FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS, PHYTOCHEMICAL, AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES IN LEAVES AND STEM OF EMBELIA RIBES BURM. F

Objective: The objective of the present study is to carry out fluorescence analysis, phytochemical, and antioxidant activities using different solvent extract in leaves and stem of Embelia ribes. Methods: In the present study, fluorescence analysis, phytochemical, and antioxidant activities of leaves and stem of E. ribes are carried out using standard procedures. Result: The fluorescence analysis under visible and ultraviolet light for leaves and stem powder of E. ribes treated with various chemical reagents shown different fluorescence effect. In the phytochemical analysis, the methanolic extract of leaves has shown the highest total alkaloid content (19.05±0.42 mg CE/g DW), followed by the stem. The methanolic extract of stem exhibited highest total phenolic content (59.82±2.98 mg GAE/g DW), and ethanolic extract showed highest total flavonoid content (10.05±0.36 mg RE/g DW), followed by leaves. The ethanolic extract of stem possesses highest antioxidant activity toward 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (84.86±0.11%), whereas methanolic extract of stem reported highest FRAP activity (72.22±0.31 mg Fe+2E/g DW), followed by leaves. Antioxidant activities (DPPH and FRAP) were significantly correlated with TPC. Conclusion: The results of the present study revealed that the fluorescence analysis of leaves and stem of E. ribes can be helpful for the standardization and quality control of indigenous drug. Both leaves and stem serve as the good source of secondary metabolite and antioxidant agents

FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES IN EMBELIA RIBES BURM. F.: A VULNERABLE MEDICINAL PLANT

ABSTRACTObjective: The present study was aimed to identify the functional group present in the crude powder and various solvent extracts of Embelia ribesBurm. f. stem, leaves, and berries through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.Methods: Different plant parts of E. ribes were collected shade dried, powdered, and extracted in methanol, ethanol, and petroleum ether. Theseextracts were used to detect the characteristic peak values and their functional groups using FTIR method on a OMNI sampler attenuated totalreflectance accessory on a JASCO FTIR spectrophotometer (FTIRâ€4600).Results: The crude powder of E. ribes leaves, stem, and berries FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of amino acids, amide, alkanes, carboxylicacids, alcohols, esters, ethers, aromatics, aliphatic amines, phenols, aldehyde, ketones, fluorides, halogen, alkyl halides, and nitro compound. The drymethanolic and ethanolic extracts of E. ribes leaves, stem, and berries FTIR analysis results proved the presence of alcohols, p-substituted alcoholsor phenols, phenols, alkanes, alkynes, alkenes, aldehyde, ester, ether, aliphatic amines, carboxylic acids, aromatics, ketones, disulphide, alkyl halides,halogen, and nitro compounds, whereas dry petroleum ether extract shown the presence of amide, alkanes, carboxylic acids, alcohols, p-substitutedalcohols or phenols, esters, aromatics, aldehyde, ketones, aryl disulphide, aliphatic amines, aliphatic compound, alkyl halides, and nitro compounds,respectively.Conclusion: The results of the present study produced the FTIR spectrum profile for the vulnerable medicinally important plant E. ribes Burm. f.Keywords: Embelia ribes Burm. f., Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Spectroscopy, Functional groups

ANTIOXIDANT, ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC AND ANTIGLYCATION PROPERTIES OF SOME SWERTIA SPECIES FROM WESTERN GHATS

Objective: Oxidative stress and Advanced Glycation End-products have been associated with diabetic complications. Therefore, natural compounds or extracts that possess both antioxidant and anti-glycation activities might have great therapeutic potential for treating diabetic complications. Methods: The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the total phenolics, total flavonoids, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic and anti-glycation properties of aqueous extracts of some Swertia species from Western Ghats. Results: The present study revealed that the S. Minor showed the highest amount of total phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidant activities as compared to other species under study. Swertia angustifolia var. pulchella showed prominent decrease in blood glucose level and the S. lawii distillate showed the highest reduction in fructosamine content with greater anti-glycation property. Conclusion: All the Swertia species distillate analyzed in this study has exhibited potent hypoglycemic activity. Our study tends to support the traditional use of these medicinally important species and alternative source of diabetic medicines. Further study required to analyze the phytochemicals and their mechanism related to antioxidant, antidiabetic and antiglycation properties

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND ANTIBACTERIAL SCREENING OF TUBERS OF AMORPHOPHALLUS KONKANENSIS AND AMORPHOPHALLUS BULBIFER (ARACEAE)

Objective: Antioxidant activity (AOA) and antibacterial screening of tubers of unexplored Amorphophallus konkanensis Hett., Yadav & Patil (AKT) and Amorphophallus bulbifer (Roxb.) Bl. (ABT). Methods: Antioxidant activity was evaluated by using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 1 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, hydroxyl (OH•) radical, nitric oxide (NO∙) radical scavenging activities. Phenolics were determined by total phenolic content (TPC) assay. Antibacterial screening of different solvent extracts of tubers was tested against Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains by using the agar diffusion method. HPLC analysis was carried out for active phenolic compounds. Results: Tubers were extracted with three different solvents (ethanol, acetone and water). Acetone extracts of AKT and ABT exhibited the highest phenolic content 29.37±0.83 and 20.62±1.04 mg GAE/g. The AKT and ABT acetone extracts possesses highest free radical scavenging activity towards FRAP (0.632 & 0.586 O. D), DPPH (85.78% & 82.68%), hydroxyl (OH∙) radical (82.43% & 80.26%), nitric oxide (NO∙) radical (81.34% & 80.8%). The phenolic compounds tannic acid, gallic acid, quercetin, p-coumaric acid, catechin were identified by the HPLC method in acetone extracts. Among the different extracts, acetone extract of both the species of Amorphophallus showed significant antibacterial activity against all Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains tested. Conclusion: The results indicated that AKT and ABT can be considered as good sources of natural antioxidant for medicinal, commercial, nutraceutical and functional food applications. Antibacterial efficacy shown by these plants provides a scientific basis for their traditional uses in remedies

