Akhilender Naidu

Central Food Technological Research Institute | CFTRI · Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition (CFTRI)

Monascus purpureus is known to produce pigment molecules. The pigments were extracted from M. purpureus fermented rice. In-vitro antioxidant effects of pigments were observed and presumed to alleviate oxidative stress related atherosclerosis effect in rats fed with high fat diet (HFD) for 14 weeks. The formation of lipid peroxide due to the oxidati...

Our recent study has demonstrated that medium chain triglycerides (MCT) and monounsaturated fatty acids potentiate the beneficial effects of fish oil on risk factors of cardiovascular disease. In the present study, we have investigated the influence of MCT or olive oil on the protective and mucosal healing ability of fish oil in ulcerative colitis...

Background: The anti-inflammatory properties of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs overlap in many ways. The aim of this study was to examine the individual and synergetic anti-inflammatory effects of celecoxib, EPA and DHA in RAW-264.7 cell line. Methodology: The cells were exposed...

The imbalance of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the maternal diet impairs intestinal barrier development and sensitizes the colon response to inflammatory insults in the young rats. With a view to overcoming this issue, we designed this study to investigate the effect of maternal and neonatal intake of different proportions of n-6/n-3 f...

Curcuminoids are active principle of turmeric with plethora of health beneficial properties. In this study, we have evaluated for the first time the effect of water dispersible curcuminoids on rat platelet aggregation. Curcuminoids (10–30 µg/mL) significantly inhibited platelet aggregation induced by agonists viz., collagen, ADP and arachidonic aci...

Background Lipid quantity and quality have been shown to affect serum cholesterol, adipose and serum leptin levels during prenatal and postnatal dietary supplementation of adult rats. Maternal protein deficiency during pregnancy and lactation also affects polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels in the offspring. The aim of the present study was t...

Amyloidosis, oxidative stress and inflammation have been strongly implicated in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease. Traditionally, Caesalpinia crista and Centella asiatica leaf extracts are used to treat brain related diseases in India. C. crista is used as a mental relaxant drink as well as to treat inflammatory diseases, whereas...

Microencapsulation of garden cress oil (GCO) using different wall materials such as sodium caseinate (SACA), whey protein concentrate (WPC), blend of maltodextrin and gum arabica (MDGA) and skimmed milk powder (SKM) was examined using spray-drying method. Physicochemical properties of GCO microencapsules were evaluated with reference to encapsulate...

Dear Editor:Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an autoimmune disease of humanscharacterizedbychronicinflammationinthecolonandrectum.AlthoughtheetiologyandpathogenesisofUCremainunclear, there is increasing evidence that the dysregulation ofmucosal immunological function plays a major role in theinitiationandpropagationofthisdisease.Dataonthepreviousstudies...

BackgroundA wide variety of phenolic substances derived from herbs and spices possess potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic and antibacterial activities which contribute to their chemo preventive potential. In the present study, we have investigated the antioxidant and antibacterial capabilities of the phenolic extr...

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum L) seed oil (GCO) is a rich source of α-linolenic acid (ALA, 33.6 %) and the oil has a fairly balanced SFA, MUFA and PUFA ratio. In this study we have investigated the effect of GCO and its blends with n-6 PUFA rich edible vegetable oils sunflower oil (SFO), rice bran oil (RBO) and sesame oil (SESO) on antioxidant sta...

In the present study, the fumonisin producing ability of Fusarium species from different geographic regions of Karnataka was investigated. Sorghum and maize samples were examined for the presence of Fusarium species. Mycological studies confirmed the occurrence of Fusarium species such as Fusarium verticillioides (18), F. proliferatum (2) and F. an...

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Njavara is a medicinal red rice variety, is cooked with milk, dipped in herb extracts and topically massaged on the patient during panchakarma treatment. Pasting and thermal properties of dehusked Njavara rice flour in water and milk media were assessed and compared with two non-medicinal rice varieties PTB 39 (Jyothi) and IR 64. Solubility, swelli...

The effect of Monascus purpureus red mould rice (RMR) on modulation of lipid metabolism and oxidative stress was studied in hypercholesterolemic rats. Cholesterol feeding for 14 weeks caused a significant increase in the lipid peroxides and total thiols and antioxidant enzymes, viz. glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GRd), superox...

