Amylase Research Articles

Bioactivity evaluation of least explored traditionally acclaimed medicinally potent herb Nanorrhinum ramosissimum(Wall.) Betsche

Present study analysed the therapeutic potential of traditionally acclaimed medicinal herb Nanorrhinum ramosissimum, using plant parts extracted with different solvents (10 mg/mL). Shoot extracts exhibited comparatively better antimicrobial properties, in comparison to root extracts. Total phenolic content was estimated, to ascertain its dependency on antioxidant properties of plant extracts. Antioxidant assay revealed promising results in comparison to IC50 value of standard ascorbic acid (52.2±0.07 µg/mL), for methanolic extracts of shoot (61.07±0.53 µg/mL and 64.33±0.33 µg/mL) and root (76.705±0.12 µg/mL and 89.73±0.28 µg/ mL) for in vivo and in vitro regenerants respectively. Correlation coefficient R2 values ranged between 0.90-0.95, indicating a positive correlation between phenolic contents and antioxidant activity. Plant extracts were also able to inhibit DNA oxidative damage again indicating their antioxidative potential. Antidiabetic potential was confirmed by alpha amylase inhibition assay where shoot methanolic extracts (invivo, in vitro) exhibited the best IC50 values (54.42±0.16 µg/mL, 66.09±0.12 µg/mL) in comparison to standard metformin (41.92±0.08 µg/mL). Ethanolic extracts of roots (in vitro, invivo) exhibited the relative IC50 values (88.97±0.32µg/mL,96.63±0.44 µg/mL) indicating that shoot parts had a better alpha amylase inhibition property; thus proving the herb’s bioactive potential and its prospective therapeutic source for curing various ailments.

In Vitro Alpha Amylase and Alpha Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of Important Lettuces from South Indian Region

In Vitro Alpha Amylase and Alpha Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of Important Lettuces from South Indian Region

Catalytic properties of purified alpha amylase from Aspergillus flavus cultivated on low-cost agricultural substrate

Aspergillus flavus isolated from fermented millet flour produced a crude enzyme, which was purified via ammonium sulphate precipitation and subsequent chromatographic techniques. The biochemical characteristics of the purified amylase were thereafter investigated showing activity in a wide range of pH and temperature, with optimal conditions of pH 6.0 and 50 °C. The enzyme retained even 89% of its activity after 1 h at 50 °C and 2 h at pH 6.0. The purified enzyme was stimulated by Ca2+, Zn2+ and Co2+, while Hg2+ and EDTA caused mild inhibition of α-amylase activity. The kinetic indices (Km and Vmax) and molecular weight of the enzyme were estimated in 1.71 mg mL-1, 2.133 μmol min-1 mL-1 and 45 kDa respectively. The catalytic properties of α-amylase from A. flavus makes it a promising candidate for use in various starch processing industries.

Mental Stress Management Using fNIRS Directed Connectivity and Audio Stimulation.

In this study, we propose a method to enhance cognitive vigilance and mitigate mental stress in the workplace. We designed an experiment to induce stress by putting participants through Stroop Color-Word Task (SCWT) under time constraint and negative feedback. Then, we used 16 Hz binaural beats auditory stimulation (BBs) for 10 minutes to enhance cognitive vigilance and mitigate stress. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), salivary alpha-amylase, and behavioral reactions were used to determine the stress level. The level of stress was assessed using reaction time to stimuli (RT), accuracy of target detection, directed functional connectivity based on partial directed coherence, graph theory measures, and the laterality index (LI). We discovered that 16 Hz BBs mitigated mental stress by substantially increasing the target detection accuracy by 21.83% ( p <0.001) and decreasing salivary alpha amylase levels by 30.28% (p<0.01). The partial directed coherence, graph theory analysis measures, and LI results indicated that mental stress decreased information flow from the left to the right prefrontal cortex under stress, whereas the 16 Hz BBs had a major impact on enhancing vigilance and mitigating mental stress via boosting connectivity network on the dorsolateral and left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex.

