Reports of Cubiceps baxteri McCulloch 1923 from Indian Ocean are probably misidentifications of Cubiceps whiteleggii (Waite 1894).

Cubiceps baxteri McCulloch 1923 was described based on a single, imperfect (devoid of a tail) stranded specimen collected from a beach in Lord Howe Island, Tasman Sea. Though C. baxteri was reported as a widely distributed tropical species (Butler 1979), it was mainly a result of its incorrect identification (see Agafonova 1994; Stewart and Last 2015). The distribution of C. baxteri is reported to be restricted to the Pacific Ocean, from Japan and eastwards to Baja California (Mexico), southwards to the Hawaiian Islands, New South Wales (Australia), and Lord Howe Island (Tasman Sea) to the Southern parts of Chile (Eschmeyer et al. 2017; Mundy 2005; Agafonova 1994).

Isolation and characterization of halophilic Bacillus sp. BS3 able to produce pharmacologically important biosurfactants.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the pharmacological importance of biosurfactants isolated from halophilic Bacillus sp BS3. METHODS: Halophilic Bacillus sp. BS3 was isolated from solar salt works, identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and was used for screening their biosurfactant production. Characters of the biosurfactant and their anticancer activity were analyzed and performed in mammary epithelial carcinoma cell at different concentrations. RESULTS: The biosurfactant were characterized by TLC, FTIR and GC-MS analysis and identified as lipopeptide type. GC-MS analysis revealed that, the biosurfactant had various compounds including 13-Docosenamide, (Z); Mannosamine, 9- and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl. Surprisingly the antiviral activity was found against shrimp white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) by suppressing the viral replication and significantly raised shrimp survival (P<0.01). Anticancer activity performed in the mammary epithelial carcinoma cell at different concentrations of biosurfactants, among the various concentrations of biosurfactants such as 0.000 25, 0.002 5, 0.025, 0.25 and 2.5 µg, the 0.25 µg concentration suppressed the cells significantly (P<0.05) to 24.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings, the present study concluded that, there is a possibility to develop eco-friendly antimicrobial and anticancer drugs from the extremophilic origin.

Vaccination strategies to protect goldfish Carassius auratus against Aeromonas hydrophila infection.

Ornamental goldfish Carassius auratus were treated with whole cell (WC), extracellular product (ECP), outer membrane protein (OMP) and biofilm (BF) vaccines developed from the virulent Aeromonas hydrophila (AHV1; GenBank HQ331525.1) with and without the immunoadjuvant Asparagus racemosus. On various days post-vaccination (dpv), the treated fish were challenged with virulent A. hydrophila. These fish were monitored for survival, growth, specific bacterial reduction, and biochemical, haematological and immunological parameters. C. auratus attained 100% mortality within 7 d in non-vaccinated groups, whereas the vaccines helped to significantly (p ≤ 0.001) increase survival after 25 and 50 dpv. The vaccines with immunoadjuvant (ECP2, OMP2 and BF2 treatments) helped to reduce the Aeromonas load after the challenge, and serum albumin, globulin and protein levels were significantly (p < 0.01) improved in the OMP2- and BF2-treated groups. Haemoglobin and red blood cell counts were also significantly improved (p < 0.05) in the vaccinated groups compared to the control group. Additionally, haemagglutination occurred at the 1:12 dilution level in the vaccine plus immunoadjuvant-treated groups. Supplementing the vaccines with immunoadjuvant helped to improve phagocytosis to 54.07%, serum bactericidal activity to 14.6% and the albumin:globulin ratio to 7.6% in BF2 after 50 dpv. Its positive effect significantly (p < 0.05) increased in vaccinated groups compared to controls. Based on the results, especially with the OMP and BF vaccines, the immunoadjuvant A. racemosus helped to improve the efficiency of the vaccines. This approach will aid in the development of more efficient vaccines against bacterial infections affecting the aquaculture industry.

Protective effect of Justicia gendarussa Burm.f. on carrageenan-induced inflammation.

The present study focuses on the anti-inflammatory activity of Justicia gendarussa Burm.f. on an acute model of inflammation: the carrageenan-induced paw edema assay. Methanolic extract of J. gendarussa (JRM) roots at a dose of 100 mg/kg significantly inhibited edema formation 5 h after carrageenan induction. JRM inhibited carrageenan-elicited total cycloxygenase activity, 5-lipoxygenase and 15-lipoxygenase activities in blood mononuclear cells of rats, decreased neutrophil infiltration in paw tissue as shown by low myeloperoxidase activity, and also caused a 53% inhibition in cyclooxygenase-2 activity in paw tissue. Purification of JRM by liquid-liquid partitioning yielded an ethyl acetate fraction of JRM that showed interleukin-6 downregulation potential and the ability to inhibit prostaglandin E2 production in vivo. The present investigation provides pharmacological evidence to support the folklore claim that J. gendarussa is an anti-inflammatory agent.

