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Biomedical subjects

G Misra

Publications and source records attributed to G Misra.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Advocacy for sexual and reproductive health: the challenge in India.

Six years after the Indian government affirmed its commitment to the principles of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, there is still a limited understanding of the concept of reproductive and sexual health among policymakers, programme managers and the public in India. Despite some progressive changes, there is a continuing focus on stabilising population growth rates and lack of unity of goals among women's rights advocates, service providers and policymakers. Advocacy efforts need to begin focusing on turning progressive reproductive health policies into concrete programmes on the ground, and continue to push for progressive policies in uncharted areas such as domestic violence. Those who implement programmes need to work with potential allies such as women's groups, development groups, health workers' associations and the media, who all need to be brought on board. What continues to be missing are policies and programmes that promote not only health but also rights and the empowerment of women. Without a strong focus on the links between these, India's reproductive health policies and programmes may become like 'grass without roots'.

Consumer Advocacy↗
PubMed2000

Protecting the rights of sex workers: the Indian experience.

Although India is a signatory to numerous international agreements on the rights of women and has a constitution that prohibits discrimination and exploitation by gender, as well as a plethora of related legislation, it has failed to satisfactorily protect the human rights of women, particularly those of sex workers. This is manifested in high levels of violence in the sex industry, child sex workers, lack of access to health care, and high levels of HIV infection. Policies that revolve around rescue and rehabilitation, or are based on the premise that sex work is immoral, are unlikely to effectively promote the well-being of sex workers. An alternative paradigm, which revolves around an explicit recognition of the human rights of sex workers together with an activist approach to achieve them, involving a collaboration between NGOs and collectives of sex workers, has worked well to protect the human rights and health of sex workers in India.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1999

Evaluation of antiallergic activity (type I hypersensitivity) of Inula racemosa in rats.

Alcoholic extract of root of Inula racemosa, was studied for its antiallergic effect in experimental models of type I hypersensitivity, viz. egg albumin induced passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) and mast cell degranulation in albino rats. The alcoholic extract was prepared by the process of continuous heat extraction. LD50 of this extract was found to be 2100 +/- 60 mg/kg, i.p. Assessment of protection against egg albumin induced passive cutaneous anaphylaxix by different doses of Inula racemosa was done by giving drug intraperitoneally or orally for seven days or once only. Mast cell degranulation studies were done by using compound 48/80 as degranulation agent with same dosage schedule. Inula racemosa (i.p. as well as p.o.) showed significant protection against egg albumin induced PCA. Protection against compound 48/80 induced mast cell degranulation by alcoholic extract of Inula racemosa (single dose) was similar to that of disodium cromoglycate. The seven days drug treatment schedule showed greater protection than disodium cromoglycate intraperitoneally. The results suggest that Inula racemosa possesses potent antiallergic properties in rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Aerobic biodegradation of selected monoterpenes.

Batch experiments were conducted to assess the biotransformation potential of four hydrocarbon monoterpenes (d-limonene, alpha-pinene, gamma-terpinene, and terpinolene) and four alcohols (arbanol, linalool, plinol, and alpha-terpineol) under aerobic conditions at 23 degrees C. Both forest-soil extract and enriched cultures were used as inocula for the biodegradation experiments conducted first without, then with prior microbial acclimation to the monoterpenes tested. All four hydrocarbons and two alcohols were readily degraded. The increase in biomass and headspace CO2 concentrations paralleled the depletion of monoterpenes, thus confirming that terpene disappearance was the result of biodegradation accompanied by microbial growth and mineralization. Plinol resisted degradation in assays using inocula from diverse sources, while arbanol degraded very slowly. A significant fraction of d-limonene-derived carbon was accounted for as non-extractable, dissolved organic carbon, whereas terpineol exhibited a much higher degree of utilization. The rate and extent of monoterpene biodegradation were not significantly affected by the presence of dissolved natural organic matter.

Acetates↗
PubMed1996

Saponins from three species of Mimusops.

Six saponins were isolated from the seed kernel of Mimusops elengi, M. hexandra and M. manilkara. Their structures were determined using a combination of 1H NMR, 13C NMR and mass spectroscopy. Three of them are new compounds: 3-O-(beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl) 28-O-(alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->3) beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4) [alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->3)] alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2) alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl) protobassic acid, 3-O-(beta-D-glucuronopyranosly) 28-O-(alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->3) beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4) alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2) alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl) 16-alpha-hydroxyprotobassic acid and 3-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->3) beta-D-glucopyranosyl) 28-O-(alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->3) beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4) alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2) alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl) protobassic acid.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Triterpenoid saponins from Madhuca butyracea.

Further investigation of the seeds of Madhuca butyracea yielded two new triterpenoid saponins, namely butyrosides C and D whose structures were established by means of chemical and spectral analyses as 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl protobassic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D- xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopy ranoside and 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl 16 alpha-hydroxy protobassic acid 28-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-alpha -L- rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside, respectively.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Triterpenoidal saponins from Madhuca butyracea.

Two new triterpenoidal saponins, butyrosides A and B, were isolated from the seeds of Madhuca butyracea, along with two known saponins, Mi-saponin A and 16 alpha-hydroxy Mi-saponin A. On the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence, the structures of butyrosides A and B were established to be 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl protobassic acid 28-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1----3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl (----4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1----2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside and 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl 16 alpha-hydroxy protobassic acid 28-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1----3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl (1----4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1----2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside , respectively.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗
PubMed1992

The application of energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) to the analysis of cosmetic evidence in Indian nail polishes.

The application of energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry in the quantitative analysis of samples of Indian nail polishes of apparently similar shades from different manufacturers has been examined by evaluating the possibility of detecting spurious material which is marketed under the guise of a popular brand. On the basis of the number of elements detected, and from the ratios of particular elements [Fe/Ti, Fe/Cu, Ti/Cu] the results are very encouraging.

Cosmetics↗
PubMed1990

Electrokinetic energy conversion studies of aqueous solution of urea, glucose and their mixtures across urinary bladder membranes.

Electrokinetic studies of aqueous solutions of urea, glucose, urea-glucose mixture (urea concentration increasing and glucose fixed) and glucose-urea mixture (glucose concentration increasing and urea concentration fixed) have been carried out across urinary bladder membranes of goat. Results have been analysed using methodology of non-equilibrium thermodynamics. It has been found that energy conversion maxima and degree of coupling for mixtures is higher than urea and glucose solutions. It has also been found that in the case of urea-glucose mixtures, the value of maxima and degree of coupling first decreases and then increases with increase in concentration while in the case of glucose-urea mixture, the trend is not definite. With urea solutions only, both these values increase with increase in concentration. It has been observed that energy conversion maxima and degree of coupling for urine is much higher as compared to other permeants. It appears that second order phenomenological coefficient L112 is related with degree of coupling (qe) as the trend of two is quite similar.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

The effect of t-butylated hydroxytoluene on glutathione linked detoxification mechanisms in rat.

When rats were fed a diet containing 0.4% (w/w) butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a three-fold increase in total glutathione (GSH) S-transferase activity towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) was observed in liver but not in lung or kidney. Hepatic GSH S-transferase activities towards styrene oxide (SO) and 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane (EPNP) were also increased, but to a lesser extent. Isoelectric focusing studies indicated that the activities of most of the rat liver GSH S-transferase isoenzymes were induced. Immunoprecipitation studies of the native and induced enzymes suggested that de novo synthesis of these proteins caused the increase in GSH S-transferase activity in liver. A two-fold increase in glutathione reductase activity in liver upon dietary administration of BHT was observed. Kinetic and physical properties of the native and induced enzymes were similar which may indicate that the induction is due to the synthesis of this enzyme. A significant increase in reduced glutathione (GSH) content in liver and lung was also seen in rats treated with BHT.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Detoxification of xenobiotics by glutathione S-transferases in erythrocytes: the transport of the conjugate of glutathione and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene.

The incubation of human erythrocytes with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) results in almost quantitative conjugation of glutathione (GSH) to form S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl) glutathione. The reaction is catalysed by erythrocyte glutathione S-transferase. During the present studies we have identified the conjugate in the incubation medium of CDNB-treated erythrocytes, indicating that the conjugate of GSH and CDNB is transported out by the erythrocytes. Quantitation of the conjugate in the incubation medium by amino acid analysis and thin layer chromatography indicates that the erythrocytes transport the conjugate at an approximate rate of 140 nmol/h/ml erythrocytes. The transport of the conjugate is inhibited by sodium fluoride. Exhaustion of ATP from the erythrocytes results in a significant decrease in the rate of transport which is restored with the regeneration of ATP by incubating the erythrocytes with adenine and inosine. This indicates that the transport of conjugate is an energy dependent process.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