High frequency of transition to transversion ratio in the stem region of RNA secondary structure of untranslated region of SARS-CoV-2

Introduction

The propensity of nucleotide bases to form pairs, causes folding and the formation of secondary structure in the RNA. Therefore, purine (R): pyrimidine (Y) base-pairing is vital to maintain uniform lateral dimension in RNA secondary structure. Transversions or base substitutions between R and Y bases, are more detrimental to the stability of RNA secondary structure, than transitions derived from substitutions between A and G or C and T. The study of transversion and transition base substitutions is important to understand evolutionary mechanisms of RNA secondary structure in the 5'  and 3'  untranslated (UTR) regions of SARS-CoV-2. In this work, we carried out comparative analysis of transition and transversion base substitutions in the stem and loop regions of RNA secondary structure of SARS-CoV-2.

Methods

We have considered the experimentally determined and well documented stem and loop regions of 5' and 3' UTR regions of SARS-CoV-2 for base substitution analysis. The secondary structure comprising of stem and loop regions were visualized using the RNAfold web server. The GISAID repository was used to extract base sequence alignment of the UTR regions. Python scripts were developed for comparative analysis of transversion and transition frequencies in the stem and the loop regions.

Results

The results of base substitution analysis revealed a higher transition (ti) to transversion (tv) ratio (ti/tv) in the stem region of UTR of RNA secondary structure of SARS-CoV-2 reported during the early stage of the pandemic. The higher ti/tv ratio in the stem region suggested the influence of secondary structure in selecting the pattern of base substitutions. This differential pattern of ti/tv values between stem and loop regions was not observed among the Delta and Omicron variants that dominated the later stage of the pandemic. It is noteworthy that the ti/tv values in the stem and loop regions were similar among the later dominant Delta and Omicron variant strains which is to be investigated to understand the rapid evolution and global adaptation of SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusion

Our findings implicate the lower frequency of transversions than the transitions in the stem regions of UTRs of SARS-CoV-2. The RNA secondary structures are associated with replication, translation, and packaging, further investigations are needed to understand these base substitutions across different variants of SARS-CoV-2.

Environmentally benign synthesis of unsymmetrical ureas and their evaluation as potential HIV-1 protease inhibitors via a computational approach

The present work reports the cost-effective, high yielding and environmentally acceptable preparation of unsymmetrical ureas from thiocarbamate salts using sodium percarbonate as an oxidant. Efficacy of the unsymmetrical ureas as potential human immune deficiency virus (HIV-1) protease inhibitors has been evaluated via in silico approach. The results revealed interactions of the urea compounds at the active site of the enzyme with favorable binding affinities causing possible mutations hindering the functioning of the enzyme. Further computational assessment of IC50 using known references satisfactorily authenticated the inhibitory action of the selected compounds against HIV-1 protease. Added to the easy synthesis of the ureas following an environmentally benign protocol, this work may be a valuable addition to the ongoing search for drugs with better efficacy profiles and reduced toxicity against HIV.

Reverse vaccinology and immunoinformatics approach to design a chimeric epitope vaccine against Orientia tsutsugamushi

Scrub typhus is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi and it is reportedly associated with up to 20 % of hospitalized cases of febrile illnesses. The major challenge of vaccine development is the lack of identified antigens that can induce both heterotypic and homotypic immunity including the production of antibodies, cytotoxic T lymphocyte, and helper T lymphocytes. We employed a comprehensive immunoinformatic prediction algorithm to identify immunogenic epitopes of the 56-kDa type-specific cell membrane surface antigen and surface cell antigen A of O. tsutsugamushi to select potential candidates for developing vaccines and diagnostic assays. We identified 35 linear and 29 continuous immunogenic B-cell epitopes and 51 and 27 strong-binding T-cell epitopes of major histocompatibility complex class I and class II molecules, respectively, in the conserved and variable regions of the 56-kDa type-specific surface antigen. The predicted B- and T-cell epitopes were used to develop immunogenic multi-epitope candidate vaccines and showed to elicit a broad-range of immune protection. A stable interactions between the multi-epitope vaccines and the host fibronectin protein were observed using docking and simulation methods. Molecular dynamics simulation studies demonstrated that the multi-epitope vaccine constructs and fibronectin docked models were stable during simulation time. Furthermore, the multi-epitope vaccine exhibited properties such as antigenicity, non-allergenicity and ability to induce interferon gamma production and had strong associations with their respective human leukocyte antigen alleles of world-wide population coverage. A correlation of immune simulations and the in-silico predicted immunogenic potential of multi-epitope vaccines implicate for further investigations to accelerate designing of epitope-based vaccine candidates and chimeric antigens for development of serological diagnostic assays for scrub typhus.

