OXIDATIVE STRESS IN BRAINS OF MALE RATS INTOXICATED WITH ALUMINIUM AND NEUROMODULATING EFFECT OF CELASTRUS PANICULATUS ALCOHOLIC SEED EXTRACT.

The objective of the present study was to investigate whether the alcoholic seed extract of Celastrus paniculatus (ASECP) could potentially prevent aluminium induced neurotoxicity in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum of the rat brain. Male albino rats were administered with AlCl3 at a dose of 4.2mg/kg/day i.p. for 4 weeks. Experimental rats were given Celastrus paniculatus seed extract in two different doses of 200mg and 400mg/kg/day orally 1hr prior to the AlCl3 administration for 4 weeks. At the end of the experiments, aluminium administration significantly decreased the level of GSH and the activities of SOD, CAT, GPx, GR, Na+/K+ ATPase, Ca2+ ATPase and Mg2+ ATPase and increased the level of LPO and the activities of ALP, ACP, ALT and AST in all the brain regions when compared with control rats. Pre-treatment with ASECP at a dose of 200mg/kg b.w increased the antioxidant status and activities of membrane bound enzymes and also decreased the level of LPO and the activities of marker enzymes significantly, when compared with aluminium induced rats. Al treatment also revealed an increase in DNA fragmentation as evidenced by an increase in number of comets. Interestingly, ASECP pretreatment reduced the damage inflicted on DNA by aluminium. Aluminium induction also caused histopathological changes in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum and hippocampus of rat brain which was reverted by pretreatment with ASECP. The present study clearly indicates the potential of seed extract of Celastrus paniculatus in counteracting the damage inflicted by Al on rat brain regions

<i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> Biofilm Formation and Its Control

Microbes are hardly seen as planktonic species and are most commonly found as biofilm communities in cases of chronic infections. Biofilms are regarded as a biological condition, where a large group of microorganisms gets adhered to a biotic or abiotic surface. In this context, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a Gram-negative nosocomial pathogen is the main causative organism responsible for life-threatening and persistent infections in individuals affected with cystic fibrosis and other lung ailments. The bacteria can form a strong biofilm structure when it adheres to a surface suitable for the development of a biofilm matrix. These bacterial biofilms pose higher natural resistance to conventional antibiotic therapy due to their multiple tolerance mechanisms. This prevailing condition has led to an increasing rate of treatment failures associated with P. aeruginosa biofilm infections. A better understanding of the effect of a diverse group of antibiotics on established biofilms would be necessary to avoid inappropriate treatment strategies. Hence, the search for other alternative strategies as effective biofilm treatment options has become a growing area of research. The current review aims to give an overview of the mechanisms governing biofilm formation and the different strategies employed so far in the control of biofilm infections caused by P. aeruginosa. Moreover, this review can also help researchers to search for new antibiofilm agents to tackle the effect of biofilm infections that are currently imprudent to conventional antibiotics

Examining the physico-chemical, structural and thermo-mechanical properties of naturally occurring Acacia pennata fibres treated with KMnO4

Abstract Natural fiber is a viable and possible option when looking for a material with high specific strength and high specific modulus that is lightweight, affordable, biodegradable, recyclable, and eco-friendly to reinforce polymer composites. There are many methods in which natural fibres can be incorporated into composite materials. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the physico-chemical, structural, thermal, and mechanical properties of Acacia pennata fibres (APFs). Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the AP fibers' diameter and surface shape. The crystallinity index (64.47%) was discovered by XRD. The irregular arrangement and rough surface are seen in SEM photos. The findings demonstrated that fiber has high levels of cellulose (55.4%), hemicellulose (13.3%), and low levels of lignin (17.75%), which were determined through chemical analysis and validated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). By using FTIR, the functional groups of the isolated AP fibers were examined, and TG analysis was used to look into the thermal degrading behaviour of the fibers treated with potassium permanganate (KMnO4) Due to their low density (520 kg/m3) and high cellulose content (55.4%), they have excellent bonding qualities. Additionally, tensile tests were used for mechanical characterisation to assess their tensile strength (685 MPa) and elongation