025288   KARABEY B, EROGLU D, VURAL C, OZDEMIR G, YERLIKAYA O, KINIK O (Biology Dep, Ege Univ, Izmir, Turkey, Email: guven.ozdemir@ege.edu.tr) : Determination of the microbial flora in traditionnal Izmir Tulum cheeses by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. J Food Sci Technol 2018, 55(3), 956-63.

In this study, it was aimed to determine microbial flora members in three traditional Tulum cheeses (C1, C2 and C3) produced in different villages and settlement areas in İzmir, Turkey. For this purpose, culture depended and 16S rRNA based culture independent methods were used. According to the results of culture depended method, Lactococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Pediococcus spp. and yeast-mold were detected in all samples at different levels. In order to determine and identify both of the culturable and non-culturable microorganisms, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) method was used. DGGE results have shown that there were eight different dominant microorganisms (Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis subs. lactis, Streptococcus infantarius subs. infantarius, Lactobacillus gallinarum, Streptococcus equinus, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Lactococcus gar-vieae) in three regionally cheese samples. Further more, total bacterial loads were monitored with real-time PCR (qPCR) method. According to the results, 3.5 x 10⁸, 3.8 x 10⁸, 8.4 x 10⁸ copy number of DNA was detected in C1, C2 and C3 cheese samples, respectively. This study is the first description for the dynamics of microbial composition of Izmir Tulum cheese after the production and brining processes.

3 illus, 3 tables, 26 ref

025283   CHAUBEY K K, SINGH S V, BHATIA A K (Animal Health Div, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Goats, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, Email: shoorvir_singh@rediffmail.com) : 'Indigenous' and 'Ethanol Vortex' ELISA kits for diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in cattle: Is there a 'Globally Relevant Kit' in the 'Reverse Ice-burg' environment. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(4), 279- 86.

Highly versatile and robust 'Indigenous ELISA kit' for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in cattle herds was compared with 'Ethanol Vortex (EV) ELISA kit' of USA. Of 160 (118 vaccinated and 42 non-vaccinated) cattle screened, 129 and 35 were positive in 'Indigenous' and 'Ethanol Vortex' ELISA kits, respectively. 'I-ELISA', using 'semi-purified protoplasmic antigen' from native highly prevalent biotype ('Indian Bison type') of MAP of goat origin, was highly sensitivitive (91.4 %) as compared to the 'EV-ELISA. 'I-ELISA kit using whole cell sonicate from native 'S 5' (‘Indian Bison type’) strain of MAP as 'antigen source' was significantly superior than EV-ELISA kit using surface antigens from 'Linda' strain ('cattle type') of cattle origin in USA. Therefore, 'i-ELISA kit' may be recommended for the screening of domestic cattle herds against MAP infection in India. The present study has demonstrated that in the diagnosis of chronic infections and diseases, such as Johne's disease, 'Indigenous kits' are significantly superior to kits made in other countries, EV-ELISA, in the present case, particularly screening of native cattle herds endemically infected with MAP.

7 tables, 45 ref

025282   SHAIKH S S, WANI S J, SAYYED R Z, THAKUR R, GULATI A (Microbiology Dep, PSGVP Mandal's Arts, Science & Commerce Coll, Maharashtra- 425 409, Email: sayyedrz@gmail.com) : Production, purification and kinetics of chitinase of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolated from rhizospheric soil. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(4), 274- 8.

Chitinases, through decomposition of chitin, have wide applications, and hence are in demand. Researchers over the period, are looking for potential microbial sources and for optimal production of chitnases. Here, we report isolation of three chitinolytic bacterial species belonging to three genera from different agricultural soil sample collected from Shahada, Maharashtra, India, on minimal agar plates containing colloidal chitin as source of chitin. Stenotrophomonas was found to be the most dominant species, followed by Pseudomonas and Alcaligenes. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia identified using 16S rRNA sequencing, Biolog and GC-FAME analysis showed optimum (1.5 U/mL) chitinase activity on chitin agar plates and in submerged culture broth with pH 6-7, incubation of 2 days at 37 °C. Presence of CaCl₂ stimulated the enzyme production but EDTA was suppressive. The enzyme upon purification by using sephadex G-100 gel filtration showed improved chitinolytic activity, enzyme kinetics and 2.4 fold increase in purification yield. The molecular weight of purified chitinase as determined by SDS-PAGE was 50-55 kDa.

4 illus, 35 ref

025281   GUPTA S, BHAGAT M, SUDAN R, RAJPUT S, RAJPUT K (School of Biotechnology, Jammu Univ, Jammu- 180 006, Email: madhulikasbt@gmail.com) : Analysis of chemical composition of Cupressus torulosa (D.Don) essential oil and bioautography guided evaluation of its antimicrobial fraction. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(4), 252- 7.

Cupressus torulosa D. Don, known as the Himalayan or Bhutan cypress, is one of the medicinal plants commonly used in the Indian System of Medicine for various ailments. The present study evaluates the chemical composition and inhibitory potential of the essential oil and three different extracts (chloroform, methanol and aqueous) of aerial parts of C. torulosa. Chemical composition of essential oil was determined by GC-MS that showed the presence of four major components viz., α-pinene (45.44 %), 3-carene (38.34 %), terpinolene (5.36 %) and aromadendrene (6.32 %). Essential oil showed significant inhibitory activity against Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas alcaligenes, Micrococcus luteus and Bacillus cereus in comparison to the different extracts. Essential oil also showed good antifungal activity against the three fungal pathogens viz., Alternaria alternata, Curvularia lunata and Bipolaris specifera. TLC-bioautography was used to screen the antibacterial components of the essential oil. Analysis showed the presence of four zones of inhibition on bioautography plate at Rf values 0.80, 0.70, 0.61 and 0.46. This study has demonstrated the presence of four potential antibacterial compounds in the essential oil of Cupressus torulosa.

1 illus, 3 tables, 22 ref

025280   SRIVASTAVA A, VERMA J, SINGH H, NIWAS R, VIBHA K, GANGWAR M, KHAN A, TRIPATHI C K M, SINGH V (Microbiology Div, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow- 226 031, Email: vscdri@gmail.com) : Screening of biologically active microbial strains having therapeutic applications. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(4), 244- 51.

Natural sources, particularly microbes yield active molecules that have wide application in food and pharmaceutical industries, degradation of hazardous bacterial biofilms, etc. Safety and acceptability of such drugs attract researchers’ attention for new drug discovery. Here, we explored biologically active microbial strains having therapeutic applications isolated from five different geographical areas of India. On screening, we found 10 strains capable of producing chitinase (Chi), seven cholesterol oxidase (COD), five glutaminase (Gln) and two heparinase (Hep) producing strains. Most of the isolated strains were found to be actinomycetes. Morphological and biochemical characterization of the strains suggest that the selected 13 isolates belong to the genus Streptomyces. Out of which, four were characterized through 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis as Streptomyces xanthochromogenes MTCC 11937 (S1), Streptomyces violascens (N1), Streptomyces xanthopheus MTCC 11938 (H1) and Streptomyces rimosus MTCC 10792 (Ay). Results suggest that the soil isolated Streptomyces strains continue to act as a fascinating source of clinical and commercially importance enzymes. Partially purified enzymes were found to possess a broad range of pH and temperature stability indicating their capability to be used in clinical and pharmaceutical fields.

2 illus, 4 tables, 35 ref

025279   MUKHERJEE S, PAL S, CHAKRABORTY R, KOLEY H, DHAR P (Food and Nutrition Div, Calcutta Univ, Kolkata- 700 027, Email: pubalighoshdhar@yahoo.co.in) : Biochemical assessment of extract from Oxalis corniculata L.: Its role in food preservation, antimicrobial and antioxidative paradigms using in situ and in vitro models. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(4), 230- 43.

Food poisoning, often due to microbial contamination and improper storage practice, is a matter of concern. Plants and plant based products are gaining interest in processed food in food industry as an alternative to synthetic antimicrobials. In this context, here, we analysed flavonoid rich methanolic extract from the creeping woodsorrel, Oxalis corniculata L. leaf for its biochemical assessments along with its bioactivity against some common pathogenic bacteria. The bioactivity of the extract as evaluated in both in vitro and in situ methods, verified that the Oxalis corniculata leaf extract exert reduces power, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, inhibition in liposome peroxidation, and DPPH free radical quenching activity. The extract also inhibited the formation of peroxide during subsequent storage in the oil-emulsion system as well as in heated oil. The greater reducing activity of the extract prevented hydroxyl radical induced pUC18 DNA strand breaks and thereby retain its original conformation. The extract also prevented the oxidative damage of goat liver cells during Fenton reaction. In vitro antimicrobial experiments implied that extract has inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, S. typhiimurium and Vibrio cholera. E. coli showed the highest and V. cholera the lowest sensitivities against the extract. Moreover, the extract can be utilized for preservation of fish meat as it prevented the growth of food poisoning bacteria S. aureus during storage at 10°C. HPLC chromatogram detected the predominance of three active principal components, i.e. flavonoids in the following order: rutin>p-hydroxybenzoic acid>ferulic acid.

