Mechanism of Oxidation of (p-Substituted Phenylthio)acetic Acids with N-Bromophthalimide

The kinetics of oxidation of (phenylthio)acetic acid (PTAA) by N-Bromophthalimide (NBP) in acetonitrile-water solvent mixture at 298 K in the presence of perchloric acid has been followed potentiometrically. The reaction is first-order each in NBP and PTAA and inverse fractional-order in H+. Also, it has been found that the reaction rate is not affected by changes in ionic strength of the reaction medium or by the addition of chemicals such as phthalimide, acrylonitrile and potassium bromide. However, an increase in the water content of the solvent mixture causes an increase in the rate of reaction. These observations have been well analyzed in favour of a SN2-type mechanism, involving NBP itself as the reactive species. Effect of substituents on the reaction rate has been analysed by employing various (p-sustituted phenylthio)acetic acids. The electron-releasing substituent in the phenyl ring of PTAA accelerates the reaction rate while the electron-withdrawing substituent retards the rate. The excellently linear Hammett plot yields a large negative ρ value, supporting the involvement a bromosulphonium ion intermediate in the rate-determining step

Development and Study of Wound Healing Potential of A Polyherbal Formulation

Plants are more potent healers because they promote the repair mechanisms in the natural way. Wound healing potential of a polyherbal formulation consisting of Calophyllum inophyllum L, Hibiscus sabdariffa L and Quercus infectoria Olive in Excision, Incision and Dead space wounded rat models and also compared with reference ointment. Wistar strain of albino rats weighing 150 – 200g has been divided into 9 groups each comprising of 6 rats. Group – I, IV and VII served as wounded control, group – II, V and VIII are wounded and treated with PHO topically, group – III, VI and IX are wounded and treated with reference drug.  The biochemical and enzymatic parameters studied were hydroxyproline, hexosamine, ascorbic acid, superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxide and protein, DNA, RNA and WBC. These parameters were increased in the rats treated with polyherbal ointment. Lipid peroxide and WBC level was decreased when compared to control and standard group.  The results of the present study substantiate the traditional claims that the use of PHO prepared from plants possesses significant wound healing promoting activity and provides scientific evidence to the ethnomedicinal property of plants in the healing of wounds

Unconjugated Bile Acids Influence Expression of Circadian Genes: A Potential Mechanism for Microbe-Host Crosstalk.

Disruptions to circadian rhythm in mice and humans have been associated with an increased risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome. The gut microbiota is known to be essential for the maintenance of circadian rhythm in the host suggesting a role for microbe-host interactions in the regulation of the peripheral circadian clock. Previous work suggested a role for gut bacterial bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity in the regulation of host circadian gene expression. Here we demonstrate that unconjugated bile acids, known to be generated through the BSH activity of the gut microbiota, are potentially chronobiological regulators of host circadian gene expression. We utilised a synchronised Caco-2 epithelial colorectal cell model and demonstrated that unconjugated bile acids, but not the equivalent tauro-conjugated bile salts, enhance the expression levels of genes involved in circadian rhythm. In addition oral administration of mice with unconjugated bile acids significantly altered expression levels of circadian clock genes in the ileum and colon as well as the liver with significant changes to expression of hepatic regulators of circadian rhythm (including Dbp) and associated genes (Per2, Per3 and Cry2). The data demonstrate a potential mechanism for microbe-host crosstalk that significantly impacts upon host circadian gene expression

Anti-cancerous Activities of Anthocyanins of Banana cv. Nendran (Musa sp.) Flower Bracts against Human Colon and Cervical Cancer Cell Lines.

Anti-cancerous properties of anthocyanins extracted from banana (cv. Nendran) bract has been discussed.A comparative study on the anticancer effects of anthocyanins derived from banana cv. Nendran flower bracts against human colon (HT-29) and cervical cancer (HeLa) cells were investigated. In vitro assays by MTT, AO/EtBr and MMP revealed that anthocyanins extract inhibited the growth of both HT-29 and HeLa cells. The percentage of cell viability decreased linearly with the increment of anthocyanins. The IC50 values for anthocyanins were 41.18 µg/ml for colon cancer cells and 46.50 µg/ml for cervical cancer cells by MTT assay. The MMP assay indicated IC50 values of 71.18 and 106.5 µg/ml respectively for HT-29 cells and HeLa cells. The study demonstrates that anthocyanins of banana flower bracts are potential anti-cancerous compounds.ICA

Screening of Phytochemical and Glucose Absorption Inhibitory Potential of Vigna Radiata (L.) R. Wilczek

Diabetes mellitus is a common and widespread disease affecting the citizens of both developing and developed countries. It is estimated that 25 % of the world population is affected by this disease. It is characterized by group of metabolic disorders. The deficiency or insensitivity of insulin causes glucose to accumulate in the blood, leading to various complications. The inhibition of carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes such as ? – amylase and ? – glucosidase can also be an important strategy to lower postprandial blood glucose levels. Therefore, it is the need of time to identify and explore the drugs from natural sources without side effects. For this present study a common plant with high nutritive value and fiber content Vigna radiata(L.) R. Wilczek. belongs to the family Fabaceae was selected and evaluated for its antidiabetic activity. Preliminary phytochemical constituents of plant were analyzed and showed the presence of sterol, tannin, flavonoid, coumarin, quinine, alkaloid, glycosides, sugar and phenols. In vitro evidence of antidiabetic potential was assessed by assaying the inhibition of ? – amylase and ? – glucosidase enzyme and the result was exhibited in a concentration dependent manner

