• Title/Summary/Keyword: Tropical Traditional

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Impact of Slash and Burning on Microbial Biomass in Semi-Evergreen Tropical Deciduous Forest of Manipur, North-East India

  • Yadava, P.S.;Devi, A.Sarjubala
    • The Korean Journal of Ecology
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.225-230
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    • 2004
  • The impact of slash and burning on microbial biomass C, N and P in soils of semi-evergreen tropical deciduous forest were studied from February 1999 to January 2000. The experimental sites were located near Moreh town in the Chandel district of Manipur state (India) along the Indo-Myanmar border between 23° 49' N-24°28'N latitude and 93°45'E-94°16'E longitude. Microbial biomass C ranged from 319.50 ㎍ g/sup -1/ 905.50㎍ g/sup -1/ in the slash and burnt site and from 209.50 ㎍ g/sup -1/ to 708.80 ㎍ g/sup -1/ soil in the forest site. Microbial N ranged from 19.30 ㎍ g/sup -1/ to 99.45 ㎍ g/sup -1/ in the slash and burnt site and from 16.08㎍ g/sup -1/ to 88.90 ㎍ g/sup -1/ in the forest site. Microbial P varied from 10.90 ㎍ g/sup -1/ to 32.21 ㎍ g/sup -1/ in the slash and burnt site and from 2.50 ㎍ g/sup -1/ to 17.60 ㎍ g/sup -1/ in the forest site in different months throughout the year. Microbial biomass C, N and P were recorded to be higher in the slash and burnt site compared to the forest site The conversion of forest into slash and burnt site for agriculture - the traditional shilling cultivation practiced by tribal people in the north- eastern India leads to addition of large amount of organic matter in the soil thereby exhibiting higher values of microbial biomass C, N and P in the recent slash and burnt site than that of the forest site. Relationship between the soil moisture, soil organic C and microbial biomass C, N and P were found to be correlated significantly in both the sites.

What was the main factor in successful control of ascariasis in Korea?

  • Seung-Yull Cho;Sung-Tae Hong
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.61 no.2
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    • pp.103-126
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    • 2023
  • In the l950s, under the legacy of traditional agriculture, Ascaris lumbricoides, spread epidemically in the war-bitten society of Korea. Consensus on the parasite control was drafted in the Parasite Disease Prevention Act, which passed a parliamentary agreement in 1966, and established safe disposal of feces and mass chemotherapy as control strategies. Biannual stool examinations and treating infected schoolchildren were basic scheme of the control activity through which revenue could be secured for organized business. In the 27 years following 1969, a maximum of 16 million stool examinations had been done every year. Cellophane thick smear enabled the task. The infection declined remarkably in the 1970s when industrialization and green revolution proceeded. A population study of A. lumbricoides in the late 1970s helped us better understand its epidemiology. The data also settled down the understandable protest of teachers against the repeated stool examinations. In the 9 years following 1987, the target population was gradually reduced when the egg positive rate was below 0.1%. An article in the Korean Law, stipulating obligatory stool examinations, was made optional. Although the long-term Korean effort of Ascaris control was a success, the effect of mass chemotherapy was not as succinct in terms of lowering reinfection. In the period of control, Korean agricultural technology changed, and the economy grew and supplied sanitary facilities by which the vicious cycle was disconnected. Reduction of morbidity was a benefit of mass chemotherapy, which is the only control method feasible in economically difficult countries. The most important hurdle of parasite control in the 1960s was poverty of general population and limited financial resources in Korea but the society formed a consensus on the priority of intestinal helminthiasis control during the ordeal period. The national consensus in the 1960s was the critical milestone for Ascaris control in Korea. Under the social agreement, application of timely technical and research advancements in parasitology achieved the success of ascariasis elimination. The successful experience of ascariasis elimination in Korea can be a benchmark for countries where neglected tropical diseases are endemically recycled.

Screening the extracts of the seeds of Achillea millefolium, Angelica sylvestris and Phleum pratense for antibacterial, antioxidant activities and general toxicity

