Toxicity of Fusarium solani Strains on Brine Shrimp (Artemia salina)

Discovery of anticancer drugs that must kill or disable tumor cells in the presence of normal cells without undue toxicity is an extraordinary challenge. Cytotoxicity of plant or fungal materials is considered as the presence of antitumor compounds. Brine shrimp lethality for larvae （nauplii） is used as prescreening test for the antitumor compounds. In this study, culture filtrates of eight strains of Fusarium solani isolated from seeds of various crops were tested for the toxic effect on brine shrimp. Five of the strains （TS, S-29, B-17, C-10, W-5） showed highest toxic effect and three of the strains （SR, T-9, L-25） showed low toxic activity on brine shrimp. Toxic activity reduced when culture filtrates were diluted. However, F. solani strains TS, B-17, SR, T-9 and L-25 caused more than 30% mortality at 1：10 dilution. Toxic activity was slightly reduced when the filtrates were neutralized with sodium hydroxide indicating possible role of pH of culture filtrate on toxicity. Lyophilized filtrates of these strains showed less activity as compared to un-lyophilized filtrates, n-Hexane soluble fraction was obtained only in three strains which showed mild toxicity whereas chloroform soluble fraction was obtained in negligible quantity and could not further be proceeded. Toxic effect of these strains showed variation from strain to strain. Compounds from F. solani could be exploited for the development of toxic compounds.

Decline in a Tilletia indica Teliospore Population in a Naturally Infested Arizona (USA) Wheat Field

Following a 2004-outbreak of Karnal bunt in an Arizona wheat field where infection had not been detected in recent years, the population and viability of Tilletia indica teliospores in surface and subsurface layers of soil were monitored over a four-year period. The field was seeded with two parallel 1.8 m × 190 m strips of wheat, 11 m apart and the remainder planted in non-host barley. Thirty-eight 1.22 m2 wheat plots were harvested and seed examined for infection. Several times throughout each season soil samples were taken from each of 25 points throughout the field. Teliospores extracted from subsamples of each soil sample were examined to estimate the number of teliospores per gram soil and germination percentage. The average (SD) infection observed for each of the four consecutive seasons was 7.05 (4.6), 2.89 (5.5), 0, and 0.004% (0). The average number of teliospores recovered per gram of soil during the first sampling was 36 and 39 for the 0.5 cm deep (surface) and 5.5 cm deep (subsurface), respectively, with an average teliospore germination of 29%. By the last season, the average numbers of teliospores recovered were 5 and 2.5 per gram of soil, respectively, with an average germination of 1.0%.

Hepatoprotective potential of three sargassum species from Karachi coast against carbon tetrachloride and acetaminophen intoxication

Objective:To assess the hepatoprotective effect of ethanol extracts of Sargassum variegatum(S.variegatum),Sargassum tenerrimum(S.tenerrimum)and Sargassum binderi occurring at Karachi coast against carbon tetrachloride(CCl_(4))and acetaminophen intoxication in rats.Methods:Sargassum species were collected at low tide from Buleji beach at Karachi coast.Effect of ethanol extracts of Sargassum spp.,on lipid parameter,serum glucose and kidney function was examined.Liver damage in rats was induced by CCl_(4) or acetaminophen.Rats were administered with ethanol extracts of S.tenerrimum,S.variegatum and Sargassum binderi at 200 mg/kg body weight daily for 14 days separately.Hepatotoxicity was determined in terms of cardiac and liver enzymes and other biochemical parameters.Results:S.variegatum showed highest activity by reducing the elevated level of hepatic enzymes,bilirubin,serum glucose,triglyceride with restoration of cholesterol.Urea and creatinine concentrations were also significantly(P<0.05)reduced as compared to acetaminophen intoxicated rats.S.tenerrimum and S.variegatum showed moderate activity against CCl_(4) hepatic toxicity.Conclusions:The protective role of S.variegatum against acetaminophen liver damage and its positive impact on disturbed lipid,glucose metabolism,kidney dysfunction and S.tenerrimum against CCl_(4) liver toxicity suggest that Sargassum species offer a non-chemical means for the treatment of toxicity mediated liver damage.