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In
recent years there has been a remarkable increment in the
area dealing with oxidative stress caused by Reactive Oxygen
Species (ROS). Oxidative stress leads to the consequence
of an imbalance of prooxidants and antioxidants in the organism.
ROS is a key phenomenon in chronic diseases. It is directly
involved in the pathogenic mechanism of risk factors and
in the protection exerted by various environmental factors.
Dietary antioxidants play a major role in the environmental
control of oxidative stress. Antioxidants present in fruits,
vegetables particularly, the polyphenol and flavonoid components
decrease oxidative stress. Flavonoids represent the most
common and widely distributed group of plant phenolics.
These bioactive molecules are linked to the health benefits
and has significant ROS scavenging properties.
In the paper "Quantitative Evaluation of the Antioxidant
Properties of Catha edulis", the authors, Bouayed
J, Djilani A, Rammal H, Dicko A, Younos C and Soulimani
R, have evaluated the total phenolics and flavonoids content
and related total antioxidant potential in C. edulis
leaf. The paper highlights the importance of the relevant
work in the area of potential antioxidant activity in this
plant which is chewed by a certain population of people.
It opens avenues in the area of signal transduction pathways
and gene expression, thereby providing valuable information
regarding the role of dietary polyphenol antioxidants in
the regulation of cellular function.
The
paper "Influence of Various Inoculum Levels of Macrophomina
phaseolina on Sprouting and Root Rot Disease Incidence
in Mulberry (Morus Spp.)", by N B Chowdhary
and Govindaiah, addresses the issue of the pathogenicity
of various isolates of Macrophomina phaseolina on
mulberry plant. The silk worm feeds on mulberry plants and
this is one of the most important aspects in the sericulture
industry. Mulberry leaf yield loss due to root rot disease
is caused by M. phaseolina. The study clearly demonstrates
the influence of various inoculum levels of Macrophomina
phaseolina on sprouting and root rot disease incidence
in mulberry. Sericulture is one industry which is beneficial
to agriculturists. India is the second largest producer
of silk, contributing about 18% to the world production.
This work is of economic importance.
In
the paper, "Induction and Proliferation of Callus Derived
from Different Explants of Flacourta jangomas (Lour.)
Raeusch, a Woody Medicinal Plant", the authors, P K
Yadav, V Kashyap and D Yadav, have carried out callus induction
with explants of freshly obtained twigs of the plant. This
is a woody, medicinal plant having considerable therapeutic
and economic value. The paper deals with the medicinal implications
of the plant and provides novel tissue culture protocol.
Further research can be extended to the medicinal importance
of the active ingredients obtained from different parts
of the plant which can be screened using suspension culture
methods.
In
the paper "Possible Modulating Action of Plant Extract
of Ocimum sanctum L. Against Methyl Methanesulphonate
and Cyclophosphamide Induced Genotoxic Damage In Vitro",
the authors, Yasir Hasan Siddique, Gulshan Ara,
Tanveer Beg and Mohammad Afzal have extensively investigated
the antigenotoxic effect of a very important plant species.
Ocimum sanctum L. is known as holy basil in English
and tulsi or tulasi in Hindi and is quite popular in naturopathy.
The study deals with the antigenotoxic potential of Ocimum
sanctum infusion at different dosages both in the presence
and absence of metabolic activation system on cultured human
lymphocytes. The study clearly shows that O. sanctum
infusion reduces the genotoxic damage by inducers in mammalian
cell lines.
The next paper is, "Antibacterial Activity of Some
Euphorbiaceae Weeds Against Pathogens" by Parmesha
M, Raghavendra S, Ramesh C K, Manjunatha K S and
Prakash G. Antibacterial studies were conducted by utilizing
three species of weeds belonging to Euphorbiaceae.The
results obtained revealed antibacterial activity in all
the plants. Plants have provided a source of inspiration
for novel drug compounds. The study has shown the significance
of weeds screening for antibacterial activity. It further
opens routes to venture into the study of largely unexplored
areas of nature for possible remedy and benefits. The investigation
is an evidence that scientifically unexplored weeds have
important biological activity and can be used as agents
for the development of novel drugs.
The
paper, "Efficiencies of Alternate Carrier Electives
for Rhizobium Biofertilizer" by P Sathiya Moorthi,
M Deecaraman, S Periyar Selvam and P T Kalaichelvan, offers
a great promise by improving the crop yields through environmentally
better nutrient supplies. In this context, it may be stated
that biofertilizers are very important and contain living
cells of different types of microorganisms. These are utilized
to convert nutritionally important elements from unavailable
to available form through biological processes. In the preparation
of an ideal biofertilizer, the carrier is important and
act as the delivery vehicle for the microorganism from factory
to the field. The study attempts to screen the potential
novel alternatives towards the traditionally used carriers
for R. leguminosarum as lignite.
The
last paper, "Comparative Chicken Mortality Rates in
Andassa Government Poultry Farm, Northwest of Ethiopia"
by Hailu Mazengia and Tekeba Eshetie provides basic information
on the mortality rate between the two breeds of chicken
across dry and wet seasons in Andassa government farm. Mortality
rates have been well-documented and compared. It focuses
on the poultry industry in Ethopia for better analysis of
health and disease of incoming and outgoing stock. It is
important for the maintenance of specific pathogen-free
parent stock flocks and improving biosecurity. Future work
should be carried out in the direction of health and management
of poultry industry. It provides the basic knowledge for
improving productivity.
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S B Mukherjee
Consulting
Editor
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