A purified lectin with larvicidal activity from a woodland mushroom, Agaricus semotus Fr.

This study investigated the larvicidal activity on Culex quinquefasciatus of lectin purified from fresh fruiting bodies of woodland mushroom, Agaricus semotus. A. semotus lectin (ASL) was purified via ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose A-25 and size exclusion chromatography on Sephadex G-100 matrix. Molecular weight (16.6 kDa) was estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The effects of temperature, pH, metal chelation- and larvicidal activity of ASL were also investigated. The ASL indifferently agglutinated the erythrocytes of the human ABO blood system and was stable at acidic pH and below 50 °C whereas 66% of its activity was lost at 60 °C with complete inactivation at 70 °C. ASL is a metalloprotein requiring barium ion as chelation of metals by 50 mM EDTA rendered the lectin inactive, while the addition of BaCl2, among other metal salts, restored the activity. ASL showed larvicidal activity against C. quinquefasciatus larvae after 24 h with a mortality of 5 and 95% at 5 and 25 mg/mL respectively, and LC50 of 13.80 mg/mL. This study concluded that purified A. semotus lectin showed impressive larvicidal activity, which could be exploited in its development as an insecticidal agent

Purification, characterization and toxicity of a mannose-binding lectin from the seeds of Treculia africana plant

In this study, a mannose-specific, homodimeric lectin from the seeds of Treculia africana was purified, characterized and its adverse effects were investigated in mice. The purification protocol involved anionic exchange chromatography on DEAE-Cellulose followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The hemagglutinating activity of lectin towards human erythrocytes was sensitive to inhibition by D-mannose. Treatment of the protein with EDTA exerted no inhibitory effect; however, analysis of metal content by atomic absorption spectroscopy revealed the presence of Cu2+, Fe3+, and Mg2+. The results obtained showed that the lectin possesses maximum hemagglutinating activity towards human erythrocytes activity over the pH range 3–7.2 and is relatively thermostable up to 50°C. Periodic acid Schiff's (PAS) reagent staining showed that the protein was non-glycosylated while its amino acid composition analysis revealed that the protein contained 155 residues per subunit. The subunit had a minimal molecular weight of 22,139 Daltons, while the native molecular weight was estimated to be 41,000 Daltons. The lectin was found to be moderately toxic to mice with an LD50 of 47.21 µg g−1 body weight while, histopathological analysis showed no treatment related effects in any of the organs examined

Antinociceptive effects of Treculia africana decne (african breadfruit) seed lectin in Wistar rats

The aim: The use of synthetic compounds to treat many diseases must be strictly controlled due to their potential health hazards. Hence, there is a need to search for natural products to serve as safe alternatives to synthetic products. This study investigated the antinociceptive effects and anti-inflammatory activities of Treculia africana seed lectin. Materials and methods: Lectins were purified from Treculia africana seeds using ion exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. The antinociceptive activity of the lectin was assessed in Wistar rats using abdominal writhing and paw-licking tests induced by acetic acid and formalin, respectively. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using carrageenan-induced paw oedema. Results: Treculia africana seed lectins at 10 mg/kg (p.o.) produced sedation, reduced ambulation, reduced response to touch, analgesia, and decreased defecation in experimental animals. Administration of Treculia africana seed lectin (1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) in experimental animals significantly reduced (P < 0.05) acetic acid-induced muscular writhing in a dose-dependent manner with 23.88 and 36.80 per cent inhibition, respectively. Both early and late phases of formalin-induced nociception were significantly inhibited (P < 0.001) by the lectin at all doses (0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 mg/kg), comparably with the standard drug, diclofenac sodium. At 10 mg/kg, T. africana lectin caused a 69.12 % and 65.55 % reduction in both early and late phases of formalin-induced paw licking. Treculia africana lectin also significantly brought about a reduction (P < 0.05) in inflammation induced by sub-plantar injection of carrageenan as measured by a decrease in paw swollenness. Conclusion: The study showed that Treculia africana lectin possesses antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties and can potentially be employed therapeutics to ameliorate pain and inflammatio

A comparative study of the plasma level of arginase and rhodanese in smokers and non-smokers

