EFFECT OF TRIGONELLA FOENUM GRAECUM ON ΑLPHA-GLUCOSIDASE AND DIPEPTIDYL PEPTIDASE-IV INHIBITORY ACTIVITY - AN IN VITRO STUDY

Objective: The objective of this study is to find the effect of seed extract of Trigonella foenum graecum on the inhibition of α-glucosidase and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) enzyme activity by in vitro method.Methods: Methanolic seed extract of T. foenum graecum seed was prepared and supplied by Sami Labs, Bengaluru, on request. For alpha-glucosidase inhibition assay, the following concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 μg/ml) of extracts and for DPP-4 inhibition assay (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, and 320d μg/ml) concentrations were used. The absorbance was measured at 540 and 405 nm using multiplate reader, and the percentage of α-glucosidase and DPP-4 enzyme inhibitory activity of extract fractions was calculated. Acarbose for alpha-glucosidase inhibition and vildagliptin for DDP-4 inhibition were used as standard drugs. The IC50 value for alpha-glucosidase inhibition and DPP-4 inhibition was determined.Results: The maximum alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity of T. foenum graecum extract at 100 μg/ml was 68% (p<0.05) with IC50 value of 57.25 when compared to the acarbose (STD) of 94% with IC50 values of 42.78. The maximum percentage of DPP-4 inhibition of T. foenum graecum extract at 320 μg/ml is 77.84% (p<0.01) with IC50 value of 52.26 when compared to the vildagliptin (STD) it is 80.15% with IC50 value of 22.98.Conclusion: The results of the in vitro studies show that T. foenum graecum seed extract has significant alpha-glucosidase and DPP-4 inhibition. Further in vivo and clinical studies are necessary to establish the antihyperglycemic and antidiabetic potential of T. foenum graecum seed extract for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus

ANTIFUNGAL PROPERTIES OF SECONDARY METABOLITES OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA AND LAWSONIA INERMIS – AN IN SILICO STUDY

Objective: This study was aimed to inhibit the sulfite reductase using naturally obtained secondary metabolites of common plants Azadirachta indica and Lawsonia inermis.Methods: The active ingredients of neem and henna were selected and the.sdf files of these were downloaded from PubChem database. Converted the.sdf files to.pdb files with the help of OPENBABEL software which is prerequisite to dock. The three-dimensional structure was incurred from the template of homology of sulfite reductase using MODELLAR software version 9.0. Docking of sulfite reductase with the ligands was performed using iGEMDOCK and Autodock Vina softwares. The physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, drug-likeness, lead-likeness, and toxicological properties were obtained by SWISSADME and admetSAR online tools.Results: The active ingredients show an excellent affinity with the sulfite reductase which obtained was tabulated and the significant properties of a ligand were showing that these can be an investigational new drug entity.Conclusion: In this research, it can concluded that the secondary metabolites obtained from plants were inhibiting the induction of sulfite reductase thereby inhibiting Sulfite Assimilation Pathway leads to commove the amino acid metabolism of organism which shows unique in fungi

Field performance of the parasitoid wasp, Trichogrammatoidea armigera (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) following releases against the millet head miner, Heliocheilus albipunctella (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the Sahel

The effectiveness of the egg parasitoid Trichogrammatoidea armigera Nagaraja (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in controlling Heliocheilus albipunctella de Joannis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a major insect pest of pearl millet in the Sahel was assessed during two consecutive years in Niger on-station and on-farm conditions. We found that released T. armigera were able to find and parasitize host eggs within pearl millet fields both onstation and in farmers’ fields. On-station releases of T. armigera led to an average 4.86-fold increase in T. armigera parasitism compared to control fields, where no parasitoids were released. Likewise, on-farm releases of T. armigera led to up to 5.31-fold more egg parasitism by T. armigera in release fields than in control. Our results suggest the effectiveness of T. armigera and lays the groundwork for using T.armigera in augmentative biological control of H. albipunctella in the Sahel

Parasitism of Locally Recruited Egg Parasitoids of the Fall Armyworm in Africa

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an insect native to the tropical and subtropical Americas that has recently spread to Africa, where it predominately attacks maize, sorghum and other plant species. Biological control is an environmentally friendly way of combatting the pest and contributes to an integrated pest management approach. In Africa, several trichogrammatid parasitoids and Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) have been found parasitizing eggs of the FAW. In Niger, the egg parasitoids encountered include Trichogrammatoidea sp. (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and Telenomus remus Nixon. Parasitism of the FAW eggs by the two egg parasitoids was assessed in the laboratory, followed by field testing on sentinel eggs. In the laboratory, T. remus parasitized on average 78% of FAWeggs, compared to 25% for Trichogrammatoidea sp. Telenomus remus was able to parasitize egg masses that were fully covered with scales, while Trichogrammatoidea sp. parasitized only uncovered egg masses. On-farm releases of T. remus in sorghum fields caused up to 64% of FAW egg parasitism. Parasitized eggs yielded viable progeny, which can contribute to FAW egg parasitism build-up during the cropping season. Our findings lay the groundwork for the use of T. remus in augmentative releases against FAW in Africa