Evaluation Of Differential Response Of Herbal Priming For Augmenting Drought Tolerant Potentiality In Few Commercially Important Indian Rice Varieties (Oryza Sativa L, Var Indica)

Abiotic stress (drought)-a prime threat to the farming community, causing intolerance and less crop productivity in arid and semi-arid regions around the globe.Seed priming is an important hydration technique whereseeds are soaked at a controlled manner and at different condition that helps in increasing crop yield and greater emergence of root and shoot under drought stress and also allow pre- germination of seeds.This priming technique imparts greater seed germination performance, ensuring uniformity,greater tolerance against abiotic stress. Priming method should be cost effective,simple,easy, affordable to the user and must be ecofriendly. To develop crop plant with enhanced tolerance of drought stress, various conventional and genetic approach has been performed, which require great power, cost, skill, and time. The use of natural primer (herbal extract) rather than synthetic one is very much reliable as it is environment friendly and are known to accumulate in plants under stress condition and can act as potent antioxidant that helps in scavenging Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) produced during abiotic stress and later one causes physiological changes by reducing the fertility of soil and is costly.An experiment was conducted in Randomized Block Design to analyse the efficiency of flower extracts of Marigold (Tagetes patula L), Family (Asteraceae) , Rose ( Rosa rubiginosa), family (Rosaceae), Hibiscus (Hibiscus- roa sinensis) , Family(Malvaceae)—using as priming agent to different rice seed varieties viz Satabdi (IET-4786), Jaya (IET-723), Swarna (MTU-7029) and Cottondora Sannalu (MTU- 1010) against.In the present experiment artificially, drought was mimicked upon the varieties using Poly carboxy Betaine(PCB) and the artificially drought induced seed used for priming with the herbal extract. Data were recorded in terms of seed germination, seedling development, free radicle scavenging potentiality and assessment of alpha amylase as germination indicator.From this study it was revealed that herbal priming shows differential response in different rice variety in all morphological attributes. Satabdi (IET-4786) showed most promising response when compared with check variety , while CottondoraSannalu (MTU-1010) showed least response.These comparative resultsindicated thatSatabdi (IET-4786)seeds primed with petal extract of T. petula may exhibit drought tolerant potentiality in augmenting drought stress and therefore can be a convincing measure for boosting plant’s intrinsic drought tolerant potentiality at the time of early development.

Evaluation of Anti-Diabetic Activity of Siddha Drug T. Kusta Gaja Kesari by Alpha Glucosidase and Alpha Amylase Enzyme Inhibition Assay: In Vitro Study

Evaluation of Anti-Diabetic Activity of Siddha Drug T. Kusta Gaja Kesari by Alpha Glucosidase and Alpha Amylase Enzyme Inhibition Assay: In Vitro Study

Therapeutic role of kaempferol and myricetin in streptozotocin-induced diabetes synergistically via modulation in pancreatic amylase, glycogen storage and insulin secretion.

Kaempferol and Myricetin alone have promising benefits on diabetes and related complications, yet the effectiveness of cotreating the two compounds on diabetes have not been studied. The existing investigation was to study the combined anti-diabetic effect of kaempferol and myricetin in Streptozotocin (STZ)-activated diabetes in rats. To evaluate the anti-diabetic activity, 36 Wistar rats were segregated into six groups; Normal, 50mg/kg STZ-induced diabetes, and four (50mg/kg kaempferol, 50mg/kg myricetin, 25mg/kg kaempferol + myricetin, and 5mg/kg glibenclamide) compound-treated diabetic groups.The effects of co-treatment on parameters, glucose, insulin, lipid profile, liver enzymes, antioxidant biomarkers, and inflammatory cytokines were measured. The study revealed that combined treatment restored the assessed parameters including glucose levels, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative markers, and lipid and liver enzymes in diabetic rats. The results indicate that cotreatment of kaempferol and myricetin has a beneficial role against diabetes suggesting that cotreatment of these compounds can be used therapeutically in treating diabetes.

