Biotechnology is developing as one of the most challenging fields with a
great future. 21st centu... more Biotechnology is developing as one of the most challenging fields with a great future. 21st century marks the dawn of a new era with immeasurable possibilities for researchers in the field of biotechnology. This book comprises of rapid proliferation of ideas and concepts transformed into realities right from production of insulin to transgenic animals and crops, challenges in stem cell research, cancer vaccines, bio-pesticides, biocontrol strategies , microbial cell factories, metabolic engineering enzyme design, nanotechnology in cancer therapy, advancements in genomics and proteomics, development of gene manipulation and tissue culture techniques which have imparted an unimaginable boost to the innovations in biotechnology and are proving to be a boon to mankind and nature. The ever increasing scientific quest has brought to light many challenges in this field and the scientific community needs to gear up with innovations which are to be transformed into viable techniques and products of use. This international conference served as a platform to assemble people from research and industry to share their ideas and expertise to successfully meet the challenges in biotechnology.
ABSTRACT: Two whiteflies, the spiraling whitefly,Aleurodicus dispersus and Bemisia
euphorbiae arg... more ABSTRACT: Two whiteflies, the spiraling whitefly,Aleurodicus dispersus and Bemisia euphorbiae arg reported to infest heavily Chekurmanis, Sauropus androgynus in Coimbatore during 2008 and 2009, making the leaves unfit for consumption. The spiraling whitefly occurrence on this plant in coimbatore is new whereas it has been reporteJon Chekurmanis in Kerala. The occurrence of B. euphorbiae is a new record on this host plant in India. 6l zoto essociation for Advancement of Entomology KEYWORDS: Aleurodicus dispersus, Bemisia euphorbiae, sauropus androgynus, Chekurmanis, spiraling whiteflY
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a linear high molecular weight glycosaminoglycan polymer made up of repea... more Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a linear high molecular weight glycosaminoglycan polymer made up of repeating units of β (14) N-Acetylglucosamine and β (13) D - glucuronic acid. Producing large quantities of high molecular weight polymer with very low dispersity of molecular size is seen as a niche in a huge hyaluronic acid world market and microbial derived product could effectively fit into it. This study is to understand the model and simulate the aerobic and anaerobic batch fermentation using MATLAB R2007a and to make more sense of the existing data and improve the production which is one of the widely used methods to describe the process mathematically and construct an abstract model. By simulating it and varying appropriate parameters one can predict the nature of the fermentation and the total yield of the polymer. The studies were performed on Streptococcus zooepidemicus under aerobic and anaerobic batch conditions. In case of aerobic and anaerobic batch fermentation the rate constants of the reactions were varied by increasing it by 10 and 100 % and also decreasing it by 10 and 50 % and the initial carbon/nitrogen ratio were varied in various proportions. Keywords: hyaluronic acid, matlab, aerobic batch condition, anaerobic batch condition
The combination of chemotherapy and the meristem culture increases the virus free production of s... more The combination of chemotherapy and the meristem culture increases the virus free production of sugarcane plants, even when the meristem is infected. In vitro culture technique has introduced a new dimension to plant multiplication for the production of well-organized, genetically unwavering clonal germplasm. The present investigation was to study the influence of meristem tip culture and the action of chemotherapy in the elimination of virus. The intention of this work is to determine the effect of various levels of chemical treatment on in vitro shoot multiplication and also assessing the elimination of virus. In this experiment three different varietiesof sugarcane were taken such as Co85004, Co91010, Co86032. These three varieties were tissue cultured using apical meristem as the explant in combination with antiviral agents of different concentrations such as 2.5mg, 5.0mg, 7.5mg, 10.0mg, 12.5mg, 15.0mg. At higher concentrations phytotoxicity was observed. About 95% virus elimination was attained with the addition of ribavirin at 10mg/l in MS medium along with meristem culture. In this experiment good response for shoot initiation was observed in variety Co 85004 compared to other varietiesstudied. The total number of days for culture establishment in Co 85004 was around 14 days. In all the three varieties the elongation was found to be more or less same in 28 – 29 days. In the case of multiplication, the number of days for shoot multiplication was only19 days in Co 86032 whereas in Co 85004 and Co 91010 it was 21 days. So, combination of antiviral chemotherapy and meristem tip culture was found to be more effective in sugarcane mosaic virus elimination.
Effects of Pesticides on in Vitro Pollen germination and growth and yield of OKRA a combination o... more Effects of Pesticides on in Vitro Pollen germination and growth and yield of OKRA a combination of field and lab experiments to use plants as test systems for phytotoxicity of Pesticides
Tissue culture studies on white lily Zephyranathes ,culture media standardization , fast multipli... more Tissue culture studies on white lily Zephyranathes ,culture media standardization , fast multiplication starting from a minute bulb as explant
The antioxidant properties of the developed polyherbal formulation for antiobesity were evaluated... more The antioxidant properties of the developed polyherbal formulation for antiobesity were evaluated for its probable free radical mechanisms by the methods, such as the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay, ABTS (2, 2’-azinobis-3-ethyl-benzothiozoline-6-sulphonic acid) and Superoxide radical scavenging assays. Herbal drugs such as Phyllanthus emblica (fruits), Macrotyloma uniflorum (seeds), Plumbago zeylanica (roots), Curcuma longa (rhizomes) were used for the preparation of the polyherbal formulation (PHF). Different combinations of PHF were prepared using Macrotyloma uniflorum as the base material and were labelled as MPhPl (For 1), MPhCur (For 2), MPlCur (For 3), and MphPlCur (PHF4, Developed formulation). Their standardized aqueous extracts were compared for the antioxidant potential.The results showed that PHF4 was most active in the DPPH (IC50 value 7.46±0.04μg/ml), and ABTS assay (IC50 value 0.199± 0.004μg/ml) when compared to the standards Quercetin (IC50 value 10.25±1.45μg/ml) and trolox (IC50 value 0.250±0.007μg/ml) used respectively. Different combinations of PHF were prepared using Macrotyloma uniflorum as the base material and were labelled as MPhPl (For 1), MPhCur (For 2), MPlCur (For 3), and MphPlCur (PHF4, Developed formulation). Their standardized aqueous extracts were compared for the antioxidant potential.The results showed that PHF4 was most active in the DPPH (IC50 value 7.46±0.04μg/ml), and ABTS assay (IC50 value 0.199± 0.004μg/ml) when compared to the standards Quercetin (IC50 value 10.25±1.45μg/ml) and trolox (IC50
INTRODUCTION An antioxidant is “a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Low levels of antioxidants or inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes, cause oxidative stree and may damage or kill cells.” value 0.250±0.007μg/ml) used respectively. The extracts were also investigated for the total phenolic content, total flavonoids, and total tannin content.