  • Sarker, Satyajit Dey;Eynon, Elaine;Fok, Katharine;Kumarasamy, Yashodharan;Murphy, Eavan Marie;Nahar, Lutfun;Shaeen, Ehab Mohammed;Shaw, Nichola Mary;Siakalima, Munachonga
    • Advances in Traditional Medicine
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    • v.3 no.3
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    • pp.157-162
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    • 2003
  • Various extracts of higher plants have been used in traditional medicine systems for centuries. While tropical and sub-tropical plants have received considerable attention from the researchers for evaluation of their bioactivity, temeperate plants have always been neglected somewhat. Similarly, seeds of the plants have not been considered seriously compared to other plant parts, e.g. leaves, stems, roots, flowers, etc. as a potential source for biologically active compounds. As part of our on-going evaluation of the extracts of the seeds of temperate plants, especially from Scotland, for biological activity, Achillea millefolium, Angelica sylvestris and Phleum pratense have been chosen for the present study. Both A. millefolium and A. sylvestris are well known for their traditional medicinal uses in Europe and also in the orient, but there is no report on any medicinal properties of P. pratense available to date. Extracts of the seeds of these plants have been assessed for their antioxidant and antibacterial potential and also for general toxicity. Both DCM and MeOH extracts of A. millefolium showed the most significant broad spectrum antibacterial activity among the three plants and inhibited the growth of almost all test strains of bacteria. The DCM extracts of all three species were active against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Citrobacter freundii $(MIC=6.25{\times}10^{-1}\;mg/mL)$. While the MeOH extracts of A. millefolium and P. pratense were active against C. freundii, that of P. pratense was also active against MRSA. The MeOH extract of A. sylvestris did not show any antibacterial activity against any of the eight bacterial strains at test concentrations. The MeOH extract of P. pratense showed the most prominent antioxidant activity $(IC_{50}=145\;{\mu}g/ml)$ and there was no antioxidant activity observed with the DCM extract of A. millefolium. The DCM extract of P. pratense was the most toxic $(LC_{50}=20\;{\mu}g/ml)$ among the extracts.

Ethnomedicinal and pharmacological activities of Mochrus (Bombax ceiba Linn.): An overview

  • Rani, Seema;Rahman, Khaleequr;Sultana, Arshiya
    • CELLMED
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    • v.6 no.1
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    • pp.2.1-2.9
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    • 2016
  • Traditional system of medicine mentioned the use of plants in treatment of various human ailments. Mochrus (Bombax ceiba Linn.) is one of the medicinal plants used in Unani medicine since time immemorial. It is a very tall tree with approximately 150 feet height. It is widely found in temperate Asia, tropical Asia, Africa and Australia. In India, it can be found at altitudes up to 1500 m. In peninsular India, the tree is very common in the dry as well as moist deciduous forests and near rivers. It is reported to possess qabiz (constipative); mujaffif (siccative); muqawwi rehm (uterine tonic); nafi sailan rehm (beneficial in leucorrhea); mumsik wa mughalliz mani (increase consistency of semen); muallide mani (production of semen); habise tams (amenorrhoic); dafi fasaad khoon wa safra (purifies blood and bile); taskeen hiddat aza (hotness of organs); muqawi asnan wa lissa (tonic to teeth and gums) etc. Ethnobotanical studies prove that it is used in diarrhoea, asthma, impotency, boils, wounds, leprosy, pimples and many other skin diseases. It is an anthelmintic remedy since ancient time. Pharmacological studies like hypotensive, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antiangiogenic, anti- bacterial, cytotoxic, hepatoprotective, diuretic, anthelmintic, anticancer, spermatogenic and anti-helicobacter pylori activities have been evaluated for various parts of this plant that confirms to its use in classical medicine.

Changes of Chemical Components during Pre-salting in the Preparation of Salted Anchovy

  • Cho, Young-Je;Shim, Kil-Bo;Kim, Tae-Jin;Ju, Jung-Mi;Park, Young-Jun
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Fisheries Technology Conference
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    • 2000.10a
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    • pp.103-104
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    • 2000
  • Salted anchovy, generally favored in Europe, is one of the traditional fermented fish products in southern European countries and raw anchovy are aged in 20∼30% NaCl solution for 6 months (Ishida et al., 1994). They are then steeped in oil in glass jar or can, and marketed. The salt-fermented fish sauce, such as anchovy sauce and shrimp sauce are tropical fermented seafood from fish in Korea. (omitted)

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The Vegetation of the Catba national Park in Vietnam (베트남 캣바국립공원의 식생)

  • ;Thin, N. N.
    • The Korean Journal of Ecology
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    • v.21 no.2
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    • pp.139-149
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    • 1998
  • The Catba national park (20$\circ$42'-20$\circ$54'N, 106$\circ$54'-107$\circ$09'E), which is a representative protected area in northeast Vietnam, was first investigated in terms of phytosociology of the Zurich-Montpellier School. 15 plant communities were identified from the seven vegetation types: Teetaria-Amoora gigantea community, Blechmum-Pitecellobium ferrugineum community, Impatiens-Dracaena cambodiana community, Rhizophora apiculata community, Avicenia marina community, Panicum repens community, Heterosmilax-Zanthoxylum nitidum community, Stachytarphyta jamaiensis-Bidens bipinnata community, microstegium vagans community, Dicranopteris linearis community, Randina-Sapium sebiferum community, Psidium gujava community, Elephantopus scaber community, and chirita aratformis community. Traditional pasturing and shifting agrie\culture by indigenous people in Catba national park were recognized as main disturbance regies, which have been far above sustainable levels. Ecological strategies for conservation and sustainable use on national park' ecosystem were proposed: (1) development of awareness program on sustainable life style of indigenous people, (2) establishment of multiple use module system of national park, (3) ecosystem monitoring of permanent ecological sites.