Detection and analysis of rotavirus in clinical stool samples using silver nanoparticle functionalized paper as SERS substrate

Among the different analytical techniques, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) approach is a widely used technique for the detection and analysis of various chemicals and biological samples. Present study reports a low-cost, sensitive SERS substrate that has an ability to detect rotavirus in clinical stool samples. The proposed SERS substrate has been fabricated through drop-casting of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on a printing-grade paper. Rotavirus particles were extracted from clinical stool samples. The presence of rotavirus antigen in stool samples was confirmed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and sequencing. The characteristic Raman peaks of rotavirus (RV) particles in solution were found to be significantly enhanced when Raman signals were recorded from the paper-based SERS substrates. Using the proposed SERS substrate, rotavirus samples with concentration as low as 1% could be reliably recorded by the Raman spectrometer. The paper SERS substrate reported herein is an extremely cost-efficient platform and may find applications in other research and clinical laboratories as well.

Design of LNA Analogues Using a Combined Density Functional Theory and Molecular Dynamics Approach for RNA Therapeutics

Antisense therapeutics treat a wide spectrum of diseases, many of which cannot be addressed with the current drug technologies. In the quest to design better antisense oligonucleotide drugs, we propose five novel LNA analogues (A1-A5) for modifying antisense oligonucleotides and establishing each with the five standard nucleic acids: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), thymine (T), and uracil (U). Monomer nucleotides of these modifications were considered for a detailed Density Functional Theory (DFT)-based quantum chemical analysis to determine their molecular-level structural and electronic properties. A detailed MD simulation study was done on a 14-mer ASO (5'-CTTAGCACTGGCCT-3') containing these modifications targeting PTEN mRNA. Results from both molecular- and oligomer-level analysis clearly depicted LNA-level stability of the modifications, the ASO/RNA duplexes maintaining stable Watson-Crick base pairing preferring RNA-mimicking A-form duplexes. Notably, monomer MO isosurfaces for both purines and pyrimidines were majorly distributed on the nucleobase region in modifications A1 and A2 and in the bridging unit in modifications A3, A4, and A5, suggesting that A3/RNA, A4/RNA, and A5/RNA duplexes interact more with the RNase H and solvent environment. Accordingly, solvation of A3/RNA, A4/RNA, and A5/RNA duplexes was higher compared to that of LNA/RNA, A1/RNA, and A2/RNA duplexes. This study has resulted in a successful archetype for creating advantageous nucleic acid modifications tailored for particular needs, fulfilling a useful purpose of designing novel antisense modifications, which may overcome the drawbacks and improve the pharmacokinetics of existing LNA antisense modifications.

Gold nanoparticle decorated blu-ray digital versatile disc as a highly reproducible surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate for detection and analysis of rotavirus RNA in laboratory environment

Detection and estimation of various biomolecular samples are often required in research and clinical laboratory applications. Present work demonstrates the functioning of a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate that has been obtained by drop-casting of citrate-reduced gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of average dimension of 23 nm on a bare blu-ray digital versatile disc (BR-DVD) substrate. The performance of the proposed SERS substrate has been initially evaluated with standard Raman active samples, namely malachite green (MG) and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (BPE). The designed SERS substrate yields an average enhancement factor of 3.2 × 10⁶ while maintaining reproducibility characteristics as good as 94% over the sensing region of the substrate. The usability of the designed SERS substrate has been demonstrated through the detection and analysis of purified rotavirus double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) samples in the laboratory environment condition. Rotavirus RNA concentrations as low as 10 ng/μL could be detected with the proposed sensing scheme.

Association of histo-blood group antigens and predisposition to gastrointestinal diseases

Infectious gastroenteritis is a common illness afflicting people worldwide. The two most common etiological agents of viral gastroenteritis, rotavirus and norovirus are known to recognize histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) as attachment receptors. ABO, Lewis, and secretor HBGAs are distributed abundantly on mucosal epithelia, red blood cell membranes, and also secreted in biological fluids, such as saliva, intestinal content, milk, and blood. HBGAs are fucosylated glycans that have been implicated in the attachment of some enteric pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the genes encoding ABO (H), fucosyltransferase gene FUT2 (Secretor/Se), FUT3 (Lewis/Le) have been associated with changes in enzyme expression and HBGAs production. The highly polymorphic HBGAs among different populations and races influence genotype-specific susceptibility or resistance to enteric pathogens and its epidemiology, and vaccination seroconversion. Therefore, there is an urgent need to conduct population-based investigations to understand predisposition to enteric infections and gastrointestinal diseases. This review focuses on the relationship between HBGAs and predisposition to common human gastrointestinal illnesses caused by viral, bacterial, and parasitic agents.

