Evaluation of sterilants on the establishment of in vitro regeneration protocol in Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers.

Litsea cubeba holds significant commercial value due to its essential oils and pharmacological properties. Establishing an effective in vitro culture system is crucial for mass propagation and conservation of this species. However, microbial contaminants present a common challenge, often hindering the establishment of in vitro cultures. The present study was conducted to establish and maintain in vitro cultures of L. cubeba. The sterilants, viz., mercuric chloride (HgCl2) and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), were evaluated at different concentrations (0.1, 0.2%) and exposure times (3, 5, 7 minutes for HgCl2; 10, 15, 20 minutes for NaOCl) to assess their contamination and survival rates. Among all the treatments tested, treatment 11 (T11) with 0.2% NaOCl for 15 minutes was found to be the most effective , with a survival rate of 97.30% and a contamination rate of 6.76%. The study revealed that NaOCl when applied at optimized concentrations, effectively reduced microbial contamination while maintaining higher explant viability. In contrast, although HgCl2 demonstrated strong antimicrobial action, it resulted in increased tissue damage and lower survival due to its phytotoxic nature. Extended exposure and higher concentrations of both sterilants significantly affected explant viability and inhibited shoot regeneration. These findings suggest that NaOCl is a more suitable and environment friendly alternative for sterilization in L. cubeba culture establishment. The study contributes toward developing a standardized sterilization protocol for efficient micropropagation and conservation of this valuable species.

Comparative Phytochemical Investigation and Determination of Total Phenols and Flavonoid Concentration in Leaves and Flowers Extract of Delonix regia (Boj. Ex. Hook)

Medicinal plants are the potent source of biologically active compounds and have always been of field of interest for the effective chemotherapeutic agents and offering a broad spectrum of activity with greater emphasis on preventive action. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the phytochemical constituents, total phenol and total flavonoids content in leaves and flowers different extract of Delonix regia. Qualitative analysis of various phytochemical constituents and quantitative analysis of total phenolics and flavonoids were determined by the well-known test protocol available in the literature. Quantitative analysis of phenolic and flavonoids was carried out by Folins Ciocalteau reagent method and aluminium chloride method respectively. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids and carbohydrate. The present study concluded that the crude extract of Delonix regia is a rich source of secondary phytoconstituents which impart significant antioxidant potential. It is expected that the important phytochemical properties recognized by our study in the indigenous medicinal plants will be very useful in the curing of various diseases when taken along with our food. Keywords: Delonix regia, Phytochemical screening, Folins ciocalteau reagent, Aluminium chlorid

Efficacy of Fungicides for Control of White Mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Lib.) De Bary in Lima Bean

White mold of lima bean (Phaseolous lunatus) caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a major disease in India. Isolates of the pathogen from different region of Uttar Pradesh were assayed both in vitro and in the greenhouse (in vivo) for their sensitivity to eight commercially available fungicides, viz., dithiocarbamic acid, carbendazim, ziram, phenylthiourea, carboxin + dithiocarbamic acid, difenoconazole, hydrogen sulphide, and mancozeb. Phenylthiourea and difenoconazole were found to be most effective and these inhibited radial growth of the test organism a level of to 71.5% and 70.5%, respectively. These two fungicides were also found as most promising in controlling the disease under greenhouse conditions, reducing disease severity to 0.14% and 0.22%, respectively compared to the control where it was 18.9%

Induction of anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) plays a key role in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-induced breast cancer cell proliferation and migration

Anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) is a promising anti-tumor target associated with estrogen receptor expression and metastatic progression of breast cancer. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is another potent factor that stimulates breast cancer progression and mediates anti-estrogen drug resistance. However, the precise mechanism and connections between these two factors in breast cancer drug resistance have not been fully elucidated. Here, for the first time, we decipher that IGF-1 remarkably induces AGR2 in the MCF7 cell line, through an estrogen response element (ERE) between −802 and −808 bp and a leucine zipper transcription factor-binding site located between −972 and −982 bp on the AGR2 promoter. We also found that the ERK1/2 and AKT pathways mediate estrogen receptor-α at the upstream of ERE and that the JNK pathway activates the leucine zipper site through the c-Jun/c-Fos complex. Additionally, our data suggest that knockdown of AGR2 reduces IGF-1-induced cell proliferation, migration and cell cycle progression. Therefore, we report that AGR2 is a key modulator involved in IGF-1-induced breast cancer development. We propose that the identification of the mechanism linking the IGF-1/insulin signal and AGR2 promoter activation is important, because it provides insights into the development of anti-breast cancer drugs

Microbiome-based therapeutics for metabolic disorders: harnessing microbial intrusions for treatment

The rising global rates of metabolic disorders, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and metabolic syndrome, call for new treatment methods beyond traditional drugs. The human gut microbiota, made up of trillions of microorganisms that plays a crucial role in maintaining metabolic balance through complex biochemical processes and interactions between hosts and microbes. Dysbiosis, which involves changes in microbial composition and a decrease in diversity, has become a major factor in metabolic problems. This disruption impacts the production of short-chain fatty acid, increase in permeability of intestine, and causes enduring low-grade inflammation. This review features into the potential of treatments based on microbiome for metabolic syndromes, focusing on probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics. It also encompasses innovative methods such as engineered microbial consortium, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and vaginal microbiota transplantation (VMT). Probiotics show significant promise in improving blood sugar control and enhancing lipid levels. Prebiotics help bring about positive changes in microbial composition and the production of beneficial metabolites. Synbiotic combinations provide added benefits by helping good microbes thrive while supplying nutrients they can ferment. Postbiotics have recent research focus because they are safer, more stable, easier to store, and less likely to contribute to antibiotic resistance comparative to live probiotics. Even now there are substantial complications in translating microbiome research into standardized therapeutics despite of promising pre-clinical outcomes and some initial clinical data. These comprises individual variances, strain-specificity, dosage problems, regulation issues, and the necessity for personalised treatment strategies. Future success will depend upon personalized medicine, technological developments, and the incorporation of multi-omics strategy to generate metabolic health therapeutics depending on targeted microbiomes

A human leucyl-tRNA synthetase as an anticancer target

Several aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases have been reported to be overexpressed for charging essential aminoacyl-tRNAs in many cancer types. In this study, we aimed to explore the potential role of leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LARS) as an anticancer target. MTT assay was performed to screen inhibitors to human LARS (hsLARS) from compounds AN2690 and its derivatives, compounds 1–6, in U2OS and SKOV3 cells. The compound with the strongest inhibitory ability was further investigated for its inhibitory effect in cancer cell lines and in an animal tumor model. Additionally, a LARS-rescue experiment was performed to explore the potential target in U2OS using Western blot and flow cytometry. Luciferase reporter assay was designed to analyze the effect of of hsLARS inhibitor on p21 activation. We identified an hsLARS inhibitor (compound 2) that suppressed the proliferation of U2OS and SKOV3 cells in vitro. A LARS-rescue experiment demonstrated that the proliferation inhibition was induced by targeting intracellular LARS. In addition, the hsLARS inhibition was shown to activate the p21 early transcription and promote cell apoptosis, as well as reduce implanted EMT6 tumor progression in mice. Our results suggest that LARS might serve as a potential anticancer target through the p21 signaling pathway and that the nutritional signaling pathway may provide a valuable anticancer strategy for further investigation

The feasibility of task-sharing the identification, emergency treatment, and referral for women with pre-eclampsia by community health workers in India.

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive disorders are the second highest direct obstetric cause of maternal death after haemorrhage, accounting for 14% of maternal deaths globally. Pregnancy hypertension contributes to maternal deaths, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, due to a scarcity of doctors providing evidence-based emergency obstetric care. Task-sharing some obstetric responsibilities may help to reduce the mortality rates. This study was conducted to assess acceptability by the community and other healthcare providers, for task-sharing by community health workers (CHW) in the identification and initial care in hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. METHODS: This study was conducted in two districts of Karnataka state in south India. A total of 14 focus group discussions were convened with various community representatives: women of reproductive age (N = 6), male decision-makers (N = 2), female decision-makers (N = 3), and community leaders (N = 3). One-to-one interviews were held with medical officers (N = 2), private healthcare OBGYN specialists (N = 2), senior health administrators (N = 2), Taluka (county) health officers (N = 2), and obstetricians (N = 4). All data collection was facilitated by local researchers familiar with the setting and language. Data were subsequently transcribed, translated and analysed thematically using NVivo 10 software. RESULTS: There was strong community support for home visits by CHW to measure the blood pressure of pregnant women; however, respondents were concerned about their knowledge, training and effectiveness. The treatment with oral antihypertensive agents and magnesium sulphate in emergencies was accepted by community representatives but medical practitioners and health administrators had reservations, and insisted on emergency transport to a higher facility. The most important barriers for task-sharing were concerns regarding insufficient training, limited availability of medications, the questionable validity of blood pressure devices, and the ability of CHW to correctly diagnose and intervene in cases of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Task-sharing to community-based health workers has potential to facilitate early diagnosis of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and assist in the provision of emergency care. We identified some facilitators and barriers for successful task-sharing of emergency obstetric care aimed at reducing mortality and morbidity due to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy