title: A novel method for screening beta-glucosidase inhibitors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few beta-glucosidase inhibitors have so far been reported from microorganisms due to the practical difficulties in performing the inhibition tests and subsequent interpretation of results. In an effort to investigate marine microbial extracts for β-glucosidase inhibitors, we developed a new protocol, using esculin as substrate in an agar plate based assay, to screen a large number of microbial extracts in a short span of time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the new method, pale yellowish zones against the blackish brown background could be visually observed with more clarity in sample extracts where β-glucosidase inhibitor was present. The new method was compared with the closest existing method and established beyond doubt. This agar plate based procedure required about one hour for minimum 12 samples and the throughput increases with the size of the agar gel plate used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new protocol was simple, rapid and effective in detecting beta-glucosidase inhibitors in microbial extracts.
authors.affiliation: Environment and Sustainability Department, CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar 751013, India. sony@immt.res.in
authors.forename: Sony
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.forename: Ayinampudi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sree
authors.forename: Soumya S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Dash
authors.forename: Dipti P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Sethi
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D001617:beta-Glucosidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D000362:Agar; D001617:beta-Glucosidase