Betulinic acid isolated from Bacopa monniera (L.) Wettst suppresses lipopolysaccharide stimulated interleukin-6 production through modulation of nuclear factor-kappaB in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory function and mechanism(s) of action of an active component-betulinic acid isolated from Bacopa monniera. Betulinic acid, a pentacyclic triterpenoid markedly suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced IL-6 production in blood mononuclear cells both in vivo and in vitro. Betulinic acid also prevented LPS induced nuclear translocation of p65 NF-kappaB in hPBMCs. LPS induced nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB and IL-6 production was also abolished by p38 and ERK MAPK inhibitors PD98059 and SB203580. Addition of each of these inhibitors to cell cultures along with betulinic acid caused significant downregulation of IL-6 production and inhibition of p65 NF-kappaB nuclear translocation. The inhibitory effect of both betulinic acid and the inhibitors was higher than that of cells treated with inhibitors alone. These results suggest that betulinic acid inhibited IL-6 production by preventing p65 NF-kappaB nuclear translocation and there is a possibility that this prevention of p65 nuclear translocation may involve p38 and ERK MAPKs as cross talks occur between MAPK and NF-kappaB pathways. This study provides an insight into the probable mechanism(s) underlying the anti-inflammatory and therapeutic properties of betulinic acid.

Bacopa monniera (L.) wettst inhibits type II collagen-induced arthritis in rats.

Bacopa monniera (L.) Wettst is an Ayurvedic herb with antirheumatic potential. This study investigated the therapeutic efficacy of Bacopa monniera in treating rheumatoid arthritis using a type II collagen-induced arthritis rat model. Arthritis was induced in male Wistar rats by immunization with bovine type II collagen in complete Freund's adjuvant. Bacopa monniera extract (BME) was administered after the development of arthritis from day 14 onwards. The total duration of experiment was 60 days. Paw swelling, arthritic index, inflammatory mediators such as cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase, myeloperoxidase and serum anti-collagen IgG and IgM levels were analysed in control and experimental rats. Arthritic induction significantly increased paw edema and other classical signs of arthritis coupled to upregulation of inflammatory mediators such as cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase, neutrophil infiltration and increased anti-collagen IgM and IgG levels in serum. BME significantly inhibited the footpad swelling and arthritic symptoms. BME was effective in inhibiting cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase activities in arthritic rats. Decreased neutrophil infiltration was evident from decreased myeloperoxidase activity and histopathological data where an improvement in joint architecture was also observed. Serum anti-collagen IgM and IgG levels were consistently decreased. Thus the study demonstrates the potential antiarthritic effect of Bacopa monniera for treating arthritis which might confer its antirheumatic activity.

Inhibition of lipoxygenases and cyclooxygenase-2 enzymes by extracts isolated from Bacopa monniera (L.) Wettst.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Bacopa monniera Linn is described in the Ayurvedic Materia Medica, as a therapeutically useful herb for the treatment of inflammation. In the current study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of methanolic extract of Bacopa monniera (BME). For some experiments EtOAc and bacoside fractions were prepared from BME. The effect of these extracts in modulating key mediators of inflammation was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Carrageenan-induced rat paw edema, rat mononuclear cells and human whole blood assay were employed as in vivo and in vitro models. RESULTS: In carrageenan-induced rat paw edema, BME brought about 82% edema inhibition at a dose of 100mg/kg i.p. when compared to indomethacin (INDO) (3mg/kg) that showed 70% edema inhibition. BME also significantly inhibited 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), 15-LOX and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activities in rat monocytes in vivo. Among the fractions tested in vitro, EtOAc fraction possessed significant 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity with IC(50) value of 30 microg/ml compared to butylated hydroxyl toluene (IC(50) = 13 microg/ml). This fraction also exerted significant hydroxyl radical scavenging activity with IC(50) value of 25 microg/ml in comparison with quercetin (IC(50) = 5 microg/ml). Inhibitory effects of EtOAc and bacoside fractions on LOX and COX activities in Ca-A23187 stimulated rat mononuclear cells were also assessed. 5-LOX IC(50) values were 25 microg/ml for EtOAc, 68 microg/ml for bacosides and 2 microg/ml for nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) where as COX-2 IC(50) values were 1.32 microg/ml for EtOAc, 1.19 microg/ml for bacoside fraction and 0.23 microg/ml for indomethacin. EtOAc and bacoside fractions also brought about significant decrease in TNF-alpha release ex vivo. CONCLUSION: Bacopa monniera possesses anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of COX and LOX and downregulation of TNF-alpha.