Antidiabetic Compounds in Syzygium cumini

Herbal beverages with desirable sensory attributes are an ideal way to offer consumers with phytochemicals having specific health promoting functionalities. Syzygium cumini bark decoction is used in treating diabetes mellitus in Ayurveda medicine. This work attempted to prove the presence of antidiabetic compounds in the S. cumini decoction and the ready to serve (RTS) herbal drink developed using the decoction. Activity guided fractionation of the decoction of the S. cumini was carried out by sequential extraction with organic solvents of different polarities. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) with authentic compounds and HPLC were performed for identification and confirmation of the compounds in the decoction and the RTS herbal drink. Presence of gallic and ellagic acids in the decoction and RTS herbal drink was proven and confirmed with HPLC. The LC UV-VIS spectra of the two compounds were identical with the corresponding spectra of the library. Further, gallic acid and umbelliferone were determined as the active compounds in the decoction by TLC and were confirmed by cochromatography with authentic compounds. The present investigation confirmed the presence of gallic acid, ellagic acid, and umbelliferone which are proven to have antidiabetic activities in the decoction and the RTS herbal drink prepared with the decoction

VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION OF Dipterocarpus zeylanicus BY CUTIINGS

Dipterocarpus zeylanicus, an endemic tree in Sri Lanka offers great potential forbridging the gap between supply and demand of timber in the country. However,at present it has not been widely used as a plantation species. Establishment ofplantation by seeds has proved somewhat difficult due to low viability etc.Genetically uniform planting stock can be obtained rapidly through vegetativepropagation.With the above objective in mind an experiment was conducted to propagate stemcuttings of Ir.zeylanicus using a variety of rooting hormones under both mist andnon-mist conditions. In all the instances. cuttings of 15 em length and 0.3-0.4 mrnbasal diameter with two and half leaves were used. The hormone concentrationsused were, Indole Butyic Acid (lBA) 500 pprn, 1000 ppm and 1500 ppm and thecommercial hormone Sector (NAA + fungicide). Control did not have anyhormone treatment. The medium used was sand. The experiment was conductedunder two conditional environments; under a automatic mist and in a non-mistpolypropagator, a low cost alternative which was also designed to maintain a highhumidity through water manipulation.After the experimental period of 10 weeks, there was a marked differencebetween the mist and non-mist conditions in percentage survival of cuttings. Inall the treatments, % survival was higher under mist. In terms of percentagerooting, the cuttings under the non-mist propagator did not show rooting at allalthough callusing was observed in all the treatments at varying success levels.Among the rooting treatments, the highest percentage rooting (38. 10%) wasshown in the control without rooting hormones closely followed by otherhormone treatments. However, the treatment 1000 pprn of IBA showed thelowest percentage rooting (11.11 %).From these results, it can be concluded that

The potential synergistic behaviour of inter- and intra-genus probiotic combinations in the pattern and rate of short chain fatty acids formation during fibre fermentation

This study compared the rate of short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production by different probiotic combinations of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium to determine any synergistic effects. Six different fibre fractions were fermented with nine combinations of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR), Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA), Bifidobacterium longum (BL) and Bifidobacterium breve (BB) for 0, 6, 24 and 48 h. SCFAs were quantified by gas chromatography. Inter-genus combinations of bacteria produced more SCFA, especially BB + BL + LR, compared to intra-genus that yielded the lowest SCFA production. Acetate was the most abundant, while propionate and butyrate were the most utilised. The SCFA formation was as acetate \u3e propionate \u3e butyrate and the total dietary fibre produced most of the SCFA. Most combinations utilised 60–80% of the fibre; BB + BL + LR digested the fibre completely. The quantity, pattern and the time of release of SCFA depends on the genus, but the combination of pre and probiotics is of great importance for the outcome

