ABSTRACT
Objective: To analyze the phytochemical compounds and to investigate the bio-toxic efficacy of various solvent extracts of Plectranthus amboinicus against mosquito larvae activity and lethality on non-targeting organisms. Methods: The methanol, ethyl acetate, hexane, and aqueous extracts of Plectranthus amboinicus were subjected to analyze the mosquitocidal activity against the dengue vector, Aedes aegypti and toxicity assays on zebra fish and brine shrimp. Three replications were performed, and negative control was also maintained. Amongst, ethyl acetate extract of Plectranthus amboinicus was chosen for the determination of bio-active compounds. Results: The mosquitocidal assays of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Plectranthus amboinicus showed the maximal activity with minimal concentration against the 4th instar mosquito-larvae of Aedes aegypti through the following lethal concentration (LC50 and LC90) values: 53.36 & 92.51 μg/mL and 13.64 & 86.09 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, the plant extracts showed no toxicity on zebra fish embryo and brine shrimp assays. The gas-chromatography analysis of the ethyl acetate extract of Plectranthus amboinicus revealed the presence of seven different compounds. Among them, PAEA-fraction 60 contained a major active bioactive compound, hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (270.0). Conclusions: Plectranthus amboinicus possesses mosquitocidal properties and could be used as a potential alternative source for preparing the mosquitocidal agents.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To analyze the phytochemical compounds and to investigate the bio-toxic efficacy of various solvent extracts of Plectranthus amboinicus against mosquito larvae activity and lethality on non-targeting organisms. Methods: The methanol, ethyl acetate, hexane, and aqueous extracts of Plectranthus amboinicus were subjected to analyze the mosquitocidal activity against the dengue vector, Aedes aegypti and toxicity assays on zebra fish and brine shrimp. Three replications were performed, and negative control was also maintained. Amongst, ethyl acetate extract of Plectranthus amboinicus was chosen for the determination of bio-active compounds. Results: The mosquitocidal assays of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Plectranthus amboinicus showed the maximal activity with minimal concentration against the 4th instar mosquito-larvae of Aedes aegypti through the following lethal concentration (LC50 and LC90) values: 53.36 & 92.51 μg/mL and 13.64 & 86.09 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, the plant extracts showed no toxicity on zebra fish embryo and brine shrimp assays. The gas-chromatography analysis of the ethyl acetate extract of Plectranthus amboinicus revealed the presence of seven different compounds. Among them, PAEA-fraction 60 contained a major active bioactive compound, hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (270.0). Conclusions: Plectranthus amboinicus possesses mosquitocidal properties and could be used as a potential alternative source for preparing the mosquitocidal agents.
ABSTRACT
Fluorescent Pseudomonas (FP) is a heterogenous group of growth promoting rhizobacteria that regulate plant growth by releasing secondary metabolic compounds viz., indole acetic acid (IAA), siderophores, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide. In the present study, IAA producing FPs from the rhizosphere of Plectranthus amboinicus were characterized morphologically, biochemically and at the molecular level. Molecular identification of the isolates were carried out using Pseudomonas specific primers. The effect of varying time (24, 48, 72 and 96 h), Trp concentrations (100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 µg.ml-1), temperature (10, 26, 37 and 50±2 °C) and pH (6, 7 and 8) on IAA production by 10 best isolates were studied. Results showed higher IAA production at 72 h incubation, at 300 µg.ml-1 Trp concentration, temperature 26±2 °C and pH 7. TLC with acidified ethyl acetate extract showed that the IAA produced has a similar Rf value to that of the standard IAA. Results of TLC were confirmed by HPLC analysis. Genetic diversity of the isolates was also studied using 40 RAPD and 4 Rep primers. Genetic diversity parameters such as dominance, Shannon index and Simpson index were calculated. Out of 40 RAPD primers tested, 9 (2 OP-D series and 7 OP-E series) were shortlisted for further analysis. Studies using RAPD, ERIC, BOX, REP and GTG5 primers revealed that isolates exhibit significant diversity in repetitive DNA sequences irrespective of the rhizosphere.
Subject(s)
Fluorescence , Base Sequence/genetics , Indoleacetic Acids/biosynthesis , Plectranthus/classification , Plectranthus/metabolism , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Pseudomonas/classification , Pseudomonas/metabolism , RhizosphereABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Borage oil (BO) and safflower oil (SO) are efficacious in reversing epidermal hyperproliferation, which is caused by the disruption of epidermal barrier. In this study, we compared the antiproliferative effect of dietary BO and SO. Altered metabolism of ceramide (Cer), the major lipid of epidermal barrier, was further determined by measurement of epidermal levels of individual Cer, glucosylceramide (GlcCer), and sphingomyelin (SM) species, and protein expression of Cer metabolizing enzymes. METHODS: Epidermal hyperproliferation was induced in guinea pigs by a hydrogenated coconut diet (HCO) for 8 weeks. Subsequently, animals were fed diets of either BO (group HCO + BO) or SO (group HCO + SO) for 2 weeks. As controls, animals were fed BO (group BO) or HCO (group HCO) diets for 10 weeks. RESULTS: Epidermal hyperproliferation was reversed in groups HCO + BO (67.6% of group HCO) and HCO + SO (84.5% of group HCO). Epidermal levels of Cer1/2, GlcCer-A/B, and beta-glucocerebrosidase (GCase), an enzyme of GlcCer hydrolysis for Cer generation, were higher in group HCO + BO than in group HCO, and increased to levels similar to those of group BO. In addition, epidermal levels of SM1, serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), and acidic sphingomyelinase (aSMase), enzymes of de novo Cer synthesis and SM hydrolysis for Cer generation, but not of Cer3-7, were higher in group HCO + BO than in group HCO. Despite an increase of SPT and aSMase in group HCO + SO to levels higher than in group HCO, epidermal levels of Cer1-7, GlcCer-A/B, and GCase were similar in these two groups. Notably, acidic ceramidase, an enzyme of Cer degradation, was highly expressed in group HCO + SO. Epidermal levels of GlcCer-C/D and SM-2/3 did not differ among groups. CONCLUSION: Dietary BO was more prominent for reversing epidermal hyperproliferation by enhancing Cer metabolism with increased levels of Cer1/2, GlcCer-A/B, and SM1 species, and of GCase proteins.
