Noscapine shows antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7,its clinical isolate Pf140/SS,and Plasmodium berghei ANKA

Objective:To evaluate the antimalarial activity of noscapine against Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain(Pf3D7),its clinical isolate(Pf140/SS),and Plasmodium berghei ANKA(PbA).Methods:Using ring-stage survival assay,phenotypic assessments,and SYBR-green-based fluorescence assay,the antimalarial activities of noscapine were assessed compared with dihydroartemisinin(DHA)in in vivo and in vitro studies.In addition,hemolysis and cytotoxicity tests were carried out to evaluate its safety.RT-PCR assay was also conducted to determine the effect of noscapine on papain-like cysteine protease Plasmodium falciparum falcipain-2(PfFP-2).Results:The antimalarial efficacy of noscapine against Pf3D7 and Pf140/SS was comparable to DHA,with IC50 values of(7.68±0.88)and(5.57±0.74)nM/mL,respectively,and>95%inhibition of PbA infected rats.Noscapine also showed a safe profile,as evidenced by low hemolysis and cytotoxicity even at high concentrations.Moreover,PfFP-2 expression was significantly inhibited in both noscapine-treated Pf3D7 and Pf140/SS(P<0.01).Conclusions:Noscapine has antimalarial properties comparable to standard antimalarial DHA with better safety profiles,which may be further explored as a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of malaria.

In-silico and in-vitro evaluation of docetaxel and berberine as potential p53 modulating apoptotic inducers in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Objective:To investigate the interaction of p53 with docetaxel and berberine and their anticancer activities against oral squamous cell carcinoma.Methods:The interaction between p53 with docetaxel and berberine was investigated and their mechanisms of action against oral squamous cell carcinoma were studied.Toxicity studies were performed to determine any toxic impact of the drugs on the vital organs of tested animals.Results:In silico results revealed the molecular interaction of docetaxel and berberine with p53 and the molecules were found to be potential p53 inducers.Docetaxel and berberine inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner.Flow cytometry analysis revealed that docetaxel and berberine at IC50 concentrations upregulated the expression of p53 in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells,thus triggering apoptotic cell death.In addition,no toxicity was observed in the liver and kidney tissues of mice after docetaxel and berberine treatment.Conclusions:Docetaxel and berberine significantly suppressed the proliferation of oral cancer cells by activating p53 expression and causing apoptotic cell death.Both compounds can be potential agents for the treatment of oral cancer,with little to no toxicity at the tissue level.

A Strategy to Employ Clitoria ternatea as a Prospective Brain Drug Confronting Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) Against Neurodegenerative Diseases and Depression

Ayurveda is a renowned traditional medicine practiced in India from ancient times and Clitoria ternatea is one such prospective medicinal herb incorporated as an essential constituent in a brain tonic called as medhya rasayan for treating neurological disorders.This work emphasises the significance of the plant as a brain drug there by upholding Indian medicine.The phytochemicals from the root extract were extricated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry assay and molecular docking against the protein Monoamine oxidase was performed with four potential compounds along with four reference compounds of the plant.This persuades the prospect of C.ternatea as a remedy for neurodegenerative diseases and depression.The in silico assay enumerates that a major compound(Z)-9,17-octadecadienal obtained from the chromatogram with a elevated retention time of 32.99 furnished a minimum binding affinity energy value of-6.5 kcal/mol against monoamine oxidase(MAO-A).The interactions with the amino acid residues ALA 68,TYR 60 and TYR 69 were analogous to the reference compound kaempferol-3-monoglucoside with a least score of-13.90/-12.95 kcal/mol against the isoforms(MAO)A and B.This study fortifies the phytocompounds of C.ternatea as MAO-inhibitors and to acquire a pharmaceutical approach in rejuvenating Ayurvedic medicine.

