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T. Ghosh , T. K. Maity , A. Bose , G. K. Dash , M. Das

Abstract

Objective: To study the antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extract of aerial parts of Bacopa monnieri Linn. Materials and methods: Minimum inhibitory concentration of the extract was performed by broth dilution method and the zone of inhibition was studied by agar disc diffusion method at concentrations of 2, 5 and 10 mg/ml in DMSO. Ciprofloxacin (5 μg/ml) and Cotrimazole (25 μg/ml) were used as reference controls for the antibacterial and antifungal studies respectively. Results: The results of MIC study revealed the antimicrobial activity of the extract against the tested strains of microorganisms between concentration ranges of 50 and 400 μg/ml. The results of zone of inhibition study revealed concentration dependant nature of the extract with better effectiveness against gram-positive bacteria than gram-negative bacteria. Conclusion: The present study indicates the potential usefulness of B. monnieri aerial parts in the treatment of various pathogenic diseases as mentioned in the Ayurvedic literature.

Keywords

Bacopa monnieri Linn., Antibacterial Activity, Antifungal Activity, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, Zone of Inhibition

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A. Bose , S. Mondal , J. K. Gupta , T. Ghosh , S. Si , D. Debbhuti

Abstract

Objective: To study the antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extract and its various fractions of Cleome rutidosperma DC. Materials and methods : Minimum inhibitory concentration of the extract was performed by broth dilution method against both for the bacterial and fungal strains. Results : The results of MIC study revealed the antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extract and its different fractions against the tested strains of microorganisms. The activities were found to be potentiated by fractionation of mother extract (ethanolic extract) with highest activity for diethyl ether fraction. Conclusion : The present study indicates the potential usefulness of C. rutidosperma in the treatment of various pathogenic diseases.

Keywords

Cleome rutidosperma DC, Antibacterial Activity, Antifungal Activity, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration

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T. Ghosh , T. K. Maity , A. Bose

Abstract

Objective: To study the in vitro antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract of leaves of Cajanus cajan Linn. Materials and methods: The antioxidant activity, reducing power, nitric oxide scavenging activity, superoxide radical scavenging activity, anti lipid peroxidation activity and total phenolics of the ethanolic extract of Cajanus cajan were studied in vitro as parameters to investigate its antioxidant potential. Results: The reducing power of the extract was found to be concentration dependant. The absorbance increased with increasing amount of the sample. The antioxidant activity, nitric oxide scavenging activity, superoxide radical scavenging activity and anti lipid peroxidation activity were also concentration dependant with IC₅₀ value being 324.59 μg/ml, 46.42 μg/ml, 35.24 μg/ ml and 338.02 μg/ml respectively. The activities were found to be comparable with the reference drugs. Amount of total phenolics was found to be 39.8 μg of pyrocatechol equivalent per mg of extract. Conclusion: The results obtained in the present study indicate that ethanolic extract of C. Cajunus is a potential source of natural antioxidants.

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T. N. Parthasarathy ¹, P. Rajasekharan ¹, Y. S. Manjunath ¹, S. N. Chaturvedi ¹, A. Bose ¹

Affiliations
1 Atomic Minerals Division, Hyderabad-500 016, IN

Abstract

Ultramafic-mafic rocks of komatiitic affinity are reported from the Kerali area of Abujhmar basin in Bastar Craton, Madhya Pradesh. These rocks, occurring below the Gundul sandstone member of the Middle Proterozoic Abujhmar group, are composed of peridotitic komatiites, pyroxenitic komatiites and basaltic komatiites, besides tholeiites and microgabbro emplaced into them as dykes. Petrographically, olivine and pyroxene occur both as major phenocrysts, and as microphenocrysts, with the groundmass made up of interstitial glass. Normatively, these rocks are both olivine and hypersthene normative. Petrochemical data plots on discriminant ternary diagrams such as AFM, Jensen Cation plot, MgO-CaO-AI₂O₃ diagram, indicate their close similarity to the komatiitic trends shown by the type area rocks from the Munro Township area, Canada and Yilgarn Block of West Australia very much paralleling the trend of Barbertonland komatiites. Trace element data involving Ti, Y, Zr and V plots also points out that these rocks fall in the kornatiitic field as against the tholeiitic field. Tectonic environment discriminant diagram involving the plots of these ultramafic-mafic rocks indicates the possibility of deep passive or 'failed' (?) rift in the region through which these ultramatic-mafic rocks of komatiitic affinity might have been emplaced.

Keywords

Ultramafic Rocks, Komatiite, Petrochemistry, Abujhmar Basin, Bastar Craton, Madhya Pradesh.

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A. Bose ¹

Affiliations
1 Indian Cryogenics Council, Jadavpur University Campus, Calcutta-700 032, IN

Abstract

Friction, an irreversible phenomenon of Nature, is most often a necessity, but quite often a nuisance. Without friction there could be no locomotion of bodies en masse and all solid structures would fall to pieces. On the other hand, friction is one major source of irreversible loss of energy in all types of motion leading ultimately to increase the entropy of the physical systems.

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