the shrinking resources being used for agricultural production situates great challenge against Indian agricultural system to attain food and environmental security. To counter these twin challenges in the country there is urgent need of application of modern Hi-tech technologies for enhancing the productivity and sustainability of the rice-wheat system for long term on scientific basis. Precision farming (PF) looks a win-win technology towards improving the capability of agricultural land to produce crops on sustainable basis. The PF is based on the concept of determination of spatial and temporal variability in the crop production which in turn aimed for increasing crop productivity and reducing environmental menaces. It is innovative technology which comprises the application of several Hi-tech tools like Geographical Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Remote Sensing (RS), Variable Rate Technology (VRT), Decision Support System (DSS), and Farmer. Precision land leveling, precision planting, precision nutrient management by using Green Seeker, leaf color chart (LCC), site specific nutrient management has a lot of potential for enhancing crop yield and input use efficiency under field conditions while reducing the cost of production and deleterious impacts on environmental. Among different precision nutrient management practices STCR produced significantly higher grain yield by 13.86 and 33.83% over SPAD and control, respectively, but it remained at par with Green seeker and 100% RDF. N, P, K content and uptake in grain, straw and total as well as protein content were significantly higher with SSNM. However, Amongst N precision management practices, STCR resulted significantly higher N, P and K harvest index and agronomic efficiency, apparent recovery and physiological efficiency except nitrogen physiological efficiency in green seeker. In India, there are wide possibilities to practice a part of PF technologies in rice-wheat system accomplished through the use of simple and inexpensive gadgets like LCCs and expensive gadgets like chlorophyll meter and optical sensors.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableThe rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) is a major production system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India covering nearly 10.5 million hectares including 4.1 million hectares of the northwestern (NW) states comprising Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and western Uttar Pradesh. In India, RW systems account for >80% of the total cereal production and about 50% of the total calorie intake. More than 90% area of the RW area is irrigated and is facing yield stagnation, soil degradation, declining ground water table and air pollution (Singh et al., 2011). Planting techniques are among the important factors affecting soil properties and crop yield. Among the crop production factors, tillage contributes up to 20% (Khurshid et al., 2006) and affects the sustainable use of soil resources through its influence on soil properties (Lal and Stewart, 2013).Conservation tillage positively influences several aspects of the soil whereas excessive and unnecessary tillage operations give rise to opposite phenomena that are harmful to soil. Therefore, currently there is a significant interest and emphasis on the shift from extreme tillage to conservation and no-tillage methods for the purpose of controlling erosion process (Jill et al., 2011; Naresh et al., 2015). The human population continues to grow steadily with the shrinking resources being used for agricultural production situates great challenge against Indian agricultural system to attain food and environmental security. To counter these twin challenges in the country there is urgent need of application of modern Hi-tech technologies for enhancing the productivity and sustainability of the rice-wheat system for long term on scientific basis. Precision farming (PF) looks a win-win technology towards improving the capability of agricultural land to produce crops on sustainable basis. The PF is based on the concept of determination of spatial and temporal variability in the crop production which in turn aimed for increasing crop productivity and reducing environmental menaces. It is innovative technology which comprises the application of several Hi-tech tools like Geographical Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Remote Sensing (RS), Variable Rate Technology (VRT), Decision Support System (DSS), and Farmer. Precision land leveling, precision planting, precision nutrient management by using Green Seeker, leaf color chart (LCC), site specific nutrient management has a lot of potential for enhancing crop yield and input use efficiency under field conditions while reducing the cost of production and deleterious impacts on environmental. Among different precision nutrient management practices STCR produced significantly higher grain yield by 13.86 and 33.83% over SPAD and control, respectively, but it remained at par with Green seeker and 100% RDF. N, P, K content and uptake in grain, straw and total as well as protein content were significantly higher with SSNM. However, Amongst N precision management practices, STCR resulted significantly higher N, P and K harvest index and agronomic efficiency, apparent recovery and physiological efficiency except nitrogen physiological efficiency in green seeker. In India, there are wide possibilities to practice a part of PF technologies in rice-wheat system accomplished through the use of simple and inexpensive gadgets like LCCs and expensive gadgets like chlorophyll meter and optical sensorsNot Availabl

Antiplasmodial Activity and Toxicological Assessment of Curcumin PLGA-Encapsulated Nanoparticles

Curcumin is a polyphenolic pigment isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa (turmeric), a medicinal plant widely used in the ancient Indian and Chinese medicine. The antiplasmodial activity of curcumin is often hampered by its fast metabolism and poor water solubility, thus its incorporation into a delivery system could circumvent this problem. This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo antiplasmodial activity and the toxicity assessment of curcumin incorporated into poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles. Curcumin was loaded with poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) using solvent evaporation from oil-in-water single emulsion method. The nanoparticles were characterized and evaluated in vivo for antimalarial activities using Peter’s 4-day suppressive protocol in mice model. Hematological and hepatic toxicity assays were performed on whole blood and plasma, respectively. In vivo anti-parasitic test and toxicity assays for free and encapsulated drug were performed at 5 and 10 mg/kg. In vitro cytotoxicity of free and PLGA encapsulated curcumin (Cur-PLGA) to RAW 264.7 cell line was also determined at varying concentrations (1000–7.8 μg/mL). The size and entrapment efficiency of the nanoparticulate drug formulated was 291.2 ± 82.1 nm and 21.8 ± 0.4 respectively. The percentage parasite suppression (56.8%) at 5 mg/kg was significantly higher than in free drug (40.5%) of similar concentration (p < 0.05) but not at 10 mg/kg (49.5%) at 4-day post-treatment. There were no significant differences in most of the recorded blood parameters in free curcumin and PLGA encapsulated nanoparticulate form (p > 0.05) except in lymphocytes which were significantly higher in Cur-PLGA compared to the free drug (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in hepatotoxic biomarkers; aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase concentrations in various treatment groups (p > 0.05). At higher concentrations (1000 and 500 μg/mL), Cur-PLGA entrapped nanoparticle showed higher toxicity compared with the free drug (p < 0.05) in exposed RAW 264.7 cell line. The cell viability was, however, higher in Cur-PLGA nanoparticles than in free curcumin at lower concentrations (p > 0.05). The antiplasmodial activity and safety of Cur-PLGA was better at lower concentration

Not Available

Not AvailableWith the increasing world’s population, higher demand for sustainable food production so as to meet the requirement. It has increased tremendously due to excessive use of agrochemicals. Since, the imbalanced application of agrochemicals in agricultural field leads to soil and environmental degradation. Nowadays, the scientific community has shifted their focus on alternative eco-friendly management approach. The plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and mycorrhizae has huge potential to substitute agrochemicals. These efficient eco-friendly microbes have different plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities; hence PGPR and mycorrhizae are gaining importance for restoring soil sustainability and agricultural productivity. Application of these efficient microbes in the soil–plant–environment system will be suitable strategies for improving the soil and crop productivity.Not Availabl