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Background:Phytoestrogens are increasingly becoming popular as alternatives for hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal condition.Objective:In this study, the antihyperlipidemic effect of chickpea (Cicer arientum) sprouts was evaluated in ovariectomy-induced dyslipidemia in rat model in comparison with standard antihyperlipidemic agent atorvastatin.Materials and Methods:A total of 24 female adult Wistar rats were divided into four groups that is, Group I - Control; Group II - Ovariectomized (OVX) rats; Group III - OVX + germinated chickpea sprouts (20% in diet) and Group IV OVX + atorvastatin (1.2 mg/kg b.wt, p.o.). Body and organ weights, serum, and liver lipid profile were assessed at the end of 8 weeks.Results:The results indicated that ovariectomy significantly (P < 0.05) increased total cholesterol, nonhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides (TGs) in serum and liver. The total lipid and phospholipid content in liver were also significantly (P < 0.05) increased. The weights of uterus and heart were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased. Dietary supplementation with germinated chickpea normalized the lipid profile in serum and liver. Further, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, body weight, uterine, heart, and spleen weights were significantly (P < 0.05) increased. Atorvastatin administration showed similarly normalized lipid profile, but showed no improvement on decreased uterus and heart weights. Histopathological examination revealed fatty changes in liver, uterine atrophy, and subintimal fat accumulation in aorta in OVX group. The changes were mild in chickpea group with no improvement in statin group.Conclusions:Germinated seeds of chickpea showed significant antihyperlipidemic activity, which was comparable to atorvastatin. Further, germinated chickpea improved organ weights and helped in the reversal of histopathological changes suggesting its usefulness in postmenopausal condition.

The safety profile of alcoholic extract of stem-bark of B. ovalifoliolata was investigated in male Wistar albino rats as per OECD guidelines 407. A total of 24 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of six rats each. Group 1 served as control and was given 0.3% carboxymethylcellulose, groups 2, 3 and 4 were given alcoholic extract of B. ovalifoliolata @ 100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg respectively in 0.3% carboxymethylcellulose orally for 28 days. The animals were observed daily for clinical signs, mortality, physiological and behavioral changes. Body weights were measured at weekly intervals and various hematological parameters like Hb, PCV, TEC, TLC and serum biochemical profile which included AST, ALT, creatine phosphokinase, creatinine, total protein and antioxidant parameters like TBARS and GSH in liver were estimated at the end of experimental period. There were no clinical signs of abnormality. The weekly body weights, organ weights and hematological parameters did not vary significantly amongst the groups. The mean activity of AST, ALT and CPK, and the concentration of serum creatinine, total protein, TBARS and GSH did not differ significantly among the groups. Histological abnormalities of toxicological significance were not detected in groups 2 and 3. However, mild histopathological alterations were observed in higher dose group 4. In conclusion, the present study revealed that the alcoholic extract of stem-bark of B. ovalifoliolata is safe at lower doses of 100 and 500 mg/kg. Hence, alcoholic extract of stem bark of B. ovalifoliolata is safe and no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) is found to be 500 mg/kg following repeated oral administration for 28 days in rats.

The utility of green silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in veterinary medicine is steadily increasing as they have many therapeutic applications against pathogens and arthropods of livestock. In this study, green AgNPs using neem (N-AgNPs), 2,3-dehydrosalanol (2,3-DHS-AgNPs) and quercetin dihydrate (QDH-AgNPs) were synthesised and characterised. Synthesised compounds were characterised by UV-Vis spectroscopy and the peak absorbance was recorded at 370 nm for neem extract. For N-AgNPs, 2,3-DHS-AgNPs and QDH-AgNPs, the maximum absorbance peaks were at 430, 230 and 220 nm, respectively. The FTIR analysis confirmed the synthesis of green AgNPs. The XRD pattern of N-AgNPs showed the peaks corresponding to whole spectra of 2 values ranging from 10-80. The relatively higher intensity of (111, 222) planes in face centred cubic crystalline structure supports the formation of synthesised AgNPs. In DLS analysis, the hydrodynamic diameter of neem leaf extract was found to be 259.8 nm, followed by 5.3, 6.7 and 261.8 nm for 2,3-DHS-AgNPs, N-AgNPs and QDH-AgNPs, respectively. Based on the transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy image analyses, confirmed the formation of N-AgNPs, 2,3-DHS-AgNPs and QDH-AgNPs. These eco-friendly phyto-AgNPs may be of use as an effective alternative to chemical control methods against the arthropods of livestock.

