NISCAIR Online Periodicals Repository Collection: IJBB Vol.36(1) [February 1999]

Coriandrum sativum changes the levels of lipid peroxides and activity of antioxidant enzymes in experimental animals

Title: Coriandrum sativum changes the levels of lipid peroxides and activity of antioxidant enzymes in experimental animals

Authors: Chithra, V; Leelamma, S

Abstract: The antiperoxidative effect of coriander seeds (Coriandrum sativum) was studied in rats administered high fat diet. Significant decrease in the levels of lipid peroxides, free fatty acids and glutathione was observed when compared to control group whereas the activity of antioxidant enzymes showed increase.

Page(s): 59-61

Eggplant tissue homogenate-based bioselective membrane electrode for determination of catechol

Title: Eggplant tissue homogenate-based bioselective membrane electrode for determination of catechol

Authors: Dinckaya, Erhan; Akyilmaz, Erol; Telefoncu, Azmi; Akgol, Sinan

Abstract: A novel eggplant tissue homogenate-based membrane electrode with high selective response to catechol (5 × 10^-6 -2.5 × 10^-5 M concentration) has been constructed by immobilizing tissue of eggplant (Solanum melangena L.) at dissolved oxygen probe. In order to optimize the stability of the electrode, general immobilization techniques are used to secure the eggplant tissue section physically in a gelatin-glutaraldehyde cross-linking matrix. The electrode response was maximum when 50 mM phosphate buffer was used at pH 7.0 and 35^°C. The sensor is stable for more than 3 months.

Page(s): 36-38

Effect of high arsenic content in drinking water on rat brain

Title: Effect of high arsenic content in drinking water on rat brain

Authors: Chaudhuri, Aditi Nag; Basu, Srabanti; Chattopadhyay, Sukumar; Gupta, S Das

Abstract: The permissible limit of arsenic content in drinking water is 0.05 ppm, whereas, in many parts of West Bengal the arsenic level in drinking water is 0.1 ppm, frequently 0.3 ppm and even 3.0 ppm, though rarely. In order to assess possible risk to brain function by drinking such water, rats were given arsenic mixed in drinking water at the above four concentrations for 40 days. There was increased lipid peroxidation at all doses of arsenic, including the 'permissible limit', decrease in glutathione level, superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase activities, indicating the free-radical-mediated degeneration of brain.

Page(s): 51-54

Modeling, design, chiral aspects and role of para-substituents in aryloxypropranolamine based -blockers

Title: Modeling, design, chiral aspects and role of para-substituents in aryloxypropranolamine based -blockers

Authors: Nandel, Fateh S; Dhaliwal, Ramanpreet K; Singh, Balvinder

Abstract: The conformation of the β -blockers viz. metoprolol, atenolol, bisoprolol, betaxolol and celiprolol has been investigated using Perturbative Configuration Interaction of Localized Orbitals (PCILO) method. The conformational energy maps have been constructed for both the enantiomers (R and S) by rotating the molecule from the para-substituent end. The aryloxypropranolamine moiety adopts the same conformation for all antagonists. The graphical view of R- and S- form of these antagonists in the lowest energy conformation reveals that it is only in the S- form of β -blockers, all the three functionalities- aromatic moiety, amino and β -hydroxyl groups are available for interaction with β -adrenoceptors. The para-substituents of the β -blockers adopt a conformation which is perpendicular to the aryloxy moiety resulting in an L-shaped structure. The β -antagonists possibly partition into the lipid bilayer through the para-substituents and the aryloxypropranolamine moiety containing the functionalities, thus, lies parallel to the plane of lipid bilayer for interaction with β -adrenoceptors. Superimposition of S-bisoprolol in lowest energy conformation with the 3rd putative transmembranous segment of the β -adrenoceptors reveals that the aromatic moiety, amino and β -hydroxyl groups of antagonists are involved in interaction with the side chains of Trp-109, Asp- 113 and Thr-110 respectively. This has been further substantiated by the interaction studies on the model system.

Page(s): 29-35