Diuretic effect of chloroform extract of benincasa hispida rind (Pericarp) in sprague-dawley rats.

The diuretic activity of Benincasa hispida fruit rind extract (outer thick pericarp) was investigated and its activity was compared to control (normal saline) and standard diuretic hydrochlorothiazide in albino rats. Total of 54 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were taken whose weights ranged from 175-225 gm. The rats were divided into three groups of 18 rats each (control, standard and test). Control group received 0.9% normal saline 25ml/kg orally. Standard group received hydrochlorothiazide 2.5mg/kg body weight orally along with normal saline keeping the volume of the fluid administered constant. Test group received aqueous extract of rind of Benincasa hispida at the dose of 100mg/kg orally along with normal saline 25ml/kg. Urine was collected for a period of 5 hours by placing the animals in metabolic cages. The urinary volume, pH, and urinary excretion of sodium, potassium and chloride were measured and compared. The extract produced significant increase (p<0.001) in urine volume, sodium and chloride levels, and significant decrease (p<0.001) in potassium excretion. Benincasa hispida rind extract possesses significant diuretic activity.

Nitrosomethylurea induced streptomycin resistance in Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.

High frequency of streptomycin resistant variants of Lycopersicon esculentum were isolated on selective shoot regeneration medium supplemented with IAA (0.5 mg/L), zeatin (1.5 mg/L) and streptomycin sulphate (500 mg/L). Nonmutagenized (controls) and NMU treated cotyledons were placed on shoot regeneration medium supplemented with antibiotic streptomycin. Resistant shoots appeared at a high frequency in mutagenized cotyledons, whereas in controls morphogenesis was suppressed, accompanied by bleaching. Shoot regeneration occurred from the nodular tissues developed at the cut ends of cotyledons. Resistant shoots developed into complete plantlets on rooting medium containing selective concentration of antibiotic. Stability of streptomycin resistance was confirmed by leaf assay and reciprocal crosses between streptomycin-resistant and sensitive plants.

Direct somatic embryogenesis and transformation in Cicer arietinum L.

Somatic embryos were induced directly from immature cotyledons of the genotype of chickpea ICC 4918 (annigiri) on B5 medium supplemented with 2,4,5-T or 2,4-D in combination with BA or KN. Successful transformation was achieved via somatic embryogenesis using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404, carrying a binary plasmid vector system containing neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT II) gene as the selectable marker and beta-glucuronidase (GUS) as a reporter gene. Histochemical staining for GUS expression was observed as primary evidence for transformation.