9 illus, 4 tables, 45 ref

025278   RESHMA P, NAIK M K, AIYAZ M, NIRANJANA SR, CHENNAPPA G, SHAIKH S S, SAYYED R Z (Microbiology Dep, PSGVP Mandal's Arts, Science & Commerce Coll, Shahada, Maharashtra, Email: sayyedrz@gmail.com) : Induced systemic resistance by 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol positive fluorescent Pseudomonas strains against rice sheath blight. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(3), 207- 12.

Rice sheath blight arising due to lack of systemic resistance against causative agent Rhizoctonia solani has been a major economic threat to rice growers across the globe. This warrants induced systemic resistance (ISR) in plant to make them disease resistant. Application of antibiotic producing Pseudomonads that also secrete defense inducing enzymes is known to impart resistance to plants. Here, we report induction of the induced systemic resistance (ISR) by six strains of rhizosphere fluorescent Pseudomonas possessing 2,4-diacetyl phloroglucinol (2,4-DAPG) antibiotic genes against rice sheath blight pathogen Rhizoctonia solani. In the preliminary screening, isolate EP5 (endophytic Pseudomonas fluorescens) showed 76.5 % inhibition against R. solani. EP5 treated rice grains showed the highest germination of 96.6 %, mean root length of 15.3 cm, shoot length of 12.6 cm and vigour index of 2104.9. Paddy grains treated with EP5 (through seed treatment followed by root dipping) upon challenge inoculation with R. solani (Rs1) gave higher activity of peroxidase (PO) 2.50 change in absorbance at 470 nm/min/mg protein), polyphenol oxidases (PPO), 2.25 change absorbance at 420 nm/ min/mg protein, phenyl alanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and 28.5 nmol transcinnamic acid/hr/mg protein. 2,4-DAPG positive fluorescent Pseudomonas strains produced PO, PPO, PAL and 28.5 nmol transcinnamic that resulted in ISR against rice sheath blight pathogen R. solani.

6 tables, 28 ref

025277   UJJANIA N C, SONI N (Aquatic Biology Dep, Veer Narmad South Gujarat Univ, Surat - 395 007, Email: ncujjania@yahoo.com) : Use of scale for the growth study of Indian major carp (Cirrhinus mrigala Ham., 1822) in tropical freshwater. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(3), 202- 6.

Age and growth study provide detail information on the life history, ecology of fish and habitat which is important to manage the water body for fish production and optimization of harvestable size. Scale based age and growth of Indian major carp (Cirrhinus mrigala, Ham. 1822) from Vallabhsagar reservoir was studied and minimum (25.0 cm and 145.0 g) and maximum (82.0 cm and 6500.00 g) length and weight of fish were observed. In length-weight relationship, constant (a) -2.212, exponent of slope;(b) 3.141 and correlation coefficient (r) 0.937 were determined. The back calculations of scale study evident that the fish attainsthe length and weight (27.07 cm, 243.42 g) at 1^st, (38.18 cm, 644.26 g) at 2^nd, (46.78 cm, 1222.73 g) at 3^rd, (53.30 cm, 1813.97 g) at 4^th, (62.82 cm, 2811.34 g) at 5^th and (71.39 cm, 4248.94 g) at 6_^th year of age. The growth parameters, such as index of species average size (Øh) 11.86 and index of weight growth (ØCw) 81.78 were observed. Similarly, growth constant average (Clt_av) were (0.410 and 0.211) indicating for two growth phases existed in fish, first is fast growing phase up to 2 years shows sexual immaturity and second is slow growing phase 2 years onwards shows sexual maturity. The results of this studies concluded that the growth of studied fish was satisfactory and environment of Vallabhsagar reservoir is conducive for survival of Indian major carp (Cirrhinus mrigala).

3 illus,1 table, 25 ref

025276   JAIN N, SINGH G P, PANDEY R, RAMYA P, SINGH P K, NIVEDITA, PRABHU K V (Genetics Div, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi- 110 012, Email: neelu_jain25@yahoo.com) : Chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics and response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under high temperature stress. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(3), 194- 201.

High temperature stress during grain filling period in wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) has pronounced effects on yield in major wheat growing agro-ecological zones. The fast chlorophyll fluorescence transients expose the damage to leaf photosynthetic activity under high temperatures. The method relies on the functioning of photosynthetic apparatus of plants under stress; however, these transients have been studied in detached leaves under controlled conditions. Still no reports are available on the potential usefulness of chlorophyll afluorescence kinetics on intact wheat leaves for screening heat stress tolerant genotypes under field conditions. Hence, we conducted a study with the hypothesis that chlorophyll afluorescence parameters and kinetics of plant-attached leaves under field conditions can be useful for screening of heat tolerant genotypes. The experimental population for testing the hypothesis consisted of 20 diverse wheat genotypes grown under timely and late sown environments (terminal heat stress) for two years. The results showed influence of high temperature on the expression of parameters F_o, F_v/F_o,F_v/F_m, and performance index. Analysis of the fast OJIP fluorescence transients indicated that the relative variable fluorescence between steps O and K and between steps O and J were related to high temperature stress tolerance. Five genotypes with consistent performance for better photosynthetic efficiency under thermal stress were observed. The inferences drawn from the present study supported our hypothesis that the analysis of chlorophyll afluorescence transient parameters of plant attached leaves under field conditions can be used as a tool in the selection of wheat cultivars with better thermostability and functioning of photochemical reactions that could sustain photoassimilation and grain dry matter accumulation.

4 illus, 3 tables, 35 ref

025275   SHRIVASTAVA S, UTHRA C, RESHI M S, SINGH A, YADAV D, SHUKLA S (Jiwaji Univ, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Email: dr_sadhana59@rediffmail.com) : Protective effect of hesperetin against acrylamide induced acute toxicity in rats. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(3), 164- 70.

Hesperetin (5,7,3'-trihydroxy-4-methoxyl flavanone) is found in citrus fruits and has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antihypertensive and antiatherogenic effects. Acrylamide (AA) has shown neurotoxic and carcinogenic effects in humans with occupational exposures and quantified in staple foods such as coffee, bread, cookies, french fries and in tobacco smoke. In this study, we have evaluated therapeutic efficacy of hesperetin against AA toxicity. AA was given at 1/3^rd of LD₅₀ dose for 10 days to albino rats followed by therapy with different doses of hesperetin for 3 consecutive days. Various toxicity symptoms were observed which include significant reduction of body weight, hair loss, hindlimb splaying, dragging of back legs and irritation on skin. Toxicity symptoms also included significant reduction in level of heamoglobin, GSH, SOD, CAT and significant enhance in AST, ALT, albumin, urea, creatinine, triglyceride, cholesterol with LPO as compared to control group. Activity of acetylcholinesterase was also declined significantly after AA administration, which confirms neurotoxicity. Histopathological observations also supported biochemical studies. Administration of hesperetin at different doses brought the studied parameters towards control in a dose dependent manner concluding its therapeutic effects against acrylamide toxicity in rats.

3 illus, 5 tables, 39 ref

025274   POTUKUCHI A, ADDEPALLY U, POTU C, UPADRASTA M, MULLAPUDI S, POTHANI S, MANCHALA R (ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad- 500 007, Email: mraghunath55@yahoo.com) : High sucrose diet induced diabetes in WNIN/Gr-Ob obese rats: Biochemical and histological changes. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(3), 149-57.

Acceleration of natural ageing occurs due to multiple reasons such as stress, obesity and Type 2 diabetes working in a vicious cycle. In the present study, we tested if superimposing type 2 diabetes in a rat model of obesity accelerates ageing or not. We aggravated insulin resistance/ induced type 2 diabetes by feeding high sucrose diet (HSD) to 9-10 wk old, male, WNIN/Gr-Ob obese rats. We report here the changes in physiological, biochemical and histological parameters after 3 and 6 months of feeding. Rats fed HSD had the highest insulin resistance as evident from increased HOMA IR and AUC insulin during OGTT. Body weight gain and Food efficiency ratio (FER) were also significantly higher in HSD fed than the control rats after 6 months of feeding. Further, liver steatosis and kidney damage were the highest in the HSD fed rats as evident from ORO staining. Interestingly, HSD fed rats also had the highest intensity of ß-cell staining and functioning (as indicated by higher HOMA-ß). The findings indicate that parameters associated with ageing were accelerated in WNIN/Gr-Ob rats fed HSD, implying that aggravating insulin resistance in obese rats may be associated with accelerated ageing.

5 illus, 3 tables, 46 ref

025273   FAUSTINO F, MAKINO L C, NEUMANN E, NAKAGHI L S O (Centro de Aquicultura da Univ Estadual Paulista (CAUNESP), São Paulo, Brasil, Email: francine.unesp@gmail.com) : Histological description of the larval development of Brycon gouldingi Lima, 2004 (Teleostei, Characidae). Int J Aquat Biol 2018, 6(2), 75- 87.