Structural insights into the catalysis and regulation of E3 ubiquitin ligases

Covalent attachment (conjugation) of one or more ubiquitin molecules to protein substrates governs numerous eukaryotic cellular processes, including apoptosis, cell division and immune responses. Ubiquitylation was originally associated with protein degradation, but it is now clear that ubiquitylation also mediates processes such as protein–protein interactions and cell signalling depending on the type of ubiquitin conjugation. Ubiquitin ligases (E3s) catalyse the final step of ubiquitin conjugation by transferring ubiquitin from ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) to substrates. In humans, more than 600 E3s contribute to determining the fates of thousands of substrates; hence, E3s need to be tightly regulated to ensure accurate substrate ubiquitylation. Recent findings illustrate how E3s function on a structural level and how they coordinate with E2s and substrates to meticulously conjugate ubiquitin. Insights regarding the mechanisms of E3 regulation, including structural aspects of their autoinhibition and activation are also emerging

Multidrug efflux pumps:structure, function and regulation

Infections arising from multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria are spreading rapidly throughout the world and threaten to become untreatable. The origins of resistance are numerous and complex, but one underlying factor is the capacity of bacteria to rapidly export drugs through the intrinsic activity of efflux pumps. In this Review, we describe recent advances that have increased our understanding of the structures and molecular mechanisms of multidrug efflux pumps in bacteria. Clinical and laboratory data indicate that efflux pumps function not only in the drug extrusion process but also in virulence and the adaptive responses that contribute to antimicrobial resistance during infection. The emerging picture of the structure, function and regulation of efflux pumps suggests opportunities for countering their activities

Antidiabetic Compounds in Syzygium cumini Decoction and Ready to Serve Herbal Drink

Herbal beverages with desirable sensory attributes are an ideal way to offer consumers with phytochemicals having specific health promoting functionalities. Syzygium cumini bark decoction is used in treating diabetes mellitus in Ayurveda medicine. This work attempted to prove the presence of antidiabetic compounds in the S. cumini decoction and the ready to serve (RTS) herbal drink developed using the decoction. Activity guided fractionation of the decoction of the S. cumini was carried out by sequential extraction with organic solvents of different polarities. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) with authentic compounds and HPLC were performed for identification and confirmation of the compounds in the decoction and the RTS herbal drink. Presence of gallic and ellagic acids in the decoction and RTS herbal drink was proven and confirmed with HPLC. The LC UV-VIS spectra of the two compounds were identical with the corresponding spectra of the library. Further, gallic acid and umbelliferone were determined as the active compounds in the decoction by TLC and were confirmed by cochromatography with authentic compounds. The present investigation confirmed the presence of gallic acid, ellagic acid, and umbelliferone which are proven to have antidiabetic activities in the decoction and the RTS herbal drink prepared with the decoction

DEVELOPMENT OF A PROFITABLE BUSINESS MODEL TO PROMOTE CONSULTANCY ON FOOD SAFETY THROUGH EVALUATING CURRENT PRACTICES IN TEA INDUSTRY

The local tea industry provides opportunities for earning foreign currencies and livelihood for the majority of estate labourers. A study was carried out to develop a profitable business model to promote consultancy on the food safety in tea industry improving efficiency, hygienic standards and awareness. The objectives were to achieve a leap value through value innovation while breaking away from existing competition, to evaluate the current level of understanding and practices of food safety applications in order to ensure food safety awareness among factory owners, managers, factory officers and workforce. Thirty (30) tea factories were randomly selected and persuaded for analyses. Open ended discussions held were focused on buyer requirements and prices for value added consulting. The Blue Ocean Strategy was used to achieve a leap value through value innovation without entering in to existing competition. The market boundaries were reconstructed using value curve development through strategic canvas and marketed with selected samples. Out of 30 factories selected for the study, the majority responded positively; 18 volunteered to meet and Gaps were conducted for 9. Five of them rescheduled the opportunity to a later date, while the rest refused. The Gap analysis was carried out using written parameters against GMP while photographing total plant for specific activities. Data was analyzed comparing generic conditions verses current practices while offering numerical values for specific areas of GMP requirements and their importance. The traditional marketing approach failed mainly due to lack of reputation rather than the lack of expertise. New strategic approach created opportunities to enter the market with 55% success rate for conducted Gaps. Factory owners tend to buy with a leap in value. Consultancy can be promoted as a customary package. Middle level pricing and long-term system maintenance will open up mass market and long-term cash inflow. It supports developing a comprehensive food safety management system by enhancing available quality tools or food safety systems and integrating relevant trainings into system development.Key Words: Food Safety, Tea Industry, ConsultancyFor full paper: [email protected]