Marigold Flowers Research Articles

DETERMINATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF EXTRACTS OF CALENDULA OFFICINALIS FLOWERS

Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) is one of the most popular medicinal plants in the Russian Federation and abroad. The wide range of pharmacological activity of this medicinal plant is determined by carotenoids, flavonoids, saponins. These biologically active substances give total therapeutic effect of flowers of Calendula officinalis and medicines on base of pot marigold. This paper discusses the results of comparative investigations for a determination of antimicrobial activity of aqueous and aqueous- alcoholic extracts from pot marigold flowers. Detection of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was carried out by using the method of double serial dilutions in broth. The following microorganisms were used as test cultures: Bacillus cereus, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. The study showed that the widest spectrum of antibacterial activity has water extract of pot marigold flowers. As for Pseudomonas aeruginosa the most active medicine is tincture (1:10) with 70% alcohol. As for Escherichia coli the only phytopharmaceutical – water extract of marigold flowers, reveals antimicrobial activity. Against Bacillus cereus the most effective properties was indicated for tincture (1:5) with 70% ethanol and the liquid extract (1:2) with 70% alcohol. In case of Candida albicans, tincture (1:10) with 70% alcohol exhibited the highest activity.

INVESTIGATION OF DIURETIC ACTIVITY OF PHYTOPREPARATIONS OF CALENDULA OFFICINALIS L. FLOWERS

The flowers of the pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) are part of combination herbal medicinal preparations which applied in the treatment of diseases of the hepatobiliary system, gastrointestinal tract, diseases of kidneys and the urinary tract, such as «Fitonephrol» («Urological tea»). Calendula flowers make a contribution in the total therapeutic activity of «Urological tea» as a component which has anti-inflammatory and reparative properties. As is widely known that phytopharmaceuticals usually combine the variety of therapeutic activity and softness of pharmacological effects along with the absence of a significant number of side effects and contraindications which is extremely important in the treatment of chronic pathologies. The main purpose was to study diuretic activity of phytopreparations of pot marigold. Materials and methods. Investigations of discovering of diuretic action of pot marigold’s phytopreparations were carried out on white rats of both sexes weighing 200–220 g (8 sets of experiments). Each experimental group consisted of ten animals. The effect of pot marigold medicines at a dose of 50 mg/kg was carried out background the administered intragastrically at 3% aqueous load of 4 and 24 hours of the experiment. There are such drugs as a subjects to examination: calendula tincture (1 : 10) (industrial production), calendula tincture (1 : 5) and calendula liquid extract (1 : 2) of 70% alcohol, obtained at the Department of Pharmacognosy with Botany and Bases of Phytotherapy, at a dose of 50 mg/kg. Animals were housed in the vivarium on a standard diet with free access to water. The day before the experiment the rats received intragastric water load in the amount of 3% of body weight. On the day of the experiment the animals of the control group was administered water-alcohol load and experienced – intragastrically drug dose of 50 mg/kg in an identical volume of water. As a control was used 70% alcohol. Animals were placed in metabolic cages on day. Collected urine of rats were examined. Determined excretion of water. The concentration of sodium and potassium was detected by flame photometry (mark PAG-1) for 4 and 24 hours of the experiment. The concentration of creatinine was detected by colorimetric method (mark CPHC-3) for 4 and 24 hours of the experiment. The results of experiments were performed statistical on the Mann-Whitney test. Experiments were carried out with all the necessary ethical requirements. Main results. It was found that among the studied drugs on 4 hours of the experiment the liquid extract indicate diuretic properties. Tincture (1 : 5) showed expressed diuretic activity, saluretic and keratin properties. Tincture (1 : 10) had tendency to increase diuresis. Such effects decreased within the day. Conclusion. Preparations of marigold flowers in the form of tinctures (1 : 5) and the liquid extract (1 : 2) 70% alcohol at a single intragastric administration to rats at a dose of 50 μl/kg reveal a marked diuretic effect, significantly increasing the amount of urine, excretion electrolytes and creatinine relative to the control. In consideration of the fact that preparations of Calendula flowers have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, the results have a great interest in terms of the complex therapy of acute and chronic kidney and urinary tract diseases.