ANTI-DIABETIC EFFECT OF Acacia catechu MEDIATED SELENIUM NANOPARTICLES

Selenium nanoparticles have made their way into the field of biomedicine through their application as antioxidants, antidiabetic agents, anticarcinogenic agents, nutritional supplements, and pharmaceutical supplements. The objective of the current study is to assess any potential antidiabetic effects of selenium nanoparticles using Acacia catechu. The solution of the nanoparticles was centrifuged at 8000 rpm for 10 minutes, collected, twice rinsed with distilled water, dried at 600 ºC, and stored. Se NP concentrations of 100, 200, 300, and 400 L were preincubated at room temperature for 30 min with 400 L of an alpha-amylase solution (1 U/mL). Equal amounts of the enzyme and extract were swapped out for a sodium phosphate buffer that was kept at a pH of 6.9. At 540 nm, the reading was recorded. Three times the experiment was run. In order to calculate the percentage of inhibition, acarbose was utilized as a positive control. The findings of the present investigation showed that Se- NPs exhibited anti-diabetic effects that were comparable to those of the reference standard. At a concentration of 100 l, the alpha amylase enzyme was inhibited by 57.2%, which was noticeably equivalent to the usual acarbose employed. According to the results of the current study, selenium nanoparticles have an inhibitory effect on alpha amylase, which unintentionally treats diabetes mellitus by regulating blood glucose levels. They exhibit significant alpha-amylase inhibition in relation to acarbose. Se NPs could thus offer a potential replacement for traditional antidiabetic medications in the future. According to the research, the synthesized selenium nanoparticles were spherical and small. According to in vitro antidiabetic functions research, the particles exhibit increased levels of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory actions. Additionally, it was less cytotoxic and had stronger antioxidant activity. The greenly synthesised selenium nanoparticles have shown promise as a natural treatment for diabetic mellitus.

In-vitro Antidiabetic on leaf extracts of Mimosa pudica and Euphorbia hirta - A Comparative Study

Background: Mimosa pudica commonly known as the “Touch me not” originated from the family “mimosaceae”. Mimosa pudica possesses a lot of medicinal values such as anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-diabetic properties etc. Euphorbia hirta is commonly known for curing patients suffering from asthma hence the name “Asthma plant”. It has various medicinal properties such as anti-fungal,anti-bacterial,anti-diabetic etc. Both these plants has anti-diabetic property hence the present was done to compare which medicinal herb is a better replacement for the standard synthetic drug “Metformin”. Materials and Methods: Assessment of in vitro anti-diabetic activity of Mimosa pudica and Euphorbia hirta was performed by alpha-amylase inhibitory activity and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The result was compared to the standard drug metformin. The data were analysed statistically using one way analysis of variance (ONE-WAY ANOVA). Duncan Multiple range test was used to analyze the statistical significance between groups. The levels of significance were considered at the levels of p&lt;0.05. Result: Both the plants showed an increase in percentage on inhibition of alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase in dose dependent manner. Conclusion: In the present study, it was revealed that the medicinal plant Euphorbia hirta showed a better antidiabetic activity than Mimosa pudica.

Extract Development of sorghum Grains during Malting and Utilization of Bitter Leaf Extract for Beer Production Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate extract development of sorghum grains during malting and utilization of bitter leaf for production of beer using S. cerevisiae.&#x0D; Study Design: Randomized experimental design was used to achieve the aim of the study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted at the Food and Industrial Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State between June 2021 and September 2021.&#x0D; Methodology: The grains were bought at a local market, steeped for 24h, germinated for 5days at 30°C and kilned at 45°C for 24h. Alpha and beta amylases were extracted from the malted sorghum and their activities were determined by measuring the maltose produced. Mashing was done using infusion method, bitter leaf extract was used in place of hops, and 500ml of the wort was pitched with 50ml inoculum of Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from fresh palm wine. Fermentation lasted for 14 days.&#x0D; Results: The results indicated that β-amylase activities were higher with a peak of 1.5mg/ml maltose as against 0.9mg/ml maltose for alpha amylase. Wort properties such as diastatic power and hot water extract were measured as 40°l and 415°l/kg respectively. The resulting beer with bitter leave as substitute for hops gave alcohol content (%) of 3.6 and 3.4, bitterness was 100.38 IBU (International Bitterness Units) and 101.82 IBU while colour was 19.15 EBC (European Brewery Convention) and 21.45 EBC for sorghum wort having 5ml and 10ml of bitter leaf extract respectively.&#x0D; Conclusion: The results obtained in this study depicts sorghum malt as a source of enzymes and further reveals the brewing potentials of sorghum grains in beer production with bitter leaf as a potential substitute for hops. The bitter leaf which offered a good degree of bitterness to the beer can potentially serve as a good substitute for hops in brewing industry.

