Tamarind seed protein has potential to cure Chikungunya: IIT-R study

Agencies
November 14, 2018

New Delhi, Nov 14: Two professors at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee claimed to have discovered a protein in tamarind seeds that has anti-viral properties and can potentially be used to develop medication for chikungunya.

The research group at IIT Roorkee has filed a patent for an antiviral composition containing this tamarind antiviral protein and is now developing tamarind-based therapeutic agents for chikungunya.

"Tamarind is known for various medicinal properties in India and is a excellent Ayurvedic food. The fruits, seeds, leaves and roots bark of the tamarind tree have been used to treat abdominal pain, diarrhoea and dysentery, bacterial infections and parasitic infestations, wounds, constipation and inflammation," said one of the professors, Shaily Tomar.

Lectin, a diverse group of proteins derived from plant sources, are known to bind to glycan sugars. Its use as antiviral has been extensively studied for a range of viruses, including HIV and HPV.

The IIT professors, in a study, have shown that a lectin derived from tamarind seeds bind to glycans or sugar molecules having N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) on the capsule of viruses, thereby preventing the entry of the virus into the host cells.

The researchers have isolated lectin from tamarind seeds using chromatography and have studied the binding of the lectin molecules to the glycan in the viral capsule by a process called Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA).

"Not only did the chikungunya virus lose 64 per cent of its infectivity on treatment with the lectin, but the levels of viral RNA in the cells were also found to reduce to nearly 45 per cent. This study has, for the first time, evaluated the antiviral use of tamarind seed-derived lectin having specificity for NAG and assessed its ability to block the entry step of the virus," Tomar added.

"Antiviral drugs and vaccines against most alphaviruses, including chikungunya are still not available in the market, and preventive measures are currently the only route to managing diseases caused by such viruses," said professor Pravindra Kumar, who is also part of the research.

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News Network
February 3,2020

Feb 3: Shine Shetty, who was last seen essaying the character of 'Chandu' in the popular daily soap 'Lakshmi Baramma', made a grand comeback to the small screen with Bigg Boss Kannada season 7 as one of the contestants. The actor went emotional after his name was announced by Sudeep as the winner. He thanked the host, his family and friends and the viewers as well for continuous support.

During his stay in the house, the actor had the privilege to become the captain of the house twice. He is also the only candidate who has earned 'Kicchana Chappale' (applaud of appraisal) the maximum number of times.

Shine has been in the headlines for his equation with other housemates. His growing friendship with Deepika Das has been creating a lot of buzz ever since the launch of the show. Shine has always shown interest in Deepika. He has always admired Deepika and was seen complimenting her style statements.

Shine Shetty's journey inside the Bigg Boss house is worth a mention. From showcasing his talents to giving his best shot in the tasks and activities, the actor was always on the forefront.

His friendly nature and care of his inmates can also never be missed.

Bigg Boss Kannada 7 kick-started on October 13th 2019 with Kiccha Sudeepa continued to host the show. The show, which returned to the small screen with 'only-celeb' format consisted of 18 primary contestants, who entered the house during the grand premiere of the season.

Within a short span, two wild card entrants made a surprise entry into the house. The show was surely a roller coaster ride with unexpected twists and entertained the viewers to the fullest.

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News Network
February 10,2020

Udupi, Feb 10: The throat swabs of three suspected coronavirus patients in Udupi that was sent for tests have come back as negative.

Throat swabs of three persons who got admitted at a district government hospital in Udupi with symptoms of fever on Friday was sent to Bangalore medical college and research institute for test to know whether the admitted persons who returned from China 15 days back had contracted coronavirus.

The 30-year-old man from Kaup taluk had been China on personal work and had returned to Udupi 15 days back. Upon showing the symptoms of fever, throat pain and cold, he was suggested to get admitted.

He was admitted in the isolation ward and was directed to remain under quarantine till the observation period ends and till the test report is obtained.

Another family from Mandarthi, a man and his wife, who had returned after a tour from China 15 days back were also kept under observation at the isolation ward in the district government hospital, Udupi.

Udupi DC G Jagadish has said that there are no coronavirus case reported in Udupi and people need not panic. Sources said that the three tested negatives for coronavirus in Udupi will be discharged from the hospital on Monday.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 18,2020

Udupi, Jul 18: Noted multi-lingual scholar Dr Uliyar Padmanabha Upadhyaya passed away last night at a private hospital in Manipal. The 88-year-old was survived by a son and a daughter.

His wife Susheela Uadhyaya, who was also a multi-lingual scholar, had passed away in January 2014 at the age of 77. The duo had compiled the six-volume Tulu Lexicon. Its first volume was published in 1988 and the last volume in 1997.

Son of Sitaram Upadhyaya, who was a scholar in the court of the Raja of Travancore, Dr Padmanabha was born on April 10, 1932 at Uliyar in Majur Village near Kaup in Udupi district. 

The Upadhyaya couple had conducted serious research work in linguistics and folk culture and produced a number of books-some of them jointly, some individually and some in collaboration with others. 

Dr Padmanabha had acquired three Master of Arts degrees in Sanskrit, Kannada and Linguistics from Madras, Kerala and Pune Universities, Vidwan in Hindi and PhD in Linguistics from the Pune University for his thesis titled “A Comparative Study of Kannada Dialects”.

He was a visiting Professor at the Universities of London and Paris. He knew Hindi, Kannada, Tulu, Malayalam, Tamil, English, French and Olof, the language of Senegal in Africa.

His works include Nanjanagudu Kannada (Vokkaliga Dialect), Coorg Kannada, Kuruba - A Dravidian Language, Kannada - A Phonetic Language, Malayalam Language and Literature (with Ms. Susheela), Effect of Bilingualism on Bidar Kannada, Coimbatore Tamil, Kannada as Spoken by Different Population Groups in Mysore City, Dravidian and Negro African: Ethno Linguistic Study (with Ms. Susheela), Conversational Kannada, Coastal Karnataka and Bhuta Worship: Aspects of a Ritualistic Theatre (with Ms. Susheela).

Also Read: Eminent linguist Dr Susheela P Upadhyaya no more

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