Eugenol, the active principle of clove oil is a potent antioxidant and a well known anti-inflammatory agent. In an earlier study, we have reported the in vitro inhibition of human platelet aggregation and LTC 4 forma-tion in rat PMNL cells. In the present study, an attempt has been made to monitor the in vivo and in vitro modula-tion of platelet ag...

Bitter cumin (Centratherum anthelminticum (L.) Kuntze), is a medicinally important plant. Earlier, we have reported phenolic compounds, antioxidant, and anti-hyperglycemic, antimicrobial activity of bitter cumin. In this study we have further characterized the antioxidative activity of bitter cumin extracts in various in vitro models. Bitter cumin...

Vegetable oils containing α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18 : 3n-3) have been shown to modulate the functions of immunocompetent cells. The aim of the present study was to understand the modulatory effect of ALA-rich garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) seed oil (GCO) on lipid composition, spleen lymphocyte (SL) proliferation and inflammatory mediator produc...

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) leaves and seeds are used in India as food supplement and also in traditional medicine. We have assessed the safety of Garden cress (GC) seeds by conducting acute and subchronic toxicity studies in adult Wistar rats. For the acute toxicity study, 0.5-5.0 g/kg body weight of the GC seed powder was administered thro...

Eugenol, the active principle of clove oil is a potent antioxidant and a well known anti-inflammatory agent. In an earlier study, we have reported the in vitro inhibition of human platelet aggregation and LTC 4 forma-tion in rat PMNL cells. In the present study, an attempt has been made to monitor the in vivo and in vitro modula-tion of platelet ag...

In vitro starch digestibility and glycemic indices of three rice varieties- 'Njavara', 'Jyothi' (pigmented rice verities) and 'IR 64' (non-pigmented rice) with similar amylose content were studied. Starch digestibility studies showed differences in glycemic response in three types of rice. The rate of starch hydrolysis was maximum (67.3%) in 'Njava...

Njavara is a medicinal rice strain, endemic to Kerala, South India, bestowed with medicinal qualities. Genetic variations and some of the physicochemical properties were studied using standard molecular protocols and compared with those of nonmedicinal rice varieties: Jyothi and IR 64. Njavara showed 11 unique positive and 36 unique negative marker...

Monascus purpureus MTCC 410-fermented rice (red mould rice) is one of the food supplements to lower blood-lipid levels and monacolins have been proven to be the main active constituents in red mould rice (RMR). In this study, we have assessed the safety of RMR by conducting toxicological studies in albino rats. Acute and sub-chronic toxicity studie...

Spice active principles are reported to have anti-diabetic, anti-hypercholesterolemic, antilithogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancer properties. In our previous report we have shown that spices and their active principles inhibit 5-lipoxygenase and also formation of leukotriene C4. In this study, we report the modulatory effect...

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) is an edible, underutilised herb, grown mainly for its seeds in India. Physicochemical properties, minor components (unsaponifiable matter, tocopherols, carotenoids), fatty acid composition and storage stability of garden cress seed oil (GCO) were studied. Cold press, solvent and supercritical CO2 extraction metho...

The ratio of fatty acids namely linoleic acid (LA, 18:2, n-6) and alpha linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3, n-3) in the diet plays an important role in enrichment of ALA in tissues and further conversion to long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5, n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6, n-3). Garden cress see...

Njavara, a medicinal rice, was assessed for its nutrient composition and physicochemical properties, in order to understand its therapeutic properties. Dehusked Njavara rice consisted of 73% carbohydrates, 9.5% protein, 2.5% fat, 1.4% ash and 1628 kJ per 100 g of energy. Physicochemical properties and nutritive components of dehusked rice of Njavar...

Bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids and anthocyanins present in fruits and vegetables are receiving increased attention because of their potential antioxidant activity. Consumption of such antioxidants offers health benefits including protection against cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Mango peel is a major byproduct obtained du...

Ascorbyl stearate (Asc-S) is a synthetic ester of ascorbic acid that has been shown to significantly reduce the mutagenic effects of alkylating agents and hepatocarcinogenesis in vivo. We have previously demonstrated that Asc-S inhibits ovarian carcinoma cell proliferation through modulation of the cell cycle. This study was designed to further elu...

Indian seaweed species Enteromorpha linza, Enteromorpha prolifera, Ulva fasciata, Caulerpa taxifolia and Sargassum johnstonii from natural and cultivated populations were evaluated for food safety and nutritional quality. Among the above seaweeds, Enteromorpha prolifera showed the highest caloric value and protein content, while these values were l...

