Compatibility of entomopathogenic fungi with extracts of plants and commercial botanicals

The compatibility of some commercial botanicals (Biospark, Phytophrate, Exodos, Biodos and Neemgold) and of solvent extracts of Syndrella nodiflora, Premna tomentosa, Vitex negundo, Ipomea carnea, Pteridium aquilinum (leaves) and Annona squomosa (seeds) with Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuil., Isaria (Paecilomyces) fumosorosea (Wize) Brown et Smith and Lecanicillium (Verticillium) lecanii Humber in vitro was studied using dual plate and liquid bioassays. The results showed that Biospark. Phytophrate and Exodos highly reduced the mycelial growth of B. bassiana, P. fumosorosea and V. lecanii, respectively. Irrespective of the fungi tested, A. squomosa ethanol and I. cornea water extracts had maximum and minimum growth inhibiting activity against three fungi, respectively. Hence, these extracts can be integrated along with these fungi in the biointensive integrated pest management (BIPM) programme.Key words: Compatibility, entomopathogenic fungi, plant-based biopesticides, plant extracts

A Study on Kalladaippu Noi

Kalladaippu Noi is one of the most common and excruciating painful disease. The symptoms associated with Kallaidappu are renal colicky pain in loin, renal angle and lower abdomen. Pain radiating from loin to groin, thigh and external genetalia, abdominal distention, burning mixturation, anueria, oliguria, concentric urination, haematuria, pyuria, Nausea, Vomiting, fever, chills and sweating. In india approximately 5 to 7 million patients suffering from renal stone disease and atleast 1/1000 of indian population needs hospitalization due to renal calculas diseases. Hence this disease kallaidaippu was choosen for my disseatation work. The inscriptions mentioned in the siddha literatures about the causes, types, symptoms and therapeutics of kalladaippu noi were informative and impressive. A drug which correct crystalloid colliod imbalance and relieves the binding mucin of calculi, antispetic, antisposmadic and diuretic, should relax the detrusor muscle of urinary bladder and prevent the super saturation of crystalloid may have the roll in the management of urinary calculi. In siddha texts so many combination of drugs having all these properties are described treating kalladaippu noi. However clinical trials on the treatment of kalladaippu noi have not been undertaken for the medicine Aruvagai chooranam (Internal) Brahmmamuni vaidya soothiram - 390, Part -I Page no.120. Hence these medicine has been choosen for the dissertation work to evaluate the therapeutic value in treating Kalladaippu noi in clinical study. The disease was diagnosed by following various siddha diagnostic methods like Envagai Thervugal, Mukkutra Verupadugal, Neerkuri and Neikuri and Modern diagnostic methods that included laboratory, radiological and sonological investigations. A total of 40 patients of either sex (20 OP and 20 IP) were selected and administered with the following trial medicine at PG Department of Pothu Maruthuvam, Government Siddha Medical College and Hospital, Palayamkottai as below: Aruvagai Chooranam - 2 gm BD Morning and Evening with Hot water after food. The trial medicine is analysed biochemically, microbiologically and pharmacologically. The biochemical analysis of trial medicine revealed the presence of various types of minerals and the microbiological analysis revealed the antibacterial Activity of the trial medicine. The pharmacological study revealed the litho triptic, diuretic and anti-spasmodic effect of the trial medicine. Ultra sonographic investigations were carried out for all the patients before the treatment to confirm the diagnosis of kalladaippu noi, revealed clinically, pathologically, biochemically and through microscopic examination. USG investigations done at the end of the treatment revealed good response of the trial medicines in treating Kalladaippu noi in 80 % of OP and 65% of IP and moderate response in 15% of OP and 35% of IP. Hence, it can be concluded that the trial medicine, Aruvagai Chooranam (Internal) is highly effective and economically viable in curing Kalladaippu Noi

INSILICO DOCKING STUDIES TO IDENTIFY POTENT INHIBITORS OF ALPHA-SYNUCLEIN AGGREGATION IN PARKINSON DISEASE

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease. Etiology of PD is progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in Substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). One of the pathological hallmarks of PD is the presence of intracellular proteinaceous substances termed ‘Lewy bodies' composed of aggregated alpha-synuclein which is responsible for its toxic effect on SNpc. Hence any therapeutic target which blocks α-synuclein aggregation will provide a new channel to cure PD. Objective: The aim of the present study is to identify potent inhibitors (ligands) which binds to active site of α-synuclein and prevents self-association. Methods: In this study, insilico molecular docking was done against α-synuclein using five plant derived compounds namely (a) stimovul (b) 7,8dihydroxycoumarin, (c) etorphine (d) propoxyphene and (e) pentazdine. These compounds were analyzed for their Lipinski and ADMET properties using Accelrys Discovery studio 3.5. Molecular docking was performed between ligand and protein using Lead IT. Results: Results revealed that the best fit ligands against active site of α-synuclein were identified as Stimovul with a docking score of -4.5122 and the interacting amino acids were found to be SER 87 and VAL 95 followed by other compounds. Conclusion: These compounds which have the ability to bind to α-Synuclein insilico can be further developed using invitro and in vivo studies as a potent anti-parkinson drug.   Keywords: Parkinson disease, Substantia nigra, Molecular docking, Lipinski, ADMET

Potential antioxidative protein-pigment complex Spirulina platensis mediated food grade phycocyanin C -Extraction, purification, antioxidative activity and biocompatibility