Constraints Faced by Marigold Growers in Meerut District of Western Uttar Pradesh

This study was conducted in Daurala, Kharkhoda and Rajpura blocks of Meerut district of Western Uttar Pradesh. From each block four villages were selected purposively and from each selected village five marigold growers were taken for the investigation. Thus the total sample size was of 60 respondents for this investigation. The data were collected from marginal, small, medium and large farmers through personal interview with the help of interview schedule. To know the constraints faced by the marigold growers. It was observed that more risk involved in the cultivation of marigold flowers. It was the major constraint and ranked in Ist with mean score 2.85 in socio-personal constraints and Lack of consumer awareness and motivation. It was ranked in the vth with mean score 1.15. Regarding technical constraints lack of training facilities on expert-oriented production and post production technology of marigold flowers and ranked in Ist with means score 2.65. More demand and spoilage due to storage facilities. It was ranked in VIIIth with mean score 0.55 in this category. Regarding economic constraints short life of flowers. It was ranked in Ist with mean score 3.00 and lack of cooperative credit facilities. It was ranked in XIth with mean score 1.05 in this category. Regarding communicational constraints unavailability of scientific information at proper time and ranked in Ist with mean score 2.70. Less provision of flowers fairs/exhibitions/demonstrations, it was ranked in Vth with means score 0.70 in this category. Regarding general constraints harvesting of marigold flowers by hand and ranked in the Ist with mean score of 3.0. Marketing facilities are not available in local market, it was ranked in XIth with mean score 0.50.

Adsorption of Cadmium (II) and Chromium (VI) from Aqueous Solution by Waste Marigold Flowers

In this work, waste marigold flowers from Temple were used as adsorbent to remove cadmium (II) and chromium (VI) ions from aqueous solutions. Influences of initial heavy metal concentrations, contact time, adsorbent dose, temperature and initial pH on removal of cadmium (II) and chromium (VI) ions were studied under batch mode of operation. Both the adsorption process of cadmium (II) and chromium (VI) followed pseudo-second order kinetics. Adsorption isotherm parameters of cadmium (II) and chromium (VI) on dried marigold flower were determined using Langmuir and Freundlich models. Thermodynamic parameters depicted that the process was spontaneous and exothermic under experimental conditions. The maximum removal efficiency of cadmium (II) was obtained as 83% at contact time 75 min and pH 5. The maximum removal efficiency of chromium (VI) was found as 96% at contact time 105 min and pH 3. Dried marigold flower showed active reusability characteristics upto three consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles.

Composition of Lutein Ester Regioisomers in Marigold Flower, Dietary Supplement, and Herbal Tea.

Characterization of lutein and its esters in a health product is necessary for its efficacy. In the current study lutein ester regioisomers were quantified and identified in several dietary supplements and herbal teas in comparison with marigold flower, the commercial source of lutein. The products were extracted with three solvents and separated on a C30 column. The separated esters were identified/confirmed with LC-MS in APCI+ve mode with the use of synthetic lutein esters. The total content of lutein esters substantially varied among marigold flowers (167-5752 μg/g), supplements (88,000-110,700 μg/g), and herbal teas (12.4-91.3 μg/g). Lutein supplement had a lutein profile similar to that of marigold flower, whereas herbal tea showed an extremely different profile. Lutein dipalmitate was the dominant compound in supplements and marigold flowers followed by lutein 3'-O-myristate-3-O-palmitate and lutein 3'-O-palmitate-3-O-myristate. Lutein was the major compound in marigold herbal tea with small amounts of lutein mono- and diesters. Differences in the concentration and composition of lutein compounds among marigold products could indicate distinct product quality and lutein bioavailability.

