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Purpose: Chronic, low-grade inflammation is a proposed etiological factor associated with schizophrenia. Thus, various studies have been conducted to understand the role of inflammatory process in schizophrenia by using inflammatory maker C-reactive protein (CRP) with conflicting findings. Inadvertently, studies of CRP among the Indian schizophrenia patients are very few. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the role of inflammatory process among Indian Bengalee schizophrenia patients of Siliguri, using the marker CRP and its stimulating cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6). In addition, the study also intended to investigate the immunomodulatory effect of antipsychotic medication on serum levels of CRP and IL-6. Materials and methods: The serum levels of CRP and IL-6 were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) among 67 antipsychotic medicating, 28 psychotropic medication-free schizophrenia patients, and it was compared with 72 age, sex and ethnicity-matched controls. Results: A significantly higher level of CRP and IL-6 were recorded among the antipsychotic medicating patients. Although CRP was found to be higher among the psychotropic medication-free patients than the controls, it was not found to be significant. However, a significantly higher level of IL-6 was observed in this group. Conclusions: The results provide the evidence for a possible immunomodulatory effect of antipsychotic drugs on CRP. Future investigations including the study of antipsychotics separately may help to understand the differential effects of individual antipsychotics on CRP level. Additional studies with a larger sample size of psychotropic medication-free patients may help to verify the role of inflammation in schizophrenia patients of this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phytometabolomic fingerprinting of polar and nonpolar fractions of flower, leaf, stem, and root of Streptocaulon sylvestre obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were subjected to multivariate analysis. Data revealed eight discrete yet partially coinciding metabolomic profiles. Squalene and sitosterol were the most abundant. Additionally, a vast array of pharmacologically active volatiles were identified, including several phenolic compounds. High metabolomic similarity was found between leaf polar fraction and flower nonpolar fraction (0.822), while the leaf nonpolar fraction and root polar fraction demonstrated the highest dissimilarity (-0.455). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context:Diplazium esculentum, a commonly consumed seasonal vegetable, has been reported to have some pathological effects in some animals. But, its effect on the male reproductive function has not yet been studied.Objective: To investigate the effects of boiledD. esculentum(BDE), the form which human consumes, on male reproductive functions of Swiss albino mice.Materials and methods: Male (120 in no.) and female (80 in no.) Swiss albino mice (6–8 weeks of age) were fed orally with 80, 160 and 320 mg/kg bw of BDE within a span of 180 d. After the treatment, body weight, absolute- and relative-testis weight, relative-weight of other organs, their biochemical parameters, hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST) of spermatozoa, testis histology and fertility and fecundity tests were performed to justify the toxic effects ofD. esculentumon male reproductive functions.Results: Significant dose- and time-dependent decreases were observed in body weight, absolute- and relative-testis weight, relative-weights of other organs and their biochemical parameters, percentage of live spermatozoa and percentage of fertility and fecundity in BDE fed mice. Significant decreases were observed in diameter, perimeter and area of the seminiferous tubules of mice treated for 180 d. The percentage of empty seminiferous tubules was increased significantly in BDE treated mice when compared to the controls.Discussion and conclusion: These results suggest that the intake ofD. esculentum, even after cooking, may induce infertility by altering the male reproductive function, and therefore, should be evaluated further as a potential antifertility agent. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ContextThe underground edible tuber ofDioscorea alataL. (Dioscoreaceae) is a functional food with high nutritive value and therapeutic potential. The tuber is known to possess anti-inflammatory properties in traditional medicine. ObjectiveThe present study explores the anti-inflammatory activity and standardisation ofD. alatatuber hydromethanol extract. Materials and methodsHydromethanol extract (70%) ofD. alatatuber was chemically characterised using HPLC and GC-MS techniques. Murine lymphocytes were cultured for 48 h with six different concentrations (0–80 μg/mL) of the extract. The expression of nitric oxide (NO), TNF-α, COX-1, COX-2, and PGE2were evaluated using colorimetric and ELISA methods. ResultsDioscorea alataextract inhibited the expression of NO and TNF-α with an IC50value of 134.51 ± 6.75 and 113.30 ± 7.44 μg/mL, respectively. The IC50values for inhibition of total COX, COX-1, COX-2 activities and PGE2level were 41.96 ± 3.07, 141.41 ± 8.99, 32.50 ± 1.69, and 186.34 ± 15.36 μg/mL, respectively. Inhibition of PGE2level and COX-2 activity was positively correlated (R2 = 0.9393). Gallic acid (GA), 4-hydroxy benzoic acid (4HBA), syringic acid (SYA),p-coumaric acid (PCA), and myricetin (MY) were identified and quantified using HPLC. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 13 different phytocompounds such as hexadecanoic acid, methyl stearate, cinnamyl cinnamate, and squalene. ConclusionTheD. alataextract significantly down-regulated the pro-inflammatory signals in a gradual manner compared with control (0 μg/mL). Different bioactive phytocompounds individually possessing anti-inflammatory activities contributed to the overall bioactivity of theD. alatatuber extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to determine the effect ofDiplazium esculentumon Th1 and Th2 cytokine modulation in Swiss albino mice that were administered orally with different doses of boiledD. esculentum(BDE), daily within a span of 180 days. After the treatment, serum was collected. Splenocytes were also culturedin vitrowith different concentrations of BDE, and culture supernatant was collected. Both serum and culture supernatant were used for cytokine determination by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for different Th1 (IL-2 and IFN-γ) and Th2 (IL-4 and IL-10) cytokines. Results indicated significant decreases (p< 0.05,p< 0.01, andp< 0.001) in both Th1 and Th2 cytokine concentrations when compared with their respective controls. These results suggest that the intake ofD. esculentum, even after cooking, may evoke immune dysfunction by altering Th1 and Th2 cytokine balance, may induce severe immunosuppression, and may be considered as alarming. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A simple and rapid process for deposition of high refractive index films of ZnS/PVP nanocomposite (NC) is described. Precursor films are dip-coated on glass/quartz substrates from methanolic solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) containing Zn+2–thiourea (TU) complex. ZnS/PVP nanocomposite films are produced by heating the solid precursor at 200°C for 10 min in air. Heat treatment converts the Zn+2–TU complex to ZnS by thermolysisin situPVP. The transmission spectra of the films (typically 700 nm thickness) in the wavelength range of 200–1000 nm showed an absorption edge near 300 nm due to ZnS nanoparticles and high transmission of 97% beyond 400 nm. ZnS nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed in PVP matrix having sizes of about 3–4 nm. For ZnS loading of 45% by weight, the refractive index of ZnS/PVP is 1.65 which is in between that of PVP (1.48) and ZnS (2.36). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of the composite showed that there is a strong interaction between ZnS nanocrystals and PVP. The root mean square (RMS) roughness of the films is about 3 nm as determined by atomic force microscope (AFM). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Context: Diplazium esculentum is the most commonly consumed fern throughout Asia and Oceania. Systemic toxicity and pathological effects on its consumption have already been demonstrated. But, the immunosuppressive and hemolytic activities of the boiled Diplazium esculentum (BDE), the form in which human consumes it, have not yet been studied. Objective: To investigate the immunosuppressive as well as hemolytic activities, if any, of BDE in Swiss albino mice. Materials and methods: Body weight, relative spleen weight, plaque forming cell assay, hemaggutination antibody (HA) titer assay and macrophage counting were performed in BDE treated mice and respective control groups within a span of 180 days, and in vitro assays such as counting of cultured splenocytes, splenocytes proliferation assay and hemolytic assay were performed to justify the immunomodulatory as well as hemolytic activities of D. esculentum. Results: Body weight and relative spleen weight were significantly decreased in BDE fed mice. Significant decreases were observed in the number of plaques formed, HA titer value and in the number of peritoneal macrophages within a span of 180 d. Significant dose-dependent decrease was observed in the number of cultured splenocytes. Significant dose-dependent increases in the percentage inhibition of splenocyte proliferation as well as percentage of hemolysis were evident by in vitro assays. Discussion: These results suggest that the intake of D. esculentum may evoke immune dysfunction as well as may cause destruction of erythrocytes even after cooking. Conclusion: Therefore, the consumption of D. esculentum is alarming and may act as immunosuppressive agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]