Musa nagalandiana sp. nov. (Musaceae) from Nagaland,northeast India

Musa nagalandiana S. Dey & Gogoi, a new species of Musa sect. Musa, is described and illustrated from Zunheboto district, Nagaland, India based on morphological characteristics observed in the field. The new species is rare in the wild and found in tropical semi‐evergreen forest on the bank of the river Doyang, in Zunheboto district of Nagaland. A key to M. nagalandiana and related taxa is provided.     

Morin Hydrate Mitigates Cisplatin‐Induced Renal and Hepatic Injury by Impeding Oxidative/Nitrosative Stress and Inflammation in Mice

Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug; however, it induces damage on kidney and liver at clinically effective higher doses. Morin hydrate possesses antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of morin hydrate (50 and 100 mg/kg, orally) against the renohepatic toxicity induced by a high dose of cisplatin (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). Renal and hepatic function, oxidative/nitrosative stress, and inflammatory markers along with histopathology were evaluated. Morin hydrate ameliorated cisplatin‐induced renohepatic toxicity significantly at 100 mg/kg as evidenced from the significant reversal of cisplatin‐induced body weight loss, mortality, functional and structural alterations of kidney, and liver. The protective role offered by morin hydrate against cisplatin‐induced renohepatic toxicity is by virtue of its free radical scavenging property, thereby abating the depletion of cellular antioxidant defense components and through modulation of inflammatory cytokines. We speculate morin hydrate as a protective candidate against renohepatic toxicity of cisplatin.     

Role of Environmental Pollutants in Liver Physiology: Special References to Peoples Living in the Oil Drilling Sites of Assam

The populations residing near polluted sites are more prone to various types of diseases. The important causes of air pollution are the suspended particulate matter, respirable suspended particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. As limited information is available enumerating the effect of these pollutants on liver physiology of the population living near the polluted sites; in the present study, we tried to investigate their effect on liver of the population residing near the oil drilling sites since birth. In this study, a randomly selected 105 subjects (46 subjects from oil drilling site and 61 subjects from control site) aged above 30 years were taken under consideration. The particulate matter as well as the gaseous pollutants, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, were analyzed through a respirable dust sampler. The level of alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase enzymes in serum were measured by spectrophotometer. The generalized regression model studies suggests a higher concentration of respirable suspended particulate matter, suspended particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide lowers the alkaline phosphatase level (p<0.0001) by 3.5 times (95% CI 3.1-3.9), 1.5 times (95% CI 1.4 - 1.6) and 12 times (95% CI 10.74 -13.804), respectively in the exposed group. The higher concentration of respirable suspended particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide in air was associated with increase in alanine transaminase level (p<0.0001) by 0.8 times (95% CI 0.589-1.049) and by 2.8 times (95% CI 2.067-3.681) respectively in the exposed group. The increase in nitrogen dioxide level was also associated with increase in aspartate transaminase level (p<0.0001) by 2.5 times (95% CI 1.862 – 3.313) in the exposed group as compared to control group. Thus, the study reveals that long-term exposure to the environmental pollutants may lead to liver abnormality or injury of populations living in polluted sites.     

Plant morphophysiological and anatomical factors associated with nitrous oxide flux from wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Experiments were conducted to study the dynamics of nitrous oxide (N?O) emission from wheat varieties viz., Sonalika, HUW 468, HUW 234 and DBW 14 grown in alluvial soils of North Bank Plain Agroclimatic Zone of Assam, India. Attempts were made to find out the relationship of N?O emission with plant morphophysiological, anatomical and soil properties. N?O fluxes from wheat varieties ranged from 40 μg N?O-N m?2 h?1 to 295 μg N?O-N m?2 h?1. Soil organic carbon and soil temperature have shown significant relationship with N?O flux. The rate of leaf transpiration recorded from the wheat varieties at different growth stages exhibited a positive correlation with N?O emission suggesting that movement of N?O along with the transpirational water flow may be an important mechanism of N?O transport and emission through wheat plants. Anatomical investigation by scanning electron microscope revealed that N?O emission has relationship with stomatal frequency of leaf and leaf sheaths. Variety HUW 234 with the highest stomatal frequency of leaf and leaf sheath also recorded higher seasonal N?O emission compared to other varieties. Seasonal N?O emission (E(sif)) of the varieties ranged from 3.25 to 3.81 kg N?O-N ha?1. Significant variations in E(sif) values were recorded within the varieties.     