Obesity is a multifactorial disease which has become a major health challenge worldwide, lifestyl... more Obesity is a multifactorial disease which has become a major health challenge worldwide, lifestyle being one of the major contributing factors. Emphasis on Standardisation of herbal drugs in the preparation of polyherbal formulation for therapeutic use is made mandatory to ensure the quality of the herbals drugs and to derive for a consistently stronger product with stable constituents. Our work presents the standardization parameters adopted to formulate the antiobesity powder, in accordance with the WHO guidelines .Four plants were chosen in the Polyherbal formulation (PHF) preparation .Powders of various plants materials were used, such as Phyllanthus emblica( fruits ),Macrotyloma uniflorum ( seeds),Plumbago zeylanica( roots) , Curcuma longa(rhizomes).The quality specifications related to physicochemical properties such as ash values, moisture content, pH, bulk density, tapped density observed were within the limits and acceptable as per the Pharmacopoeial specifications.Also preliminary phytochemical investigation of the individual herbal drugs and the formulation was studied to strengthen the validation of the antiobesity drugs used.The study revealed the presence of active phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, etc..The separation of flavonoids rutin, quercetin, apigenin were carried out on a thin –layer chromatography aluminium plate pre-coated with silica gel 60 F 254 eluted with mobile phases Toluene : Ethyl acetate : Formic acid (50:40:10v/ v/v) for the detection of quercetin and apigenin and Ethyl acetate : Butanol: Formic acid : Water (5:3:1:1v/v/v/v) for rutin.Densitometric scanning was performed using a Camag TLC scanner at 254 and 366nm.The system was found to produce compact spots for rutin( Rf 0.47), quercetin and apigenin(Rf 0.74,0.83 ). Key words: antiobesity, polyherbal formulation , quality evaluation, secondary metabolites, Phyllanthus emblica , Macrotyloma uniflorum ,Plumbago zeylanica , Curcuma longa.
According to a recent report nearly 42 per cent Indian kids are
malnourished and stunted. The aim... more According to a recent report nearly 42 per cent Indian kids are malnourished and stunted. The aim of our project was to develop nutraceutical products using alfalfa as one of the components to overcome undernourishment particularly among women and children. The seeds of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) contain more nutritional property when compared with other leguminous seeds. It contains 18.9% of protein when compared with egg (13.1%), milk (3.3%) and beef (16.5%). This paper reports the investigation results of phytochemical analysis of alfalfa seed extracts using the procedure of Sadasivam and Manickam (2009). The presence of proteins, carbohydrates, saponins, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, flavonoids etc. was observed in sprouted alfalfa seeds extracted by solvents such as ethanol, petroleum and chloroform. The presences of proteins, carbohydrates, saponins, alkaloids etc were confirmed by the present investigation. Thus the cost effective nutraceutical product containing alfalfa along with other cereals and pulses would serve the humanity to fight undernourishment in an easy and economical way. Keywords: Phytochemical, Alfalfa, Petroleum, Chloroform, Ethanol.
According to a recent report nearly 42 per cent Indian kids are malnourished and stunted. The aim... more According to a recent report nearly 42 per cent Indian kids are malnourished and stunted. The aim of our project was to develop nutraceutical products using alfalfa as one of the components to overcome under nourishment particularly among women and children . The seeds of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) contain more nutritional property when compared with other leguminous seeds. The alfalfa seeds contains 18.9% of protein when compare with egg (13.1%), milk(3.3%),beef(16.5%). This paper reports the investigation results of anti microbial activity of alfalfa seed extract against five bacterial strains namely Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactococcus lactis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus cereus using well diffusion method . . Inhibition zones were significantly different (P< 0.001) based on concentration of extract. The maximum inhibition was seen in 300μg/ml concentration of extract. The minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) of alfalfa extract to Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lactococcus lactis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus cereus were also determined The maximum amount of inhibition was observed in gram positive bacterial strains. Keywords: Antimicrobial, Alfalfa, Under nutrition, Canavanine sulfate.
This paper is an over view of 100 medicinal plants
commonly used as dietary supplements for obesi... more This paper is an over view of 100 medicinal plants commonly used as dietary supplements for obesity found in Asian countries particularly in India, China, Taiwan, Korea and Africa. Synthetic drugs are effective but have potential harmful side effects. Nutraceuticals and herbal supplements are used by people worldwide to promote health, wellness, maintain weight and fight diseases. Our project is to formulate a nutraceutical product having antiobesity prepared in the form of fancy food items like estruded products , biscuits, noodles, etc and the PolyHerbal Formulation ( PHF) product is combined with base materials such as cereals, millets, pulses, and fibre rich products. The product evaluation can be done in animal models such as mice , rat, rabbits,chicks and human volunteers.Some of the phyto constituents such as inulin , pectin , flavonoids , saponins , tannins , dietary fibres , phytosterols/stanols , dietary carotenoids , polyphenols ,plant indoles , have potential hypolipidemic properties by different mechanisms such as reducing atherosclerosis by inhibiting platelet aggregation, increasing fibrinolysis , enhancing antioxidant activity, reducing serum lipids in general to lower cholesterol levels, controlling appetite, fat metabolism, adipocyte differentiation, fat absorption, energy metabolism, etc.The present study is to find out the antiobesity effects of few herbals such as Allium sativum ,Coriandrum sativum , Mentha arvensis, Camellia sinensis ,Foeniculum vulgare, Commiphora mukul, Zingiber officinale ,Nelumbo nucifera Keywords: Herbal supplements, hypolipidemic, antiobesity,
Breast Cancer and the lesser known fibroadenoma are one of the many problems that wreak havoc in ... more Breast Cancer and the lesser known fibroadenoma are one of the many problems that wreak havoc in the lives of countless women. Nutraceutical, the new buzz word in the food and medical sector offers promising solution to solve such problems and aid in its prevention as well. Is there solid evidence to prove that Nutraceuticals is the ultimate super food and does it live up to all the hype and hope that surrounds it? The following article addresses this issue and will reveal why our mothers have always fed us with horrible tasting greens and grains despite our vehement protest during meal times. Keywords: Women, nutraceutical, fibroadenoma, Breast cancer and apoptosis.
The p53 gene located in human chromosome 17, suspends the cell cycle when there is DNA damage. If... more The p53 gene located in human chromosome 17, suspends the cell cycle when there is DNA damage. If there is a mutation in p53, the cell cycle continues unrestrained and reproduces the damaged DNA, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation and cancer tumors. The p53 protein is a transcription factor and its pivotal role in maintaining genomic integrity has earned it the nickname “guardian of the genome”. p53 gene is mutated in about 50% of human cancers of breast, colon, lung, liver, prostate, bladder, and skin. Since the loss of p53 function is so prevalent in human cancer, this protein is an ideal candidate for cancer therapy. Several gene therapeutic strategies have been employed in the attempt to restore p53 function to cancerous cells. Keywords: p53gene, p53 protein, Tumor suppressor gene, Mutation, Cancer therapy.
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or on an e... more Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or on an entire planet. Biodiversity is not consistent across the Earth. Western Ghats, older than the Himalayas, is one of the 34 global hotspots of biodiversity – flora, fauna, landscape and ethnicity. Western Ghats, a narrow 1,700 km strip that stretches from the mouth of Tapti in Dhule district of Maharashtra to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu is nature’s unique evolutionary laboratory still at work. We did a biodiversity survey for plant species in Karunya university Academic campus, which is located in the southern parts of the Western Ghats in the foothills of Siruvani forest. The campus was divided into four quadrants as North-East (NE), South-East (SE), South-West (SW) and North-West (NW) and collected plant samples from each quadrant were analysed, photographed and preserved as herbaria and deposited in the Biotechnology Department. We gave a unique code number to each plant that gives information about its location in the campus. We have identified different trees from 27 families (53 genera) and ornamental plants from 32 families (58 genera) and studied their properties and uses and the details are presented. The total area of Karunya university campus constitutes about 0.001770% of the total area of the Western Ghats. If a small part of the Western Ghats is so diverse, then one can imagine the biodiversity of the whole Western Ghats. This is the first attempt to explore the flora of Karunya campus. Key words: Biodiversity, Western Ghats, Karunya university academic campus.
ABSTRACT
All over the world, especially in developing countries herbal drugs are playing an
impor... more ABSTRACT All over the world, especially in developing countries herbal drugs are playing an important role in health care programmes.This is because they are being cheap and locally available. There is a general belief amongst the consumers globally that herbal drugs are always safe because they are “natural". However evidences suggests otherwise. The mere fact that a product is "natural" may not signify that the product is safe. Although limited evidence suggests that adverse effects associated with the use of herbal drugs are less likely to occur than with conventional drugs, theydo occur though usually mild and only affecting a small number of people. Recent evidence suggests that some of the herbs considered to be safe over the last many decades have proven to be associated with health hazards. Herbal remedies can act either as agonists or antagonists that potentiate some drug therapies. Therefore , an understanding of conventional drugs is an essential prerequisite for effective herbal therapeutics.The advancement of technology has enabled the scientists to detect minute amounts of carcinogenic and toxic chemicals in these herbs and recognize or evaluate potentially hazardous effects of some of the herbs which had been used in traditional medicine since centuries. Key words: Safety and Toxicity, herbal medicines/ drugs, side / hazardous effects, Pharmaceuticals, Botanicals, Allergic, Contamination & adulteration
ABSTRACT
Obesity is capturing the whole world very rapidly. Both medical community and
common peo... more ABSTRACT Obesity is capturing the whole world very rapidly. Both medical community and common people are aware of the health risks associated with obesity. Different phytochemicals present in medicinal plant parts have antiobesity properties. The antiobesity properties of medicinal plants are exhibited by different mechanisms. There are different studies for exactly knowing the cause of animal obesity. A new scientific approach about the present situation of this disease may initiate additional research in the field to assess the contribution of phytochemicals in obesity and possibly to prevent or treat the widespread epidemic of obesity. This review will try to focus and summarize on the main findings available in the literature regarding the effect of different medicinal plants and their extracts on human obesity. In this paper we review the present knowledge in the field as this may be of importance to those who deal with research on antiobesity for the benefit of the common people. Keywords: Obesity, adipocytes medicinal plants, phytochemicals, hypolipidemia, hypercholesterolemia.
Biotechnology is developing as one of the most challenging fields with a
great future. 21st centu... more Biotechnology is developing as one of the most challenging fields with a great future. 21st century marks the dawn of a new era with immeasurable possibilities for researchers in the field of biotechnology. This book comprises of rapid proliferation of ideas and concepts transformed into realities right from production of insulin to transgenic animals and crops, challenges in stem cell research, cancer vaccines, bio-pesticides, biocontrol strategies , microbial cell factories, metabolic engineering enzyme design, nanotechnology in cancer therapy, advancements in genomics and proteomics, development of gene manipulation and tissue culture techniques which have imparted an unimaginable boost to the innovations in biotechnology and are proving to be a boon to mankind and nature. The ever increasing scientific quest has brought to light many challenges in this field and the scientific community needs to gear up with innovations which are to be transformed into viable techniques and products of use. This international conference served as a platform to assemble people from research and industry to share their ideas and expertise to successfully meet the challenges in biotechnology.
ABSTRACT: Two whiteflies, the spiraling whitefly,Aleurodicus dispersus and Bemisia
euphorbiae arg... more ABSTRACT: Two whiteflies, the spiraling whitefly,Aleurodicus dispersus and Bemisia euphorbiae arg reported to infest heavily Chekurmanis, Sauropus androgynus in Coimbatore during 2008 and 2009, making the leaves unfit for consumption. The spiraling whitefly occurrence on this plant in coimbatore is new whereas it has been reporteJon Chekurmanis in Kerala. The occurrence of B. euphorbiae is a new record on this host plant in India. 6l zoto essociation for Advancement of Entomology KEYWORDS: Aleurodicus dispersus, Bemisia euphorbiae, sauropus androgynus, Chekurmanis, spiraling whiteflY
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a linear high molecular weight glycosaminoglycan polymer made up of repea... more Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a linear high molecular weight glycosaminoglycan polymer made up of repeating units of β (14) N-Acetylglucosamine and β (13) D - glucuronic acid. Producing large quantities of high molecular weight polymer with very low dispersity of molecular size is seen as a niche in a huge hyaluronic acid world market and microbial derived product could effectively fit into it. This study is to understand the model and simulate the aerobic and anaerobic batch fermentation using MATLAB R2007a and to make more sense of the existing data and improve the production which is one of the widely used methods to describe the process mathematically and construct an abstract model. By simulating it and varying appropriate parameters one can predict the nature of the fermentation and the total yield of the polymer. The studies were performed on Streptococcus zooepidemicus under aerobic and anaerobic batch conditions. In case of aerobic and anaerobic batch fermentation the rate constants of the reactions were varied by increasing it by 10 and 100 % and also decreasing it by 10 and 50 % and the initial carbon/nitrogen ratio were varied in various proportions. Keywords: hyaluronic acid, matlab, aerobic batch condition, anaerobic batch condition
The combination of chemotherapy and the meristem culture increases the virus free production of s... more The combination of chemotherapy and the meristem culture increases the virus free production of sugarcane plants, even when the meristem is infected. In vitro culture technique has introduced a new dimension to plant multiplication for the production of well-organized, genetically unwavering clonal germplasm. The present investigation was to study the influence of meristem tip culture and the action of chemotherapy in the elimination of virus. The intention of this work is to determine the effect of various levels of chemical treatment on in vitro shoot multiplication and also assessing the elimination of virus. In this experiment three different varietiesof sugarcane were taken such as Co85004, Co91010, Co86032. These three varieties were tissue cultured using apical meristem as the explant in combination with antiviral agents of different concentrations such as 2.5mg, 5.0mg, 7.5mg, 10.0mg, 12.5mg, 15.0mg. At higher concentrations phytotoxicity was observed. About 95% virus elimination was attained with the addition of ribavirin at 10mg/l in MS medium along with meristem culture. In this experiment good response for shoot initiation was observed in variety Co 85004 compared to other varietiesstudied. The total number of days for culture establishment in Co 85004 was around 14 days. In all the three varieties the elongation was found to be more or less same in 28 – 29 days. In the case of multiplication, the number of days for shoot multiplication was only19 days in Co 86032 whereas in Co 85004 and Co 91010 it was 21 days. So, combination of antiviral chemotherapy and meristem tip culture was found to be more effective in sugarcane mosaic virus elimination.
Effects of Pesticides on in Vitro Pollen germination and growth and yield of OKRA a combination o... more Effects of Pesticides on in Vitro Pollen germination and growth and yield of OKRA a combination of field and lab experiments to use plants as test systems for phytotoxicity of Pesticides
Tissue culture studies on white lily Zephyranathes ,culture media standardization , fast multipli... more Tissue culture studies on white lily Zephyranathes ,culture media standardization , fast multiplication starting from a minute bulb as explant
The antioxidant properties of the developed polyherbal formulation for antiobesity were evaluated... more The antioxidant properties of the developed polyherbal formulation for antiobesity were evaluated for its probable free radical mechanisms by the methods, such as the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay, ABTS (2, 2’-azinobis-3-ethyl-benzothiozoline-6-sulphonic acid) and Superoxide radical scavenging assays. Herbal drugs such as Phyllanthus emblica (fruits), Macrotyloma uniflorum (seeds), Plumbago zeylanica (roots), Curcuma longa (rhizomes) were used for the preparation of the polyherbal formulation (PHF). Different combinations of PHF were prepared using Macrotyloma uniflorum as the base material and were labelled as MPhPl (For 1), MPhCur (For 2), MPlCur (For 3), and MphPlCur (PHF4, Developed formulation). Their standardized aqueous extracts were compared for the antioxidant potential.The results showed that PHF4 was most active in the DPPH (IC50 value 7.46±0.04μg/ml), and ABTS assay (IC50 value 0.199± 0.004μg/ml) when compared to the standards Quercetin (IC50 value 10.25±1.45μg/ml) and trolox (IC50 value 0.250±0.007μg/ml) used respectively. Different combinations of PHF were prepared using Macrotyloma uniflorum as the base material and were labelled as MPhPl (For 1), MPhCur (For 2), MPlCur (For 3), and MphPlCur (PHF4, Developed formulation). Their standardized aqueous extracts were compared for the antioxidant potential.The results showed that PHF4 was most active in the DPPH (IC50 value 7.46±0.04μg/ml), and ABTS assay (IC50 value 0.199± 0.004μg/ml) when compared to the standards Quercetin (IC50 value 10.25±1.45μg/ml) and trolox (IC50
INTRODUCTION An antioxidant is “a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Low levels of antioxidants or inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes, cause oxidative stree and may damage or kill cells.” value 0.250±0.007μg/ml) used respectively. The extracts were also investigated for the total phenolic content, total flavonoids, and total tannin content.
Obesity is a multifactorial disease which has become a major health challenge worldwide, lifestyl... more Obesity is a multifactorial disease which has become a major health challenge worldwide, lifestyle being one of the major contributing factors. Emphasis on Standardisation of herbal drugs in the preparation of polyherbal formulation for therapeutic use is made mandatory to ensure the quality of the herbals drugs and to derive for a consistently stronger product with stable constituents. Our work presents the standardization parameters adopted to formulate the antiobesity powder, in accordance with the WHO guidelines .Four plants were chosen in the Polyherbal formulation (PHF) preparation .Powders of various plants materials were used, such as Phyllanthus emblica( fruits ),Macrotyloma uniflorum ( seeds),Plumbago zeylanica( roots) , Curcuma longa(rhizomes).The quality specifications related to physicochemical properties such as ash values, moisture content, pH, bulk density, tapped density observed were within the limits and acceptable as per the Pharmacopoeial specifications.Also preliminary phytochemical investigation of the individual herbal drugs and the formulation was studied to strengthen the validation of the antiobesity drugs used.The study revealed the presence of active phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, etc..The separation of flavonoids rutin, quercetin, apigenin were carried out on a thin –layer chromatography aluminium plate pre-coated with silica gel 60 F 254 eluted with mobile phases Toluene : Ethyl acetate : Formic acid (50:40:10v/ v/v) for the detection of quercetin and apigenin and Ethyl acetate : Butanol: Formic acid : Water (5:3:1:1v/v/v/v) for rutin.Densitometric scanning was performed using a Camag TLC scanner at 254 and 366nm.The system was found to produce compact spots for rutin( Rf 0.47), quercetin and apigenin(Rf 0.74,0.83 ). Key words: antiobesity, polyherbal formulation , quality evaluation, secondary metabolites, Phyllanthus emblica , Macrotyloma uniflorum ,Plumbago zeylanica , Curcuma longa.
According to a recent report nearly 42 per cent Indian kids are
malnourished and stunted. The aim... more According to a recent report nearly 42 per cent Indian kids are malnourished and stunted. The aim of our project was to develop nutraceutical products using alfalfa as one of the components to overcome undernourishment particularly among women and children. The seeds of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) contain more nutritional property when compared with other leguminous seeds. It contains 18.9% of protein when compared with egg (13.1%), milk (3.3%) and beef (16.5%). This paper reports the investigation results of phytochemical analysis of alfalfa seed extracts using the procedure of Sadasivam and Manickam (2009). The presence of proteins, carbohydrates, saponins, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, flavonoids etc. was observed in sprouted alfalfa seeds extracted by solvents such as ethanol, petroleum and chloroform. The presences of proteins, carbohydrates, saponins, alkaloids etc were confirmed by the present investigation. Thus the cost effective nutraceutical product containing alfalfa along with other cereals and pulses would serve the humanity to fight undernourishment in an easy and economical way. Keywords: Phytochemical, Alfalfa, Petroleum, Chloroform, Ethanol.
According to a recent report nearly 42 per cent Indian kids are malnourished and stunted. The aim... more According to a recent report nearly 42 per cent Indian kids are malnourished and stunted. The aim of our project was to develop nutraceutical products using alfalfa as one of the components to overcome under nourishment particularly among women and children . The seeds of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) contain more nutritional property when compared with other leguminous seeds. The alfalfa seeds contains 18.9% of protein when compare with egg (13.1%), milk(3.3%),beef(16.5%). This paper reports the investigation results of anti microbial activity of alfalfa seed extract against five bacterial strains namely Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactococcus lactis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus cereus using well diffusion method . . Inhibition zones were significantly different (P< 0.001) based on concentration of extract. The maximum inhibition was seen in 300μg/ml concentration of extract. The minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) of alfalfa extract to Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lactococcus lactis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus cereus were also determined The maximum amount of inhibition was observed in gram positive bacterial strains. Keywords: Antimicrobial, Alfalfa, Under nutrition, Canavanine sulfate.
This paper is an over view of 100 medicinal plants
commonly used as dietary supplements for obesi... more This paper is an over view of 100 medicinal plants commonly used as dietary supplements for obesity found in Asian countries particularly in India, China, Taiwan, Korea and Africa. Synthetic drugs are effective but have potential harmful side effects. Nutraceuticals and herbal supplements are used by people worldwide to promote health, wellness, maintain weight and fight diseases. Our project is to formulate a nutraceutical product having antiobesity prepared in the form of fancy food items like estruded products , biscuits, noodles, etc and the PolyHerbal Formulation ( PHF) product is combined with base materials such as cereals, millets, pulses, and fibre rich products. The product evaluation can be done in animal models such as mice , rat, rabbits,chicks and human volunteers.Some of the phyto constituents such as inulin , pectin , flavonoids , saponins , tannins , dietary fibres , phytosterols/stanols , dietary carotenoids , polyphenols ,plant indoles , have potential hypolipidemic properties by different mechanisms such as reducing atherosclerosis by inhibiting platelet aggregation, increasing fibrinolysis , enhancing antioxidant activity, reducing serum lipids in general to lower cholesterol levels, controlling appetite, fat metabolism, adipocyte differentiation, fat absorption, energy metabolism, etc.The present study is to find out the antiobesity effects of few herbals such as Allium sativum ,Coriandrum sativum , Mentha arvensis, Camellia sinensis ,Foeniculum vulgare, Commiphora mukul, Zingiber officinale ,Nelumbo nucifera Keywords: Herbal supplements, hypolipidemic, antiobesity,
Breast Cancer and the lesser known fibroadenoma are one of the many problems that wreak havoc in ... more Breast Cancer and the lesser known fibroadenoma are one of the many problems that wreak havoc in the lives of countless women. Nutraceutical, the new buzz word in the food and medical sector offers promising solution to solve such problems and aid in its prevention as well. Is there solid evidence to prove that Nutraceuticals is the ultimate super food and does it live up to all the hype and hope that surrounds it? The following article addresses this issue and will reveal why our mothers have always fed us with horrible tasting greens and grains despite our vehement protest during meal times. Keywords: Women, nutraceutical, fibroadenoma, Breast cancer and apoptosis.
The p53 gene located in human chromosome 17, suspends the cell cycle when there is DNA damage. If... more The p53 gene located in human chromosome 17, suspends the cell cycle when there is DNA damage. If there is a mutation in p53, the cell cycle continues unrestrained and reproduces the damaged DNA, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation and cancer tumors. The p53 protein is a transcription factor and its pivotal role in maintaining genomic integrity has earned it the nickname “guardian of the genome”. p53 gene is mutated in about 50% of human cancers of breast, colon, lung, liver, prostate, bladder, and skin. Since the loss of p53 function is so prevalent in human cancer, this protein is an ideal candidate for cancer therapy. Several gene therapeutic strategies have been employed in the attempt to restore p53 function to cancerous cells. Keywords: p53gene, p53 protein, Tumor suppressor gene, Mutation, Cancer therapy.
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or on an e... more Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or on an entire planet. Biodiversity is not consistent across the Earth. Western Ghats, older than the Himalayas, is one of the 34 global hotspots of biodiversity – flora, fauna, landscape and ethnicity. Western Ghats, a narrow 1,700 km strip that stretches from the mouth of Tapti in Dhule district of Maharashtra to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu is nature’s unique evolutionary laboratory still at work. We did a biodiversity survey for plant species in Karunya university Academic campus, which is located in the southern parts of the Western Ghats in the foothills of Siruvani forest. The campus was divided into four quadrants as North-East (NE), South-East (SE), South-West (SW) and North-West (NW) and collected plant samples from each quadrant were analysed, photographed and preserved as herbaria and deposited in the Biotechnology Department. We gave a unique code number to each plant that gives information about its location in the campus. We have identified different trees from 27 families (53 genera) and ornamental plants from 32 families (58 genera) and studied their properties and uses and the details are presented. The total area of Karunya university campus constitutes about 0.001770% of the total area of the Western Ghats. If a small part of the Western Ghats is so diverse, then one can imagine the biodiversity of the whole Western Ghats. This is the first attempt to explore the flora of Karunya campus. Key words: Biodiversity, Western Ghats, Karunya university academic campus.
ABSTRACT
All over the world, especially in developing countries herbal drugs are playing an
impor... more ABSTRACT All over the world, especially in developing countries herbal drugs are playing an important role in health care programmes.This is because they are being cheap and locally available. There is a general belief amongst the consumers globally that herbal drugs are always safe because they are “natural". However evidences suggests otherwise. The mere fact that a product is "natural" may not signify that the product is safe. Although limited evidence suggests that adverse effects associated with the use of herbal drugs are less likely to occur than with conventional drugs, theydo occur though usually mild and only affecting a small number of people. Recent evidence suggests that some of the herbs considered to be safe over the last many decades have proven to be associated with health hazards. Herbal remedies can act either as agonists or antagonists that potentiate some drug therapies. Therefore , an understanding of conventional drugs is an essential prerequisite for effective herbal therapeutics.The advancement of technology has enabled the scientists to detect minute amounts of carcinogenic and toxic chemicals in these herbs and recognize or evaluate potentially hazardous effects of some of the herbs which had been used in traditional medicine since centuries. Key words: Safety and Toxicity, herbal medicines/ drugs, side / hazardous effects, Pharmaceuticals, Botanicals, Allergic, Contamination & adulteration
ABSTRACT
Obesity is capturing the whole world very rapidly. Both medical community and
common peo... more ABSTRACT Obesity is capturing the whole world very rapidly. Both medical community and common people are aware of the health risks associated with obesity. Different phytochemicals present in medicinal plant parts have antiobesity properties. The antiobesity properties of medicinal plants are exhibited by different mechanisms. There are different studies for exactly knowing the cause of animal obesity. A new scientific approach about the present situation of this disease may initiate additional research in the field to assess the contribution of phytochemicals in obesity and possibly to prevent or treat the widespread epidemic of obesity. This review will try to focus and summarize on the main findings available in the literature regarding the effect of different medicinal plants and their extracts on human obesity. In this paper we review the present knowledge in the field as this may be of importance to those who deal with research on antiobesity for the benefit of the common people. Keywords: Obesity, adipocytes medicinal plants, phytochemicals, hypolipidemia, hypercholesterolemia.
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Papers by PHILOMENA GEORGE
great future. 21st century marks the dawn of a new era with
immeasurable possibilities for researchers in the field of biotechnology. This
book comprises of rapid proliferation of ideas and concepts transformed
into realities right from production of insulin to transgenic animals and
crops, challenges in stem cell research, cancer vaccines, bio-pesticides, biocontrol
strategies , microbial cell factories, metabolic engineering enzyme
design, nanotechnology in cancer therapy, advancements in genomics and
proteomics, development of gene manipulation and tissue culture
techniques which have imparted an unimaginable boost to the innovations
in biotechnology and are proving to be a boon to mankind and nature.
The ever increasing scientific quest has brought to light many challenges in
this field and the scientific community needs to gear up with innovations
which are to be transformed into viable techniques and products of use.
This international conference served as a platform to assemble people from research and industry to share their ideas and expertise to successfully meet the challenges in biotechnology.
euphorbiae arg reported to infest heavily Chekurmanis, Sauropus androgynus in
Coimbatore during 2008 and 2009, making the leaves unfit for consumption. The
spiraling whitefly occurrence on this plant in coimbatore is new whereas it has been
reporteJon Chekurmanis in Kerala. The occurrence of B. euphorbiae is a new record
on this host plant in India. 6l zoto essociation for Advancement of Entomology
KEYWORDS: Aleurodicus dispersus, Bemisia euphorbiae, sauropus androgynus,
Chekurmanis, spiraling whiteflY
Keywords: hyaluronic acid, matlab, aerobic batch condition, anaerobic batch condition
when the meristem is infected. In vitro culture technique has introduced a new dimension to plant multiplication for the
production of well-organized, genetically unwavering clonal germplasm. The present investigation was to study the
influence of meristem tip culture and the action of chemotherapy in the elimination of virus. The intention of this work is
to determine the effect of various levels of chemical treatment on in vitro shoot multiplication and also assessing the
elimination of virus. In this experiment three different varietiesof sugarcane were taken such as Co85004, Co91010,
Co86032. These three varieties were tissue cultured using apical meristem as the explant in combination with antiviral
agents of different concentrations such as 2.5mg, 5.0mg, 7.5mg, 10.0mg, 12.5mg, 15.0mg. At higher concentrations
phytotoxicity was observed. About 95% virus elimination was attained with the addition of ribavirin at 10mg/l in MS
medium along with meristem culture. In this experiment good response for shoot initiation was observed in variety Co
85004 compared to other varietiesstudied. The total number of days for culture establishment in Co 85004 was around 14
days. In all the three varieties the elongation was found to be more or less same in 28 – 29 days. In the case of
multiplication, the number of days for shoot multiplication was only19 days in Co 86032 whereas in Co 85004 and Co
91010 it was 21 days. So, combination of antiviral chemotherapy and meristem tip culture was found to be more effective in sugarcane mosaic virus elimination.
INTRODUCTION An antioxidant is “a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Low levels of antioxidants or inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes, cause oxidative stree and may damage or kill cells.” value 0.250±0.007μg/ml) used respectively. The extracts were also investigated for the total phenolic content, total flavonoids, and total tannin content.
on Standardisation of herbal drugs in the preparation of polyherbal formulation for therapeutic use is made mandatory to ensure the quality of the herbals
drugs and to derive for a consistently stronger product with stable constituents. Our work presents the standardization parameters adopted to formulate
the antiobesity powder, in accordance with the WHO guidelines .Four plants were chosen in the Polyherbal formulation (PHF) preparation .Powders of
various plants materials were used, such as Phyllanthus emblica( fruits ),Macrotyloma uniflorum ( seeds),Plumbago zeylanica( roots) , Curcuma
longa(rhizomes).The quality specifications related to physicochemical properties such as ash values, moisture content, pH, bulk density, tapped density
observed were within the limits and acceptable as per the Pharmacopoeial specifications.Also preliminary phytochemical investigation of the individual
herbal drugs and the formulation was studied to strengthen the validation of the antiobesity drugs used.The study revealed the presence of active
phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, etc..The separation of flavonoids rutin, quercetin, apigenin were carried out on a thin
–layer chromatography aluminium plate pre-coated with silica gel 60 F 254 eluted with mobile phases Toluene : Ethyl acetate : Formic acid (50:40:10v/
v/v) for the detection of quercetin and apigenin and Ethyl acetate : Butanol: Formic acid : Water (5:3:1:1v/v/v/v) for rutin.Densitometric scanning was
performed using a Camag TLC scanner at 254 and 366nm.The system was found to produce compact spots for rutin( Rf 0.47), quercetin and apigenin(Rf 0.74,0.83 ).
Key words: antiobesity, polyherbal formulation , quality evaluation, secondary metabolites, Phyllanthus emblica , Macrotyloma uniflorum ,Plumbago
zeylanica , Curcuma longa.
malnourished and stunted. The aim of our project was to develop
nutraceutical products using alfalfa as one of the components to
overcome undernourishment particularly among women and
children. The seeds of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) contain more
nutritional property when compared with other leguminous seeds. It
contains 18.9% of protein when compared with egg (13.1%), milk
(3.3%) and beef (16.5%). This paper reports the investigation results
of phytochemical analysis of alfalfa seed extracts using the procedure
of Sadasivam and Manickam (2009). The presence of proteins,
carbohydrates, saponins, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, flavonoids
etc. was observed in sprouted alfalfa seeds extracted by solvents such
as ethanol, petroleum and chloroform. The presences of proteins,
carbohydrates, saponins, alkaloids etc were confirmed by the present
investigation. Thus the cost effective nutraceutical product containing
alfalfa along with other cereals and pulses would serve the humanity
to fight undernourishment in an easy and economical way.
Keywords: Phytochemical, Alfalfa, Petroleum, Chloroform, Ethanol.
project was to develop nutraceutical products using alfalfa as one of the components to overcome under
nourishment particularly among women and children . The seeds of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) contain more
nutritional property when compared with other leguminous seeds. The alfalfa seeds contains 18.9% of protein
when compare with egg (13.1%), milk(3.3%),beef(16.5%). This paper reports the investigation results of anti
microbial activity of alfalfa seed extract against five bacterial strains namely Bacillus licheniformis,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactococcus lactis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus cereus using well diffusion
method . . Inhibition zones were significantly different (P< 0.001) based on concentration of extract. The
maximum inhibition was seen in 300μg/ml concentration of extract. The minimal inhibitory
concentration(MIC) of alfalfa extract to Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lactococcus lactis,
Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus cereus were also determined The maximum amount of inhibition was
observed in gram positive bacterial strains.
Keywords: Antimicrobial, Alfalfa, Under nutrition, Canavanine sulfate.
commonly used as dietary supplements for obesity found in
Asian countries particularly in India, China, Taiwan, Korea
and Africa. Synthetic drugs are effective but have potential
harmful side effects. Nutraceuticals and herbal supplements
are used by people worldwide to promote health, wellness,
maintain weight and fight diseases. Our project is to
formulate a nutraceutical product having antiobesity
prepared in the form of fancy food items like estruded
products , biscuits, noodles, etc and the PolyHerbal
Formulation ( PHF) product is combined with base materials
such as cereals, millets, pulses, and fibre rich products. The
product evaluation can be done in animal models such as
mice , rat, rabbits,chicks and human volunteers.Some of the
phyto constituents such as inulin , pectin , flavonoids ,
saponins , tannins , dietary fibres , phytosterols/stanols ,
dietary carotenoids , polyphenols ,plant indoles , have
potential hypolipidemic properties by different mechanisms
such as reducing atherosclerosis by inhibiting platelet
aggregation, increasing fibrinolysis , enhancing antioxidant
activity, reducing serum lipids in general to lower cholesterol
levels, controlling appetite, fat metabolism, adipocyte
differentiation, fat absorption, energy metabolism, etc.The
present study is to find out the antiobesity effects of few
herbals such as Allium sativum ,Coriandrum sativum ,
Mentha arvensis, Camellia sinensis ,Foeniculum vulgare,
Commiphora mukul, Zingiber officinale ,Nelumbo nucifera
Keywords: Herbal supplements, hypolipidemic, antiobesity,
women. Nutraceutical, the new buzz word in the food and medical sector offers promising solution to solve such problems
and aid in its prevention as well. Is there solid evidence to prove that Nutraceuticals is the ultimate super food and does it
live up to all the hype and hope that surrounds it? The following article addresses this issue and will reveal why our mothers
have always fed us with horrible tasting greens and grains despite our vehement protest during meal times.
Keywords: Women, nutraceutical, fibroadenoma, Breast cancer and apoptosis.
continues unrestrained and reproduces the damaged DNA, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation and cancer tumors. The p53 protein is a
transcription factor and its pivotal role in maintaining genomic integrity has earned it the nickname “guardian of the genome”. p53 gene is mutated
in about 50% of human cancers of breast, colon, lung, liver, prostate, bladder, and skin. Since the loss of p53 function is so prevalent in human
cancer, this protein is an ideal candidate for cancer therapy. Several gene therapeutic strategies have been employed in the attempt to restore p53
function to cancerous cells.
Keywords: p53gene, p53 protein, Tumor suppressor gene, Mutation, Cancer therapy.
Key words: Biodiversity, Western Ghats, Karunya university academic campus.
All over the world, especially in developing countries herbal drugs are playing an
important role in health care programmes.This is because they are being cheap and locally
available. There is a general belief amongst the consumers globally that herbal drugs are always
safe because they are “natural". However evidences suggests otherwise. The mere fact that a
product is "natural" may not signify that the product is safe. Although limited evidence suggests
that adverse effects associated with the use of herbal drugs are less likely to occur than with
conventional drugs, theydo occur though usually mild and only affecting a small number of
people. Recent evidence suggests that some of the herbs considered to be safe over the last many
decades have proven to be associated with health hazards. Herbal remedies can act either as
agonists or antagonists that potentiate some drug therapies. Therefore , an understanding of
conventional drugs is an essential prerequisite for effective herbal therapeutics.The advancement
of technology has enabled the scientists to detect minute amounts of carcinogenic and toxic
chemicals in these herbs and recognize or evaluate potentially hazardous effects of some of the
herbs which had been used in traditional medicine since centuries.
Key words: Safety and Toxicity, herbal medicines/ drugs, side / hazardous effects,
Pharmaceuticals, Botanicals, Allergic, Contamination & adulteration
Obesity is capturing the whole world very rapidly. Both medical community and
common people are aware of the health risks associated with obesity. Different
phytochemicals present in medicinal plant parts have antiobesity properties. The
antiobesity properties of medicinal plants are exhibited by different mechanisms. There
are different studies for exactly knowing the cause of animal obesity. A new scientific
approach about the present situation of this disease may initiate additional research in the
field to assess the contribution of phytochemicals in obesity and possibly to prevent or
treat the widespread epidemic of obesity. This review will try to focus and summarize on
the main findings available in the literature regarding the effect of different medicinal
plants and their extracts on human obesity. In this paper we review the present
knowledge in the field as this may be of importance to those who deal with research on
antiobesity for the benefit of the common people.
Keywords: Obesity, adipocytes medicinal plants, phytochemicals, hypolipidemia,
hypercholesterolemia.
great future. 21st century marks the dawn of a new era with
immeasurable possibilities for researchers in the field of biotechnology. This
book comprises of rapid proliferation of ideas and concepts transformed
into realities right from production of insulin to transgenic animals and
crops, challenges in stem cell research, cancer vaccines, bio-pesticides, biocontrol
strategies , microbial cell factories, metabolic engineering enzyme
design, nanotechnology in cancer therapy, advancements in genomics and
proteomics, development of gene manipulation and tissue culture
techniques which have imparted an unimaginable boost to the innovations
in biotechnology and are proving to be a boon to mankind and nature.
The ever increasing scientific quest has brought to light many challenges in
this field and the scientific community needs to gear up with innovations
which are to be transformed into viable techniques and products of use.
This international conference served as a platform to assemble people from research and industry to share their ideas and expertise to successfully meet the challenges in biotechnology.
euphorbiae arg reported to infest heavily Chekurmanis, Sauropus androgynus in
Coimbatore during 2008 and 2009, making the leaves unfit for consumption. The
spiraling whitefly occurrence on this plant in coimbatore is new whereas it has been
reporteJon Chekurmanis in Kerala. The occurrence of B. euphorbiae is a new record
on this host plant in India. 6l zoto essociation for Advancement of Entomology
KEYWORDS: Aleurodicus dispersus, Bemisia euphorbiae, sauropus androgynus,
Chekurmanis, spiraling whiteflY
Keywords: hyaluronic acid, matlab, aerobic batch condition, anaerobic batch condition
when the meristem is infected. In vitro culture technique has introduced a new dimension to plant multiplication for the
production of well-organized, genetically unwavering clonal germplasm. The present investigation was to study the
influence of meristem tip culture and the action of chemotherapy in the elimination of virus. The intention of this work is
to determine the effect of various levels of chemical treatment on in vitro shoot multiplication and also assessing the
elimination of virus. In this experiment three different varietiesof sugarcane were taken such as Co85004, Co91010,
Co86032. These three varieties were tissue cultured using apical meristem as the explant in combination with antiviral
agents of different concentrations such as 2.5mg, 5.0mg, 7.5mg, 10.0mg, 12.5mg, 15.0mg. At higher concentrations
phytotoxicity was observed. About 95% virus elimination was attained with the addition of ribavirin at 10mg/l in MS
medium along with meristem culture. In this experiment good response for shoot initiation was observed in variety Co
85004 compared to other varietiesstudied. The total number of days for culture establishment in Co 85004 was around 14
days. In all the three varieties the elongation was found to be more or less same in 28 – 29 days. In the case of
multiplication, the number of days for shoot multiplication was only19 days in Co 86032 whereas in Co 85004 and Co
91010 it was 21 days. So, combination of antiviral chemotherapy and meristem tip culture was found to be more effective in sugarcane mosaic virus elimination.
INTRODUCTION An antioxidant is “a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Low levels of antioxidants or inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes, cause oxidative stree and may damage or kill cells.” value 0.250±0.007μg/ml) used respectively. The extracts were also investigated for the total phenolic content, total flavonoids, and total tannin content.
on Standardisation of herbal drugs in the preparation of polyherbal formulation for therapeutic use is made mandatory to ensure the quality of the herbals
drugs and to derive for a consistently stronger product with stable constituents. Our work presents the standardization parameters adopted to formulate
the antiobesity powder, in accordance with the WHO guidelines .Four plants were chosen in the Polyherbal formulation (PHF) preparation .Powders of
various plants materials were used, such as Phyllanthus emblica( fruits ),Macrotyloma uniflorum ( seeds),Plumbago zeylanica( roots) , Curcuma
longa(rhizomes).The quality specifications related to physicochemical properties such as ash values, moisture content, pH, bulk density, tapped density
observed were within the limits and acceptable as per the Pharmacopoeial specifications.Also preliminary phytochemical investigation of the individual
herbal drugs and the formulation was studied to strengthen the validation of the antiobesity drugs used.The study revealed the presence of active
phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, etc..The separation of flavonoids rutin, quercetin, apigenin were carried out on a thin
–layer chromatography aluminium plate pre-coated with silica gel 60 F 254 eluted with mobile phases Toluene : Ethyl acetate : Formic acid (50:40:10v/
v/v) for the detection of quercetin and apigenin and Ethyl acetate : Butanol: Formic acid : Water (5:3:1:1v/v/v/v) for rutin.Densitometric scanning was
performed using a Camag TLC scanner at 254 and 366nm.The system was found to produce compact spots for rutin( Rf 0.47), quercetin and apigenin(Rf 0.74,0.83 ).
Key words: antiobesity, polyherbal formulation , quality evaluation, secondary metabolites, Phyllanthus emblica , Macrotyloma uniflorum ,Plumbago
zeylanica , Curcuma longa.
malnourished and stunted. The aim of our project was to develop
nutraceutical products using alfalfa as one of the components to
overcome undernourishment particularly among women and
children. The seeds of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) contain more
nutritional property when compared with other leguminous seeds. It
contains 18.9% of protein when compared with egg (13.1%), milk
(3.3%) and beef (16.5%). This paper reports the investigation results
of phytochemical analysis of alfalfa seed extracts using the procedure
of Sadasivam and Manickam (2009). The presence of proteins,
carbohydrates, saponins, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, flavonoids
etc. was observed in sprouted alfalfa seeds extracted by solvents such
as ethanol, petroleum and chloroform. The presences of proteins,
carbohydrates, saponins, alkaloids etc were confirmed by the present
investigation. Thus the cost effective nutraceutical product containing
alfalfa along with other cereals and pulses would serve the humanity
to fight undernourishment in an easy and economical way.
Keywords: Phytochemical, Alfalfa, Petroleum, Chloroform, Ethanol.
project was to develop nutraceutical products using alfalfa as one of the components to overcome under
nourishment particularly among women and children . The seeds of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) contain more
nutritional property when compared with other leguminous seeds. The alfalfa seeds contains 18.9% of protein
when compare with egg (13.1%), milk(3.3%),beef(16.5%). This paper reports the investigation results of anti
microbial activity of alfalfa seed extract against five bacterial strains namely Bacillus licheniformis,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactococcus lactis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus cereus using well diffusion
method . . Inhibition zones were significantly different (P< 0.001) based on concentration of extract. The
maximum inhibition was seen in 300μg/ml concentration of extract. The minimal inhibitory
concentration(MIC) of alfalfa extract to Bacillus licheniformis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lactococcus lactis,
Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus cereus were also determined The maximum amount of inhibition was
observed in gram positive bacterial strains.
Keywords: Antimicrobial, Alfalfa, Under nutrition, Canavanine sulfate.
commonly used as dietary supplements for obesity found in
Asian countries particularly in India, China, Taiwan, Korea
and Africa. Synthetic drugs are effective but have potential
harmful side effects. Nutraceuticals and herbal supplements
are used by people worldwide to promote health, wellness,
maintain weight and fight diseases. Our project is to
formulate a nutraceutical product having antiobesity
prepared in the form of fancy food items like estruded
products , biscuits, noodles, etc and the PolyHerbal
Formulation ( PHF) product is combined with base materials
such as cereals, millets, pulses, and fibre rich products. The
product evaluation can be done in animal models such as
mice , rat, rabbits,chicks and human volunteers.Some of the
phyto constituents such as inulin , pectin , flavonoids ,
saponins , tannins , dietary fibres , phytosterols/stanols ,
dietary carotenoids , polyphenols ,plant indoles , have
potential hypolipidemic properties by different mechanisms
such as reducing atherosclerosis by inhibiting platelet
aggregation, increasing fibrinolysis , enhancing antioxidant
activity, reducing serum lipids in general to lower cholesterol
levels, controlling appetite, fat metabolism, adipocyte
differentiation, fat absorption, energy metabolism, etc.The
present study is to find out the antiobesity effects of few
herbals such as Allium sativum ,Coriandrum sativum ,
Mentha arvensis, Camellia sinensis ,Foeniculum vulgare,
Commiphora mukul, Zingiber officinale ,Nelumbo nucifera
Keywords: Herbal supplements, hypolipidemic, antiobesity,
women. Nutraceutical, the new buzz word in the food and medical sector offers promising solution to solve such problems
and aid in its prevention as well. Is there solid evidence to prove that Nutraceuticals is the ultimate super food and does it
live up to all the hype and hope that surrounds it? The following article addresses this issue and will reveal why our mothers
have always fed us with horrible tasting greens and grains despite our vehement protest during meal times.
Keywords: Women, nutraceutical, fibroadenoma, Breast cancer and apoptosis.
continues unrestrained and reproduces the damaged DNA, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation and cancer tumors. The p53 protein is a
transcription factor and its pivotal role in maintaining genomic integrity has earned it the nickname “guardian of the genome”. p53 gene is mutated
in about 50% of human cancers of breast, colon, lung, liver, prostate, bladder, and skin. Since the loss of p53 function is so prevalent in human
cancer, this protein is an ideal candidate for cancer therapy. Several gene therapeutic strategies have been employed in the attempt to restore p53
function to cancerous cells.
Keywords: p53gene, p53 protein, Tumor suppressor gene, Mutation, Cancer therapy.
Key words: Biodiversity, Western Ghats, Karunya university academic campus.
All over the world, especially in developing countries herbal drugs are playing an
important role in health care programmes.This is because they are being cheap and locally
available. There is a general belief amongst the consumers globally that herbal drugs are always
safe because they are “natural". However evidences suggests otherwise. The mere fact that a
product is "natural" may not signify that the product is safe. Although limited evidence suggests
that adverse effects associated with the use of herbal drugs are less likely to occur than with
conventional drugs, theydo occur though usually mild and only affecting a small number of
people. Recent evidence suggests that some of the herbs considered to be safe over the last many
decades have proven to be associated with health hazards. Herbal remedies can act either as
agonists or antagonists that potentiate some drug therapies. Therefore , an understanding of
conventional drugs is an essential prerequisite for effective herbal therapeutics.The advancement
of technology has enabled the scientists to detect minute amounts of carcinogenic and toxic
chemicals in these herbs and recognize or evaluate potentially hazardous effects of some of the
herbs which had been used in traditional medicine since centuries.
Key words: Safety and Toxicity, herbal medicines/ drugs, side / hazardous effects,
Pharmaceuticals, Botanicals, Allergic, Contamination & adulteration
Obesity is capturing the whole world very rapidly. Both medical community and
common people are aware of the health risks associated with obesity. Different
phytochemicals present in medicinal plant parts have antiobesity properties. The
antiobesity properties of medicinal plants are exhibited by different mechanisms. There
are different studies for exactly knowing the cause of animal obesity. A new scientific
approach about the present situation of this disease may initiate additional research in the
field to assess the contribution of phytochemicals in obesity and possibly to prevent or
treat the widespread epidemic of obesity. This review will try to focus and summarize on
the main findings available in the literature regarding the effect of different medicinal
plants and their extracts on human obesity. In this paper we review the present
knowledge in the field as this may be of importance to those who deal with research on
antiobesity for the benefit of the common people.
Keywords: Obesity, adipocytes medicinal plants, phytochemicals, hypolipidemia,
hypercholesterolemia.