ANTIFERTILITY ACTIVITY OF β-SITOSTEROL ISOLATED FROM BARLERIA PRIONITIS (L.) ROOTS IN MALE ALBINO RATS.

Objective: Plant–derived male antifertility agents need to address the basic requirements of fertility suppression without affecting libido. This study was undertaken to evaluate the male antifertility potential of the β-sitosterol (BS) which is an active component isolated from the methanolic root extract of Barleria prionitis in the male albino rats.Methods: β-sitosterol was extracted using silica gel column chromatography from the methanolic root extract of Barleria prionitis and characterized by IR and NMR spectral analysis. Extracted BS was further used to determine its antifertility activity. The rats were orally administered olive oil (Group-I, control), BS at the dose level of 5 (Group II), 15 (Group III) and 25 mg/kg body weight (Group IV) for 60 d. Body weight was measured weekly. At the end of the experimental duration, treated males were sacrificed and subjected to biochemical, hormonal and sperm analysis. Fertility was assessed by mating treated rats with normally cycling virgin females.Results: Average weight of reproductive organs, serum levels of Testosterone, Follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing hormone (LH), levels of Protein, Ascorbic acid, Glycogen, Fructose, sperm motility and sperm density was decreased significantly as compared to control group. While, Cholesterol level was increased significantly. Fertility percentage was also decreased in treated groups. Body weight remained unchanged.Conclusion: The results show that β-sitosterol from the roots of Barleria prionitis causes suppression of spermatogenesis and fertility thereby suggesting the potential of β-sitosterol for the development of male contraceptive which has very limited options available.Keywords: Libido, Fertility, Active component, NMR, Sperm, Testosterone, Contraceptive, SpermatogenesisÂ

A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON BARLERIA PRIONITIS (L.)

Barleria prionitis is a famous perennial plant commonly known as porcupine flower or Vajradanti. It is a shrub with yellow flowers and two flat seeds shielded with matted hairs, inhabit most parts of India. Various parts of the plant such as leaves, roots, aerial parts, flowers, and stems are used in the traditional system of medicine. Conventionally, various infusions are prepared using the plant parts and utilized for the treatment of different kinds of diseases. Owing to its incredible odontalgic property, it is extensively used in treating bleeding gums and toothache. From the pharmacological point, the plant has been effectively screened for antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antifertility, antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, hepatoprotective, antihypertensive, anticancer, and anticataract activities. Compounds such as tannins, saponins, glycosides, phenolic acids, phytosterols, and terpenes have been identified in the plant. The plant contains some specific compounds such as barlenoside, barlerine, acetylbarlerine, and balarenone and some common secondary metabolites such as lupeol, β-sitosterol, vanillic acid, and syringic acid. This review provides morphological, ethnomedical, pharmacological, and phytochemical data of the plant B. prionitis

Food Production and Post Harvest Losses of Food Grains in India

The prevention of food wasted is enough o resolves hunger crises hunger crises. Food is the primary need to sustains the of human being life. Although, many techniques are engages to increase to food production and prevents of hunger and malnutrition of population. Presently, we produce sufficient agriculture food production, by using irrigation, pesticides, chemical fertilizer and high yielding variety. But these, are not seem to meet the enough food demands of present and future population. To encounter the hunger and secure food and nutritional security to need increasing the production and productivity, by using limited resources in sustainable manner and ensure the security of natural resources. The increasing productivity is the obvious choice to supply of food to increasing population. The other alternate way to provided food of available and increased population, the maximum efficiency use of every unit of resources including preventing pre and post harvest losses from insect-pests and diseases, proper and scientific storage of agriculture produces. Because post harvest losses about 30 % of the crops due to this reason.  One third of total foods production annual wasted due to lack of proper infrastructure unscientific handling. The total food lost, wasted in each year in the more than which would be solving the four times hunger crises of population. In the present review article focused on production and losses of agricultural produces

Handwriting Differences in Individuals with Presence and Absence of Antisocial Behaviour

Every literate human have their own distinctive handwriting characteristics that is of course embedded. Handwriting is that the photograph of the inner conflicts going on. It might be used as a projective test to review part that the person resist or generally is unaware of to share. This study makes an attempt by finding out that whether or not is it attainable to spot the criminal behaviour by a person' handwriting, as a result of delinquent behaviors are extremely current among kids and adolescents yet as adults. once these behaviors reach clinical significance they place a high burden on the individual, his or her immediate encompassing and society in general, higher insight into the correlates of delinquent behavior is required so as to develop adequate bar and intervention methods matched to a private’s personal risk to have interaction in antisocial behavior and skill associated risk factors. During this study 25 handwriting samples (22 males and three females) of individuals with high antisocial behaviour were analysed and compared with those of people with low antisocial behaviour and the study concludes that from a graphologist’s purpose of view, the writing of an individual with high antisocial behaviour will typically be delineate as that like a brick in the wall, rather trite, with a very little rhythm, inflexibility, dull and plentiful in abnormalities

A Guava-Based Hortipasture System for Mitigating Climate Change and Sustaining Fodder & Fruit Supply in Semi-Arid Regions of India

