Exploring the Potential of Plant Bioactive Compounds against Male Infertility: An In Silico and In Vivo Study.

Infertility is a well-recognized multifactorial problem affecting the majority of people who struggle with infertility issues. In recent times, among infertility cases, the male factor has acquired importance, and now it contributes to approximately half of the infertility cases because of different abnormalities. In the current study, we used natural phytochemicals as potential drug-lead compounds to target different receptor proteins that are involved in the onset of male infertility. A set of 210 plant phytochemicals were docked counter to active site residues of sex hormone-binding globulin, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17, and DNase I as receptor proteins. On the basis of binding scores and molecular dynamics simulation, the phytochemicals tricin, quercetin, malvidin, rhamnetin, isorhamnetin, gallic acid, kaempferol, esculin, robinetin, and okanin were found to be the potential drug candidates to treat male infertility. Molecular dynamics simulation showed tricin as a strong inhibitor of all selected receptor proteins because the ligand-protein complexes remained stabilized during the entire simulation time of 100 ns. Further, an in vivo study was designed to evaluate the effect of tricin in male rats with nicotine-induced infertility. It was explored that a high dose of tricin significantly reduced the levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, urea, creatinine, cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein and raised the level of high-density lipoprotein in intoxicated male rats. A high dose of tricin also increased the reproductive hormones (i.e., testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and prolactin) and reduced the level of DHEA-SO4. The phytochemical (tricin, 10 mg/kg body weight) also showed significant improvement in the histo-architecture after nicotine intoxication in rats. From the current study, it is concluded that the phytochemical tricin could serve as a potential drug candidate to cure male infertility.

Zootherapy as traditional therapeutic strategy in the Cholistan desert of Bahawalpur-Pakistan.

The use of traditional medicines has tremendously increased over the past few decades. Approximately 80% of the world's population relies on traditional medicines for their primary healthcare needs because of their cost effectiveness and efficiency with no or minimal side effects. Zootherapy refers to the use of medicines that are prepared or derived from animals or from their products. The current study documented the folk knowledge related to the practice of various animal-derived products and ethnozoological based drugs used as medicines by the residents of the Cholistan desert of Bahawalpur (Pakistan). In this regard 46 knowledgeable and reliable elderly people, hakims and spiritual healers ranging from 35-60 years of age having knowledge related to zootherapy were included in the current study. A field survey from February 2006 to November 2007 was conducted by interviewing the selected respondents through a structured questionnaire. They provided knowledge regarding the use of animals and their derived products in traditional medicine. The zootherapeutic knowledge was based on both domestic animals as well as wild animals. A total of 20 animal species were included in the study, among which nine animals were domestic while 11 were wild animals. Among selected animals, nine were mammals, four birds, four reptiles and three insects. It was reported that camel was the most commonly used (n = 32 respondents) among mammals while Pigeon (n = 39 respondents), Spiny-tailed lizard (n = 41 respondents) and Indian honey bee (n = 27 respondents) among birds, reptiles and insects, respectively, have significant use for the treatment of different diseases. Based on this communication we could recommend that this type of abandoned knowledge should be considered for the management and conservation of faunistic resources. However, the advantageous role of animals and their products was reported but more extensive research is required to explore the bioactive constituents in the raw material of these animals responsible for their beneficial effects.

Phytochemical Constituents and In vitro Pharmacological Response of Cnidium monnieri; A Natural Ancient Medicinal Herb.

Background: Natural medicines are being used for the treatment of various disorders due to pharmacological, therapeutical, and nutraceuticals characteristics. Objectives: Current research was planned to explore In vitro pharmacological response of phytochemical constituents extracted from C. monnieri' seeds using aqueous ethanol (70%). Methods: Qualitative and quantitative measurements for phytochemical constituents were performed following reference protocols. Then In vitro antioxidant potential, cytotoxic studies, antimicrobial, and spermicidal pharmacological response of C. monnieri extract were investigated. Results: The results of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy, and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) explored the presence of wide range of bioactive compounds with significant (p<.05) antioxidant activities. Cytotoxic studies revealed significant (p<.05) protective behavior of C. monnieri evaluated using CtDNA damage protection, against Salmonella typhi TA98 and TA100, RBCs membrane stabilizing and clot lysis assay. It was also found that selected herb has antibacterial and antifungal activities. The results of spermicidal study on human (n = 30) spermatozoa revealed significant (p<.05) contraceptive per vaginal behavior of this natural medicinal plant. Conclusion: It could be concluded that C. monnieri showed significant pharmacological activities with non-toxic behavior, however In vivo study in animals and clinical trials are required to declare this natural herb as therapeutic agent.

