Biodiversity : Use and Conservation

An initiative of Ambika Prasad Research Foundation for Biodiversity Conservation. Biodiversity is the foundation for human health. By securing the life-sustaining goods and services which biodiversity provide to us, the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity can provide significant benefits to our health. (Special thanks to R U, Cuttack; NBPGR, Base Centre, Cuttack; RIE (NCERT),Bhubaneshwar, RPRC, Bhubaneshwar, Wikipedia and other sources for data collection)

Rhizosphere Effects & Plant Pathology

Sanjeet Kumar

Microorganisms in the immediate vicinity of the root together with those on its surface play active, effective and decisive role in the success or failure of a pathogen in causing root infections. It is due to “Rhizosphere effects” directly linked with root exudates and rhizosphere microorganisms. The rhizosphere effect is strongest at the root surface, the rhizoplane and declines with increasing distance from it.

The rhizosphere effect is a concept to indicate the state of rhizosphere health. It is expressed as a ratio of number of microorganisms in the rhizosphere and the number of microorganisms in the soil beyond the influence of the roots, calculated on the basis of dry soil. The rhizosphere / soil ratio is usually considered as a positive effect in the case the ratio exceeds one and as negative if below one. On the best known example of rhizosphere effect is flax wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum. The rhizosphere of a resistant variety was reported to contain HCN that favoured the growth of saprophytes such as Mucor, Penicillum etc whereas susceptible varieties contained HCN in trace and favoured the growth of potential pathogens like Fusarium, Verticillium, Alternaria and Helminthosporium.

Study of wild edible plants among tribal groups of Simlipal Biosphere Reserve

International Journal of Biological Technology (2012) 3(1): 11-19.

ISSN: 0976 – 4313

Sanjeet Kumar et al., (2012)

Email-Id: sanjeet.biotech@gmail.com

Published: 15, April, 2012; Vol. No. 3(1):11-19; Online:www.ijbtjournal.com/documents/ijbt150412103.

The present study documented first time some of the most preferred wild food sources among the tribes Mankirdia, Kharia, Kolha, Santhal and others inhabiting in Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest, Odisha, India, particularly highlighting the importance of Dioscorea species. A total of 79 wild edible plants including 11 species of Dioscorea were assessed with respect to their availability, consumption pattern and harvesting. These foods are also stored by the tribal groups using different process for critical periods of food shortage and famine. The study emphasizes upon the need for exploring food resource available for wild plants and conservation of wide biodiversity of Odisha.

Key words:
Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest, Tribal communities, Dioscorea species, Wild edible plants, Food shortage.

WORK ON WILD TUBER CROPS: WHAT I AM GOING TO START VERY SOON

Isolation, purification and characterization of pharmacological agents from Dioscorea species collected from Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest, Odisha

SANJEET KUMAR

Clinical microbiology has been facing new problems that pathogens are being resistant to particular synthetic drugs due to mutation, overdose, inappropriate diagnosis and treatment. Drug resistance is a big problem for pharmacological industries and health care. Drug’s potential is going on declining and it’s being difficult to fight against microbial attacks. Therefore, there is urgent need to screen of new compounds from plants and animal wealth which are unexploited and have little scientific documentation. Among those plants Dioscorea species are unexploited and having very little clinical validation of their extracts against pathogens is reported. They are major food staple among aboriginals and rural mass in 3^rd world particularly in Africa and India. The ethnobotanical survey from literature revealed the potent pharmacological values of these unexploited wild tubers. Therefore an attempt will be taken to investigate the phytochemicals, anti-microbial, toxicity and other pharmacological activity.

Objectives:

1. Documentation of therapeutic practices of different extracts of Dioscorea species against microbial infections and other diseases.

