NISCAIR Online Periodicals Repository Collection: NPR Vol.4(5) [September-October 2005]

Tissue Culture

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Tissue Culture

Abstract: Plantlet regeneration of Sea-holly, Eryngium foetidum Linn. was established using leaf, stem-disc and root explants derived from in vitro-grown shoots on sucrose-free medium without growth regulators and CO2 enrichment by researchers at Department of Biotechnology, University of Calicut, Calicut, Kerala. Effectiveness of Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium with or without sucrose, and medium containing only MS macro- and micronutrients were compared. Numbers of shoots and roots developed on MS basal medium with or without sucrose, and medium containing only MS macro- and micronutrients did not show significant differences.

Page(s): 435

Therapeutics

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Therapeutics

Abstract: Aegle marmelos Corr. (Hindi — Bael) leaves are used for several diseases in Ayurvedic and Unani system of medicine hence to evaluate analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activities experimental studies were done by the scientists of University of Madras, Chennai, India and National Institute of Animal Health, Science City, Japan. The extracts of the leaves showed significant inhibition of the carrageenan-induced paw oedema and cotton-pellet granuloma in rats. The extracts also produced marked analgesic activity by reduction in the early and late phases of paw licking in mice. A significant reduction in hyperpyrexia in rats was also produced by the most of the extracts. In addition, all the extracts derived from the leaves showed antipyretic activity in mice made hyperthermic by dried yeast injection. The response of chloroform, diethyl ether and methanol extracts was almost comparable to that of Paracetamol. Thus, this study has confirmed the traditional claims [Veerappan Arul, Shigeru Miyazaki and Renganathan Dhananjayan, Studies on the anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic properties of the leaves of Aegle marmelos Corr., J Ethnopharmacol, 2005, 96(1-2), 159-163].

Page(s): 431-434

Spices

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Spices

Abstract: Zingiber officinale Rosc. (Ginger), Curcuma longa Linn. (Turmeric) and Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers. ex Hook. f. & Thoms. (Guduchi) are the important spices and herbs. Ginger and turmeric are widely grown in different regions of India and are commercially important edible spices. Guduchi, as a drug plant, has bulk demand in the market ranging from 300 to 500 tonnes of dry woody stems annually. All these three products required careful drying before producing them to the market.

Page(s): 429-430

Oil/Fats

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Oil/Fats

Abstract: From the point of view price and available capacity used frying oils or fats (UFO) represent an attractive raw material for the production of methyl esters (ME) of higher fatty acids as alternative fuels for diesel engines. If they are treated such that the required quality, with an acidity number up to 3.0 mg KOH/g and a water content up to 0.1 wt%, is achieved they can be processed to ME using standard techniques of alkali-catalysed transesterification with methanol which are utilized for production of the ME from new oils/fats. The problematic waste can thus be converted to an ecologically friendly fuel. Vacuum distillation of free fatty acids in a film evaporator is an effective method for simultaneously decreasing the content of FFA and water in UFO. Final distillation of raw ME in a film vacuum evaporator results in practically all parameters required by the standard, in the final ME being achieved. Undesirable low-temperature properties of ME derived from UFO, due to higher fraction of saturated acyls, can be adjusted by the addition of depressants—flow improvers for winterization. Some simplified methods for the quality control of UFO and ME are discussed. The conversion of acylglycerols to ME is monitored by GLC with a packed column, where the peak areas of ME in the sample before and after the reaction with an effective methylation agent are compared. The method for the determination of the water content in esters utilizes the reaction of calcium carbide with water, the volume of acetylene being measured [Cvengro J Ján and Cvengro ová Zuzana, Used frying oils and fats and their utilization in the production of methyl esters of higher fatty acids, Biomass Bioenergy, 2004, 27(2), 173-181].

Page(s): 426-428