Albizia lebbeck fruit pods as a substrate for the production of lignocellulolytic enzymes by Aspergillus niger

Aspergillus niger isolated from the soil was investigated for its capability to produce various lignocellulolyticenzymes, such as LiP, endoglucanase, FPase, xylanase by solid-state fermentation, using Albizia lebbeck fruitpods as a substrate. The chemical composition of the fruit pods was studied, and the production pattern of theenzymes was examined by growing the fungi for 25 days. The LiP activity was low, whereas a good productionof endoglucanase, FPase, and xylanase enzymes was noted. A dye decolorization capacity of the A. niger wasalso studied with Congo red. Therefore, A. lebbeck fruit pods which are considered as waste and burnt off canbe utilized for the production of holocellulolytic enzymes using A. niger.

Antimalarial efficacy of Albizia lebbeck (Leguminosae) against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro & P. berghei in vivo.

Background & objectives: Albizia lebbeck Benth. (Leguminosae) has long been used in Indian traditional medicine. The current study was designed to test antimalarial activity of ethanolic bark extract of A. lebbeck (EBEAL). Methods: EBEAL was prepared by soxhlet extraction and subjected to phytochemical analysis. The extract was evaluated for its in vitro antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine (CQ) sensitive (MRC2) and CQ resistant (RKL9) strains. Cytotoxicity (CC50) of extract against HeLa cells was evaluated. Median lethal dose (LD50) was determined to assess safety of EBEAL in BALB/c mice. Schizonticidal (100-1000 mg/kg) and preventive (100-750 mg/kg) activities of EBEAL were evaluated against P. berghei. Curative activity (100-750 mg/kg) of extract was also evaluated. Results: Phytochemical screening revealed presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, terpenes and phytosterols. The extract exhibited IC50 of 8.2 μg/ml (MRC2) and 5.1 μg/ml (RKL9). CC50 of extract on HeLa cell line was calculated to be >1000 μg/ml. EBEAL showed selectivity indices (SI) of >121.9 and >196.07 against MRC2 and RKL9 strains of P. falciparum, respectively. LD50 of EBEAL was observed to be >5 g/kg. Dose-dependent chemosuppression was observed with significant (P<0.001) schizonticidal activity at 1000 mg/kg with ED50>100 mg/kg. Significant (P<0.001) curative and repository activities were exhibited by 750 mg/kg concentration of extract on D7. Interpretation & conclusions: The present investigation reports antiplasmodial efficacy of EBEAL in vitro against P. falciparum as evident by high SI values. ED50 of <100 mg/kg against P. berghei categorizes EBEAL as active antimalarial. Further studies need to be done to exploit its antiplasmodial activity further.

Anti-inflammatory Activity of Butanolic Extract of Albizia lebbeck.

Albizia lebbeck is a tree widely distributed in India and is also found in South Africa, South America and Australia. As in Indian traditional system as folk medicine, this plant is used to treat several inflammatory pathologies such as asthma, arthritis and burns. Study of other species this same genus has demonstrated an anti-inflammatory activity of crude extract, which, in some work has been attributed to the presence of saponins. In order to confirm these findings a study of phytochemical profile was realized and a rich extract in saponins, butanolic extract, was obtained and its anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated through measured by inhibition of carrageenan-induced mouse paw oedema, using dexamethasone as reference compound. The extract exhibited a moderate control of the both phase of inflammation, provoking an inhibition of edema formation. However, the butanolic extract exhibited lesser activity than reference compound dexamethasone. The results obtained suggest a significant antiinflamatory property of the butanolic extract of Albizia lebbeck, justifying the use of this plant in the traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory conditions and confirm their saponins as bioactive product.

Role of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi on tolerance to salinity of the tree legume Albizia lebbeck (L.) inoculated by Rhizobium.