Mastitis is an important economic disease causing production losses in dairy industry. Antibiotics are becoming ineffective in controlling mastitis due to the emergence of resistant strains requiring the development of novel therapeutic agents. In this study, the authors present the phytochemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with acetyl-11-α-keto-βboswellic acid and evaluation of their activity in Staphylococcus aureus induced murine mastitis. Boswellic acid mediated AgNP (BANS) were oval, polydispersed (99.8 nm) with an minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.033 µg ml −1 against S. aureus, inhibitory concentration (IC 50) of 30.04 µg ml −1 on mouse splenocytes and safe at an in vivo acute oral dose of 3.5 mg kg −1 in mice. Mastitis was induced in lactating mice by inoculating S. aureus (log 10 5.60 cfu) and treated 6 h post-inoculation with BANS (0.12 mg kg −1 , intramammary and intraperitoneal), and cefepime (1 mg kg −1 , intraperitoneal). S. aureus inoculated mice showed increased bacterial load, neutrophil infiltration in mammary glands and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum. Oxidative stress was also observed with elevated malondialdehyde level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities. BANS treatment significantly (P < 0.05) reduced bacterial load, CRP, SOD, CAT activities and neutrophil infiltration in affected mammary glands. BANS could be a potential therapeutic agent for managing bovine mastitis.

Spirulina is an algae that grow in fresh and sea water and itself known to the human community with its unique Neutraceuticals properties, generally produced from the species named Arthrospira platensis, and Arthrospira maxima. Arthrospira species were cultivated throughout the world to fulfil the need of human dietary supplementation. An experimental study was planned to know the effect of spirulina supplementation on serum biochemical profile of Wistar albino rats as model study. Test results clearly denoted that diet planned with spirulina fed rats showed better serobiochemical profile when compared with stock diet and rice based diet. The protein and albumin values were significantly higher in spirulina fed rats. Feed consumption rate is very low in spirulina diet but gained more weight when compared to stock and rice diets, this might be due to high biological value protein in spirulina.

A total of 160 White Leghorns of 20 wk age were divided randomly into eight groups. Groups 1, 3, 4 and 5 were fed basal feed and the rest were fed 5% vanaspati supplemented feed until 42 wk of age. From 42 to 54 wk, groups 3, 4 and 5 were fed 1% ferrous sulfate, 100 ppm chlorpyrifos (CPS) and 100 ppm cadmium, respectively, along with basal feed and groups 6, 7 and 8 were fed similar stressors, respectively, along with 5% vanaspati. Groups 1 and 2 served as controls for basal feed and 5% vanaspati feed. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), total protein, albumin, globulin, A/G ratio, total cholesterol, high density cholesterol (HDL), triglycerides, creatinine, hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titer, and phytohemagglutination (PHA) index were studied. Supplementation of vanaspati resulted in a significant reduction in PHA, cholesterol, albumin and HI titer. Cadmium significantly increased ALP, AST, creatinine and paradoxically increased HDL cholesterol and HI titers. Vanaspati along with cadmium showed similar effects. Administration of CPS lowered PHA index, whereas supplementation along with vanaspati decreased the HI titers and increased the PHA index. Supplementation of vanaspati alone and in combination revealed harmful effects and aggravated the toxicities of CPS and cadmium. Hence, it is concluded that consumption of vanaspati could be harmful.

Combating antibiotic resistance requires discovery of novel antimicrobials effective against resistant bacteria. Herein, we present for the first time, pGLO plasmid transformed Escherichia coli HB 101 K 12 as novel model for screening of nanomaterial-based antimicrobial agents against b-lactamase resistance. E. coli HB 101 was transformed by pGLO plasmid in the presence of calcium chloride (50 mM; pH 6.1) aided by heat shock (0-42-0°C). The transformed bacteria were grown on Luria-Bertani agar containing ampicillin (amp) and arabinose (ara). The transformed culture was able to grow in the presence of ampicillin and also exhibited fluorescence under UV light. Both untransformed and transformed bacteria were used for screening citrate-mediated nanosilver (CNS), aloin-mediated nanosilver (ANS), 11-a-ketoboswellic acid (AKBA)-mediated nanosilver (BNS); nanozinc oxide, nanomanganese oxide (NMO) and phytochemicals such as aloin and AKBA. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were obtained by microplate method using q-iodo nitro tetrazolium indicator. All the compounds were effective against transformed bacteria except NMO and AKBA. Transformed bacteria exhibited reverse cross resistance against aloin. ANS showed the highest antibacterial activity with a MIC of 0.32 ppm followed by BNS (10.32 ppm), CNS (20.64 ppm) and NZO (34.83 ppm). Thus, pGLO plasmid can be used to induce resistance against b-lactam antibiotics and the model can be used for rapid screening of new antibacterial agents effective against resistant bacteria.