Glycome Profiling and Bioprospecting Potential of the Himalayan Buddhist Handmade Paper of Tawang Region of Arunachal Pradesh

The paper and pulp industry (PPI) is one of the largest industries that contribute to the growing economy of the world. While wood remains the primary raw material of the PPIs, the demand for paper has also grown alongside the expanding global population, leading to deforestation and ecological imbalance. Wood-based paper production is associated with enormous utilization of water resources and the release of different wastes and untreated sludge that degrades the quality of the environment and makes it unsafe for living creatures. In line with this, the indigenous handmade paper making from the bark of Daphne papyracea, Wall. ex G. Don by the Monpa tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, India is considered as a potential alternative to non-wood fiber. This study discusses the species distribution modeling of D. papyracea, community-based production of the paper, and glycome profiling of the paper by plant cell wall glycan-directed monoclonal antibodies. The algorithms used for ecological and geographical modeling indicated the maximum predictive distribution of the plant toward the western parts of Arunachal Pradesh. It was also found that the suitable distribution of D. papyracea was largely affected by the precipitation and temperature variables. Plant cell walls are primarily made up of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin, and glycoproteins. Non-cellulosic cell wall glycans contribute significantly to various physical properties such as density, crystallinity, and tensile strength of plant cell walls. Therefore, a detailed analysis of non-cellulosic cell wall glycan through glycome profiling and glycosyl residue composition analysis is important for the polymeric composition and commercial processing of D. papyracea paper. ELISA-based glycome profiling results demonstrated that major classes of cell wall glycans such as xylan, arabinogalactans, and rhamnogalacturonan-I were present on D. papyracea paper. The presence of these polymers in the Himalayan Buddhist handmade paper of Arunachal Pradesh is correlated with its high tensile strength. The results of this study imply that non-cellulosic cell wall glycans are required for the production of high-quality paper. To summarize, immediate action is required to strengthen the centuries-old practice of handmade paper, which can be achieved through education, workshops, technical know-how, and effective marketing aid to entrepreneurs.

Exploring rotavirus proteome to identify potential B- and T-cell epitope using computational immunoinformatics

Rotavirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in infants and children worldwide. The functional correlation of B- and T-cells to long-lasting immunity against rotavirus infection in the literature is limited. In this work, a series of computational immuno-informatics approaches were applied and identified 28 linear B-cells, 26 conformational B-cell, 44 T_C cell and 40 T_H cell binding epitopes for structural and non-structural proteins of rotavirus. Further selection of putative B and T cell epitopes in the multi-epitope vaccine construct was carried out based on immunogenicity, conservancy, allergenicity and the helical content of predicted epitopes. An in-silico vaccine constructs was developed using an N-terminal adjuvant (RGD motif) followed by T_C and T_H cell epitopes and B-cell epitope with an appropriate linker. Multi-threading models of multi-epitope vaccine construct with B- and T-cell epitopes were generated and molecular dynamics simulation was performed to determine the stability of designed vaccine. Codon optimized multi-epitope vaccine antigens was expressed and affinity purified using the E. coli expression system. Further the T cell epitope presentation assay using the recombinant multi-epitope constructs and the T cell epitope predicted and identified in this study have not been investigated. Multi-epitope vaccine construct encompassing predicted B- and T-cell epitopes may help to generate long-term immune responses against rotavirus. The computational findings reported in this study may provide information in developing epitope-based vaccine and diagnostic assay for rotavirus-led diarrhea in children's.

In silico and in vitro neutralization of PLA2 activity of Daboxin P by butein, mimosine and bakuchiol

Medicinal plants have always been used for snakebite treatment by traditional healers but they lack scientific evidence of action. However secondary metabolites of such plants have been explored and found to inhibit the toxic effect of venom proteins. Literature survey from 2003 to 2019 resulted in identification of 251 secondary metabolites with such properties. In silico docking studies of these metabolites with modelled structure of Daboxin P, a PLA₂ from Indian Daboia russelii revealed that butein, mimosine and bakuchiol bind to Daboxin P with high affinity. Butein interacted with the catalytic triad but mimosine and bakuchiol interacted with the Ca²⁺ binding residues of Daboxin P. In vitro validation showed that the molecules inhibited the sPLA₂ activity of Daboxin P. Interestingly, mimosine and bakuchiol could also neutralize the anti-coagulatory activity of Daboxin P. Further, it was observed that butein and mimosine could neutralize the PLA₂ activity of Indian big four venoms dose dependently. On the other hand, mimosine and bakuchiol could also neutralize the pro/anti-coagulatory effect of big four crude venom. Thus, in this study, three molecules have been identified which can neutralize the PLA₂ activity and pro/anti-coagulatory effect of Daboxin P as well as crude venom of big four.