Farinaceous and starchy foods in the diet of the indigenous people of the high-latitude and Arctic regions of Russia: tradition and modernity

The object of the study is the indigenous population of the North and the Arctic of the Russian Federation. The subject of the study is changes in nutrition during transition from the traditional to modernized lifestyle. The purpose of the study is to consider the risk to the health of the northerners in the quantitative and qualitative changes in the consumption of flour and starch-containing products. The consumption of bread products and starch by the population of the northern regions of the Russian Federation in the 19th – 20th centuries and in the 2010s – 2020s was estimated. Estimates of the frequencies of the amylase genes AMY1, AMY2B, AMY2A in the populations that differ in geographic localization and type of management are systemized. In the 20th century, per-capita consumption of bread in Russia decreased from 700 to 260 g/day, among the indeginous northerners — from 300 to 250 g/day. The inclusion of pasta products and potato in the diet of the northerners changed the volume and structure of the consumed carbohydrate foods. The intake of high glycemic load starch increased from 100 to 250 g/day. Replacing the dried crusts with pasta and potato meals eased mastication of food, thus inducing a reflectory rise in serum glucose at ingestion and increasing the risk of developing chronic carbohydrate metabolism disorders. High-latitude populations are distinct in the prevalence of the genotypes that determine low activity of the polysaccharidase enzymes necessary for starch digestion. The ample production of amylase and less prominent blood glucose upswing in response to the consumption of starchy foods are determined by the number of successive copies of the amylase genes on the AMY locus. For the AMY1 gene, a negative correlation was found between the gene copy number and the geographical latitude of the population area (rSp = -0.19), for the AMY2A gene rSp = -0.33 (p &lt; 0.001 in both cases). In addition, in the Arctic groups there is a high frequency of deletions of the AMY2A gene, which also lead to insufficient synthesis of pancreatic amylase. In the European populations, AMY2A deletions occur in 10–11 %; among the Khanty, Mansi, and Selkups — in 28 %; among the indigenous population of Chukotka — in 52 %. Changes in the “Arctic diet” in the 20th century led to a sharp increase in the starch consumption. With the traditional way of life, the northerners did not form adaptations to the nutrient intake of large volumes of starchy foods. In modern conditions, accumulation of nutritional, physiological and genetic factors increases the risk of metabolic disorders related to the consumption of high-starch food.

The combined effects of temperature and salinity on the digestion and respiration metabolism of Pinctada fucata

The combined effects of temperature and salinity on the digestion and respiration metabolism of Pinctada fucata were evaluated via response surface methodology and box-benhnken design under laboratory condition. Results indicated that the primary and secondary effects of salinity and temperature had significant effects on amylase (AMS) of P. fucata (P < 0.05)., The digestive enzyme reached the maximum activity when temperature was 26 °C. The AMS and trypsin (TRYP) increased at first, and then decreased with increasing temperature. The Lipase (LPS) was positively correlated with either salinity or temperature. Salinity had no significant effect on TRYP as a primary effect (P > 0.05), but had a significant effect on TRYP as a secondary effect (P < 0.01). These effects were completely opposite to the effect of temperature on pepsin (PEP) as primary and secondary effects. The combined effects of salinity and temperature on AMS, TRYP and PEP were significant (P < 0.01), but had no significant effect on LPS (P > 0.05). The primary, secondary and interaction effects of salinity had significant effects on NKA (Na+-K+-ATPase) of P. fucata (P < 0.05), and NKA presented a U-shaped distribution with increasing salinity. The quadratic and interactive effects of temperature had a significant effect on AKP (P < 0.05), and AKP showed a U-shaped distribution with increasing temperature. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity decreased at first, and then increased when temperature and salinity changed from 20 to 30 °C and 23–33 ‰, respectively. The expression of GPX gene affected by temperature in gills may be delayed compared with that in hepatopancreas, and its expression is tissue-specific. The appropriate digestion and respiratory metabolism index models were established under the combined temperature and salinity conditions. The optimization results showed that the optimal combination of temperature and salinity was 26.288 °C/28.272‰. The desirability was 0.832. Results from the present study will provide a theoretical reference for shellfish culture affected by environmental interactions and the establishment of related index models.

ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITY Symplocos racemosa (LODHRA) AND Cinnamon cassia (CINNAMON BARK) FORMULATION SYNTHESISED SILVER NANOPARTICLES

Aim: The aim of this study is to analyze the anti-diabetic effect of silver nanoparticles using symplocos racemosa( lodhra) and cinnamomum cassia ( cinnamon bark ) assister silver nano particle.&#x0D; Introduction: Lodhra is widely used in various Ayurvedic medicines. Cinnamon is one of the most important spices used daily by people all over the world.Nanoparticles have been used in various practical applications. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are increasingly used in various field.Recently, AgNPs have been frequently used in many Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been successfully applied in several areas due to their significant antimicrobial activity against several microorganisms. In dentistry, AgNP can be applied in disinfection, prophylaxis, and prevention of infections in the oral cavity.&#x0D; Materials and methods: Fresh lodhra bark and cinnamon powder was collected. 1g of freshly collected Lodhra and cinnamon bark extract is mixed with 100 ml of distilled water thoroughly and boiled for 3-5 mins in a heating mantle then filtered by using filter paper. Silver Nitrate powder is added in 500 ml of distilled water and to this lodhra bark extract has been added. The solution is kept in a shaker and the reading was taken for every 2 hrs for analyzing the synthesis of nanoparticles. The reaction was initiated by the addition of 490, 470, and 450 μl buffer to different volumes (10, 30, and 50 μl) of 30mg/mL of Lodhra and cinnamon bark extract, synthesised silver nanoparticles, stored (at 37°C and 4°C), and calcined (300°C, 500°C and 700°C) AgNPs samples, respectively, to make the total volume of 500 μl reaction solution.&#x0D; Results: Antidiabetic activity of lodhra and cinnamon bark extract mediated AgNPs was assessed using alpha amylase assay. In this silver nanoparticles induced Lodhra and cinnamon bark extract shows more antidiabetic activity than the herbal extract&#x0D; Conclusion: From this it is concluded that Lodha and cinnamon bark shows significant anti diabetic activity. Also this extract can be used in toothpaste &amp; mouthwash to reduce the inflammation in oral cavity. Further studies can be done on the side effects of Lodha and cinnamon bark using silver nanoparticles and also on the other activities of Lodha and cinnamon to know it’s complete potential

Effect of dietary oregano oil on growth performance, disease resistance, intestinal morphology, immunity, and microbiota of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂)

The study aimed to investigate the effects of oregano oil (OO) supplement in the diet on the growth performance, disease resistance, immunity, and intestinal health of hybrid grouper. Six isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were fed to the grouper with an initial weight of 19.10 ± 0.12 g for 8 weeks, of which the dietary OO levels were 0 (Control), 0.1 (OO-0.1), 0.3 (OO-0.3), 0.6 (OO-0.6), 0.9 (OO-0.9), or 1.2 (OO-1.2) g kg-1. The results showed that there were no significant differences in growth performance among the six groups, while the OO supplement could improve the disease resistance ability of grouper. Our findings have demonstrated that the OO supplement, especially 0.3 g kg-1, could improve the intestinal morphology via increasing the villus number and muscle thickness and elevate digestive enzyme activities such as those of amylase (AMS) and lipase. The 0.3-g kg-1 OO supplement also can activate the antioxidant defense system, reduce nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2-like 2 (Nrf2)/Kelch-like-ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) expression, and then enhance the immune ability via acid phosphatase (ACP), lysozyme (LYS), complement C3 (C3), and tight junction-associated signaling pathways in hybrid grouper. Meanwhile, the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in the OO-0.3 group was significantly higher than that of Control group (P&amp;lt; 0.05), while the relative abundance of Proteobacteria showed a basically opposite trend (P&amp;lt; 0.05). These findings suggested that dietary OO supplementation could significantly improve intestinal health and induce the antioxidant defense system and immunity, which means that OO could be used as a functional feed additive to protect the intestine, and the appropriate addition level of OO should be 0.3 g kg-1.