The purpose of this investigation was to determine and compare the activities of arginase and rhodanese in the blood plasma of cigarette smokers and non-smokers. The activity of arginase in the blood plasma of smokers was higher than arginase activity in the non-smokers (NS), however, in the smokers with diseases (SWD), the increase was significant (p<0.0007). The comparison between the activity of rhodanese in the SWD, smokers without diseases (SWOD) and NS blood plasma revealed a decrease in the activity of rhodanese in NS and no significant difference in the three groups with p<0.8677. This paper reported the enhancing effect of cigarette smoking could have on the disease state of smokers due to high arginase activity

Antimicrobial activities and phylogenetic study of <i>Erythrina senegalensis</i> DC (Fabaceae) seed lectin

Erythrina senegalensis (Fabaceae) have been traditionally used in the treatment of microbial ailments, and the specific agent mediating its efficacy has been investigated in several studies. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of purified E. senegalensis lectin (ESL) was analyzed. The phylogenetic relationship of the gene encoding lectin with other legume lectins was also established to investigate their evolutionary relationship via comparative genomics. Antimicrobial activity of ESL against selected pathogenic bacteria and fungi isolates was evaluated by the agar well diffusion method, using fluconazole (1 mg/ml) and streptomycin (1 mg/ml) as positive controls for fungi and bacteria sensitivity, respectively. Potent antimicrobial activity of ESL against Erwinia carotovora, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium camemberti, and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis was observed, with inhibition zones ranging from 18 to 24 mm. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of ESL ranged between 50 and 400 μg/ml. Primer-directed polymerase chain reaction of E. senegalensis genomic DNA detected a 465-bp lectin gene with an open reading frame encoding a 134-amino acid polypeptide. The obtained nucleotide sequence of the ESL gene shared high sequence homology: 100, 100, and 98.18% with Erythrina crista-galli, Erythrina corallodendron, and Erythrina variegata lectin genes, respectively, suggesting that the divergence of Erythrina lectins might follow species evolution. This study concluded that ESL could be used to develop lectin-based antimicrobials, which could find applications in the agricultural and health sectors

Anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of Tetracarpidium conophorum seed lectin

The anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of the lectin purified from Tetracarpidium conophorum seeds were investigated.The lectin was purified from the phosphate buffered saline crude extract of the seeds using gel filtration and affinity chromatography techniques. Hemagglutination assay and hapten-sugar inhibition test were carried out to ascertain the blood group and sugar specificities of the lectin respectively. Anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the lectin were evaluated (in-vivo) with standard models including formalin licking test, carrageenan-induced paw edema test and peritonitis model.A yield, purification fold and subunit molecular weight of 27%, 17 and 34 kDa respectively were obtained for the purified lectin from T. conophorum seed (TcSL). The lactose/galactose specific TcSL showed significant inhibition (p < 0.05) of nociception as measured by paw licking time upon pain induction by formalin and inflammation as measured by paw swollenness induced by sub-plantar injection of carrageenan. The lectin also significantly reduced carrageenan-induced leucocyte migration to the peritoneum in a dose-dependent manner.The study concluded that TcSL showed anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities and thus poised to be a good bio-active peptide for the design of novel anti-inflammatory therapy. Keywords: Nociception, Inflammation, Lectin, seed, Tetracarpidium conophoru

Investigation of functional, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties of legume seed protein hydrolysates

Plant-derived hydrolysates are emerging as promising agents in the management of diverse ailments due to their ensuing functional and bioactive properties. This study investigated the functional, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties of hydrolysates from Erythrina senegalensis and Vigna subtenarrea seeds. Crude proteins were isolated via alkaline solubilization, followed by acid precipitation to the isoelectric point. Respective protein isolates were hydrolyzed using trypsin and pepsin at an enzyme-substrate ratio of 1:8 (v/v) for 1–9 h. Pepsin hydrolysates after 9 h elicited the highest solubilities of 95.54 % and 94.24 % at pH 13, while, pepsin and trypsin hydrolysates of E. senegalensis digested for 1 and 9 h displayed the highest 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging (10-IC50 = 2.959 mg/mL) and total antioxidant capacity (7.243 mgAAE/g), respectively. Correspondingly, pepsin and trypsin hydrolysates of E. senegalensis hydrolyzed for 5 h demonstrated the most potent anti-inflammatory activities by cogently inhibiting xanthine oxidase and lipoxygenase activities with IC50 of 0.161 ± 0.111 and 0.018 ± 0.011 mg/mL, respectively. Trypsin hydrolysates of V. subterranea hydrolyzed for 5 h potently inhibited the activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase with respective IC50 of 0.297 ± 0.060 and 0.314 ± 0.064 mg/mL. Overall, pepsin and trypsin hydrolysates of E. senegalensis demonstrated pronounced functional bioactivities relative to V. subterranea hydrolysates. This study concludes that both seeds could serve as unique matrices of potential functional bioactive peptides with prospects for managing diabetes

Антиноцицептивні ефекти лектину насіння Treculia africana decne (африканського хлібного дерева) у щурів породи Wistar

The aim: The use of synthetic compounds to treat many diseases must be strictly controlled due to their potential health hazards. Hence, there is a need to search for natural products to serve as safe alternatives to synthetic products. This study investigated the antinociceptive effects and anti-inflammatory activities of Treculia africana seed lectin. Materials and methods: Lectins were purified from Treculia africana seeds using ion exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. The antinociceptive activity of the lectin was assessed in Wistar rats using abdominal writhing and paw-licking tests induced by acetic acid and formalin, respectively. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using carrageenan-induced paw oedema. Results: Treculia africana seed lectins at 10 mg/kg (p.o.) produced sedation, reduced ambulation, reduced response to touch, analgesia, and decreased defecation in experimental animals. Administration of Treculia africana seed lectin (1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) in experimental animals significantly reduced (P &lt; 0.05) acetic acid-induced muscular writhing in a dose-dependent manner with 23.88 and 36.80 per cent inhibition, respectively. Both early and late phases of formalin-induced nociception were significantly inhibited (P &lt; 0.001) by the lectin at all doses (0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 mg/kg), comparably with the standard drug, diclofenac sodium. At 10 mg/kg, T. africana lectin caused a 69.12 % and 65.55 % reduction in both early and late phases of formalin-induced paw licking. Treculia africana lectin also significantly brought about a reduction (P &lt; 0.05) in inflammation induced by sub-plantar injection of carrageenan as measured by a decrease in paw swollenness. Conclusion: The study showed that Treculia africana lectin possesses antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties and can potentially be employed therapeutics to ameliorate pain and inflammationМета: використання синтетичних сполук для лікування багатьох захворювань має суворо контролюватися через їх потенційну небезпеку для здоров’я. Отже, існує потреба шукати натуральні продукти, які б слугували безпечною альтернативою синтетичним продуктам. Це дослідження вивчало антиноцицептивні ефекти та протизапальну активність лектину насіння Treculia africana. Матеріали та методи. Лектини були очищені з насіння Treculia africana за допомогою іонообмінної та ексклюзійної хроматографії. Антиноцицептивну активність лектину оцінювали на щурах породи Вістар за допомогою тестів звивання живота та облизування лап, індукованих оцтовою кислотою та формаліном відповідно. Протизапальну активність оцінювали за допомогою індукованого карагеніном набряку лапи. Результати: Лектини насіння Treculia africana у дозі 10 мг/кг (перорально) викликали седативний ефект, уповільнювали ходіння, знижували реакцію на дотик, аналгезію та зменшували дефекацію у експериментальних тварин. Застосування лектину насіння Treculia africana (1 мг/кг і 10 мг/кг) експериментальним тваринам значно зменшувало (P&lt;0,05) спричинене оцтовою кислотою звивання м’язів залежно від дози з 23,88 % і 36,80 % інгібування відповідно. Як рання, так і пізня фази індукованої формаліном ноцицепції значно пригнічувалися (P &lt;0,001) лектином у всіх дозах (0,1, 1,0 та 10,0 мг/кг), порівняно зі стандартним препаратом, диклофенаком натрію. При дозі лектину 10 мг/кг відбувалося зниження як на ранній, так і на пізній фазах індукованого формаліном облизування лап на 69,12 % і 65,55 % відповідно. Лектин Treculia africana також значно зменшив (P&lt;0,05) запалення, спричинене підплантарною ін’єкцією карагеніну, що було виміряно за зменшенням набряку лапи. Висновок: дослідження показало, що лектин Treculia africana має антиноцицептивні та протизапальні властивості та потенційно може бути використаний у терапії для полегшення болю та запаленн