Traditional uses of medicinal plants for dermatological healthcare management practices by the Tharu tribal community of Uttar Pradesh, India

The aim of present study was to explore and document medicinal plants used for the traditional dermatological healthcare management practices by the the Tharu tribal community of Uttar Pradesh. The study was conducted during 2000–2004. Information was gathered from 230 informants residing in 46 villages in Terai region of Indo-Nepal boarder using questionnaires; oral interviews and group discussions. Total 92 medicinal plant species were cited for the preparation of 113 crude drug formulations. Voucher specimens of cited plant species were collected and identified as belonging to 82 genera and 49 families. Thirty-nine medicinal plant species were reported for the first time for dermatological healthcare problems from India. The dermatological healthcare problems managed were cut and wounds, ringworm, leprosy, eczema, scabies, leucoderma, boils, carbuncles, pimples, skin blemishes, spots, eruption, and burns etc. The most commonly and popularly used medicinal plant species for management of dermatological healthcare problems in the study area were Curcuma longa L., Azadirachta indica A. Juss and Melia azedarach L. It is concluded that dermatological healthcare management practice in the study area depends largely on wildly growing medicinal plant species. There is an urgent need to properly conserve the medicinal plant species growing in this area for human welfare. There is also need for further phytopharmacological studies to provide scientific explanation for the usages of 57 medicinal plant species for which to the best of our knowledge phytopharmacological literatures are not available.     

Antibacterial Activity of 2-(2′,4′-Dibromophenoxy)-4,6-dibromophenol from Dysidea granulosa

2-(2′,4′-Dibromophenoxy)-4,6-dibromophenol isolated from the marine sponge Dysidea granulosa (Bergquist) collected off the coast of Lakshadweep islands, Indian Ocean, exhibited potent and broad spectrum in-vitro antibacterial activity, especially against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), vancomycin resistant Enterococci (VRE), vancomycin sensitive Enterococci (VSE) and Bacillus spp. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was evaluated against 57 clinical and standard strains of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The observed MIC range was 0.117–2.5 μg/mL against all the Gram positive bacteria and 0.5–2 μg/mL against Gram negative bacteria. The in-vitro antibacterial activity observed was better than that of the standard antibiotic linezolid, a marketed anti-MRSA drug. The results establish 2-(2′,4′-dibromophenoxy)-4,6-dibromophenol, as a potential lead molecule for anti-MRSA and anti-VRE drug development.     

A Pragmatic Approach for Obtaining Lines Possessing Desirable Traits in Silk Banana

Silk Banana is amongst the most popular groups of bananas grown in different parts of the world. However, the commercial scale cultivation requires identification of superior genotypes with desirable attributes including growth, yield, quality and resistance to Panama wilt disease which is a major concern. Panama disease caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense has been wreaking havoc in banana plantations throughout the world. A large number of varieties fall prey to the pathogen and hence world’s banana production has been threatened to a considerable extent, Silk Banana being the most vulnerable. Long term use of chemicals has not only failed to provide protection against the disease but has also raised concern about the environmental health. Resistance breeding is thus only viable alternative; however, breeding in banana is hindered by a number of inherent problems. In this communication, a systematic approach was proposed taking a typical case of Silk Banana var. Nanjanagud Rasabale to preselect lines possessing Panama wilt resistance and other desired traits. The proposed methodology comprised of identification of spontaneous variants in growing regions of the variety and their subsequent screening using a multi-pronged strategy. A number of lines exhibiting superiority in terms of tolerance to panama wilt, precocity, plant stature, physicochemical and shelf life related attributes have been reported. Considering overall performance, six promising lines were identified. This methodology has wider applicability as it could be effectively exploited with suitable modifications for identifying lines with desired traits in other varieties of banana.     

Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate isolated from a traditional anti-tuberculosis medicinal herb inhibits drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vitro

Many plants are used in Ayurveda for the treatment of tuberculosis. Our aim was to examine if these plants possess any specific molecule that inhibits Mycobacterium tuberculosis. One of them, Kaempferia galanga, yielded an anti-TB molecule, ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC). By resazurin microtitre assay (REMA), EPMC was shown to inhibit M. tuberculosis H37Ra, H37Rv, drug susceptible and multidrug resistant (MDR) clinical isolates (MIC 0.242-0.485 mM). No cross resistance was observed to any standard anti-TB drugs in the MDR strains. The compound did not inhibit any prototype bacteria tested. EPMC seems to be a potential anti-TB lead molecule.     