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Confusing a Pollen Grain with a Parasite Egg: Infection or Traditional Medicine?

  • Mowlavi, Gholamreza;Paknezhad, Niloofar;Dupouy-Camet, Jean;Hugot, Jean Pierre
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.58 no.2
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    • pp.211-212
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    • 2020
  • Camacho & Reinhard stated in the December 2019 issue of the KJP (57: 621-625) that we confused a pollen grain with an Enterobius egg found in the grave of a female adolescent residing in ancient Tehran 7,000 years ago". We want here to clarify and answer to the outlined points in their article.

Bioprospecting in a Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest of Western Rajasthan, India

  • Kumar, J.I. Nirmal;Sajish, P.R.;Kumar, Rita.N.;Bhoi, Rohit Kumar
    • Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.25-30
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    • 2010
  • Bioprospecting has been widely used to assess the economic potential of different plant species and their value-addition. Prospecting for biological material like plants with medicinal or other economically valuable properties like fibre or oil is becoming a dynamic activity. Our folklore with embedded cultural heritage has tremendous possibilities and potential for bioprospecting. This forest region of Western Rajasthan is enriched with diverse vegetational wealth, if subjected to bioprospecting may prove to be a boon for the society.

Study on the Hawaiian Bark Cloth Kapa (하와이 목질의복(木質衣服)(Bark Cloth) KAPA에 대한 연구(硏究))

  • Park, Meeg-Nee
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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    • v.17
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    • pp.137-148
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    • 1991
  • The use of bark cloth, made of the inner bark of certain trees, was widespread along tropical zones from the Africa to the Hawaii encompassing the globe. They include Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Polynesian Islands and South America. Among them the Hawaiian bark cloth, named Kapa(pronounced as tapa) was rated as the best quality and most admired. It has variety in designs and colors as well as the most sophistcated production methods. The distinct processes of kapa making are composed of two stages. The first is called first beating and it is a preparatory stage to beat the sea-water soaked bast. It was done with a round beater on a stone anvil. The second beating process was carried out with the squared beater and wooden anvil. The strips from the first beating was soaked again in the water and then beaten lightly to break up fibers. The craftmen laid a bundle of strips over the anvil and beat it into pieces of kapa. The second beater of Hawaii was the most characteristic one among bark cloth producing countries. On their surfaces were the engraved patterns, which were creation of theirs. These distinguished designs enabled them to produce the kapa with the thinner and finer texture and an elaboration of impressed designs known as "watermaks". The Hawaiian culture was self-sufficient one : Everything they used was of their own creation until 19th century. Among their inventions of printing designs on kapa are three most important and distinguished processes. They are the overlaying, the cord snapping and the block printing techniques. Their inventiveness as well as self sufficient environment made it possible to develop their fine art of the kapa making. It is said that the mass producing and cheap western technology of loom forced them to gradually abandon their traditional art and as a result this fine and valuable legacy of Hawaiian traditional kapa making technique is all but disappeared. However it is encouraging and heart warming to find that some of the people as well as specialized researchers pined together to form a group to try to reproduce the old kapa and study the traditional art. They consider the kapa as an expression of the ethnic identity with Hawaii's heritage as well as valuable art of human history.

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Antileishmanial and Cytotoxic Effects of Essential Oil and Methanolic Extract of Myrtus communis L.

  • Mahmoudvand, Hossein;Ezzatkhah, Fatemeh;Sharififar, Fariba;Sharifi, Iraj;Dezaki, Ebrahim Saedi
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.53 no.1
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    • pp.21-27
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    • 2015
  • Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances that can be used to treat various diseases such as infectious diseases. The present study was designed to evaluate the antileishmanial effects of the essential oil and methanolic extract of Myrtus communis against Leishmania tropica on an in vitro model. Antileishmanial effects of essential oil and methanolic extract of M. communis on promastigote forms and their cytotoxic activities against J774 cells were evaluated using MTT assay for 72 hr. In addition, their leishmanicidal activity against amastigote forms was determined in a macrophage model, for 72 hr. Findings showed that the main components of essential oil were ${\alpha}$-pinene (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (19.6%), and linalool (12.6%). Findings demonstrated that M. communis, particularly its essential oil, significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth rate of promastigote and amastigote forms of L. tropica based on a dose-dependent response. The $IC_{50}$ values for essential oil and methanolic extract was 8.4 and $28.9{\mu}g/ml$ against promastigotes, respectively. These values were 11.6 and $40.8{\mu}g/ml$ against amastigote forms, respectively. Glucantime as control drug also revealed $IC_{50}$ values of 88.3 and $44.6{\mu}g/ml$ for promastigotes and amastigotes of L. tropica, respectively. The in vitro assay demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity in J774 cells. However, essential oil indicated a more cytotoxic effect as compared with the methanolic extract of M. communis. The findings of the present study demonstrated that M. communis might be a natural source for production of a new leishmanicidal agent.