A report on pharmacognostical evaluation of four Adiantum species, Pteridophyta, for their authentication and quality control

Genus Adiantum L., Pteridaceae, is an important fern used in traditional systems of medicine. Different species of Adiantum are known as avenca in Brazil; hansraj/hanmspadi in India; maiden hair fern in English. The present study aims to develop the quality control parameters of four similar looking Adiantum species viz. A. capillus-veneris L., A. lunulatum Burm. f., A. peruvianum Klotzsch, and A. venustum D. Don. Standard methods for macro-microscopic evaluation, physico-chemical parameters and HPTLC were used for authentication and identification. The salient distinctive characters under the microscope are the presence of slightly wavy elongated epidermal cells in A. capillus-veneris; epidermal cells strongly wavy in A. lunulatum; star shaped epidermal cells and mixed spores of regular and irregular shaped in A. peruvianum; stomata on both the surfaces of pinnule, absence of spinulus spores only in A. venustum. In addition, rachis anatomy showed different cellular and stellar characteristics as identifying characters of aforesaid four Adiantum species. Physico-chemical parameters and HPTLC finger print profiles along with stigmasterol and lupeol play significant role for the quality evaluation of raw drugs. The above finding will serve the purpose of quality control and assurance for the future studies.

In-vitro shoot regeneration via caulogenesis in fern, Pteris vittata L.

An attempt was made to standardize the protocol for the shoot regeneration via caulogenesis in Pteris vittata L. employing leaf primordium explants. Calli were induced on Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) and Parkers and Thompson’s (P and T) media supplemented with different combinations of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyaceticacid (2, 4-D), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), a-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and Indole - 3-acetic acid (IAA). A combination of full strength MS medium with 2, 4-D (2.26 µM) and BAP (2.22 µM) was found to be ideal for profuse callusing (80%) against other combinations. More shoot differentiation (2.8±0.06) was achieved from the calli on one-fourth strength of P and T media fortified with BAP (4.44 µM) and NAA (2.68 µM) when compared to other combinations but statistically not significant.

Validity of heart rate based nomogram fors estimation of maximum oxygen uptake in Indian population.

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) during a graded maximal exercise test is the objective method to assess cardiorespiratory fitness. Maximal oxygen uptake testing is limited to only a few laboratories as it requires trained personnel and strenuous effort by the subject. At the population level, submaximal tests have been developed to derive VO2max indirectly based on heart rate based nomograms or it can be calculated using anthropometric measures. These heart rate based predicted standards have been developed for western population and are used routinely to predict VO2max in Indian population. In the present study VO2max was directly measured by maximal exercise test using a bicycle ergometer and was compared with VO2max derived by recovery heart rate in Queen’s College step test (QCST) (PVO2max I) and with VO2max derived from Wasserman equation based on anthropometric parameters and age (PVO2max II) in a well defined age group of healthy male adults from New Delhi. The values of directly measured VO2max showed no significant correlation either with the estimated VO2max with QCST or with VO2max predicted by Wasserman equation. Bland and Altman method of approach for limit of agreement between VO2max and PVO2max I or PVO2max II revealed that the limits of agreement between directly measured VO2max and PVO2max I or PVO2max II was large indicating inapplicability of prediction equations of western population in the population under study. Thus it is evident that there is an urgent need to develop nomogram for Indian population, may be even for different ethnic sub-population in the country.

Identification and characterization of receptor for dengue virus-induced macrophage cytotoxin.

The present study was undertaken to identify the receptor for dengue virus type 2 (DV) induced macrophage cytotoxin (CF2) on mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPhi). The binding of 125I-labelled CF2 to MPhi was saturable (15 nM), reversible, temperature, pH- and time-dependent. The saturation concentration was similar to that causing cell death. Scatchard analysis showed the presence of intermediate type of affinity receptor and the number of receptor sites was 1.1 x 10(6) per cell with dissociation constant of 14.28 nM.

Evaluation of particle agglutination test for detection of HIV-I antibodies.

A commercially available particle agglutination test (PA) was evaluated for its specificity and sensitivity as compared to ELISA currently used in our laboratory to detect HIV-I antibodies. A total of 463 sera from blood donors and clinical referrals were screened by PA, 45 were found to be positive (9.7%). Out of 463, 258 sera were simultaneously screened by ELISA; 28 were found to be positive (10.8%). Twelve samples showing positive results by both ELISA & PA were tested by Western blot and were confirmed to be positive. We found sensitivity of PA as compared to ELISA as 100% and specificity to be 88.44%. Readings of PA taken at 2 hrs should be reconfirmed at 24 hrs as it eliminates a number of false positives. Overall, we feel PA is fairly comparable with ELISA. It can be used in the set up where equipment and trained personnel for ELISA are not available for primary screening purposes.

Differential identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from various clinical specimens from Sassoon General Hospital, Pune.

A total of 619 clinical specimens from cases of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis were processed by smear, culture and biochemical tests. Acid fast bacilli could be demonstrated in 93 samples (15.02%) by Z.N. staining method. Culture yielded positive growth in 95 samples (15.35%) M. tuberculosis human type was the most predominient pathogen obtained from 82 cultures (13.40%) M tuberculosis bovine type was isolated from 2 cases of ascitic fluids (0.32%). Atypical Mycobacteria were isolated from 11 samples (1.73%). 5 turned out to be M. scrofulacium, 4 were M. Kansasii, 1 was M. phlei and 1 was M. smegmatis.

Anaerobic bacteria in brain abscess, a review; observation of 18 consecutive cases.

The aerobic and anaerobic bacterial flora of 18 consecutive cases of brain abscesses were studied. Two cases were sterile. In five cases there was a single bacterial isolate. In five cases there was a single bacterial isolate the organism being Staphylococcus aureus in two cases, Bacteroides fragilis in two cases and Peptostreptococcus anaerobius in one case. In the remaining eleven cases, more than one organism was isolated. A combination of anaerobe with an aerobe was observed in five cases and infections with more than one anaerobe in as many as six cases. Anaerobic organisms are the important pathogens in brain abscess and occurrence of infections by more than one organism is a common factor.