Publications

2023

1. PLOS ONE

   Antibacterial potential of Luidia clathrata (sea star) tissue extracts against selected pathogenic bacteria

   Kusum Parajuli ,  Nahian Fahim ,  Sinthia Mumu , and 2 more authors

   PLOS ONE, 2023

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   As resistance to traditional antibiotics has become a major issue, it is essential to explore natural sources for new antimicrobial agents. The marine environment offers a variety of natural bioactive compounds. In this study, we examined the antibacterial potential of Luidia clathrata, a tropical sea star species. The experiment was conducted against both gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Mycobacterium smegmatis) and gram-negative (Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae) bacteria using disk diffusion method. Specifically, we extracted the body wall and gonad using methanol, ethyl acetate, and hexane. Our findings show that the body wall extract using ethyl acetate (1.78μg/ml) was particularly effective against all tested pathogens, while the gonad extract (0.107μg/ml) showed activity against six out of ten selected pathogens. This is a crucial and new discovery that suggests L. clathrata may be a useful source for discovering antibiotics and more research is required to pinpoint and comprehend the active ingredients.

2. PLOS ONE

   Comparative physiological study of sea cucumbers from eastern waters of United States

   Eaint Honey Aung Win ,  Sinthia Mumu ,  Nahian Fahim , and 4 more authors

   PLOS ONE, 2023

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   Sea cucumbers, belonging to the phylum Echinodermata, are known to possess valuable bioactive compounds that have medicinal properties. In several countries, such as Korea, China, and Japan, they are cultured in the aquaculture industries for food and medicinal purposes. Research has shown that different species of sea cucumbers each possesses unique medicinal values. As a result, we strive towards finding species with better health resilience in aquaculture system to be cultured for nutritional and medicinal purposes. In this paper, we compared the physiological and immunological parameters of three species of sea cucumbers, Cucumaria frondosa (C. frondosa), Isostychopus badionotus (I. badionotus), and Pentacta pygmaea (P. Pygmaea) from the waters of the eastern United States as they have not been studied extensively. Four different cells of sea cucumbers, phagocytic, red spherule, white spherule, and vibratile cells, that contribute to their immunity were counted. C. frondosa exhibited the highest concentrations of phagocytic cells, white spherule cells, and vibratile cells, compared to the two other species. Due to its high phagocytic cell concentration, the highest phagocytic capacity was seen in C. frondosa although it was not statistically significant. We also observed that C. frondosa had the highest total cell count and the highest concentration of coelomic protein among the three species. Lastly, C. frondosa possessed the highest lysozyme activity. Taken together, we concluded that C. frondosa is the best of the three species compared to be reared in the aquaculture systems for use in the food and biomedicine industries due to its immunological and physiological properties.

3. PLOS ONE

   Potentials of Gynura procumbens to modulate chronic stress and immunological responses in Oreochromis niloticus.

   Sinthia Kabir Mumu ,  Nahian Fahim ,  Eaint Honey Aung Win , and 4 more authors

   PLoS ONE, 2023

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   Natural products and traditional remedies have become more popular over the years since they have less harmful side effects and are considered environmentally friendly. In this study we aimed to investigate the potential of Gynura procumbens extract (GPE), a well-known traditional medicinal plant extract, on the stress modulation of Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia). Four different experimental groups: control, stress, prevention, and treatment were monitored for 12 weeks. Hydrocortisone (0.01% of body weight) was incorporated with the feed to induce the stress response in stress, prevention and treatment groups. Feed was also supplemented with 0.15% GPE of body weight for the prevention and treatment groups. Cortisol concentration was reduced significantly in the prevention (1870.52 pg/mL; p = 0.006) and treatment (2925.91 pg/mL; p = 0.002) groups than the stress group (7614.22 pg/mL). The result is substantiated by significant decrease in blood glucose level in prevention (29.5 mg/dL; p = 0.002) and treatment (31.5 mg/dL; p = 0.006) groups, compared to stress group (47.33 mg/dL) at the end of the experiment. Considering the current finding, we can conclude the GPE has potential to be used as therapeutic option for stress regulation however there is a room for further detailed study to understand the in-depth mechanism.