Turbidimetric analysis of growth kinetics of bacteria in the laboratory environment using smartphone

For different microbiological and pathological studies, it is often required to monitor the growth of bacteria in a cultured medium in the laboratory environment. UV-VIS spectrophotometer is commonly used to estimate the growth of bacterial cell population by measuring the absorbance at 600 nm over a period of time. Colony-forming unit (CFU) is another approach, which has been routinely performed to estimate the live bacterial cells on semisolid agar plates. Herein, we demonstrate an alternative yet highly reliable sensing platform on a smartphone using which growth kinetics of different bacteria can be reliably monitored. The performance of the proposed smartphone sensor has been compared with the data obtained from OD600 and CFU analysis. A good correlation of bacterial growth rates enumerated based on the proposed smartphone sensor, bench-top spectrophotometer and CFU analysis have been observed under the experimental conditions.

Rotavirus Reprograms Multiple Interferon Receptors and Restricts Their Intestinal Antiviral and Inflammatory Functions

Rotaviruses (RV) cause acute severe diarrhea in the absence of substantial intestinal inflammation. They are also highly infectious in their homologous host species. The replication capacity of RV in the small bowel is substantially due to its ability to inhibit different types of interferons (IFNs). Here, we found that during RV infection in vitro, both virus-infected and uninfected bystander cells resist STAT1 phosphorylation and interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) induction in response to exogenous interferon (IFN). Functionally, cellular transcription in response to stimulation with IFN, but not intracellular double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), was inhibited by RV. Further, IFNAR1 stimulation during RV infection significantly repressed a set of virus-induced transcripts. Regulation of IFN signaling in vivo was studied in suckling mice using the highly infectious murine EW RV strain. Kinetic studies indicated that sustained EW RV replication and IFN induction in the small intestine are accompanied by significant decreases in IFN-stimulated transcripts. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated intestinal damage, driven by STAT1-induced inflammation, was also prevented in EW RV-infected mice. Remarkably, by ectopically stimulating either IFNAR1 or IFNGR1 in EW RV-infected mice, we could eliminate several intestinal antiviral and inflammatory transcriptional responses to RV. In contrast to infection with homologous RV, infection with a STAT1-sensitive heterologous RV strain induced IFN-stimulated transcripts, inflammatory cytokines, and intestinal expression of STAT1-pY701. Finally, RV strain-specific STAT1 regulation also likely determines the intestinal activation of multiple caspases. The simian RRV strain, but not murine EW RV, uniquely triggers the cleavage of both extrinsic and intrinsic caspases (caspases 8, 9, and 3) in a STAT1-mediated manner. Collectively, our findings reveal efficient reprograming of multiple IFN receptors toward a negative-feedback mode of signaling, accompanied by suppression of IFN-mediated antiviral, apoptotic, and inflammatory functions, during natural RV intestinal infection.IMPORTANCE Rotavirus is a highly infectious pathogen that causes severe diarrhea. Replication of RV in the small intestine is restricted to homologous host species, and host range restriction is substantially determined by the interferon response. In this study, we demonstrate that during infection, RV bystander cells resist exogenous IFN-mediated STAT1 signaling and transcription. In a suckling mouse model, ectopically stimulating different intestinal interferon receptors during RV infection eliminates several innate and inflammatory antiviral responses. Different intestinal inflammatory cytokines were also suppressed by homologous RV, as was intestinal damage in response to endotoxin. The ability of RV to suppress IFN-mediated receptors likely impacts intestinal cell homeostasis, as the cleavage of multiple intestinal caspases during RV infection is mediated by the IFN-STAT1 signaling pathway. Together, our results provide a mechanism underlying both the remarkable interferon resistance of homologous RV and its ability to prevent substantial inflammatory damage to the small bowel.

Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm and Virulence by Active Fraction of Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels Leaf Extract: In-Vitro and In Silico Studies

Syzygium cumini L. Skeels (Myretacae family) is a native plant of the Indian subcontinent which has wide socio-economical importance and is well known for its ant diabetic activity. The present study aimed to investigate the antibiofilm activity of purified fraction (EA) from S. cumini leaf extract against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. The EA did not show any effect on growth of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus at the concentration of 900 µg/ml. At this concentration EA showed biofilm inhibition up to 86 ± 1.19% (***P < 0.0001) and 86.40 ± 1.19% (***P < 0.0001) in P. aeruginosa and S. aureus respectively. SEM examination also confirmed the reduction in biofilm formation. Further EA also disrupted some virulence phenotypes in P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Bioactive compounds detected by GC-MS showed their possible molecular interaction with RhlG/NADP active-site complex (PDB ID: 2B4Q), LasR-TP4 complex (PDB ID: 3JPU) and Pseudaminidase (PDB ID: 2W38) from P. aeruginosa. The in vitro biofilm inhibition, virulence factor inhibition and the mode of interaction of bioactive components in Syzygium cumini with QS proteins of bacteria reported in this study might be an affordable and effective alternative method of controlling quorum sensing/biofilm-associated infections.

Cellulolytic potential of probiotic Bacillus Subtilis AMS6 isolated from traditional fermented soybean (Churpi): An in-vitro study with regards to application as an animal feed additive

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the probiotic attributes of Bacillus subtilis AMS6 isolated from fermented soybean (Churpi). This isolate exhibited tolerance to low pH (pH 2.0) and bile salt (0.3%), capability to autoaggregate and coaggregate. AMS6 also showed highest antibacterial activity against the pathogenic indicator strain Salmonella enterica typhimurium (MTCC 1252) and susceptibility towards different antibiotics tested. The isolate was effective in inhibiting the adherence of food borne pathogens to Caco-2 epithelial cell lines, and was also found to be non-hemolytic which further strengthen the candidature of the isolate as a potential probiotic. Further studies revealed B. subtilis AMS6 showed cellulolytic activity (0.54±0.05 filter paper units mL(-1)) at 37°C. The isolate was found to hydrolyze carboxymethyl cellulose, filter paper and maize (Zea mays) straw. The maize straw digestion was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy studies. The isolate was able to degrade filter paper within 96h of incubation. A full length cellulase gene of AMS6 was amplified using degenerate primers consisting of 1499 nucleotides. The ORF encoded for a protein of 499 amino acids residues with a predicted molecular mass of 55.04kDa. The amino acids sequence consisted of a glycosyl hydrolase family 5 domain at N-terminal; Glycosyl hydrolase catalytic core and a CBM-3 cellulose binding domain at its C terminal. The study suggests potential probiotic B. subtilis AMS6 as a promising candidate envisaging its application as an animal feed additive for enhanced fiber digestion and gut health of animal.

An efficient in vitro shoot regeneration from leaf petiolar explants and ex vitro rooting of Bixa orellana L.- A dye yielding plant

Bixa orellana L. (Bixaceae) is a multipurpose tree grown for the production of commercially important dyes. In the present study, an efficient, reproducible protocol was developed for direct plant regeneration from in vitro derived petiole explants of Bixa orellana L. Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with 2-isopentenyl adenine (9.8 μM) and naphthalene acetic acid (10.7 μM) was found to be optimum for production of high frequency of shoot organogenesis. Subculturing of the shoots onto the fresh MS medium containing similar concentrations of 2-iP (9.8 μM) and NAA (10.7 μM) produced elongated shoots. Elongated shoots when placed onto MS medium supplemented with 1.7 μM indole-3-acetic acid and 14.7 μM 2-iP produced optimal rooting. Rooted plantlets were acclimatized and transplanted to the field successfully. Histological investigation revealed the origin of shoot primordia, from sub-epidermal cells of petiole explants. The regeneration protocol developed in this study can be useful for mass in vitro propagation and effective genetic transformation of commercially important edible dye yielding tree species.

Green silver nanoparticles: enhanced antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity with effects on DNA replication and cell cytotoxicity

Synthesis of green and biocompatible silver nanoparticles with high anti-microbial and anti-biofilm activities.

Herbal medicines used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus in Arunachal Himalaya, northeast, India

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Medicinal plants have played an important role in treating and preventing a variety of diseases throughout the world. Khampti tribal people living in the far-flung Lohit district of the Eastern Arunachal Himalaya, India still depend on medicinal plants and most of them have a general knowledge of medicinal plants which are used for treating a variety of ailments. This survey was undertaken in Lohit district in order to inventory the medicinal plants used in folk medicine to treat diabetes mellitus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Field investigations were conducted in seventeen remote villages of Lohit district starting from April 2002 to May 2004 through interviews among 251 key informants who were selected randomly during our household survey. To elucidate community domains and determine differences in indigenous traditional knowledge of medicinal plants with anti-diabetic efficacy, we repeated our field survey starting from April 2008 to May 2010 with one hundred traditional healers locally called as "Chau ya" in Khampti of Lohit district. "Chau ya" traditional healers who know and use medicinal plants for treating diabetes mellitus were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire.

