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The aim of the current investigation was to evaluate the efficiency of butylated hydroxyl anisole (BHA) as an antioxidant in sunflower oil (Helianthus Annuus). The oxidation stability of sunflower oil have been investigated by the effects of varying amounts of BHA. The antioxidant incorporated sunflower oil system and control edible oil were subjected to heating at 180 ± 5 °C continuously for a period of 4 h per day for consecutive 4 days. The parameters used to assess the thermal degradation and oxidation properties of the oils include ultrasonic velocity, viscosity, density and peroxide value. The fatty acid compositions of the oils were measured by gas chromatography. Adiabatic compressibility, intermolecular free length, relaxation time and acoustic impedance have been calculated from experimental data. Viscosity, density and ultrasonic velocity change in control oil is from 3.72 × 10(-2) to 13.2 × 10(-2) Nsm - 2, 918 to 994 kg/m3 and 1412 to 1484 m/s respectively and in sunflower oil with 200 ppm BHA is from 3.88 × 10(-2) to 7.52 × 10(-2) Nsm - 2, 926 to 962 kg/m3 and 1418 to 1463 m/s respectively for 16 h of heat treated oil. The ultrasonic results obtained have shown reduction in thermal degradation and improvement in oxidation stability of antioxidant loaded oil in comparison to base oil. Hence, it can be recommended that sunflower oil with 200 ppm BHA can be used for frying without adverse effect on physical properties. The ultrasonic velocity can be used for assessment of stability of frying oil.

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Background: Pharmacologic treatments for type 2 diabetes are based upon increasing insulin availability and improving sensitivity to insulin. Nowadays, glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) based therapies aims at glucose control through DPP-4 inhibitors. DPP-4 is a transmembrane glycoprotein belongs to prolyl oligopeptidase family, with the specificity of removing X-Pro or X-Ala dipeptides from the N-terminus of polypeptides. GLP-1 effect by stimulating glucose-dependent insulin release from the pancreatic islets, inhibit inappropriate post-meal glucagon release and slow gastric emptying promoting leaky gut. The current study investigated DPP-4 inhibitory activity of catechin, isolated from Withania somnifera (WS), for ethnopharmacological treatment of type 2 diabetes and aimed to increase availability of GLP-1and sensitivity to insulin. Materials and Methods: Young and matured fresh roots, leaves, and fruits of WS plant extract were considered and were systematically evaluated for DPP-4 inhibitory activity using in vitro method, enzyme kinetics, phytochemical analysis, RP-HPLC, LCMS and 1 H and 13 C NMR method and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies. Results: In this study, methanol (100% and 80%) extracts of WS matured root exhibited maximum DPP-4 inhibitory activity when compared to other extracts. The maximum DPP-4 inhibitory activity was found in 100% methanol extract of matured root. Phytobioactive was purified by RP-HPLC. The compound purified was found to be flavonoid and was characterized (LCMS, 1 H and 13 C NMR studies), identified as catechin. Auxiliary, molecular docking was performed using Ligand Fit method using PatchDock package. The study revealed the binding affinity of catechin with DPP-4 to be -6.601 kcal/mol with 13 hydrogen interactions with the receptor and was very similar to the standard potent blockers withaferin A and others (cuscohygrine, scopoletin, sitoindoside IV, tropine), further confirming its hyperglycemic potency. Conclusion:The study reveals that, 100% methanol extract of WS matured roots contains the compound-catechin, which exhibits DPP-4 inhibitory activity resulting in increased level of bioactive GLP-1 and GIP. In this background, we concluded that the WS will be a better source for further development as new antidiabetic drugs.

Due to the development of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms, antimicrobial peptides from natural sources have attracted attention in recent times. Several antimicrobial peptides have been isolated from a wide range of animal sources, particularly snake venoms. Naja naja venom showed antibacterial as well as direct and indirect hemolytic activities, and an antibacterial peptide was purified through gel permeation and ion exchange chromatography. Its molecular mass was 2491Da, which was determined using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and the amino acids sequence of the N-terminus was DEQSTHGAYVWKL. The purified peptide showed potent antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains like Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Vibrio cholerae, and Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus subtilis, respectively. The most potent activity was towards Gram-negative bacteria. Activity was retained at concentrations as low as 100µg/ml. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC; in mg) of Naja Antibacterial Peptide (NAP) and known antibiotics against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were determined using microdilution susceptibility test in sterile 96-well microdilution plates. However, the peptide did not show direct or indirect hemolytic activity

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Herein, we report extraction of biologically important isolates from medicinally valuable plant Wedelia trilobata. The biological activities viz., anti-proliferative activity and cytotoxic effect of the methanolic extract of Wedelia trilobata was investigated by Thymidine uptake assay, wound healing assay and MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, respectively. In addition, apoptotic activity was also examined through nuclear staining and DNA fragmentation assays. The IC 50 value of the methanolic extract for the growth inhibition of MEG-01 cells was found to be 80 μg/ml under which the normal HEK-293 cells were resistant to the toxic effect. Concentration and time dependent studies in Thymidine uptake and wound healing assays revealed the prominent antiproliferative activity against MEG-01 at the concentration of 80 μg/ml for 48 h. The nuclear staining and DNA fragmentation assays also confirmed that the methanolic extract induces apoptosis in MEG-01 cells.