Changes in Microfungal Community in Cherrapunji—The Wettest Patch on Earth as Influenced by Heavy Rain and Soil Degradation

As part of a long time analysis to examine the ecological impacts of heavy rain coupled to soil degradation, soil fungal communities from two closely spaced sites bearing distinct ecology—one receiving heaviest rainfall but degraded patch on earth and the other pristine sacred grove forest were investigated over a period of three years. Cherrapunji besides being highest rainfall receiving area, is characterized by complete deforestation and soil erosion with sparse grasses forming the surface growth, whereas the sacred forests are conserved in their pristine nature due to religious beliefs of the indigenous tribes. The effect of deforestation and land degradation on soil microbes, soil organic carbon, soil nitrate nitrogen, soil pH, soil temperature, and fungal CFU/g were investigated from the two contrasting sites. The sites showed great variability in physical and chemical parameters including soil composition, temperature, pH, soil carbon, nitrogen content, water availability and enzyme activities. The population count of fungi was higher in sacred forest soil than degraded land of Cherrapunji. In both soil types, Penicillium perpurogenum markedly dominated and the co-dominant species (Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp. and Trichoderma sp.) were common in both virgin and degraded soils. A total of 63 species were identified during the study period. The species composition between the two sites showed some variation as Syncephalastrum sp., S. chartarum, Gliocladium sp., Eupenicillium osmophilum and Eurotium sp. were not present in Cherrapunji. The undisturbed sacred forest fungal communities had significantly higher Simpson, Shannon and evenness indices than that of degraded soil of Cherrapunji. The prolonged anthropogenic activity in the area leading to degradation coupled with heavy rainfall has decreased the diversity level of fungal communities and masked the pristine differentiating effect of soil on the fungal community.

Traditional medicines and their in-vitro proof against Staphylococcus aureus in Pakistan

Objective:To gather the fragmented literature on ethnobotany,phytochemistry and in-vitro activities of medicinal plants of Pakistan being used against common infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus(S.aureus).Methods:A large number of published and unpublished research studies related to the ethnomedicinal,phytochemical and anti-S.aureus activity of medicinal flora of Pakistan published from 1990-2018 were reviewed using online bibliographic databases such as PubMed,Web of Science,Science Direct,ResearchGate and libraries.Results:S.aureus can cause many human ailments including endocarditis,staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome,septic arthritis,respiratory problems with an estimated infection rate of 25%-35%across the globe.This review comprised of 86 medicinal plants.Data showed that people mostly used leaves(50%)for the preparation of traditional medicines.Correlation analysis on the reviewed data revealed that methanolic extract concentrations of medicinal plants was highly significantly positive correlated(r=0.8;P<0.01)with the S.aureus zone of inhibitions.S.aureus reportedly showed complete resistant to the commonly used antibiotic erythromycin.Isolated compounds like altheahexacosanyl lactone,cinnamaldehyde,niloticane,gobicusin A,asparacosin A,muzanzagenin,isoagatharesinol,friedelin,inophynone and eugenol were active against S.aureus.This study provided in-vitro proof for the flora of Pakistan used against different infections caused by S.aureus.Conclusions:Antibacterial agents from natural sources could be more effective against bacterial pathogens and will be helpful in minimizing the adverse effects of synthetic drugs,and hence provides a base for the pharmaceutical industries.

Diabetes mellitus susceptibility with varied diseased phenotypes and its comparison with phenome interactome networks

An emerging area of interest in understanding disease phenotypes is systems genomics.Complex diseases such as diabetes have played an important role towards understanding the susceptible genes and mutations.A wide number of methods have been employed and strategies such as polygenic risk score and allele frequencies have been useful,but understanding the candidate genes harboring those mutations is an unmet goal.In this perspective,using systems genomic approaches,we highlight the application of phenome-interactome networks in diabetes and provide deep insights.LINC01128,which we previously described as candidate for diabetes,is shown as an example to discuss the approach.

MetalloPred: A tool for hierarchical prediction of metal ion binding proteins using cluster of neural networks and sequence derived features

Given a protein sequence, how can we identify whether it is a metalloprotein or not? If it is, which main functional class and subclasses it belongs to? This is an important biological question because they are closely related to the biological function of an uncharacterized protein. Particularly, with the avalanche of protein sequences generated in the post genomic era and since conventional techniques are time consuming and expensive, it is highly desirable to develop an automated method by which one can get a fast and accurate answer to these questions. Here, a top-down predictor, called MetalloPred, is developed which consists of 3 level of hierarchical classification using cascade of neural networks from sequence derived features. The 1st layer of the prediction engine is for identifying a query protein as metalloprotein or not;the 2nd layer for the main functional class;and the 3rd layer for the sub-functional class. The overall success rates for all the three layers are higher than 60% that were obtained through rigorous cross-validation tests on the very stringent benchmark datasets in which none of the proteins has 30% sequence identity with any other in the same class or subclass. MetalloPred achieved good prediction accuracies and could nicely complement experimental approaches for identification of metal binding proteins. MetalloPred is freely available to be used in-house as a standalone and is accessible at http://www.juit.ac.in/assets/Metallopred/.