RESULTS

This study reports an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh reputed for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Forty-six plant species were identified in the study area to treat diabetes mellitus by the Khamptis "Chau ya" traditional healers. Comparative published literature survey analysis of this study with other ethnobotanical surveys of plants used traditionally in treating diabetes mellitus suggests that eleven plant species make claims of new reports on antidiabetic efficacy. These plant species are Begonia roxburghii, Calamus tenuis, Callicarpa arborea, Cuscuta reflexa, Dillenia indica, Diplazium esculentum, Lectuca gracilis, Millingtonia hortensis, Oxalis griffithii, Saccharum spontaneum, and Solanum viarum. Some of the plants reported in this study have an antidiabetic effect on rodent models but none have sufficient clinical evidence of effectiveness.

CONCLUSIONS

The wide variety of medicinal plants that are used to treat diabetes mellitus in this area supports the importance of plants in the primary healthcare system of the rural people of Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh. The finding of new plant uses in the current study reveals the importance of the documentation of such ethnobotanical knowledge.

An inventory of the ethnobotanicals used as anti-diabetic by a rural community of Dhemaji district of Assam, Northeast India

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Traditional remedies used for treating diabetic ailments are very important in the primary health care of the people living in rural Dhemaji district of Assam, north-east India. Novel information gathered from the current survey is important in preserving folk indigenous knowledge.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Interviews were conducted amongst 80 households comprising of 240 individuals using semi-structured questionnaires. The focus was on plants used in treating diabetes mellitus.

RESULTS

The current survey documented 21 plant species (20 families) which are reportedly used to treat diabetes mellitus by the rural people in the study area. To the best of our knowledge, Amomum linguiforme, Cinnamomum impressinervium, Colocasia esculenta, Dillenia indica, Euphorbia ligularia, Garcinia pedunculata, Solanum indicum, Sterculia villosa and Tabernaemontana divaricata are recorded for the first time based on globally published literature as medicinal plants used for treating diabetes mellitus and related symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The wide variety of plants that are used to treat diabetes mellitus in this area supports the traditional value that medicinal plants have in the primary health care system of the rural people of Dhemaji district of Assam. The finding of new plant uses in the current study reveals the importance of the documentation of such ethnobotanical knowledge.

Ethnobotany of the Monpa ethnic group at Arunachal Pradesh, India

BACKGROUND

The present paper documents the uses of plants in traditional herbal medicine for human and veterinary ailments, and those used for dietary supplements, religious purpose, local beverage, and plants used to poison fish and wild animals. Traditional botanical medicine is the primary mode of healthcare for most of the rural population in Arunachal Pradesh.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Field research was conducted between April 2006 and March 2009 with randomly selected 124 key informants using semi-structured questionnaire. The data obtained was analyzed through informant consensus factor (FIC) to determine the homogeneity of informant's knowledge on medicinal plants.

RESULTS

We documented 50 plants species belonging to 29 families used for treating 22 human and 4 veterinary ailments. Of the medicinal plants reported, the most common growth form was herbs (40%) followed by shrubs, trees, and climbers. Leaves were most frequently used plant parts. The consensus analysis revealed that the dermatological ailments have the highest FIC (0.56) and the gastro-intestinal diseases have FIC (0.43). FIC values indicated that there was high agreement in the use of plants in dermatological and gastro-intestinal ailments category among the users. Gymnocladus assamicus is a critically rare and endangered species used as disinfectant for cleaning wounds and parasites like leeches and lice on livestocks. Two plant species (Illicium griffithii and Rubia cordifolia) are commonly used for traditional dyeing of clothes and food items. Some of the edible plants recorded in this study were known for their treatment against high blood pressure (Clerodendron colebrookianum), diabetes mellitus (Momordica charantia), and intestinal parasitic worms like round and tape worms (Lindera neesiana, Solanum etiopicum, and Solanum indicum). The Monpas of Arunachal Pradesh have traditionally been using Daphne papyracea for preparing hand-made paper for painting and writing religious scripts in Buddhist monasteries. Three plant species (Derris scandens, Aesculus assamica, and Polygonum hydropiper) were frequently used to poison fish during the month of June-July every year and the underground tuber of Aconitum ferrox is widely used in arrow poisoning to kill ferocious animals like bear, wild pigs, gaur and deer. The most frequently cited plant species; Buddleja asiatica and Hedyotis scandens were used as common growth supplements during the preparation of fermentation starter cultures.

