In Ayurvedic practice Butea monosperma (Palash) is in clinical use for hundreds of years as a contraceptive. Seeds of Butea monosperma are also used as an anthelmitic (Ansani et al., 1979) and antimicrobial (Avirutnant & Pongpan, 1983). Butea monosperma (Fabaceae family) locally known as Palash (Dhak) if given for 3 consecutive days acts as an antifertility agent for which it has been is traditionally used since time immemorial. The objective of the present study was to search the effect of Butea monosperma seeds on the ovary of mice. Observations in the present study were massive degeneration of ova in almost all the follicles, irrespective of the stage of their development. The ova from treated animals showed different stages of necrotic process. Moreover, the arrangement of follicular cells was also disturbed. The Palash seeds in the form of powder when administered orally with distilled water, according to the body weight i.e.2g/Kg, of female mice, for three consecutive days showed notable changes in ovaries. The animals were sacrificed on day next to the last day of treatment and ovaries were extirpated. Ovaries studied histologically after Haematoxylin & Eosin staining showed most of the follicle in immature state with undefined nucleus and nucleoli in the ovum. Others showed degenerative changes in the ovum. Follicles had lost their normal shape and arrangement and organization of granulosa cells. It was conspicuous to find that almost all follicles including graafian follicles of treated ovaries were undergoing degenerative changes simultaneously. The rate of apoptosis in the granulosa cells when studied was found increased in treated cases as compared with control. The study suggests that the disintegration of ova in the ovaries is a specific effect of Butea monosperma seed administration.

En la práctica Ayurvédica Butea monosperma (Palash) se encuentra en uso clínico durante cientos de años como método anticonceptivo. Semillas de Butea monosperma también se utilizan como un antihemético y antimicrobiano. Butea monosperma (familia Fabaceae) conocida localmente como Palash (Dhak) si se administra durante 3 días consecutivos actúa como un agente anticonceptivo que se utiliza tradicionalmente desde tiempos inmemoriales. El objetivo del presente estudio fue buscar el efecto de las semillas de Butea monosperma en ovarios de ratones.Se obsevó degeneración masiva de los óvulos en casi todos los folículos, independientemente de la fase de su desarrollo. Los óvulos de los animales tratados mostraron las diferentes etapas del proceso necrótico. Por otra parte, la disposición de las células foliculares se mostró alterada. El polvo de semillas de Palash, cuando se administra a los ratones, por vía oral en agua destilada, i.e. 2g/Kg peso corporal, durante tres días produce cambios en los ovarios. Los animales se sacrificaron al día siguiente terminado el tratamiento y fueron extirpados los ovarios. Los ovarios se estudiaron histológicamente con HE mostrándose la mayoría de los folículos en estado inmaduro, con núcleo definido y nucléolos en el óvulo. Otros mostraron cambios degenerativos en los óvulos. Los folículos habían perdido su forma normal y la disposición y organización de células de la granulosa. Se encontró que casi todos los folículos incluyendo los folículos mostraban cambios degenerativos de manera simultánea. En los casos tratados, la tasa de apoptosis en las células de la granulosa estaba aumentada, en comparación con el grupo control. El estudio sugiere que la desintegración de los óvulos en los ovarios es un efecto específico de la administración de las semillas de Butea monosperma.

The present study describes the one-step purification and characterization of an extracellular cellulase-free xylanase from a newly isolated alkalophilic and moderately thermophilic strain of Bacillus subtilis ASH. Xylanase was purified to homogeneity by 10.5-fold with ~43% recovery using ion-exchange chromatography through CM-Sephadex C-50. The purified enzyme revealed a single band on SDS-PAGE gel with a molecular mass of 23 kDa. It showed an optimum pH at 7.0 and was stable over the pH range 6.0-9.0. The optimum temperature for enzyme activity was 55 ºC. The purified xylanase did not lose any activity up to 45 ºC, however, it retained 80% and 51% of its activity after pre-incubation at 55 ºC and 60 ºC, respectively. The enzyme obeyed Michaelis-Menton kinetics towards birch wood xylan with apparent Km 3.33 mg/ml and Vmax 100 IU/ml. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by Hg2+ and Cu2+ while enhanced by Co2+ and Mn2+. The purified enzyme could be stored at 4 ºC for six weeks without any loss of catalytic activity. The faster and economical purification of the cellulase-free xylanase from B. subtilis ASH by one-step procedure together with its appreciable stability at high temperature and alkaline pH makes it potentially effective for industrial applications.

The genetic diversity of Jamunapari goats (Capra hircus) was investigated using an optimized non-radioactive polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) method to detect <FONT FACE=Symbol>a</font>-lactalbumin polymorphism in a sample of 50 goats. Our data show that PCR-SSCP is an appropriate tool for evaluating genetic variability in Jamunapari goats. Polymorphism was detected in the sample, indicating that Jamunapari goats have high genetic variability at loci, exon I of the a-lactalbumin gene. This result opens interesting prospects for future selection programs and conservation strategies. These a-lactalbumin variants can be sequenced and screened in the population to develop single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for association studies and marker assisted selection.