Anopheline mosquitoes are vectors of human malaria and hence they are of greatest concern. Around 40% of the world's population resides in malaria affected areas. Malaria affects poor communities and causes enormous economic losses. The deadly disease annually causes clinical illness in 400-600 million people and kills 2-3 millions annually (WHO 2008). Faunistic survey was conducted in Fingeswar block in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh state of India during January 2003 to March 2004 to asses the prevalence of different species of mosquitoes and their seasonal variations.Indoor resting mosquitoes were collected from selected houses in 5 villages using aspirator tube and torch light in the morning between 06:00-08:00. Adult mosquitoes were identified using standard morphological and pictorial keys following Rao (1984), Das et al. (1991) and Reuben et al. (1994) and assessed as person hour density.A total of 13,248 mosquitoes were collected during the study period. Nine species of mosquitoes comprising of 4 genera with 5 Anopheles, two Culex and one each Armigeres and Aedes were recorded. The malaria vectors constituted 14.09% of the total mosquito collections. Anopheles subpictus (25.81%) showed the dominance followed by A. annularis (8.68%), A. barbirostris (6.76%), A. culicifacies (5.41%) and A. pallidus (4.11%). The other genus recorded included Culex quinquefasciatus (38.38%), C. vishnui (3.32%), Armigeres subalbatus (6.92%) and Aedes albopictus (0.29%). The density of all the species were high in months of August, September and October, decreased in month of May and June 2003. There was a significant (p < 0.01) positive correlation between temperature and density of A. culicifacies and A. annularis. The seasonal distribution pattern of A. culicifacies (primary) and A. annularis (secondary) malaria vectors along with other mosquito species was studied which is an important component of epidemiological study of malaria. This information will help in formulating a baseline structure for control program in the study region.

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Andrographis paniculata (Ap) has been a part of traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory effects, treatment of snake bites and liver abnormalities. Several investigations have revealed its bioactive components to be andrographolides. The methanolic extracts of leaves from Ap were characterized, the non-andrographolides were identified and screened for anti-proliferative activity. The extracts showed significant toxicity against numerous cancer cells including HeLa, MCF7, BT549, 293 and A549 cells. Anti-proliferative activity and effect on cancer cell invasion (metastatic potential) and cell migration were examined. The extracts revealed significant inhibition of the ability of HeLa cells in repairing the gap created by a vertical wound made on a confluent cell monolayer. Similarly, a 40% reduction in cell migration was observed in presence of the extracts. Significant anti-angiogenic activity in terms of reduced blood capillary formation was observed on the Chorioallantoic membranes of embryonated hen eggs co-inoculated with HeLa cells and the extracts. Analysis of HeLa cells treated with the extracts using flow cytometry indicated the arrest of cell cycle progression at the G2/M phase. Variation in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and elevated caspase-3 levels by immunoblotting confirmed cell death induction via the apoptotic pathway. Investigation of the extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry displayed the predominant components to be 2(5H)-Furanone (14.73%), Quinic acid (17.32%), and Phytol (11.43%). These components have been previously known to have anticancer activity, while being studied individually in other plants. This is the first study, to the best of our knowledge, on the anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic activity of the non-andrographolide components from Ap.

The wild plants of Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud) Wats were subjected to sUV-B treatment to analyze essential oil variation and DNA polymorphism. Significant difference in essential oil yield and citral content was observed. Plants treated with sUV-B for different intervals of time (15min, 30min, 1h, 1.5h, 2.0h, 2.5h, 3.0h, 3.5h and 4.0h) along with control were subjected to RAPD analysis with 10 random decamer primers. Five primers (OPA-01, OPA-09, OPY-18, OPY-09 and OPG-10) produced polymorphism generating 57 amplicons, of which 27 were polymorphic and 30 were monomorphic in nature. Primer OPA-01 showed highest polymorphism (60%) and OPA-09 showed lowest polymorphism (12.5%). High genetic similarity was observed in treatment with 1.5h and 2.5h and least genetic similarity in treatment with 3.5h and control plants. Dendrogram constructed on genetic similarity coefficient showed two clusters viz., cluster I and II. The study indicates the significant variation at intraspecies level with respect to essential oil yield, citral content and DNA polymorphism in sUV-B treated plants which can be further exploited for developing high yielding chemotypes in C. flexuosus.

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