Annotation of existing databases using Semantic Web technologies:Making data more FAIR

Making data FAIR is an elaborate task. Hospitals and/or departments have to invest into technologies usually unknown and often do not have the resources to make data FAIR. Our work aims to provide a framework and tooling where users can easily make their data (more) FAIR. This framework uses RDF and OWL-based inferencing to annotate existing databases or comma-separated files. For every database, a custom ontology is build based on the database schema, which can be annotated to describe matching standardized terminologies. In this work, we describe the tooling developed, and the current implementation in an institutional datawarehouse pertaining over 3000 rectal cancer patients. We report on the performance (time) of the extraction and annotation process by the developed tooling. Furthermore, we do show that annotation of existing databases using OWL2-based reasoning is possible. Furthermore, we show that the ontology extracted from existing databases can provide a description framework to describe and annotate existing data sources. This would target mostly the “Interoperable” aspect of FAIR

Cirrhosis of liver is a risk factor for gallstone disease

Background: Gallstones are common clinical finding in general population. Mean prevalence rate in Indian population is 4-5%. The prevalence of gallstones is found to be high in cirrhotic patients compared to the general population in some western studies. Cause of this increased prevalence however is not known. Aim of the study was to evaluate prevalence of the gall stones in the cirrhotic patients, assess risk factors in cirrhotic patients and clinical presentation.Methods: This is the cross sectional observational study, included cirrhotic patients (compensated or decompensated). Risk factors for gallstone formation (age, gender and diabetes mellitus), characteristics of liver cirrhosis (etiology, Child Turcotte Pugh class, hypersplenism and varices) and clinical presentation were assessed in all cirrhotic patients with gallstones.Results: 336 patients with liver cirrhosis are included in this study; 201 (59.80%) male and 135 (40.2%) female. Mean age of the patients is 44.95±13.1 years. Overall prevalence of gall stones was 12.8% (43/336). Out of 43 patients, 23 (53.5%) are male and 20 (46.5%) are female. As child status progresses from A to B to C, prevalence of gall stone increases, with 60.46% (26/43) of gall stones occurring in the patients with CTP class C. Only 8 (18.6%) patients had gallstone related symptoms while rests were asymptomatic. 5 (11.6%) had concurrent CBD stones. Cholecystectomy was possible in only 2 patients with symptomatic gallstones.Conclusions: The prevalence of gall stones in cirrhotic is higher than general population which increases with the severity of liver cirrhosis. Most cirrhotic patients are asymptomatic for gallstones

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Severity Classification, Factors Responsible, Pathophysiology, Current and Herbal Treatment

Rheumatoid Arthritis is the autoimmune disorder occurs due to the change in life style, improper diet plans, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption etc. It generally affects the joints and creates swelling and severe pain in joints which leads to further destruction of bone and cartilages. Due to autoimmune responses the factors like Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, Interleukins-1 are introduced to synovial and synovial membrane which creates the swelling and pain. These factors further produce reactive oxygen species and inducing osteoclasts which destruct the bone and cartilages. Along with the drugs the several natural herbal treatments are also available for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. This includes varies medicinal plants form which acacia species is more potent and efficient. Acacia Senegal is the plant which blocks the receptors and decreases the level of tumor necrosis factor-α. Present work on rheumatoid arthritis mainly covers classification, factors responsible, pathophysiology, severity, current treatment and its drawbacks, herbal treatment and its benefits in treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Smoking, alcohol use disorder and tuberculosis treatment outcomes: A dual co-morbidity burden that cannot be ignored

BackgroundMore than 20% of tuberculosis (TB) disease worldwide may be attributable to smoking and alcohol abuse. India is the second largest consumer of tobacco products, a major consumer of alcohol particularly among males, and has the highest burden of TB globally. The impact of increasing tobacco dose, relevance of alcohol misuse and past versus current or never smoking status on TB treatment outcomes remain inadequately defined.MethodsWe conducted a multi-centric prospective cohort study of newly diagnosed adult pulmonary TB patients initiated on TB treatment and followed for a minimum of 6 months to assess the impact of smoking status with or without alcohol abuse on treatment outcomes. Smokers were defined as never smokers, past smokers or current smokers. Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) scores were used to assess alcohol misuse. The association between smoking status and treatment outcomes was assessed in univariate and multivariate random effects poisson regression models.ResultsOf 455 enrolled, 129 (28%) had a history of smoking with 94 (20%) current smokers and 35 (8%) past smokers. Unfavourable treatment outcomes were significantly higher among past and current smokers as compared to never smokers. Specifically, the risk of treatment failure was significantly higher among past smokers (aIRR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.41-4.90, p = 0.002), recurrent TB among current smokers (aIRR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.30-6.67, p = 0.010) and death among both past (2.63, 95% CI: 1.11-6.24, p = 0.028) and current (aIRR = 2.59, 95% CI: 1.29-5.18, p = 0.007) smokers. Furthermore, the combined effect of alcohol misuse and smoking on unfavorable treatment outcomes was significantly higher among past smokers (aIRR: 4.67, 95% CI: 2.17-10.02, pConclusionPast and current smoking along with alcohol misuse have combined effects on increasing the risk of unfavourable TB treatment outcomes. Innovative interventions that can readily address both co-morbidities are urgently needed