In vitro study of antiamoebic activity of methanol extract of fruit of Pimpinella anisum on trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica HM1-IMSS

The aniseed plant Pimpinella anisum (Saunf-Hindi) is one of the most ancient medicinal plants used by man. Currently, this plant has several uses in the food industry as spice, whereas in the pharmacopoeia, it is used as an expectorant in digestive disturbances, as mild diuretic, and as insect repellent in external use. In this paper, we evaluated the biological activity of methanolic extract of P. anisum on in vitro growth of Entamoeba histolytica HM1-IMSS under axenic conditions. We observed that the growth inhibition of E. histolytica was at CI50 = 0.034 μg/mL. Results confirm the antiamoebic activity of the methanolic extract of P. anisum.Keywords: Pimpinella anisum, Entamoeba histolytica, antiamoebic activity, medicinal plantsAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(16), pp. 2065-206

Celecoxib accelerates functional recovery after sciatic nerve crush in the rat

The inflammatory response appears to be essential in the modulation of the degeneration and regeneration process after peripheral nerve injury. In injured nerves, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is strongly upregulated around the injury site, possibly playing a role in the regulation of the inflammatory response. In this study we investigated the effect of celecoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor, on functional recovery after sciatic nerve crush in rats. Unilateral sciatic nerve crush injury was performed on 10 male Wistar rats. Animals on the experimental group (n = 5) received celecoxib (10 mg/kg ip) immediately before the crush injury and daily for 7 days after the injury. Control group (n = 5) received normal saline at equal regimen. A sham group (n = 5), where sciatic nerve was exposed but not crushed, was also evaluated. Functional recovery was then assessed by calculating the sciatic functional index (SFI) on days 0,1,7,14 and 21 in all groups, and registering the day of motor and walking onset. In comparison with control group, celecoxib treatment (experimental group) had significant beneficial effects on SFI, with a significantly better score on day 7. Anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib should be considered in the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries, but further studies are needed to explain the mechanism of its neuroprotective effects

Germinación in vitro e inducción de callo en Rubus adenotrichus Schltdl.

Una alternativa para resolver problemas de dormancia, obtención masiva de plantas y biomoléculas de interés es el cultivo in vitro, el objetivo de este trabajo fue inducir la germinación y establecer el cultivo de callo deRubus adenotrichus. Se probaron tres métodos de escarificación: 1) inmersión en ácido sulfúrico (30 y 60 min), 2) inmersión en hipoclorito de sodio (72 h) y 3) remoción de la cubierta de la semilla, este último tratamiento fue el mejor, generando un 68% de porcentaje de germinación, en medio Murashige Skoog (MS) sin reguladores. Las plántulas obtenidas tuvieron un desarrollo similar al de las plantas silvestres. Para la inducción de callo, se emplearon hojas de plantas silvestres como explantes y fueron colocadas en dos tipos de medio: MS, con 1 mg/L de ácido naftalenacético y 0.5 mg/L cinetina) y Woody Plant Medium (WPM) con 0.5 mg/L de ácido 2,4-diclorofenoxiacético y 0.75 mg/L de cinetina. En ambos medios se desarrolló un callo friable y pigmentado. El proceso de escarifi cación es fundamental para la germinación de esta especie. El empleo de los medios MS y WPM, con los reguladores adicionados son promotores de la producción de callos friables

ACTIVIDAD AMEBICIDA, ANTIOXIDANTE Y PERFIL FITOQUÍMICO DE EXTRACTOS METANÓLICOS DE ASTROPHYTUM MYRIOSTIGMA OBTENIDOS DE CULTIVO DE CALLO Y DEL CACTUS SILVESTRE

Methanolic extracts were obtained fromboth in vitro and ex vitro tissues of Astrophytum myriostigma to develop a phytochemical profile, probe antioxidant activity(DPPH 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl)and evaluate amoebicid activity againstEntamoeba histolytica HM1-IMSS. Thephytochemical profile results indicate thepresence of different secondary metabolitesin callus and stem; whereas the callus hasphenolic oxidrils and flavonoids, these arenot present in the stem, which may causethe difference in the antioxidant activitybetween callus with an IC50 of 199.19μg/mL and stem with 3961.39 μg/mL. Theamoebicid activity was satisfactory withan IC50 of <100μg/mL for both extracts.The presence of these metabolites in callusof Astrophytum myriostigma is probablydue to conditions and nutrients present inmedia.Se determinó la actividad amebicida, antioxidante y perfil fitoquímico de extractosmetanólicos de callo cultivado in vitro ysecciones de tallo de planta ex vitro deAstrophytum myriostigma. Se obtuvieronextractos metanólicos de ambos tejidos paraevaluar la actividad amebicida sobre Entamoeba histolytica HM1-IMSS, la actividadantioxidante (DPPH 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) y su perfil fitoquímico. Paraambos extractos, la actividad amebicidaresultó satisfactoria con una concentracióninhibitoria media menor de 100 μg/mL. Losresultados del perfil fitoquímico indican lapresencia de metabolitos secundarios diferentes en callo y tallo, mientras que el callo,posee oxidrilos fenólicos y flavonoides,en tallo no están presentes, lo que puedeocasionar la diferencia en los resultadosde la actividad antioxidante, para callo unaconcentración efectiva media de 199.19μg/mL y para tallo de 3961.39 μg/mL. Lapresencia de estos metabolitos en callo deAstrophytum myriostigma, se debe probablemente a las condiciones y a los nutrientespresentes en el medio in vitro