M&M reports on animal feed pigments, cosmetic colrants & plastics masterbatch

The spectral quality of photoperiodic lighting can affect flowering of short-day plants (SDPs) and long-day plants (LDPs) differently. When delivered during the middle of the night (night interruption, NI), red (R; 600–700 nm) light alone can inhibit flowering of SDPs, whereas a combination of R and far-red (FR; 700–800 nm) light promotes flowering of some LDPs. However, whether or not low-intensity (≈1–2 μmol m−2 s−1) blue (B; 400–500 nm) light, when added to R and/or FR light, influences flowering has not been established. We investigated the effects of mixed B, R, and FR light on flowering of five SDPs [chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum × morifolium), cosmos (Cosmos sulfureus), two cultivars of dahlia (Dahlia pinnata), and marigold (Tagetes erecta)] and two LDPs [dianthus (Dianthus chinensis) and rudbeckia (Rudbeckia hirta)]. Plants were grown in a greenhouse at a constant set point of 20 °C and received a truncated 9-h short day (SD) with or without 4-h NI lighting from incandescent (INC) lamps or white (W), B, B + R, B + FR, B + R + FR, or R + FR light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Each NI lighting treatment delivered a mean photon flux of 1.5 μmol m−2 s−1 between 400 and 800 nm at plant height. Blue light alone was not perceived as a long day by all SDPs and LDPs tested. For all SDPs, W LEDs inhibited flowering most effectively. B + R NI was as effective as W NI at creating a long day for all SDPs except chrysanthemum. B + FR NI inhibited flowering of marigold and dahlia ‘Leanne’, but not chrysanthemum or dahlia ‘Gallery Pablo’. For marigold, B + FR NI was less effective than other NI lighting treatments with R light. B + R + FR and R + FR NI similarly delayed flowering of all SDPs except dahlia ‘Gallery Pablo’. NI lighting treatments containing R light similarly promoted flowering of rudbeckia. We conclude that in at least the crops studied, low-intensity B light during the night does not influence flowering. In addition, W LEDs that emit little FR light are effective at creating long days for SDPs but only some LDPs.

Enzyme-Assisted Oil Extraction of Lutein from Marigold (Tagetes erecta) Flowers and Stability of Lutein during Storage

Marigold ( Tagetes erecta ) flowers are a rich source of lutein pigment, which is usually extracted with organic solvents. In this study, lutein was extracted from marigold flowers with enzyme-assisted oil extraction without using organic solvents. Extraction produced oil that contained 0.36 mg/ml lutein (present as lutein esters but calculated as free lutein), and the yield was comparable to solvent extraction. The oil containing lutein was used to produce oil-in-water emulsions with different polysaccharide mixtures as stabilizers and some emulsions were also spray dried. Wet emulsions, dry emulsions, and oil containing lutein were stored in the dark at 20–22°C for 10 weeks, and the amount of lutein esters was monitored during storage. Stability of lutein was good in oil (85% of the initial amount) and in wet emulsions (77–91%) but slightly worse in spray-dried emulsions (67–75%). Enzyme-assisted oil extraction of lutein from marigold flowers is a potential alternative to solvent extraction with comparable efficiency. In addition, there are no solvent residues in the lutein preparation. Preliminary storage tests showed good stability of lutein in oil or in emulsions stored in the dark at room temperature, and these preparations could be used in different food products.

Chemical composition of scented extracts obtained from Calendula officinalis by three extraction methods

Hydrodistillation, organic solvent extraction, and enfleurage are common techniques for extracting essential oils from plant samples. One factor that influences the essential oil yield is the extraction method used. The aim of the study was to choose the best method for essential oil extraction from pot marigold flowers, based on oil yield, processing time, and number of extracted compounds, for research purposes focused on genotypic characterization. Yields of essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation, organic solvent extraction, and enfleurage were 0.9 ± 0.1, 6.7 ± 0.2 and 7.1 ± 0.15 g of oil per 100 g of dry floral material, respectively. The method that provided the highest-quality oil (without pigments) was the hydrodistillation, which also contained the highest amount of non-polar compounds, but required a long time for processing many samples. Organic solvent extraction and enfleurage are faster for processing, but their extracted oils contain pigments. The most suitable technique for processing many samples in a short period of time was enfleurage because it provided an oil yield seven-fold higher than hydrodistillation and oil with less pigments than organic solvent extraction did. In addition, oil obtained by enfleurage contained the two main compounds in pot marigold flowers, α-cadinene and δ-cadinene.

