Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage cell membrane, cellular components and cause oxidative damage. They also lead to various human disorders such as diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation. The body possesses antioxidative defense and repair mechanisms to protect against such damages. But sometime this system is unable to prevent entire damage caused by ROS. In such conditions, supplementation of exogenous antioxidant has considered better options. Several synthetic antioxidants (butylated hydroxy-toluene (BHT), propyl-gallate and butylated hydroxyl-anisole (BHA) are extensively used, but their safety is questioned due to recent reports on their toxicity. In this scenario, exploration of natural and safer antioxidant from bio-resources and their replacement with synthetic antioxidant is highly commended. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are an emerging natural source of cellular antioxidants. LAB are diversely dispersed in nature. Previously LAB isolate from dairy products and some from human fecal matter. Information about few isolated strains of LAB is available from farm animals. The aims of this work were (a) to explore lactic acid bacteria from farm animals for their antioxidant potential. b) to check probiotic potential of strains with promises antioxidant capability and identify potential competent strain (c) to investigate in vivo antioxidant ability of competent strain (d) to perform its safety assessment and finally e) the partially purify secondary metabolite responsible for the antioxidant property of the strain. The strains were identified using conventional microbiological and molecular methods. The antioxidant scavenging assay against three radicals (DPPH, superoxide anion and OH radical) and inhibition of lipid peroxidation were used to evaluate the antioxidant potential in vitro. Twenty three strains were investigated in intact cells, the supernatant and cell lysate. Highest antioxidant activity was noticed in intact cell and supernatant while weak activity was observed in cell lysate. The promiser antioxidant activity in four assays was recorded. Seven out of twenty three LAB strains displayed above 60% antioxidant activity in all four tests and were selected for further study. The probiotic potential of the selected seven strains was assessed through tolerance against different pH and temp, resistance to bile salt, sodium chloride salt and simulated gastric intestinal environment. The strains were able to tolerate temperature (30-55C), pH (2-10), bile salt (up to 2%), sodium chloride (up to 8%) and simulated gastrointestinal environment (≥ 80% survival) proving their probiotic nature. In addition the strains were noticed to pose least threat to eukaryotic cells identified by very weak hemolytic activity (0.2-1.2%) against host erythrocytes. The seven strains were identified as Enterococcus rati (An8), Lactobacillus brevis (An13, An15 An26, An27 and An28) and Pediococcus acidilactici (An17) on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. They were awarded accession no are MF183967, MH185807, MH185808, MG882401, MG882402 and MG000874 from NCBI Gene bank. These strains are also deposited in Fungal Culture Bank for the use of other researchers. However, among all the performance of An28 was excellent. Therefore, this strain was chosen for in vivo validation of its antioxidant potential. The strain An28 was identified as L. brevis MG000874. The Efficacy of this strain was checked by analyzing selected oxidative stress parameters (SOD, CAT, GST and GSH) and general health in d-galactose model of oxidative stress. Two experiments were performed in this regard. A pilot study was conducted to determine the dose of d-galactose required to induce oxidative stress in mice. Dose of 150mg/Kg BW/day for sixty days could successfully induced oxidative stress. The oxidative stress was identified by depletion in SOD, CAT and GSH and elevation of GST elevation for eight weeks. In the main trial, the prophylactic effect of L. brevis MG000874 supplementation worked out. Physical sign and symptoms as well as estimation of oxidative stress indicators of liver, kidney and serum were measured. The analysis of SOD, CAT, GST and GSH provided evidence that L. brevis MG000874 can resist the occurrence of oxidative stress. The continue feeding of L. brevis MG000874 @109cfu/ml for a period of 8 weeks did not adversely affect the general health of animals.This strain was fed to the Mus musculus for eight weeks. After eight weeks of treatment, liver and kidney homogenate were used for analysis of known markers of toxicity, including ALT, AST, ALP, T. bilirubin, Albumin and protein from liver and Urea and Creatinine test from kidney. In addition histological studies on liver and kidney were also carried out on the size of central vein, sinusoids and hepatocytes of liver and glomerulus, corpuscles, PCT and DCT in kidney were taken into account. LFT and RFT analysis revealed the safe nature of L. brevis MG000874 which was also supported by histological findings. In the end the metabolites released in the cell free supernatant by L. brevis MG000874 were partially purified. In this procedure, the metabolites having antioxidant property were separated through thin layer chromatography (TLC). These separated antioxidant components were analyzed in High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Attenuated Total Reflectance Infrared (ATR-IR) for determination of purity and the chemical nature of pure compound. The analysis revealed that the component was aldehyde in nature.It is concluded that L. brevis MG000874 produce antioxidative compounds of aldehyde nature that may serve as a novel agent for controlling the oxidative stress in host. Live L. brevis MG000874 or its metabolites may be included in the list of potential probiotics and prebiotics respectively.
