ABSTRACT
Objective: To study the bioactivity of methanolic extract of Brassica juncea on animal model of diabetes mellitus along with its effect on diabetic and metabolic parameters. Methods: Diabetes mellitus was induced in rats by injecting streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) intraperitonealy. Blood glucose was measured on day 3 by GOD-POD method to confirm the diabetes mellitus. Rats having fasting blood glucose > 250 mg/dL were further selected for study and they were divided into four groups, control, control + streptozotocin, streptozotocin + metformin (75 mg/kg) and streptozotocin+ extract of B. juncea (450 mg/kg). Each group consisted of six rats of either sex. Metformin and experimental extract were administered for 21 d. Triglyceride, cholesterol level were measured on day 21 by commercially available kit. Blood glucose was measured on days 7 and 21. Anti-oxidant potential was assessed by estimating extent of lipid peroxidation (LPO) by malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) in liver, kidney, pancreas, muscle tissues on day 21. Unpaired and paired student's t-test was applied for statistical analysis. Results: The extract of B. juncea showed significant decrease in blood glucose level on day 21. The treatment group showed significant difference in oxidative stress by increasing SOD and GSH and decreasing LPO and NO activity on day 21. The treatment did not show statistically significant difference of cholesterol, and triglycerides level on day 21. Conclusion: The study showed anti-hyperglycemic and anti-oxidative properties of methanolic extract of B. juncea.
ABSTRACT
The contamination from heavy metals has risen during the last decade due to increase in Industrialization. This has led to a significant increase in health problems. Many of the known remediation techniques to remove heavy metal from soil are expensive, time consuming and environmentally destructive. Phytoremediation is an emerging technology for removal of heavy metals which is cost effective, and has aesthetic advantages and long term applicability. The present study aims at efficiently utilizing Brassica juncea L. to remove lead (Pb). The result of our study indicate that amount of lead in Indian mustard is increased with the amount of EDTA applied to the soil and maximum accumulation was achieved with 5mmol/kg of EDTA. On further increase in EDTA resulted in leaf necrosis and early shedding of leaves. Therefore EDTA at a concentration of 5mmol/kg was considered optimum for lead accumulation by Brassica juncea L.
ABSTRACT
Hydrogen peroxide is most stable molecule among reactive oxygen species, which play a vital role in growth and development of plant as signaling molecule at low concentration in response to various abiotic and biotic stresses. Exogenous application of H2O2 is known to induce chilling tolerance in plants. Brassinosteroids are plant steroid hormones known for their anti-stress properties. In this study, effect of exogenous H2O2 on antioxidant defense system of Brassica juncea L. seedlings was investigated in 24-epibrassinolide (24-EBL) treated and untreated seedlings under chilling stress. The surface sterilized seeds of B. juncea L. were germinated in petriplates containing different concentrations of H2O2 alone and in combination with 10-8 M 24-EBL. Chilling treatment (4 ºC) was given to 10-days old seedlings grown in different treatments for 6 h daily up to 3 days. 24 h recovery period was given to chilling treated seedlings by placing at 25ºC ± 2ºC and harvested for antioxidant enzymes on 14th day after sowing (DAS). Treatment of 24-EBL in combination with H2O2 (15 and 20 mM) helped in reducing the toxicity of seed and seedlings due to H2O2 exposure on their germination rate, shoot and root length respectively. 24-EBL treatment at seed and seedling stage helped in alleviating the toxic effect of H2O2 through antioxidant defense system by increasing the activities of various enzymes involved in antioxidant defense system such as catalase (CAT, E.C. 1.11.1.6), ascorbate peroxidase (APOX, E.C. 1.11.1.11), and superoxide dismutase (SOD, E.C. 1.15.1.1). In conclusion, exogenous pretreatment of H2O2 to seeds of B. juncea L. adapted the seedlings to tolerate chilling stress, which was further ameliorated in combination of H2O2 with 24-EBL.