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S. Sudha , S. Kumaresan , A. Amit , J. David , B. V. Venkataraman

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate anti-convulsant profile of different extracts of Centella asiatica and Bacopa monnieri in rats. Materials and methods: The effects of single oral administration of different preparations of C.asiatica and B.monnieri were evaluated for their anticonvulsant profile in the Maximal Electroshock Seizure (MES) in rats at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h after administration and Pentylene tetrazole (PTZ) test in mice and rats. The ED50 dose of Phenytoin (30 mg/kg) was used for comparison. Results: The crude drug of C.asiatica (500 mg/kg) showed mild to moderate anticonvulsant activity, from 1 h to 24 h. The methanolic extract of C.asiatica (CA-I) showed higher activity than the crude drug at 3 and 6 h, but there was no anti-convulsant activity at 1 h. The solubulised extract of C.asiatica (CA-II) (using Cresmer RH 40 and propylene glycol) at 500 and 1000 mg/kg, also showed a similar profile of activity which was dose-dependent. The crude drug of B.monnieri (500 mg/kg) showed mild to moderate activity from 1 h to 6 h but there was no activity at 24 h. The methanolic extract of B.monnieri (BM-I) (which was later partitioned between butanol and water) showed a lesser degree of activity only at 3 h and 6 h. The solubilised extract of B.monnieri (BM-II) (500 mg/kg) showed mild to moderate activity at 3 h and 6 h with minimal activity at 24 h. At 1000 mg/kg, a comparatively higher degree of activity was seen at 1 h - 6h but not at 24 h. The activity of B.monnieri was almost equivalent to Phenytoin at 6 h. In the Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) chemoshock seizure test, no activity was detected for both plants (500 mg/kg). Conclusion: Overall, B.monnieri has a faster onset of action and time/dose responses were qualitatively similar to Phenytoin, while C.asiatica had quantitatively lesser activity but had a longer duration of action.

Keywords

Centella Asiatica, Bacopa Monnieri, Anti-convulsant Activity, Maximal Electroshock Seizure (MES), Pentylene Tetrazole. (PTZ)

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B. S. Balakumar ¹, K. Ramanathan ², S. Kumaresan ¹, R. Suresh ¹

Affiliations
1 Dept. Of Plant biology & Plant Biotechnol., RKM. Vivekananda College, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004, IN
2 Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, US

Abstract

Serious health problems in humans are caused by arsenic-exposure, which is wide spread in the environment. Sodium arsenite, capable of inducing macromolecular damage is evaluated for its DNA damaging effect in the blood, liver, kidney and bone marrow cells of Wistar rats. Also the ameliorative potential of a-tocopherol (400 mg/kg body weight) and ascorbic acid (200 mg/kg body weight) supplemented orally to arsenic-intoxicated rats (100 ppm in drinking water for thirty days) in neutralizing the genotoxic effect of arsenite was explored. Detection of DNA damage at cellular level is evaluated by single cell gel electrophoresis or comet assay, under alkaline conditions. This study demonstrated that dietary supplementation of antioxidants such as vitamins C and E could ameliorate arsenite induced toxicity in experimental rats.

Keywords

Arsenic, Antioxidants, Ascorbic Acid, Comet Assay, DNA Damage, Genotoxicity, in vivo, α- Tocopherol

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B. S. Balakumar ¹, S. Kumaresan ¹, R. Venugopal ², V. Sivasubramanian ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Plant Biology & Plant Biotechnology, RKM. Vivekananda College, Mylapore, Chennai -600 004, IN
2 Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, South korea

Abstract

Arsenic, an element ubiquitous in the environment, causes serious health problems in humans. The general population is more exposed to arsenic through drinking water than through air and food. Sodium arsenite, capable of inducing genotoxic effects through oxidative stress, is evaluated for its clastogenic effect by the formation of chromosomal aberrations in the bone marrow cells of Wistar rats. We also investigated whether the oral supplementation of α- tocopherol (400 mg/kg body weight) and ascorbic acid (200 mg/kg body weight) to arsenic-intoxicated rats (100 ppm in drinking water) for 30days, ameliorates arsenic-induced toxicity. We report that the dietary supplementation of antioxidants such as vitamins C and E could prevent sodium arsenite induced toxicity in rats under experimental conditions.

Keywords

Arsenic, Genotoxicity, Ascorbic Acid, α-tocopherol, Chromosomal Aberrations, Vitamins, Rat, Bone Marrow

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P. Balaji ¹, S. Kumaresan ², S. D. Sivakumar ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Forest Products and Utilization, Forest College and Research Institute, Mettupalayam, (T.N.), IN
2 Department of Agricultural and Rural Management, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore (T.N.), IN

Abstract

In India about 50 per cent of the population depends on agriculture, majority are small land holding farmers.As per world agriculture statistics (FAO, 2010). India is the world's largest producer of many fresh fruits and vegetables with a large and diverse agricultural sector in the world next to China. As of now, India ranks second worldwide in farm output. Agriculture with allied sectors contributed 13.7 per cent of the GDP during 2010-11 (CSO, 2011). This research paper aims to study the cost and returns of pandal vegetables cultivation in Coimbatore District. 120 farmers was interviewed from Anamalai and Madukkarai blocks of Coimbatore District. The total establishment cost for pandal was Rs.3.2 lakhs per hectare and the investment cost for drip irrigation was Rs.0.73 lakhs per hectare. Majority of the sample farmers had experience of 21-30 years in farming and most of the farmers had 6-10 years experience in pandal vegetables cultivation. The cost of production per quintal of bitter gourd, snake gourd and ribbed gourd was Rs.1103, Rs. 981 and 952.71, respectively.

Keywords

Pandal Vegetables, Bitter Gourd, Snake Gourd, Ribbed Gourd, Cost of Cultivation.

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Swagat Ghosh ¹, K. V. Dhaneesh ¹, T. T. Ajith Kumar ¹, S. Kumaresan ¹, T. Balasubramanian ¹

Affiliations
1 Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, Parangipettai - 608 502, Tamilnadu, IN

Abstract

In September 2008, four numbers of clownfishes were obtained during the cage operation for ornamental fish collection carried out at Van Island of Tuticorin, Southeast coast of India. For the better health and survival, the fishes were packed in individual polythene bags filled with sufficient air and they were transported to the Marine ornamental fish hatchery at the Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University. They were accommodated in the quarantine tank with two numbers of sea anemones, Stichodactyla mertensii for three days. Among the four, one fish has died and the same was measuring a total length of 111 mm and weight of 25 g.

Keywords

Yellow Tail Anemonefish, Amphiprion clarkii, Tuticorin Reef Waters.

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