Classical biological control of the papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in the Republic of Palau

The papaya mealybug (PM), Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), a pest in Central America and the Caribbean, was noted to have established on Palau in March 2003 and was causing serious damage to papaya, plumeria, hibiscus, and other plants. The parasitoids Anagyrus loecki Noyes, Pseudleptomastix mexicana Noyes and Schauff, and Acerophagus papayae Noyes and Schauff (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) totaling 24,586 were imported from Puerto Rico and field released in Palau from August 2003 to June 2004. Anagyrus loecki and A. papayae appear to be promising biological control agents of PM in Palau. No field recovery of P. mexicana was made in spite of several field releases. The reduction of the papaya mealybug population density levels below detectable levels was observed in a six-month period following the introduction of these exotic parasitoids. Following the successful implementation of a classical biological control program, the risk of this mealybug spreading to other islands in the Republic of Palau and to neighboring Micronesian Islands has been considerably reduced

Multimodality local ablative therapy of 23 lung metastases with surgical resection and percutaneous cryoablation in a patient with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome: A case report

Patients with Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) are prone to develop a variety of malignancies due to insufficient activity of the encoded tumor suppressor protein P53, including adrenocortical carcinoma, breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and sarcoma. In the setting of LFS, local treatment options for lung metastases are limited to surgery and thermal ablation since radiotherapy and some systemic therapies predispose patients to additional future malignancies. We present the case of a 45-year-old woman with LFS with leiomyosarcoma metastases to both lungs who underwent bilateral wedge resections to treat a total of eight lung metastases followed by six percutaneous cryoablation sessions to treat 15 additional lung metastases over a period of 24 months. Our case demonstrates the option of multimodal local ablative therapies for lung metastases in patients with LFS, including percutaneous cryoablation

Development of an Optimum Diet for Mass Rearing of the Rice Moth, Corcyra cephalonica (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), and Production of the Parasitoid, Habrobracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), for the Control of Pearl Millet Head Miner

The rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica Stainton, an alternate host for the production of the parasitoid, Habrobracon hebetor Say, was reared on different diets, including pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] (Poales: Poaceae) flour only, and in combinations of flours of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] (Poales: Poaceae), peanut (Arachis hypogea L.) (Fabales: Fabaceae), and cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] (Fabales: Fabaceae) to identify the optimal and economical proportion to be used under the conditions of Niger. The addition of cowpea or peanut to the pearl millet diet slightly increased C. cephalonica larval development time. Likewise, the addition of cowpea or peanut to cereal diets yielded a higher C. cephalonica larval survival. Female moths emerging from larvae fed on cereal and legume mixed diets produced higher eggs compared to the ones fed on sole and mixed cereals. Among legumes, cowpea addition is most interesting in terms of cost/production of C. cephalonica larvae. However, female moths emerging from larvae fed on different millet cowpea mix (5, 25, and 50%) laid significantly more eggs than those fed on sole pearl millet. Further, individual C. cephalonica larvae fed on 75% pearl millet + 25% cowpea produced significantly more H. hebetor. With an initial 25 C. cephalonica larvae kept for a 3-mo rearing period, the number of H. hebetor parasitoids produced will reach 2.68–10.07 million. In terms of cost/production ratio, the 75% pearl millet: 25% cowpea yielded better results

