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Background: Isaria tenuipes is one of the potent species in the members of the genus Isaria, which is well reported to possess multiple bioactive substances of therapeutic importance. Therefore, an in vitro experimental study was carried to evaluate the bioactivities of the crude methanolic extract from the mycelium of this fungus., Methods: The fungus was authenticated through morphological characters and the species discrepancy was resolved using the nuclear rDNA ITS sequence. The methanolic extract was fingerprinted by FTIR. The antioxidant components in terms of total phenols and flavonoids were determined as gallic acid and quercetin equivalents respectively. Antioxidant activities of the methanolic extract was assessed using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2 / -azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical cation (ABTS 0+ ), Fe 2+ chelating activity, and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays. Cytotoxicity of the extract was determined by [3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] (MTT) assay on three cancer cell lines: HeLa, HepG2, and PC3. Apoptosis was further studied by propidium iodide (PI) and Annexin-V/PI staining flow cytometric analysis. Anti-proliferation capacity was studied by colony-forming assay., Results: In the present study total phenol content of the dried methanol extract was 148.09 ± 3.51μg gallic acid equivalent/mg and flavonoid was 9.02±0.95 μg quercetin/mg. The antioxidant activities of methanol-water extract (8:2 v/v) from cultured mycelia of I. tenuipes investigated and evaluated with 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay revealed IC 50 value of 5.04mg/ml with an inhibition rate of 74.77% at 10mg/ml and with an iron-chelating assay the chelating ability was recorded to be 86.76% where the IC 50 value was 4.43 mg/ml. In comparison among the antioxidant assays, 2,2 / -azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical cation (ABTS 0+ ) and hydroxyl assay exhibited radical scavenging rate of 44.42% and 49.82% respectively at a concentration of 10 mg/ml. The IC 50 value of the extract in MTT assay was 43.45μg/ml with HeLa cells, 119.33μg/ml with PC3 cells, and 125.55μg/ml with HepG2 cells., Conclusion: In this study, it can be concluded that the crude methanolic extract exhibited potent antioxidant and antiproliferative activities suggesting natural antioxidative and antiproliferative agents.

Rhus chinensis Mill. is a wild medicinal plant found in Sikkim Himalaya, which yields edible fruits. The juice concentrate from the fruits is used traditionally for the cure of various gastric disorders. The present study was carried out to analyze the phytochemical and nutraceutical constituents of the fruits of R. chinensis and to see whether the antioxidant properties are related to these constituents. Proximate and nutritional analyses were performed by the AOAC methods. Lycopene and β-carotene were estimated by the method of Nagata and Yamashita. Total phenolics was calculated in terms of gallic acid equivalents and total flavonoids as well as flavonol contents were calculated as rutin equivalents using standard methods. Antioxidant capacity was determined by DPPH, ABTS, Hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and total antioxidant activity. Mineral contents were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The findings reveal the presence of a very high content of phenolics, flavonoids, vitamin C and dietary fibres in addition to the appreciable amounts of lipids, total carbohydrates and calorific value. The fruit extracts prepared in water, ethyl acetate and aqueous methanol exhibited strong antioxidant activity in different assays. Solvent and assay specific variations were evident. The fruits also contained high levels of micro- and macro elements. The study supports the medicinal and nutritional value of Rhus chinensis. The medicinal properties exhibited by the fruit extracts may be due to its strong antioxidant properties and the antioxidant properties in turn may be due to the presence of appreciable level of secondary metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Paris polyphylla Smith is a high value medicinal plant available in Sikkim Himalaya which is well known in local traditional medicine system. Scientific study to ascertain its claimed biological activity is lacking. The objective of this work was to determine the antioxidant and anticancer activity of Paris polyphylla rhizomes. Methods: Phytochemical analysis were carried out by standard methods. Antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract was carried out by DPPH, ABTS, OH-radical and Fe2+chelating activity assays. Cytotoxicity of the extract was determined by MTT assay on three cancer cell lines: HeLa, HepG2 and PC3. Results: Of the P. polyphylla from two altitudinal zones, P. polyphylla from Tholung (PPT), the one from the higher altitude showed higher total phenolic contents in methanolic extracts of rhizomes as compraed to that from the lower altitude i.e., P. polyphylla from Uttaray (PPU). PPT also showed a higher content of total falvonoid and total flavonols. Both types of plant were excellent scavenger of DPPH and ABTS radical and Fe2+ chelator. A trend of a relatively greater antioxidant activity of PPT was established through these assay methods. In MTT assay, both the extract showed significant dose-dependent inhibition of HeLa cell growth after 72 hrs of treatment, while the extract had a moderately positive effect on the inhibition of PC3 and HepG2 cells growth. Conclusion: The study suggested a strong antioxidant activity and appreciable cytotoxic activity of P. polyphylla from Sikkim Himalaya. Of the two varieties, PPT was more pronounced in both type of activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]