ETHNOBOTANICAL, PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PHARMCEUTICAL STUDIES OF MEDICINAL PLANT, VENTILAGO MADERASPATANA GAERTN (RED CREEPER): A REVIEW

Traditional plant therapies increasing in recent decade has a new wave of the research interest in plant kingdom. Scientific studies on a number of medicinal plants indicate that promising phytochemical compounds can be developed new drugs for many health problems. Ventilago maderaspatana (Red creeper) is medicinal plant traditionally used for the control of various diseases such as dyspepsia, leprosy, puruitis, etc. Chemical studies have shown that, stem bark contains Flavonoids, tannins etc. Some parts of its phytochemicals possess anticancer, antidiabetics and antiulcers activities. Thus, the present review made an attempt to highlight the ethno botanical and traditional uses as well as phytochemical and pharmacological studies on V. maderaspatana and it will help to develop new ailments for the treatment of various diseases

Frequent Infection of Neurons by SV40 Virus in SIV-Infected Macaque Monkeys with Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy and Meningoencephalitis

Simian virus 40 (SV40), family Polyomaviridae, in immunocompromised macaques can cause fatal demyelinating central nervous system disease analogous to progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy caused by John Cunningham (JC) virus in immunocompromised humans. Recently, we have demonstrated that JC virus can infect cerebellar granule cell neurons and cortical pyramidal neurons in immunosuppressed people. To examine whether SV40 neuronal infection occurs spontaneously in immunosuppressed macaques, we analyzed archival brain specimens from 20 simian immunodeficiency virus–infected rhesus with AIDS and 1 cynomolgus post-transplant selected with SV40 brain infection from archival records from 1991 to 2012. In addition to white matter SV40 distribution in classic demyelinating progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, some of the 21 monkeys exhibited meningeal, subpial neocortical, and periventricular virus. This distribution pattern corresponded to broader viral tropism with neuronal infection in 14 (66.7%) of 21 cases. In all 14 cases, identified neurons were positive for early SV40 transcript large T antigen, but only 4 of the 14 cases exhibited late viral transcript viral protein 1–positive neurons. SV40-infected neurons were detected in frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal cortices, hippocampus, thalamus, and brain stem. These observations confirm that spontaneous SV40 neuronal infection occurs in immunosuppressed macaques, which parallels JC virus–neuronal infection in immunosuppressed patients. Neuronal infection may be an important aspect of both SV40 and JC virus neuropathogenesis in their respective hosts

LOW COST PRODUCTION OF SPIRULINA (Spirulina platensis) THROUGH TREATMENT OF WASTEWATER

Spirulina is multi cellular, autotrophic and filamentous blue-green microalgae possessed rich protein, vitamins, minerals and pigments. It showed various pharmaceutical activities including anticancer and anti HIV activities. It also used as animal feed for rich protein content. Black water refers to toilet water which turned and one of the most significant sources of human pathogens and source of ground water pollution. In the present study focused to treat the wastewater through the cultivation of S. platensis. Culturemedium was divided into three groups (Group I (100% black water), Group II (50% black water), Group III (25% black water) and Group IV (Chemical medium). Water quality parameters were measure before and after cultivation of spirulina. A healthy and high amount of S. platensis was cultured in group III (25% black water) more or less similar to the chemical medium. The cost effect ratio for the synthetic medium showed the high expenses. On the other hand, in wastewater culture spirulina showed a maximum gain from zero cost management or without loss of cost. With regard to waste water treatment, the culturing of spirulina favorably altered the physical and chemical parameters of the wastewater except chlorides, total hardness and total alkalinity.The present study indicates that spirulina canbe successfully cultured in black wastewater with expected yield. Furthermore the cultured water can also be used for irrigation purpose with 25% addition of freshwater or as such. Since there is no bad odour and other toxic material it can also be used for toilet flush

CARATTERIZZAZIONE IMMUNOISTOCHIMICA E MOLECOLARE DI DISORDINI LINFOPROLIFERATIVI IN PRIMATI XENOTRAPIANTATI CON PRECURSORI NEURONALI

Introduzione: I disordini linfoproliferativi post-trapianto (PTLD) rappresentano un gruppo di malattie che insorgono in corso d\u2019immunosoppressione dopo il trapianto (Tx). La maggior parte dei PTLD nell\u2019uomo e nel primate sono dovuti alla presenza di Epstein-Barr virus e Lymphocryptovirus (MacLCV). Materiali e Metodi: 28 adulti di Macaca fascicularis con malattia di Parkinson farmacologicamente indotta hanno ricevuto precursori neuronali di suini transgenici per CTLA4Ig (n=7) e wild-type (n=2).. La caratterizzazione di PTLD ha riguardato aspetti morfologici, immunoistochimici (IHC) e molecolari. Risultati: i PTLD sono stati diagnosticati in 9 animali, ad una distanza media di 172,7 giorni dal tx.. Le neoplasie erano localizzate nelle cavit\ue0 nasali (n=3), nell\u2019intestino (n=4) e in entrambe le sedi (n=2). Istologia e IHC hanno rivelato un PTLD monomorfo (linfoma a grandi cellule B) di grado elevato. IHC a doppia marcatura per EBNA2 e CD20 ha dimostrato un\u2019elevata percentuale di cellule neoplastiche CD20+ e EBNA2+. RT-PCR e sequenziamento dei trascritti di EBNA-1, EBNA-2 e LMP-1 eseguiti su 5 primati PTLD+ hanno evidenziato che EBNA-1 e EBNA-2 sono sempre presenti, mentre l\u2019espressione di LMP1 \ue8 assente. Il DNA di MacLCV \ue8 stato isolato in tutti i primati riceventi ela viremia \ue8 stata evidenziata circa 60 gg prima dei sintomi clinici. Conclusioni: lo studio identifica un pattern di espressione dei trascritti virali nel PTLD associato a MacLCV: EBNA-1+ EBNA-2+ LMP-1-. Nel ricevente si evidenzia un picco viremico di MacLCV prima dell\u2019insorgenza del PLTD. Tale test potrebbe essere utilizzato come strumento precoce per la diagnosi di PTLD