Vaccination is the most successful application of immunological principles to human health. Vaccine efficacy needs to be reviewed from time to time and its safety is an overriding consideration. DNA vaccines offer simple yet effective means of inducing broad-based immunity. These vaccines work by allowing the expression of the microbial antigen inside host cells that take up the plasmid. These vaccines function by generating the desired antigen inside the cells, with the advantage that this may facilitate presentation through the major histocompatibility complex. This review article is based on a literature survey and it describes the working and designing strategies of DNA vaccines. Advantages and disadvantages for this type of vaccines have also been explained, together with applications of DNA vaccines. DNA vaccines against cancer, tuberculosis, Edwardsiella tarda, HIV, anthrax, influenza, malaria, dengue, typhoid and other diseases were explored.

Here we report the biochemical composition and antibacterial activities of the leaves and flowers of four Lantana camara (Verbanaceae) plants with yellow, lavender, red, and white flowers. Three out of the four plants showed almost similar carbohydrates and lipid compositions. The levels of carbohydrates (mg/g dry weight) in the flowers were comparatively higher than in the leaves and the lipids content was relatively higher in the leaves except L. camara lavender and white. In lavender L. camara the amount of the total carbohydrates was very low. Proteins extracted from the leaves and flowers were subjected to electrophoresis. Electrophoresis of leaf proteins revealed similarity among L. camara yellow, red, and white flowers while that of flowers proteins showed similarity between L. camara yellow, lavender, red, and white. Extracts of leaves and flowers obtained with ethyl acetate were studied for antibacterial activities. Leaf and flower ethyl acetate extracts exhibited considerable antibacterial activities against the bacteria used where the value of zone of inhibition ranged from 10-21 and 9-15 mm, respectively. For flower and leaf ethyl acetate extracts, the zone of inhibition (mm) measured ranged from 10-21 and 9-15 mm, respectively. Thus, the study of the biochemical parameters viz., lipids, carbohydrates and proteins has revealed similarity among the four different L camara. However, antibacterial activities vary from one L. camara to the other and also according to the type of tissue used.

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Typhoid is endemic and in most developing countries remains a public health problem. Due to an increasing resistance to antibiotics and the limited scope of the vaccine the requirement is to explore the efficacy of natural plant products in the treatment of this disease. In this study we have evaluated the aqueous extract of Terminalia chebula in connection with the oxidative stress generated in Swiss albino mice by Salmonella typhimurium. Mice pretreated through the oral route with the water extract of T. chebula at a dose of 500 mg/kg (T500) body wt for a period of 30 d exhibited a full protection against 1X10 5 Colony forming units (CFU) of S. typhimurium injected intraperitonially. Mice pretreated with T500 for a period of 30 d followed with 50000 CFU of S. typhimurium showed a decrease in Xanthine oxidase activity by 31% and an increase in both glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activity by 25% as compared to the infected saline treated control. The reduction in the oxidative stress indicated the effectiveness of the drug against S. typhimurium which can also be used against typhoid.Khan KH (2009) The effect of regular intake of Terminalia chebula on oxidative stress in mice originated from Salmonella typhimurium. EurAsia J BioSci 3, 15, 113-121.