Bacterial Biofilm in Water Bodies of Cherrapunjee: The Rainiest Place on Planet Earth

Bacterial attachment is influenced by the cell surface, attachment media and other environmental factors. Bacterial community composition involved in biofilm formation in extremely high rainfall areas like Cherrapunjee has not been reported. The present study was undertaken to characterize bacteria involved in biofilm formation on different substrata in water bodies of Cherrapunjee, the highest rainfall receiving place on planet earth and to assess if the continuous rainfall has an effect on nature and colonization of biofilm bacteria. We developed the biofilm bacteria on stainless steel and glass surfaces immersed in water bodies of the study sites. Isolation of biofilm bacteria were performed on different culture media followed by estimation of protein and carbohydrate content of bacterial exopolysaccharides. 16S rRNA gene sequences were amplified for molecular characterization. The results showed that the biofilm bacterial diversity in water bodies of Cherrapunjee was influenced by substratum and was observed more in stainless steel than glass surface. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that biofilm microstructure may represent a key determinant of biofilm growth and physiology of associated bacteria. The overall protein content of the extracted EPS of all the isolates were relatively higher than the carbohydrate content. Diverse bacteria proliferated on the substrata regardless of each other's presence, with more diverse bacteria colonizing the substrata on 7th day compared to 15th day of incubation. The biofilm bacteria compositions in the highest rainfall receiving habitat were not distinctly different from reports available, hence not unique from other water bodies.

Screening of Different <i>Artemisia</i>spp. from Western Ghats of Maharashtra for an Anti-Malarial Compound—Artemisinin

Artemisinin, an endoperoxide sesquiterpene lactone has proven effective in treating drug resistant cases of malaria and cancer. Artemisia annua [sweet wormwood] is the sole source for artemisinin production in many countries. To counter the low content in leaves and costly chemical synthesis process in India, alternative ways to produce artemisinin have been sought. In current study, we collected A. pallens, A. japonica and A. nilagirica from Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India and analyzed artemisinin content. Samples were extracted from leaves and florets in various extraction conditions and analyzed using different chromatographic techniques. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) analysis showed the presence of compound with endoperoxide linkage in A. nilagirica. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed the detection of artemisinin in methylene dichloride florets extract of A. japonica, but the concentration was too low [1.3 mg/g dry wt.] for further analyses. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis identified structurally important components in the A. nilagirica ethyl acetate extract which explores the biosynthetic pathway of artemisinin from its most important precursor amorpha-4,11-diene. This is the first report of chromatographic screening of these Indian varieties of Artemisia spp. for artemisinin content.

Meiotic Studies in <i>Withania somnifera</i>(L.) Dunal.: A Threatened Medicinal Herb of Indian Thar Desert

Withania somnifera recently categorized as threatened plant of Rajasthan and known for its high medicinal value has been studied for existing genetic variations in four accessions collected from four different locations. From the present studies it is apparent that the gametic number of W. somnifera is n = 24 and 2n = 48. From the combined information generated by present author and earlier workers, it is tentatively believed that W. somnifera might be of allopolyploid origin with basic number of x = 12. In this case also precocious separation of rod bivalents but not structural hetrozygosity might be the reason for occurrence of univalents. From the detailed meiotic analysis, it is concluded that the species diversification is brought out by polyploidy in W. somnifera. Multidisciplinary approach for genome diagnostics with use of various marker systems might through more light on existing intra-specific genetic variation in W. somnifera.

