Influence of vacuum packaging and long term storage on quality of whole chilli (Capsicum annuum L.).

Investigations were carried out to study the influence of vacuum packaging and long term storage on quality in red chilli. Chilli fruits were stored in vacuum packed and jute bags at two moisture levels (10 % and 12 %) in room and cold environments under both light and dark conditions for a period of 24 months. During storage period, average room and cool chamber temperatures were 25 ± 2 °C and 4 ± 1 °C, respectively. Changes of moisture (Halogen moisture analyzer), capsaicin (HPLC-UV), oleoresin and total extractable colour (spectrophotometer) were analyzed at 3 months interval up to 12 months and 6 months interval from 12 to 24 months. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) and Duncan's test were applied to the analytical data to evaluate the effect of treatments applied. It was observed that the vacuum packed chillies under cold storage were found to have the least per cent decline in various quality parameters. Chillies with 12 % moisture and stored in vacuum packaged bags recorded better quality parameters over 10 % moisture.

5-Geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin inhibits colon cancer (SW480) cells growth by inducing apoptosis.

For the first time, three coumarins were isolated from the hexane extract of limes (Citrus aurantifolia) and purified by flash chromatography. The structures were identified by NMR (1D, 2D) and mass spectral analyses as 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin, limettin, and isopimpinellin. These compounds inhibited human colon cancer (SW-480) cell proliferation, with 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin showing the highest inhibition activity (67 %) at 25 µM. Suppression of SW480 cell proliferation by 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin was associated with induction of apoptosis, as evidenced by annexin V staining and DNA fragmentation. In addition, 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin arrested cells at the G0/G1 phase, and induction of apoptosis was demonstrated through the activation of tumour suppressor gene p53, caspase8/3, regulation of Bcl2, and inhibition of p38 MAPK phosphorylation. These findings suggest that 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin has potential as a cancer preventive agent.

Influence of vacuum packaging on seed quality and mineral contents in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.).

Studies were carried out to find out the influence of vacuum packaging on physical parameters of whole chilli and biochemical constituents in chilli seeds. Chilli fruits were stored in vacuum packed and jute bags stored at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C), cold storage (4 ± 1 °C) under both light and dark conditions for a period of 24 months. At the end of the storage period, seeds were separated from fruits and various parameters viz., moisture content, capsaicin content, ascorbic acid, carbohydrates, protein and mineral elements like Fe, P, Na and K were analyzed. It was observed that the samples stored in vacuum packed bags maintained the quality with least deterioration in all the quality parameters compared to samples stored in jute bags.

Estimation of total alkaloid in Chitrakadivati by UV-Spectrophotometer.

BACKGROUND: Herbal formulation standardization by adopting newer technique is need of the hour in the field of Ayurvedic pharmaceutical industry. As very few reports exist. These kind of studies would certainly widen the herbal research area. Chitrakadivati is one such popular herbal formulation used in Ayurveda. Many of its ingredients are known for presence of alkaloids. METHODOLOGY: Presence of alkaloid was tested qualitatively by Dragondroff's method then subjected to quantitative estimation by UV-Spectrophotometer. This method is based on the reaction between alkaloid and bromocresol green (BCG). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Study discloses that out of 16 ingredients, 9 contain alkaloid. Chitrakadivati has shown 0.16% of concentration of alkaloid and which is significantly higher than it's individual ingredients.

Bioactive compounds from Mexican lime ( Citrus aurantifolia ) juice induce apoptosis in human pancreatic cells.

Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) is one of the major citrus fruits and widely consumed, but there is limited evidence about its health-promoting properties. Hence, an investigation was conducted to understand the chemopreventive effects of lime juice on pancreatic cancer cells and the possible mechanism for induction of apoptosis using Panc-28 cells. Freeze-dried lime juice was extracted with different solvents, such as chloroform, acetone, MeOH, and MeOH/water (8:2). The chloroform extract showed the highest (85.4 and 90%) radical-scavenging activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) methods at 624 microg/mL, whereas the MeOH/water extract showed the lowest (<20%) activity. The active components were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a C-18 column as rutin, neohesperidin, hesperidin, and hesperitin. Furthermore, the limonoids identified are limonexic acid, isolimonexic acid, and limonin. All of the extracts of lime juice inhibited Panc-28 cancer cell growth. The MeOH extract exhibited the maximum activity, with an IC50 value of 81.20 microg/mL after 72 h. The inhibition of Panc-28 cells was in the range of 73-89%, at 100 microg/mL at 96 h. The involvement of apoptosis in induction of cytotoxicity was confirmed by expression of Bax, Bcl-2, casapase-3, and p53. The results of the present study clearly indicate that antioxidant activity is proportionate to the content of flavonoids and proliferation inhibition ability is proportionate to the content of both flavonoids and limonoids.

History of tuberculosis control in India.

TheTB problem in India was first recognised through a resolution passed in the All India Sanitary Conference, held at Madras in 1912. The TB picture started becoming clear with the introduction of tuberculin testing. The Bhore committee report issued in 1946 estimated that about 2.5 million patients required treatment in the country with only 6,000 beds available. The first open air institution for isolation and treatment of TB patients was started in 1906 in Tilaunia near Ajmer and Almora in the Himalayas in 1908. The anti-TB movement in the country gained momentum with the TB Association of India was established in 1939. WHO and UNICEF took keen interest in providing assistance for introducing mass BCG vaccination with low cost in 1951. In the 1940s streptomycin and PAS were introduced in the west followed by thiocetazone and INH is 1950s. National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP) was formulated in 1962 which was implemented in phased manner. The deficiency in NTP was identified in 1963 and Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) was developed. There is a commitment for Government of India to expand RNTCP to cover the entire country by 2005.

Virulence of tubercle bacilli isolated from patients with tuberculosis in Bangalore, India.

This is a study of the virulence of cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from pulmonary and extrapulmonary forms of tuberculosis in patients living in or near Bangalore, India. The findings are as follows: 1. The percentage of cultures recovered from cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in Bangalore classified as being of low, moderate, and high virulence, was the same as that reported by Mitchison et al., in 1960 for isolates obtained from patients in Madras, India. 2. The distribution of the root index of virulence (RIV) of isolates from patients living in the city of Bangalore was significantly different (p less than 0.05) from that of isolates from patients living in rural Bangalore. 3. Even though the number of cultures classified as high virulent was significantly greater in isolates from patients with tuberculosis meningitis compared with those from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, the data show that 36% of the isolates from the meningitis group were classified as low virulent.