Investigation of Sesamol on Myeloperoxidase and Colon Morphology in Acetic Acid-Induced Inflammatory Bowel Disorder in Albino Rats

Background. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of gastrointestinal tract of immune, genetic, and environmental origin. In the present study, we examined the effects of sesamol (SES), which is the active constituent of sesame oil in the acetic acid (AA) induced model for IBD in rats. Methods. The groups were divided into normal control, AA control, SES, and sulfasalazine (SS). On day 7, the rats were killed, colon was removed, and the macroscopic, biochemical, and histopathological evaluations were performed. Results. The levels of MPO, TBARS, and tissue nitrite increased significantly (P<0.05) in the AA group whereas they reduced significantly in the SES and SS treated groups. Serum nitrite levels were found to be insignificant between the different groups. Conclusions. The mucosal protective effects of sesamol in IBD are due to its potential to reduce the myeloperoxidase and nitrite content

Health risk behaviours among adolescents in the English-speaking Caribbean: a review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this paper was to review and summarize research on prevalence of health risk behaviours, their outcomes as well as risk and protective factors among adolescents in the English-speaking Caribbean.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Searching of online databases and the World Wide Web as well as hand searching of the <it>West Indian Medical Journal </it>were conducted. Papers on research done on adolescents aged 10 – 19 years old and published during the period 1980 – 2005 were included.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ninety-five relevant papers were located. Five papers were published in the 1980s, 47 in the 1990s, and from 2000–2005, 43 papers. Health risk behaviours and outcomes were divided into seven themes. Prevalence data obtained for these, included lifetime prevalence of <b>substance use</b>: cigarettes-24% and marijuana-17%; <b>high risk sexual behaviour</b>: initiation of sexual activity ≤ 10 years old-19% and those having more than six partners-19%; <b>teenage pregnancy</b>: teens account for 15–20% of all pregnancies and one-fifth of these teens were in their second pregnancy; <b>Sexually-Transmitted Infections (STIs)</b>: population prevalence of gonorrhoea and/or chlamydia in 18–21 year-olds was 26%; <b>mental health</b>: severe depression in the adolescent age group was 9%, and attempted suicide-12%; <b>violence and juvenile delinquency</b>: carrying a weapon to school in the last 30 days-10% and almost always wanting to kill or injure someone-5%; <b>eating disorders and obesity</b>: overweight-11%, and obesity-7%. Many of the risk behaviours in adolescents were shown to be related to the adolescent's family of origin, home environment and parent-child relationships. Also, the protective effects of family and school connectedness as well as increased religiosity noted in studies from the United States were also applicable in the Caribbean.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There is a substantial body of literature on Caribbean adolescents documenting prevalence and correlates of health risk behaviours. Future research should emphasize the designing and testing of interventions to alleviate this burden.</p

Evaluation of spent coffee obtained from the most common coffeemakers as a source of hydrophilic bioactive compounds

The main hydrophilic antioxidant compounds (3-, 4-, and 5-monocaffeoylquinic and 3,4-, 3,5-, and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acids, caffeine, and browned compounds, including melanoidins) and the antioxidant capacity (Folin-Ciocalteu, ABTS, DPPH, Fremy's salt, and TEMPO) were evaluated in Arabica and Robusta spent coffee obtained from the preparation of coffee brews with the most common coffeemakers (filter, espresso, plunger, and mocha). All spent coffee grounds, with the exception of those from the mocha coffeemaker, had relevant amounts of total caffeoylquinic acids (6.22-13.24 mg/g of spent coffee), mainly dicaffeoylquinic acids (3.31-5.79 mg/g of spent coffee), which were 4-7-fold higher than in their respective coffee brews. Caffeine ranged from 3.59 to 8.09 mg/g of spent coffee. The antioxidant capacities of the aqueous spent coffee extracts were 46.0-102.3% (filter), 59.2-85.6% (espresso), and <42% (plunger) in comparison to their respective coffee brews. This study obtained spent coffee extracts with antioxidant properties that can be used as a good source of hydrophilic bioactive compounds

Valorisation of Biowastes for the Production of Green Materials Using Chemical Methods

With crude oil reserves dwindling, the hunt for a sustainable alternative feedstock for fuels and materials for our society continues to expand. The biorefinery concept has enjoyed both a surge in popularity and also vocal opposition to the idea of diverting food-grade land and crops for this purpose. The idea of using the inevitable wastes arising from biomass processing, particularly farming and food production, is, therefore, gaining more attention as the feedstock for the biorefinery. For the three main components of biomass—carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins—there are long-established processes for using some of these by-products. However, the recent advances in chemical technologies are expanding both the feedstocks available for processing and the products that be obtained. Herein, this review presents some of the more recent developments in processing these molecules for green materials, as well as case studies that bring these technologies and materials together into final products for applied usage

High frequency somatic embryogenesis in <i style="">Ceropegia spiralis</i> Wight—An endemic and endangered medicinal plant

414-418Plant regeneration through direct somatic embryogenesis in Ceropegia spiralis was achieved in the present investigation. Callus was obtained from nodes, internodes and thin cell layers (TCLs) of the plant. Explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with N-6-benzyl amino purine (BAP) with different concentrations of auxins. Extensive callusing of TCLs (99.93±0.26%) was observed on the medium containing BAP (13.32 M) with 2,4 dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D, 4.52 M). On MS medium supplemented with kinetin (Kn, 4.56 M)+casein (250 mg/L) the highest number (8.40±1.14) of germinating somatic embryo was noticed. The ontogeny of the somatic embryos was also observed. The emblings were transferred to pots containing vermiculite and coco peat in 1:1 ratio. On transfer to the shaded green house for hardening, vigorous growth of plantlets was observed. Eventually, plantlets were transferred in the open field after 50 d with 85% survival rate

Induction of Morphogenetic Callus and Multiple Shoot Regeneration in Ceropegia pusilla Wight and Arn.

Abstract: This study was undertaken to evaluate the most suitable concentration of plant growth regulators and perfect explant (node, internode and thin cell layer explants-TCLs) for callus induction and subsequent organogenesis in an endangered medicinal Ceropegia pusilla. The best callus induction was found on the MS 1 medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) 13.32 µM LG + 2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) 1 0.45 µM LG from TCLs. After the initiation of the callus, it was immediately transferred to MS medium supplemented with BAP along with other auxins like 2, 4-D, Indol-3-Acetic Acid (IAA), Indole-3-Butyric Acid (IBA), Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA). The regenerative calli were raised on the MS medium supplemented 1 with 1.13 µM LG of 2,4-D. Whereas, the organogenic calli was raised on the medium containing 22.7, 40.86