Rice grain as the staple food for more than half the global population provides 20% of global human calorie requirements. Starch digestion rate is an important consideration for rice consumers who are concerned about health, particularly those with diabetes. Understanding the effect of rice grain composition on starch digestion may assist the growing and processing of rice for preferred eating quality and starch digestibility. Amylose content is regarded as the key determinant of rice starch digestibility, however, starch digestibility differs between rice varieties with similar amylose content indicating the possible role of non‐starch components in determining rice starch digestibility. The current understanding of the role of starch and non‐starch compounds in determining rice starch digestion has been reviewed here. Starch digestion rate is dependent upon starch granule size, starch crystallinity, amylose content and amylopectin chain length and non‐starch components such as fibre, protein, lipid and polyphenols. Non‐starch components may complex with starch and inhibit starch digestion by affecting starch properties or by producing a protective layer around starch or by having antagonistic effects on digestive enzymes. Hydrothermal processing of rice can alter the effects of starch and non‐starch components on starch digestion.

Laboratory experiments were carried out during August to September 2004 and 2005 at the Seed Technology Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh to determine the effects of harvesting stages on the seed quality of lentil. Lentil seeds of three varieties were harvested at three stages at 7-day intervals viz. i) when the pods were yellowish with a few yellow greens (H 1 stage), ii) when most of the pods were light brown with a few yellow (H 2 stage), and iii) when all the pods were completely brown and dry (H 3 stage). All the seeds were stored in earthen pot until conducting the laboratory study. Non-significant variation was observed in three varieties of lentil for most of the parameters studied. The highest germination percentage, root length, shoot length, seedling length and vigour index (vigour index-I and vigour index-Il) were observed in BARI Masur-4, and the lowest in BARI Masur-2. Harvesting stage had significant effect on some parameters studied. Seeds collected at the stage when most of the pods were light brown with a few yellow (H 2 stage) recorded the highest germination percentage, dry weight, root length, shoot length, seedling length and vigour index (vigour index-I and vigour-Il) in both the years. BARI Masur-4 seeds collected at H 2 stage recorded the highest dry weight and vigour index-I in both the years and vigour index-Il in 2004.

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Viscum orientale Willd. (Loranthaceae) has long been used in traditional medicine to treat pain, neuropharmacological disorders and various forms of tumor but not yet been reported. The aim of this study is to rationalize the traditional medicinal use of this plant by evaluating the methanol extract of V. orientale leaves (MEVOL) for anti-nociceptive, CNS depressant and antioxidant activities and to quantify the bioactive polyphenols present in this plant. Five polyphenolic compounds namely gallic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, and quercetin (17.54, 8.99, 99.61, 4523.31, and 100.15 mg/100 g of dry weight, respectively) have been identified in MEVOL using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography. Qualitative antioxidant activity determined by Thin Layer Chromatography indicated the presence of antioxidants. In quantitative antioxidant test using 2,2-diphenyl 1-picrylhydrazyl, MEVOL exhibited strong free antioxidant activity in a dose dependant manner (IC50 = 6.63 μg/ml) compared with ascorbic acid (IC50 = 1.91 μg/ml) and butylatedhydroxyanisole (IC50 = 2.27 μg/ml) controls. Total phenolic content determined using Folin Ciocaltu reagent was found to be 73.4 mg gallic acid equivalent/g of extract, while flavonoid content estimated using aluminum chloride colorimetric method was 170.7 mg quercetin equivalent/g of extract. Anti-nociceptive activity of MEVOL measured using acetic acid and formalin induced pain models in mice was significant (p < 0.001). MEVOL showed 65.6 and 88.8% writhing inhibition at 300 and 500 mg/kg body weight, respectively, comparing with standard diclofenac-Na (75.2% inhibition) at 25 mg/kg body weight in acetic acid induced pain model. In formalin induced pain model, paw licking was inhibited 45.93 and 56.4% in early phase and 55.66 and 72.64% in late phase at 300 and 500 mg/kg body weight, respectively, while diclofenac-Na inhibited 60.47 and 61.32% in early and late phase at 10 mg/kg body weight, respectively. In neuropharmacological activity test, overall behavioral test significantly reinforced CNS depressant activity. Spontaneous motor activities were reduced (p < 0.05) in both hole cross and open field tests compared with diazepam. Antioxidant activity of MEVOL is likely due to the phenolic and flavonoid compounds present within the leaf tissues. This study reveals significant in vivo anti-nociceptive and CNS depressant activities which justifies traditional medicinal applications of V. orientale.