<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The present study was conducted to test for <em>in vivo</em> Brine Shrimp Lethality Assay (BSLA) of <em>Abrus precarious</em><em> </em>leaves and root extracts after successive maceration in four solvents (n-hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) ethyl acetate and methanol) and correlate cytotoxicity results with known pharmacological activities of the plant.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cytotoxicity was evaluated in terms of LC₅₀ (lethality concentration), 10 nauplii were added into three replicates of each concentration of the plant extracts, and after 24 h the surviving brine shrimp larvae were counted, and LC₅₀ was assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Potent cytotoxicity was found for both the leaves and root extracts of <em>Abrus precatorius</em>, results showed a concentration dependent increment in mortality rate of the brine shrimp nauplii and the n-hexane and dichloromethane fractions of the root and leaves extracts were more potent against the brine shrimp with LC₅₀ values of 7.870 ppm and 19.135 ppm (µg/ml) respectively, whereas methanol fractions of both the extracts exhibited low potent activity with LC₅₀ values 61.575 ppm and 226.053 ppm (µg/ml) in root and leaves respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The result indicated bioactive components are present in this plant that could be accounted for its pharmacological effects.</p>

The present study was investigated to isolate probiotic lactic acid bacteria from Actinidia deliciosa (kiwi fruit) pulp. A total of eight isolates were found and two of them were probiotic LAB strains. The both A2 and A5 isolates strains were Gram-positive, catalase and oxidase negative, non-spore forming, non-motile, rod or short cocci shaped bacteria. The A2 and A5 strains both survived well in conditions of low pH, 0.4% phenol and high bile salt concentrations. They could grow at different temperatures and were resistant to different NaCl concentrations. A study was also conducted on the various probiotic and safety attributes of isolates. Bacteriocins, a kind of ribosomal protein produced by LAB, were estimated using the Folin-Lowery method. The formation of bacteriocins was influenced by various physical and chemical factors. The result demonstrates that the optimum conditions for the production of bacteriocins by the A2 strain were glucose as carbon source, pH 6.5, 2% NaCl and 1% bile salts. For the A5 strain, sucrose as a carbon source, pH 6.5, 1% NaCl and 1% bile salt were optimum conditions for bacteriocin production. Study was also conducted on exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, adhesion characteristics, antagonistic activity and antibiotic sensitivity. Probiotic curd (Dahi) formation was done and several parameters of curd like pH, total lactic acid concentration and water-holding capacity were all investigated.