Phycocyanin (PC), a photosynthetic pigment produced by cyanobacteria has been gained attention due to its distinct properties such as antioxidant and anti-proliferative. Acute and sub acute toxicity studies were carried out to determine the biocompatibility of the extracted phycocyanin on Wistar rat model. PC was extracted from Spirulina platensis biomass by cold maceration followed by successive purification by ammonium sulphate precipitation and gel filtration chromatography. Biocompatibility of the purified phycocyanin was carried out by acute toxicity studies using Wistar rat model. Acute toxicity has been determined by the effect of single oral dose of PC with two different concentrations (250 and 500 mg/Kg) on the body weight, general behaviour, and mortality. In sub-acute treatment. The effect of phycocyanin on the various parameters at the respective concentration as single oral dose daily during 28 days was studied. Cold maceration followed by maceration brought about food grade phycocyanin C (C-PC) which final yield and purity were increased in the successive purification steps. Antioxidative study using DPPH assay reveals the effective free scavenging activity of the phycocynin as concentration-dependent manner. Biocompatibility studies against Wister rat model did not exhibit any harmful effect. Any sign of toxic effect on biochemical, hematological and histopathological parameters was not observed in all the tested animals of treatment groups during the study period which reveals a high level of biocompatibility. The present study suggests the possible utilization of phycocyanin C as an effective pharmaceutical agent

Potential antioxidative protein-pigment complex Spirulina platensis mediated food grade phycocyanin C -Extraction, purification, antioxidative activity and biocompatibility

230-239Phycocyanin (PC), a photosynthetic pigment produced by cyanobacteria has been gained attention due to its distinct properties such as antioxidant and anti-proliferative. Acute and sub acute toxicity studies were carried out to determine the biocompatibility of the extracted phycocyanin on Wistar rat model. PC was extracted from Spirulina platensis biomass by cold maceration followed by successive purification by ammonium sulphate precipitation and gel filtration chromatography. Biocompatibility of the purified phycocyanin was carried out by acute toxicity studies using Wistar rat model. Acute toxicity has been determined by the effect of single oral dose of PC with two different concentrations (250 and 500 mg/Kg) on the body weight, general behaviour, and mortality. In sub-acute treatment. The effect of phycocyanin on the various parameters at the respective concentration as single oral dose daily during 28 days was studied. Cold maceration followed by maceration brought about food grade phycocyanin C (C-PC) which final yield and purity were increased in the successive purification steps. Antioxidative study using DPPH assay reveals the effective free scavenging activity of the phycocynin as concentration-dependent manner. Biocompatibility studies against Wister rat model did not exhibit any harmful effect. Any sign of toxic effect on biochemical, hematological and histopathological parameters was not observed in all the tested animals of treatment groups during the study period which reveals a high level of biocompatibility. The present study suggests the possible utilization of phycocyanin C as an effective pharmaceutical agent

In silico and in vitro analysis of quorum quenching active phytochemicals from the ethanolic extract of medicinal plants against quorum sensing mediated virulence factors of Acinetobacter baumannii

Inhibition of quorum sensing called quorum quenching (QQ) is now extensively utilized in the prevention of bacterial infections. In the present study, in silico and in vitro analysis of quorum quenching (QQ) or anti-Quorum sensing (QS) activity of ethanolic extract of medicinal plants against QS mediated virulence factors of human pathogenic bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii has been investigated. The effect of plant extracts on QS by acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) has been carried out by quantification of secreted AHL by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Measurement of QQ activity was determined by maximum inhibition of virulence factors and AHL production which was recorded in E. globules and A. indica extracts. In silico analysis was studied with possible bioactive compounds in the ethanolic extract of respective plant material that were characterized by gas chromatography equipped with mass spectroscopy (GCMS) against the enzyme responsible for the production of signaling molecule which mediates QS AHL synthase. Distinct reduction of all the QS-mediated virulence factors was recorded in the E. globules and A. indica. Among the different bioactive compounds, the ethanolic leaf extract of E. globules of GCMS analyzed compound, Hexadeconoic acid, 1-(hydroxymethyl), 1, 2-ethannediyl ester interacted with 1KZF protein (AHL synthase) and showed binding energy of −11.2 kcal/mol to MET 42 and TYR 54. Phytochemicals mediated inhibition of AHL synthase activity which was responsible for AHL production would suggest the possible utilization of plant extracts as an antibacterial agent to fight against disease-causing pathogenic bacteria

Simulation Strategies for Mixed Traffic Conditions: A Review of Car-Following Models and Simulation Frameworks

The area of traffic flow modelling and analysis that bridges civil engineering, computer science, and mathematics has gained significant momentum in the urban areas due to increasing vehicular population causing traffic congestion and accidents. Notably, the existence of mixed traffic conditions has been proven to be a significant contributor to road accidents and congestion. The interaction of vehicles takes place in both lateral and longitudinal directions, giving rise to a two-dimensional (2D) traffic behaviour. This behaviour contradicts with the traditional car-following (CF) or one-dimensional (1D) lane-based traffic flow. Existing one-dimensional CF models did the inclusion of lane changing and overtaking behaviour of the mixed traffic stream with specific alterations. However, these parameters cannot describe the continuous lateral manoeuvre of mixed traffic flow. This review focuses on all the significant contributions made by 2D models in evaluating the lateral and longitudinal vehicle behaviour simultaneously. The accommodation of vehicle heterogeneity into the car-following models (homogeneous traffic models) is discussed in detail, along with their shortcomings and research gaps. Also, the review of commercially existing microscopic traffic simulation frameworks built to evaluate real-world traffic scenario are presented. This review identified various vehicle parameters adopted by existing CF models and whether the current 2D traffic models developed from CF models effectively captured the vehicle behaviour in mixed traffic conditions. Findings of this study are outlined at the end