Context:To explore genotoxicity in bidi rollers occupationally exposed to bidi tobacco dust.Aims:To assess the extent of genotoxicity of tobacco dust to bidi rollers of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India and cytotoxicity of bidi tobacco extract.Settings and Design:Blood samples from 31 bidi rollers and 30 controls taken after written informed consent were analyzed for chromosome aberrations (CA) and comet assay.Materials and Methods:Genotoxicity was studied by CA in cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes of bidi rollers and the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage studies were done by comet assay of their blood. The toxicity of bidi tobacco extract to normal human lymphocytes was studied by MMT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay as drop in viability.Statistical Analysis Used:Student's t-test and DMRT.Results:There is a general trend of increase in CA% of both in exposed and control groups with age, but in every group the bidi rollers have a significantly higher CA% than the controls. The CA % is also directly related to exposure. The comet assay findings reveal that the mean comet length and tail length increases with exposure time. The toxicity of bidi tobacco extract (TE) to normal human lymphocytes was tested in vitro by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay at 2 h of incubation. The trend of drop in viability with increasing concentrations of TE was clearly evident from the data from four donors in spite of their individual differences in viability.Conclusions:The results obtained in this investigation indicate that bidi rollers seem to be facing the occupational hazard of genotoxicity due to handling bidi tobacco and inhalation of tobacco dust. They should be advised to work under well-ventilated conditions.

In the last few years, research and inventions regarding the different aspects of endophytic fungi beneficial for host plant as well as for human beings have been carried out, which is supported by the increasing number of patents granted on endophytic fungi.

Background: Antioxidants play a major role in curing degenerative disease. In present time many synthetic antioxidants are commonly used but due to their toxic and carcinogenic effects, their use has been restricted. So the search for natural antioxidants is important. Studies on natural compounds is of interest due to their satisfactory health benefits with low toxicity. Objective: The antioxidant activity of ethanol and aqueous extract of shoot, seed and leaf of an important medicinal tree Nyctanthes arbor-trist is (Harsingar) were evaluated by DPPH scavenging antioxidant assays. Materials and Methods: Different concentrations 25, 50, 75, 100% of the aqueous and ethanol extracts were prepared with standard solutions (ascorbic acid 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, 0.09, 0.1 mg/ml). To 1.5 ml solution of DPPH (0.1 mM), 0.5 ml of various concentrations of the extract and standard were added. Results: In the present study a comparative evaluation of antioxidant activity of seed, shoot and leaf of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis Linn was performed for their aqueous and ethanol extracts. Ethanol and aqueous extracts of shoot revealed more antioxidant activity then seed and leaf. Conclusion: All aerial parts of Nyctanthes arbor-trist is Linn possess antioxidant activity. The plant may be functioned out for its anticancerous properties in future.

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The nuclear structures in different tissues of a number of dicotyledonous angiosperms show that, in certain species, nuclear repatternings due to the close association of different heterochromatic chromosomal regions occur in differentiating and differentiated cells. Chromocenter association plays a role in or is a marker of events that bring into play a large-scale control mechanism of the functional activity of the nucleus that is exploited in cell differentiation from its early stages. The somatic chromosome numbers of the genus Oroxylum indicum reported are 2n = 28, 2n = 30 and 2n = 38. The present work attempts to gives an account of the correct chromosome number in relation to chromocenters in mitotic and meiotic cells of Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent.

Flavonoids baicalein and baicalein-7-o-glucoside were estimated in in vitro raised (six months old) as well as nature grown (12 months old) plants of Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent. Multiple shoot formation and elongation were obtained from axillary and apical bud explants of O. indicum on MS containing BAP (1 mg/l) and AgNO3 (2 mg/l). Rooting of the regenerated shoots was achieved on medium (half strength) containing IBA (1 mg/l) and AgNO3 (1 mg/l). A quantitative HPLC analysis of methanolic extract of leaf and root indicated the enhancement of baicalein-7-o glucoside in in vitro raised root and leaf of Oroxylum indicum.

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