1. High competitive ability is believed to be an important characteristic of invasive species. Many animal studies have compared the competitive ability of invasive species with a native species that is being displaced, but few have looked at systems where an invasive species has failed to establish itself. These types of studies are important to determine if competition is relevant not only to...

Cassia obtusifolia Linn. (Family: Caesalpinnaceae) is commonly known as “Takla” or “Chakunda” in India, also used as vegetable and cultivated throughout in India, Sri Lanka and many tropical countries. In Indian traditional system of medicine (Ayurveda) the plant is used as digestible, laxative, diuretic, stomachic, antipyretic, improves the appetite, biliousness, blood diseases, burning sensat...

Oxidative stress occurs in diabetic patients and experimental models of diabetes. The present study investigated the effects of leaves and flowers parts of Cassia auriculata ethanolic extract on alloxan induced diabetic rats by measuring fasting blood glucose, lipid peroxidation and liver antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). ...

The western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a cosmopolitan, polyphagous insect pest that causes bronzing to fruit of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa). The main aim of this study was to test whether mass trapping could reduce damage and to predict whether this approach would be economically viable. In semi-protected strawberry crops, mass trapping...

Background: Cassia italica or Senna is a wild plant distributed in south of Iran. It increased water consumption and has a laxative effect. In traditional medicine this plant has been used for the dysmenorrheal. Objective: In this study we investigated the effect of aqueous extract of Cassia italica on uterus contraction. Materials and Methods: Virgin Wistar rats 200-300g were purchased. After ...

Nucleotide sequences from the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene were used to test for genetic differentiation in the rocky intertidal isopod crustacean, Ligia occidentalis (Ligiidae), from the eastern Pacific. Phylogenetic analyses showed that individuals of L. occidentalis from southern California, USA to Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico partitioned into 15 highly-divergent clades. Mean Kimu...

The leaf extract of Cassia fistula with different solvens viz, methanol, benzene and acetone were studied for the larvicidal, ovicidal and repellent activity against Aedes aegypti. The extract exhibited dose dependent activity and produced significant mortality. The 24 h LC50 concentration of the extract against Aedes aegypti were observed at 10.69, 18.27 and 23.95 mg/l respectively. Mean perce...

OBJECTIVES Antimicrobial properties of medicinal plants and plant parts such as flowers, roots, fruits, seeds and oils are being used to cure some chronic and acute diseases throughout the world. In the present study, an attempt has been made to isolate and identify the antibacterial compound present in the leaves of the Cassia auriculata. MATERIALS AND METHODS A preliminary screening of anti...

Coumarin as an additive or as a constituent of tonka beans or tonka extracts is banned from food in the United States due to its potentially adverse side effects. However, coumarin in food from other natural ingredients is not regulated. "True Cinnamon" refers to the dried inner bark of Cinnamomum verum. Other cinnamon species, C. cassia, C. loureiroi, and C. burmannii, commonly known as cassia...

Western flower thrip (Frankliniella occidentalis) is a major global pest of agricultural products. It directly damages crops through feeding, oviposition activity or transmission of several plant viruses. We describe a Taqman real-time quantitative PCR detection system, which can rapidly identify F. occidentalis from thrips larvae to complement the traditional morphological identification. The ...