Spectral Characteristics of the Blood of Streptozotocin Diabetic Rats using Photoacoustic Technique

Optical absorption characteristics of rat blood affected by diabetes has been studied using photoacoustic (PA) technique. PA spectrum of blood depends on the molecular structure of haemoglobin. The peak value ratio ylQ increases with increase in the diabetic state. Externally added glucose to normal blood does not show any increase in y//3 ratio as seen in the diabetic condition . The increase in yl,8 ratio may be due to the decrease in DPG level and the resultant shift from R -> T conformation of majority of diabetic haemoglobin.

Chronic catheterization using vascular-access-port in rats: blood sampling with minimal stress for plasma catecholamine determination

Chronic catheterization is illustrated using vascular-access-port model SLA where the port is surgically placed subcutaneously on the back of the rat. The catheter is tunnelled to the neck and inserted into the jugular vein . Within 24 h rats showed normal blood pressure and blood samples were collected at intervals with minimal stress to the animals . A comparison of the plasma catecholamine of blood collected from vascular-access-ports with that obtained from decapitation indicates that there was minimal stress to the rats when blood was drawn through the vascular-access-port.

Non-invasive Studies on Age Related Parameters Using a Blood Volume Pulse Sensor

A non-invasive technique is implemented to measure a parameter which is closely related to the distensibility of large arteries, using the second derivative of the infrared photoplethysmographic waveform. Thirty subjects within the age group of 20-61 years were involved in this pilot study. Two new parameters, namely the area of the photoplethysmographic waveform under the systolic peak, and the ratio of the time delay between the systolic and the diastolic peaks and the time period of the waveform ( T/T) were studied as a function of age. It was found that while the parameter which is supposed to be a marker of distensibility of large arteries and T /T values correlate negatively with age, the area under the systolic peak correlates positively with age. The results suggest that the derived parameters could provide a simple, non-invasive means for studying the changes in the elastic properties of the vascular system as a function of age.

Studies on Metallocene Polyolefin and Polyvinyl Chloride for Blood and Blood Component Storage Applications

Plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (pPVC), although a major player in the medical field, is at present facing lot of criticism due to some of its limitations like the leaching out of the toxic plasticizer, di ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) to the medium and the emission of an environmental pollutant,dioxin gas,at the time of the post use disposal of PVC Products by incineration. Due to these reasons, efforts are on to reduce the use of pPVC considerably in the medical field and to find viable alternative materials. The present study has been undertaken in this context to find a suitable material for the manufacture of medical aids in place of pPVC. The main focus of this study has been to find out a non-DEHP material as plasticizer for pPVC and another suitable material for the complete repalcement of pPVC for blood/ blood component storage applications.Two approaches have been undertaken for this purpose-(1)the controversial plasticizer, DEHP has been partially replaced by polymeric plasticizers(2) an alternative material, namely, metallocene polyolefin (mPO) has been used and suitably modified to match the properties of flexible PVC used for blood and blood component storage applications.

Development of plant tissue culture of Plumbago rosea Linn. for enhanced production of secondary metabolites

P rosea syn. Indica belong to the family of plumbaginaceae, is an important medicinal plant, cultivated widely in India. The roots of these plant are generally used for medicinal purposes mainly as diuretic, germicidal, vessicant, and abortifacient. It is also used for anaemia, diarrhea, leprosy and common wart. The bark of the root contains orange yellow pigment named plumbagin, a crystalline substance, belongs to the class of naphthoquinone. Its chemical structure is 5-hydroxy 2-methyl 1,4naphthoquinone. Apart from P rosea, P zeylanica, P europea, Drosera and Drosophyllum also contains plumbagin. The most exploited source of plumbagin is, of course, P. rosea roots. The roots contain O.9mg/ g D.Wt. of plumbagin in the roots. These plants grow very slowly and the roots suitable for plumbagin extraction can be obtained only after several years of growth. The productivity of the plant is also rather poor. The focus of the present study was to develop alternative strategies to obtain plumbagin. The tissue culture of P rosea for micropropagation has been studied

