C glabrata was the most commonly found species among denture wearers and non-denture wearers both by conventional and CHROMagar methods. In males, C. albicans was the predominant species, whereas C. glabrata was the predominant species in females. Candidal colonization was higher in denture wearers compared to non-denture wearers, especially among females. The CHROMagar method was more rapid compared to conventional methods. In the present study, CHROMagar Candida showed 100% specificity and 100% sensitivity when compared to SDA and conventional methods.

Tephrosia calophylla, (Fabaceae) a perennial woody under shrub endemic to south India. It is one of 13 rare or threatened Tephrosia species. Commonly it is known as Adavivempali. The various species of Tephrosia is ascribed to have many medicinal and therapeutic uses. The importance of this study was to preliminary screening of different phytochemical constituents for the detection of various secondary metabolites and evaluation of antibacterial, antifungal activity and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of the different crude extracts of tuber and leaf. Tuber and leaf both yielded more number of secondary metabolites like alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids tannins, saponins and glycosides with high quantity when compared with the leaf, consisting low quantities of phyto-constituents as steroids and in tuber consisting only tannins. Antibacterial activity of T. calophylla tuber and leaf aqueous and alcohol extracts at 10 mg/well are showing more effective activity on Bacillus subtilis (MTCC-441), Escherichia coli (MTCC-443), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC-741), Klebsealla neumoniae, Proteus vulgaris strains than the control drug Ampicillin 10 mg/well with 30.25-15.00 mm zone of inhibition. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) with leaf and tuber extracts was 0.312 to 2.50 mg/ml compared to that of the 10 mg of Ampicillin. Antifungal screening of aqueous leaf extract was more effective on Candida albicans with 19.25 mm inhibition zone than Aspergillus niger at 10 mg/well compared to Nystatin the control drug at 10 mg/well with 10.2 to 12.1 mm of zone of inhibition. Fungal MIC on both organisms with leaf and tuber extracts ranges from 0.612 mg to 3 mg compared to 10 mg of Nystatin.

No abstract

No abstract

Honey is a nutritional food used in medicine since antiquity because of its broad spectrum of therapeutic activities. The aim of this present study was to screen the phytogenic chemical compounds present in bitter honey samples of Nilgiris and to determine the physicochemical properties and total phenolic content. Ethno medical survey conducted in Nilgiris revealed the medicinal importance of bitter honey among Alu Kurumba tribes. The Phytochemical screening showed positive results for carbohydrates, tannins, amino acids, saponins and flavonoids. The results of physicochemical parameters are within the limits described by FSSAI except for reducing and total reducing sugar in the second sample. The total phenolic content present in bitter honey samples were found to be 1136.64±36.497 mg/Kg equivalent of gallic acid and 1626 .46±75.003mg/Kg equivalent of gallic acid which indicates that both the bitter honey samples can be a good source of antioxidants when compared to sweet honey.