Ascertaining clonal fidelity of tissue culture raised plants of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bambusa balcooa</Emphasis> Roxb. using inter simple sequence repeat markers

One of the major applications of plant tissue culture technology is that the regenerants are genetically identical to the mother plant. Although, of the various methods of in vitro propagation, axillary branching method is regarded as the safest, the possibility of genetic variation (somaclonal variation) cannot be ruled out even in this method. In the present study, inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) marker assay was employed to validate the clonal fidelity of in vitro raised Bambusa balcooa plantlets multiplied by enhanced axillary proliferation up to 33 passages. Fifteen ISSR primers generated a total of 99 amplicons among the tissue-cultured progenies. Analysis of ISSR patterns revealed that the bands were shared by both the parent clump and the in vitro raised plants confirming the genetic stability in the latter.     

Haplotyping of Rice Genotypes Using Simple Sequence Repeat Markers Associated with Salt Tolerance

Salt stress is a major problem in most of the rice growing areas in the world. A major QTL Saltol associated with salt tolerance at the seedling stage has been mapped on chromosome 1 in rice. This study aimed to characterize the haplotype diversity at Saltol and additional QTLs associated with salt tolerance. Salt tolerance at the seedling stage was assessed in 54 rice genotypes in the scale of 1 to 9 score at EC = 10 d Sm-1 under controlled environmental conditions. Seven new breeding lines including three KMR3/O. rufipogon introgression lines showed similar salt tolerant ability as FL478 and can be good sources of new genes/alleles for salt tolerance. Simple sequence repeat(SSR) marker RM289 showed only two alleles and RM8094 showed seven alleles. Polymorphic information content value varied from 0.55 for RM289 to 0.99 for RM8094 and RM493. Based on 14 SSR markers, the 54 lines were clearly separated into two major clusters. Fourteen haplotypes were identified based on Saltol linked markers with FL478 as the reference. Alleles of RM8094 and RM3412 can discriminate between the salt tolerant and susceptible genotypes clearly and hence can be useful in marker-assisted selection at the seedling stage. Other markers RM10720 on chromosome 1 and RM149 and RM264 on chromosome 8 can also distinguish tolerant and susceptible lines but with lesser stringency.     

Impacts of Bioinoculants Pseudomonas jesenii MP1 and Rhodococcus qingshengii S10107 on Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Yield and Soil Nitrogen Status

Cold-adapted bioinoculants are considered as harbingers of sustainable hill agriculture. Therefore, two previously characterized psychrotolerant diazotrophs, Pseudomonas jesenii MP1 and Rhodococcus qingshengii S10107, were evaluated for their plant growthpromoting potential for chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) grown under natural field conditions. Comparative analysis of agronomical and biochemical crop parameters revealed the irrelevance of chemical fertilizers for chickpea production; the diazotrophs alone were sufficient to fulfil the crop''s nutritional requirement. However, the integrated use of bacterial strains in combination with urea at 20 kg N ha^-1 as urea was being recommended for higher crop yield and better soil nitrogen status. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)-based soil bacterial dynamics unveiled the persistence of both diazotrophs until the end of the crop maturation period without affecting the native micro-flora. Therefore, these bioinoculants can be explored as natural nitrogen resource, and an additional incentive in their bio-formulation will be a step towards agricultural sustainability.     

Modulation of digestive enzymes,GH, IGF-1 and IGF-2 genes in the teleost,Tilapia (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oreochromis mossambicus</Emphasis>) by dietary curcumin

Aquaculture is faced with the challenges of the use of synthetic compounds as growth enhancers and the presence of several contaminants in water. These factors severely deteriorate the quality and quantity of aquaculture products. Phytochemicals play a major role by working as antioxidant agents of which curcumin has become the gold standard. Curcumin, from Curcuma longa shows a wide spectrum of biological activities which include anticancerous, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antidiabetic, antistress, hepatoprotective and gastroprotective effects. Curcumin in 0.5 and 1 % doses were given as feed additive to Oreochromis mossambicus for 35 days. After feeding trial, activities of digestive enzymes such as α-amylase, protease and lipase were analysed. There was a significant increase in the activities of α-amylase, protease and lipase with 0.5 and 1 % curcumin supplementation in feed. Real-time quantification of GH in brain, and IGF-1 and IGF-2 genes in muscle revealed that curcumin significantly increased the expression of these genes. This is the first study to report that curcumin supplementation at concentrations of 0.5 and 1 % in the feed improved the activities of digestive enzymes and also modulates the expression of GH in brain and growth factors such as IGF-1 and IGF-2 in muscle of O. mossambicus.