Analysis of Antioxidant, Antidiabetic Potential, and Corosolic Acid Content in Prunus Padus Leaves

This research was conducted to detect corosolic acid, in vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic effect of Prunus padus leaf, also called Bird cherry and is a member of Rosaceae. It is a medium-sized tree with obovate, fine serrated leaves and white flowers. According to the HPLC Chromatogram of standard corosolic acid, leaf samples of Prunus padus displayed a peak with a retention time of 9.855 min. Quantitative analysis revealed a good concentration of corosolic acid i.e 8.032 μg/20 mg d w. In vitro studies showed potent antidiabetic and antioxidant activities DPPH radical scavenging test of Prunus padus showed 91.90 per cent inhibition and standard ascorbic acid showed 82.39 per cent inhibition at 250 μg/ml concentration. Acarbose and Prunus padus both have IC50 values of 193.62 ± 0.634 μg/ ml and 114.72 ± 1.038 μg/ ml, accordingly, as determined by an alpha amylase inhibition experiment. The results demonstrate that Prunus padus possesses a good amount of corosolic acid and can be considered a natural source, which is very influential in neutralizing the reactive oxygen species and damage caused by diabetes and has strong antioxidant and antidiabetic effects.

Identification of α-amylase inhibitory compounds from leaves of Careya arborea Roxb. and in silico docking studies

• Chloroform extract of leaves of Careya arborea Roxb. showed strong porcine pancreatic alpha amylase (PPA) enzyme inhibition with respect to positive control: Acarbose. • LC-MS/MS analysis of this chloroform extract showed presence of a number of secondary metabolites especially flavonoids and terpenoids. • Among them, many flavonoids showed effective in silico docking on PPA structure. • Column chromatographic purification of the crude chloroform extract showed further improvement of 1.5 times in PPA inhibition. Diabetes mellitus Type 2 (DM 2) is a lifestyle induced metabolic disease characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia and impaired protein metabolism which leads to multi-organ damage. Pancreatic α-amylase inhibition can control post-prandial hyperglycaemia via deactivation or slow-down of starch breakdown. The current study involved the isolation and analysis of secondary metabolites present in chloroform leaf extract of Careya arborea Roxb. (Family: Lecythidaceae) for their porcine pancreatic α-amylase (PPA) inhibitory activity in vitro and in silico . Total phenolic and flavonoid content was 39.58 ± 0.004 µg/ml and 180 ± 0.2 µg/ml, respectively. IC 50 value of inhibition of PPA by crude chloroform leaf extract was 443.91 µg/ml, while that of the column purified methanol fraction was 294.41 µg/ml, an enhancement of 1.5 times. Secondary metabolites in the chloroform leaf extract were identified with Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and docked with PPA structure (PDB ID: 1OSE) using AutoDock 4.2.6. Program. Hesperidin and Kaempferol 7-O-glucoside had the highest binding energies of -14.62 kcal/mol and -12.7 kcal/mol, respectively and could be the most potential PPA inhibitory secondary metabolites. Since PPA shares high degree of structural and amino acid homology with human pancreatic α-amylase (HPA), our results would be significant for inhibition of HPA as well.

Effect of Different Concentration of Fungicide Mancozeb on Protein Concentration and Alpha Amylase Activity of Eleusine coracana. (L.) Gaertn.

Abstract: Experiments were carried out to study the effect of fungicide Mancozeb on seed germination, seedlings growth, chlorophyll content, protein concentration and alpha amylase activity. The experiments were conducted under a completely randomised design, consisting of 8 treatments in a 2×4 fractorial system [2 seed variety × 4 Mancozeb Concentration : 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.0% (control) in 3 replicates each consisting of 20 Ragi seeds.. The Ragi variety used was INDAF 7 and KMR 301. In KMR 301, the highest percentage of germination, high chlorophyll content, high protein concentration and high alpha amylase activity was recorded in seeds treated with 0.4% concentration of Mancozeb and lowest was recorded in control. In INDAF 7, the highest percentage of germination, high chlorophyll content, high protein concentration and high alpha amylase activity was recorded in Control and lowest was recorded in seeds treated with fungicide concentrations

Optimization of Independent Variables for the Production of Extracellular Alpha Amylase by Bacillus subtilis IMD34 Using Plackett-Burman Design

