Blue bull is Asia’s largest antelope, a species of least concern in IUCN Red data list of 2020. In Nepal, it is vulnerable and is often considered as a problem animal for its crop raiding habit. Although, its population is restricted in India and Nepal, there are insufficient studies conducted on the distribution and threats of the species at local level. This study aimed to assess the distribution of blue bull and its conservation threats in Bardia National Park and its buffer zone. Field survey was carried out to identify the potential area with the information provided by park staff and buffer zone people and by the transect method in the selected habitat to determine the distribution of blue bull population. Additionally, six focus group discussions (1 in each of thefive sites and 1 with park staff) and a half-day workshop (involving 25 participants representing each site and park office) were organized to assess the existing threats to the species. Data were analyzed descriptively using MS Excel, while the distribution map was prepared using Arc GIS. Also, 8 major identified threats were ranked using relative threat ranking procedure and classified into four severity classes. We found that the population of blue bull was dispersed from core area of Bardia National Park towards the buffer zone area. Open grazing, invasive species, predation by tiger and flash flood were the major threats to the blue bull as perceived by the local people. Habitat management activities including control of grazing, removal of invasive plant species, plantation of palatable grass species, increase in other prey species of tiger and control of flood in blue bull’s habitats are recommended to protect the species and thus sustain their threatened population.
Dicentra scandens (D.Don) Walp. locally called as ‘Jogi Lahara’ belongs to the Family Fumariaceae and is used in traditional medicine in Sikkim, a North Eastern state of India. The present study investigated the antimicrobial properties of aqueous and methanol extracts of Dicentra scandens (D.Don) Walp. against some test Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria. Using agar well diffusion method, aqueous and methanol extracts of roots of Dicentra scandens were tested against Escherichia coli (MTCC 1089), Klebsiella pneumoniae (MTCC 3384), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 1034), Proteus vulgaris (MTCC 742), Salmonella typhi (MTCC 733), Shigella flexneri (MTCC 1457), Vibrio cholerae O139(MTCC 3906), Bacillus cereus (MTCC 6840) and Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 7443). Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were also evaluated. Promising antimicrobial activity was exhibited by methanol extract of Dicentra scandens. The methanol extract was further characterized by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The GC-MS analysis revealed 29 compounds and the major compounds detected were Protopine (53.78%) and Corydine (18.20%). Thus, the alkaloids are predominant phytoconstituents of the extract and could be attributed to its antimicrobial activity. The results of the present study indicate that, Dicentra scandens can be a source of potential antimicrobial agent and can be explored further for its therapeutic use.
The fruit of Capsicum annuum var. cerasiforme belonging to the Family Solanaceae is a widely used spice in Sikkim, a North Eastern state of India. The fruit of Capsicum annuum var. cerasiforme locally called ‘Dalle Khorsani’ is a valuable cash crop of Sikkim and also possess medicinal properties. Heracleum nepalense D. Don locally called ‘Chimphing’ belongsto the Family Umbillifereae and is extensively used in folk medicine. The present study evaluated the antimicrobial property of fruits of Capsicum annuum var. cerasiforme (Mill.) Irish and Heracleum nepalense D. Don using agar well diffusion method against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis. The antioxidant property of methanol extracts of fruits of these test plants was also investigated. The antioxidant property was evaluated by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity assay and Ferric reducing power assay. The total phenolic content was determined by using Gallic acid as a standard. The methanol extract of both the plants inhibited the growth of mostly Gram positive bacteria and Escherichia coli among Gram negative bacteria. However the acetone extract of the selected plants did not exhibit antimicrobial activity. The methanol extracts of these plants exhibited significant (p>0.05) concentration dependent increase in DPPH free radical scavenging activity. The extract of Capsicum annuum var. cerasiforme (Mill.) Irish also exhibited significantly higher (p>0.05) ferric reducing ability thereby showing higher antioxidant activity. The phytochemical analyses of the plant extracts revealed the presence of phenol, tannin, flavonoid, alkaloid, steroid and saponin. The results of the present study indicate that Capsicum annuum var. cerasiforme (Mill.) Irish and Heracleum nepalense D. Don can be a potential source of antimicrobial and antioxidant agents and can be explored further for its therapeutic use.
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