Biochemical Characterization of Detoxifying Enzymes in Dimethoate-Resistant Strains of Melon Aphid, Aphis gossypii(Hemiptera: Aphididae)

The melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a highly polyphagous sap sucking pest on wide varieties of crops including cotton and vegetables. It is a notorious vector of many plant viruses that are persistently and non-persistently transmitted. In nature, aphids are regulated by their natural enemies. However, chemical control remains a major management tool even though resistance to insecticides has been documented worldwide. A better understanding of mechanisms by which insecticide resistance occurs and its early detection is desirable to develop effective management strategies. The present investigation was conducted to study the development of resistance to an organophosphate (OP) compound-dimethoate, identify biochemical mechanism(s) involved in resistance and study cross-resistance to imidacloprid in laboratory selected A. gossypii strains in comparison to susceptible strains. Bioassay studies revealed that the LC50 values increased dramatically with dimethoate selection in resistant strains and the resistance ratio (RR) was 270-, 243- and 210-fold greater than that of the susceptible strains by 30th generation. Further, biochemical assays revealed enhanced activities of carboxylesterases (CarE), glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and cytochrome P450-mediated p-Nitroanisole O-demethylase (PNOD) in resistant strains supporting their role in dimethoate detoxification. This study thus revealed that enhanced activity of detoxifying enzymes viz., CarE, GSTs and PNODs is one of the mechanisms underlying dimethoate resistance in A. gossypii collected from South India. Interestingly, the possibility of negatively correlated cross-resistance to imidacloprid was identified in three OP- resistant strains exhibiting 2.97-, 2.56- and 3.76-fold sensitivity to imidacloprid (a novel neonicotinoid). This indicated that the latter was less affected by the resistance mechanism(s) present.

Biochemical Characterization of Detoxifying Enzymes in Dimethoate-Resistant Strains of Melon Aphid, <i>Aphis gossypii</i>(Hemiptera: Aphididae)

The melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a highly polyphagous sap sucking pest on wide varieties of crops including cotton and vegetables. It is a notorious vector of many plant viruses that are persistently and non-persistently transmitted. In nature, aphids are regulated by their natural enemies. However, chemical control remains a major management tool even though resistance to insecticides has been documented worldwide. A better understanding of mechanisms by which insecticide resistance occurs and its early detection is desirable to develop effective management strategies. The present investigation was conducted to study the development of resistance to an organophosphate (OP) compound-dimethoate, identify biochemical mechanism(s) involved in resistance and study cross-resistance to imidacloprid in laboratory selected A. gossypii strains in comparison to susceptible strains. Bioassay studies revealed that the LC50 values increased dramatically with dimethoate selection in resistant strains and the resistance ratio (RR) was 270-, 243- and 210-fold greater than that of the susceptible strains by 30th generation. Further, biochemical assays revealed enhanced activities of carboxylesterases (CarE), glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and cytochrome P450-mediated p-Nitroanisole O-demethylase (PNOD) in resistant strains supporting their role in dimethoate detoxification. This study thus revealed that enhanced activity of detoxifying enzymes viz., CarE, GSTs and PNODs is one of the mechanisms underlying dimethoate resistance in A. gossypii collected from South India. Interestingly, the possibility of negatively correlated cross-resistance to imidacloprid was identified in three OP- resistant strains exhibiting 2.97-, 2.56- and 3.76-fold sensitivity to imidacloprid (a novel neonicotinoid). This indicated that the latter was less affected by the resistance mechanism(s) present.

Arsenite provides a selective signal that coordinates arsenate uptake and detoxification through the regulation of PHR1 stability in Arabidopsis

In nature,plants acquire nutrients from soils to sustain growth,and at the same time,they need to avoid the uptake of toxic compounds and/or possess tolerance systems to cope with them.This is particularly challenging when the toxic compound and the nutrient are chemically similar,as in the case of phosphate and arsenate.In this study,we demonstrated that regulatory elements of the phosphate starvation response(PSR)coordinate the arsenate detoxification machinery in the cell.We showed that arsenate repression of the phosphate transporter PHT1;1 is associated with the degradation of the PSR master regulator PHR1.Once arsenic is sequestered into the vacuole,PHR1 stability is restored and PHT1;1 expression is recovered.Furthermore,we identified an arsenite responsive SKP1-like protein and a PHR1 interactor F-box(PHIF1)as constituents of the SCF complex responsible for PHR1 degradation.We found that arsenite,the form to which arsenate is reduced for compartmentalization in vacuoles,represses PHT1;1 expression,providing a highly selective signal versus phosphate to control PHT1;1 expression in response to arsenate.Collectively,our results provide molecular insights into a sensing mechanism that regulates arsenate/phosphate uptake depending on the plant’s detoxification capacity.