2. Evaluation of pharmacological values using clinical trials with microbes and experimental animals.

3. Isolation, purification and characterization of desired bioactive compounds using chromatography and NMR.

Output:

1. Help in the gene conservation of these valuable wild tubers.

2. Formulation of new bioactive compounds.

3. Manufactures of new drugs against specific pathogens and diseases.

Evaluation of antidiabetic activity of selected wild tuber crops of Odisha

SANJEET KUMAR

Diabetes is a very common and chronic endocrine disease caused by defect in production of insulin in human body which promote to increase the concentration of glucose in the blood leading damage blood vessels and nerves. More than 150 million people are suffering from diabetes worldwide and it is likely to increase to 300 million by the year 2025. International Diabetes Federation has declared that India is the “Diabetic capital of world”. From ancient medicinal plants continue to provide valuable therapeutic agents as natural and synthetic drugs in traditional and modern medicines. Many wild plant species are reported to be useful in Diabetes and they are considered to be less toxic and free from side effects than synthetic one. Among those plants wild tuber crops play an important role. Wild tuber crops have been used as traditional medicine against Diabetes among rural and tribal communities of different regions in Odisha. Thus, an attempt will be made to evaluate the antidiabetic activity of wild tuber crops in alloxan induced experimental animals.

Objective of Research

· Documentation and validation of therapeutic practices or claims of wild tuber crops among tribal communities of Odisha.

· Study the impact of the extracts of these tubers and their plant parts on alloxan induced animals.

· Assessment of bioactive compounds of wild tubers and their mechanism of action.

· Isolation, purification and characterization of desired bioactive compounds.

Future Prospects

· Study will help in elucidation the mechanism of antihyperglycemic effect.

· Study will help to isolate the lead bioactive compounds responsible for the antidiabetic activity.

· Estimation of bioactive compounds and antidiabetic activity of plant parts (in vivo and in vitro) will facilitate the maximum formulation in the manufacture of synthetic drugs to fight against chronic diabetic.

Study of diversity, nutritional and ethno-pharmacological activity of available Ban Aalu (Dioscorea species) in Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest (SBR), Odisha

SANJEET KUMAR

Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest is located in the central part of the district Mayurbhanj of Odisha having a compact mass of natural mixed forests with hub of different types of tribal communities. In developed 21^st century, synthetic medicines are very common against every disease throughout the world still they depend on wild plants for their food and medicines. Among those wild plants, Dioscorea species are more important as per the high consumption rate among rural and aboriginals during critical periods in SBR of the state Odisha. Dioscorea bulbifera, Dioscorea alata, Dioscorea pentaphylla and Dioscorea puber are very common in SBR forest. Tubers of Dioscorea species are rich in starch, fibre, carbohydrate and also having diverse bioactive compounds such as Diosgenin and others steroidal saponins. There is very little documentation on ethnobotany, nutritional and pharmacological values of Dioscorea species available in SBR. Therefore an attempt will be made to evaluate genetic diversity, ethnobotanical practices, nutritional and pharmacological activity of Dioscorea species available in SBR forest.

Objective of Research

1. Standardize Passport Data Form and documentation of ethnic knowledge on Ban Aalu available in SBR of Odisha.

2. Evaluation of diversity richness index of Dioscorea species in SBR forest.

3. Estimation of primary metabolites, anti-nutritional factors and toxicity of Dioscorea tuber.

4. Validation of ethno-pharmacological claims using experimental trials against selected diseases.

Future Prospects:

1. Diversity index help in gene pool conservation and can protect the minor indigenous tuber crops from extinction helping in conservation of wide biodiversity available in SBR forest of Odisha.

2. Ethnobotanical documentation will help to evaluate the pharmacological activity of the plants.

3. Nutritional values will help to promote mass cultivation of these wild plants for eradication of malnutrition among inhabitants of SBR.

4. Validation of tribal claims will lead to isolate new synthetic drugs against particular diseases.

DOWN STREAM PROCESSING

Sanjeet Kumar
Ravenshaw University

sanjeet.biotech@gmail.com

· Downstream processing refers to the recovery and purification of biosynthetic products. The extraction and purification of a biotechnological product from fermentation is referred to as downstream processing (DSP) or product recovery.

· DSP is as complex and important as fermentation process.

· The methodology adopted for downstream processing depends on the nature of the end product, its concentration, stability and the degree of purification required, besides on the presence of other products.

· The desired products for isolation by DSP are most frequently metabolites which may be present as follows:-

1. Intracellular metabolites- Vitamins

2. Extracellular metabolites- amino acids

3. Both Intra- and Extra- cellular- Flavomycin

Stages in Downstream processing

Downstream processing of metabolites is a multistage operation and broadly divided into the following stages:

1. Release of intracellular products

2. Solid-liquid separation

3. Concentration

4. Purification

5. Formulation

Solid-liquid Separation

The first step in product recovery is the separation ofwhole cells and other insoluble ingradients from the culture broth.

Several methods are useful for solid- liquid separation such as:

a) Flotation

b) Filtration

c) Flocculation

Filtration

Filtration is the most commonly used technique for separating the biomass and culture filtrate. Several types of filters are in use.

1) Depth Filters:- Filamentous fungi are removed

2) Absolute Filters:- Removal of bacteria from culture medium

3) Rotary Drum Vacuum Filters:- Filtration of yeast cells

4) Membrane Filters:- Reduces Clogging

Ø Static Flow

Ø Cross Flow

In cross-flow filtration, the culture broth is pumped in a crosswise fashion across the membrane.

Ther are 3 types of filtration used:

a) Microfiltration

b) Ultrafiltration

c) Reverse Osmosis

Type	Applications
a) Microfiltration	Separation of cells or cell fractions, viruses
b) Ultrafiltration	Separation of compounds with molecular weight greater than 1000 μg
c) Reverse Osmosis	Separation of compounds with molecular weight less than 1000 μg

Release of Intracellular Product

· There are several biotechnological products such as vitamins, enzymes etc. are located within the cells. Such compounds have to be first released for their further processing and final isolation.

· The selection of a particular methods for released of intracellular products, depends on the nature of the cells.

· Gram-negative bacteria and filamentous fungi can be more easily broken compared to Gram-positive bacteria and yeasts.

· In order to increase the efficiency of cell disintegration in a cost-effective manner, a combination of physical, chemical and enzymatic methods are employed.

Concentration

The filtrate that is free from suspended particles usually contains 80-98 % of H₂O. The desired product is a very minor constituent. The H₂O has to be removed to achieve the product concentration. The commonly used techniques are:

a) Evaporation

b) Liquid-liquid extraction

c) Membrane filtration

d) Precipitation

e) Adsorption

Evaporation can be done by evaporated such as plate evaporators, Falling film evaporator, Forced film evaporators and Centrifugal forced film evaporators.

Liquid-liquid extraction is useful for partial purification of a product, which is categorized as:

a) Extraction of low molecular weight products using Dissociation, supercritical fluid etc.

b) Extraction of high molecular weight compounds using Aqueous 2-phase systems (ATPs), and reverse miceller systems.

Precipitation is the most commonly used technique for the concentration of macromolecules using neutral salts, organic solvents etc.

Purification

The biological products of fermentation are very effectively purified by chromatography. It is basically an analytical technique dealing with the separation of closely related compounds from a mixture.

The different types of chromatographic techniques are used for such as

a) Gel-filtration chromatography

b) Ion-exchange chromatography

c) Affinity chromatography and

d) Hydrophobic interaction chromatography

CHROMATOGRAPHY	PRINCIPLE
Gel-filtration	Size and Shape
Ion-exchange	Net charge
Affinity	Molecular recognition
Hydrophobic Interaction	Polarity
Immobilized metal-ion affinity	Metal ion-binding

Formulation

Formulation broadly refers to the maintenance of activity and stability of biotechnological products during storage and distribution.

· The formulation of low molecular weight products can be achieved by concentration them with removal of most of the water.

· For certain small molecules such as citric acid, antibiotic etc., formulation can be done by crystallization by adding salts.

LIGAND	TYPES OF PROTEIN
Antibody	Antigen
Cofactor	Enzyme
Hapten	Antibody
Lectins	Glycoproteins

(Ligands use for separation of proteins by Affinity Chromatography)

Drying is an essential component of product formulation. It basically involves the transfer of heat to a product for removal of moisture. Freeze-drying or Lyophilization is the most preferred method for drying and formulation of wide-range of products such as food stuffs, pharmaceuticals, bacteria, viruses. Lyophiization is based on the principle of sublimation of liquid from a frozen state. In this technique, the liquid containing the product is frozen and then dried in a freeze-dryer under vacuum. The vacuum released and the product containing vials are sealed. Penicillin can be freeze dried directly in ampoules. For good output can integrate the fermentation and downstream processing to finally get the desired product.