Production of Bio Gas from Vegetable and Flowers Wastes Using Anaerobic Digestion

The present research paper describes about the anaerobic digestion of vegetable (Banana, Cauliflower, potato, and sweet potato) and flower wastes (Rose, sambangi, gulmohar, marigold, golden shower tree, silk tree mimosa) in a 1L capacity of anaerobic digestor using pig manure as an inoculums. The digester was operated in the ratio of 1:1 of substrate to inoculums at RT. The substrate concentrations are varied such as 5%, 7%, and 10% was used and amount of gas produced was analysed using digital pressure gauge. The results obtained showed that, marigold flower had given higher yield of biogas than vegetable wastes and the digestion period was less. The average biogas production potential of withered flowers was observed as 14.36 g/kg in 5 days, where in case of vegetable wastes it was 10.0234 g/kg in 6 days. The study showed that flowers which are available in abundant in India is thrown away within a day, in the environment. These feedstocks are good feed stock for the production of biogas. The generation of biogas from flowers and vegetable waste upholds the concept of waste to wealth in enhancing sustainability of development. The future research work is mainly focused on the characterization of the main component present in the bio-gas using sophisticated instruments.

FIRST REPORT OF WHITE MOULD CAUSED BY SCLEROTINIA SCLEROTIORUM ON MARIGOLD (TAGETES ERECTA) IN BANGLADESH

Marigold (Tagetes erecta) is one of the commercial ornamental flowers commonly grown in Bangladesh. In January 2011, rotten flowers of marigold covered with fluffy white mycelia were found in Rangpur, Bangladesh. Symptoms began from petals and subsequently expanded to the whole flower and the lower part of the plant. Dark brown lesions with necrotic tissues appeared on the infected leaves and stems. Seriously infected plants showed flower dropping and branch wilting. A fungus showing hyaline and septate mycelia was isolated from the infected tissue using potato dextrose agar. The fungus formed round to irregular-shaped sclerotia. Apothecia development from sclerotia were also observed on moist sand. The partial sequence (531 bp, GenBank accession No. AB937102) of the internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA was determined by the method described in Rahman et al. (2015). The result showed a 100% identity with those of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which is known as a pathogen to various plants (Purdy, 1979). Pathogenicity of the isolate to marigold was examined by detached leave and flower assays using the mycelial block. After incubation at 20°C with 90% relative humidity in 12 h light/12 h dark conditions, all inoculated leaves and flowers were rotten, while no symptom developed on the controls. The fungus was re-isolated from the symptomatic tissues and Koch’s postulates were confirmed. In Bangladesh, the fungus is becoming an emerging threat to various hosts (e.g. Rahman et al., 2015). To our best knowledge, this is the first report of S. sclerotiorum infection on marigold in the country.

Bioconversion of lutein to form aroma compounds by Pantoea dispersa.

To investigate the conversion of lutein, a carotenoid, to aroma compounds by Pantoea dispersa Y08, a lutein-degrading bacterium isolated from marigold flower residue. Bioconversion conditions, including substrate concentration, applied co-solvent and reaction time, were optimized. A maximum biodegradation yield of 80 % for lutein at 10 g/l was achieved. The intermediate, 3-hydroxy-β-ionone, and final β-ionone products were revealed by GC-MS. A bioconversion pathway of lutein is proposed to involve cleavage at the 9-10 double bond position, followed by de-hydroxylation at the 3-hydroxy position. This is the first report of the ability of a bacterium, P. dispersa, to sequentially convert lutein to 3-hydroxy-β-ionone and then β-ionone.

Increase in lutein and zeaxanthin content in the eggs of hens fed marigold flower extract

Marigold flower extract (MFE), a natural source of xanthophylls, was added to the diets of hens at different concentrations (0, 150, 250, and 350 mg/kg of diet) to determine the effects of MFE on hen per - formance, physical characteristics of egg quality, and carotenoid content of the egg yolk of hens housed in enriched cages. Additionally, the highest dose of MFE (350 mg/kg) was tested under commercial poultry condi - tions and compared with a feed mixture with added synthetic carotenoids and a control diet without synthetic carotenoids. The highest hen-day egg production ( P = 0.005) and egg mass production ( P = 0.010) was found in hens fed a diet supplemented with MFE at 150 mg/kg. The performance characteristics, however, were not influenced by MFE under commercial conditions. When the dose of MFE was increased, increased values were observed for DSM Yolk Colour Fan ( P < 0.001), redness ( < 0.001), yellowness ( P < 0.001), ratio of redness and yellowness ( P < 0.001), and decreased for lightness ( P = 0.036). In the commercial study, the synthetic carotenoids decreased the value of yellowness ( P < 0.001) compared with the control group. The lutein and zeaxanthin content in yolk increased by approximately 11.5 and 5.9 mg/kg dry matter, respectively, after the MFE addition of 350 mg/kg. Supplementation with synthetic carotenoids significantly ( P < 0.001) decreased the α-tocopherol content in egg yolk. In conclusion, MFE is a suitable natural alternative for increasing the xanthophyll contents in eggs compared with the commercially used synthetic carotenoids.

Low-intensity blue light in night-interruption lighting does not influence flowering of herbaceous ornamentals

The spectral quality of photoperiodic lighting can affect flowering of short-day plants (SDPs) and long-day plants (LDPs) differently. When delivered during the middle of the night (night interruption, NI), red (R; 600–700nm) light alone can inhibit flowering of SDPs, whereas a combination of R and far-red (FR; 700–800nm) light promotes flowering of some LDPs. However, whether or not low-intensity (≈1–2μmolm−2s−1) blue (B; 400–500nm) light, when added to R and/or FR light, influences flowering has not been established. We investigated the effects of mixed B, R, and FR light on flowering of five SDPs [chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum×morifolium), cosmos (Cosmos sulfureus), two cultivars of dahlia (Dahlia pinnata), and marigold (Tagetes erecta)] and two LDPs [dianthus (Dianthus chinensis) and rudbeckia (Rudbeckia hirta)]. Plants were grown in a greenhouse at a constant set point of 20°C and received a truncated 9-h short day (SD) with or without 4-h NI lighting from incandescent (INC) lamps or white (W), B, B+R, B+FR, B+R+FR, or R+FR light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Each NI lighting treatment delivered a mean photon flux of 1.5μmolm−2s−1 between 400 and 800nm at plant height. Blue light alone was not perceived as a long day by all SDPs and LDPs tested. For all SDPs, W LEDs inhibited flowering most effectively. B+R NI was as effective as W NI at creating a long day for all SDPs except chrysanthemum. B+FR NI inhibited flowering of marigold and dahlia ‘Leanne’, but not chrysanthemum or dahlia ‘Gallery Pablo’. For marigold, B+FR NI was less effective than other NI lighting treatments with R light. B+R+FR and R+FR NI similarly delayed flowering of all SDPs except dahlia ‘Gallery Pablo’. NI lighting treatments containing R light similarly promoted flowering of rudbeckia. We conclude that in at least the crops studied, low-intensity B light during the night does not influence flowering. In addition, W LEDs that emit little FR light are effective at creating long days for SDPs but only some LDPs.