CONCLUSION

The traditional pharmacopoeia of the Monpa ethnic group incorporates a myriad of diverse botanical flora. Traditional knowledge of the remedies is passed down through oral traditions without any written document. This traditional knowledge is however, currently threatened mainly due to acculturation and deforestation due to continuing traditional shifting cultivation. This study reveals that the rural populations in Arunachal Pradesh have a rich knowledge of forest-based natural resources and consumption of wild edible plants is still an integral part of their socio-cultural life. Findings of this documentation study can be used as an ethnopharmacological basis for selecting plants for future phytochemical and pharmaceutical studies.

Antipyretic and antibacterial activity of Chloranthus erectus (Buch.-Ham.) Verdcourt leaf extract: A popular folk medicine of Arunachal Pradesh

Objective:

The main objective of this work was to study the antipyretic and antibacterial activity of C. erectus (Buch.-Ham.) Verdcourt leaf extract in an experimental albino rat model.

Materials and Methods:

The methanol extract of C. erectus leaf (MECEL) was evaluated for its antipyretic potential on normal body temperature and Brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia in albino rat’s model. While the antibacterial activity of MECEL against five Gram (−) and three Gram (+) bacterial strains and antimycotic activity was investigated against four fungi using agar disk diffusion and microdilution methods.

Result

Yeast suspension (10 mL/kg b.w.) elevated rectal temperature after 19 h of subcutaneous injection. Oral administration of MECEL at 100 and 200 mg/kg b.w. showed significant reduction of normal rectal body temperature and yeast-provoked elevated temperature (38.8 ± 0.2 and 37.6 ± 0.4, respectively, at 2–3 h) in a dose-dependent manner, and the effect was comparable to that of the standard antipyretic drug–paracetamol (150 mg/kg b.w.). MECEL at 2 mg/disk showed broad spectrum of growth inhibition activity against both groups of bacteria. However, MECEL was not effective against the yeast strains tested in this study.

Conclusion

This study revealed that the methanol extract of C. erectus exhibited significant antipyretic activity in the tested models and antibacterial activity as well, and may provide the scientific rationale for its popular use as antipyretic agent in Khamptis’s folk medicines.

An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in the Eastern Himalayan zone of Arunachal Pradesh, India

AIM OF THE STUDY

The medicinal plants are integral source of easily available remedy used in rural healthcare system. This study was conducted among three major ethnic groups namely the Nocte, the Nyishi and the Adi in the Eastern Himalayan region of Arunachal Pradesh to evaluate their comparative knowledge on medicinal plants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The three remote districts of Arunachal Pradesh namely the Tirap, the Dibang Valley and the Papum Pare were surveyed through interviewing of randomly selected 237 participants using semi-structured questionnaire and regular field visits to selected districts.

RESULTS

We recorded the traditional use of 74 medicinal plants species belonging to 41 taxonomic plant families used for treating a total of 25 different diseases/ailments. The informant consensus factor (ICF) values demonstrated that local people tend to agree more with each other in terms of the plants used to treat malaria (0.71), jaundice (0.62), urological problems (0.56), dermatological disorders (0.45), pain (0.30), and respiratory disorder (0.33), and while the general health (0.15) and gastro-intestinal disorders category (0.28) were found low ICF values.

CONCLUSION

Of the total 74 species recorded, the highest number of medicinal plants (36 species) was reported from the Adi of Lower Dibang Valley followed by the Nocte of the Tirap (25 species) and the Nyishi ethnic groups of Papum Pare districts (13 species). In the present study, we found that the men, elder people and illiterate ones had better knowledge on medicinal plants as compared to women, younger and literate people. Findings of this documentation study can be used as an ethnopharmacological basis for selecting plants for future phytochemical and pharmaceutical studies.

Anti-malarial herbal remedies of northeast India, Assam: an ethnobotanical survey

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Malaria is a serious public health problem in the north-eastern region of India including Assam, in view of development of chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum. There is need for alternative and affordable therapy.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study was conducted to document indigenous knowledge, usage customs and practices of medicinal plant species traditionally used by the residents of Sonitpur district of Tezpur, Assam to treat malaria and its associated symptoms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 50 randomly selected sampling represented by male (38.76%) and female respondents (12.24%) were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire.

RESULTS

The present ethno-botanical survey revealed 22 species of plants belonging to 17 botanical families were reported to be used exclusively in this region for the treatment of malaria. Verbenaceae (three species), Menispermaceae (two species), and Acanthaceae (two species) botanical families represented the species that are most commonly cited in this survey work and the detailed use of plants has been collected and described.

CONCLUSIONS

The most serious threat to the existing knowledge and practice on traditional medicinal plants included cultural change, particularly the influence of modernization and lack of interests shown by the next younger generations were the main problems reported by the informants during the field survey. Hence, the proper documentation of traditional medicinal plants being used as anti-malarial agents and related indigenous knowledge held by the tribal community is an important approach to control the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria reported in this survey work.

