Larvicidal and Repellent efficacy of some of the weed plant extracts against Culex quinquefasciatus Say

The indiscriminate use of synthetic insecticides over years to control mosquitoes has caused an array of adversities to human beings as well as to nature and to a greater extent it has inflicted damages to the natural environment and disturbed ecological balances. Insecticides in plant origin play an important role in the interruption of the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases at the individual as well as at the community levels. The present study tested the larvicidal activity of methanolic extracts of four plants viz., Uvaria narum A. DC. (Annonaceae), Morinda pubescens Sm. (Rubiaceae), Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Linn.) Sw. (Leguminosae) and Leea indica (Burm. f.) Merr. (Vitaceae) and repellent activity of Uvaria narum against Culex quinquefasciatus Say. From the tested plants it is observed that methanolic extracts of U. narum possesses the highest larvicidal activity and ensure 100% protection. The findings of the present investigation revealed that the methanolic extracts of the selected plants have remarkable larvicidal activity against Cx. quinquefasciatus

Exploring the Interaction of Bisphenol‑S with Serum Albumins: A Better or Worse Alternative for Bisphenol A?

The interaction of bisphenol-S (BPS) with serum albumins using steady-state, synchronous, time-resolved, and circular dichroism spectroscopies has been investigated. The binding interactions have also been investigated in the case of bisphenol A (BPA). The fluorescence quenching pathways are different for both of these endocrine disrupting compounds. Steady-state and time-resolved studies reveal static quenching at lower concentrations of BPS and dynamic quenching at higher concentrations. CD results also maintained the concentration dependent variation with a complete distortion of α-helices at 10^–5 M BPS. Besides this, addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) results in the further unfolding of protein in the case of BPS, whereas time-resolved studies indicated refolding for BPA denatured human serum albumin (HSA). The entire study indicates an irreversible binding of BPS with HSA. Hence, these results reveal the possible involvement of BPS in the physiological pathway raising a health threat as already their presences in body fluids are known