Antimicrobial Efficacy of Different Solvent Extracts of Tagetes erecta L. Flower, Alone and in Combination with Antibiotics

Bacteria have evolved numerous defences against antimicrobial agent and drug resistance in pathogen is on rise. This is due to rapid development of multi-drug resistance, limited anti-bacterial spectrum and adverse effects of available anti-microbial agents. This necessitates the search for new antimicrobials with diverse structures and novel mechanism of action. Flowers are mostly used for ornamental purposes and they are not frequently worked out hence marigold flower was selected for the study. The antimicrobial activity of different solvent (Hexane, Toluene, Ethyl acetate, Acetone, Methanol and Aqueous) extracts of marigold flowers were evaluated by agar well diffusion method against a panel of pathogenic microorganisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of acetone extract and its fraction were evaluated. B. cereus and K. pneumonia were the most sensitive organisms to acetone extract and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 78 μg/ml. Synergistic effect of acetone extract and commercial antibiotics (chloroamphenicol and ceftazidime) against pathogenic bacteria was investigated. The best synergistic activity was with combination of acetone extract and ceftazidime against B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa with FIC indices 0.312 and 0.093 respectively. Only the polar solvent acetone extract showed promising antibacterial and synergistic activity. These results indicate that combination between plant extract and the antibiotics could be useful in fighting emerging drug-resistant microorganisms and choice of the solvent plays a prominent role in evaluating antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants. Flowers can be taken as an alternative source of antimicrobial agent against the human pathogens.

Isolation and Purification of Lutein from Indian SpinachBasella alba

Lutein is a pharmacologically important phytochemical belonging to the class of carotenoids widely distributed in marigold flowers and green vegetables. It is industrially important for its biological activities such as antioxidant, immunostimulatory and macular protective properties. In this study, isolation and purification of lutein from Indian spinach, Basella alba was carried out. For the extraction of lutein, petroleum ether-acetone extract of spinach leaves was prepared which yielded 2.3 mg/100g of lutein. Preparative TLC of the extract yielded lutein with a Rf value of 0.12. Lutein isolated was subjected to spectral characterization by UV-Visible and FT-IR spectroscopy. The peaks obtained corresponded well with those reported for standard lutein. Results of the study indicated that B. alba leaves can be used as a source for obtaining lutein.

Marigold Petal Meal: A Natural Carotenoid Source for Pigmentation in Swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri)

An experiment was conducted to see the effect of feeding graded levels of marigold petal meal on pigmentation of skin, growth performance, nutrient utilization and muscle biochemical composition in ornamental fish, swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri). Different iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous experimental diets were formulated with supplementing five levels (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8%) of marigold flower meal. The experimental fish (n=225) were divided into five equal groups having three replicates under each group and fed respective experimental diets for a period of 60 days. The biochemical composition of fish muscle was similar in all the groups. Total carotenoids concentration (μg/g) in the skin of sword tail at the beginning and end of feeding was similar in control diet (2.94 vs 3.17). The supplementation of marigold petal meal in the diet significantly increased (P<0.05) the total carotenoid concentration in the muscle and skin of sword tail from 2.87 to 6.17 μg/g. Growth performance and nutrient utilization in fish were similar in all the experiment groups. The study revealed that marigold petal meal at the 4% level can be supplemented in the diet of swordtail for improvement of skin coloration through increase in the carotenoids concentration in skin without any adverse effect on body composition, growth and feed conversion efficiency.

