January 2010

The continuous depletion of the fossil fuel reserves and consequent escalation in their price has stimulated the researchers to find alternate sources to meet the global energy demand. Alcohol was prepared from different substrates of cassava by comparing two step enzyme-enzyme process and single step enzyme process followed by yeast fermentation. The study reveals 96 per cent fermentation efficiency, when the slurry was hydrolyses by two step enzyme-enzyme method and fermented by a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The aim of the present study was to estimate the protective role of taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid), a sulfur containing conditionally essential amino acid, against mercury -induced cardiac dysfunction in rats. Mercuric chloride was administered orally at a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight for 30 days. Mercury exposure caused significant accumulation of the mercury and rat’s hearts tissue. Levels of serum specific markers related to cardiac impairments, e.g. total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglyceride were altered due to mercury toxicity. Reduction in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, namely, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathioneperoxidase (GPx) have been observed in mercury exposed rats. Mercury intoxication also decreased the cardiac glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation end products. Oral administration of taurine at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight for 15 days, however, prevented all the toxin-induced oxidative impairments. The present results suggest that taurine protects the heart tissue against mercury induced toxicity.

Aqueous and ethanol extracts from the leaves of crinum asiaticum plants were investigated for their antibacterial activity against gram negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC10031) Klebsilla pneumoniae (ATCC 10031) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 11632) and Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 23859) using the agar well diffusion, disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. These extract ranged between 0.5 -1.5 mg/ml. The patterns of inhibition varied with the plant extract, the solvent used for extraction, and the organism tested. The different concentration of ethanol extract was significantly differed when compare to their aqueous extract. The maximum zone of inhibition and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was found to be 1.5mg/ml. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) value of the ethanol extract of Crinum asiaticum were in the range from 0.187 mg/ml to 0.375 mg/ml. Phytochemical analysis, more than 22 compounds have been identified by Gas chromatography with mass spectrophotometry, n-Hexadecanoic acid (22.44%), 9, 12, 15-octadecatrienoic acid (15.42%), 9, 12-octadecadienoic acid (14.78%), 9, 10–Anthracenedione 2-amino (7.65%) and phytol (7.43%) are the major present components. We conclude that the leaf of Crinum asiaticum is a natural source of new antibacterial compounds.

Salicornia brachiata is a stem succulent annual halophyte, which is widely distributed in the saltpans of Eastern Part of Pichavaram . Plant samples of Salicornia brachiata were collected from different localities around the East costal part of Tamilnadu, Pichavaram, during the months of June, July, August and September. Salinity and pH of the soils and plants was investigated and the relationship between these parameters tested statistically. The soil salinity values showed that the highest values were obtained in August, but after the rainfall in September these values started to decrease. The plant salinity values showed a parallel variation with the soil salinity values. The correlation between these two parameters was found to be positive and linear. No statistical relationship was obtained between soil–plant salinity and pH. This study reports the effect of salinity (0, 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000mM NaCl) on the growth, succulence, osmotic and water relations of the species under greenhouse conditions. Fresh and dry weight of plants increased with an increase in salinity. Optimal growth of S. brachiata plants were recorded at 400mM NaCl and the growth declined with a further increase in salinity. Both sodium (Na), chloride (Cl) and Nitrogen (N) contents of plants increased with an increase in salinity, while Phosphorus content decreased. Succulence of shoots increased at low salinity and decreased at high salinity.

The germination percentage, seedling growth and dry weight of six varieties of blackgram were high at 10 percent of sago factory effluent for all the varieties when compared to control. Among the six varieties studied, Vamban-2 showed better growth, the order of tolerance being Vamban-2>Vamban-1>ADT-4>ADT-5>KM-1>ADT-3.