Objective: The present study evaluates the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic potency of taurine (2-amino ethane sulfonic acid) when administered orally to hypercholesterolemia induced atherosclerotic rats.Methods: The experimental atherosclerosis was induced by feeding rats with an atherogenic diet comprising of the normal rat chow supplemented with 4 % cholesterol, 1 % cholic acid and 0.5 % thiouracil (CCT diet) for 20 d. Treatment with atorvastatin (10 mg/kg body weight) and taurine (2 % in drinking water) was given to atherosclerotic rats to study antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase), lipid peroxidation in liver, glutathione reductase and protein carbonyl content, extent of DNA damage using the alkaline comet assay, assaying pro-inflammatory cytokines and quantifying atherosclerotic lesions.Results: Oral supplementation of 2 % taurine to hypercholesterolemic rats modulated antioxidant status and significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content (P<0.05). The extent of DNA damage was also significantly reduced as observed by a reduction in the comet tail index (P<0.05). Taurine exhibited anti-inflammatory activity by significantly inhibiting TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor) and IL-1α (inter leukine) and also inhibited atherosclerotic lesions by clearing lipid deposits on the intimal surface of the rat aorta.Conclusion: Oral administration of taurine to rats showed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity by modulating oxidants in favor of reducing oxidative stress and also showed anti-atherosclerotic activity in hypercholesterolemia-induced atherosclerosis.

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Background: Hemidesmus indicus is an important medicinal plant and extensively used in Ayurvedic and Unani system of medicine. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antioxidant, hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic potential of methanolic extract of roots of Hemidesmus indicus (HIE) in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice. Methods: HIE was analyzed by LC-MS to determine its phytochemical composition. The in-vitro antioxidant activity of HIE was analyzed through inhibition of free radical scavenging activity (FRSA), total antioxidant power (TAP) and reducing power. Diabetes in mice was induced by a single dose of STZ followed by HIE treatment. The antioxidative, hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic activity were studied ex-vivo in tissues of diabetic mice. Results: Phytochemical composition of hemidesmus indicus roots (HIE) revealed the presence of phenols, flavanoids, terpenoids and about 40 different phytoconstituents by LC-MS analysis. Inhibition of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and modulation in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity and glutathione (GSH) content showed potent antioxidant activity of HIE in STZ induced diabetic mice, which was also substantiated by in-vitro antioxidant assays. The decrease in fasting blood glucose and serum lipid profile was also observed in mice administered HIE. Conclusion: It is proposed that HIE modulates the oxidant/antioxidant in favor of reducing oxidative stress, hypoglycemia and improved the lipid profile in treated groups.

The sorghum shoot Xy, Atherigona soccata is one of the most important pests of grain sorghum in Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean Europe. This paper reviews the current state of information on diversity, ecobiology, parasitis m levels, and mass rearing of the parasitoids, predators and pathogens attacking diVerent stages of A. soccata. Among the parasitoids, Trichogramma chilonis Ishii and Trichogrammatoide a simmondsi Nagaraja on the eggs, and Neotrichoporoide s nyemitawus Rohwer on the larvae are most important. Although 15 species of predators have been recorded, their predation potential has not been assessed under Weld conditions. Several species of spiders are important predators on eggs. The ecobiology of T. chilonis, T. simmondsi, N. nyemitawus, Spalangi a endius Walker and Trichopria sp. has been studied in considerabl e detail. The parasitism levels are quite high during the post-rainy season by Aprostocetus sp., N. nyemitawus, Opius sp. and S. endius. Augmenting population s of T. chilonis does not reduce the shoot Xy infestation under Weld conditions. Parasitism by N. nyemitawus is greater in sorghum-cowpea intercrop than where sorghum is the sole crop. Mass rearing techniques are availabl e only for T. chilonis and T. bactrae. The constraints and challenges for utilizing the natural enemies in integrated pest management have been discussed.

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