New medium &amp;#145;APRM&amp;#148; for Isolation of Medically Important Fungi from Clinical and Environmental Samples

In recent years, scientists have shown a great interest in the study of fungi, which are implicated in various clinical disorders of humans and animals. Globally, numerous media are employed by the researchers in the microbiology and public health laboratories for the isolation of fungi from clinical and natural sources. Most of the microbiological media are very expensive, and hence, several laboratories in poor nations find it difficult to procure such costly media for routine work. This paper delineates the application of new medium called ‘APRM’ for the isolation of opportunistic moulds as well as yeasts from environmental and clinical samples of humans, and animals. The new medium designated as “APRM” (Anubha, Pratibha, Raj, Mahendra) contained 4 g of dried marigold flower, 2 .0 g agar,50 mg of chloramphenicol, and 100 ml of distilled water. The efficacy of this newly introduced medium, was compared with routinely used Sabouraud agar. In all 245 samples comprising of 195 clinical samples (125 humans and 70 animals), and 50 environmental substrates (25 pigeon droppings and 25 soils) were cultured on the plates of APRM medium and Sabouraud agar, and the inoculated media were incubated at 25oC. Many types of filamentous moulds, and yeasts were isolated on this new medium , and also on Sabouraud agar. The detailed morphological studies of the fungi recovered on both media were compared in Narayan stain to see, if any change in the morphology has occurred on this new medium. In addition, APRM agar without antibiotics was also used to recover bacteria from 10 milk,10 stool and 10 urine obtained from clinical cases in humans and animals.The bacteria were recovered from 2 milk, 3 stool and 2 urine on our new medium as well as on nutrient agar. The new medium was also employed to make subculture of few fungi to preserve for detailed study. As this medium is very economical, freely available in India, easy to prepare, and stable at room temperature, its wider use in microbiology and public health laboratories, particularly in poor resource countries for the primary isolation of fungi from various types of materials is highly recommended. Further studies on this newly developed medium to elucidate its efficacy as selective and differential agar for any fungus and bacterium will be highly rewarding. It is hoped that APRM medium will certainly prove very useful for primary isolation of fungi from a wide variety of samples originating from humans, animals, and environment. Attempts should be made to see the efficacy of APRM medium for dermatophytes, dimorphic fungi, and Prototheca.

Lutein content in marigold flower (Tagetes erecta L.) concentrates used for production of food supplements

The RP-HPLC with UV-VIS DAD detection was employed for the separation, identification, and quantification of lutein content in Marigold flower (Tagetes erecta L.) concentrates used for the production of food supplements. The concentrates commercially available in encapsulated (&amp;ldquo;granules&amp;rdquo; &amp;ndash; 16 samples) and powder (18 samples) forms were analysed. Only 10 samples showed lutein levels complying with lutein contents declared by the manufacturers. Marigold extract in the encapsulated form proved to be more stable against oxidation than the extract in the powder form. &amp;nbsp;

SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF COLOR

India has always been exalted and remembered fondly as country of symbolic colors. To an outsider, its colorful culture, streets, and stories seem like a page out of an ancient folk tale. But color, in essence, has been a large part of the Indian consciousness. From the deep orange marigold flowers that bejewel almost every celebration to the deep hues of red that deck up the bride on her most important day, colour of India has, over time, become synonymous with religion- an expression of faith and beliefs. In a country where a deep understanding of prevalent diversity is perhaps the only common thread that ties its people together, India is a magical experience that ought not to be missed.in a country as diverse and culturally vibrant as India, it is perhaps the common, lifestyles, and tradition. The symbolism of color stand out and control every aspects of life in India , be it religion, politics, festivals, or celebration .in India, be it north , south, west, or east, color and culture go hand in hand . Just like many other culture across the world, there are some typical classification of color to be found in India.

Lutein in specific marigold flowers and microalgae

Lutein is currently produced from marigold flowers. Microalgae can grow fast with high fixation rate of CO2, which have been proposed an alternative lutein source. This communication determined the contents of free lutein and lutein ester of two marigold flowers (Tagetes erecta and Tagetes patula) and two microalgae samples (Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Scenedesmus obliquus) using the same lutein extraction and identification protocol. The tested T. erecta has low lutein content. The T. patula has high content of lutein ester. Conversely, the tested C. pyrenoidosa and S. obliquus exhibit high contents of free lutein and chlorophyll and minimal quantity of lutein ester. Microalgae can be used instead of marigold flowers for lutein production if rapid production of free lutein products is required.