Polyphenol-rich Indian ginger cultivars ameliorate GLUT4 activity in C2C12 cells, inhibit diabetes-related enzymes and LPS-induced inflammation: An in vitro study.

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that results in distorted insulin signaling and microvascular complications. Current antidiabetic drugs possess harmful long term side effects, necessitating the need for alternate or compliment therapy with lesser issues. Medicinal plants such as ginger have been reported to possess several beneficial activities including antidiabetic activity.

Isolation and characterization of two novel plasmids pCYM01 and pCYM02 of .

Cyanobacteria play a vital role in supplying nitrogen into the soil and aquatic ecosystem. It has an extra chromosomal DNA, whose role is not yet defined well. Isolation and characterization of extra chromosomal DNA in cyanobacteria might help to understand its survival mechanism.

Recent developments in therapeutic applications of Cyanobacteria.

The cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are photosynthetic prokaryotes having applications in human health with numerous biological activities and as a dietary supplement. It is used as a food supplement because of its richness in nutrients and digestibility. Many cyanobacteria (Microcystis sp, Anabaena sp, Nostoc sp, Oscillatoria sp.

Combination of phenylpropanoids with 5-fluorouracil as anti-cancer agents against human cervical cancer (HeLa) cell line.

Combination therapy is the most effective treatment strategy in cancer to overcome drug toxicity and drug induced resistance. The effect of eight phenylpropanoids in combination with 5-fluorouracil against the cervical cancer cells (HeLa) is reported here. The cytotoxic activity of these phenylpropanoids against HeLa cells is in the order of eugenol>ferulic>cinnamic>caffeic>chlorogenic>p-coumaric>3,4-dimethoxycinnamic>2,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acids.

An Indian scenario on renewable and sustainable energy sources with emphasis on algae.

India is the fifth largest primary energy consumer and fourth largest petroleum consumer after USA, China, and Japan. Despite the global economic crisis, India's economy is expected to grow at 6 to 8 %/year. There is an extreme dependence on petroleum products with considerable risks and environmental issues.