Myrica esculenta (Myricaceae) and Syzygium cumini(Myrtaceae), the Indian traditional fruits The effect of different level of salinity on growth, nodulation and Nitrogen fixation of single and dual inoculated tree legumes which help arbascular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Acaulospora laevis Gerd. and Trappe with Rhizobium bacteria in the presence of different levels of salinity (concentration of NaCl) conducted in earthen pots in a completely randomized block design with three replications resulted in effective plant growth, shoot and root biomasses, nodulation and N2 fixation. The effect of different levels of salinity (concentration of NaCl) on growth, nodulation and N2 fixation of single (Rhizobium or AMF alone) and dual inoculated (Rhizobium + AMF ) tree legume has a pot culture experiment using The parameter growth , nodulation, nitrogen fixation and % AMF colonization of roots were considerable influenced with the increase in salt concentration from 0.5 % to 4.0 % NaCl. It was observed that the mycorrhizal tree legume (inoculated with the most preferred AMF Acaulospora laevis) performed better in the increasing levels of salinity in comparison to non-mycorrhozal ones. These investigations suggested a protective role play by AMF in providing resistance to the tree legume against injurious effects of salinity. Inoculation of efficient strain of AMF (Acaulospora laevis) during the course of study, prevented the injurious effects of salinity in the test plants due to enhanced water and sustainable nutrient uptake thereby promoting growth, nodulation and biogeochemical N2 cycle (fixation of nitrogen) of the tree legume under investigation.

Comparative immunomodulator activity of leaves and bark of albizia lebbeck (LINN.) benth.

Adaptability is probably the most distinct characteristics of life which may be defined as sum of all non specific response of the body to any demands made upon it; fundamentally it was a physiological response; primary object of which was to maintain life & to re-establish the normal state. Immunomodulator activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of leaves and bark of Albizia lebbeck Benth. were investigated in Swiss albino mice by using swim endurance test and acetic acid induced writhing test model. The ethanolic and aqueous extracts of leaves and bark of Albizia lebbeck were administered to the experimental animals among which the ethanolic extract of Albizia lebbeck leaves have shown to be exhibit strong immunomodulator effect by increasing the swimming or survival time (P<0.001) and also decreased the writhing produced by glacial acetic acid (P<.001). The maximum increase in swimming or survival time was noted in mice receiving test and standard drugs which were significantly more than the control group animals. Test and standard drugs offered maximum protection against acetic acid induced writhes by reducing frequency of writhes per minute.

In vitro anti- bacterial activity of leaves extracts of Albizia lebbeck Benth against some selected pathogens

Objective: To screen the anti-bacterial activity of Albizia lebbeck (A. lebbeck) Benth leaves extract against the selected bacterial pathogens viz., Bacillus subtilis (MTCC441), Escherichia coli (MTCC443), Klebsiella pneumonia (MTCC 109), Proteus vulgaris (MTCC742), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC741), Salmonella typhii (MTCC733) and Staphylococus aureus (MTCC96).Methods:The leaves extracts of A. lebbeck was tested against bacteria by the agar disc diffusion method. Results: Results of the present study indicated that different extracts of A. lebbeck showed inhibitory effects against the pathogens. The present study results demonstrated that methanolic extracts of A. lebbeck conferred the widest spectrum activities that inhibited the growth of all studied pathogens with the maximum zone of inhibition. The methanolic extracts ofA. lebbeck illustrated the highest zone of inhibition against the pathogens Bacillus subtilis (16 mm), Escherichia coli (22 mm), Klebsiella pneumonia (11 mm), Proteus vulgaris (18 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22 mm), Salmonella typhii (23 mm) and Staphylococus aureus (17 mm). The ethyl acetate extracts demonstrated maximum zone of inhibition against Escherichia coli (26 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22 mm) and Klebsiella pneumonia (16 mm). Conclusions: It is expected that this study would direct to the establishment of some active compounds that could be used to formulate new and more potent anti-bacterial drugs of natural origin.

Evaluation of immunomodulatory activity of “Shirishavaleha”–An Ayurvedic compound formulation in albino rats.

The immunomodulatory activity of Shirishavaleha prepared from two different parts of Shirisha (Albizia lebbeck Benth), i.e., Twak (Bark) and Sara (Heartwood) as main ingredients was evaluated for humoral antibody formation and cell-mediated immunity in established experimental models. The study used Wistar rats of either sex weighing 200 ± 40 g, while the test drug was administered orally at a dose of 1.8 g/kg. Hemagglutination titer and body weight were recorded to assess effects on humoral immunity; immunological paw edema was assessed for cell-mediated immunity. Shirishavaleha prepared from heartwood shows significant enhancement in antibody formation, attenuation of body weight changes, and suppression of immunological paw edema, while Shirishavaleha prepared from bark shows weak immunomodulatory activity. The study therefore concludes that Shirishavaleha prepared from heartwood has significant immunomodulatory activity.

