Supplementations of 1alpha, 25-(OH)2D3 has a marked protection against hepatic nodulogenesis, antioxidant enzymes and DNA damages in DEN induced rat hepatocarcinogenesis promoted by phenobarbital.

The present study aimed to investigate the nutritional properties and antioxidant activities of six underutilized wild edible plants viz . Ipomoea aquatica, Achyranthes aspera, Aasystasia ganjetica , Enhydra fluctuans, Oldenlandia corymbosa and Amaranthus viridis that are commonly consumed as food in the India The antioxidant properties of the plants were evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging ability, reducing power capacity, metal chelating activity, lipid peroxidation assay, estimation of total phenolic content and flavonoids content in different solvent extraction system like benzene, chloroform, methanol and 70% aqueous (aq.) ethanol. The quantitation of phenolic acids and flavonoids and water soluble vitamins in these plants were carried out by HPLC using Acclaim C 18 column (5 μm particle size, 250 × 4.6 mm), Dionex Ultimate 3000 liquid chromatograph and detection was carried out in photo diode array (PDA) detector. The results of investigation showed that these plants are rich sources of protein, carbohydrate minerals and vitamins, especially the B group of vitamins that can contribute immensely to nutrition, food security, and health and therapeutic benefits. The different levels of antioxidant activities were found in the solvent systems used. The HPLC analysis also showed the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids in various amounts in these plants which could be utilized as natural antioxidant.

Arsenic (As) is a metalloid and considered harmful due to its toxic and carcinogenic effects. Removal of arsenic is of great importance for human welfare. The main objective of this study was to isolate arsenic-resistant bacteria that are capable of removing arsenic from the environment. Soil samples were collected from an arsenic-affected area of West Bengal, India and 10 different bacterial strains were isolated. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the isolates varied widely in the range 50-125 mM (As) as arsenate and 10-100 mM (As) as arsenite. TEM and EDAX analysis were done to confirm intracellular accumulation of arsenic. The 16s RNA and phylogenetic analysis showed that seven isolates belonged to γ-proteobacterium, two isolates belonged to Firmicutes and one was identified as Kocuria genera. Some of these bacteria could oxidize arsenite to arsenate and all others could reduce arsenate to arsenite. The growth pattern of the bacterial strains in presence and absence of arsenic was also observed. All the 10 isolates exhibited multiple heavy metal (like Ni, Zn, Cu, Pb, Co, etc.) tolerances. Thus, these new bacterial strains could conveniently be used for bioremediation of soil and effluents and the enzymes produced by them may be used for commercial exploitation.

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