Piabanha, Brycon gouldingi, is an endemic species in the Tocantins-Araguaia basin. It has aroused the interest of both fish farmers, who started its creation in confinement, and riverine people who appreciate it as a food source. In order to provide information about organic systems of B. gouldingi larvae, a histological description was performed after capturing adult specimens in the Rio das Mortes (Mato Grosso, Brazil), adapted to captivity and induced to spawn at Buriti Fisheries (Nova Mutum, MT, Brazil). The collection of samples took place at pre-defined moments after hatching, and the processes relating to morphological differentiation of digestive, excretory, cardiorespiratory, nervous/sensory systems and gas bladder were characterized. At the hatching were found: undifferentiated digestive system; pronephros (primitive kidney), rudimentary heart, central nervous system characterized by primary vesicles, optic vesicle forming the optic cup and crystalline lens. In the course of ontogeny, these organic systems were developed and at the time of the total absorption of the yolk at 55 hours post-hatching were found: the digestive system consisting of the head gut, foregut, midgut and hindgut; two heart chambers and branching of gill arches; three regions of the brain (forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain), neuromasts, olfactory cavity, taste buds; eye consisting of well-defined layers; presence of gas bladder. The results of this study may be useful in providing support for the captive breeding of B. gouldingi during the larval stage.

6 illus, 40 ref

025272   GOMES L C, PIANA P A, SEREIA D A O (Univ Estadual de Maringá, Brazil, Email: louise-cristina@hotmail.com) : Contrasting fish size distributions between Neotropical run-of-river and storage reservoirs. Int J Aquat Biol 2018, 6(2), 95-103.

The spectrum size has been used to assess environmental disturbances and to understanding the energy flow in ecosystems. The objective of this work was to investigate if the operation regimes of reservoirs, including run-of-river and storage systems, interfere with the biomass spectra of fish fauna. We tested the hypothesis that the run of river reservoirs present higher proportions of large individuals than storage system. Samplings of fish fauna were carried out between January 2005 and December 2007 at six Neotropical reservoirs belonging to the sub-basin Iguaçu River and Coastal basin in São Jorge River, Brazil. The spectrum calculation was performed using the Pareto type I continuous distribution model. Reservoirs operated under run-of-river regime had significantly higher values than those operated under storage regimes. This study has elucidated some impacts of reservoir operating regime on biomass spectra and indicated differences in size spectra of fish assemblages among the sampled reservoirs. Therefore, it is important to incorporate management plans that take dam operating mode into account so that conservation of aquatic fauna, especially fish, is more effective.

3 illus, 2 tables, 52 ref

025271   OLIVEIRA C D L, QUIRINO A M S, DA SILVA E A, COSTA E F, SANTOS D D S, MENEZES A N C, JUNIOR M D M, DA SILVA F M S (Univ Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Unidade Acadêmica de Serra Talhada, Brazil, Email: linsdiogoc@gmail.com) : Shell choice and occupation by the hermit crab (Crustacea: Diogenidae) in laboratory environment. Int J Aquat Biol 2018, 6(2), 61- 5.

The Neotropical hermit crabs’ behaviour is rarely studied, although it is an important tool for the conservation of these invertebrates. In this context, the present study aimed to describe the hermit crab ethogram on its behaviour in the choice and dispute by shells. 60 specimens of hermit crabs were collected that were occupying mollusc shells Cerithium atratum, in sandstone reefs. In the laboratory, 30 hermit crabs were removed from their host shells by heating, the rest remained in their shells. The specimens were submitted to five experimental tests: (I) behaviour, (II) shell dispute, (III) shell preference, (IV) specimen behaviour with and without shell, and (V) shell contention between individuals with and without shell. The ethogram was built and evaluated by the Ad Libitum type of observational sampling methods and by the scanning type, for 30 uninterrupted minutes, records every two minutes, in total 15 observations per each observer. There were eight behavioural acts divided into 4 categories: immobility, interaction between specimen, environment exploration, and shell occupation. The most frequent behaviour was "walking", for both hermit crabs (54.2 %) and those without shell (59.3 %), followed by the rest of the individuals with and without shell, 16.9 % and 12.4 %,respectively. All hermits preferred mollusc shell Bulla striata, when offered in conjunction with the shell of Astrea tecta. However, all specimens returned to C. atratum shells when it was experimentally offered with all shells. Studies with hermits have shown that the species has preferences of gastropods shell C. atratum.

1 illus, 3 tables, 19 ref

025363   KUMAR A, JAISWAL A, KOLI D K, DHAKAD B S, KUMAR S, SAGAR S (Microbiology Div, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, Email: jangraajay8888@gmail.com) : Advances and role of the microbiome tools in forensic sciences. Adv Life Sci 2018, 7(1), 12-7.

Microbes have long been recognised as important in fields such as medicine, ecology, and fermentation science but they have been largely ignored by forensic scientists. Microbes, particular bacteria, can impact upon forensic investigations. There is increasing evidence that humans have an extremely diverse ‘microbiome’ that may prove useful in determining ethnicity, country of origin, postmortem intervals, individual identification. Microbes are present at every crime scene and have been used as the physical evidence over the decade but there use was limited in the forensic science because of the sequencing technology of that time was typically too expensive and slow to allow enough DNA sequences to be collected to characterize diverse microbial communities. Recent advances in the studies of complex microbial communities (microbiome), have led to breakthroughs in the use of microbiome approaches for forensic science, particularly in the areas of estimating post-mortem intervals (PMIs), locating clandestine graves, and obtaining soil and skin trace evidence. Low-cost, high-throughput technologies allow us to accumulate molecular data quickly and to apply sophisticated machine-learning algorithms, building generalizable predictive models that will be useful in the criminal justice system. In particular, integrating microbiome and metabolomics data has excellent potential to advance microbial forensics.

5 illus, 19 ref

025362   JAISWAL A, KUMAR A, KOLI D K , KUMAR S, DHAKAD B S (Microbiology Div, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, Email: jangraajay8888@gmail.com) : Designer cellulosomes: A targeted approach for biomass degradation. Adv Life Sci 2018, 7(1), 6-11.

Degradation of polysaccharides such as cellulose is of major interest in the quest for alternative sources of renewable energy, for its positive effects on environment and ecology, and for use in advanced biotechnological applications. One of the key challenges in biomass processing is associated with the establishment of an efficient enzymatic degradation of plant cell wall. Due to the intricate composition of the plant cell wall, its efficient degradation requires the involvement of a large number of enzymes exhibiting multiple functionalities. A multienzymatic complex, cellulosome, was identified as a highly efficient biocatalyst for the hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass in nature. Significant progress has been achieved on cellulosome production and application since its discovery, but there is still a gap for industrial use. Artificial systems as designer cellulosomes are being developed by employing various pairs of proteins and scaffolds with the objective of reconstructing this natural multi-enzymatic complex for lignocellulose breakdown. The incorporation of laccases from Thermobifida fusca into designer cellulosomes exhibited increased degradation of wheat straw. In addition they have also been applied for degradation of marine algal biomass. Designer cellulosome nano devices for enhanced plant cell wall degradation thus have major impacts in the fields of environmental pollution, bioenergy production, and biotechnology in general.

6 illus, 19 ref

025361   KUMAR A, JAISWAL A, KOLI D K, KUMAR S (Microbiology Div, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, Email: jangraajay8888@gmail.com) : Beyond toothpicks : New methods for isolating mutant bacteria. Adv Life Sci 2018, 7(1), 1-5.

Nothing captures the essence of the heroic era of bacterial genetics better than the immortal phrase ‘just toothpicks and logic’ ascribed to the Nobel Prize winner Sydney Brenner (Shuman, 2003). Over the past 50 years genetic analysis in microbiology has relied predominantly on selections and plate assays using chromogenic enzyme substrates — for example, X-gal assays for the detection of â-galactosidase activity. The power of bacterial genetics lies in the ability to rapidly isolate interesting mutants from large populations of clones (Georgopoulos, 2006). Efforts to understand complex problems of evolutionary, ecological or biochemical significance have placed a burden on the methodologies that are needed for the isolation of mutant bacteria (Habibi, 2013). Advances in instrumentation and experimental design are now opening new vistas for the genetic analysis of bacteria and other microorganisms. Recent advances in fluorescent assays and high throughput screening technologies have paved the way for the rapid isolation of mutants that confer complex phenotypes and for the quantitative analysis of the evolution of new traits in bacterial populations by detection of protein expression, catalytic activity, small molecules and subcellular organization at the single-cell level, with exquisite sensitivity. Techniques such as Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) and Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) can be used to probe the subcellular organization and dynamics of proteins within microbial cells, using either microscopy or flow cytometry and interacting proteins can be detected with fluorescence-based two-hybrid systems that use split GFP or fusions to AFP pairs that exhibit FRET.

10 ref

024416   YADAV C, YACK J E (Biology Dep, Carleton Univ, Ontario, Canada, Email: jayneyack@cunet.carleton.ca) : Immature stages of the masked birch caterpillar, Drepana arcuata (Lepidoptera: Drepanidae) with comments on feeding and shelter building. J Insect Sci 2018, 18(1), 18.

