Pharmacognosy, physicochemistry, phytochemistry, pharmacological and ethnomedicinal profiles of Bambusa arundinacea (Retz.) Willd. seeds: a scoping review

Bamboo-plants popularly known for their industrial uses are now been in attention for their therapeutical as well as food/nutraceutical utilities. The plant is intricately associated with humans from time immemorial. Bambusa arundinacea (Retz.)Willd. is an important species among the bamboo community. Research works on this species of bamboo have yielded crucial data regarding its phyto-constituents and biochemical parameters. Seeds of B. Arundinacea are known to possess several therapeutical as well as nutritional properties and they are traditionally used by many tribal populations across the globe. The present review article is an attempt to critically analyse the comprehensive information from the research works carried out on pharmacognostical and physicochemical profiles, to evaluate the phytochemical , pharmacological and ethnomedicinal properties of the seeds of B. arundinacea. This attempt of review revealed the characteristic pharmacognostical as well as physicochemical features possessed by these seeds. profiles. The phytochemical analysis revealed vital information regarding the bio-constituents present in the seeds of B. arundinacea which implies their possible therapeutic potential. The bioactivities of some constituents present in the seeds can ensure the possibility of utilizating these seeds in the manufacturing of medicines, in future. Though the seeds are in use as food and medicine by several tribes since ancient times, very few researches were done on their bio-ingredients and their activities. Therefore, the studies in future should be oriented to further explain the biological activities of the bio-constituents present in the seeds of B. arundinacea

Comparison of proteomic profiles of the venoms of two of the \u27Big Four\u27 snakes of India, the Indian Cobra (Naja naja) andthe common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), and analyses of their toxins

Snake venoms are mixtures of biologically-active proteins and peptides, and several studies have described the characteristics of some of these toxins. However, complete proteomic profiling of the venoms of many snake species has not yet been done. The Indian cobra (Naja naja) and common krait (Bungarus caeruleus) are elapid snake species that are among the ‘Big Four’ responsible for the majority of human snake envenomation cases in India. As understanding the composition and complexity of venoms is necessary for successful treatment of envenomation in humans, we utilized three different proteomic profiling approaches to characterize these venoms: i) one-dimensional SDS-PAGE coupled with in-gel tryptic digestion and electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-LC-MS/MS) of individual protein bands; ii) in-solution tryptic digestion of crude venoms coupled with ESI-LC-MS/MS; and iii) separation by gel-filtration chromatography coupled with tryptic digestion and ESI-LC-MS/MS of separated fractions. From the generated data, 81 and 46 different proteins were identified from N. naja and B. caeruleus venoms, respectively, belonging to fifteen different protein families. Venoms from both species were found to contain a variety of phospholipases A2 and three-finger toxins, whereas relatively higher numbers of snake venom metalloproteinases were found in N. naja compared to B. caeruleus venom. The analyses also identified less represented venom proteins including L-amino acid oxidases, cysteine-rich secretory proteins, 5’-nucleotidases and venom nerve growth factors. Further, Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitors, cobra venom factors, phosphodiesterases, vespryns and aminopeptidases were identified in the N. naja venom, while acetylcholinesterases and hyaluronidases were found in the B. caeruleus venom. We further analyzed protein coverage (Lys/Arg rich and poor regions as well as potential glycosylation sites) using in-house software. These studies expand our understanding of the proteomes of the venoms of these two medically-important species

Microalgal biorefineries

ABSTRACT: Microalgae-based bioproducts remain expensive mainly due to microalgae cultivation, harvesting, and downstream processing costs. Nonetheless, microalgae are a high potential source of several biofuels, biofertilizers, and bioproducts (e.g., carbohydrates, long-chain fatty acids, pigments, and proteins), which can provide important nutritional, cosmetical, pharmaceutical, and health benefits. In addition, they are able to perform wastewater bioremediation and carbon dioxide mitigation. This not only contributes to a more sustainable microalgae production, with environmental benefits, but also offers cost savings on the whole process. Hence, from these small cellular factories, a large source of compounds and products can be obtained, providing a real microalgal-based biorefinery. This type of approach is crucial for the full application and commercialization of microalgae in a large range of products and industries, with added benefits for bioeconomy and society in general. This chapter addresses the potential transformation of microalgal biomass into a wide range of marketable products, presenting examples of experimental microalgae-based biorefineries grown in an autotrophic mode at a laboratory scale.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The use of plants in the traditional management of diabetes in Nigeria: Pharmacological and toxicological considerations

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The prevalence of diabetes is on a steady increase worldwide and it is now identified as one of the main threats to human health in the 21st century. In Nigeria, the use of herbal medicine alone or alongside prescription drugs for its management is quite common. We hereby carry out a review of medicinal plants traditionally used for diabetes management in Nigeria. Based on the available evidence on the species׳ pharmacology and safety, we highlight ways in which their therapeutic potential can be properly harnessed for possible integration into the country׳s healthcare system. Materials and methods: Ethnobotanical information was obtained from a literature search of electronic databases such as Google Scholar, Pubmed and Scopus up to 2013 for publications on medicinal plants used in diabetes management, in which the place of use and/or sample collection was identified as Nigeria. ‘Diabetes’ and ‘Nigeria’ were used as keywords for the primary searches; and then ‘Plant name – accepted or synonyms’, ‘Constituents’, ‘Drug interaction’ and/or ‘Toxicity’ for the secondary searches. Results: The hypoglycemic effect of over a hundred out of the 115 plants reviewed in this paper is backed by preclinical experimental evidence, either in vivo or in vitro. One-third of the plants have been studied for their mechanism of action, while isolation of the bioactive constituent(s) has been accomplished for twenty three plants. Some plants showed specific organ toxicity, mostly nephrotoxic or hepatotoxic, with direct effects on the levels of some liver function enzymes. Twenty eight plants have been identified as in vitro modulators of P-glycoprotein and/or one or more of the cytochrome P450 enzymes, while eleven plants altered the levels of phase 2 metabolic enzymes, chiefly glutathione, with the potential to alter the pharmacokinetics of co-administered drugs. Conclusion: This review, therefore, provides a useful resource to enable a thorough assessment of the profile of plants used in diabetes management so as to ensure a more rational use. By anticipating potential toxicities or possible herb–drug interactions, significant risks which would otherwise represent a burden on the country׳s healthcare system can be avoided