Prevalence of transfusion-transmitted infections in multiple blood transfusion-dependent thalassemic patients in Asia: A systemic review.

BACKGROUND: Thalassemia is a hereditary hemolytic anemia marked by a defect in synthesizing one or more globin chains in hemoglobin. In Pakistan, approximately 10,000 patients with thalassemia are primarily dependent on blood transfusions. The ß-thalassemia patients require blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy. Patients who need blood transfusions are at an increased risk of contracting transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) such as hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV, respectively), as well as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). OBJECTIVE: This systemic review aims to assess the prevalence of TTIs in transfusion-dependent ß-thalassemia patients in Asia. METHODS: The data for the systematic review were gathered from PubMed, Google Scholar, the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and ScienceDirect using the following keywords: "prevalence, HBV, HCV, HIV, thalassemia, and transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs)," and so on. This review includes the research articles that address the prevalence of viral infections in thalassemic patients following blood transfusion. RESULTS: A preliminary search of various databases identified 231 potential studies. 157 duplicate studies were eliminated, and the eligibility of 59 full-length articles was determined. Only 43 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among the 43 studies analyzed, 11 reported a high prevalence of HCV alone in thalassemic patients, while 21 reported a high prevalence of HCV and HBV infection in thalassemic patients. Eight studies reported the prevalence of all three TTIs examined, namely, HCV, HBV, and HIV, in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia. CONCLUSION: Preventable transfusion-transmitted infections occur frequently, and robust national policies and hemovigilance are required to detect and mitigate the infection risk.

Withania somnifera Chemical Constituents' In Vitro Antioxidant Potential and Their Response on Spermatozoa Parameters.

Background: Phytomedicine is becoming more acceptable as an alternative medicinal approach in the modern era. Objectives: The current study examined the antioxidant capacity and in vitro response of phytochemical constituents of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on standard parameters of healthy volunteer semen. Methods: The phytochemicals and their pharmacological response in a hydroethanolic (30:70 v/v) extract of W. somnifera roots were determined using standard protocols. Results: The constituents included flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, and terpenoids were reported. High-performance liquid chromatography and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy determined a diverse array of biologically active chemical constituents in the extract. The extract of W. somnifera exhibits substantial antioxidant properties, including total antioxidant capacity, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl inhibition, H2O2 scavenging, and Fe3+ reducing potential (P < .05). The analysis of essential natural minerals explored adequate levels determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Cytotoxic studies revealed significant thrombolytic, RBC membrane stabilization, and DNA damage protection activity (P < .05) while remaining non-mutagenic against Salmonella typhi TA98 and TA100. The best protective response of W. somnifera extract on human semen parameters (n = 30), such as total motility, progressive motility, and viability, demonstrated a significant (P < .05) improvement, particularly at the dose of 25 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL. Conclusion: The study concludes that W. somnifera possesses favorable in vitro characteristics that could aid in the preservation of sperm during intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization.

Therapeutic potential of herbal medicine for the management of hyperlipidemia: latest updates.

Hyperlipidemia, the most common form of dyslipidemia, is the main source of cardiovascular disorders, characterized by elevated level of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in peripheral blood. It is caused by a defect in lipid metabolism in the surface of Apoprotein C-II or a defect in lipoprotein lipase activity as well as reported in genetic, dietary and environmental factors. Several electronic databases were investigated as information sources, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Semantic Scholar, MEDLINE and CNKI Scholar. The current review focused on the risk factors of dyslipidemia, synthetic medication with their side effects and different types of medicinal plants having significant potential for the management of hyperlipidemia. The management of hyperlipidemia mostly involves a constant decrease in lipid level using different remedial drugs like statin, fibrate, bile acid sequestrates and niacin. However, this extensive review suggested that the consequences of these drugs are arguable, due to their numerous adverse effects. The selected parts of herb plants are used intact or their extracts containing active phytoconstituents to regulate the lipids in blood level. It was also noted that the Chinese herbal medicine and combination therapy is promising for the lowering of hyperlipidemia. This review intends to provide a scientific base for future endeavors, such as in-depth biological and chemical investigations into previously researched topics.