Bacillus species are widely used for thermostable α-amylase production for various applications such as in the detergent and food industries. This research aimed to study the production of α-amylase by B. subtilis IMD34 in submerged fermentation conditions using Plackett-Burman (PB) design, along with the optimization of certain environmental factors for optimal growth of amylolytic bacteria. Plackett-Burman design was used to evaluate the effect of ten independent variables on α-amylase production. Maximum enzyme activity was recorded in a medium containing (g/l); starch (6.0), peptone (12.0), K2HPO4 (1.0), Na2HPO4 (2.0), NaCl (0.6), Na2SO4 (0.1), MgSO4.7H20 (1.0), FeCl3.6H2O (0.02), CaCl2.2H2O (0.02) and with an agitation speed (200 rpm). From the pareto chart it was observed that the most important independent variables for amylase production were starch, peptone, NaCl, Mg2SO4, CaCl2.2H2O and agitation. Optimization of environmental parameters to assess their effect on the growth of bacteria showed that optimal pH, incubation time and temperature were recorded at 6, 48h and 37˚C. Evaluating independent variables statistically using PB design revealed that some of the medium’s components had a positive impact on α-amylase production by B. subtilis IMD34.

A randomized pilot study of the prophylactic effect of ketamine on laboratory-induced stress in healthy adults

BackgroundStress exposure is a key risk factor for the development of major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. Enhancing stress resilience in at-risk populations could potentially protect against stress-induced disorders. The administration of ketamine one week prior to an acute stressor prevents the development of stress-induced depressive-like behavior in rodents. This study aimed to test if the prophylactic effect of ketamine against stress also applies to humans. MethodsWe conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study wherein 24 healthy subjects (n = 11 males) were randomized to receive either ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) or midazolam (0.045 mg/kg) intravenously one week prior to an acute stress [Trier Social Stress Test (TSST)]. The primary endpoint was the anxious-composed subscale of the Profile of Mood States Bipolar Scale (POMS-Bi) administered immediately after the TSST. Salivary and plasma cortisol and salivary alpha amylase were also measured at 15-min intervals for 60 min following the stressor, as proxies of hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) and sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis activity, respectively. ResultsCompared to the midazolam group (n = 12), the ketamine group (n = 12) showed a moderate to large (Cohen's d = 0.7) reduction in levels of anxiety immediately following stress, although this was not significant (p = 0.06). There was no effect of group on change in salivary cortisol or salivary alpha amylase following stress. We conducted a secondary analysis excluding one participant who did not show an expected correlation between plasma and salivary cortisol (n = 23, ketamine n = 11). In this subgroup, we observed a significant reduction in the level of salivary alpha amylase in the ketamine group compared to midazolam (Cohen's d = 0.7, p = 0.03). No formal adjustment for multiple testing was made as this is a pilot study and all secondary analyses are considered hypothesis-generating. ConclusionsKetamine was associated with a numeric reduction in TSST-induced anxiety, equivalent to a medium-to-large effect size. However, this did not reach statistical significance . In a subset of subjects, ketamine appeared to blunt SAM reactivity following an acute stressor. Future studies with larger sample size are required to further investigate the pro-resilient effect of ketamine.

Anti-diabetic and anti-proliferative potential of Siddha polyherbal formulation Tulasi oil (SPFTO) – An in-vitro evaluation

Background: There are many health hazards associated with diabetes mellitus, characterized by high blood glucose levels caused by defects in insulin secretion or insulin action, or both. Among the most life-threatening diseases, cancer presents many health hazards both in developed and developing countries, characterized by irregular cell proliferation. The prevalence of diabetes and cancer are escalating day by day and this shows the urgently require for the management of diabetes and cancer. Methods: In this study was aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic and anticancer potential of Siddha polyherbal formulation Tulasi oil (SPFTO) by glycosylation of hemoglobin assay, glucose uptake by yeast cells, alpha amylase inhibition and MTT assay method, respectively. Results: The inhibition rate in all concentrations of Tulasi oil exhibited higher inhibition of glycosylation, glucose uptake in yeast cells assay and α amylase as compared with the standard drug. The cytotoxic activity for MCF7 cell line was 65.75% at 50 μg/mL concentration by MTT assay method. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that the Siddha polyherbal formulation Tulasi oil has significant antidiabetic and antiproliferative activities.