Volume 5 (2021): Issue 2 (April 2021)

Plants are known to possess enormous profound benefits, which if well incorporated in daily living have the potential to influence our health in ways unexpected. Significant progress has been made concerning the anti-oxidative and anti-cancerous effect of bioactive components in food products, worthy of note in the curcuminoids derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizomes. Therefore, to this end, this research aims to describe succinctly the phytocomponents, antioxidant activity and anti-microbial activity of turmeric methanol extract. The zones of inhibition were measured after plating on a Mueller Hinton agar plate and compared to the standards penicillin G and chloramphenicol. Chloramphenicol used as a positive control was found to be most effective on Staphylococcus aureus while Curcuma longa methanol extract and penicillin G were found to have the same microbial inhibition due to the negative control. Compared to the IC50 values of Ascorbic acid which was 5 mg/ ml, Curcuma longa methanol extract had a lower IC50 value is 3.2 mg/ml which according to previous literature is a good one given that lower IC50 values indicate great antioxidant activity. It was gathered by the observation that the qualitative extraction of Curcuma longa using methanol shows the presence of varying chemical components such as AR-tumerone, arachinsaeure, alpha-tumerone amongst others. Research data suggest that ar-turmerone has the potential to promote the positive and negative proliferation of tumor cell lines. As a result, Curcuma longa has high potential to be developed into an antibiotic against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other clinically important bacterial strains in future.

The aim of this study was to compare three diagnostic methods for the diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis and to detect subtypes ofCryptosporidium parvum by sequences analyses of gp60 gene in diarrheic calves in several herds in Konya province located in Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. Fecal samples were collected from a total of 194 pre-weaned calves (n=158, ≤15 days old, and n=36, 15 to 40 days old), with diarrhoea. For comparative diagnosis, all samples were examined by modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining of fecal smears for the presence of oocyst, nested PCR-RFLP of SSU rRNA and TaqMan qPCR for the detection of Cryptosporidium DNA. A total of 92 (47.4%) and 104 (53.6%) out of the examined samples were found positive by microscopic examination and molecular tools, respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of microscopic identification were determined as 88.5% and 100.0%, respectively compared to molecular assays. Cryptosporidium parvum was the only detected species in all positive samples by species-specific qPCR and nested PCR-RFLP assays. Species identifications were further confirmed by sequence analyses of the SSU rRNA PCR products. There was no statistically significant difference in C. parvum prevalence between early pre-weaned calves and calves older than 15 days. The sequence analyses of the gp60 gene of C. parvum isolates revealed a one subtype IIaA13G2R1 belonging to zoonotic family IIa in diarrheic calves

Aloeswood or Agarwood has long been perfumery commodity traded between Mediterranean Region and Southeast Asia since ancient times. Oil or chips are obtained by destructive harvesting of several Thymeleaceous genera includes Aquilaria and Gonystylus and are expensive and highly demanded ingredients in the global market. The recent recovery of Gyrinops walla as a potential producer of market-quality agarwood in mature damaged woods and branches, the intense illicit felling and exportation G. walla leading to the verge of extinction from Sri Lankan flora. The sustainable utilization of G. walla undoubtedly enhances the foreign exchange of the country and the non-destructive utilization G. walla through biotechnology is the only option available for sustainable exploitation and conservation of the vulnerable G. walla species. An electro-elicitation apparatuses were designed and built to stimulate calli and cell suspensions. The elicited and calli and cell suspensions were harvested at different time periods to extract sesquiterpenes. Current intensities of 10 mA and 50 mA, and 0.1 mA were the optimum values for the induction of sesquiterpenes; γ-selinene, β-caryophyllene, α-cadinol and α-guaiene, production in both calli and cell suspension after 8 weeks and 6 hours, respectively. The findings of the study led to conclude the possibility of induction of production of sesquiterpenes through electro-elicitation of G. walla calli and cell suspension in an in vitro system for sustainable utilization and conservation endeavours.

Carnitine (β-hydroxy-γ-trimethyl amino butyrate) is, a vitamin-like substance carrying long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondrial matrix. Due to its effect in energy metabolism, carnitine plays an important role in controlling diabetes and its complications. Studies on this topic have often focused on carnitine supplementation. This study was planned to investigate the relationship between serum carnitine level, glucose regulation and body fat in diabetic patients. A total of 64 people between the ages of 30-5, 32 patients with type 2 diabetes and 32 healthy subjects, were included in the study. Individual lipid profiles, glucose, insulin and serum carnitine levels were analyzed, anthropometric measurements were taken and 24-hour recall food consumption was recorded. As a result, blood glucose, insulin, triglyceride, VLDL-C, HDL-C and HOMA-IR were found to be higher in diabetic individuals than healthy group (p<0,05). Serum carnitine levels were found to be significantly lower in diabetic male (50,6±20,83 nmol/mL) than in healthy male (59,5±17,25 nmol/mL)(p<0,05). This difference was not statistically significant among female (p>0,05). It has been observed that intake of energy and macronutrients of diabetic individuals is generally lower than that of healthy individuals. Serum carnitine level was positively associated with polyunsaturated fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acid intake in male in the healthy group showed a negative correlation with fiber intake in female in the healthy group (p<0,05). There were negative correlations between serum carnitine level with body weight, body mass index and body fat mass in female in the healthy group (p<0,05). Individuals with diabetes are predisposed to dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. As a result; food consumption, and body fat affect individuals’ serum carnitine levels in type-2 diabetes. Since there is not enough study evaluating the relationship between anthropometric measurements of individuals and serum carnitine levels, it is thought that this result will guide future studies.