Quantifying plastic waste generation in Aizawl city, India: waste management and its impact on human and environmental health.

Plastic wastes in recent years have become a menace owing to population pressure and high demand of various plastic products in daily use. A study was conducted in Aizawl city of northeast India for a period of 3 years to quantify various types of plastic wastes. Our study found that a present plastic consumption of 13.06 g/capita/day although low when compared to developed countries continues; the generation will be doubled after a decade as the population is projected to double specially due to migration from rural areas. The plastic waste was contributed more by the high-income group of the population with a correlation factor of r = 0.97. Among the total plastic waste, packaging plastics contributed maximum with an average of 52.56% and carry bags among the packaging contribute maximum with 32.55% in the three sectors, namely, residential, commercial, and dumping sites. The result leads to a maximum contribution by the LDPE polymer with 27.46% among seven categories of polymers.

Pharmacological evaluation of hyperin for antihyperglycemic activity and effect on lipid profile in diabetic rats.

Antihyperglycemic potential of hyperin at 25 and 50 mg/kg doses for 30 days to streptozotocin induced diabetic rats has been reported. In oral glucose tolerance test, hyperin treated rats showed a significant reduction in blood glucose level after 120 min. It was found that hyperin exhibited dose dependent and significant antihyperglycemic activity in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats which were nearly similar with standard drug glybenclamide. Activities of glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, glycogen phosphorylase, glycosylated haemoglobin and level of serum urea and creatinine were significantly decreased in hyperin supplemented diabetic rats, dose dependently. Activities of hexokinase and glycogen synthase were increased with augmentation in liver glycogen, insulin and haemoglobin content in hyperin treated diabetic rats. General hematological parameters did not show any significant change in hyperin treated diabetic rats hence it is safe at these doses. Histopathological studies showed significant morphological changes in pancreatic beta-cells of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. A decreased number of secretory granules of beta-cells were observed in diabetic rats and these pathological abnormalities were normalized after treatment with hyperin and standard drug glybenclamide. Further, hyperin decreases significant in serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein levels coupled with elevation of high density lipoprotein in diabetic rats. These results suggest that hyperin has a pivotal role in blood glucose level in streptozotocin induced hyperglycemia by improving the function of pancreatic islets and increasing glycolysis and decreasing gluconeogenesis.

Wound healing potential of flowers extracts of Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz.

Wound healing or repair is the body's natural process of regenerating dermal and epidermal tissue. Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz (Family: Lythraceae) is used traditionally in wound healing by the tribals of Chhattisgarh district. However, there is a paucity of scientific data in support. In this study, we evaluated antimicrobial activity of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanolic and aqueous extracts against a diverse range of gram +ve and gram -ve bacteria along with pathogenic fungi. The wound healing activity of ethanolic extract was also evaluated at dose levels of 250 and 500 mg/kg body wt in rats by excision, incision and dead space wound healing models along with histopathology of wound area of skin. The ethanolic extract showed potent wound healing activity, as evident from the increase in the wound contraction and breaking strength in dose-dependent manner. Treatment with ethanolic extract (250 and 500 mg/kg body wt) showed significant dose-dependently decrease in epithelization period and scar area. Hydroxyproline, hexuronic acid and hexosamine contents, the important constituents of extracellular matrix of healing were also correlated with the observed healing pattern. During early wound healing phase, pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-6 and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 levels were found to be upregulated by the ethanolic extract treatment. The ethanolic extract exhibited a strong and broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, as compared to other extracts. It showed very low Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values and inhibited the growth of E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans in concentration of 2.5 microg/disc. Thus, the results of the present study demonstrated the strong wound healing potential and antimicrobial activities of W. fruticosa, flowers, supporting the folklore use of the plant by the tribal people of Chhattisgarh district.

Antihyperglycemic activity of Woodfordia fruticosa (Kurz) flowers extracts in glucose metabolism and lipid peroxidation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The ethanolic extract of W. fruticosa flowers (250 and 500 mg/kg) significantly reduced fasting blood glucose level and increased insulin level after 21 days treatment in streptozotocin diabetic rats. The extract also increased catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase activities significantly and reduced lipid peroxidation. Glycolytic enzymes showed a significant increase in their levels while a significant decrease was observed in the levels of the gluconeogenic enzymes in ethanolic extract treated diabetic rats. The extract has a favourable effect on the histopathological changes of the pancreatic beta-cells in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. The results suggest that W. fruticosa possess potential antihyperglycemic effect by regulating glucose homeostasis and antioxidant efficacy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activity of ethyl acetate fraction of Rhododendron arboreum Smith flowers in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats and its role in regulating carbohydrate metabolism.

OBJECTIVE: To explore and identify the most potent antihyperglycemic fraction from the ethanol extract of Rhododendron arboreum (R. arboreum) flowers. METHODS: Normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats were treated with all four fractions of R. arboreum flowers for short term and with fraction 3 for long term study. On completion of the treatment, a range of indicators were tested including fasting blood glucose, plasma protein, haemoglobin A1C, insulin secretion, body weight, blood lipid profile and carbohydrate metabolism regulating enzymes of liver. RESULTS: In short term study, the fraction 3 (Active fraction) produced a significant (P<0.000 1) reduction (73.6%) in blood glucose level at a dose of 200 mg/kg after the treatment in the diabetic rats. Administration of active fraction (200 and 400 mg/kg) once daily for 30 d in streptozotocin diabetic rats resulted in a significant (P<0.001 to P<0.000 1) fall in blood glucose level, hemoglobin A1C, serum urea and creatinine with significant but a increase in insulin level similar to standard drug glybenclamide. Further, the active fraction showed antihyperlipidemic activity as evidenced by significant (P<0.001 to P<0.000 1) decreases in serum serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and very low density cholesterol levels coupled together with elevation of high density lipoprotein cholesterol in the diabetic rats. CONCLUSIONS: The active fraction of R. arboreum flowers decreases streptozotocin induced hyperglycemia by promoting insulin secretion and glycolysis and by decreasing gluconeogenesis.

Physico-chemical characteristics of river Ami in relation to discharge of paper mill effluent.

The indiscriminate discharge of large volumes of highly putrescible liquid waste from the Sanjai Paper & Chemical Industries Ltd. created serious pollution problem in river Ami near Maghar town area in the district Sant Kabir Nagar of U.P., India. The river is originated from Sikahra Tal near Hallaur (Tehsil - Dumariaganj) of Siddharthnagar district U.P. and disappears into Rapti river near Kouriram of Gorakhpur district U.P. In present investigation an attempt has been made to ascertain the present water quality condition of river Ami in relation to paper mill effluent discharge. The samples were collected from the upstream and downstream of the flow-path of the river from point source of pollution by the mill. The high degree of water quality degradation is reflected by the changes in values of BOD, COD, DO, nitrogen contents and chlorides etc in downstream.