Kitchen phytochemicals from Allium cepa - their role in multidrug resistance

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is increasingly becoming a concern to public health. Current antibiotics have failed to bring desirable results to many bacterial infections due to multi-resistant strains. So, concerted efforts are being made to curve this with the help of dietary phytohemicals. A number of dietary phytochemical are being put to trials for antimicrobial activity; however it is worthwhile to search such a part of diet that is very frequently used by major population. Keeping this view in mind an effort has been made to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of most common vegetable component Allium cepa. Methanolic and aqueous extracts were prepared from Allium cepa and antibacterial activity was tested on four pathogenic bacteria [Gram-positive and Gram negative] Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus Subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using Disc diffusion method and Minimum inhibitory concentration by the Microtitre well plate method. Conventional antibiotic discs of Tetracycline and Gentamycin were used as positive control. Among the two extracts, methanolic extract exhibited a significant antimicrobial activity on the test organisms Ps. aeruginosa [17.5mm] and B. subtilis [11.3mm]. The minimum inhibitory concentration value for Ps. aeruginosa was 500micro l and for B. subtilis was 250micro l for methanolic extract. The growth of other two bacteria i.e. E. coli and S. aureus were not inhibited by methanolic as well as aqueous extract that indicates non susceptibility to aqueous and methanol extract of Allium cepa. From the study, it was concluded that the commonly used Allium cepa possess potent antibacterial property against Bacillus Subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Tinospora cordifolia induces cell cycle arrest in human oral squamous cell carcinoma cells

Natural products with medicinal value are gradually gaining importance in clinical research due to their well-known property of no side effects as compared to drugs. Tinospora cordifolia [Guduchi] has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic system of medicine for treating various ailments including cancer. In present study, we found that the Tinospora cordifolia extracts [TCE] induced inhibition of proliferation of KB cells was associated with arrest of GO/G1-phase of cell cycle. The effectiveness of TCE in checking the growth of KB cells without altering the growth of normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC] indicates that Tinospora cordifolia has differential effect on normal and malignant cells hence, it may have therapeutic potential in cancer

Inferior rectus muscle ocular cysticercosis: a case report

Cysticercosis is a systemic parasitic disease caused by the larval form of cestode Taenia solium. It has a worldwide distribution and is potentially harmful with variable clinical manifestations. The most commonly involved sites include eye, brain, bladder wall, and heart. Ocular cysticercosis can be extraocular or intraocular and may present with varied clinical symptoms. We report the condition in a thirteen year old female child who presented with mild lower lid swelling and diplopia in upgaze, wherein cysticercus cellulosae cyst was found within the mass of the right inferior rectus muscle. It becomes important to report this case because of the relative rarity of the condition these days, unusual site of the cyst and the young age of the patient

In vitro evaluation of antimicrobial activity of Kutajghan vati - an Ayurvedic formulation

The present investigation focuses to determine the antimicrobial potential of an Ayurvedic formulation Kutajghan vati. In this study the activity of this formulation was compared with the standard antibiotics like Amikacin and Norfloxacin. Ethanol, methanol and acetone extract of Kutajghan vati demonstrated good antimicrobial activity and thus can form the basis for the development of a novel antibacterial formulation