Phytochemical and biological attributes of Bauhinia variegata L. (Caesalpiniaceae).

Bauhinia variegata plant is a very popular and traditionally potent ethnomedicine. Therefore, it is need of hour to study ameliorative characteristics of B. variegata for novel secondary metabolites. The current study was designed to explore antiproliferative potential of B. variegata due to scant reports on this aspect. Extracts of various parts (flowers, leaves, bark, stem, and roots) were prepared by successive maceration using organic solvents in increasing order of polarity (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water). The determination of polyphenolic contents was done by using colorimetric methods while antioxidant potential was measured using reducing power assay. Brine shrimp lethality assay was performed for determining preliminary cytotoxicity and antiproliferative activity against breast cancer MCF-7 cell line using MTT protocols. Moreover, antimicrobial activities were detected by using disc diffusion assay. The alpha-amylase assay was performed to monitor the antidiabetic potential of the plant. In case of phytochemical analysis methanolic extract of leaves and bark showed highest phenolic and flavonoids contents. n-Hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of stem and roots exhibited more than 90% mortality with LD50 ranges between 1-25 µg/mL when studied by brine shrimp lethality assay. n-Hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of roots and stem also showed antiproliferative activity against human breast cancer MCF-7 cell line with IC50 values ranges between 12.10-14.20 µg/mL. Most of the extracts displayed moderately high antibacterial and antifungal activities. The n-hexane extract of roots showed antidiabetic activity with 60.80 ± 0.20% inhibition of alpha-amylase. In sum, these preliminary results will be useful for further compound isolation from selected plant parts for the discovery of antibacterial, antidiabetic, and anticancer lead candidates.

[Comparative assessment of Cladophora, Spirogyra and Oedogonium biomass for the production of fatty acid methyl esters].

The use of alternative fuels for the mitigation of ecological impacts by use of diesel has been focus of intensive research. In the present work, algal oils extracted from cultivated biomass of Cladophora sp., Spirogyra sp. and Oedogonium sp. were evaluated for the lipase-mediated synthesis of fatty acid monoalkyl esters (FAME, biodiesel). To optimize the transesterification of these oils, different parameters such as the alkyl group donor, reaction temperature, stirring time and oil to alcohol ratio were investigated. Four different alcohols i.e. methanol, ethanol, n-propanol and n-butanol were tested as alkyl group donor for the biosynthesis FAME and methanol was found to be the best. Similarly, temperature 50 C and stirring time of 6 h were optimized for the transesterification of oils with methanol. The maximum biodiesel conversions from Cladophora (75.0%), Spirogyra (87.5%) and Oedogonium (92.0%) were obtained when oil to alcohol ratio was 1 : 8.

Mood and motor effects of thalamic deep brain stimulation surgery for essential tremor.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of unilateral and bilateral ventralis intermedius (Vim) deep brain stimulation (DBS) on mood and motor function. METHODS: Thirty-one consecutive medication refractory patients with essential tremor who underwent unilateral or bilateral Vim DBS at University of Florida and returned for at least 6 -month follow-up completed the Visual Analog Mood (VAMS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Tremor Rating Scale (TRS) before and after surgery. We excluded all patients who were implanted at other institutions. RESULTS: The tense subscale of the VAMS improved significantly in both the unilateral and bilateral DBS groups (P < 0.001). On the VAMS afraid subscale, only the bilateral group trended toward improvement (P = 0.075). There were no significant changes for either group for the happy, confused, sad, angry, energetic or tired VAMS scores. TRS subscale scores all improved after unilateral and bilateral Vim DBS surgery (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Feelings of tenseness, tremor severity and ADLs improved following unilateral or bilateral Vim DBS for ET.

Typhoid fevers: treatment with lomefloxacin.

Typhoid group of fevers pose a major threat and are a cause of high morbidity and mortality in the tropical countries. Over the last decade there has been a steady increase in the development of multiresistant strains of Salmonellae all over the world. Multiresistance ranges between 5% to 86%. In a recent study in Pakistan multidrug resistance in Salmonellae has increased to over 39%. Hence alternative therapy is needed. Fluroquinolones are an effective alternative requiring a shorter course of treatment than conventional antimicrobial agents. Lomefloxacin because of its longer half life and convenient BD dose was used in a multicentre study to treat cases of typhoid group of fevers including cases due to multiresistant isolates. In order to overcome the challenge presented by the multiresistant salmoneallae, a dual purpose multicentre study was conducted in two stages. The first stage included a vitro study and the second in vivo study. Two hundred local salmonellae isolates were collected and their sensitivity and minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by standard methods. Two hundred and fourteen patients clinically suspected of suffering from typhoid groups of fevers were given Lomefloxacin 200 mg. BD for 14 days. Forty percent of Salmonellae isolates were found to be multiresistant while only 2% were found to be resistant to Fluroqunilones. The mean MIC 90 was found to be 0.06 mg/L Lomefloxacin was found to be effective in over 97% cases for treating typhoid group fevers including the ones due to multiresistant isolates. The side effects were found to be minimal and transient.

alpha-Tocopherol uptake and its influence on cell proliferation and lipid peroxidation in transformed and nontransformed baby hamster kidney cells.

alpha-Tocopherol (alpha-T) uptake and its relationship to cell proliferation and lipid peroxidation was studied in a baby hamster kidney cell line (BHK-21/C13) and its polyoma virus-transformed malignant counterpart (BHK-21/PyY cells). The principal findings were as follows. (i) The level of lipid peroxidation, judged by malondialdehyde (MDA) measurement by HPLC, was higher in the transformed cells than in the nontransformed cells. Oxidative stress by 374 microM Fe3+/10 mM ADP caused a significant increase in the level of MDA of a similar magnitude in both cell types. Addition of 7, 14, and 21 microM alpha-T caused no diminution of the MDA level in the unstressed cells and abolished the rise in MDA seen in the stressed cells. (ii) The endogenous level of alpha-T in the transformed cells was lower than in the nontransformed cells and all the measurable alpha-T in these cells was destroyed by the oxidative stress. Supplementation of the cells with alpha-T caused a rise in the level of alpha-T proportional to the level of inclusion of alpha-T in the medium. (iii) alpha-Tocopheryl quinone in the transformed cells was unaffected by oxidative stress and in the nontransformed cells stress caused a large increase in this metabolite when alpha-T was included at the 21 microM level. (iv) Growth was stimulated by 7 and 14 microM alpha-T but not by the higher level of inclusion in the medium. The growth stimulation was much larger in the transformed cells (163% of growth in the unsupplemented medium) than in the nontransformed cells (120%). (v) These results demonstrate that, in this cell system, the growth-stimulating ability of alpha-T is unrelated to the ability of alpha-T to control lipid peroxidation and that the level of peroxidation is increased in the malignant state.

Lead content of some traditional preparations--"Kushtas".

Traditional remedies/medicines prescribed and used under the name of "Kushtas" in the Indo-Pakistan sub-continent have been reported to contain heavy metals, e.g. lead, silver, mercury, etc. as one of their active ingredients. The ingestion of such preparations in high doses would result in acute poisoning whilst low doses, taken over a period of time, would be cumulative and prove to be a serious health hazard. The lead content of a number of Kushtas has been analysed and is reported.