Evaluation of safety margins of Chenopodium album seed decoction: 14-day subacute toxicity and microbicidal activity studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sperm immobilizing activity and plausible mechanism of action of <it>Chenopodium album </it>seed decoction (CAD) have been elucidated in our earlier studies. The present study has been carried out to explore the safety standards of CAD along with microbicidal properties as prerequisite for its use as a topically applicable vaginal contraceptive.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The safety standards of CAD were assessed by a) Hemolytic index determination using rabbit erythrocytes, to set the doses of the other experiments, b) Dermal irritancy test using refined version of Draize scoring system on rabbits, c) Possible effect on local tissues and reproductive performance in female rats after fourteen daily single dose application, d) PCNA staining- to evaluate the effect of CAD on vaginal tissue proliferation, e) TUNEL assay- to examine its ability to induce <it>in situ </it>apoptosis in the vaginal tissue sections of the treated animals, and f) Microbicidal activity- to explore the effect of CAD on the growth of <it>Lactobacillus acidophilus </it>and <it>Candida albicans</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>In vitro </it>irritation studies on rabbit erythrocytes revealed the hemolytic index of CAD to be 8.2 mg/ml. The dermal irritation test showed it to be a non-irritant even at higher doses. Intra vaginal application of CAD in rat vagina for 14 consecutive days caused slight reversible inflammation on vaginal epithelial cells at doses as high as 82 mg/ml. However, at this dose level it neither had any adverse effect on vaginal tissue proliferation nor did it cause in situ apoptosis as evident from PCNA staining and TUNEL assay. Fertility and fecundity were restored 4-15 days after withdrawal of CAD application. At dose level 10 times that of its spermicidal MEC (minimum effective concentration), CAD did not block the growth of <it>Lactobacillus</it>, although the size of individual colony was marginally reduced. However, growth of the pathogenic fungus <it>Candida albicans </it>was completely inhibited with 20 mg/ml of CAD.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The overall result evolved from the study strengthens the candidature of CAD as a safe microbicidal spermicide. It is almost non-irritant to rabbit skin and rat vaginal tissues at doses 10 fold higher than its hemolytic index. The effect of CAD on <it>Lactobacillus </it>culture was not highly encouraging but it prevented the growth of the fungal pathogen <it>Candida albicans </it>at 20 mg/ml of CAD.</p

Urea/thiourea derivatives and Zn(II)-DPA complex as receptors for anionic recognition - a brief account

This review covers few examples of anion complexation chemistry, with a special focus on urea/thiourea-based receptors and Zn(II)-dipicolyl amine-based receptors. This article specially focuses on structural aspects of the receptors and the anions for obtaining the desire specificity along with an efficient receptor-anion interaction. Two types of receptors have been described in this brief account; first one being the strong hydrogen bond donor urea/thiourea derivatives, which binds the anionic analytes through hydrogen bonded interactions; while, the second type of receptors are coordination complexes, where the coordination of the anion to the metal centre. In both the cases the anion binding modulate the energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and thereby the spectroscopic response. Appropriate choice of the signalling unit may allow probing the anion binding phenomena through visual detection

Transformation of cholic acid by Arthrobacter simplex

Fermentation of cholic acid with Arthrobacter simplex (ZZCB 227) under aerobic conditions yielded 3,12-dioxo-23,24-dinorchola_4,6dienoic acid, 7a-hydroxy-3,12-dioxo-23,24-dinorchoWenoic acid, 3a, 7a-dihydroxy-l2-oxo-5/3-cholan-24-oic acid, 3a,7~~-dihydroxy-12-0~0-5~-23,24-dinorcholan-22-oic acid, 7a,12a-dihydroxy-3-oxo-5P-cholan-24-oic acid, 7a-12a-dihydroxy-3-oxo-4-cholenoic acid, 7a,lZa-dihydroxy- 3-oxo-23,24-dinorchoM_enoic acid, and methyl-3a-7a,12a-trihydroxy-5fi-cholan-24-oate in addition to a new metabolite 2P-hydroxy-3,12-dioxo-23,24-dinorchola-4,6-dienoic acid. Each microbial metabolite was characterized by the application of various spectroscopic methods. The availability of some of the metabolites’ enabled complete elucidation of their uC NMR spectra

Steroid Transformations by Microorganisms-iii

Microbial transformations of various steroids are reviewed with special reference to the newer technniques which are being employed for better yields of desired metabolites. The present position of microbial biotechnology in the steroid drug industry and the future possibilities are discussed. A compilation of different steroid substrates, their metabolites and the microorganisms used for the transformations is included covering the literature during the period 1984mid 1987