The masked birch caterpillar, Drepana arcuata (Lepidoptera: Drepanidae) is an excellent model for studying vibratory communication and sociality in larval insects. Vibratory communication occurs throughout development, but the functions of signals are reported to change as larvae change from gregarious to solitary lifestyles. To better understand the sensory ecology of these caterpillars, it is important to study their life history. Here, we describe the morphological and behavioral characteristics of larvae by confirming the number of instars, identifying their distinguishing morphological features, and noting changes in feeding and shelter construction. Five instars were confirmed based on the number of head capsules collected for individuals throughout development, and by using Dyar’s rule, which predicts the number of instars based on geometric growth patterns of head capsules. Frequency distributions of head capsule widths showed five separate peaks, indicating that this is a useful parameter for distinguishing between instars. Other morphological features including body length, shape, and banding patterns of head capsules, and morphology of thoracic verrucae are helpful in distinguishing among instars. Feeding behavior changes from leaf skeletonization in first and second instars to leaf cutting in fourth and fifth instars, with third instars transitioning between these feeding styles as they grow. Early instars typically construct communal silken shelters whereas late instars live solitarily in leaf shelters. These results provide essential life history information on the masked birch caterpillar that will enable future investigations on the proximate and ultimate mechanisms associated with social behavior and communication in larval insects.

7 illus, 2 tables, 36 ref

024415   MUNOZ K, MANRIQUE M B, SOTELO-CARDONA P , GAIMARI S D, KONDO T (Centro de Investigación Palmira, Valle, Colombia, Email: tkondo@corpoica.org.co) : Notes on the morphology and biology of Syneura cocciphila (Diptera: Phoridae). J Insect Sci 2018, 18(1), 5.

Herein we provide information on the morphology and duration of the different stages of development of Syneura cocciphila (Coquillett; Diptera: Phoridae), a phorid-fly predator of the Colombian fluted scale Crypticerya multicicatrices Kondo and Unruh (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae). The time from oviposition to adult emergence was 20.04 d. The duration of the different growth stages was as follows: egg 1.38 (± 0.18) d; three larval stages combined 4.5 (± 0.19) d; prepupa 1.63 (± 0.09) d; and pupa 12.53 (± 0.12) d. On average, adult females lived 13.23 (± 0.77) d and adult males lived 11.13 (± 0.61) d under laboratory conditions. S. cocciphila is a common species in the city of Cali, department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia, and is an effective biological control agent of the scale insect pest C. multicicatrices. This is the first detailed study on the biology of S. cocciphila.

2 illus, 1 table, 23 ref

024414   HUANG Y, AO Y, JIANG M, WAY M O (Zhejiang Univ, Hangzhou- 310 058, Email: mxjiang@zju.edu.cn) : Variation of body size in rice water weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and its associations with population biology. J Insect Sci 2018, 18(1), 4.

Life history characteristics help us to determine the ability of invasive species to establish and thrive in an exotic environment. However, so far, there have been very few reports concerning geographic variation in the body size of invasive insects and the associations between body size variation and population biology. In this study, we surveyed the geographic variation in body size of an invasive agricultural pest, the rice water weevil Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in China. Its body size variation was found to follow Bergmann’s rule, a size cline related to latitude/altitude in which weevils tended to be larger in higher latitude/altitude localities. Moreover, using adults of different body size within populations, we also characterized the relationship between body size and some population traits of this weevil, including reproduction, food consumption, cold tolerance, and agility. The results showed that, large and mid-size adults (within populations) tended to consume more rice leaves, and larger adults also laid more and longer eggs, when compared with smaller adults. However, smaller adults appeared to have higher agility. In conclusion, body size of rice water weevil varies significantly with geography, and body size variation (within populations) may affect life history traits.

3 illus, 5 tables, 67 ref

024413   STASEK D J, RADL J N, CRIST T O (Biology Dep, Miami Univ, Oxford- 45056, Email: dstasek@ccga.edu) : The effects of dispersal and predator density on prey survival in an insect-red clover metacommunity. J Insect Sci 2018, 18(1), 2.

Trophic interactions are often studied within habitat patches, but among-patch dispersal of individuals may influence local patch dynamics. Metacommunity concepts incorporate the effects of dispersal on local and community dynamics. There are few experimental tests of metacommunity theory using insects compared to those conducted in microbial microcosms. Using connected experimental mesocosms, we varied the density of the leafhopper Agallia constricta Van Duzee (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) and a generalist insect predator, the damsel bug (Nabis spp., Heteroptera: Nabidae), to determine the effects of conspecific and predator density and varying the time available to dispersal among mesocosms on predation rates, dispersal rates, and leafhopper survival. Conspecific and damsel bug density did not affect dispersal rates in leafhoppers, but this may be due to leafhoppers’ aversion to leaving the host plants or the connecting tubes between mesocosms hindering leafhopper movement. Leafhopper dispersal was higher in high-dispersal treatments. Survival rates of A. constricta were also lowest in treatments where dispersal was not limited. This is one of the first experimental studies to vary predator density and the time available to dispersal. Our results indicate that dispersal is the key to understanding short-term processes such as prey survival in predator-prey metacommunities. Further work is needed to determine how dispersal rates influence persistence of communities in multigenerational studies.

3 illus, 2 tables, 80 ref

024412   RAHMAN N, XIN T B, KAMILAH H, ARIFFIN F (Sains Malaysia Univ, Penang, Malaysia, Email: fazilah@usm.my) : Effects of osmotic dehydration treatment on volatile compound (Myristicin) content and antioxidants property of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) pericarp. J Food Sci Technol 2018, 55(1), 183-9.

The effects of osmotic dehydration (OD) treatment on volatile compound (myristicin) content and the antioxidant capacity of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) were studied. Fresh nutmeg pericarps were treated with varying sugar concentrations (60, 70, 80 %) with different soaking periods at ambient temperature. The OD - treated nutmeg extracts were analyzed for myristicin content via Gas Chromatography Flame Ionization Detector. The phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were analyzed using Follin–Ciocalteu and a free radical scavenging activity assay. The myristicin content was highest (1.69 mg/100 mg) at 80 % sugar concentration after 3 h of soaking. Total phenolic content and free radical scavenging activity were highest at 3 h of 80 % sugar solution treatment with values of 76.90 % and 1.75 mg GAE/g, respectively. OD treatment at varying sugar concentration levels and durations affects the production of myristicin and antioxidant composition. Treatment of nutmeg with OD at 80 % sugar concentration for 3 h is preferable, resulting in an acceptable level of myristicin and high antioxidants.

3 illus, 2 tables, 34 ref

024411   STOBNICKA A, GNIEWOSZ M (Biotechnology Dep, Warsaw Univ of Life Sciences-SGGW, Poland, Email: malgorzata_gniewosz@sggw.pl) : Antimicrobial protection of minced pork meat with the use of Swamp Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos L.) fruit and pomace extracts. J Food Sci Technol 2018, 55(1), 62- 71.

The objective of the study was to determine the antimicrobial activity of Swamp Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos) fruit and pomace extracts (FSCE and PSCE) and their efficiency in minced pork meat. Ethanol (96 and 40 %) and water were used for raw material extraction. Organic acids, flavonols, terpenes and stilbenes composition of the extracts was determined using HPLC. Minimal inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration were determined for bacteria and fungi strains using the broth macrodilution method. The growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocyto-genes, Salmonella enteritidis, and Escherichia coli in inoculated fresh minced pork meat containing 2.5 % we-PSCE or we-FSCE (prepared by using 40 % ethanol) were evaluated within 6 days of refrigeration storage. Swamp Cranberry pomace extracts contained stilbenes and more organics acids and flavonols than fruit extracts. Extract sinhibited Gram-positive bacteria strains stronger than Gram-negative, regardless of used raw material. The extracts did not show antifungal activity. Water–ethanolextracts (we-FSCE and we-PSCE) had stronger antibacterial properties than ethanolic extracts (e-FSCE ande-PSCE) and aqueous extracts (w-FSCE and w-PSCE). A 2.5 % addition of we-PSCE or we-FSCE to minced pork meat resulted in a reduction of the number of pathogenic cells by 4 log cycles after 4 days of refrigeration storage. Baked burgers containing 2.5 % of these extracts obtained high ratings for color, taste, odor, juiciness, and overall acceptability that did not differ statistically from control samples. Extracts from Swamp Cranberry constitute interesting candidates for natural preservatives of minced pork meat.

1 illus, 4 tables, 36 ref

024410   ORNELAS-PAZ J D J, QUINTANA-GALLEGOS B M, ESCALANTE-MINAKATA P, REYES-HERNANDEZ J, PEREZ-MARTINEZ J D, RIOS-VELASCO C, RUIZ-CRUZ S (Centro de Investigacion en Alimentacion y Desarrollo, Mexico, Email: jornelas@ciad.mx) : Relationship between the firmness of golden delicious apples and the physicochemical characteristics of the fruits and their pectin during development and ripening. J Food Sci Technol 2018, 55(1), 33-41.