BIOPROSPECCIÓN DE LA ACTIVIDAD ANTIMICÓTICA DE EXTRACTOS METANÓLICOS DE ARIOCARPUS KOTSCHOUBEYANUS Y ARIOCARPUS RETUSUS

The antifungal activity of methanolic extracts from Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanusand A. retusus, two native xerophytes ofnortheastern Mexico, was determined onthe fungal dermatophytes Trichophytontonsurans, Microsporum canis and Microsporum cookei. Putative active metabolites were identified by phytochemicalscreening using evidence for functionalgroups; determination of antifungal activity was conducted by the disk-diffusion platemethod as part of the process of understanding the chemistry and efficacy of theseplant products. Doses tested were 125,250 y 500 mg/mL. Extracts were positivefor carbonyl groups, phenolic oxhidrils,sterols and methyl sterols, coumarins, sesquiterpenlactones, saponins, flavonoids andalkaloids. Extract from A. retusus (stem)yielded the greatest activity against Trichophyton tonsurans and Microsporum cookei.Univariate analysis of variance revealedthat with regard to antifungal activity therewere significant differences between fungi,culture media and analyzed doses withrespect to positive control of ketoconazole.These results served to validate empiricalknowledge about these plants in traditionalmedicine. These studies form a basis forfurther research in the search for bioactivecompounds and the discovery of potentialherbal medicaments.Se determinó la actividad antifúngica invitro de extractos metanólicos de Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus y Ariocarpusretusus, plantas xerófitas del noreste delpaís, usadas en la medicina tradicional,sobre los hongos dermatofitos Trichophytontonsurans, Microsporum canis y Microsporum cookei. Los metabolitos presentes seidentificaron por tamizaje fitoquímico empleando pruebas para grupos funcionales, ladeterminación de actividad antifúngica serealizó por el método de difusión en placaempleando microdiscos, con la finalidadde entender la química y eficacia de estosproductos vegetales, las dosis evaluadasde estos extractos fueron 125, 250 y 500mg/mL. Los extractos resultaron positivospara grupos carbonilo, oxidrilos fenólicos,esteroles y metilesteroles, cumarinas, sesquiterpenlactonas, saponinas, flavonoides yalcaloides. El extracto que presentó mayoractividad fue el de Ariocarpus retusus(tallo) contra Trichophyton tonsurans y Microsporum cookei. El análisis estadístico devarianza univariante reveló que en cuantoa la actividad antifúngica, existe diferencia significativa entre hongos, medios de cultivo y dosis evaluadas de los extractos conrespecto al control positivo de ketoconazol.Estos resultados sirvieron para validar elconocimiento empírico que se tiene acercade estas plantas en la medicina tradicional.Siendo estos estudios una base para nuevas investigaciones sobre la búsqueda decompuestos bioactivos y el descubrimientode medicamentos potenciales de productosherbales

A Next-Generation Liquid Xenon Observatory for Dark Matter and Neutrino Physics

The nature of dark matter and properties of neutrinos are among the mostpressing issues in contemporary particle physics. The dual-phase xenontime-projection chamber is the leading technology to cover the availableparameter space for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), whilefeaturing extensive sensitivity to many alternative dark matter candidates.These detectors can also study neutrinos through neutrinoless double-beta decayand through a variety of astrophysical sources. A next-generation xenon-baseddetector will therefore be a true multi-purpose observatory to significantlyadvance particle physics, nuclear physics, astrophysics, solar physics, andcosmology. This review article presents the science cases for such a detector.<br

Impact of cross-section uncertainties on supernova neutrino spectral parameter fitting in the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment

A primary goal of the upcoming Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is to measure the $\mathcal{O}(10)$ MeV neutrinos produced by a Galactic core-collapse supernova if one should occur during the lifetime of the experiment. The liquid-argon-based detectors planned for DUNE are expected to be uniquely sensitive to the $\nu_e$ component of the supernova flux, enabling a wide variety of physics and astrophysics measurements. A key requirement for a correct interpretation of these measurements is a good understanding of the energy-dependent total cross section $\sigma(E_\nu)$ for charged-current $\nu_e$ absorption on argon. In the context of a simulated extraction of supernova $\nu_e$ spectral parameters from a toy analysis, we investigate the impact of $\sigma(E_\nu)$ modeling uncertainties on DUNE's supernova neutrino physics sensitivity for the first time. We find that the currently large theoretical uncertainties on $\sigma(E_\nu)$ must be substantially reduced before the $\nu_e$ flux parameters can be extracted reliably: in the absence of external constraints, a measurement of the integrated neutrino luminosity with less than 10\% bias with DUNE requires $\sigma(E_\nu)$ to be known to about 5%. The neutrino spectral shape parameters can be known to better than 10% for a 20% uncertainty on the cross-section scale, although they will be sensitive to uncertainties on the shape of $\sigma(E_\nu)$. A direct measurement of low-energy $\nu_e$-argon scattering would be invaluable for improving the theoretical precision to the needed level.Comment: 25 pages, 21 figure