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Nyctanthes arbortristis flower extract

The present study explores the reducing and capping potentials of ethanolic flower extract of the plant Nyctanthes arbortristis for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles. The extract at different volume fractions were stirred with HAuCl₄ aqueous solution at 80 °C for 30 min. The UV–Vis spectroscopic analysis of the reaction products confirmed successful reduction of Au³⁺ ions to gold nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) revealed dominant spherical morphology of the gold nanoparticles with an average diameter of 19.8 ± 5.0 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study confirmed crystalline nature of the synthesized particles. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of the purified and lyophilized gold nanoparticles confirmed the surface adsorption of biomolecules during preparation and caused long-term (6 months) stability. Low reaction temperature (25 °C) favored anisotropy. The strong reducing power of the flower extract can also be tested in the green synthesis of other metallic nanoparticles.     

A polyphenol rescues lipid induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle cells and adipocytes

Skeletal muscle and adipose tissues are known to be two important insulin target sites. Therefore, lipid induced insulin resistance in these tissues greatly contributes in the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Ferulic acid (FRL) purified from the leaves of Hibiscus mutabilis, showed impressive effects in preventing saturated fatty acid (SFA) induced defects in skeletal muscle cells. Impairment of insulin signaling molecules by SFA was significantly waived by FRL. SFA markedly reduced insulin receptor β (IRβ) in skeletal muscle cells, this was affected due to the defects in high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) protein obtruded by phospho-PKCε and that adversely affects IRβ mRNA expression. FRL blocked PKCε activation and thereby permitted HMGA1 to activate IRβ promoter which improved IR expression deficiency. In high fat diet (HFD) fed diabetic rats, FRL reduced blood glucose level and enhanced lipid uptake activity of adipocytes isolated from adipose tissue. Importantly, FRL suppressed fetuin-A (FetA) gene expression, that reduced circulatory FetA level and since FetA is involved in adipose tissue inflammation, a significant attenuation of proinflammatory cytokines occurred. Collectively, FRL exhibited certain unique features for preventing lipid induced insulin resistance and therefore promises a better therapeutic choice for T2D.     

Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity of Magainin and Mastoparan and Its Novel Hybrid Against MDR E. coli Isolates of Neonatal Calves

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - The extensive use of antibiotics in medical, as well as in veterinary practices has led to the development of antibiotic resistance...     

Linear and Branched Forms of Short Antimicrobial Peptide-IRK Inhibit Growth of Multi Drug Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Mastitic Cow Milk

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer a novel alternative to present day antibiotics which are becoming ineffective due to development of...     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa inducing rice resistance againstRhizoctonia solani: Production of salicylic acid and peroxidases

Three isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used for seed treatment of rice; all showed plant growth promoting activity and induced systemic resistance in rice against Rhizoctonia solani G5 and increased seed yield. Production of salicylic acid (Sal) by P. aeruginosa both in vitro and in vivo was quantified with high performance liquid chromatography. All three isolates produced more Sal in King's B broth than in induced roots. Using a split root system, more Sal accumulated in root tissues of bacterized site than in distant roots on the opposite site of the root system after 1 d, but this difference decreased after 3 d. Sal concentration 0-200 g/L showed no inhibition of mycelial growth of R. solani in vitro, while at > or =300 g/L it inhibited it. P. aeruginosa-pretreated rice plants challenged inoculation with R. solani (as pathogen), an additional increase in the accumulation of peroxidase was observed. Three pathogenesis-related peroxidases in induced rice plants were detected; molar mass of these purified peroxidases was 28, 36 and 47 kDa. Purified peroxidase showed antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi R. solani, Pyricularia oryzae and Helminthosporium oryzae.     

Esterification of lauric acid with lauryl alcohol using cross-linked enzyme crystals: Solvent effect and kinetic study

In this paper, we report a comprehensive kinetic study on esterification of lauric acid with lauryl alcohol catalysed by commercial porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) in the form of cross-linked enzyme crystals (CLEC) using glutaraldehyde as the cross linker. The stability of the CLEC was better than the immobilized enzyme for practical applications. Comparative studies using six different solvents having hydrophobicity (log p) values ranging from 0.70 to 3.50 revealed that the esterification reaction was favoured in hydrophobic solvents. The kinetics of the esterification reaction conformed with the so-called Ping-Pong-Bi-Bi mechanism with alcohol inhibition.