Laboratory Experience
Determining biological functionality of medicinal and dietary plants
Project Assistant – Molecular and Cellular Nutrition Laboratory – Texas State University
Principal Investigator – Dr. Dhiraj Vattem
1.) Chemical and biochemical characteristics of medicinal and dietary plants
- Determining total phenolic content
- Antioxidant activity determination
2.) Antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants and dietary plants
- Listeria monocytogenes
- E coli 0157:H7
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
3.) Effect of natural plant extracts on inhibiting cell-cell communication in bacteria (quorum sensing)
- Chromobacterium violaceum model
4.) Antimutigenic effects of medicinal plants and dietary plants
- Ames test on Salmonella typhimurium (TA1535, TA1537, TA1538)
5.) Development of a model to study DNA mutations using violaceum pigment formation in CV12472
6.) Reduction of oxidative stress in hepatic and muscles tissues using medicinal plants and dietary plants
- CAT activity
- PER activity
- Protein determination
7.) In vivo model for studying biological functionality of medicinal plants and dietary plants in Tenebrio molitor
8.) Ability of medicinal plants and dietary plants to modulate energy harvest in the GI tract by effecting carbohydrate and lipid metabolism
Skills and Techniques
1.) Chemical and Biochemical Assays
- Total phenolics assay by Folin Ciacalteu method
- ABTS
- TBARS
- Protein
2.) Enzymology – Spectrophotometetric Assays
- Catalase
- Peroxidase
- Maltase
- Amylase
- Sucrase
- Lipase
3.) Microbiological (sterile technique)
- Ames test
- Kirby-bauer
- Quorum Sensing
4.) In vivo models
- Growth and cultivation of Tenebrio molitor (sterile technique)
Instrumentation
- Microscope (inverted, stereo)
- Micro plate reader
- Spectrophotometer
- Centrifuge
- Autoclave
- pH meter
- Laminar flow hood