L-asparaginase (L-asparagine amido hydrolase, E.C.3.5.1.1) is a promising chemotherapeutic agent which plays a vital role in treatment of a variety of lymphoproliferative disorders, lymphosarcoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia in particular. An attempt is made in the present study to optimize the production of L-asparaginase by Fusarium equiseti using soya bean meal under solid state fermentation (SSF). The maximum yield of L-asparaginase (8.51 IU) was achieved with the following optimized fermentation parameters: incubation period (48 hrs), initial moisture content (70% v/w), particle size (3 mm), inoculum volume (20%), supplemented with glucose (0.5% w/v), ammonium sulphate (0.5% w/v) and yeast extract (0.5% w/v).

L-asparaginase (L-asparagine amido hydrolase, E.C.3.5.1.1) is an extra cellular enzyme that has received considerable attention since it is used as an anticancer agent. In the present study, the fungal isolates from rhizosphere soils were screened for the L-asparaginase production by using modified Czapek Dox agar containing L-asparagine and phenol red as indicator. The strain isolated from rhizosphere soil of Ipomoea muricata showed the maximum zone diameter of 1.05 cm. The 16s rDNA sequence analysis indicated that the strain was most closely related to Fusarium equiseti. Various physical and chemical parameters were optimized under solid state fermentation (SSF) for L-asparaginase production. Further, it was observed that maximum activity of 3.26 IU was achieved by employing soya bean meal as substrate, with incubation period of 48 hrs and incubation temperature at 45 o C at pH 7 with di potassium hydrogen phosphate and manganese as the best phosphate and metal ion source respectively.

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Abstract-Methomyl (S-methyl-1-N [(methyl carbamoyl) oxy] thio acetimidate, is a carbamate broad spectrum insecticide. The Swiss albino mice were administered orally 1, 2, 3, and 4 mg/kg body wt methomyl for 30 days and effective dose 4 mg/kg for 5, 10, and 20 days to know the dose and durational effect on testes and biochemical contents. The mice were sacrificed on day 31 st or 24 hours after the terminal exposure. Testes, epididymis, vasa deferentia, seminal vesicles, prostate, coagulatory and Cowper's glands weight decreased significantly with 2, 3 and 4 mg/kg/day and in 4mg/kg /day for 10 and 20 days of methomyl treatment.Histologic studies of the testes revealed anti-spermatogenic and anti-steroidogenic effects of methomyl reflected by significant decrease in the number and diameter of spermatogonia, primary spematocytes, secondary spermatocytes, spermatids and Leydig cells in the mice treated with 2, 3 and 4 mg/kg/day and in 4 mg/kg /day for 10 and 20 days of methomyl treatment, except with 2 mg/kg/day methomyl treatment number of primary spematocytes, Leydig cells, diameter of spermatogonia, and in 4 mg/kg/day methomyl for 10 days treatment the number of spermatogonia, leydig cells and diameter of primary spermatocytes not changed significantly when compared with controls. Biochemical studies of testis and epididymis showed methomyl at doses of 2, 3 and 4 mg/kg/day and in 4 mg/kg /day for 10 and 20 days of methomyl treatment caused significant decrease in the levels of DNA, RNA, protein, glycogen and sialic acid whereas cholesterol increased significantly. However, treatment with 1, 2 mg / kg/ day and 4 mg / kg /day for 5 days methomyl caused no significant change in epididymal biochemical contents when compared with control. Study on enzyme activities in testis and epididymis revealed that the treatment with 3 and 4 mg/kg/day and 4 mg/kg /day for 20 days of methomyl caused significant decrease in the activities of succinic dehydrogenase (SDH), ions ATPase (Na + -K + ATPase, Ca ++ ATPase, Mg ++ ATPase) and acid phosphatase (ACP) were decreased significantly, except with 3 mg/kg/day methomyl treatment where Ca ++ ATPase activity in testes and epididymis not changed significantly. However, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activities were increased significantly. The testis 3β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3βHSD) decreased significantly with 3 and 4 mg/kg /day and in 4 mg/kg /day for 10 and 20 days of methomyl treatment when compared with controls. However, there was no significant change in testes and accessory reproductive organs, number and diameter of spermatogonia and Leydig cells and biochemical contents of testis and epididymis with 1 mg/kg/day and in 4 mg/kg /day for 5 days of methomyl treatment. These observed effects of methomyl on testes and accessory reproductive organs weight, testis histology, biochemical contents and enzyme activities in testis and epididymis may be due to toxic effect or hormonal imbalance in any of the stage in the hypothalamo-hypophysial-testicular ...

Methomyl (S-methyl-1-N (methyl carbamoyl) oxy] thio acetimidate, is a N -methyl carbamate broad spectrum insecticide. The methomyl containing technical formulation the "Lannate" was evaluated for its effects on the liver antioxidant contents, oxidative stress by-products and oxidative stress enzyme activities and histopathology in Swiss albino mice. Normal virgin male Swiss albino mice of 90 days old weighing about 25-30g were used in the experiment. The mice were administered 1, 2, 3, and 4mg/kg body wt methomyl for 30 days and effective dose 4 mg for 5, 10, and 20 days to know the dose and durational effect on liver. The mice were sacrificed on day 31 st or 24 hours after the terminal exposure. Liver dissected out freed from adherent tissue and weighed to nearest milligram. The liver histology, estimations of antioxidant contents, oxidative stress by-products and oxidative stress enzyme activities were carried out. Liver antioxidant contents showed that levels of GSH (Glutathione) and ascorbic acid were decreased significantly in mice treated with 2, 3 and 4mg/kg/day methomyl and 4 mg/ kg/ day for 10 and 20days of methomyl treatment, except the level of ascorbic acid was not changed significantly in mice treated with 2 mg/kg body wt. Liver antioxidant products showed that levels of TBARS (thiobarbaturic acid) and protein carbonyl were increased significantly in mice treated with 2, 3 and 4mg/kg/day methomyl and 4 mg/ kg/ day for 10 and 20days of methomyl treatment, except the level of TBARS was not changed significantly in mice treated with 2 mg/kg body wt of methomyl. Liver oxidative stress enzyme activities showed that levels of CAT (Catalase), SOD (super oxide dismutase) and GST (Glutathione-s-transferase) were decreased significantly in mice treated with 2, 3 and 4mg/kg/day methomyl and 4 mg/ kg/ day for 10 and 20days of methomyl treatment. The Histology of liver of mice treated with 2, 3 and 4 mg / kg/ day methomyl and 4 mg / kg/ day for 10 and 20days of duration showed that dilation of central vein, sinusoids between hypertrophied hepatocytes and cytoplasmic vacuolization with loss of radial arrangement of cells. The result of the present study suggests that chronic exposure to methomyl insecticide has deleterious effect on liver. The study also revealed that the methomyl might have affected cell metabolism and cell membrane permeability and detoxification system in liver.