Purification and partial characterization of a fructose-binding lectin from the leaves of Euphorbia helioscopia

A lectin was purified from leaves of Euphorbia helioscopia, by a combination of ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. On ion exchange using a DEAE- cellulose column in 0.2 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.2, the bound protein was eluted with a linear sodium chloride gradient of 0.1 M to 0.5 M. Further purification of the lectin was achieved by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. Euphorbia helioscopia lectin [EHL] agglutinates only chick erythrocytes, showing no agglutination of all human blood group erythrocytes. The EHL induced hemagglutination is inhibited by fructose. The purified protein showed one band, both in non-denaturing PAGE and SDS-PAGE establishing the charge and size homogeneities of the lectin preparation. The molecular mass of the lectin as indicated by SDS-PAGE was approximately 31 kDa and that estimated from G-100 gel filtration chromatography was about 65 kDa establishing that the lectin is a homodimer. The lectin was stable within a temperature range of 0°C-40°C and exhibited a narrow range of pH stability, being optimally active at around pH 7. EHL also possesses antimicrobial activity and is an inhibitor of bacterial growth particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli

Variation in bioactive principles of Artemisia amygdalina Decne. in wild and tissue culture regenerants

Wild and tissue culture raised regenerants of Artemisia amygdalina, a critically endangered and endemic plant of Kashmir and North West Frontier Provinces of Pakistan were screened for the amount of bioactive principles and in particular antimalarial compound artemesinin. Phytochemical screening of extracts revealed the presence of terpenes, alkaloids, phenolics, tannins [polyphenolics], cardiac glycosides and steroids in wild [aerial, inflorescence] and tissue culture regenerants [in vitro grown plant, callus and green house acclimatized plants]. HPLC of Artemisia amygdalina revealed the presence of artemesinin in petroleum ether extracts of wild aerial part, tissue culture raised plant and green house acclimatized plants. Acetonitrile and water in 70:30 ratios at flow rate of 1ml/min was standardised as mobile phase. Retention time for standard chromatogram was 6.7. Wild inflorescences and callus does not produce artemesinin. This is the first report of phytochemical screening and artemesinin estimation of wild and tissue culture raised regenerants of Artemisia amygdalina

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of rhizome of Podophyllum hexandrum against carbon tetra chloride induced hepatotoxicity in rats / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To test possible antioxidant activity of n-hexane extract of Podophyllum hexandrum under in vitro and in vivo conditions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by the ability of the extract to interact with the stable free radical DPPH, Superoxide (O2-), Hydroxyl (OH-), Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) radicals, and reducing power ability of the extract was also evaluated. Under in vivo conditions the extract was evaluated for its hepatoprotective activity by measuring different biochemical parameters, such as serum alanine aminotransaminase, serum aspartate aminotransaminase and serum lactate dehydrogenase and antioxidant enzymes. Antioxidant status was estimated by determining the activities of antioxidative enzymes, glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and by determining the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Hexane extract of P. hexandrum exhibited good radical scavenging capacity in neutralization of DPPH, O2-, OH-, and H2O2 radicals in a dose dependent manner. n-hexane extract of Podophyllum hexandrum at the doses of 20, 30, and 50 mg/kg-day produced hepatoprotective effect by decreasing the activity of serum marker enzymes, while it significantly increased the levels of glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), super oxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in a dose dependant manner. The effect of n-hexane extract was comparable to that of standard antioxidant vitamin E.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The extract of Podophyllum hexandrum possess free radical scavenging activity under in vitro conditions and could protect the liver tissue against CCl(4) induced oxidative stress probably by increasing antioxidant defense activities.</p>

Comparison of hematological parameters in untreated and treated subclinical hypothyroidism and primary hypothyroidism patients

Thyroid hormones play an important physiological role in human metabolism. Erythrocyte abnormalities are frequently associated with thyroid disorder. However, they are rarely investigated and related to the subclinical and primary hypothyroidism in Kashmiri Patients. In this study an attempt was made to study hematological parameters in untreated and treated subclinical hypothyroidism and primary hypothyroidism patients. This retrospective study included 600 subjects, among which were untreated subclinical hypothyroid [n=110], treated subclinical hypothyroid [n=110], untreated primary hypothyroid [n=100], treated primary hypothyroid [n=100] and euthyroid [n=180]. This study was carried out at Department of Biochemistry, Government Medical College Srinagar. The hematological parameters and thyroid profile of the subjects were assessed by the Sysmex [Italy] and ECLIA [Germany] 2010 automatic analyzer. Mean, standard deviation [SD], analysis of variance [Two-way ANOVA], and multiple comparisons were used to report our results, with p<0.05 or p<0.01 considered as statistically significant. In this study group we compared the hematological parameters in these groups, untreated subclinical hypothyroid, treated subclinical hypothyroid, untreated primary hypothyroid, treated primary hypothyroid and euthyroid. We found that hematological parameters like Hb, RBC, MCV, HCT, RDW,RBC% were significantly increased in untreated subclinical hypothyroidism and untreated primary hypothyroidsm, with the p value being less than 0.05 whereas, in treated SCH and Pr. Hypothyroid, results were insignificant. The results reported in these groups as mean +/- SD, were statistically tested by ANOVA and multiple comparison tests. In untreated subclinical hypothyroid the values were: Hb [10.83 +/- 1.33 g/dl], RBC [4.21 +/- 0.66 10[6]/micro l], MCV 2.2%], [84.56 +/- 6.84 fL], HCT [38.5 +/- 2.2%], RDW [17.91 +/- 2.37 fL], RBC% [84.36 +/- 13.2%] and in untreated primary hypothyroid, Hb [10.73 +/- 0.86 g/dl], RBC [4.63 +/- 0.51 10[6]/micro l], MCV [83.34 +/- 6.92 fL], HCT [38.6 +/- 2.6%], RDW [14.93 +/- 5.47 fL], RBC% [92.63 +/- 10.30%] suggesting that these patients were at risk of anemia and other erythrocyte abnormalities. MCV is an inexpensive approach to study the types of anemia and explore related information like production, destruction, loss and morphological changes of RBC'S. The thyroid dysfunction is frequently associated with anemia in subclinical hypothyroidism and primary hypothyroidism. Subclinical hypothyroidism [SCH] is associated with serious complications. Substantial numbers of patients with the risk of SCH could be getting converted into primary hypothyroidism. Such conditions should be identified and corrected. On the other hand, their presence could move to a thyroid dysfunction, allowing its early management

Phytochemi cal screening of Prunella vulgaris L. - an important medicinal plant of Kashmir

Kashmiri medicinal plant [Prunella vulgaris] was analyzed for its chemical composition and amount of bioactive constituents. The results showed that the herb contains on an average alkaloid [1120 mg%], saponins [350 mg%], phenolics [55.785 mg%] and tannins [52.25 mg%]. The medicinal plant contained carbohydrates [375 mg%], proteins [441.6 mg%] and lipids [2403.8 mg%]. Role of these bioactive principles are discussed according to their folkloric use in Kashmir valley. Besides the herb is of great importance as far as its other clinical application are concerned. This quantitative estimation can be used for comparative evaluation of bioactive constituents with other populations of Prunella vulgaris present in different parts of the world and can be used for selection of superior quality of this herb to use in pharmaceutical industries