Cannibalism (Akl-e-Mayyet) refers to the act or practice of humans, eating the flesh or internal organs of other human beings i.e. Corpses. It is also termed as anthropophagy. A person who practices cannibalism is known as cannibal. In the recent past it was reported in the public media that two brothers from Bhakkar (Pakistan) were caught red handed practicing cannibalism. In the article under reference efforts have been made to highlight the status of human being from Islamic perspectve with special reference to their nourishment. This paper also emphasizes a critical study of the opinions of the Jurists regarding human cannibalism.
The purpose of the present study was to find out the points sources of mercury and arsenic pollution of drinking and irrigation water, their downstream dilution in the industrialized area, Peshawar the capital of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Samples of effluents, soil and water were collected from the study area, background area and from the relatively less polluted area the district Dir lower considered as control area. Along with other physicochemical parameters determination of these samples, Hg was determined by cold vapor generation techniques while arsenic was determined by electro thermal atomic absorption technique. The data was compared with the water quality data of background area, control area, national, WHO and some international drinking water quality standards. The results showed that some parameters i.e.TDS, DO, pH and hardness were out of the permissible levels while some are within the range. Arsenic and mercury was determined in nearly all the samples, with higher concentration in the effluents. Textile industries and glass factory were found to be the majors contributing sources of Hg and As pollution. Downstream dilution of these contaminants was also observed. Multivariate and univariate statistical techniques i.e., cluster analysis PCA, regression and correlation analysis, one way ANOVA were applied to the metal data of effluents soil and ground water to point out the contribution of different industries towards the metals pollution, their source identification and distribution. The samples were collected from different industries and different downstream points of the main effluents and from the relatively less polluted area considered as control area. The samples were analyzed for metal concentration levels by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The, metal concentration data in the three media of the polluted area was compared with background data and control data as well as with the WHO safe limits. The results showed that soil has high metals concentration compared to effluents and water. The data also showed elevated levels of Mn and Pb in water that are 8.268 and 2.971mg/L respectively. Principal component analysis along with regression analysis showed that the elevated levels of metals in the effluents contaminate adjacent soil and ultimately the ground water. The other elements Co, Cd, Ni and Cu were also found to have correlation in the three media. xFood crops irrigated with wastewater are mostly contaminated with heavy metals and considered as a main pathway for human exposure. In this study, soil and food crops samples were collected from wastewater irrigated soils, background and relatively less polluted areas. Results of the sequential extraction and total metals concentrations in soils indicated that wastewater irrigation has significantly increased (p≥0.001) the bioavailable and total metal contents in wastewater irrigated soil as compared to background and control soils. Heavy metal concentrations in the food crops grown on wastewater irrigated soil were higher than those grown on background and control soils but were found within WHO/FAO permissible limits except for Zn. Health risk index values were less than 1 for both control and wastewater irrigated soils (except Mn). Finally, the food crops grown on wastewater irrigated area can cause human health risks in the study area. This study was conducted to investigate the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in human’s blood from different sources. Blood samples were collected from different age group subjects such as children (1-12 years), adolescent (12-18 years), adults (18-45 years) and old age (above 45 and 55 years for males and females, respectively) from polluted and control areas. Forage grasses, meat and milk samples were also collected from the study area. The results revealed that the contaminated forage grasses have led to increase the concentrations of metals in meat and milk. The subsequent uses of meat, milk and food crops were significantly increased the concentrations of trace metals in the human’s blood. This was further supported by correlation and regression analyses of the data. Moreover, Cu, Zn and Mn concentrations were significantly higher (p <0.05) in the blood samples collected from the polluted site as compared to control. Similar trends were also observed between the different age groups within the same area. Old people accumulated high concentrations of metals in their bodies as compared to the younger ones. Similarly, males accumulated higher concentrations of metals as compared to females. The anthropometric data provides valuable information regarding the nutritional status of the people. In order to asses and compare the nutritional status of the people from Peshawar and Dir data was taken for the measurement of Body Mass index (BMI).The BMI values indicated that mostly males and females from both the areas were normal, only a few percent of the people were underweight, very less were overweight and negligible were obese. Comparing the nutritional status based on the BMI xiof the people the males individual from Dir were found healthier than the people from Peshawar. This healthier nature can be attributed to the strong muscular activities, including, farming, labor, etc in the area. Underweight females were also very less in percentage in Dir as compared to Peshawar which may be due to socio-economic conditions of the people. Only 2 % females in Dir were found obese which can be explained in terms of luxurious life due to large families, where work is done by the younger ones allowing the elders just for praying and supervision of the household. The data indicated that the people were of different age, height and weight. Only few dwarf cases were noticed in the individuals from both the areas.