Hepatoprotective effect of Ginkgoselect Phytosome in rifampicin induced liver injury in rats: evidence of antioxidant activity

The protective effects of Ginkgoselect Phytosome((R)) (GBP) on Rifampicin (RMP) induced hepatotoxicity and the probable mechanism(s) involved in this protection were investigated in rats. Liver damage was induced in Wistar rats by administering rifampicin (500 mg/kg, p.o.) daily for 30 days. Simultaneously, GBP at 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg, and the reference drug silymarin (100 mg/kg) were administered orally for 30 days/daily to RMP treated rats. Levels of marker enzymes (SGOT, SGPT and SALP), albaumin (Alb) and total proteins (TP) were assessed in serum. The effects of GBP on lipid peroxidation (LPO), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione reductase (GR) were assayed in liver homogenates to evaluate antioxidant activity. GBP (25 and 50 mg/kg) and silymarin elicited a significant hepatoprotective activity by lowering the levels of serum marker enzymes and lipid peroxidation and elevated the levels of GSH, SOD, CAT, GPX, GR, Alb and TP in a dose dependant manner. The present findings suggest that the hepatoprotective effect of GBP in RMP induced oxidative damage may be related to its antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity.     

Larval rearing of hilsa shad,Tenualosa ilisha (Hamilton 1822)

Hilsa, Tenualosa ilisha has received much attention for culture due to decline of the natural population. Lack of knowledge on larval rearing is the bottleneck for its culture. This study was aimed at developing larval rearing protocols for hilsa shad. Hilsa larvae (4 days old, 4.76 ± 0.06 mm/0.49 ± 0.01 mg) were stocked in fibreglass‐reinforced plastic tanks (1.7 m³ water volume) at 300, 600 and 1,200 nos/m³ in triplicates in three experimental systems viz., E‐I (circular, 0.567 m water depth), E‐II (circular, 0.962 m water depth) and E‐III (rectangular, 0.567 m water depth) and reared for 46 days. The larvae were supplied with Chlorella vulgaris, Brachionus calyciflorus, mixed phytoplankton and mixed zooplankton during 4–50, 6–25, 8–50 and 26–50 days of their age respectively. In each system, higher (p < 0.05) fry survival at 300 nos/m³ than in higher densities indicates density dependent stress. Circular tanks showed higher survival (13.3%–61.31%) than in rectangular tanks (6.88%–27.26%) in each stocking density, indicating the importance of tank shape for rearing. Water depth affected fry survival in circular tanks (E‐I and E‐II) at 300 nos/m³; at 0.962 m depth, survival was higher (61.31%, p < 0.05) than that of 0.567 m depth (49.93%). Good fry survival was achieved through feeding the larvae initially with Chlorella followed by co‐feeding with Brachionus, mixed phytoplankton and zooplankton and rearing in circular tanks at 300 nos/m³ densities at 1 m depth. This first‐ever larval rearing protocol is useful for mass production of fry to support hilsa aquaculture in future.     

Sustainable tourism and forest conservation: The case of the Belum-Temengor Rainforest Complex in Perak,Malaysia

Ecotourism is a sustainable use of forest resources, as compared to traditional uses such as logging or mining. However, whether turning forests into tourist sites can generate incomes comparable to the lucrative traditional activities is less clear. We estimated the recreational values of the Belum-Temengor Rainforest Complex (BTRC) in Perak, Malaysia, and compared it with the alternative of one-time consumptive revenues from logging. Based on data from an on-site survey of 367 visitors to BTRC, direct non-consumptive use values were computed using the individual travel cost approach and the truncated Poisson count data model. The annual direct non-consumptive use value was RM14.66 million based on the estimated number of nights spent and willingness-to-pay per trip. The future cash flows of recreation demand were RM614 million, RM970 million, and RM1.86 billion for the next 30, 50, and 100 years, respectively. Own-price, cross-price, and income elasticities of recreation demand were also computed. Visitors’ on-site travel cost, alternative-site travel cost, income, ethnicity (Malay), and marital status (Single) were associated with recreation demand. Our main conclusion is that the direct non-consumptive use values from recreation demand and other indirect use and non-use values from forest conservation exceed the one-time consumptive revenues from logging.