A Minor Acylated Triterpenoid Saponin from the Seeds of Pithecellobium dulce

A novel acylated triterpenoid saponin, designated pithecelloside, is isolated from the seeds of Pithecellobium dulce and characterised as 3-O-[a-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 ! 2)-a-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 ! 6�-b-D-glucopyranosyl]- 21b-O-[(20E)-60-hydroxy-20,60-dimethylocta-20,70-dienoyl]acacic acid 1

Efficient Synthesis of Novel Tetrahydropyrrolo[30,40:3,4]Pyrrolo[2,1-a] Isoquinoline Derivatives via a Simple and Convenient MCR in Aqueous Micellar System

A simple and efficient one-pot three component synthesis of tetrahydropyrrolo[30,40:3,4]pyrrolo[2,1- a]isoquinoline-9,11-dione derivatives has been achieved from variously substituted isoquinolines, 2- bromo acetophenone and N-aryl maleimide derivatives in an aqueous micellar medium. The synthesis represents an environmentally benign alternative to classical method

Diamine derivative of a ruthenium(II)-polypyridyl complex for chemodosimetric detection of nitrite ion in aqueous solution

Nitrite is quite an abundant anion in the environment. It, however, becomes toxic to human life, as well as aquatic animals when present above the permissible concentration level. We have reported here a Ru(II)-polypyridyl-based complex (1) for chemodosimetric detection of nitrite ion in aqueous solution. Formation of the new triazole based complex, generated by reaction of 1 and N<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>3</SUB>, is ascertained by comparing its properties with a presynthesised triazole complex

A Triterpenoid Saponin Possessing Antileishmanial Activity from the Leaves of Careya Arborea

Bioguided-fractionation of the methanol extract of the leaves of Careya arborea led to isolation of a triterpenoid saponin, designated arborenin, and characterized as 3-O-b-D-glucopyranosyl(1!2)-b-D-glucopyranosyl-2a,3b-dihydroxy-taraxast-20-en-28-oic acid (1), together with desacylescin III (2). The structures were determined on the basis of extensive 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis. The saponin showed in vitro antileishmanial activity against Leishmania donovani (strain AG 83)

Polyoxypregnane glycosides from the flowers of Dregea volubilis

Three novel polyoxypregnane glycosides, volubiloside A, B and C (1–3), were isolated from the flowers of Dregea volubilis Linn., and their structures were elucidated as drevogenin d-3-O-b-d-glucopyranosyl (1!4)-6-deoxy-3-O-methyl-b-d-allopyranosyl (1!4)- b-d-cymaropyranosyl (1!4)-b-d-cymaropyranoside, drevogenin d-3-O-b-d-glucopyranosyl (1!4)-6-deoxy-3-O-methyl-b-d-allopyranosyl (1!4)-b-d-cymaropyranosyl (1!4)-b-d-digitoxopyranoside and drevogenin P-3-O-b-d-glucopyranosyl (1!4)-6-deoxy- 3-O-methyl-b-d-allopyranosyl (1!4)-b-d-cymaropyranosyl (1!4)-b-d-cymaropyranoside, respectively, on the basis of extensive NMR experiments, MALDI-TOF MS, and some chemical strategies

Chenopodium Album seed Extract-induced Sperm Cell Death: Exploration of a Plausible Pathway

Background: This study was conducted for to explore the plausible pathway of Chenopodium album seed extract (CAE)-mediated sperm cell death. Study Design: The role of CAE for its spermicidal action was assessed by (a) measuring lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl content and intracellular glutathione content in CAE exposed sperm cells; (b) assaying antioxidant enzymes like catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD); (c) analyzing protein expressions by using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis; (d) fluorimetric measurement of intracellular H2O2 level and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in CAE-treated sperm cells; and (e) DNA ladder formation study. Results: CAE-induced sperm death is due to (a) lipid peroxidation of the sperm cell membrane, oxidation of some critical cellular proteins and depletion of intracellular reduced gluthathione, indicating production of ROS; (b) activation of Mn-SOD and inactivation of catalase favoring endogenous accumulation of H2O2; (c) generation of O2 U− at an enhanced rate during oxidative stress as evidenced by increased Mn- SOD activity and protein expression; (d) accumulation of ROS in spermatozoa reflected in the fluorimetric experiments; and (e) increased production of O2 U− and H2O2 induced apoptosis-like death in sperm cells as observed by DNA ladder formation. Conclusion: The sperm death mediated by CAE is due to oxidative damage of cellular macromolecules by in situ generation of ROS