Drought induced changes in growth, leaf gas exchange and biomass production in Albizia lebbeck and Cassia siamea seedlings.

Diurnal trends in net photosynthesis rate (PN ), stomatal conductance (gs ), water use efficiency (WUE) and biomass were compared in six-month-old seedlings of Albizia lebbeck and Cassia siamea, under different levels of drought stress. The potted plants were subjected to four varying drought treatment by withholding watering for 7 (D1), 14 (D2) and 25 (D3) days. The fourth group (C) was watered daily and treated as unstressed (control). Species differed significantly (p<0.001) in their physiological performance under varying stress conditions. Higher PN of 11.6 ± 0.05 in control followed by 4.35 ± 0.4 in D1 and 2.83 ± 0.18 @mol m-2 s-1 in D2 was observed in A. lebbeck. A significant (p<0.001) reduction in PN was observed in C. siamea ( C 7.65 ± 0.5 @mol m-2 s-1, D1, 2.56 ± 0.33 @mol m-2 s-1 and D2, 1.4 ± 0.01 @mol m-2 s-1 ) at 9 hr. A positive correlation was seen between PN and gs (A. lebbeck, r2= 0.84; C. siamea, r2= 0.82). Higher WUE was observed in C. siamea (D2, 7.1± 0.18 @mol m-2 s-1; D3, 8.39 ± 0.11 @mol m-2 s-1) than A. lebbeck, (control, 7.58 ± 0.3 @mol m-2 s-1 and D3, 8.12 ± 0.15 @mol m-2 s-1). The chlorophyll and relative water content (RWC) was more in A. lebbeck than C. siamea. Maximum biomass was produced by A. lebbeck than C. siamea. From the study, one could conclude that A. lebbeck is better than C. siamea in adopting suitable resource management strategy and be best suited for the plantation programs in the semi-arid dry lands.

Caracterização farmacognóstica das folhas e sementes de Albizia lebbeck (L. ) Benth. (Fabaceae) / Pharmacognostic characterization of leaves and seeds of Albizia lebbeck (L. ) Benth. (Fabaceae)

Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. é popularmente conhecida no Brasil por coração-de-negro. É uma espécie aclimatada nesse país. As sementes dessa espécie são utilizadas no tratamento de diarréia, disenteria e hemorróidas e as folhas, no tratamento de úlceras e nas conjuntivites alérgicas. Este trabalho foi realizado com a finalidade de determinar as características macroscópicas e microscópicas das folhas e sementes dessa planta, uma vez que estas são as partes usadas popularmente. Algumas características de valor na sua diagnose foram apontadas e ilustradas por fotomicrografias. Reações de fitoquímica e a determinação do conteúdo de água e de cinzas foram realizadas no pó das folhas e sementes de A. lebbeck. Saponinas, alcalóides e cumarinas foram detectados nas folhas e sementes; flavonóides foram também identificados nas folhas. O teor de umidade foi 6,78 por cento e 7,91 por cento, respectivamente, para o pó das folhas e sementes. Os valores de cinzas totais e cinzas insolúveis em ácido foram 9,60 por cento e 0,62 por cento para as folhas e 4,13 por cento e 0,21 por cento para as sementes. Os dados obtidos são importantes para o controle de qualidade dessa planta medicinal. O extrato bruto da planta não apresentou atividade antibacteriana.

Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth., is popularly known in Brazil as "coração-de-negro". It is a species acclimatized in Brazil. The seeds of this species are used to treat diarrhea, dysentery and hemorrhoids and the leaves are used for the treatment of ulcers and allergic conjunctivitis. The purpose of this work was to determine the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the leaves and seeds of this plant, since these are the parts used popularly. Some characters of diagnostical value are pointed out and illustrated by photomicrographs. Phytochemistry reactions and determination of water and ash were done on the powder of A. lebbeck. Saponins, alkaloids, coumarins were detected in the leaves and seeds; flavonoids were also detected in the leaves. The content of water was 6.78 percent and 7.91 percent, respectively, for leaf and seed powder. The values of total ashes and acid insoluble ashes were 9.60 percent and 0.62 percent for leaf, and 4.13 percent and 0.21 percent, for seed powder. The data obtained are important for the quality control of this medicinal plant. The crude extract of this plant did not show antibacterial activity.