Role of DFNB1 mutations in hereditary hearing loss among assortative mating hearing impaired families from South India

Abstract Background DFNB1, the first locus to have been associated with deafness, has two major genes GJB2 & GJB6, whose mutations have played vital role in hearing impairment across many ethnicities in the world. In our present study we have focused on the role of these mutations in assortative mating hearing impaired families from south India. Methods One hundred and six assortatively mating hearing impaired (HI) families of south Indian origin comprising of two subsets: 60 deaf marrying deaf (DXD) families and 46 deaf marrying normal hearing (DXN) families were recruited for this study. In the 60 DXD families, 335 members comprising of 118 HI mates, 63 other HI members and 154 normal hearing members and in the 46 DXN families, 281 members comprising of 46 HI and their 43 normal hearing partners, 50 other HI members and 142 normal hearing family members, participated in the molecular study. One hundred and sixty five (165) healthy normal hearing volunteers were recruited as controls for this study. All the participating members were screened for variants in GJB2 and GJB6 genes and the outcome of gene mutations were compared in the subsequent generation in begetting deaf offspring. Results The DFNB1 allele frequencies for DXD mates and their offspring were 36.98 and 38.67%, respectively and for the DXN mates and their offspring were 22.84 and 24.38%, respectively. There was a 4.6% increase in the subsequent generation in the DXD families, while a 6.75% increase in the DXN families, which demonstrates the role of assortative mating along with consanguinity in the increase of DFNB1 mutations in consecutive generations. Four novel variants, p.E42D (in GJB2 gene), p.Q57R, p.E101Q, p.R104H (in GJB6 gene) were also identified in this study. Conclusion This is the first study from an Indian subcontinent reporting novel variants in the coding region of GJB6 gene. This is perhaps the first study in the world to test real-time, the hypothesis proposed by Nance et al. in 2000 (intense phenotypic assortative mating mechanism can double the frequency of the commonest forms of recessive deafness [DFNB1]) in assortative mating HI parental generation and their offspring

Phytochemical Analysis and Invitro Antioxidant Activity of Dolichos Biflorus

Medicinal plants have been identified and used throughout human history. Plants have the ability to synthesize a wide variety of chemical compounds that are used to perform important biological functions and to defend against attack from predators such as insects, fungi and herbivorous mammals. Chemical compounds in plants mediate their effect on the human body through processes identical to those already well understood for the chemical compounds in conventional drugs. The use of herbs to treat disease is almost universal among non-industrialized societies and is often more affordable than purchasing expensive modern pharmaceuticals. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80 percent of the populations of some Asian and African countries presently use herbal medicine for some aspect of primary health care. The present study focused on the phytochemical analysis and antioxidant activity of the Dolichos biflorus leaf in various extracts (chloroform, ethanol and water) were prepared and used for the analysis. Among these extracts, the ethanolic extracts have maximum phytochemicals than compared to other extracts. The extract was further purified using thin layer chromatography

Model by which microbially-modified bile acids may influence expression of circadian genes.

<p>Bile acids are synthesised from cholesterol and conjugated with taurine or glycine in the liver and stored in the gall bladder. Upon food intake, the bile salts are released into the duodenum and aid in fat digestion and adsorption. Gut microbes in the intestinal lumen deconjugate bile salts to yield unconjugated bile acids. Recent work from other groups has demonstrated that diet, antibiotics and probiotics may influence this microbial activity (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0167319#sec012" target="_blank">discussion</a>). Within the ileal enterocytes, unconjugated bile acids influence the amplitude and periodicity of circadian gene expression. Nearly 95% of bile salts and bile acids are reabsorbed in the terminal ileum and transported back to the liver via the hepatic portal circulation. Upon reaching the liver, the bile acids further influence circadian gene expression profiles.</p

Unconjugated bile acids (DCA and CDCA) influence expression of genes encoding input regulators of clock-regulated genes in murine peripheral organs.

<p>C57BL/6 mice were given vehicle (Corn oil) or DCA or CDCA each at 9 μmol/ kg bodyweight dissolved in corn oil via oral gavage. The mice were gavaged three times (t = 0, t = 24h and t = 48h) with corn oil or bile acids and were fasted for 3h prior to harvesting of tissues from (A, B) Ileum, (C, D) Colon and (E, F) Liver. All tissues were harvested within the same 45 minute window during the light phase to minimize variation between subjects (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0167319#sec002" target="_blank">Materials & Methods</a>). Total RNA was isolated from tissues and mRNA expression was measured using qRT-PCR. The expression of clock-controlled genes was analysed. Data are plotted relative to β-actin expression. The white bar represents the results from vehicle, grey bar represents the DCA treatment group and the black bar represents the CDCA group. Error bars denote SEM. Statistical significance was determined by one way ANOVA (*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001), n = 4.</p