Formulation of Nutrient Medium for In Vitro Somatic Embryo Induction in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plantago ovata</Emphasis> Forsk

A nutrient medium has been formulated by altering the macro- and micro-elemental concentration in the culture medium for in vitro somatic embryo induction of economically important medicinal plant Plantago ovata Forsk .A comparison was made between induced embryos with normal embryos (produced in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium) to observe frequency of embryo induction and also to determine regeneration efficiency. In the present investigation, three different media have been formulated. Among them, FM3 (formulated media, treatment 3) was the most suitable for increasing the frequency of somatic embryo production and regeneration of P. ovata Forsk. Better result was obtained using formulated medium than with MS medium.     

Isozyme and RAPD markers in relation to in vitro morphogenesis and in vivo development ofVigna radiata (L.) Wilczek

Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek, popularly known as “mung bean,” is an important protein supplement in vegetarian diets in many countries of Asia. It has a short life cycle (55–70 days) and fits well into many cropping systems, including rice and sugarcane, under rain-fed and irrigated conditions. The present review deals with the data available on plant regeneration of this species. Both shoot-tip multiplication and somatic embryogenesis have been compared on the basis of retrospective as well as recent reports. Molecular markers, especially random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), have been used to compare results obtained from in vitro and in vivo studies on various species ofVigna. Isozyme markers such as esterase and superoxide dismutase, which are expressed during in vitro regeneration and in vivo development ofVigna species, are also included in this article.     

Shedding light on designing potential meprin β inhibitors through ligand-based robust validated computational approaches: A proposal to chemists!

Human meprin (EC 3.4.24.18) is a member of the metzincin superfamily. It correlates with matrix metalloproteinases and ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase). Overexpression of meprin β is implicated in fibrosis, inflammatory diseases and cancers. However, selective meprin β inhibition is crucial to reduce cancer metastasis and adverse effects in inflammation. It also plays critical roles in modulating several interleukins and growth factors. Moreover, meprin β cleaves amyloid precursor protein, thought to be involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, meprin β inhibitors are considered to be emerging therapeutics with paramount importance in the treatment of kidney failure, fibrosis, inflammatory bowel diseases and cancer. Despite its crucial implication in several diseases, no meprin β inhibitors are available as drug candidates till date. Therefore, it is an urgent need to identify new potential meprin β inhibitors as prospective therapeutics. In this article, a series of meprin β inhibitors has been analysed through multiple molecular modelling studies as the first initiative to get an idea about their structural, physicochemical and pharmacophoric requirements for higher activity. All in silico approaches performed here are statistically validated and subsequently adjudicated each other. Compounds with p-carboxylic acid substituted arylsulphonamide moiety attached with m-carboxylic acid substituted benzyl group along with a methylene hydroxamate function may be crucial for imparting potential meprin β inhibition. Depending on the results obtained, 14 molecules have been proposed by QSAR model that predicted a minimum of 4-fold higher activity compared to these compounds of the current study.     

Deciphering the Antimicrobial Potential of Taxus wallichiana Zucc: Identification and Characterization Using Bioassay-Guided Fractionation

Taxus wallichiana Zucc. is a high valued medicinal plant and has been mainly studied for its anti-cancer properties. However, research on its other important biological activities, such as its antimicrobial potential, still needs attention. The focus of the present study is to investigate the antimicrobial activity of secondary metabolites of T. wallichiana needles against 3 different groups of microorganisms, i. e., bacteria, actinobacteria, and fungi. Bioactive compounds from T. wallichiana needles were separated through column chromatography, and, TLC-bioautography. Mobile phases were optimized using Snyder's selectivity triangle. Antimicrobial spots were fractionated and compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Functional groups were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used to identify the molecular structures. GC/MS and LC/MS data analysis confirm the presence of fatty acids (arachidic acid, behenic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid), vitamins (nicotinamide), and alkaloids (cinchonine, timolol), aminobenzamides (procainamide), carbocyclic sugar (myoinositol), and alkane hydrocarbon (hexadecane), having antimicrobial activity in the needles of T. wallichiana. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the isolation and characterization of antimicrobial compounds from the needles of Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan yew). The data obtained from the present study will be supportive to the new drug discoveries in modern medicine with various combinations of medicinal plant's active constituents that can be used for curing many diseases.     

Critical analysis of biophysicochemical parameters for qualitative improvement of phytogenic nanoparticles

Conventional chemical approaches for synthesizing nanoparticles (NPs) may restrict their applicability as they are not eco-friendly, energetically efficient and often involve toxic reducing/capping agents; but phytonanotechnology enabled the synthesis of safe, inexpensive, highly biocompatible NPs. In this regard, thorough understanding of green components and the modulatory effects of different reaction conditions on the physicochemical parameters of green synthesized NPs would be a prerequisite, which is not depicted elsewhere. This review critically analyzes the relevant reaction conditions from their mechanistic viewpoints in plant-based synthesis of NPs arising fundamental issues which need to be determined carefully. The size, stability and surface chemistry of phytogenic NPs may be fabricated as a function of multiple interconnected reaction parameters and the plant species used. The therapeutic potential of phytogenic NPs may depend on the plant species used; and so the meticulous understanding of physicochemical parameters and the family wise shorting of elite plant species may potentially benefit the theranostic future of plant-based NPs.     

DNA content, chromosome composition, and isozyme patterns inPlantago L.

Retrospective as well as recent records on DNA content, chromosome composition, and isozyme variation were analyzed critically to trace the evolution of species of the genusPlantago. Both in vivo as well as in vitro data were taken into consideration. The species withX 6 were considered to be ancestral, whereas those withX= 5 were considered to be more advanced. The cultivated species withX= 4 was thought to be a derivative ofX = 5. The data on isozyme variation supported the findings derived from DNA and chromosome composition.