Flexible and disposable paper-based gas sensor using reduced graphene oxide/chitosan composite

Nitrogen dioxide(NO_(2))is a representative toxicant in air pollution that mostly arises from the exhaust gas released by automobiles.It is related to various respiratory diseases such as pneumonia and sudden infant death syndrome.Additionally,because the toxicity of nitrogen dioxide is high in overpopulated areas(i.e.,a capital or metropolis),the development of simple,practical,and facile sensors is highly needed.This work presents a flexible and disposable paper-based NO_(2)sensor based on a reduced graphene oxide/chitosan(r GO/CS)composite.The synthesized r GO/CS composite can be easily flexed and deformed into various shapes,which are attributed to chitosan molecules that function as a dispersion and reduction agent and support material.In addition,this composite can be attached to paper owing to its adhesive property;hence it can be utilized in versatile applications in a disposable manner.By analyzing the conductive change of the r GO/CS composite when it reacts with NO_(2),we can detect nitrogen dioxide in a concentration range of 0–100 ppm with a detection limit of 1 ppm.Moreover,we performed NO_(2)detection in the exhaust gas released by automobiles using the r GO/CS composite for practical application.The results indicated that the r GO/CS composite has the potential to be used in feasible gas sensing as a facile and disposable sensor under various conditions.

Development of Chlorella pyrenoidosa EMS mutants with enhanced biomass and lipid content for biofuel production

Biodiesel production from microalgae depends on algal biomass production through autotrophic cultivation,and it has a lot of potential as a feasible alternative source of energy.The lethal and mutagenic effects of ethyl methanesulphonate(EMS)are investigated in the present study on the organism Chlorella pyrenoidosa for the generation of paler mutants.The C.pyrenoidosa wild-type strain was treated with 0.1,0.2,and 0.5 M EMS doses and the colonies that appeared after 20 days of growth on a solid TAP medium were analyzed,and a total of two mutant colonies with less pigmentation were identified.The CPM1(10.02±0.03 and 3.12±0.04µg/ml)and CPM2(9.55±0.0 and 32.84±0.03µg/ml)mutants had lower chloro-phyll a and b and carotenoids content than wild type.Mutants produced significant biomass(1.34-and 1.31-fold enhanced biomass in CPM1 and CPM2)and lipid content than the wild type.These findings suggest that genetic modification of C.pyrenoidosa has the potential to produce strains with increased biomass productivity and lipid content for biofuel production.

Community structure of Lumbricidae in beech woodland of the Bieszczady National Park, Southeast Poland

As ecosystem engineers,earthworms play a key role in the soil environment.However,due to increasing anthropogenic pressure,soil organisms,including earthworms,are being threatened by habitat loss.In this study,we undertook a qualitative and quantitative investigation of earthworms of the family Lumbricidae in four types of Carpathian beech woodland(Fagetum carpaticum),characterized by their understory vegetation(I,F.c.festucetosum drymejae;Ⅱ,F.c.typicum;Ⅲ,F.c.lunarietosum;and IV,F.c.allietosum),in the Bieszczady National Park(Eastern Carpathians,Southeast Poland).At each investigated site,soil monoliths(25 cm×25 cm×25 cm)were examined by hand sorting.Earthworms were expelled from deep soil layers using a weak formalin solution(0.4%).Depending on the phytocoenosis,7 species of Lumbricidae were identified at each of the sites I,Ⅱ,andⅢand 10 at site IV.Site IV(F.c.allietosum)differed significantly(P<0.05)from the other three sites with respect to earthworm biomass(59.71±39.53 g m^(-2))and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index(0.52±0.12).Although present three decades ago,the deep-burrowing species Octodrilus transpadanus and the litter-dwelling species Dendrobaena octaedra were not found at site IV in the present study.We suspect that these two species may have been displaced by the invasive Lumbricus terrestris,which was not found at the same site in the 1980s.Such observations warrant further investigation to verify the predicted effects of an invasive earthworm,including the potential effects on soils and other fauna and flora,which have been documented in numerous countries.

Natural therapeutics for cancer treatment:success,challenges,and prospect

Cancer is a terrifying disease that has become one of the world’s most challenging health concerns,necessitating a proactive approach to its treatment.Nature is a rich source of new chemical entities and a promising avenue for cancer research.Because of their different modes of action on target events in many ways,nature-derived chemicals are considered good possibilities for anticancer drug development.The current review article highlights recent breakthroughs in cancer therapeutics,including natural therapeutic molecules and their mechanisms of action against cancer treatment,as well as their limits,challenges,and prospect.For the review,article data have been collected from previously studied and published research reports,clinical evaluations,case studies,and clinical statistical data generated by scientific research organizations of repute.The chemical structures have been drawn using computational software(chemsketch).The development of promising candidates that can prevent or reduce the proliferation of cancer cells without causing adverse effects from these therapeutics is now underway.Further,nature-derived products are a game-changer because they are simple,safer,environmentally friendly,low-cost,quick,and less toxic than traditional treatment techniques.However,many bioactive chemicals and their analogs have been discovered as possible anticancer treatment options.In the review,the potent therapeutics phytochemicals derived from nature with their tremendous anticancer effects with limitations and prospects have been studied and analyzed based on previously published articles and reports.

Evaluation of Pakistan wheat germplasms for stripe rust resistance using molecular markers

Wheat production in Pakistan is seriously constrained due to rust diseases and stripe rust (yellow) caused by Puccinia striiformis f.sp.tritici,which could limit yields.Thus development and cultivation of genetically diverse and resistant varieties is the most sustainable solution to overcome these diseases.The first objective of the present study was to evaluate 100 Pakistan wheat cultivars that have been grown over the past 60 years.These cultivars were inoculated at the seedling stage with two virulent stripe rust isolates from the United States and two from Pakistan.None of the wheat cultivars were resistant to all tested stripe rust isolates,and 16% of cultivars were susceptible to the four isolates at the seedling stage.The data indicated that none of the Pakistan wheat cultivars contained either Yr5 or Yr15 genes that were considered to be effective against most P.striiformis f.sp.tritici isolates from around the world.Several Pakistan wheat cultivars may have gene Yr10,which is effective against isolate PST-127 but ineffective against PST-116.It is also possible that these cultivars may have other previously unidentified genes or gene combinations.The second objective was to evaluate the 100 Pakistan wheat cultivars for stripe rust resistance during natural epidemics in Pakistan and Washington State,USA.It was found that a higher frequency of resistance was present under field conditions compared with greenhouse conditions.Thirty genotypes (30% of germplasms) were found to have a potentially high temperature adult plant (HTAP) resistance.The third objective was to determine the genetic diversity in Pakistan wheat germplasms using molecular markers.This study was based on DNA fingerprinting using resistance gene analog polymorphism (RGAP) marker analysis.The highest polymorphism detected with RGAP primer pairs was 40%,50% and 57% with a mean polymorphism of 36%.A total of 22 RGAP markers were obtained in this study.RGAP,simple sequence repeat (SSR) and sequence tagged site (STS) markers were used to determine the presence and absence of some important stripe rust resistance genes,such as Yr5,Yr8,Yr9,Yr15 and Yr18.Of the 60 cultivars analyzed,17% of cultivars showed a RGAP marker band for Yr9 and 12% of cultivars exhibited the Yr18 marker band.No marker band was detected for Yr5,Yr8 and Yr15,indicating a likely absence of these genes in the tested Pakistan wheat cultivars.Cluster analysis based on molecular and stripe rust reaction data is useful in identifying considerable genetic diversity among Pakistan wheat cultivars.The resistant germplasms identified with 22 RGAP markers and from the resistance evaluations should be useful in developing new wheat cultivars with stripe rust resistance.

Protective effect of Phyllanthus fraternus against bromobenzene-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in rat kidney

Phyllanthus fraternus (PF) (Euphorbiaceae) is used in ancient Indian traditional phytomedicine to treat various human diseases including hepatic and renal disorders. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of PF aqueous extract against bromobenzene-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in rat kidney, compared with vitamin E used as positive control. Male Wistar rats divided into six (A-F) groups and the experimental animals were administered bromobenzene with or without prior administration of PF extract or vitamin E. Animals were sacrificed and the kidneys obtained for studying mitochondrial function and histopathology. Administration of bromobenzene caused significant changes, including decrease in the mitochondrial respiration and P/O ratios, an increase in lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, and a decrease in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase) in mitochondria with significant histopathological changes in the kidney. However, prior administration of the PF extract showed significant protection against bromobenzene induced renal damage by reversing all above parameters. Mitochondrial dysfunction induced by bromobenzene was protected much better with the PF extract than with vitamin E. These results suggested that the Phyllanthus fraternus extract is an efficient armament against nephrotoxicity induced by bromobenzene.