Firmness at harvest determines the postharvest storability and quality of apples. The climate change has altered the physiological processes of fruits and the reliability of ripening indicators typically used to determine the harvest time, compromising fruit firmness. In this study, ‘Golden Delicious’ apples were harvested at several developmental/ripening stages (107, 122, 137, 152 and 167 days after full bloom, DAFB) and evaluated for physicochemical attributes, which were correlated with fruit firmness. The 167 DAFB fruit corresponded to fruit at the commercial harvest. Fruit harvested at 107 and 122 DAFB did not develop the characteristics of ripe fruit while fruit harvested after 137 DAFB ripened normally. Fruit at commercial harvest showed low firmness. The changes of fruit weight, diameter, height, tristimulus color (L* values) as well as the content of total soluble solids and moisture in fruit correlated well with fruit firmness (r values from -0.76 to -0.97). The changes of pectin content, degree of esterification, molecular weight and content of glucose and galactose in pectin showed a positive relationship with firmness (r=0.62–0.94). The content of protein, galacturonic acid and mineral elements in pectin correlated negatively with firmness (r -0.66 to -0.99). The results demonstrated that commercial harvest was delayed 30 days, compromising fruit firmness. Some underestimated ripening indicators may help in determining the harvest time of apples.

2 illus, 4 tables, 33 ref

024409   FARIA W C S, GIORDANI M A, ARCAS A D S, CAVENAGHI D F L C, OLIVEIRA A P D, SANTOS J F D, BARROS W M (Federal Institute of Education, Brazil, Email: nessacsf@yahoo.com.br) : Novel soybean-based high protein bar rich in isoflavones improves insulin sensitivity in diabetic Wistar rats. J Food Sci Technol 2018, 55(1), 21-32.

This study assessed the effect of whey protein substitution with isolated soy protein in protein bar (PB) formulations at 25 % (PB2), 50 % (PB3), or 75 % (PB1) weight/weight on the proximate and mineral composition, sensory, and antidiabetic properties. Sensory evaluation was conducted within diabetic (DB) and non-diabetic (NDB) consumers by preference ranking and acceptance test. The formulations were analysed in terms of moisture, ash, protein, lipid, carbohydrates, fibers and mineral content. The consumers did not distinguish the formulations by preference ranking test. However, the acceptability test showed a rating of 9 most frequent for PB1 (36.30 %), followed by PB2 and PB3 (both 34.09 %), among DB consumers. The PB1 and PB3 showed higher content of total, soluble and insoluble fibers and, PB 2 presented higher carbohydrate content. Potassium, sodium and calcium showed the highest mineral content in the formulations. PB3 was assessed for glycaemic and lipidemic control in diabetics and non-diabetics female Wistar rats, for this 20 % of PB was added in the ration consumed ad libitum, besides, the rats received 100 mg/kg b. w. by gavage daily. The treatment did not reduce significantly fasting glucose, lipid profile, or peripheral glucose disposal in DB or NDB rats. However, it significantly improved insulin tolerance test values in diabetic rats. The results suggest that the formulations showed good acceptance and potentially ameliorate insulin resistance both in control group and in animal model of type II diabetes.

2 illus, 4 tables, 42 ref

024408   VANGA S K, RAGHAVAN V (Bioresource Engineering Dep, McGill Univ, Canada, Email: sai.vanga@mail.mcgill.ca) : How well do plant based alternatives fare nutritionally compared to cow?s milk?. J Food Sci Technol 2018, 55(1), 10 - 20.

Due to the issues like lactose intolerance and milk allergy arising from the consumption of cow’s milk, there has been an increased demand in the plant based alternative milks around the world. Food industry has addressed these demands by introducing various milk beverages which are promoted as alternatives coming from plant sources which include almond milk and soy milk. Though they are popularly advertised as healthy and wholesome, little research has been done in understanding the nutritional implications of consuming these milk beverages in short term and long term. Further, consumers associate these alternatives to be a direct substitute of cow’s milk which might not be true in all cases. This review tries to address the issue by outlining the differences between cow’s milk and commercially available alternative milks in terms of their nutrient content. Though various plant based alternate milks have been studied, only the four most consumed milk beverages are presented in this review which are consumed widely around the world. A complete nutritional outline and the corresponding health benefits of consuming these plant based milk beverages have been discussed in detail which could help the consumers make an informed decision.

1 illus, 5 tables, 65 ref

024407   ANBARASI K (Nirmala Coll for Women, Tamil Nadu) : Industrial application and inhibition properties of Cucurbita maxima on metal corrosion in aggressive medium. Int J Chem Sci 2018, 2(1), 28-35.

The influence of peel of Cucurbita maxima (PCM) on the corrosion inhibition of mild steel in 1N HCl was studied using phytochemical screening, weight loss method, polarization and FTIR studies. The results revealed that PCM was a green corrosion inhibitor of mixed type and electrochemical measurements showed maximum inhibition efficiency (IE) of 85 % at and weight loss method shows the maximum IE of 97 % at 2 % PCM concentration. The inhibitive effect of the plant extract could be attributed to the presence of phytochemical constituents in the plant extract which is adsorbed on the metal surface. The isolated phenols and flavonoids are may be the responsible for the reduction of corrosion rate of mild steel. The EDX results attributed to the adsorption of plant extract onto the metal surface that inhibits the oxidation and corrosion. The system was found to obey El-Awady, Freundlich and Temkin isotherms.

9 illus, 7 tables, 28 ref

024406   JOUJEH R, KATTAA A, OLABI M N, JOUJEH D (Plant Biology Dep, Aleppo Univ, Aleppo, Syria) : Essential oil composition of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) fruits. Int J Chem Sci 2018, 2(1), 10-5.

Coriandrum sativum L. belongs to the family Apiaceae, is an annual herb, known worldwide for its folk medicinal properties. The present research work aimed to appraise the yield and chemical composition of the essential oil isolated from the fruits of Coriander cultivated in Syria. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis of the essential oil was performed to authenticate the profile of chemical constituents. Hydrodistilled essential oil content from Coriander ripe fruits was found to be 1.4 %. A total of 32 chemical constituents were identified, mostly of monoterpene hydrocarbons compounds. Linalool with contribution of (73.92 %) was found to be the principal constituent. The other major compounds were geranyl acetate (4.43 %), camphor (2.59 %), o-cymene. Overall, C. sativum essential oil from Syria is rich in beneficial chemical compounds and the fruits have a health-supporting reputation. An in-depth research work on the antioxidant principles and biological bioactivities of Coriander fruits essential oil is further recommended.

4 illus, 3 tables, 28 ref

024405   BHAT M F, HASSAN R, MASOODI M H (Pharmaceutical Sciences Dep, Natural Products Research Lab, Jammu and Kashmir) : Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for plant profiling and disease metabolomics- fast tracking plant based drug discovery from northern India. Int J Chem Sci 2018, 2(1), 8-9.

Northern India is home to thousands of plant species and sadly, only a little percentage of them have been explored for medicinal properties. This is mostly because the metabolites present in these plants have not been scientifically investigated, mainly because of the prolonged and cumbersome nature of such analysis. Furthermore, the effect of these plant metabolites on specific diseases faces the same limitations of complexity and agility. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is not only an invaluable tool in chemistry but with proper modifications this powerful tool can also be rendered useful for Plant metabolite profiling and disease metabolomics; with high fidelity and speed. Metabolite Fingerprinting of plants through NMR is fast, convenient, and an effective tool for discriminating between groups of related samples and it also identifies the most important regions of the spectrum for further analysis. After rapid metabolite profiling of plants, the most prominent constituents can be further evaluated and isolated with more efficient techniques such as HPLC and LC-MS and then these isolated metabolites can be tested for their effect on diseases through NMR disease metabolomics. This technique has substantial advantage over other metabolomics techniques, such as; no prior purification is needed, both hydrophilic and lipophilic metabolites can be detected, quantitative analysis is viable, very fast, requires small sample amount, is non-invasive/non-destructive and most importantly, reproducible. Overall, NMR is an indispensable tool and is crucially needed to tap into enormous plant based drug discovery potential of medicinally bio-diverse Northern India.

16 ref

024404   MISHRA J N, VERMA N K (Pharmacy Dep, Kailash Institute of Pharmacy and Management, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh) : In-vitro anthelmintic activity of Rhizophora mucronata leaves extract against Pheritima posthuma. Int J Chem Sci 2018, 2(1), 5-7.

In this present experiment we had studied about to evaluate in vitro anthelmintic activity of Rhizophora mucronata by using leaves extract. Anthelmintic activity was tested against Indian earthworm Pheretima posthuma. Extraction of Rhizophora mucronata demonstrated potent anthelmintic activity tested against Indian earthworm Pheretima posthuma. The dose-dependent anthelmintic efficacy of the fractions was quite similar to that of piperazine citrate. The result obtained in the study led to the conclude that leaves of the mangrove plant, high level of polyphenolics and show significant anthelmintic activity.

3 illus, 1 table, 16 ref

024403   MAZANDARANI M, HOSEINI S M (Fisheries Dep, Gorgan Univ of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran, Email: mazandarani57@gmail.com) : Anesthesia of juvenile Persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus; Borodin 1897, by peppermint, Mentha piperita, extract ?Anesthetic efficacy, stress response and behavior. Int J Aquat Biol 2017, 5(6), 393-400.

Anesthesia in large animals such as sturgeons is unavoidable, so in this regard it is important to choice a best anesthetic with lowest side effects in fish in the present study anesthetic efficacy of mentha, Mentha pipertia, extract was studied in Persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus, to find if it is a suitable anesthetic for this species. In this regard, the fish were subjected to 300, 500, 750 and 1000 mg L^-1 mentha extract, or 150 mg L^-1 clove oil, and behavioral response, stress indices, induction and recovery time were recorded. According to the results, the fish exposed to mentha extract showed more severe exciting movements than those exposed to clove oil. No histopathological effects were recorded in gills and kidneys of the fish after anesthesia with both mentha extract and clove oil. Exposure to either 150 mg L^-1 clove oil or 750 mg L^-1 mentha extract for 3 min resulted in the fish serum cortisol change. Result showed a significant increase in serum cortisol at 6 hrs after anesthesia in both mentioned anesthetic. However, in the fish anesthetized by clove oil, serum cortisol level returned to the pre anesthesia value, at 24 hrs post anesthesia. In the fish anesthetized by mentha extract, a further significant increase inserum cortisol level was observed at 24 hrs after anesthesia. However, it returned to the pre anesthesia level at 72 hrs after anesthesia. At all sampling time, serum cortisol levels of the fish anesthetized by mentha extract were significantly higher than those anesthetized by clove oil. Totally it is concluded that, in Persian sturgeon, use of mentha extract as anesthetic results higher stress compared to clove oil, in the other word, it can be used as a good anesthetic agent but clove oil is better.

4 illus, 1 table, 36 ref

024402   ZANJANI S A, EMADI H, JAMILI S, MASHINCHAIN A (Marine Biology Dep, Islamic Azad Univ, Tehran, Iran, Email: emadihossein@yahoo.com) : DNA damage and hematological changes in Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed to oxadiazon. Int J Aquat Biol 2017, 5(6), 387-92.

This study was carried out to investigate the genotoxic, and hematological and serum biochemical effects of a widely used herbicide, oxadiazon in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fingerling. Fish were exposed to different concentrations (0, 1, 1.5 and 2 ppm) of the herbicide for 30 days. Blood samples were collected, then comet assay in circulating erythrocyte cells was applied. Erythrocytes cells of fish exposed to 1, 1.5 and 2 ppm of oxadiazon showed DNA damage (21.3 %, 22.9 %, and 28.4 %, respectively) significantly higher than the control group. Moreover, exposure to oxadiazon significantly decreased WBC, RBC, Hb, Hct as well as serum albumin, glucose, and total protein levels, while serum ALP was significantly increased in the exposed fish groups. No significant differences were found in MCV, MCHC and MCH levels between oxadiazon treatments and control groups. In conclusion, this study shows that oxadiazon is highly toxic to C. carpio and causes significant changes in hematological and biochemical parameters as well as indicates the mutagenic potential of oxadiazon in the erythrocyte cells of this fish.

2 illus, 1 table, 29 ref

024401   El- SHORBAGY H M, HAMDI S A (Zoology Dep, Cairo univ, Egypt, Email: haidan@sci.cu.edu.eg) : Implications of white spot syndrome virus disease on DNA integrity, histology and biochemistry of Procambarus clarkiiin Egypt. Int J Aquat Biol 2017, 5(6), 375-86.

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is a widespread and highly pathogenic virus; that infects shrimp, crayfish and other crustaceans. The objectives of the present study were to investigate WSSV implications on some crayfish tissues, within light and sever stages of infections. Several parameters have been investigated including DNA integrity, oxidative stress, and histological changes in gills, muscles and hepatopancreas cells, using several techniques such as comet assay, DNA fragmentation assay, oxidative stress biomarkers estimation and histopathological examination. Specimens were divided into three groups according to the nested PCR results. Group I included healthy specimens whose tissues were all negative two-step PCR; Group II involved lightly infected specimens with positive two-step PCR. Group III included heavily infected specimens whose tissues were tested mostly positive one-step PCR. WSSV generates an increase in the different parameters of DNA damage (P<0.05) with abnormal histological features and notable reduction (P<0.05) of the endogenous scavengers in the tested tissues of the infected crayfish in comparison with the normal healthy ones. Furthermore, gills were found to be the most affected organ followed by muscle and finally hepatopancreas. These outcomes additionally demonstrated that comet test could profitably be utilized in genotoxicity evaluation protocols in aquatic invertebrates.

7 illus, 1 table, 45 ref

024400   BOHRA B S, KALE P P (Pharmacology Dep, Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati Coll of Pharmacy, Mumbai- 400 056, Email: pravinpkale@gmail.com) : Evaluation of nootropic effects of Galantamine and Sildenafil as a combination in mice. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(1), 60-5.

Cognitive decline is one of the age related mental problems and a characteristic symptom of various neurodegenerative disorders. Nootropic effects of combination of sildenafil and galantamine was evaluated in different learning and memory paradigms viz. Elevated plus maze (EPM) and Morris water maze (MWM) against scopolamine induced cognitive impairment. Moreover, the influence on central cholinergic activity via estimating the whole brain acetylcholinesterase enzyme was also assessed. Sildenafil (8 mg/kg, i.p.) and galantamine (3 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered per se to Swiss albino mice for successive 14 days. In addition, combination of sildenafil (4 mg/kg, i.p.) and galantamine (1.5 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered. Scopolamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) was used to induce amnesia. Inflexion ratio and time spent in target quadrant were determined in EPM and MWM, respectively. Further, whole brain acetylcholinesterase enzyme was estimated through Ellman’s method. Treatment with sildenafil and galantamine combination significantly increased inflexion ratio and time spent in target quadrant in EPM and MWM, respectively. Combination treatment also showed reduction in brain acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity when compared separately against sildenafil and galantamine per se. The present study results suggest the augmentation of benefits of galantamine and sildenafil combination in the treatment of cognitive impairments.

3 illus, 28 ref

024399   VALLIKALAYIL R P, KALE P P, SAVAI J (Pharmacology Dep, Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati Coll of Pharmacy, Mumbai- 400 056, Email: pravinpkale@gmail.com) : Evaluation of anxiolytic effect of zonisamide and its combination with bupropion in mice. Indian J Exp Biol 2018, 56(1), 54-9.

Anxiety disorders are common but serious illness that affects quality of life in humans. There is a need for safe and effective anxiolytic drugs. In the present study, we evaluated the anxiolytic effect of zonisamide and the combination of zonisamide with bupropion in male Swiss Albino mice. Animals were randomized to six different groups and received intra-peritoneal treatment of normal saline: 1DMSO (80:20), zonisamide (5 mg/kg), zonisamide (10 mg/kg), hydroxyzine (3 mg/kg), bupropion (10 mg/kg), zonisamide + bupropion (5 mg/kg), respectively. The animal models of anxiety were performed 30 min after treatment and relevant parameters were evaluated. Estimation of dopamine and serotonin levels in hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and whole brain were done using HPLC with FD method. The zonisamide treated group at 5 and 10 mg/kg was effective in vivo models as compared to the control groups. It was more effective particularly at 5 mg/kg dose. Zonisamide showed significant increase in dopamine and serotonin levels in different brain regions than hydroyzine, bupropion and combination treated groups. Overall, the anxiolytic effect was better with zonisamide monotherapy than other treated groups in the treatment of anxiety.

1 illus, 2 tables, 36 ref

024398   JAYACHANDRAN P R, NANDAN S B, SANU V F, JIMA M, ANU P R, DON XAVIER N D, JOSEPH P, MIDHUN A M, ASHA C V (Marine Biology, Microbiology & Biochemistry Dep, Cochin Univ of Science and Technology, Kochi – 682 016, Email: bijoynandan@yahoo.co.in) : Authentication of Nassodonta insignis H. Adams, 1867 (Gastropoda: Nassariidae) from the Kodungallur-Azhikode backwater, southwest coast of India using mitochondrial COI marker. Indian J Geo-Mar Sci 2018, 47(03), 623-8.

Present study identifies Nassodonta insignis from brackish water environments of Kodungallur – Azhikode backwater and confirms the occurrence of the species in these localities with molecular data. Mitochondrial DNA COI sequences (KT985460, KT985461, KT985462, KT985463, KT985464) with 663 base pair length were developed for N. insignis. GenBank BLAST analysis shows 89 % similarity with Nassarius (Varicinassa) variciferus and 44 % bootstrap value in the Maximum Likelihood tree analysis.

3 illus, 1 table, 27 ref

024397   KHAN S, MAO Y, ZOU D, RIAZ S, QIU L, LI N (Ocean Univ of China, China, Email: yxmao@ouc.edu.cn) : Molecular analysis of microbiota composition and alterations in Pyropia yezoensis infected with red rot disease. Indian J Geo-Mar Sci 2018, 47(03), 558-66.

A variety of microbes resides on the surface of Pyropia yezoensis and the majority of them are unculturable. To identify and explore the different types of microflora present on its surface, we conducted a comparative molecular analysis of Pyropia collected from the three different locations and their subsequent infection with Pythium porphyrae. The samples includes, i.e. healthy Pyropia leaf blades collected from the farm, Pyropia from farm cultured in laboratory for seven days and Pyropia grown in laboratory following artificially infection with P. porphyrae. To investigate the difference in microbial community composition of P. yezoensis, Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform sequencing of the V4-V5 hypervariable region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene was performed. After performing quality-filtering steps, the range of sequenced reads obtained per microbial sample was between 29, 155 to 65, 615 reads, while the total number of OTU’s found were 7,324, which varied between all the samples. The two most abundant phyla found in all the samples were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Our study results suggest that there is a change in microbiota composition and abundance due to artificially infecting of P. yezoensis with Pythium spores.

6 illus, 2 tables, 69 ref

024396   JENIFER J A, REMYA R, VELMURUGAN S, MICHAELBABU M, CITARASU T (Manonmaniam Sundaranar Univ, Rajakkamangalam- 629 502, Email: citarasu@gmail.com) : Streptomyces castaneoglobisporus AJ9, A haloalkaliphilic actinomycetes isolated from solar salt works in southern India and its pharmacological properties. Indian J Geo-Mar Sci 2018, 47(02), 475-88.

Five strains of haloalkaliphilic Streptomyces sp. were isolated and identified. Among the five strains, the Streptomyces sp. AJ9 which isolated Kovalam solar salt works had the potential ability of protease, gelatinase enzymes production and highly antagonistic against the pathogenic bacteria including Aeromonas hydrophila, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The Streptomyces sp. AJ9 was identified by genomic level through 16S rRNA sequencing and confirmed as Streptomyces castaneoglobisporus AJ9 (GenBank KC603900.1). Further the secondary metabolites were extracted with ethyl acetate, purified through silica column chromatography and screened the fractions (FI to FVII) against pathogenic bacteria, fungi, the shrimp killer virus, White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV). Among the fractions FIV to FVI had highest bioactivities and the pooled fractions were structurally characterized by GC-MS analysis and confirmed as the benzoic acid derivatives of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-6-methyl-, methyl ester. The pooled fraction (FIV to FVI) were significantly (P < 0.001) controlled the bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens by in vitro levels and able to kill the L 929 cancer cells at the rate of 75.58 % μg/ml.

6 illus, 6 tables, 60 ref

024395   SADEGHI M S, PAZOOKI J, HOSSEINI M, BENI F T (Marine Biology Dep, Islamic Azad Univ, Tehran, Iran, Email: sadeghi.mahnazsadat@gmail.com) : Food supply and influences of reproduction activity on the feeding activity in the blue swimming crab Portunus segnis (Forskal, 1775) from Northwest of Persian Gulf. Indian J Geo-Mar Sci 2018, 47(02), 464-8.

The influence of reproduction activity on the feeding activity of blue swimming crab Portunus segnis from northwest of Persian Gulf, was examined. Sampling was performed by trawl net that 864 crabs was collection. After freezing, the samples were transferred to the laboratory in order for further analysis. The first, the biometry features (body weight, carapace width and carapace length) were measured then the stomach of each sample was surveyed. There was significant differences between the different food items (P < 0.05), there was significant difference between the contents of ovigerous and non-ovigerous stomachs (P < 0.05). Comparison of ovigerous and non- ovigerous crabs revealed that both groups fed on the same food items, but the frequency of occurrence of the food items was lower for ovigerous females and many stomachs were empty. This is partly explained by the fact that ovigerous females spend more time grooming their eggs.

2 illus, 2 tables, 23 ref

024394   PANDEY S, SHARMA A K, SOLANKI K P, SINGH S P (Biosciences UGC-CAS Dep, Saurashtra Univ, Rajkot- 360 005, Email: satyapsingh@yahoo.com) : Catalysis and stability of an extracellular α- amylase from a haloalkaliphilic bacterium as a function of the organic solvents at different pH, salt concentrations and temperatures. Indian J Geo-Mar Sci 2018, 47(01), 240-8.

The Ve1-10-8₂ amylase displayed significant tolerance against methanol, propanol and n-hexane. At the lower concentrations of the solvents, the enzyme catalysis was comparable to control. The enzyme had a broader range of alkaline pH for catalysis, the optimum being at pH 10-11. This pH range was higher than many reported amylases of the alkaliphilic Bacillus species. At the alkaline pH, the enzyme was stable for 3 hrs in the presence of 20 % (v/v) methanol. Optimal temperature at 60 ˚C for the catalysis remained unaltered in organic solvents. However, the enzyme was active for up to 70 ˚C with 5 and 10 % (v/v) methanol. The enzyme catalysis was optimum with 2 M Salt in most of the tested solvents and it retained significant activity at 4 M salt. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first on the organic solvent tolerance of the extracellular amylase from the haloalkaliphilic bacteria.

5 illus, 2 tables, 43 ref

024393   SHALABY E A, DUBEY N K (Biochemistry Dep, Cairo Univ, Giza-126 13, Email: dremad2009@yahoo.com) : Polysaccharides from cyanobacteria: Response to biotic and abiotic stress and their antiviral activity. Indian J Geo-Mar Sci 2018, 47(01), 21-33.

Present review puts prompt information on polysaccharides secretion from cyanobacteria under biotic and abiotic stress, their applications when released into the surrounding medium (exo- or extracellular polysaccharides, EPS) and different biological activities. In addition, potentials of polysaccharides from marine microalgae to be used as antiviral agents and their mode of action against different viral species (e.g: HIV, HSV, HAV—etc) have also been presented on the current review.

5 illus, 4 tables, 76 ref

024392   LIRAZAN M, CUA S J, ALVAREZ M R (Philippines Manila Univ, Philippines, Email: celylirazan@yahoo.com) : In vitro antacid screening of the aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of Triticum aestivum (Linn.) and Hordeum vulgare (Linn.). Orient J Chem 2018, 34(1), 93-9.

Triticum aestivum L. (wheat grass) and Hordeum vulgare L. (barley grass) are functional foods with numerous pharmacological properties. Crude aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of T. aestivum L. (wheat grass) and H. vulgare L. (barley grass) were screened for in vitro antacid activity using the preliminary antacid test, determination of acid neutralization capacity, acid neutralizing effect, duration of consistent neutralization, and buffering capacity. Results of the preliminary antacid test showed that the aqueous extracts had better antacid potential than the ethanolic extracts. Among the extracts, T. aestivum aqueous extract exhibited the most potent in vitro antacid activity, with acid neutralization capacity of 0.0763 ± 0.0028 mmol H⁺, acid neutralizing effect 0.043 ± 0.006 ΔpH, duration of neutralization 22 ±1.732 min, and buffering capacity of 0.0801 ± 0.0331 mmol H⁺/ΔpH. Alkaloid content of each extract was also determined gravimetrically; the T. aestivum ethanolic extract had the highest amounts of alkaloids (16.8518 ± 2.5368 %). This study provides proof of the antacid activities of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of T. aestivum and H. vulgare, with the aqueous T. aestivum extract the most active.

1 illus, 5 tables, 23 ref

024391   CHANDRIKA A G, SIVAN R, CHACKO S M, BHASKARA P K, GOVINDAN N K (Mahatma Gandhi Univ, Kottayam - 686 560, Email: nevinkg@gmail.com) : Isolation of sulfated polysaccharides from green algae Enteromorpha intestinalis and its effect on the growth of hepatocarcinoma cell line. Int J Pharmacogn 2018, 5(1), 51-60.

Identification of natural marine bioactive molecules and their therapeutic potential is valuable considering that there are reduced chances of undesirable side effects. This study was designed to isolate and purify the polysaccharides from E. intestinalis and evaluate its anti-cancer effect on human hepatocarcinoma cell lines (Hep3B). Polysaccharides from Enteromorpha intestinalis were isolated and purified. Preliminary characterization was done using UV-Vis spectrum and FTIR analysis. Total sulfate content of the polysaccharides was determined. MTT assay, AO / EB and DAPI staining were done to determine the cell growth pattern and nuclear changes effected by polysaccharides on Hep3B cells. Effect of polysaccharides on mitochondrial membrane potential and ROS production on Hep3B cells were evaluated using Rhodamine 123 and DCHF-DA staining. Results showed that polysaccharides from E. intestinalis were rich in sulfate groups (sPS). Cell viability, assessed in-vitro by MTT assay showed that the number of viable cells was less than 50 % when exposed to concentrations exceeding 1 mg/ml of sPS. Cell viability and nuclear integrity assays depicted cells with compromised membrane integrity, cell damage, and nuclear perforation compared to control cells. Cells treated with sPS while stained with rhodamine 123 displayed a diffused pattern of staining with loss of intensity at higher concentrations indicating that loss of mitochondrial potential is a notable characteristic in sPS induced cytotoxicity. Hep-3B cells treated with sPS and stained with a ROS-specific fluorescent dye-DCFH-DA displayed cells with higher levels of ROS in comparison to control cells. These results may provide a basis on which further research in the development of marine drugs for the effective treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

6 illus, 31 ref

024390   OKHALE S E, ODE S S, OLADOSU P, UGBABE G E (Medicinal Plant Research and Traditional Medicine Dep, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Abuja, Nigeria, Email: samuelokhale@gmail.com) : Evaluation of the antioxidant and anti-proliferative chemical constituents of Hyptis pectinata (LINN.) aerial infusion. Int J Pharmacogn 2018, 5(1), 8-14.

To evaluate the chemical composition, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of Hyptis pectinata aerial part aqueous extract (HYP). Chemical profiling using high-performance liquid chromatography with UV diode array detector (HPLC-UV-DAD), in-vitro antioxidant and anti-proliferative studies were done. Antioxidant and antiradical activities of HYP was investigated using 3-(4,5-dimethylimidazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and DPPH radical scavenging assay. The present study revealed several metabolites. HPLC analysis gave caffeic acid (13.92 %), rutin (7.89 %) and ferulic acid (5.44 %) as some of the bioactive constituents. HYP showed antioxidant activity in both the DPPH and MTT assay. HYP exhibited antioxidant activity against DPPH and MTT from the first dilution at 10 mg/ml up to the ninth dilution at 0.08 mg/ml in a 2-fold dilution signifying the presence of antioxidant compounds at those concentrations. At 1 mg/ml to 32 mg/ml, HYP dose-dependently and significantly (P < 0.001) inhibited Sorghum bicolor seed radicle growth throughout 24-72 h compared to the negative control. Hyptis pectinata aerial part aqueous extract (HYP) possessed antioxidant and antiproliferative activities, hence providing preliminary evidence for its use to treat cancer.

3 illus, 1 table, 36 ref

024389   ALHALMI A, ALZUBAIDI N, ABDULMALIK W (Pharmaceutical Sciences Dep, Aden Univ, Yemen, Email: asalamahmed4@gmail.com) : Current advances in nanotechnology for delivery of anti-diabetic drugs: A review. Int J Pharmacogn 2018, 5(1), 1-7.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is being one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality, which seriously threatens the health of human beings. Worldwide around 366 million people are found to be affected by diabetes. DM is a chronic condition associated with abnormally high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Absence or insufficient production of insulin, or an inability of the body to properly use insulin causes diabetes. DM can be classified as either type 1 or type 2. Type 1 diabetes conditions or insulin-dependent, which treated by insulin therapy. Type 2 diabetes or non-insulin-dependent, which treated by oral hypoglycemic drugs. Conventional insulin and other oral anti-diabetic agents delivery associated with many drawbacks, the need for frequent monitoring of blood glucose, multiple insulin injections, and adjustment of insulin dosages, self-injection, and difficulties in using the vial and syringe technique are among the barriers to patient compliance. Most oral anti-diabetic drugs exhibit low oral bioavailability and need frequent dosing owing to short half-lives, resulting in poor patient compliance. Therefore, to overcome such drawbacks associated with conventional dosage forms, several research works have been made in the area of nanotechnology; nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have considerable potential for the treatment of DM. This paper illustrates the various nanoparticles - based drug delivery systems that have been investigated by different researchers to provide more effective delivery of anti-diabetic drugs.

45 ref

024388   ARMAS H D, VASQUEZ V, ORDAZ G (Engineering Sciences Dep, Estatal de Milagro Univ, Guayas Province, Ecuador) : Phytochemical screening and bioactivity analysis of extracts from Helicteres guazumifolia Kunth (Sterculiaceae). Int J Herb Med 2018, 6(1), 47-50.

Crude extracts from Helicteres guazumifolia aerial parts were obtained with petroleum ether and methanol, and their biological activities were evaluated. Preliminary phytochemical screening of extracts indicated the possible presence of alkaloids, saponins, sesquiterpenlactones, sterols, and terpenoids in several extracts tested. Almost all of them were lethal against brine shrimp Artemia salina, especially polar extracts of the fruit (LC₅₀ = 17.82 μg·mL^-1), which suggest the presence of possible potent pharmacological agents in this Helicteres species. Additionally, these extracts showed a sight antimicrobial activity, inhibiting the growth of several bacteria (Micrococcus lutens, Enterobacter cloacae, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Bacillus subtilis) and fungus (Aspergillus oryzae, Curvularia lunata, Mucor sp.). The results obtained indicate that H. guazumifolia Kunth collected in Venezuela is a promising source of bioactive secondary metabolites with pharmacological activity.

4 tables, 26 ref

024387   ELION ITOU R D G, MORABANDZA C J, ETOU OSSIBI A W, LOUNINGOU G F, NSOUNDE NTANDOU F G, ABENA A A (Marien Ngouabi Univ, BP 69, Brazzaville-Cong) : Possible mechanisms of anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of the aqueous extracts of Ceiba pentandra Gaertn (Bombacaceae) and Chromolaena odorata L (King and Robinson) (Ast?raceae) in rat. Int J Herb Med 2018, 6(1), 20 - 5.

The aim of this study was to investigate the probable mechanisms of anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of the aqueous extracts of C. pentandra and C. odorata. The possible mechanisms of inflammatory effect were investigated in rat by the local administration into the plantar aponeurosis of the histamine, serotonin and the arachidonic acid. The results obtained show that the aqueous extracts of C. pentandra (400 and 800 mg/kg) and of C. odorata (400 and 800 mg/kg) inhibit the histamine, serotonin and the arachidonic acid inflammation. This suggests that these two aqueous extracts could interfere with their inflammatory mechanisms. The probable mechanisms of analgesic effect were investigated in rat by the local administration into the plantar aponeurosis of formaldehyde solution in the naloxone presence. The results obtained showed an inhibiting pain of the two extracts at the doses used on the two phases (neurogenic response and inflammatory response) of pain in spite of the preliminary administration of naloxone. This result suggests that these two extracts could act by not opioid mechanism.

10 illus, 31 ref

024386   SHAFI S M, SHARMA V, TOPGYAL T (Biochemistry Dep, Sher-i-Kashmir Univ of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, J&K) : Anticancer and anti-inflammatory potential of some important medicinal plants of Kashmir valley, India. Int J Herb Med 2018, 6(1), 10-5.

Cancer is second leading disease after heart related disease which causes death and is marked by uncontrolled growth and proliferation of cells. There are round about 100 types of cancers, each classified by type of cells they initially affect. Vast number of the plants from valley are claimed to possess the anticancer, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties and are used extensively by the people not only for inflammation but as analgesic, antispasmodics and antimicrobials etc. Medicinal plants are playing a major role to cure many diseases related with the inflammation. As we know prolonged inflammation can also be a cause for development of cancer. When vascular tissues show systematic response it is known as inflammation. Therefore, the researchers today are emphasizing on various plant constituents their evaluation and characterisation that have a role to play against many diseases. In this current review, an endeavour has been created to give a list of some important medicinal plants that are found in Kashmir valley having anticancer as well as anti-inflammatory properties.

1 illus, 5 tables, 47 ref

024385   BANDARA U Y, SOYSA S S S B D P, WITHARANA C (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Dep, Colombo Univ, Sri Lanka) : Medicinal herbs as a treatment for breast carcinoma. Int J Herb Med 2018, 6(1), 5-9.

Breast cancer is a leading malignancy causing mortality and morbidity among women worldwide. Therefore, finding effective treatment modalities for breast cancers is of utmost importance. There is a growing interest to search for herbal remedies for breast cancers due to serious side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Fruits and vegetables contain a wide range of phytochemicals with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties. Some examples for phytochemicals with anticancer properties against breast cancer are polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, and Ellagic acid. Extracts from green tea, Mango, Pomegranate, Bael fruit, ‘Katupila’ (F. leucopyra), Custard Apple, Berries, Curry leaves, Bitter goud Papaw and Turmeric have been found to be rich sources of these phytochemicals. The phytochemicals found in these extracts act against breast cancer cell lines such as MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and Hs 578T through different modes including the arrest of cell cycle, apoptosis, modulation of enzyme pathways and anti-inflammatory properties.

54 ref

024384   ZARE H (Biology Dep, Payamenoor Univ, Iran, Email: habibehzare1354@gmaiil.com) : The effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of leaf and flower of Achillea wilhelmsii. Biosci Biotech Res Asia 2018, 15(1), 145-50.

Achillea wilhelmsii from Helianthus annus family consists of about 115 species around the world. About 19 species of this genus that grows in Iran which has medicinal properties and is used in traditional medicine. An 18-year-old woman was admitted with abdominal pain complaints. Patient complaints began with vague abdominal pain and nausea about one year ago. The abdominal ultrasound showed multiple hypoechoic cysts in the peritoneal cavity. The CT scan confirmed the findings of the sonography and also showed several cysts in the kidney. Antibodies against Echinococcus granololus (by hemagglutination) with high titre was found in the serum of patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the components of the leaves and flowers Essential Oil of Achillea wilhelmsii, and essential oils effects on the liver cysts. In this study, the Achillea wilhelmsii species were collected. The leaves and flowers essential oil of this species was extracted by distillation with water and essential oil components were analyzed and identified using GC device. For the treatment, Use of Achillea wilhelmsii extract was prescribed one glass a day for one month to the patient. The patient’s complaints were completely eliminated and the size of the patient’s cysts was significantly reduced in the next examinations. Essential oil efficiency for leaves and flowers of Achillea wilhelmsii are: 8.1-cineole (13 %) geranyl isovalerate (4.11 %).

1 table, 6 ref