Seeds are very important for the plants to reproduce continuously in the existing world. The human life depends partly on the seeds derived from plants either by means of cooked or raw or in the form of active principles in case of pharmacological use. So, it is essential to study the nutrients present in the seeds and also its fatty acid content as it is an important factor in giving antimicrobial activity. The components were assessed by means of analytical technique called GC-MS. The obtained results showed that it contains higher oleic acid and 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-methyl ester and found to be effective against fungi Aspergillus flavus.

Lung surfactant is a complex mixture of lipid and protein, responsible for alveolar stability, becomes dysfunctional due to alteration of its structure and function by leaked serum materials in disease. Serum proteins, cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were studied with bovine lipid extract surfactant (BLES) using Langmuir films, and bilayer dispersions using Raman spectroscopy. While small amount of cholesterol (10 wt%) and LDL did not significantly affect the adsorption and surface tension lowering properties of BLES. However serum lipids, whole serum as well as higher amounts of cholesterol, and LDL dramatically altered the surface properties of BLES films, as well as gel-fluid structures formed in such films observed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Raman-spectroscopic studies revealed that serum proteins, LDL and excess cholesterol had fluidizing effects on BLES bilayers dispersion, monitored from the changes in hydrocarbon vibrational modes during gel-fluid thermal phase transitions. This study clearly suggests that patho-physiological amounts of serum lipids (and not proteins) significantly alter the molecular arrangement of surfactant in films and bilayers, and can be used to model lung disease.

Lung surfactant (LS), a lipid–protein mixture responsible for alveolar stability, is inhibited by serum proteins leaked into the lungs in disease. Interaction of bovine lipid extract surfactant (BLES), a clinical replacement lung surfactant, with serum protein fibrinogen (Fbg) was studied employing various structural and biophysical techniques in adsorbed films and bulk bilayer dispersions. Surface tension area isotherms of the adsorbed films revealed the suppression of interfacial activity of BLES by Fbg (adsorption and surface tension reduction). Fbg, predominantly associated with the fluid phase of BLES films, resulted in the aggregation of the gel lipid domains as evidenced by atomic force microscopy. BLES bilayer dispersion showed phase transition from a diffused gel to liquid–crystalline phase in the temperature range 10–35 °C as studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fbg resulted in the shift of peak to a higher transition temperature for the maximal heat flow (T max) of BLES dispersions. Combined Raman and FTIR spectral studies of the BLES/Fbg dispersions revealed that Fbg altered the –CH2–, –CH3, and –PO4 − vibrational modes of the phospholipids present in BLES, suggesting the condensing and dehydrating effect of the protein on surfactant. Studies suggest that Fbg, by directly interacting with the gel lipids in LS in bulk dispersions, alter the packing of the films formed at the interface, and can be used as a specific model for lung disease.

Cotton is a leading plant fiber crop worldwide, grown in temperate and tropical regions of 50 countries. Cotton seed is valuable food stuff for cattle. For the present study, the aqueous extract was prepared from Gossypium seeds and subjected to qualitative analysis for its phyto-constituents, quantitative analysis for its nutrients, yield in percent, fluorescence study, and behavior of Gossypium seed powder from aqueous extract. The results obtained showed positive results for carbohydrate, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, tannins, proteins, amino acids, fixed oil etc. The carbohydrate content was found to be 32.66±2.30mg/g, protein content was 04.84±0.15mg/g, aminoacid content was 01.06±0.23mg/g. The recovery percent of the extract was 10.50, no fluorescence was observed, presence of alkaloid, steroid, flavonoid, protein was observed with different chemicals. From the present study, it is confirmed that, aqueous extract of Gossypium seed was found to contain chemicals which are therapeutic in value.

Functionality, structure and composition of the adsorbed films of bovine lipid extract surfactant (BLES), in the absence and presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA), at the air–buffer interface was characterized through surface tension, atomic force microscopy and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometric methods. Gel and fluid domains of BLES films were found to be altered significantly in the presence of BSA. Differential scanning calorimetric studies on BLES dispersions in presence of BSA revealed that the perturbations of the lipid bilayer structures were significant only at higher amount of BSA. FTIR studies on the BLES dispersions in buffer solution revealed that BSA could affect the lipid head-group hydrations in bilayer as well as the methylene and methyl vibration modes of fatty acyl chains of the phospholipids present in BLES. Serum albumin could perturb the film structure at pathophysiological concentration while higher amount of BSA was required in perturbing the bilayer structures. The studies suggest a connected perturbed bilayer to monolayer transition model for surfactant inactivation at the alveolar–air interface in dysfunctional surfactants.

Pulmonary surfactants stabilize the lung by way of reducing surface tension at the air-lung interface of the alveolus. 31P NMR, thin-layer chromatography, and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy of bovine lipid extract surfactant (BLES) confirmed dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) to be the major phospholipid species, with significant amounts of palmitoyl-oleoylphosphatidylcholine, palmitoyl-myristoylphosphatidylcholine, and palmitoyl-oleoylphosphatidylglycerol. BLES and DPPC spread at the air-water interface were studied through surface pressure area, fluorescence, and Brewster angle microscopy measurements. Langmuir-Blodgett films of monomolecular films, deposited on mica, were characterized by atomic force microscopy. BLES films displayed shape, size, and vertical height profiles distinct from those of DPPC alone. Calcium ions in the subphase altered BLES film domain structure. The addition of cholesterol (4 mol %) resulted in the destabilization of compressed BLES films at higher surface pressures (>40 mN m-1) and the formation of multilayered structures, apparently consisting of stacked monolayers. The studies suggested potential roles for individual surfactant lipid components in supramolecular arrangements, which could be the contributing factors in pulmonary surfactant to attain low surface tension at the air-water interface.

Cell membranes, lung surfactants and other liquid crystalline systems have become an interesting area for structural studies, due to recent evidence suggesting that such supra-molecular assemblies have micronano scale organizations or domains. Such domains play a critical role in functioning of membrane proteins, as well as phase segregation and liquid ordering of soft-materials in two dimensions. These domains can be imaged dynamically from an air-water interface of Langmuir films of 17-25 Å thickness using a number of correlated physico-chemical methods. We have employed a series of correlated imaging techniques such as fluorescence, atomic force microscopy (AFM), time of flight-secondary ion mass (TOF-SIMS) and Raman-confocal spectroscopy to image micro and nano-scale organizations of specific components in lipid-rafts, bacterial and lung surfactant membranes. Using fluorescence, AFM and Raman the phase transition process and their respective domains in liquid-crystalline, gel and fluidordered states in monolayer films and bilayer liposomes could be dynamically observed. The lipid confirmations, tilt, specific lipid compositions of domains in some of these systems could also be imaged. Some recent evidence indicates that structural disorganization and anisotropy of domain structures detected using these imaging methods in membrane dysfunction, may allow for a better understanding of the molecular basis of some disease forms.

Lung surfactant (LS), a secretory product of the alveolar type-II cells stabilizes the alveoli during normal respiration. LS reduces surface tension of the alveolar air-water interface during expiration preventing alveolar collapse. During acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and in other lung diseases, serum proteins leak into the alveolar space and inhibit LS surface activity. Interaction ofbovine lipid extract surfactant (BLES) (a clinical replacement LS) with soluble fibrinogen (Fbg) was studied employing various biophysical techniques in bulk bilayer and monolayer films. BLES contains all lipids and proteins ofLS except cholesterol and surfactant protein-A and D. From our monolayer studies (surface balance and adsorption studies) fibrinogen decreased the surface activity ofBLES. Langmuir-Blodgett films of adsorbed BLES and BLES with fibrinogen were studied using Langmuir-Wilhelmy surface balance and were imaged employing atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM images show that fibrinogen is mainly associated with the fluid phase ofBLES films and aggregated the gel lipid domains. Fibrinogen was found to induce two sets of domains in BLES, one associated with the gel (condensed) lipids, while the protein aggregate was mainly present in the fluid phase. BLES bilayer dispersions showed a diffuse gel to liquid-crystalline phase transition between 10-35°C as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fibrinogen was found to denature at 50°C using DSC. DSC ofBLES: Fbg (1:0, 1:0.5, 1:1, 1:1.4; wt/wt) dispersions, suggested that with increasing protein, the peak of maximal heat flow (Tmax) was shifted from 27°C to 31 °C. Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) of the BLES: Fbg bilayers dispersions suggested that fibrinogen altered the CH2, CH3, and P04-

Monomers of some amphiphiles organize into bilayers to form liposomes and niosomes. Such bilayers are unstable or leaky and hence cholesterol is a common ingredient included to stabilize them. Cholesterol stabilizes bilayers, prevents leakiness, and retards permeation of solutes enclosed in the aqueous core of these vesicles. Other than cholesterol a material with good bilayer-stabilizing properties is yet to be identified. We have substituted cholesterol with fatty alcohols in niosomes containing polyglyceryl-3-di-isostearate (PGDS) and polysorbate-80 (PS-80) to explore their membrane-stabilizing property via permeation studies. Niosomes of polyglyceryl-3-di-isostearate, fatty alcohol/cholesterol, and polysorbate were prepared by ether injection method. Aqueous solution of ketorolac tromethamine (KT) was entrapped in them. The effects of alkyl chain length of fatty alcohols (C(12), C(14), C(16), C(18), and C(16+18)), of acyl chain length of polyoxyethylene sorbitan monoester surfactants, and of the molar ratio of lipid mixture on the release rate of ketorolac from niosomes were assessed by employing modified dissolution-dialysis method. Niosomes with cholesterol or fatty alcohols have exhibited a common release pattern. Niosomes containing fatty alcohol showed a considerably slower release rate of KT than those containing cholesterol. Based on the release rate, fatty alcohols can be ranked as stearyl<myristyl<cetyl<lauryl<cetostearyl. In niosomes containing PGDS, myristyl alcohol (MA), and polysorbate, the fatty acid chain length of polyoxyethylene sorbitan ester-type surfactants has influenced the release rate and encapsulation efficiency. Based on the release rate, polysorbates can be ranked as polysorbate-20 (C(12))<polysorbate-60 (C(18))<polysorbate-80 (C(9=9))<polysorbate-40 (C(16)). In niosome preparation containing polysorbate-20 and dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (anionic surfactant), the release rate was slower than niosomes containing polysorbate-20. When MA concentration is kept constant at 50 mole% and the ratio of PGDS and PS-80 was altered, significant changes in entrapment efficiency and the release rate were observed. However, this ratio did not exhibit any relation with encapsulation efficiency or release rate. The release rate and entrapment exhibited an inverse correlation (r(2)=0.8774 at p<0.02 for the data of molar ratios of PGDS:MA:PS80; r(2)=0.975 at p<0.001 for the data of acyl chain length variation of polysorbates). It can be concluded that stable niosomes of polyglyceryl-3-di-isostearate could be prepared with fatty alcohols and polysorbates instead of cholesterol and that the release of solutes from these niosomes can be optimized by altering membrane constituents and their concentrations.