Production of pullulan by a thermotolerant Aureobasidium pullulans strain in non-stirred fed batch fermentation process

Total 95 isolates of Aureobasidium pullulans were isolated from different flowers and leaves samples, out of which 11 thermotolerant strains produced pullulan. One thermotolerant non-melanin pullulan producing strain, designated as RG-5, produced highest pullulan (37.1±1.0 g/l) at 42ºC, pH 5.5 in 48h of incubation with 3% sucrose and 0.5% ammonium sulphate in a non-stirred fed batch fermentor of 6 liters capacity. The two liters of initial volume of fermentation medium was further fed with the 2 liters in two successive batches at 5 h interval into the fermentor. The sterile air was supplied only for 10h at the rate of 0.5 vvm.

Tinospora cordifolia as an adjuvant drug in the treatment of hyper-reactive malarious splenomegaly--case reports.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The effect of aqueous extract of Tinospora cordifolia, an immunomodulator with antimalarial activity along with chloroquine was studied in the treatment of three cases of hyper-reactive malarious splenomegaly in District Hospital, Daltonganj town, Jharkhand, India. These cases were partial/slow responders to the conventional antimalarial drug chloroquine. METHODS: Aqueous extract of T. cordifolia (500 mg) was added to chloroquine (CQ) base (300 mg) weekly and CQ prophylaxis was observed up to six months. Improvement was gauzed by measuring spleen enlargement, Hb, serum IgM and well-being in three cases of hyper-reactive malarious splenomegaly. RESULTS: Addition of extract of T. cordifolia for the first six weeks to chloroquine showed regression of spleen by 37-50% after six weeks and 45-69% after six months from the start of treatment. Likewise decrease in IgM and increase in Hb as well as wellbeing (Karnofsky performance scale) were observed. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study paves a new sight in the treatment of hyper-reactive malarious splenomegaly, however, large-scale trial is required to confirm the beneficial effect of T. cordifolia extract in combination with chloroquine.