Immunosuppressive effect of medicinal plants of Kolli hills on mitogen-stimulated proliferation of the human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro

Four medicinal plant species were collected from the Kolli hills of Tamil Nadu and were screened for their immunosuppressive effect. The plants were shade dried and extracted with methanol. The crude methanol extracts were tested for inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation via lymphocyte proliferation assay by 3thymidine uptake. The test plants were Justicia gendarussa   , Plumbago indica   , Aloe vera   , and Aegle marmelos   . Among the plants tested J. gendarussa (100 µg/ml) showed the highest lymphocyte inhibition (84%). Sequential extraction of J. gendarussa in various solvents (n-hexane, benzene, ethyl acetate, chloroform, acetone, ethanol, and water) confirmed that all of the above extracts at 50 µg/ml, aqueous extract inhibited lymphocyte proliferation. Further, 17 high performance liquid chromatography fractions were collected for the aqueous extract and fraction no. 15 showed maximum inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation. The present study indicates that these extracts should be investigated further for the possible presence of immunosuppressive components

Biofertilizing efficiency of Sargassum polycystum extract on growth and biochemical composition of Vigna radiata and Vigna mungo

Objective: To evaluate the effect of marine brown alga Sargassum polycystum extract on growth and biochemical parameters of Vigna radiata and Vigna mungo.Methods: Different concentrations of algal extracts (0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 3.0%, 4.0%, and 5.0%) were prepared and applied to the crops at every 10-day intervals under natural conditions. After 30 d, the plants were harvested to evaluate the growth and biochemical parameters.Results: Seaweed liquid fertilizers treated seedlings showed maximum growth in 3.0% concentration when compared to the untreated seedlings. Similarly, biochemical parameters such as photosynthetic pigments, protein, reducing sugar, total sugar and amino acids exhibited increases in 3.0% concentration seaweed extract. Decreases in growth and biochemical parameters were noticed in concentrations higher than 3.0%.Conclusions: Presence of micronutrients and growth regulating substances in the liquid extract help healthier and faster productivity of the crop

Nanopillared Surfaces Disrupt Pseudomonas aeruginosa Mechanoresponsive Upstream Motility.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic, multidrug-resistant, human pathogen that forms biofilms in environments with fluid flow, such as the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, industrial pipelines, and medical devices. P. aeruginosa twitches upstream on surfaces by the cyclic extension and retraction of its mechanoresponsive type IV pili motility appendages. The prevention of upstream motility, host invasion, and infectious biofilm formation in fluid flow systems remains an unmet challenge. Here, we describe the design and application of scalable nanopillared surface structures fabricated using nanoimprint lithography that reduce upstream motility and colonization by P. aeruginosa. We used flow channels to induce shear stress typically found in catheter tubes and microscopy analysis to investigate the impact of nanopillared surfaces with different packing fractions on upstream motility trajectory, displacement, velocity, and surface attachment. We found that densely packed, subcellular nanopillared surfaces, with pillar periodicities ranging from 200 to 600 nm and widths ranging from 70 to 215 nm, inhibit the mechanoresponsive upstream motility and surface attachment. This bacteria-nanostructured surface interface effect allows us to tailor surfaces with specific nanopillared geometries for disrupting cell motility and attachment in fluid flow systems

Nanopillared Surfaces Disrupt Pseudomonas aeruginosa Mechanoresponsive Upstream Motility.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic, multidrug-resistant, human pathogen that forms biofilms in environments with fluid flow, such as the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, industrial pipelines, and medical devices. P. aeruginosa twitches upstream on surfaces by the cyclic extension and retraction of its mechanoresponsive type IV pili motility appendages. The prevention of upstream motility, host invasion, and infectious biofilm formation in fluid flow systems remains an unmet challenge. Here, we describe the design and application of scalable nanopillared surface structures fabricated using nanoimprint lithography that reduce upstream motility and colonization by P. aeruginosa. We used flow channels to induce shear stress typically found in catheter tubes and microscopy analysis to investigate the impact of nanopillared surfaces with different packing fractions on upstream motility trajectory, displacement, velocity, and surface attachment. We found that densely packed, subcellular nanopillared surfaces, with pillar periodicities ranging from 200 to 600 nm and widths ranging from 70 to 215 nm, inhibit the mechanoresponsive upstream motility and surface attachment. This bacteria-nanostructured surface interface effect allows us to tailor surfaces with specific nanopillared geometries for disrupting cell motility and attachment in fluid flow systems