In vivo anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of Orobanche crenata (Forssk.) aerial parts in relation to its phytomolecules.

A total methanolic extract and its sub-extracts of Orobanche crenata (Forssk.) aerial parts were subjected to acute toxicity, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective investigations. The methanolic extract was safe upto 3 g/kg on mice. The EtOAc fraction reduced the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema better than indomethacin. It also demonstrated a drop in the elevated ALT, AST, and TB at 300 mg/kg, better than silymarin. Histopathological examination of liver cells of rats given the EtOAc fraction showed a complete absence of the CCl4-induced cloudy swelling. A phytochemical investigation of the n-hexane and EtOAc fractions yielded 11 compounds [indole-3-carboxylic acid (1), n-butyl palmitate (2), tyrosol (3), L-rhamnonic acid-1,4-lactone (4), ß-sitosterol/stigmasterol mixture (5/5'), ß-sitosterol/stigmasterol glycosides mixture (6/6'), chrysoeriol (7), luteolin (8), apigenin (9), crenatoside (10), and verbascoside (11)] as identified by UV, 1D & 2D NMR and ESIMS techniques. Their reported biological actions were in relation to and supported our herein detected pharmacological findings.

Microbiological control of ticks.

Twelve isolates (9 spore-forming bacteria and 3 fungi) were obtained from a dead adult tick (female) that had failed to lay eggs. There were different internal changes in the tick's eggs, caused by inoculation with these isolates. Such changes differed according to the type of microorganisms under study. However, fungi were more effective than spore-forming bacteria in decreasing hatching percentage of tick's eggs at 28 degrees C. Generally, inoculation with these isolates decreased the longevity of unfed larvae of ticks.

Detection of antibacterial substances in some plant residues and their effect on certain micro-organisms.

The effect of dry residues from several plants, belonging to different families on certain microorganisms in vitro and in vivo, was studied. Dry residues of paprica leaves, tomato tops, egg plant leaves, guava leaves, onion peels, garlic tops, wheat straw, sugar cane leaves, cotton leaves, Egyptian clover tops, field bean tops or pea tops were examined for the presence of antibacterial substances, using successive extractions with hexane, ethyl ether, ethanol, and water, respectively, for each plant residue. On culture media, the antibacterial effect, expressed as width of inhibition zones, differed according to the type of plant, type of micro-organism, and extraction medium, used for each plant. Water extract from each of the studied plants showed no effect on any of the studied micro-organisms, while the other extracts indicated the presence of antibacterial substances in all the used plants. In most cases, ether extract showed the highest incidence of antimicrobial activities against the majority of test micro-organisms. In general, the antibacterial substances seemed to be more inhibitory to Gram-positive bacteria than to Gram-negative ones. Ethyl-ether extract of the residues of most of these plants markedly affected the growth of more than one of the different Rhizobium species when grown on culture medium, as indicated by the presence of wide zones of inhibition.

[Studies on the composting of feathers (author's transl)]. / Untersuchungen zur Kompostierung von Federabfällen.

The nitrogen of keratin of feathers is not taken up by plants as a suitable N-source. It becomes available by the keratinolytic activity of microorganisms. The high temperature evolved during the composting process promotes the growth and activity of thermophilic, keratin-decomposing microorganisms, e.g. Thermoactinomyces vulgaris. The increasing in temperature (self-heating) reflects the course of composting. A feather-peat mixture exhibits a considerably high heat production, i.e. a fast decomposition of keratin and other organic matter.