2021

1. Ecotoxicology

   Chlorpyrifos and dichlorvos in combined exposure reveals antagonistic interaction to the freshwater fish Mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala

   Prabesh Singh Kunwar ,  Bhawani S. Sapkota ,  Samikshya Badu , and 4 more authors

   Ecotoxicology, 2021

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   Toxicity imposed by organophosphate pesticides to the freshwater cultivable fish species mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala) was assessed under laboratory conditions. Healthy juveniles were exposed to chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, and their equitoxic mixture in geometric series. Median lethal concentrations of chlorpyrifos were found to be 0.906 (0.689-1.179), 0.527 (0.433-0.633), 0.435 (0.366-0.517) and 0.380 (0.319-0.450) mg/L and dichlorvos were found to be 38.432 (33.625-47.866), 22.477 (19.047-26.646), 12.442 (9.619-14.196) and 11.367 (9.496-13.536) mg/L after 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h of exposure respectively. Surprisingly, the joint toxicity of these organophosphates in the binary mixture was less than additive during most of the exposure periods. Behavioral changes exhibited by individual as well as mixture pesticide treatments were loss of schooling behavior, aggregating at corners of the test chamber, elevated opercular beatings, surplus mucus secretion, slight color changes and sudden and rapid body movements before death. Loss of fish equilibrium was noticed only in chlorpyrifos treated fish, whereas sluggish behavior was noticed only in mixture pesticide treatment. Such behavioral studies can be applied as a non-invasive bio-monitoring tool for water quality assessment for fish growth and development. Despite the same mode of action of both pesticides, the antagonistic action in the binary mixture is an interesting outcome of this research that requires further investigation for a lucid understanding of the joint toxicity mechanism of such pesticides.

2020

1. CBP

   Mixed toxicity of chlorpyrifos and dichlorvos show antagonistic effects in the endangered fish species golden mahseer (Tor putitora).

   Prabesh Singh Kunwar ,  Kusum Parajuli ,  Samikshya Badu , and 4 more authors

   Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Toxicology & pharmacology : CBP, 2020

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   Golden mahseer (Tor putitora) is an economically important but endangered fish species in many countries. Increasing pesticide application can possess a threat to this species but their sensitivity to pesticides, typically chlorpyrifos and dichlorvos, is unknown. We determined 96 h-LC50 of chlorpyrifos and dichlorvos to be 0.753 mg/L and 12.964 mg/L, respectively, indicating higher toxicity of chlorpyrifos than dichlorvos. Despite the same mode of action, their joint effect was antagonistic, with an additive index value of - 0.58 at 96 h-LC50. Moreover, to get insights in the temporal sub-lethal effects, fish were exposed to 10% and 50% of the 96 h-LC50 values of the respective pesticides. Aerobic metabolism, opercular movements, and feeding behavior were examined for sub-lethal end-points following 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h exposure. Both chlorpyrifos and dichlorvos in single exposures induced a significant drop in oxygen consumption rate; while it was significantly elevated in the mixed pesticide exposure. Accelerated opercular movements were observed in all pesticide treatment groups but were more persistent in chlorpyrifos treatments. Reduced feeding attempts were more pronounced in chlorpyrifos and mixture treatments wherein feeding attempts dropped to zero. Overall, the acute toxicity data reported in the present study can be used to assess the maximum tolerance level of golden mahseer to chlorpyrifos and dichlorvos, and their mixture. Furthermore, the sub-lethal end point responses can be applied in monitoring the environmental risk posed by these waterborne pesticides either individually or in combination to the aquatic life.

2017

1. IJFAS

   Length and weight relationship studies of alimentary canal compared to the total body weight of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes, 1844) at Balkhu live fish Market of Kathmandu, Nepal

   Prabha Chitrakar ,  and  Kusum Parajuli

   International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies, 2017

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   Length weight relationship is an important tool for fishery management and which will able us to know about size, structure, age and also to assess the health of the host. It will provide various facts about seasonal cycle of the host, growth period of fishes and influential aspect of biotic and abiotic factor. The length-weight relationship of the same species may be different in the population because of feeding, reproduction activities and fishing. Likewise, relative gut length is the useful index used to know about the nature of food and feeding habit. It is therefore necessary to know the length and weight relationships of gutof fishes to understand depends on the nature of food they consume, the length increases with the increase in the vegetable matter in the diet. Most of the literatures show only the length and weight relationship of whole body but not the gut hence this study was conducted to establish the length and weight relationship of alimentary canal compared to the whole body weight of exotic grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella from Balkhu live fish Market of Kathmandu, Nepal. Ninety fish samples in three phases ie first during winter (Magh/Falgun), second in spring (Chaitra/Baishakh) and final during summer (Jestha/Ashad) has been investigated. The weight of carp showed the increasing trend with the increase in length and weight of alimentary canal. The slope value of length was 0.875 and for weight was 0.0714.