OBJECTIVE To isolate and characterize bioactive compound from traditionally impor-tant medicinal plant Mikania cordata,and to investigate muti-faced pharmacological activities of the isolated compound.METHODS A triterpeenoid, 16-hydroxy betulinic acid(16 HBA)was isolated from Mikania cordata leaf and the structure of the compound was determined by NMR spectroscopic means.Antimi-crobial activity of 16 HBA was tested by disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against the tested microorganisms was determined. The analgesic property of 16 HBA was tested using acetic acid-induced writhes in mice and hot plate thermal stimulation in rats. The anti-inflammatory activity was studied using carrageenin-induced paw edema method. The antipyretic potential of 16 HBA was evaluated by using yeast-induced hyperthermia in rats. RESULTS The triterpenoid 16 HBA showed potent antibacterial activity with inhibition zone of diameter ranging from 12.0~17.5 mm and antifungal activity with mycelial growth inhibition ranges from 37.6%~54.5%.The MIC values for antibacterial and antifungal activities ranged from 31.5~125 and 250~1000 μg·mL-1respectively.The compound(50 and 100 mg·kg-1body weight)showed potent peripheral and central analgesic activity having 55.19% and 41% of writhing inhibition at 90 min after administration of the compound and the highest 55.98%, 79.18% elongation of reaction time,respectively.In anti-inflammatory activity screening,the compound (100 mg·kg-1)revealed the highest 77.08% edema inhibition at 4 h after administration of carrageenan. In antipyretic assay, 16 HBA exhibited a strong antipyretic effect in yeast-induced rats.CONCLUSION The present study confirmed that 16-hydroxy betulinic acid isolated from Mikania cordata has potent anti-microbial,analgesic,anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties.Our results can be seen as scientific support for the traditional and folklore usage of Mikania cordata in Bangladesh for the treatment of different ailments and provide opportunities to explore this plant as a source bioactive compounds for biochemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Objective: To evaluate the ameliorating effects of Raphanus sativus leaves (RSL) against sodium arsenite(Sa)-induced adverse effects through mice experiments. Methods: Swiss albino mice were divided into four equal groups: control, Sa, RSL, RSL + Sa. Sa (10 mg/kg body weight/day), and powder form of RSL (50 mg/kg body weight/day) were provided as food supplement orallty. Blood indices were measured using commercially available kits through colorimetric methods. Results: It was observed that lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase,and aspartate aminotransferase activities were significantly(P<0.05) higher in Sa-treated mice than those in the control group.RSL significantly reduced Sa-induced elevation of the activities of these enzymes in serum significantly (P < 0.05). Serum butyrylcholinesterase activity and high density lipoproteins cholesterol levels in Sa-treated mice were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the control group, and the food supplementation of RSL could significantly(P<0.05)prevent the reduction of Sa-mediated serum butyryl cholinesterase activity and high density lipoproteins cholesterol levels.RSL could also reduce the Sa-induced elevation of serum urea level significantly(P<0.05). Conclusions: Results of this study suggest the protective or ameliorating effects of RSL on Sa-induced perturbation of blood indices are related to the hepatic,cardiovascular and kidney dysfunction.Therefore,RSL may be useful to reduce arsenic toxicity in human in the future.

Breast cancer is a major health problem that affects more than 24% of women in Bangladesh. Further- more, among low-income countries including Bangladesh, individuals have a high risk for developing breast cancer. This study aimed to identify candidate mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis in Bangladeshi women to be used as a preventive approach. We screened the blood samples from 24 breast cancer patients and 20 healthy controls to detect polymorphisms in the D-loop and the ND3- and ND4-coding regions of mtDNA by direct sequencing. Among 14 distinct mutations, 10 polymorphisms were found in the D-loop, 3 were found in the ND3-coding region, and 1 was found in the ND4-coding region. The frequency of two novel polymorphisms in the D-loop, one at position 16290 (T-ins) and the other at position 16293 (A-del), was higher in breast cancer patients than in control subjects (position 16290: odds ratio = 6.011, 95% confidence interval = 1.2482 to 28.8411, P = 0.002; position 16293: odds ratio = 5.6028, 95% confidence interval = 1.4357 to 21.8925, P = 0.010). We also observed one novel mutation in the ND3-coding region at position 10316 (A > G) in 69% of breast cancer patients but not in control subjects. The study suggests that two novel polymorphisms in the D-loop may be candidate biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis in Bangladeshi women.
Adult ; Aged ; Bangladesh ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Odds Ratio ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic