Characterization and Antibacterial Activity of a Glycoside Antibiotic from Streptomyces variabilis PO-178

In the present study, characterization and antibacterial activity of a glycoside antibiotic from fermentation broth of bioactive Streptomyces variabilis PO-178 recovered previously from Western Ghat soil of Agumbe, Karnataka, India was investigated. Mass cultivation of the strain PO-178 was carried out in Starch casein nitrate broth. The fermentation broth was extracted using butanol solvent in a separation funnel. The concentrated butanol extract was subjected to chromatographic techniques viz., thin layer and silica gel column chromatography for purification of bioactive components. Out of 3 fractions (A, B and C) obtained, only one fraction (C) displayed inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The bioactive fraction C was subjected to spectral analysis (LC-MS, IR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR) in order to determine the structure. On the basis result of spectral analysis, the purified fraction was predicted as a glycoside antibiotic with molecular weight 514 and molecular formula C24H34O12. The antibiotic displayed marked inhibitory activity against S. aureus as revealed by wider zones of inhibition and low minimum inhibitory concentration value

ETHNOBOTANICAL USES, PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF PEPEROMIA PELLUCIDA (L.) KUNTH (PIPERACEAE)-A REVIEW

Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth is a herb belonging to the family Piperaceae. In this review, an extensive literature survey was carried out to compile information available on medicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of P. pellucida. The plant is used as food, flavoring agent and as medicine. The plant is used as medicine for treating various ailments or disorders such as asthma, rheumatism, wound, fever, stomach problems, kidney infection, hemorrhoid pain, joint pain, hypertension, diarrhea, snake bite and measles. The plant contains phytochemical groups such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, steroids and glycosides. Compounds such as dill apiole, phytol, stigmasterol, sitosterol, secolignans, tetrahydrofuran lignans, highly methoxylated dihydronaphthalenone, peperomins, sesamin and isoswertisin have been identified in the plant. Studies have shown that the plant exhibited several pharmacological activities such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, neuropharmacological, antisickling, anticancer, enzyme inhibitory, antiulcer, hypotensive, immunostimulatory, fracture healing and antidiabetic activities which support the traditional use of the plant. Purified chemicals from the plant have also shown to exhibit certain pharmacological activities such as antiulcer, anticancer and antimicrobial activity. By this extensive literature review, it can be concluded that P. pellucida can be utilized as a promising candidate for developing newer drugs with potent pharmacological activities.Â

Antimicrobial Activity of Ramalina conduplicans Vain. (Ramalinaceae)

The members of the genus Ramalina (Ramalinaceae) are fruticose lichens growing on various types of substrata. The present study was conducted with an aim of determining antimicrobial activity of Ramalina conduplicans Vain. The powdered lichen material was extracted sequentially using petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and ethanol. The solvent extracts were screened for antibacterial activity by Agar well diffusion assay against 15 bacteria which included reference strains and isolates from burn, dental caries and urinary tract infections. Poisoned food technique was performed to determine antifungal effect of solvent extracts against fungal isolates from anthracnose of chilli, foot rot of finger millet and mouldy grains of sorghum. Usnic acid, Salazinic acid and Sekikaic acid were detected in the lichen. The solvent extracts were shown to exhibit dose dependent inhibitory activity against test bacteria. Ethyl acetate extract inhibited reference bacterial strains to higher extent. Among solvent extracts, only ethanol extract inhibited all urinary tract bacteria. S. aureus isolates from burn were inhibited to higher extent when compared to S. mutans isolates from dental caries. The solvent extracts exhibited varied inhibitory activity against test fungi. Ethyl acetate extract inhibited Alternaria sp., Aspergillus flavus and Sclerotium rolfsii to higher extent while Colletotrichum capsici and Helminthosporium sp. were inhibited to higher extent by petroleum ether and ethanol extract respectively. The observed inhibitory potential of solvent extracts of R. conduplicans could be ascribed to the presence of secondary metabolites. The lichen can be used in the treatment of bacterial infections and to manage plant pathogenic fungi.Keywords: i Antimicrobial Agar well diffusion Poisoned food techniqu

Inhibitory Effect of Some Plants of Western Ghats of Karnataka against Colletotrichum capsici

Anthracnose is a serious disease of chilli which results in major crop loss. Species of Colletotrichum are the causative agents of chilli anthracnose. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of a total of 50 extracts from 35 plants (belonging to 23 botanical families) of Western Ghats of Shivamogga district, Karnataka, India. The powdered plant materials were extracted using methanol. The methanol extracts were screened for antifungal activity by Poisoned food technique against Colletotrichum capsici isolated from anthracnose of chilli. All extracts were effective in inhibiting the growth of C. capsici but to a varied extent (16 to 74% inhibition). The mycelial growth of fungus was found to be reduced on poisoned plates when compared to control plate. Marked inhibitory efficacy was observed in case of leaf extract of Maesa indica (74.19%) followed by leaf extract of Pimenta dioica (70.96%). Least inhibition of the fungus was shown by leaf extract of Persea macrantha (16.13%). The extent of inhibition of the fungus by other extracts ranged between 20 to 70%. In conclusion, the plants selected in this study appear promising as natural antifungal agents. Further field studies are to be conducted to determine the possible application of these plants in the control of chilli anthracnose.Keywords: Western Ghats; Antifungal activity; Poisoned food technique; Colletotrichum capsici; Anthracnose of chill

ANTIRADICAL, ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF HARPULLIA ARBOREA (BLANCO) RADLK. (SAPINDACEAE)

Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate antiradical and antimicrobial potential of extract of Harpullia arborea (Blanco) Radlk. (Sapindaceae) leaves obtained by maceration process.Methods: Antiradical activity of leaf extract was performed by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. Antibacterial activity of leaf extract was carried out by Agar well diffusion assay. Antifungal activity of leaf extract was carried out by Poisoned food technique.Results: Leaf extract displayed concentration dependent scavenging of radicals with potent scavenging activity against ABTS radicals (IC50 value 4.26µg/ml) when compared to DPPH radicals (IC50 value 27.26µg/ml). Extract exhibited inhibitory activity against all test bacteria. Marked and least activity was observed against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli respectively. Considerable reduction in the mycelial growth of test fungi was observed in poisoned plates. Curvularia sp. and Alternaria sp. were inhibited to highest and least extent respectively. Conclusion: In suitable form, the plant can be used to treat oxidative damage, infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria and to manage seed-borne fungi

Elemental Analysis and Bioactivities of Ripe and Unripe Pericarp of Polyalthia longifolia (Annonaceae)

Polyalthia longifolia (Annonaceae) is an ornamental street tree having several medicinal values. The plant is used in traditional systems of medicine. The present study was conducted with an aim of estimating the content of minerals and determining bioactivities viz., antibacterial, cytotoxic and larvicidal activity of ripe and unripe pericarp of P. longifolia. The content of major and minor elements in powdered ripe and unripe pericarp was estimated by ICP-OES after microwave digestion using nitric acid. The pericarp powders were extracted using methanol and the extracts were subjected to preliminary phytochemical analysis. Antibacterial activity of pericarp extracts was determined against two Gram positive and three Gram negative bacteria by agar well diffusion assay. Cytotoxic potential of pericarp extracts was determined against two cell lines viz., HT-29 and MDA-MB-231 by MTT assay. Insecticidal activity, in terms of larvicidal activity of pericarp extracts was tested against II instar larvae of Aedes aegypti. The content of all elements except copper was highest in ripe pericarp. The content of potassium and iron was highest among major and minor elements respectively. Pericarp extracts caused dose dependent inhibition of test bacteria. Extract of ripe pericarp caused higher inhibition of test bacteria than extract of unripe pericarp. Both extracts showed concentration dependent cytotoxic effect. The cytotoxic effect of both the extract was pronounced against HT-29 than MDA-MB-231. The extracts exhibited dose dependent larvicidal effect. Among extracts, potent larvicidal activity was observed in case of ripe extract. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, steroids and glycosides in both the extracts. In conclusion, the ripe and unripe pericarp extracts of P. longifolia were found to contain various minerals in an appreciable quantity. The observed dose dependent bioactivities viz., antibacterial, cytotoxic and larvicidal activities might be ascribed to the presence of phytoconstituents. There is a great potential for the development of therapeutic agents from ripe and unripe pericarp. Further studies on isolation of active principles from pericarp extracts and their bioactivity determinations are under progress.Keywords: Polyalthia longifolia; Pericarp; Minerals; ICP-OES; Agar well diffusion; MTT;Larvicida

Concept of Saara with special reference to Twaksaara

Saara is considered to be an important concept of Ayurveda. It helps in assessing Bala and Sthiramsha of an individual. Saara Pareeksha comes under Dashavidha Pareeksha which is performed to understand the Bala of an individual. Saara is the purest form of Dhatus. The purest form of Rasa Dhatu is Rasasaara, which is known as Twaksaara. As Rasa is assessed through Twak, this Saara is considerd as Twaksaara. The physical features of Twaksaara like Snigdha, Shlakshna, Mrudu, Prasanna Sookshma, Alpa, Gambheera Loma, Saprabha of Twak, will help to analyze the present status of Rasasaara in individual.The knowledge of Saarata of a person will therefore help in understanding physiology, psychology and susceptibility to diseases of an individual. The concept of Saara is a good mirror to assess properties and function of Dhatu

ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF THREE RAMALINA SPECIES

Lichens are an association of a photobiont (an alga or a cyanobacterium) and a mycobiont (a fungus). The lichen genus Ramalina is one of the cosmopolitan lichen genera and is characterized by fruticose thallus. In the present study, an antibacterial and antifungal activity of an extract of three Ramalina species (Ramalinaceae) viz. R. hossei Vain, R. conduplicans Vain and R. pacifica Asahina obtained by maceration process were investigated. The lichens were collected from different places of Shivamogga district, Karnataka, India and identified on the basis of morphological, anatomical and chemical tests. The antibacterial and antifungal activity of lichen extracts was carried out by Agar well diffusion and Poisoned food technique respectively. Overall, B. cereus and E. coli were inhibited to higher extent and least extent respectively by extracts of Ramalina species. R. pacifica and R. hossei inhibited bacteria to highest and least extent respectively. In the case of antifungal activity, marked and least inhibitory activity was shown by an extract of R. hossei and R. pacifica respectively. Among fungi, Alternaria sp. and Fusarium sp. were inhibited to highest and least extent respectively. The observed antimicrobial potential could be ascribed to the presence of secondary metabolites such as usnic acid, salazinic acid and sekikaic acid present in the Ramalina species.Key words: Lichens, Ramalina, Antimicrobial, Agar well diffusion, Poisoned food techniqueÂ

Antibacterial activity of flower extract of Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Delonix regia and Peltaphorum ferrugineum against Urinary tract Pathogens

Abstract The present study wa