COMPARATIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF ETHNOBOTANICALLY IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PARASITIC HERB: ALECTRA CHITRAKUTENSIS

Objective: Alectra chitrakutensis (M. A. Rau) R. Prasad & R. D. Dixit is a critically endangered and ethnobotanically very important plant. Official drug i.e. dried rhizome of the plant has been reported to be used for treatment of leprosy, tuberculosis, paralysis, oedematous swelling, fevers, intestinal worms and constipation. Besides having high medicinal properties, detail studies on chemical constituents present in the rhizome of this particular species have not been done so far. Thus, in present study efforts were made for evaluation of phytochemical as well as physicochemical analysis of the rhizome collected from six different places of the Chitrakoot region of Madhya Pradesh (M. P.) and Uttar Pradesh (U. P.).Methods: Phytochemical analysis of the rhizome was carried out as per standard protocol given in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API). Separation and qualitative phytochemical screening were done by using an advance technique of High-performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC).Results: The study revealed the presence of alkaloids, steroids, triterpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides, carbohydrates, starch, saponin, tannins, etc. in the rhizome of the plants, and the study confirmed the chemotaxonomic resemblance among all the collected plant materials.Conclusion: Comparative study of six rhizome samples of A. Chitrakutensis provides authenticity for establishing Pharmacopoeial standardization of drug and evidence of the study proves the chemotaxonomic similarities of official drug.Keywords: Alectra chitrakutensis, Endangered plant, Quality control, Physicochemical, Phytochemical analysis, HPTL

Combined effect of boron and salt on polypeptide resolutions in wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties differing in their tolerance

Salinity aggravates toxicity symptoms of boron in wheat. Four wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties differing in tolerance to these stresses were subjected to five stress treatments [control (2.5 ppm B), 50 ppm B + 6 dS/m, 100 ppm B + 6 dS/m, 50 ppm B + 10 dS/m and 100 ppm B + 10 dS/m]. Higher reductions for root length, fresh and dry weight were observed in Schomburgk and HD 2009 varieties at 100 ppm B + 10 dS/m NaCl in comparison to KRL 35 and BTSchomburgk. Results indicated that combined boron and salt stresses significantly increased soluble B and proline concentrations in the roots. At the highest level of stress (100 ppm B + 10 dS/m), maximum proline accumulation was evident in HD 2009 (18.6 mg/g) and minimum in KRL 35 (13.5 mg/g). Protein profile expressions of boron tolerant and intolerant varieties of wheat showed de novo synthesis of two specific polypeptides (35.73 and 31.10 KDa) in boron tolerant variety and one (16.98 kDa) in boron intolerant variety. Likewise, KRL 35 (salt tolerant) showed 4 specific polypeptides of 89.13, 58.4, 46.21 and 31.10 kDa, whereas three specific polypeptides (24.05, 19.13 and 17.52 kDa) appeared in the salt intolerant variety (HD 2009). Appearance of 5 common polypeptides bands of MW 89.13, 53.4, 46.21. 31.10 and 25.12 kDa in both the tolerant varieties, i.e. BT-Schomburgk (boron tolerant) and KRL 35 (salt tolerant) is of special interest and could have possible use as markers for tolerance. The synthesis of common polypeptide of MW 25.12 kDa was observed in all the four varieties with increase in stress treatments

Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of Gooseberry and Wild Apple fruit juices of the northeast region of India

A large number of wild fruits belonging to the North Eastern region of India are considered to be nutritionally abundant and traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments. In the present study, juices of Gooseberry and Wild Apple have been evaluated for their antimicrobial activity in its consumable form as a potential source of natural anti-infective agent. The fruit juices were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities qualitatively, using the agar well diffusion method followed by quantitative assessment by determining the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). The study revealed that both the fruit juices exhibited broad spectrum antibacterial activity. Considerable activity against drug resistant pathogens such as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) and Extended Spectrum β-Lactamases (ESBL) producing Gram Negative bacteria (GNB) was observed. Thus, this study highlights the antibacterial efficacy of Wild Apple and Gooseberry fruit juices and augments the beneficiary properties of highly nutritional fruit juices that are specific to the Indian region

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Not AvailableSalinity aggravates toxicity symptoms of boron in wheat. Four wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties differing in tolerance to these stresses were subjected to five stress treatments [control (2.5 ppm B), 50 ppm B + 6 dS/m, 100 ppm B + 6 dS/m, 50 ppm B + 10 dS/m and 100 ppm B + 10 dS/m]. Higher reductions for root length, fresh and dry weight were observed in Schomburgk and HD 2009 varieties at 100 ppm B + 10 dS/m NaCl in comparison to KRL 35 and BTSchomburgk. Results indicated that combined boron and salt stresses significantly increased soluble B and proline concentrations in the roots. At the highest level of stress (100 ppm B + 10 dS/m), maximum proline accumulation was evident in HD 2009 (18.6 mg/g) and minimum in KRL 35 (13.5 mg/g). Protein profile expressions of boron tolerant and intolerant varieties of wheat showed de novo synthesis of two specific polypeptides (35.73 and 31.10 KDa) in boron tolerant variety and one (16.98 kDa) in boron intolerant variety. Likewise, KRL 35 (salt tolerant) showed 4 specific polypeptides of 89.13, 58.4, 46.21 and 31.10 kDa, whereas three specific polypeptides (24.05, 19.13 and 17.52 kDa) appeared in the salt intolerant variety (HD 2009). Appearance of 5 common polypeptides bands of MW 89.13, 53.4, 46.21. 31.10 and 25.12 kDa in both the tolerant varieties, i.e. BT-Schomburgk (boron tolerant) and KRL 35 (salt tolerant) is of special interest and could have possible use as markers for tolerance. The synthesis of common polypeptide of MW 25.12 kDa was observed in all the four varieties with increase in stress treatments.Not Availabl