The stems of Tinospora tomentosa Miers. are used in Indian system of medicine. The present study deals with the preliminary qualitative phytochemical investigation and acute toxicity study on various extracts of the plant. The acute toxicity was studied in mice and rats in terms of 24 h LD50 of the methanol and aqueous extracts. These extracts were found to be non-toxic orally in doses up to 3....

Smectite clays demonstrate high affinities for nitroaromatics that strongly depend on the exchangeable cation. The K-smectites have high affinities for nitroaromatics, but Ca-smectites do not. Here we evaluate the ability of K-smectite to attenuate the bioavailability and hence toxicity of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) to the aquatic plant duckweed. In the absence of K-smectite, 2,4-DNT was high...

Zirconium (Zr) is a transition metal that has both stable and radioactive isotopes.This metal has gained significant attention as a major pollutant of concern, partly because it has been prominent in the debate concerning the growing anthropogenic pressure on the environment. Its numerous past and present uses have induced significant soil and water pollution. Zr is generally considered to have...

Environmental pollution is a major global concern. When sources of water pollution are enumerated, agriculture is, with increasing frequency, listed as a major contributor. One of the major factors determining uptake and toxicity to plants is the form of arsenic (As). Naturally occurring arsenic in groundwater of sedimentary aquifer has emerged as a global problem, and issue of major environmen...

Abrus cantoniensis (Leguminosae sp.) is a traditionally used remedy for treating rheumatism, blood stasis, and internal injuries. In order to reveal a new insight of the utilization of the plant, solvent extraction by ethyl acetate (EA) was performed in order to evaluate the plant extracts' in vivo excision and incision-wound potentials with models. The contents of the EA fraction, wound healin...

Duguetia furfuracea is frequently used as a medicinal plant in Brazil. However, studies have evidenced its cytotoxic, bactericide, and antitumor activities. In the present study we aimed to evaluate the potential toxicity of hydroalcoholic leaves extracts of D. furfuracea (HEDF) in a Drosophila melanogaster model. Toxicity was assessed as changes in locomotor performance, mitochondrial activity...

A case history of acute copper toxicity in a flock of Garole sheep has been presented. The animals which suffered from the toxicity were fed solely on leaves of mahogany plant for two days prior to the onset of the symptoms. The soil in the region of West Bengal is deficient in both zinc and molybdenum, which may have caused copper imbalance in the animals. Serum biochemical and postmortem find...

Aluminium toxicity is one of the major factors that limit plant growth and development in many acid soils. Root cells plasma membrane, particularly of the root apex, seems to be a major target of Al toxicity. However, strong interaction of Al3+, the main Al toxic form, with oxygen donor ligands (proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides) results in the inhibition of cell division, cell extension...

Many soils are contaminated by heavy metals, with arsenic posing serious environmental threat. Enrichment of soil with phosphate is believed to reduce the arsenic toxicity. However, only a few attempts have already been conducted towards understanding the precise role of phosphate in controlling As toxicity. Moreover, there is no adequate information on the effect of phosphate on As-induced oxi...

Phyllanthus niruri is a medicinal plant (commonly known as stone breaker) found in the tropics and other parts of the world. It is known for its capacity to block the formation of calcium oxalate crystals and kidney stone formation in urolithiasis. This plant has been used to treat hyperglycemia, hypertension, pain, and mild cases of malaria. We examined the geno-, cyto- and overall toxic...