Introduction: Obesity has been linked to coronary artery disease, type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke, and cancer. Pomegranate (Punica granatum; PG) has been used extensively in folk medicine for several therapeutic purposes. The goal of this study is to investigate the anti-obesity effect of PG peel and pulp methanolic extracts in highfat diet (HFD)-induced Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods: The animals were separated into 7 groups namely Normal control group (normal diet); HFD-induced only as negative control group, and positive control group (HFD-induced + orlistat); treatment group included HFD-induced + peel 125 mg/kg, HFD-induced +peel 250 mg/kg, HFD-induced + pulp 125 mg/kg and HFD-induced + pulp 250 mg/kg. Results: It was observed that methanolic extract of peel and pulp PG 250 mg/kg showed low increment of body weight with a reduction in weight of liver, visceral fat, and subcutaneous fat. Compared to the negative control group, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein levels were shown to be lowered for PG peel and pulp groups also showed higher values in high-density lipoprotein. Conclusion: PG reduced obesity-related markers in blood, liver, and adipose tissue and inhibited obesity caused by a high-fat diet probably because of its antioxidant properties.

OBJECTIVETo study the morphology of the salivary gland of the female blackfly of the species Simulium indicum (S. indicum) along with protein profile and anticoagulant activity of the salivary gland extract.

METHODSSodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to analyze the protein profile of the salivary gland extract (SGE) and anticoagulant activities against thrombin, and the extrinsic and intrinsic coagulation pathways were found in S. indicum SGE in the TT, PT and APTT assays, respectively.

RESULTSResults revealed that each gland consisted of a cylindrical U-shaped secretory lobe and a more or less spherical reservoir. The protein contents of whole salivary glands were also quantified and the amount of salivary gland proteins in the adult female S. indicum was found out to be approximately 1.12±0.13 µg/female. At least 16 major and several minor protein bands were detected in the female salivary glands. The molecular masses of these major protein bands were estimated at 69, 65, 61, 58, 44, 42, 39, 33, 30, 28, 27, 26, 23, 21, 18 and 16 kDa, consecutively. Anticoagulant activities were found in S. indicum SGE in all the assays. It was found that SGE prolonged human plasma clotting time in a dose-dependent manner. Factor Xa inhibition was shown by the SGE of S. indicum. Percent inhibition value was 93.8. A positive correlation (r=0.89) was observed between total protein and percent inhibition of factor Xa.

CONCLUSIONSThe present study demonstrated that the mode of action of the anticoagulant(s) is mainly on the inhibition of thrombin and factor Xa along with other target factors of the coagulation cascade.

Objective: To study the morphology of the salivary gland of the female blackfly of the speciesSimulium indicum gland extract.Methods:(S. indicum) along with protein profile and anticoagulant activity of the salivary protein profile of the salivary gland extract (SGE) and anticoagulant activities against thrombin, and the extrinsic and intrinsic coagulation pathways were found in S. indicum SGE in the TT, PT and APTT assays, respectively.Results:Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to analyze the and a more or less spherical reservoir. The protein contents of whole salivary glands were also quantified and the amount of salivary gland proteins in the adult female S. indicum was found out to be approximately 1.12±0.13 μg/female. At least 16 major and several minor protein bands Results revealed that each gland consisted of a cylindrical U-shaped secretory lobe were detected in the female salivary glands. The molecular masses of these major protein bands were estimated at 69, 65, 61, 58, 44, 42, 39, 33, 30, 28, 27, 26, 23, 21, 18 and 16 kDa, consecutively. Anticoagulant activities were found in S. indicum SGE in all the assays. It was found that SGE prolonged human plasma clotting time in a dose-dependent manner. Factor Xa inhibition was shown by the SGE of S. indicum. Percent inhibition value was 93.8. A positive correlation (r=0.89) was observed between total protein and percent inhibition of factor Xa. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that the mode of action of the anticoagulant(s) is mainly on the inhibition of thrombin and factor Xa along with other target factors of the coagulation cascade.

Abstract. In recent surveys of black flies in Arunachal Pradesh, North-East India, five species are newly recorded from Arunachal Pradesh: Simulium (Montisimulium) nemorivagum Datta, 1973, Simulium (Gomphostilbia) darjeelingense Datta, 1973, Simulium (Gomphostilbia) decuplum Takaoka & Davies, 1995, Simulium (Simulium) barnesi Takaoka & Suzuki, 1984 and Simulium (Simulium) pradyai Takaoka & Somboon, 2008, of which the latter three species also represent new records from India. Taxonomic reviews of two species of black flies reported from Assam show that Simulium (Gomphostilbia) unum Datta, 1975 is a junior synonym of Simulium (Gomphostilbia) darjeelingense, and the larva of Simulium (Gomphostilbia) sp. nr. varicorne Edwards is identifiable as Simulium (Gomphostilbia) parahiyangum Takaoka & Sigit, 1992.