Subject(s)
Animals , Borago , Carthamus tinctorius , Ceramidases , Cocos , Diet , Epidermis , Glucosylceramidase , Guinea Pigs , Guinea , Hydrogen , Hydrolysis , Metabolism , Safflower Oil , Serine C-Palmitoyltransferase , Sphingomyelin PhosphodiesteraseABSTRACT
Borage (Borago officinalis) is an annual herb which is cultivated for medicinal and culinary uses, although it is commercially cultivated for borage seed oil. Borage seed oil is the plant rich in the gamma-linolenic acid (26%-38%) which is used as dietary or food supplement. Other than seed oil it contains a lot of fatty acids such as linoleic acid (35%-38%), oleic acid (16%-20%), palmitic acid (10%-11%), stearic acid (3.5%-4.5%), eicosenoic acid (3.5%-5.5%) and erucic acid (1.5%-3.5%). It is used for the treatment of various diseases such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, heart diseases, arthritis and eczema. In this study different aspects of borage such as plant characteristics, production, applications in traditional medicine, clinical considerations, its effects on patients' blood and urine biochemistry, and also the effect of the its products on liver and kidney performance tests are presented using published articles in scientific sites.
ABSTRACT
Borage (Borago officinalis) is an annual herb which is cultivated for medicinal and culinary uses, although it is commercially cultivated for borage seed oil. Borage seed oil is the plant rich in the gamma-linolenic acid (26%-38%) which is used as dietary or food supplement. Other than seed oil it contains a lot of fatty acids such as linoleic acid (35%-38%), oleic acid (16%-20%), palmitic acid (10%-11%), stearic acid (3.5%-4.5%), eicosenoic acid (3.5%-5.5%) and erucic acid (1.5%-3.5%). It is used for the treatment of various diseases such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, heart diseases, arthritis and eczema. In this study different aspects of borage such as plant characteristics, production, applications in traditional medicine, clinical considerations, its effects on patients' blood and urine biochemistry, and also the effect of the its products on liver and kidney performance tests are presented using published articles in scientific sites.
ABSTRACT
Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3, cis- 6,9,12-octadecatrienoic acid), an important compound in n-6 eicosanoid family biosynthesis, occurs in the lipids of a few plant and microbial sources. This study focused on the screening of microbial strains with suitable lipase activity for enrichment of GLA by selective hydrolysis of the borage oil (21.6 percent of GLA/total fatty acids). Firstly, 352 microrganisms were tested for their lipolytic capacity using screening techniques on agar plates containing borage oil, strains were then selected and screened for their activity (U/mg) using both submerged fermentation (SmF) and solid state fermentation (SSF). The rate of hydrolysis and the selective preference of these hydrolytic enzymes towards fatty acids, with a special focus on enrichment of GLA were studied and compared with those obtained by two commercially-available lipases. Only one of the lipases tested during this study displayed selectivity, discriminating the GLA during the hydrolysis reaction. Using the enzymatic extract from Geotrichum candidum as a biocatalyst of the reaction, it was possible to obtain a percentage of 41.7 percent of GLA in acylglycerols fraction when the borage oil was treated in a fixed-bed reactor for 24 hours at 30ºC.
Subject(s)
gamma-Linolenic Acid/analysis , gamma-Linolenic Acid/isolation & purification , Borago , Fermentation , Geotrichum/enzymology , Geotrichum/isolation & purification , In Vitro Techniques , Lipase/analysis , Lipase/isolation & purification , Catalyzer , Enzyme Activation , Hydrolysis , Methods , MethodsABSTRACT
Object To study the hydroxyl radical scavenging and DNA damage protecting activities of 5 Uighur herbal medicines Euphorbia humifusa Willd , Borago officinalis L, Cassia angustifolia Vahl, Terminalia chebula Retz. and Fomes officinalis (Vill ex Fr ) Bres Methods The hydroxyl radical scavenging action and DNA damage protection action were determined by CuSO 4 Vit C H 2O 2 yeast and CuSO 4 Vit C H 2O 2 phen DNA chemiluminescence systems respectively Results All 5 Uighur medicinal herbs showed hydroxyl radical scavenging and DNA damage protection activities in dose dependent manners Conculsion The hydroxyl radical scavenging and DNA protective effects may possibly be the mechanisms of their antiaging and therapeutic effects against various diseases