FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING AND NOS ACTIVATION PROPERTIES OF WATER SOLUBLE CRUDE POLYSACCHARIDE FROM PLEUROTUS OSTREATUS

The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant activity using different in vitro assays and nitric oxide synthase activation property of crude water soluble polysaccharide from P. ostreatus. The polysaccharide was isolated by hot water extraction and physico-chemical investigation revealed that it contained high amount of carbohydrate (mostly β-glucan) and low amount of protein and phenolic compounds. EC50 values for scavenging of hydroxyl radical and superoxide radical as well as chelating ability of ferrous ion were 665, 390 and 370 µg/ml respectively. The polysaccharide also showed potential nitric oxide synthase activation properties. This mushroom might be a good source of bioactive compounds

Chemical composition and bioactivity of methanolic extract obtained from Lepista sordida

The present study aimed at the evaluation of chemical composition and bioactive potential of methanolic extract obtained from Lepista sordida in terms of antioxidative and antimicrobial efficacy. The macrofungus is recognized for its high nutritional value and medicinal properties. However, to the best of our knowledge bioactivity of its methanolic extract is yet to be explored. In this investigation, quantitative analysis of mycochemicals revealed the extract contained significant amount of phenolic compounds such as phenols and flavonoids. Ascorbic acid was found in higher amount than β carotene and lycopene which were present in vestigial amounts. A phenolic profile was also determined using high performance liquid chromatography that further confirmed the presence of 10 phenolic constituents in the extract. Furthermore, the extract was subjected for determining antioxidant potential in different in-vitro assays. The findings showed remarkable 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ABTS radical scavenging ability which was evident by low EC50 values, 330 µg/mL and 30 µg/mL respectively. The extract also demonstrated good chelating and reducing ability, an important marker of antioxidant compounds. Antimicrobial screening displayed positive results against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Altogether, the observations recommend therapeutic application of this mycotaxon on a commercial basis

PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF A WILD EDIBLE MUSHROOM ENTOLOMA LIVIDOALBUM

Objective: In the course of inventorying and bioprospecting wild edible mushrooms of West Bengal, the ethanolic fraction of Entoloma lividoalbumwas tested for its potential as an antioxidant in vitro and estimate the amounts of putative bioactive compounds present in it.Methods: The fraction's antioxidant potential was tested by employing various in vitro assay systems, namely, total antioxidant capacity, chelating effecton ferrous ions, reducing the effect of ferric iron and 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assays. Estimation of bioactive components wascarried out following previously established methods.Results: It was found to be a great reducer of ferric iron, as well as an effective ferrous iron chelator and free radical scavenger. In an attempt to quantifythe bioactive components, the fraction was found to be comprised of mention worthy amounts of phenols, β-carotene, lycopene and flavonoids.Conclusion: This fraction can be used to treat oxidative stress related ailments.Keywords: Antioxidant, 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, Reducing power, Scavenging activity

Sublethal Heavy Metal Stress Stimulates Innate Immunity in Tomato

Effect of sublethal heavy metal stress as plant biotic elicitor for triggering innate immunity in tomato plant was investigated. Copper in in vivo condition induced accumulation of defense enzymes like peroxidase (PO), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and β-1,3 glucanase along with higher accumulation of total phenol, antioxidative enzymes (catalase and ascorbate peroxidase), and total chlorophyll content. Furthermore, the treatment also induced nitric oxide (NO) production which was confirmed by realtime visualization of NO burst using a fluorescent probe 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate (DAF-2DA) and spectrophotometric analysis. The result suggested that the sublethal dose of heavy metal can induce an array of plant defense responses that lead to the improvement of innate immunity in plants

BIOCOMPONENTS AND BIOPROSPECTS OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF TERMITOMYCES HEIMII

Objective: The objective was to select, set up and initiate the health screening services in the community pharmacy, to design and develop patientdata collection form and patient identity card, to implement health screening services in a selected community pharmacy and to evaluate the healthscreening services data.Methods: The study was a prospective, investigational and community interventional study, conducted for a period of 10 months from May 2008 toFebruary 2009.Results: A total of 98 patients and 24 customers under risk factors were screened during the study. Out of which 58 (59.18%) patients were diabeticwith hypertensive, 26 (26.53%) were hypertensive and 14 (14.28%) were diabetic. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure, random blood sugarand body mass index values of the screened patients reveals the need for the provision of health screening services in the community pharmacy by apharmacist. Various demographic factors such as age, gender, occupation, economic status, educational background, periodic check-up showed equalimpact of pharmacist involvement and need to provide these services in the community pharmacy.Conclusion: This study suggest that there is ample scientific evidence showing that certain risk factors pre-dispose individuals to development ofdiabetes and hypertension, there is sufficient evidence to conclude that community screening is a cost effective approach to reduce the morbidity andmortality associated with these diseases in healthy individuals. Community screening programs may provide a means to enhance public awarenessregarding seriousness of diabetes and hypertension and its complications.Keywords: Health screening services, Community pharmacy, Diabetes, Hypertension.Â

Water Soluble Antioxidative Crude Polysaccharide From Russula senecis Elicits TLR Modulated NF-κB Signaling Pathway and Pro-inflammatory Response in Murine Macrophages

Russula senecis has recently been reported as a new addition to macrofungal flora of West Bengal. Besides, it also emerged as a seasonal health promoting nutrient to local ethnic people and enlisted for the first time as tribal food in our previous publication. In this context, the present work was designed to establish such usefulness scientifically and to meet the aim, crude polysaccharide, Rusenan, was prepared using conventional heated water reflux. Initially, the polymers were characterized to determine chemical composition and for that spectrophotometry along with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were performed. Analysis indicated that Rusenan was consisted mainly of carbohydrate conjugated with trace amount of protein. Furthermore, glucose was detected as the major monosaccharide (mainly in β-type glycosidic linkage) while other monomers were presented in the order of galactose > mannose > xylose > rhamnose. Conversely, antioxidant potential was determined following eight in vitro systems where the fraction evidenced strong superoxide, hydroxyl, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, high affinity to Fe2+ as well as instant ability to donate electron with EC50 values ranging from 80 to 3885 μg/ml concentration. In addition, effect on murine macrophages was also investigated where the polysaccharide treatment increased cell proliferation, phagocytic activity, filopodia or lamellipodia formation, nitric oxide (NO) production and reactive oxygen species (ROS) synthesis. Thereafter, through reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, significant increase in the expression of Toll like receptor (TLR)-4, TLR-2 and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) was observed; as a result alleviated level of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IκB-α, and interferon (IFN)-γ were also noticed explaining definite immune-stimulatory activity of the fraction. Thus, overall finding suggests that R. senecis can be considered as a functional food and may be used in preparation of dietary supplement to enhance general health

Free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts of Astraeus hygrometricus (Pers.) Morg.

The present study was aimed to evaluate free radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory potential of extracts of Astraeus hygrometricus - a tropical wild edible mushroom. Free radical scavenging potential of crude, boiled and ethanolic extracts was studied using different in vitro antioxidant models. The anti-inflammatory activity of the potential extract was evaluated in carrageenan and dextran induced acute and formalin induced chronic inflammatory model in mice. Among all the extracts, ethanolic extract possesses significant in vitro superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibition activities. The IC50 values of ethanolic extracts of A. hygrometricus represented 357.95, 81.2 and 87.96 μg/ml respectively. Furthermore, the ethanolic extract showed remarkable anti-inflammatory activity in all models comparable to the standard reference drug diclofenac. The results suggest that anti-inflammatory activity of the ethanolic extract of A. hygrometricus is possibly attributed to its free radical scavenging properties.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire