Experimental assessment of toxic phytochemicals in Jatropha curcas: oil, cake, bio-diesel and glycerol.

BACKGROUND: Jatropha curcas seed is a rich source of oil; however, it can not be utilised for nutritional purposes due to presence of toxic and anti-nutritive compounds. The main objective of the present study was to quantify the toxic phytochemicals present in Indian J. curcas (oil, cake, bio-diesel and glycerol). RESULTS: The amount of phorbol esters is greater in solvent extracted oil (2.8 g kg⁻¹) than in expeller oil (2.1 g kg⁻¹). Liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis of the purified compound from an active extract of oil confirmed the presence of phorbol esters. Similarly, the phorbol esters content is greater in solvent extracted cake (1.1 g kg⁻¹) than in cake after being expelled (0.8 g kg⁻¹). The phytate and trypsin inhibitory activity of the cake was found to be 98 g kg⁻¹ and 8347 TIU g⁻¹ of cake, respectively. Identification of curcin was achieved by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the concentration of curcin was 0.95 g L⁻¹ of crude concentrate obtained from cake. CONCLUSION: Higher amounts of phorbol esters are present in oil than cake but bio-diesel and glycerol are free of phorbol esters. The other anti-nutritional components such as trypsin inhibitors, phytates and curcin are present in cake, so the cake should be detoxified before being used for animal feed.

A study of behaviour patterns of normal children in a dental situation and its relationship with socioeconomic status, family type and sibling position.

Different psychosocial variables, such as socioeconomic status, family type and sibling position may be considered to be of great significance as it may influence child behaviour pattern in a dental treatment situation. 143 children in the age group of 3-14 years were selected randomly from the out patient department of Pediatric Dentistry, Dental Wing, S. C. B. Medical College, Cuttack with an aim of assessing relationship, if any, between the magnitude of behaviour and the above mentioned psychosocial variables. Behaviour rating was done using Frankl behaviour rating scale. The results of the study reveals no significant relationship between socio economic status, family type and sibling position with child behaviour pattern, but a trend has been observed that children of high socio economic back ground behave more positively, children of a nuclear family exhibit more negative attitude and middle siblings show less negative behaviour than youngest and eldest.