A Guide to Biological Control of Fall Armyworm in Africa Using Egg Parasitoids

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a voracious agricultural pest native to North and South America, was first detected on the African continent in 2016 and has subsequently spread throughout the continent and across Asia. Fall armyworm (FAW) is known to feed on over 350 plant species and it has been predicted to cause up to $US 13 billion per annum in crop losses throughout sub-Saharan Africa, thereby threatening the livelihoods of millions of poor farmers. Since the occurrence of FAW in Africa, synthetic chemical insecticides have been widely used as emergency responses to halt distribution of the pest and minimize damage in maize fields. Most smallholder farmers in Africa and Asia, however, cannot afford frequent insecticide applications. Furthermore, dependence on chemical insecticides results in the development of resistance to major classes of insecticides, effects on nontarget organisms, as well as other adverse effects to humans and the environment. This highlights the need for the development of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that are suitable to African smallholder farmers. Biological control using egg parasitoids particularly from the genus Trichogramma and Telenomus remus is part of the IPM approach presently underway to control FAW in North and South America. The approach involves mass rearing and release of these egg parasitoids to control FAW. These egg parasitoids are reared on factitious and natural hosts. Various species of both parasitoids are already present in Africa. After identifying the species/strain that best suit the local condition, the parasitoid wasps can be mass reared and used against FAW and other lepidopteran pests. Therefore, the purpose of this book is to provide guidelines on mass rearing systems for both the egg parasitoids and their hosts. The book describes the methods used to mass produce FAW (S. frugiperda), rice meal moth (Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton), Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), egg parasitoids - (Trichogramma chilonis Ishii, Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and (Telenomus remus Nixon, Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) in the facilities at icipe- Kenya and ICRISAT-Niger. This guide is primarily intended for biological control practitioners at universities, research institutes and commercial laboratories particularly involved in managing FAW and other lepidopteran pests. The information in this document is also intended to assist those who are relatively new at rearing FAW, rice meal moth, and the parasitoid wasps and to those who wish to improve existing rearing systems. The document covers virtually all aspects of information on the rearing techniques of each species such as colony establishment, stock culture maintenance, diet preparation, mass rearing, storage, quality control and field release. Each section is interrelated, contains step-by-step procedures, and is supported by colour pictures. The guide produced jointly by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Haramaya University, and Virginia Tech through support provided by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Integrated Pest Management, funded by the of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Cooperative Agreement No. AID-OAA-L-15-00001. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) is an international scientific research institute, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya that works towards improving lives and livelihoods of people in Africa. The center’s main objective is to research and develop alternative and environmentally friendly pest and vector management strategies that are effective, selective, non-polluting, non-resistance inducing, and which are affordable to resource-limited rural and urban communities. icipe's mandate extends to the conservation and use of the rich insect biodiversity found in Africa. Today, icipe is the only international center in sub-Saharan Africa working primarily on arthropods. icipe focuses on sustainable development using human health as the basis and the environment as the foundation for sustainability (http://www.icipe.org/). International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT): is a non-profit, non-political organization that conducts agricultural research for development in the drylands of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Covering 6.5 million square kilometers of land in 55 countries, the semi-arid or dryland tropics has over 2 billion people, and 644 million of these are the poorest of the poor. ICRISAT and its partners help empower these poor people to overcome poverty, hunger and a degraded environment through better agriculture. ICRISAT is headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana State, in India, with two regional hubs (Nairobi, Kenya and Bamako, Mali) and country offices in Niger, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ethiopia and Mozambique. ICRISAT is a member of the CGIAR system Organization (https://www.icrisat.org/). Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly known as Virginia Tech, is a public, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia (https://vt.edu/). The university houses the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Integrated Pest Management, which aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers by implementing sustainable crop solutions in the developing world. Haramaya University is a public academic and research university with its main campus in Haramaya, located at about 510 km East of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The university offers 264 academic programs of which 113 are undergraduate programs, 131 are second degree (M.Sc./M.Ed./MPH) and 20 are PhD level training programs. In addition, the university has been actively involved in research activities, primarily in the fields of agriculture

How does IPM 3.0 look like (and why do we need it in Africa)?

Open Access Article; Published online: 09 Aug 2022The concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was introduced sixty years ago to curb the overuse of agricultural pesticides, whereby its simplest version (IPM 1.0) was aiming at reducing the frequency of applications. Gradually, agro-ecological principles, such as biological control and habitat management, were included in IPM 2.0. However, throughout this time, smallholder farmers did not improve their decision-making skills and continue to use hazardous pesticides as their first control option. We are therefore proposing a new paradigm — IPM 3.0 — anchored on 3 pillars: 1) real-time farmer access to decision-making, 2) pest-management options relying on science-driven and nature-based approaches, and 3) the integration of genomic approaches, biopesticides, and habitat-management practices. We are convinced that this new paradigm based on technological advances, involvement of youth, gender-responsiveness, and climate resilience will be a game changer. However, this can only become effective through redeployment of public funding and stronger policy support

Timing of releases of the parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor and numbers needed in augmentative biological control against the millet head miner Heliocheilus albipunctella

Heliocheilus albipunctella de Joannis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is one of the major insect pests of pearl millet in the Sahel. The native parasitoid, Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), is currently being promoted for augmentative biological control of the pest in the Sahel. The current study was carried out to identify the right time for releases of the parasitoid using either pearl millet growing stage, or pest occurrence as reference, and to determine the optimal number of parasitoids needed to cover a given area. Our results indicate that release of parasitoids at the panicle emergence stage or six weeks after first sight of eggs of H. albipunctella lead to highest parasitism of H. albipunctella larvae by H. hebetor. The dose of 800 parasitoids for a distance of 3 km radius was enough for controlling H. albipunctella. The implications of the results are discussed toward cost effective and practical recommendation adapted to the Sahelian conditions