Antimicrobial efficacy of essential oils extracted from some species of zingiberaceae.

The Zingiberaceae is one of the largest families from the order Zingiberales, with approximately 50 genera and over 1,000 species. The family has noted antimicrobial effect. In this study the efficacy of essential oils extracted from three species of Zingiberaceae under genus Curcuma and Zingiber is tested on certain pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The oil samples did not show any bactericidal activity. They were active only under bacteriostatic condition. Antifungal assay was carried out for the Curcuma amada Roxb, Zingiber officinale Rosc. var. moran, Z. officinale Rosc., Z. zerumbet (L.) J. E. Smith, out of which Z. offiicinale var. moran showed greater inhibitory effect over the microbial strains.

Preliminary checklist of oscillatoriaceae (cyanophyta), Goalpara District, Assam, India.

The present studies enumerated 68 species of family- Oscillatoriaceae isolated from freshwater of different sites of Goalpara district, Assam. From the total number of species eleven numbers of genera like Katagnymene 1.47%, Porphyrosiphon 1.47%, Polychlamydum 1.47%, Symploca 1.47%, Microcoleus 1.47%, Hydrocoleum 1.47%, Spirulina 8.82%, Phormidium 17.64%, Lyngbya 19.12% and Oscillatoria 45.58%. These strains were cultured using Algal Broth Culture & Chu-10 media for isolation. Present investigation has been made for identification and taxonomic account.

Medicinal Plants of Ultapani Forest Range Under Holtugaon Division, Manas Biosphere Reserve (Assam).

Ultapani is one of a “hotspot” area situated in Holtugaon forest division under Manas Biosphere Reserve, Assam. Ultapani forest range is located in between 26068.18// N to26081.18// N and 90024.44// E to 90041.90// E. Vegetation of the forest is unique in the world as most of its plants are evergreen and semi-evergreen. It consists of lots of floristically diverse plants, of which some of them are rare, endangered and threatened. Moreover, the forest of Ultapani forest range under Holtugaon division is rich for its valuable plant resources. Among these some plants have medicinal values, some are edible fruits, while, some of them are oil and timber yielding plants with great economic prospects. But the valuable asset of this forest is now threatened due to over exploitation of forest resources by forest mafias and encroachment for agricultural and human settlements by economically poor people in the forest lands living there in. Therefore, authors thought that the medicinal plants of the study area need to be surveyed, conserved and protected in their natural habitat. Considering this view point in mind, a survey has been carried out on certain naturally occurring medicinal plants of the study area. The present paper throws light on the description and uses of certain species of medicinally important plants along with their botanical and local names.

An experimental investigation on growth stimulation (+) and inhibition (-) of algae (oscillatoria.chlorina and scenedesmus.quadricauda) treated with pulp and paper mill effluents.

The growth stimulation (+) and inhibition (-) of algae treated with pulp and paper mill effluent was investigated in laboratory culture condition. The result revealed that the effect of paper mill effluent on algae was species specific. Effluents were stimulatory as well as inhibitory to the growth of test algae . Oscillatoria chlorina tolerated higher concentration where as Scenedesmus quadricauda tolerated lower concentration of effluent. At 100% effluent concentration growth was retarded and inhibition was the result. During investigation significant algal growth was observed between concentration and treatment days of which 21 days incubation period was considered as final yield.