Anti-anxiety Properties of Selected Medicinal Plants.

Exploration of new drugs targeting anxiety treatment is a major concern worldwide. Medicinal plants are being used as a potential source of novel drugs for anxiety disorders. The objective of this review is to provide information about the healing outcomes of anxiety treatment with natural products. Valeriana officinalis, Citrus aurantium, Commelina benghalensis, Achyranthes aspera, Mimosa pudica, Achillea millefolium, Nymphaea alba, Leonurus cardiac, Camellia sinensis, Turnera aphrodisiaca, Crataegus oxyacantha and Piper methysticum showed promising effects on anxiety in animal models. In clinical studies, passion flower, kava, valerian, St John's wort, and hwagandha showed the most positive results. More studies are needed for the exploration of the antianxiety of medicinal plants. In drugs derived from natural sources have explored many components that are playing an essential role in curing anxiety disorders and associated complications.

Antispasmodic Potential of Medicinal Plants: A Comprehensive Review.

Numerous medicinal plants have been utilized for the treatment of different types of diseases and disorders including gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. GI diseases are the most common complaints that normally affects the largest proportion of children and adolescents with overlapping clinical manifestation in diagnosis and medical needs. Drugs with antispasmodic effects are normally applied for the symptomatic treatment of contraction and cramping of smooth muscles in gastrointestinal diseases as well as in other critical clinical situations. In alternative system of medicines, the antispasmodic herbs played a significant role in the cure of GI diseases. These medicinal plants and their herbal products are used from generation to generation because of multiple nutritional and therapeutic benefits. The multiple uses might be attributed to the presence on biologically active chemical constitutes. The main aim of this review is to focus on the medicinal potential of plants possessing antispasmodic activities with their proposed mechanism of action. Several databases such as Google Scholar, Cochrane database, Scopus, and PubMed were used to search the relevant literature regarding "plants with antispasmodic activities." This present study highlights the updated and quantified information on several medicinal plants with antispasmodic activity like Zanthoxylum armatum, Matricaria chamomilla, Foeniculum vulgare, Pycnocycla spinosa, Atropa belladonna, Lavandula angustifolia, Mentha pulegium, Glycyrrhiza ularensis, Anethum graveolens, and Origanum majorana. Moreover, recent studies on other medicinal plant species also have been included in this review article. Additionally, the study also revealed that the active compounds of all these plants possess significant spasmolytic effect which is safest, efficacious, and cost effective as compared to the available synthetic drugs.

Comparative efficacy of Ovaprim and hMG (menotropin) to induce breeding in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus).

The applications of exogenous hormones in different species for the induction of oocyte production, final oocyte maturation (FOM), and spawning for their reproduction is getting more attention day by day. The current preliminary research work was carried out to induce breeding in Clarias gariepinus, commonly known as African catfish, imported from Thailand. Single doses of two hormones as Ovaprim and human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) were used and the research work was carried out at Muzaffargarh Fish Hatchery Punjab, Pakistan. A total of twenty-four (n = 24) C. gariepinus were selected having body weight approximately 2 kg and divided into two main groups based on gender as male (n = 12) and female (n = 12). For milt collection, all males were treated with Ovaprim 0.5 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) and female fish were divided into three groups as A, B, and C with four (n = 4) fish in each group. Group A was injected with only normal saline (control group) while fish in group B and group C were treated with hMG at 0.5 mg/kg b.w. and Ovaprim 0.5 mg/kg b.w., respectively. Then, after 6 h of hormone injections until 48 h, spawned eggs, eggs' weight, fertilization rate, hatching rate, survival rate, fecundity, and deformed larvae were investigated. The results revealed that Ovaprim injection significantly (p < 0.05) modulate the reproductive parameters in group C while no breeding was induced in both control and hMG-treated groups. Hence, it could be concluded that Ovaprim has the potential to induce breeding in African catfish, while in the current study, hMG failed to induce breeding. However, trials at large scales are required to further explore the effect of different doses of both tested hormones by increasing the treated subjects particularly in Pakistani fish farms.

Molecular targets for the management of cancer using Curcuma longa Linn. phytoconstituents: A Review.

Medicinal plants are being used for therapeutic purposes since the dawn of human civilization. The therapeutic efficacy of medicinal plants is due to the presence of wide range phytochemical constituents or secondary metabolites. The medicinal plants are traditionally used for several types of ailments. Even in those pathological conditions where other methods of treatment fail to work. Curcuma longa Linn is very common ingredient used as spice in foods as preservative and coloring material in different part of the world. It has been used as a home remedy for a variety of diseases. Curcuma longa and its isolated constituent curcumin are widely evaluated for anticancer activity. Curcumin possesses broad remedial potential due to its multi-targeting effect against many different carcinoma including leukemia, genitourinary cancers, gastrointestinal cancers and breast cancer etc. Hence, Curcumin has potential for the development of new medicine for the treatment of several diseases.

Hantavirus diseases pathophysiology, their diagnostic strategies and therapeutic approaches: A review.

Hantaviruses are enveloped negative (-) single-stranded RNA viruses belongs to Hantaviridae family, hosted by small rodents and entering into the human body through inhalation, causing haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) also known as hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). Hantaviruses infect approximately more than 200 000 people annually all around the world and its mortality rate is about 35%-40%. Hantaviruses play significant role in affecting the target cells as these inhibit the apoptotic factor in these cells. These viruses impair the integrity of endothelial barrier due to an excessive innate immune response that is proposed to be central in the pathogenesis and is a hallmark of hantavirus disease. A wide range of different diagnostic tools including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), focus reduction neutralization test (FRNT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoblot assay (IBA), immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and other molecular techniques are used as detection tools for hantavirus in the human body. Now the availability of therapeutic modalities is the major challenge to control this deadly virus because still no FDA approved drug or vaccine is available. Antiviral agents, DNA-based vaccines, polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies neutralized the viruses so these techniques are considered as the hope for the treatment of hantavirus disease. This review has been compiled to provide a comprehensive overview of hantaviruses disease, its pathophysiology, diagnostic tools and the treatment approaches to control the hantavirus infection.

Therapeutic Efficacy of Urinile Against Gouty Arthritis.

Gout is arthritis caused due to Monosodium urate (MSU) crystals deposition occurring particularly in patients with associated comorbidities limiting the use of conventional therapies. This study was planned to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of urinile (a herbal drug) for the treatment of gouty arthritis. Allopurinol was used as standard drug (positive control). The study population of 250 volunteers (gouty arthritis patients) were divided into 2 groups as test and control group (n = 125 each). Gouty arthritis patients in test and control group were treated with 300 mg each of urinile and allopurinol, respectively. Clinical symptoms of all the study volunteers were recorded and serum uric acid was determined. Significant (p < 0.05) reduction in serum uric acid level toward normal was found in test group individuals. Clinical symptoms of gouty arthritis patients were also improved in test group compared to control group. Results showed that urinile has the potential to decrease serum uric acid level in gouty arthritis patients probably because of its antioxidant potential and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity. It can be concluded that the tested herbal drug urinile is more potent in treating gouty arthritis patients and can be used as an effective alternative to the most commonly used allopathic drugs.

Therapeutic Response of Epimedium gandiflorum's Different Doses to Restore the Antioxidant Potential and Reproductive Hormones in Male Albino Rats.

Current study was planned to explore the therapeutic response of different doses of hydroethanolic extract of Epimedium grandiflorum leaves in male albino rats. Phytochemical analysis, HPLC and FTIR spectroscopy results revealed the presence of wide range of phenolic compounds and functional groups, respectively. Further, extract not induced significant hemolysis (7.56 ± 1.297%) against PBS (3.65 ± 0.35%) as negative control; while have significant clot lysis (44 ± 5.2%) potential, exhibited DPPH (78.87 ± 5.427%) scavenging, H2O2 (31.82 ± 3.491%) scavenging, antioxidant and reducing power activities. In vivo experimentation in albino male rats' revealed that administration of different doses (50, 100, 200 mg/Kg b.w.) of extract orally for 42 days after CCl4 intoxication significantly (P < 0.05) restore the selected parameters including liver enzymes, renal profiles, and stress markers and significantly (P < 0.05) increased reproductive hormones like testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone and prolactin while significantly (P < 0.05) decreased progesterone and estradiol toward normal in dose dependent manner. Significant (P < 0.05) improvement in the structural architecture of testicular tissue particularly in high dose group (200 mg/Kg b.w.) was also observed. Results revealed E. grandiflorum has significant therapeutic response to address the healthcare problems particularly of impotency.