Hortipasture systems have huge potential to mitigate climate change via sequestering carbon along with sustaining fodder and fruit supply especially in semi-arid regions. Therefore to evaluate climate change mitigation, fruit and fodder production potential of 10 year old rainfed based Hortipasture system (Psidium guajava (Guava) + Cenchrus ciliaris + Stylosanthes hamata) established at Central Research Farm of ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (Bundelkhand region, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India), carbon stock of tree and under storey pasture components was quantified along with fruit and forage production. The experimental site is drought prone semi arid region characterized by poor soil quality, harsh climate and erratic rainfall. Two cultivars of Guava (Lalit and Shweta) integrated with C. ciliaris + S. hamata were pruned to enhance fruit yield of 10 year old trees. The Cv. Lalit produced higher (10.40 %) fruit yield compared to Shweta and medium pruned trees produced highest fruit yield (Lalit: 15.46 t ha-1 & Shweta: 14.87 t ha-1) compared to unpruned and highly pruned trees. The under storey pasture production (C. ciliaris+ S. hamata) was 5.6 t DM ha-1. Total tree carbon stock in Guava ranged between 7.92 to 11.34 t ha-1 (Cultivar: Shweta-10.24 t ha-1and Lalit-9.20 t ha-1). Under storey pasture carbon stock ranged from 4.26 t ha-1 to 4.43 t ha-1. Total carbon stock potential of system (in biomass) ranged from 12.23 t ha-1 to 15.77 t ha-1 with 78.90−84.70 % and 15.30−21.10 % contribution of above and below ground biomass respectively to total carbon stock. Therefore in semi arid regions of India, where 90% of people depend on livestock for their livelihood security, establishment of Guava + C. ciliaris+ S. hamata based hortipasture system can enhance economic returns of the farmers and mitigate climate change via carbon sequestration in biomass leading to the offsetting of green house gases emission from livestock sector

Characterization of Degree of Eco-restoration by Tree-Grass Interaction in Degraded Lands of Semi-Arid Tropics

Land degradation majorly declines soil health. Eco-restoration through tree-grass interaction provides a perfect solution to restore degraded lands. The study was carried out at Jhansi district of India during 2010 to 2019 with three fodder trees viz namely, Ficus infectoria, Morus alba, and Acacia nilotica and a shrub Leucaena leucocephala (along with three grasses (Cenchrus ciliaris, Chrysopogon fulvus and Panicum maximum). The main objectives of these study were to a) assess the changes in soil organic carbon pools and responses of soil enzymes as impacted by different eco-restoration strategies involving trees and grasses; and b) develop an index to measure efficiency of eco-restoration strategies to aid the community.Grass and tree biomass yield were the highest for Panicum maximum and Ficus infectoria, respectively.After 9 years, land under Ficus, Morus, and Acacia had ~ 63, 105, and 87% greater total organic carbon and Cenchrus, Panicum, and Chrysopogon increased total organic carbon by 84, 91 and 77% at surface layers, respectively, over fallow land. Microbial biomass C increased by 2-2.5 folds in both soil layers after. There were positive correlation among all the C fractionsand eco-restoration efficiency. Carbon management index (CMI) enhanced by 51, 84, and 70% at surface layers under Ficus, Morus, and Acacia based systems, respectively over fallow land. Similarly, grasses also improved CMI by \u3e60%. Accumulation of soil organic carbon under Ficus, Morus, and Acacia were ~55, 91, and 77 % higher than fallow land at surface layers. By combining CMI and biological activity index, we developed eco-restoration efficiency index and found Morus + Panicum, Acaia + Panicum to be effective restoration strategies for eco-restoration under degraded lands of tropical climates. Our study indicated that implementation of these eco-restoration strategies could be a quantitatively important component of climate change mitigation strategies in India and should be continually paid a great attention

Studies on the Analgesic Potential of leaf Extracts of Allium humile on Swiss albino mice

Allium humile is a medicinal plant found at the Alpine Himalayas of Uttarakhand at altitute of 2500-3000 meters height of sea level. In India, Allium humile, is used by local people as a spice and in ethano-medicine. In the present study, Allium humile leaves were explored for their analgesic potential on experimental model and compared to standard drugs. Allium humile at the doses of 100 mg/kg and aspirin 25 mg/kg exhibited significant (p>0.05) inhibition of the control writhes at the rate of 64.25%, 44.54%, 44.54% and 59.89% respectively when compared to that of control. Thus, methanolic extract of the plant can be fully explored for its analgesic potential which has not been reported so far. The plant extract showed a relative low toxicity hence justifies the folkloric use of plant by the local people in Western Himalayan region for curing inflammation and painful conditions

Effect of music on concentration of drivers of India

95-101Music is a popular and integral part of our lives. The use of music is effective in reducing stress. This study investigated the psychological effects of music on drivers by the scientists of the Central Road Research Institute. In this, a comparative study of among two groups of drivers (drivers up to the age of 30 years in one category, drivers above the age of 65 in the other) was done to study the impact of music on concentration. In the test, both the groups were tested by the CSIR Indigenously developed car driving simulator firstly "Without Music" and in the second test phase with the presence of "Music". The data was analyzed with the help of t&test and mixed ANOVA test. The finding of the study highlights that drivers have shown better performance in the presence of music, and performed more number of correct in-time responses with less time. The study concludes that music has positive impact on driving performance if played safely