Objective:To investigate the protective effects of brown alga Padina boergesenii(P.boergeseii) against carbon tetrachloride(CCl_4) induced oxidative damage and liver fibrosis in rats.Methods: To assess the hepatic damage liver weight,the activities of TBARS level,glutathione,SOD,CAT and GPx in circulation and liver.Results:The group of rats induced with CCl_4 alone(2 mL/kg body weight),showed noticeable increase in the liver weight and TBARS level.Followed by, the level of antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase,Superoxide dismutase and catalase was also significantly(P<0.01) diminished.Where as,the rats pretreated with P.boergesenii(150 mg/ kg body weight) modulated the CCl_4 induced liver fibrosis.The level of antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation products was found to be significandy(P<0.01) attenuated to near normal level, when compared with rats induced with CCL,alone.In order to assess the role of carotenoids in the relevant activity,total carotenoid content of the extract was analysed and found to be 0.59 mg/g fresh weight(FW).Further,the histopathogical studies provide a supportive evidence for this study to show the protective nature of P.boergesenii.Conclusions:The protective role of brown alga P.boergesenii extract has confirmed its potential activity through its antioxidant sparing actions against CCl_4 induced free radical damage.However,the possible mechanism of hepatoprotection is rather speculative at this stage and investigations are underway to isolate and characterize the bioactive compounds from P.boergesenii.

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli (E. coli), in seafood obtained from Cuddalore and Parangipettai fish landing centres. Also, to identify the susceptibility of E. coli against predominant seaweeds red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii (K. alvarezii) and brown alga Padina boergessenii (P. boergessenii) extracts as sulfated polysaccharides and polyphenols respectively.MethodsA total of 48 samples (Two stations Cuddalore and Parangipettai, Tamil Nadu, India). Sampling area are fish landing centre where fishes caught from sea and estuary, seafood processing plants (packing and ice packed fishes) and local fish markets (fish samples). After isolation totally 80 strains were analyzed for its antimicrobial resistance and sensitivity against commercially 10 antibiotics. The ampicillin resistant E. coli CE21 was identified through molecular techniques as 16S rDNA sequencing. Two seaweeds K. alvarezii and P. boergessenii were screened for antibacterial activity against 12 antibiotic resistant E. coli strains.ResultsTotally 48 swabbed samples from two different fish handling area were characterized for total bacterial and E. coli count. Mostly, the E. coli strains were isolated from fish local market and seafood processing plants before and after packaging process. In that maximum 56.25% strains were resistant to ampicillin and the minimum 2.5% strains were resistant to chloramphenicol. Therefore, the E. coli CE21 was identified through molecular techniques E. coli (GenBank accession number GU065251), The MIC value for polyphenol extract was slightly less than sulfated polysaccharides. E. coli strain isolated from Parangipettai was considerably increased MIC value that Cuddalore.ConclusionsThe polyphenol and sulfated polysaccharides showed promising inhibitory response against all antimicrobial resistant E. coli strains and in particular the inhibitory response of ampicillin resistant E. coli