Physiology of the blood of cat fishes

The vast areas of derelict swamps covered by macrophyton and swarmed by insects scattered in different parts of India are at present either under total negligence or utilized as waste disposal dumps. Eventhough Indian subcontinent is ranked among the first ten fish producing countries in the world, the fish production is not at par with the increasing need of protein in the average Indian diet. So the water areas which become unusable for conventional human activities like the swamps could be used for fish culture which would increase the availability of protein in the form of fish flesh, thus providing new opportunities to the fishermen. But the conversion of swamps for fish culture would entail considerable expenditure. Hence the significance of a group of fresh water fishes which have made their favourable abode the muddy swamps of tropics depending partly on accessory _respiration to survive in the inimical environment. The homeostasis achieved in such a hostile, hypoxic medium make them excellent choices for culture in the derelict freshwater bodies of India. These air breathing fishes form an economically important group which are highly esteemed as food fishes in many parts of South Asia and Africa. Though their natural habitat seems to be the marshes, they have also conquered other freshwater bodies like ponds, tanks, rivers and flooded paddy fields. They can also tolerate slightly brackish waters. They are known for their nutritive, invigorating and therapeutic qualities and are recommended by physicians as diet during convalescence (Jhingran, 1982)

Studies On In Vitfio Production Of Secondary Metabolites From Medicinal Plants

In the light of the very huge demand for natural ephedrine and pseudoephidrine, a search for an angiosperm plant containing the alkaloid ephedrine was made and could locate Sida spp. of malvaceae family. Sida is a large genus of, herbs and shrubs distributed throughout the tropics. About a dozen species occur in India. The medicinally important species known are S.rhombrfolia S.cordata and S.spinosa (Anon, 1972). Among the various species, S.rh0mbIfolia is the most widely used one in the traditional system of medicine. An attempt was made in the present study to develop an ideal bioprocess for the in vitro production of ephedrine from the cell culture system of Sida rhombrfolia Linn. ssp. retusa. The callus and suspension culture were initiated and attempts were made to enhance the yield positively by employing various strategies like mutagenesis, immobilization and addition of precursors, elicitors and penneabilizing agents.

Bioactive Metabolites and Biomarkers from Rhizophoraceae mangroves- A Chemotaxonomic Approach

Mangroves are specialised ecosystems developed along estuarine sea coasts and river mouths in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, mainly in the intertidal zone. Hence, the ecosystem and its biological components is under the influence of both marine and freshwater conditions and has developed a set of physiological adaptations to overcome problems of anoxia, salinity and frequent tidal inundations. This has led to the assemblage of a wide variety of plant and animal species of special adaptations suited to the ecosystem. The path of photosynthesis in mangroves is different from other glycophytes. There are modifications or alterations in other physiological processes such as carbohydrate metabolism or polyphenol synthesis. As they survive under extreme conditions of salinity, temperature, tides and anoxic soil conditions they may have chemical compounds, which protect them from these destructive elements. Mangroves are necessarily tolerant of high salt levels and have mechanisms to take up water despite strong osmotic potentials. Some also take up salts, but excrete them through specialised glands in the leaves. Others transfer salts into senescent leaves or store them in the bark or the wood. Still others simply become increasingly conservative in their water use as water salinity increases. A usual transportation or biosynthetic path as other plants cannot be expected in mangrove plants. In India, the states like West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat occupy vast area of mangroves. Kerala has only 6 km2 total mangrove area with Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Bruguiera cylindrica, Avicennia officinalis, Sonneratia caseolaris, Sonneratia apetala and Kandelia candal, as the important species present, most of which belong to the family Rhizophoraceae.Rhizophoraceae mangroves are ranked as “major elements of mangroves” as they give the real shape of this unique and interesting ecosystem and these mangrove species most productive and typical characteristic ecosystem of World renowned. It was found that the Rhizophoraceae mangrove extracts exhibit several bioactive properties. Various parts of these mangroves are used in ethnomedicinal practices. Even though extracts from these mangroves possess therapeutic activity against humans, animal and plant pathogens, the specific metabolites responsible for these bioactivities remains to be elucidated. Various parts of these mangroves are used in ethnomedicinal practices. There is a gap of information towards the chemistry of Rhizophoraceae mangroves from Kerala. Thorough phytochemical investigation can achieve the validity of ethnomedicines as well as apply the use of mangrove plants in the development of new drugs. Such studies can pave a firm base for their use in biomarker and chemotaxonomic studies as well as for the better management of the existing mangrove ecosystem. In this study, the various chemical parameters including minerals, biochemical components, bioactive and biomarker molecules were used to classify and assess the possible potentials of the mangrove plants of the true mangrove family Rhizophoraceae from Kochi.