Chlorophytum borivilianum: a white gold for biopharmaceuticals and neutraceuticals.

Chlorophytum borivilianum Santapau & Fernandes (Liliaceae) also known as 'Safed Musli' is a traditional rare Indian medicinal herb which has many therapeutic applications in Ayurvedic, Unani, Homeopathic and Allopathic system of medicine. Its roots (tubers) are widely used for various therapeutic applications. It is used to cure physical illness and weakness, as an aphrodisiac agent and revitalizer, as general sex tonic, remedy for diabetes, arthritis and increasing body immunity, curative for natal and postnatal problems, for rheumatism and joint pains, increase lactation in feeding mothers, as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor agent, also used in diarrhea, dysentery, gonorrhea, leucorrhea etc.

Spirulina in health care management.

Spirulina is a photosynthetic, filamentous, spiral-shaped and multicellular edible microbe. It is the nature's richest and most complete source of nutrition. Spirulina has a unique blend of nutrients that no single source can offer.

Impact of UV-B radiation on thylakoid membrane and fatty acid profile of Spirulina platensis.

Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation to thylakoid membrane and fatty acid profile has been investigated in cyanobacterium, Spirulina platensis. The thylakoid membrane was isolated by mechanical disruption of the freeze-dried and lysozyme-treated cells followed by differential density gradient centrifugation and morphological variations were examined. UV radiation distorted the membrane on the outer side with reduced chlorophyll a (chl a) content compared to its untreated counterpart.

Physiological and biochemical alterations in a diazotrophic cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica under NaCl stress.

Growth, morphological variation, and liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection-mass spectrometric analysis of pigments have been studied in a diazotrophic cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica in response to NaCl stress. The chlorophyll and cellular protein contents increased initially in response to 50 mM: NaCl. Further increment in NaCl concentration, however, resulted in a significant decrease in both chlorophyll and cellular protein.