Aspergillus carbonarius, an ascomycetes fungus, is known to produce pectinase in solid-state fermentation. A mutant strain of A. carbonarius UV-10046 selected for temperature tolerance over produced polygalacturonase and during growth accumulated an yellow pigment in its biomass. Since the colored fungus suggested its application for food use, the...

The effect of black/bitter cumin seeds Centratherum anthelminticum (L.) Kuntze extract (CA) containing mixture of polyphenolic compounds was tested on rat intestinal α-glucosidases, human salivary α-amylase activity and postprandial hyperglycemia in rats. Polyphenolic components of C. anthelminticum seeds (CA) dose dependently inhibited rat intesti...

Cumin is one of the commonly used spices in food preparations. It is also used in traditional ayurvedic medicine as a stimulant, carminative and astringent. Earlier we have reported that bitter cumin (Cuminum nigrum L.) possess the most potent antioxidant activity among cumin varieties—cumin, black cumin and bitter cumin. In this study, we have fur...

Ascorbyl stearate is a lipophilic, vitamin C derivative with antitumorigenic properties. The molecular mechanism(s) underlying the anticarcinogenic effect of this compound have not been well documented. The effect of ascorbyl stearate was studied in a panel of human ovarian epithelial cancer cells. Treatment with ascorbyl stearate caused a dose-dep...

Cumin is one of the commonly used spices in food preparations. It is also used in traditional medicine as a stimulant, a carminative and an astringent. In this study, we characterized the antioxidant activity of three commercially available cumin varieties, viz., cumin (Cuminum cyminum), black cumin (Nigella sativa) and bitter cumin (C. nigrum). Th...

A wide variety of phenolic compounds and flavonoids present in spices possess potent antioxidant, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic activities. We examined whether 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), the key enzyme involved in biosynthesis of leukotrienes is a possible target for the spices. Effect of aqueous extracts of turmeric, cloves, pepper, chili, cinnam...

Ascorbic acid is one of the important water soluble vitamins. It is essential for collagen, carnitine and neurotransmitters biosynthesis. Most plants and animals synthesize ascorbic acid for their own requirement. However, apes and humans can not synthesize ascorbic acid due to lack of an enzyme gulonolactone oxidase. Hence, ascorbic acid has to be...

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive tumor with short median survival and high mortality rate. Alternative therapeutic modalities are currently being evaluated for pancreatic cancer. Here we studied the effects of ascorbyl stearate (Asc-S), a nontoxic, lipophilic derivative of ascorbic acid, on pancreatic cancer. Treatment of human pancreatic carcino...

Spice components and their active principles are potential antioxidants. In this study we examined the effect of phenolic and non-phenolic active principles of common spices on copper ion-induced lipid peroxidation of human low density lipoprotein (LDL) by measuring the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and relative electr...

Human glioblastomas (gliomas) are characterized as highly invasive and rapidly growing brain tumors. In this study, we present data on in vitro effect of ascorbyl stearate (Asc-S), a liphophilic derivative of ascorbic acid on cell proliferation, transformation, apoptosis and modulation of expression of insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR)...

Peroxidase (Donor: H(2)O(2)oxidoreductase EC 1.11.1.7) from human term placentae of non-smokers was purified to homogeneity by a combination of NH(4)Cl extraction, affinity chromatography, (NH(4))(2)SO(4)precipitation, ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. The homogeneity of purified human placental peroxidase (HTPP) was confirmed by gel...

Spices and vegetables possess antioxidant activity that can be applied for preservation of lipids and reduce lipid peroxidation in biological systems. The potential antioxidant activities of selected spices extracts (water and alcohol 1:1) were investigated on enzymatic lipid peroxidation. Water and alcoholic extract (1:1) of commonly used spices (...

In vitro enzymatic and non-enzymatic polyunsaturated fatty acid peroxidation was significantly inhibited in a dose dependent manner by purified anthocyanin, a deep-red colour pigment from carrot cell culture. The kinetics showed that anthocyanin is a non-competitive inhibitor of lipid peroxidation. Anthocyanin has been found to be a potent antioxid...

The effect of eugenol on enzymatic lipid peroxidation catalyzed by soybean lipoxygenase was studied in an in vitro system. Lipid peroxidation was inhibited by eugenol in a concentration-dependent manner. The half-maximal inhibition (IC50) was found to be 380 microM eugenol. Enzyme kinetic studies showed that eugenol non-competitively inhibited lipi...

Human placenta, umbilical cord blood, maternal blood and breast milk samples from mothers were analysed for the presence of selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Benzo(a) pyrene (B(a)P), dibenzo(a,c)anthracene (DBA) and chrysene (Chy) were detected in all the four types of sample. Levels of dibenzo(a,c)anthracene were higher in the abov...

Dioxygenase and hydroperoxidase activities of dialyzed rat brain cytosolic lipoxygenase were studied using linoleic acid as the substrate. The formation and utilization of linoleic acid hydroperoxide was monitored spectrophotometrically at 234 nm. Dioxygenase activity was dependent upon the concentration of linoleic acid and enzyme. The optimum ass...

Earlier studies from this laboratory demonstrated that lipoxygenase catalyzes oxidation of a number of xenobiotics. This report presents data on the desulfuration and dearylation of parathion catalyzed by purified soybean lipoxygenase in the presence of linoleic acid. The formation of paraoxon was estimated from in vitro inhibition of acetylcholine...

Epoxidation of aldrin was studied using highly purified soybean lipoxygenase in the presence of linoleic acid. Dieldrin, the primary stable reaction product, was quantified by electron-capture gas chromatography. The oxidation of aldrin to dieldrin was dependent on the concentration of linoleic acid, aldrin, and enzyme. The epoxidation was linear w...

Earlier this laboratory recognized lipoxygenase catalyzed reactions as a novel pathway for xenobiotic metabolism. To further explore the spectrum of reactions catalyzed by lipoxygenase, sulfoxidation of thiobenzamide was studied. Purified soybean lipoxygenase was found to oxidize thiobenzamide to thiobenzamide sulfoxide in the presence of linoleic...

The in vitro effect of metalaxyl on monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in rat heart was studied. Metalaxyl decreased MAO activity in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory concentration (IC50) for metalaxyl was found to be 19 mumol. Substrate-dependent kinetic studies demonstrated noncompetitive inhibition as evidenced by decreased velocity of enzym...

Intraperitoneal injection of metalaxyl (250 mg/kg) produced a decrease in heart rate lasting for more than 60 min in anesthetized rats. Pretreatment of rats with phentolamine (a nonselective alpha-adrenoreceptor antagonist, ip at 20 mg/kg) and prazosin (an alpha 1-adrenoreceptor antagonist, ip at 5 mg/kg) significantly reduced the bradycardia induc...

The effect of the fungicide metalaxyl [methyl N-(2-methoxyacetyl)-N-(2,6-xylyl)-DL-alaniate] on cardiac activity was investigated in albino rats anesthetized with phentobarbitone. Metalaxyl caused dose-dependent bradycardia, and at higher doses (250 and 300 mg/kg body weight) the sustained bradycardia led to cardiac arrest. The acetylcholinesterase...

Dichlorvos (O, O-dimethyl O-(2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate: DDVP 76.6 X EC) an organophosphate pesticide had a profound effect on cardiac activity of albino rats. Adult male rats anesthetized with pentobarbitone were administered 30, 50, 70 and 90 mg/kg body weight of dichlorvos. The heart rate and electrocardiogram were monitored and acetylcholinest...

The effects of 1.5 ppm of mercuric chloride (LC50/48 hr) on some enzymes and organic substances of liver tissue of Sarotherodon mossambicus were studied. Significant decreases in the activities of succinate dehydrogenases, lactate dehydrogenases, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, and acid phosphatase and in the levels of orga...

Effects of lethal (1.5 ppm) and sublethal (0.1 ppm) concentrations of HgCl2 on liver and intestine tissues of Sarotherodon mossambicus were studied by routine histological techniques. Engorged blood sinusoid, vacuolation, rupture, granular degeneration of hepatocytes, edema, focal necrosis, and proliferation of fibroblasts were the alterations obse...

Effect of lethal (1.5 ppm) and sublethal (0.1 ppm) concentrations of HgCl2 on gills of Sarotherodon mossambicus were studied by routine histological techniques. Many histological alterations were observed in gill lamellae, such as bulging at basal and distal parts of the lamellae, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of lamellar and interlamellar cells, sep...