Translational up-regulation and high-level protein expression from plasmid vectors by mTOR activation via different pathways in PC3 and 293T cells

BACKGROUND

Though 293T cells are widely used for expression of proteins from transfected plasmid vectors, the molecular basis for the high-level expression is yet to be understood. We recently identified the prostate carcinoma cell line PC3 to be as efficient as 293T in protein expression. This study was undertaken to decipher the molecular basis of high-level expression in these two cell lines.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

In a survey of different cell lines for efficient expression of platelet-derived growth factor-B (PDGF-B), β-galactosidase (β-gal) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) from plasmid vectors, PC3 was found to express at 5-50-fold higher levels compared to the bone metastatic prostate carcinoma cell line PC3BM and many other cell lines. Further, the efficiency of transfection and level of expression of the reporters in PC3 were comparable to that in 293T. Comparative analyses revealed that the high level expression of the reporters in the two cell lines was due to increased translational efficiency. While phosphatidic acid (PA)-mediated activation of mTOR, as revealed by drastic reduction in reporter expression by n-butanol, primarily contributed to the high level expression in PC3, multiple pathways involving PA, PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 appear to contribute to the abundant reporter expression in 293T. Thus the extent of translational up-regulation attained through the concerted activation of mTOR by multiple pathways in 293T could be achieved through its activation primarily by the PA pathway in PC3.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

Our studies reveal that the high-level expression of proteins from plasmid vectors is effected by translational up-regulation through mTOR activation via different signaling pathways in the two cell lines and that PC3 is as efficient as 293T for recombinant protein expression. Further, PC3 offers an advantage in that the level of expression of the protein can be regulated by simple addition of n-butanol to the culture medium.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory potential of Chloranthus erectus (Buch.-Ham.) Verd. leaf extract in rats

AIM OF THE STUDY

Chloranthus erectus (Buch.-Ham.) Verdcourt (Chloranthaceae) is a shrub native to tropical and temperate zone of Eastern Himalaya of India and South-East Asia and have traditionally been used as a folklore medicine to treat localised swelling, joint pain, skin inflammation, fever and bodyache. In this study, an attempt has been made to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory activity of methanol extract obtained from Chloranthus erectus leaves (MECEL) in acute, sub-acute and chronic mouse models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Inflammation in the hind paw of Wistar albino rat was induced by carrageenan, histamine and serotonin, and tissue granuloma pouch was induced by cotton pellet method. Anti-inflammatory drug-phenylbutazone was used as standard drug for comparison.

RESULTS

In acute carrageenan-induced rat hind paw edema, oral administration of MECEL at 200 mg/kg produced significant inhibition of edema by 38.34% (p < 0.01) while the histamine- and serotonin-induced sub-acute model, the inhibition of paw edema reached 52.54% (p < 0.001) and 25.5% (p < 0.01), respectively. In a 7-day study, MECEL at 20 and 50 mg/kg produced significant suppression of cotton pellet-induced tissue granuloma formation in rats.

CONCLUSIONS

This preliminary study revealed that the methanol extract of Chloranthus erectus exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in the tested models, and may provide the scientific rationale for its popular folk medicine as anti-inflammatory agent.

An ethnobotanical study of traditional anti-inflammatory plants used by the Lohit community of Arunachal Pradesh, India

AIM OF THE STUDY

Most people especially in rural areas depend on herbal medicines to treat many diseases including inflammation-related ailments such as rheumatism, muscle swelling, cut wound, accidental bone fracture, insect bites, pains and burn by fire and hot water. The objectives of this study were: to catalog ethno-medicinal plants of Lohit community, ecological status, indigenous folk medicinal uses, morphological parts used and to determine their reported pharmacological studies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The ethnobotanical information on traditional medicinal plants exclusively used for management of inflammation-related ailments by the Khampti community of Arunachal Pradesh, India was based on first-hand field survey work through semi-structured interviews.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

A total of 34 species in 32 genera and 22 families were encountered during the field survey. Botanical families such as Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Zingiberaceae and Lamiaceae were represented by the highest numbers of species reported in this study. Thirteen plant species, namely: Bombax ceiba, Canarium strictum, Chloranthus erectus, Xanthium indicum, Lycopodium clavatum, Coleus blumei, Batrachospermum atrum, Chlorella vulgaris, Marchantia palmata, Marchantia polymorpha, Eria pannea, Sterculia villosa and Alpinia galanga are reported for the first time for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases.