Journal of Coastal Life Medicine

510-520

Authors: Ganesh Manikantan, Somasundarannair Lyla, Syed Ajmal Khan, Packiaraj Vijayanand, George Edward Gnana Jothi

Objective: To study the bio-potency of epidermal mucus from Epinephelus tauvina. Methods: Mucus was extracted with acidic, organic and aqueous solvents. Protein, carbohydrate, lipid, amino acid and fatty acid content of mucus extracts were quantified by UV-spectrophotometer, high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatographymass spectrometer, respectively. Antimicrobial activity was tested against five human and fish pathogens by using agar well diffusion method. The molecular weight of peptides was determined using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The haemolytic activity of extracts was tested against chick, goat, cow and human red blood cell. Results: Protein contributed with maximum of 26.25% in crude mucus. Arginine was recorded maximum of (133.9 nmol/mL) in crude mucus. 2,4,6-Decatrienoic acid and bis (a-chloroethyl) sulfone were confirmed in organic extract. The antimicrobial activity of acidic extract was significant. Among the human pathogens, maximum zone of inhibition [(26.0 ± 0.3) mm] was observed against Proteus mirabilis. Whereas, among fish pathogens maximum zone of inhibition [(25.0 ± 0.1) mm] was observed against Vibrio parahemolyticus. The activity of other two extracts was not remarkable. The molecular weight of peptides ranged from 115.5– 37.1 kDa in acidic extract was determined. Chicken and goat blood were found to be highly vulnerable to the lysis. Conclusions: The whole mucus could be a promising source with numerous bioactivepotency. Consequently, this preliminary information suggested that mucus is a source of novel antimicrobial agents for fish and human health related applications.

527-530

Authors: Zohra Ben Salem, Ayadi Habib

Objective: To determine the concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the liver, gills and muscle of Liza aurata (L. aurata) collected from the Kerkennah Islands. The target hazard quotient was also used as an indicator of human health risks associated with fish consumption. Methods: The sample was collected from Kerkennah Islands (Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia). Heavy metals in L. aurata tissues (gills, liver and muscle) were analysed with an atomic absorption spectrometer (PerkinElmer). Results: As expected, muscle always possessed the lowest concentrations of all metals. The maximum concentrations of Cd (0.52 mg/kg wet weight), Cu (5.43 mg/kg wet weight), Fe (115.27mg/kgwet weight) and Zn (112.20 mg/kgwet weight) were measured in the liver, while the highest Ni (1.54 mg/kgwet weight) and Pb (1.43 mg/kgwet weight) were recorded in gills. The target hazard quotient through consumption of fish and calculated by adding the inividual target hazard quotient was below 1, indicating that there was no significant potential health risk associated with consumption of L. aurata. Conclusions: L. aurata from the Kerkennah Islands may be suitable for human consumption.

536-540

Authors: Khaled Khasaf Al-Khafaji, Imad Hadi Al Qarooni, Murtatha Youssef Al Abbad , Nada Moffed Abd Al-Lateef

Objective: To describe the growth, reproductive biology and abundance of the population of invasive shrimps Palaemon elegans (P. elegans) in one of the branches of Garmat Ali river at Basrah, Southern Iraq. Methods: Monthly samples of the prawn P. elegans were collected with a bottom hand net (40 cm, 0.5 mm mesh) hauled over a distance of 10 m. A simple random sampling was conducted monthly between December 2012 and November 2013. Results: Seasonal changes were observed in the composition of the population of the species during the study year with the highest abundance in 2013 and the lowest abundance for the males was reported in January and for the females occurred in June. Salinity showed a significant correlation with the abundance of shrimps at the sampling site. The largest female measured 67.90 mm while the corresponding value for males was 61.31 mm. The proportion of ovigerous adults rose during spring season to peak on about July and ovigerous prawns were taken in all months of the year. The sex ratio indicated a preponderance of females over males in all months in the study period. Each females produced around 36–1324 eggs and the incubation period lasted for 11–14 days at 17–29 °C. Conclusions: The results of the present study indicate that this species has a wide distribution range, high density, and great reproduction potential. This study reveals the lack of researches on this species in environments of Shatt Al-Arab river and its branches. Thus, P. elegans has most likely formed a permanent population in all the brackish waters in Basrah area.

547-551

Authors: Theresa Ibibia Edewor, Nimotalai Olabisi Kazeem, Stephen Oluwagbemiga Owa

Objective: To analyze the phytochemicals that are present in two medicinal plants which are used for the treatment of respiratory tract infections by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. Methods: The plant leaves were extracted with n-hexane and methanol separately. Both extracts were analyzed for present phytochemicals using the method described by Harborne, 1985 while only methanol extracts were subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometer analysis. Results: Phytochemical screening of the methanolic extracts of Terminalia macroptera (T. macroptera) revealed the presence of glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, saponins and steroids while that of Dioclea reflexa (D. reflexa) showed the presence of flavonoids, saponins and steroids. The n-hexane extracts were devoid of the screened phytochemicals. Twelve and twenty-five compounds were identified in the leaves of T. macroptera and D. reflexa respectively. These compounds were fatty acids, fatty acid esters, other esters, heterocyclics and phenolics. The most abundant compound in T. macroptera was benzenetriol (53.30%) while the predominant compounds in D. reflexa were dodecanoic acid, methyl ester (15.31%), 5, 5, 8a-trimethyl-3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8a-hexahydro-2H-chromene (9.73%), 10-octadecenoic acid, methyl ester and 2-hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (8.95%). Benzofuran, 2, 3-dihydro, 3, 7, 11, 15- tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol and hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester were common in both plant extracts. The antimicrobial properties of the leaves of these plants could be responsible for their use in the treatment of respiratory tract infections. Conclusions: Some of the identified phytochemicals in the plant leaves are responsible for its use in the treatment of respiratory tract infections.

556-563

Authors: Manash Kumar Choudhury, Yoseph Shiferaw, Kumar Ranabir Sur , Diganta Dey, Sukalyani Debnath, Subhalakshmi Ghosh, Ratnamala Ray, Banasri Hazra

Objective: To investigate the seeds of Millettia ferruginea (M. ferruginea) to unravel its antibacterial, antifungal, antitubercular, and antileishmanial potential for the first time. Methods: M. ferruginea seeds were refluxed separately with chloroform, methanol and water to prepare the three extracts, which were tested against the reference strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, yeast cells, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Leishmania donovani (L. donovani) promastigotes. Next, the seeds were chemically analysed to isolate three constituent compounds, viz., barbigerone, calopogonium isoflavone-A and durmillone, which were purified, characterised and evaluated for antibacterial and antileishmanial activity. Further, Comet assay was conducted to observe DNA fragmentation effects on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells pretreated with the isoflavonoid compounds. Results: The chloroform and methanol extracts of M. ferruginea seeds exhibited antibacterial and antileishmanial activity. The pure compounds also showed inhibitory activity against Gram-negative ATCC strains (minimum inhibitory concentration ~0.5 µmol/L), and L. donovani promastigotes (IC50 8.2–87.3 µg/mL). However, they had little or no activity against yeast cells and tubercle bacilli. The DNA fragmentation study showed that the isoflavonoid constituents of M. ferruginea seeds were safe at therapeutic doses. Conclusions: The antibacterial efficacy of the non-aqueous extracts of M. ferruginea seed was observed against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative ATCC strains. Moreover, the constituents isoflavonoids, viz., barbigerone, calopogonium isoflavone-A and durmillone, exhibited inhibitory activity against Gram-negative ATCC strains and L. donovani promastigotes. The comet assay showed that the compounds were safe to be considered for human consumption.

568-572

Authors: Narayan Sharma, Ripan Mujumdar, Rajeev Kumar Gautam

Objective: To detect extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and determine its prevalence in various clinical samples collected from Dehradun City Hospital. Methods: The samples were first cultured in MacConkey’s agar plates by streak plate method, then identified by Gram staining and biochemical tests. The isolated bacterial strains were then tested for antibiotic susceptibility by Kirby-Bauer method. The ESBL detection is then carried out by double disc diffusion method. Results: Off the 56 samples cultured, 21 strains were identified which were six Escherichia coli (E. coli), six Klebsiella, four Proteus, four Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and only one Acinetobacter. Eight out of 21 (38.1%) strains including three of E. coli, three of Klebsiella and two of P. aeruginosa, were found to be resistance to all five antibiotics (piperacillin, amikacin, ampicillin, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin). Initial screening using four antibiotics (cefotaxime, ceftazidime, aztreonam and ceftriaxone) and the final confirmatory test using ceftazidime/clavulanic acid and ceftazidime alone showed that 19.05% of all strains isolated were ESBL producers. Individually, 16.67% E. coli, 16.67% Klebsiella pneumoniae, 25% P. aeruginosa and 100% Acinetobacter were found to be ESBL producers. Conclusions: Antibiotic resistance by ESBL has become a major risk factor worldwide, therefore routine checkup and accordingly prescription are suggested.

575-579

Authors: Sidra Sabir, Abida Akram, Naveed Iqbal Raja, Zia-ur-Rehman Mashwani, Sohail, Huma Mehreen Sadaf, Mubashir Hussain, Iqra Riaz, Nabeela Ahmad, Ejaz Ahmed

Viola canescens Wall. ex Roxb. is a perennial herb belonging to family Violaceae, and it is almost cosmopolitan in distribution. This plant is widely used in Ayurveda and Unani medicinal systems for curing various ailments, most commonly for cough and cold. Phytochemical studies releaved that this plant is rich in secondary metabolites. This plant revealed significant antimicrobial, anti-inflamatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, laxative, analgesic as well as antitumor activities. Due to all these important pharmacological activities, market demand of Viola canescens is increasing day by day and this plant is facing tremendous over exploitation and becomes a threatened plant according to International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The present review compiles that the ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of the plant need to be conserved.