PROTECTIVE ROLE OF CRUDE EXTRACT OF AMORPHOPHALLUS CAMPANULATUS AGAINST ETHANOL-INDUCED OXIDATIVE RENAL DAMAGE

  Objective: The current study investigates the nephroprotective effect of Amorphophallus campanulatus against chronic alcohol-induced oxidative stress and tissue damage.Methods: The rats were simultaneously supplemented with ethanolic extract of A. campanulatus along with ethanol (40% w/v)2 g/kg body weight/day for 30 days to evaluate the nephroprotective effect against alcohol toxicity. Renal antioxidant enzymes, serum urea, creatinine, and pro-inflammatory cytokines were assayed biochemically. Histomorphological and histochemical alterations were detected by Hematoxylin and Eosin, periodic acid Schiff, and Feulgen and Picrosirius stain, respectively. The degree of apoptotic cell death was examined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay technique.Results: Serum urea, creatinine, pro-inflammatory cytokines, tissue TBARS, and activity of glutathione metabolizing enzymes were significantly (p<0.01) elevated, whereas cytosolic and mitochondrial superoxide dismutase, catalase, and levels of reduced glutathione were significantly (p<0.001) decreased in the EtOH group compared to control. However, ethanolic extract of A. campanulatus (ACE) supplementation to the EtOH rats reversed these effects to normal levels. Furthermore, degenerative changes in renal cells with alcohol treatment were minimized to nearness in architecture by ACE supplementation. Glycogen and deoxyribonucleic acid depletion, excess fibrosis due to collagen deposition, and increased apoptotic cell number were also restricted by ACE supplementation, with the higher dose being more promising.Conclusion: Thus ethanol-induced nephrotoxicity was attenuated by ACE treatment by the antioxidative and antiapoptotic property of the extract. Such effects of the extract may be due to the probable presence of different bioactive components in the tuber. Hence, it can be used as a regular nutrient or therapeutic agent to protect the renal cells

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE, MINERAL CONTENT AND IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT POTENCY OF CAPSICUM ANNUM L. CULTIVATED IN 24 PARGANAS [SOUTH], WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Objective: Capsicum annum L. is a well-known spice and has long been used in Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments. So, the present study was aimed to analyse its nutritional profile and free radical scavenging activity.Methods: The green Capsicum annum L. cultivated in 24 Parganas [South], West Bengal, were studied for the quantitative analysis of proximate composition, mineral and vitamin content. Aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts were screened on a comparative basis for the presence of in vitro antioxidant potential including the total phenol and flavonoid content, along with ferric reducing power, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl and superoxide radical scavenging activity.Results: The sample was found to contain 89.89% total carbohydrate, 13.48% soluble carbohydrate, 7.95% crude protein, 4.80% fat, 12.9% fibre, 95.42% moisture and 5.12% ash. Besides, the vegetable was also found to be abundant in vitamins and minerals like, sodium (24.4), iron (4.834), zinc (1.632), magnesium (92.612), manganese (0.88), calcium (19.562), copper (1.11), cobalt (0.02), chromium (0.016), boron (0.316), lycopene (2.4) and β-carotene (14.85) expressed in mg/100 g; and potassium (2.236), vitamin C (1.77), vitamin E (6.08), all expressed in g/100 g dry weight of the sample. The free radical scavenging activity, total phenol and flavonoid content of the aqueous extract were significantly higher than the hydroethanolic extract (p<0.05).Conclusion: It can thus be concluded that capsicum is a nutritionally rich spice and a potential source for antioxidant. The aqueous extract is more potent than the hydro-ethanolic extract in scavenging free radical.Â

Prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors among Kolkata-based policemen: a sociophysiological study

Background: In India, very sparse data are available on the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension among the police force, as a specific occupational group. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors among the policemen of a metropolitan city, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Materials and Methods: A total of 916 men (policemen = 507, civilian = 409) were randomly selected from different regions of central Kolkata, and the age ranged from 20 to 60 years. Blood pressure, anthropometric parameters, lifestyle pattern, and family history of hypertension were recorded. All statistical computations were performed with SPSS, version 20.0. Results: The prevalence of hypertension [systolic blood pressure (SBP) X 140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure X 90 mm Hg, or use of antihypertensive drugs] was observed among 32.5% of policemen, which was significantly higher when compared with the civilians (P o 0.01). Behavioral habits and obesity indices were also higher among the policemen (P o 0.05). Regression analysis identified age, body mass index (BMI), SBP, history of parental hypertension, and consumption of smokeless tobacco as the risk factors of hypertension. As obtained from receiver-operating characteristics analysis, the suggested cutoff values for BMI were 23.64 (kg/m2), for age 47.53 year, and for SBP 135 mm Hg. Conclusion: The findings revealed that notable numbers of Kolkata-based policemen are hypertensive than civilians and lifestyle modification along with healthcare strategies must be planned for this special population

ANALYSIS OF COMPLETE NUTRITIONAL PROFILE OF AMORPHOPHALLUS CAMPANULATUS TUBER CULTIVATED IN HOWRAH DISTRICT OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Objective: This work aims to analyze the proximate composition, minerals and vitamins content in the popularly consumed tuber of West Bengal, Amorphophallus campanulatus. Methods: The plant species were collected from farmers of Santragachhi, Howrah district and authenticated by Botanical Survey of India, Howrah district, West Bengal, India. Fresh tubers were analyzed for their content of crude proteins, total carbohydrate, soluble carbohydrate, fat, fibre, ash, moisture, carotenoids and vitamins. Mineral content was detected from the ash using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Spectrophotometer. Results: The study reveals that the tuber of Amorphophallus campanulatus has high crude protein, moisture, fibre, ash, vitamin E and C content. Besides, the tuber is rich in almost all the essential macro and micro-nutrients. The tuber is interestingly an important source of potassium, calcium and sodium. Moreover, the tuber also lacks the presence of heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic. Conclusion: Thus the results of the study form an important contribution to the knowledge about the complete nutritional profile of this tuber, which can lead to enhancement of its consumption for maintenance of healthy lifestyle and focus on its therapeutic approach as future perspective. Keywords: Amorphophallus campanulatus, Macro Micro-Nutrient, Nutritional Profile, Proximate Compositio