antifungal, cytotoxic, antitermite and insecticidal activities of zizyphus jujube

Plants are very useful, self-generating machines, producing a variety of useful bioactive products. Keeping in view this idea, the crude methanolic extract and various fractions of Zizyphus jujuba were screened for antifungal, cytotoxic, antitermite and insecticidal activities. Low activity was shown by the crude methanolic extract [12%], n-hexane [9%], chloroform [20%] and ethyl acetate [14%] fraction against Penicillium notatum. Low activity was shown by the ft-hexane fraction against Aspergillus niger [10%] and Trichoderma harzianum [13%] and inactive against Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizopus stolonifer. The CHC1[3] fraction exhibited low activity of 10% against F. oxysporum while showing no activity against the rest of the test fungi. All the test samples were inactive against Rhizopus stolonifer. The crude methanolic extract was highly cytotoxic [73.33%] at the concentration of 1000 [microg/ml] while the rest of the test samples were low in toxicity at the same concentration. The crude methanolic extract of Zizyphus jujuba showed significant antitermite activity against Heterotermes indicola, among the test samples. Against Tribolium castaneum, Rhizopertha dominica and Callosbruchus analis the insecticidal activity was determined. All the test samples except rc-hexane showed low activity [20%] against T. castaneum. The w-hexane fraction showed low activity [20%] against R. dominica while the rest of the fractions were inactive against it. Low activity of 40% and 20% was shown by the chloroform and "-hexane fraction respectively against C. analis. The results of the present study revealed that the plant could be as potent source of cytotoxic drugs

Optimization of some additives to improve protease production under SSF.

In a locally isolated Rhizopus oryzae strain highest-production of protease (388.54/g wheat bran) was observed in presence of Tween-80 and dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate individually at 40mg/g wheat bran concentration. Under solid state fermentation biotin (0.0025mg/g wheat bran); Ca2+ (0.05mg/g wheat bran) and 1-Naphthyl acetic acid (0.01mg/g wheat bran) also showed some inducing effect on the synthesis of the enzyme protease by solid state fermentation.

Acción antimicótica in vitro de hojas y ramitas de canelo (drimys winteri j. r. & g. forster) / In vitro antimycotic action of leaves and twigs of canelo (drimys winteri j. r. & g. forster)

La decocción y el extracto en acetato de etilo de hojas y ramitas trozadas de canelo (drimys winteri) inhibieron el desarrollo in vitro de candida albicans, aspergillus niger, a. fumigatus, rhizopus oryzae, mucor racemosus y m. hiemalis

Purificaçäo e caracterizaçäo de amiloglicosidase extracelular de Candida sp. e sua utilizaçäo na produçäo de xarope de glicomaltose / Purification and characterization of extracelullar amyloglusidase from Candida sp. and its use for the production of glucomaltose syrup

A enzima amilolítica de Candida sp. ATCC 90238 foi purificada e suas características enzimáticas foram estudadas. O peso molecular da enzima purificada foi estimado em 120.000. A cromatografia em papel do hidrolizado de amido solúvel indicou que a enzima é uma amiloglicosidase. Maltotriose e amido solúvel foram eficientemente hidrolisados a glicose pela enzima, enquanto que a maltose foi menos eficiente como substrato. A enzima apresenta características diferentes quando comparada à amiloglicosidase de Aspergillus e Rhizopus sp. que hidrolisam completamente a maltose. Esta enzima é adequada para a produçäo de xarope de glicomaltose.

Effect of fungicides on the production of amylase by Rhizopus oryzae.

Seven fungicides (Brassicol), captan, Dithane M-45, Fytolan, Parasan, Sulfex and Thiram) were tested for their effect on the production of amylase enzyme by Rhizopus oryzae. The activity of amylase was determined by cup-plate method. All the fungicides were found inhibitory for the synthesis of amylase. Out of these, Parasan was the most effective causing hundred percent inhibition at 0.025% concentration. No amylase production was recorded when Thiram, Fytolan, Brassicol, Captan and Dithane M-45 were used at 0.5, 1.5, 2.0, 2.0, and 2.0% concentration respectively. Sulfex was found to be less effective, as hundred percent inhibition of amylase production has not been recorded even at 3.0% concentration.