Antihypertensive and Antihyperlipidemic Activity of Aqueous Methanolic Extract of Rauwolfia Serpentina in Albino Rats.

Rauwolfia serpentina has a wide range of therapeutic effects so this study was planned to explore the antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic therapeutic responses of R serpentina doses using albino rats by measuring the blood pressure, biochemical parameters, and histological architecture of liver and kidney tissues. Thirty albino rats were divided into 5 groups (n = 6) as G1 (normal Control) received normal diet, G2 (positive control) received only 8% NaCl added diet (high salt diet); G3 was given atenolol (standard drug control) 50 mg/kg body weight, G4 and G5 groups were given methanolic plant extract as low dose (100 mg/kg body weight) and high dose (200 mg/Kg body weight) daily along with high salt diet for 4 weeks, respectively. Rauwolfia serpentina significantly (P < .05) decreased the blood pressure in G4 and G5 groups as compared to G2 and G3. Significant (P < .05) impact was reported, on serum lipid profile and serum proteins as well as hepatoprotective and renoprotective potential on studying tissues sections under microscope, in animal groups given herbal extract as compared to control groups. It could be concluded that R serpentina has therapeutic effect to manage the hypertension and hypercholesterolemia most probably via protecting the liver and renal architectures.

Progress and prospects in the management of bacterial infections and developments in Phytotherapeutic modalities.

The advent of antibiotics revolutionized medical care resulting in significantly reduced mortality and morbidity caused by infectious diseases. However, excessive use of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic resistance and indeed, the incidence of multidrug-resistant pathogens is considered as a major disadvantage in medication strategy, which has led the scholar's attention towards innovative antibiotic sources in recent years. Medicinal plants contain a variety of secondary metabolites with a wide range of therapeutic potential against the resistant microbes. Therefore, the aim of this review is to explore the antibacterial potential of traditional herbal medicine against bacterial infections. More than 200 published research articles reporting the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants against drug-resistant microbial infections were searched using different databases such as Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), etc., with various keywords like medicinal plants having antibacterial activities, antimicrobial potentials, phytotherapy of bacterial infection, etc. Articles were selected related to the efficacious herbs easily available to local populations addressing common pathogens. Various plants such as Artocarpus communis, Rheum emodi, Gentiana lutea L., Cassia fistula L., Rosemarinus officinalis, Argemone maxicana L, Hydrastis canadensis, Citrus aurantifolia, Cymbopogon citrates, Carica papaya, Euphorbia hirta, etc, were found to have significant antibacterial activities. Although herbal preparations have promising potential in the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infection, still more research is required to isolate phytoconstituents, their mechanism of action as well as to find their impacts on the human body.

REVIEW - Advancements in combination therapy of Hepatitis C virus.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a primary cause of chronic liver disease along with various complications like liver cirrhosis and malignancy which leads to death. It has infected more than 185 million people worldwide. There is no congruence established for the treatment of various genotypes of HCV infection owing to diversity in prevalence globally. Assessment of affected individuals with HCV by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), viral load of HCV and liver enzyme levels (i.e., ALT and AST) are the foundation to evaluate the safety and efficacy of HCV therapies. The antiviral efficacy has been greatly improved and sustained viral response (SVR) rates increased from 6% with interferon monotherapy to 50-80% with PEG-interferon/ribavirin combination therapy to >95% after the approval of all interferon free oral direct acting antiviral agents. The main objective of this review article is to compile data from reference sources regarding the old and current therapeutic strategies used to manage HCV infection. It is accepted that chronic HCV infection increases patient's thrombocytopenia and neutropenia risk and complications increased in co-morbid disorders like in tuberculosis, HIV, diabetes etc. In past treatment associated side effects were the major consequences and many patients have to stop the treatment. But after the approval of direct acting antiviral drugs create a revolution in the treatment of HCV infection. So, it could be concluded that current combination therapies are a promising hope to eradicate and to control HCV but some safety concerns required more considerations Therefore, this review focus on the available latest combination therapies and their effectiveness to eradicate HCV infection.

Determination of oil contents from eight varieties of olea europaea (Olive) grown in Pakistan.

The olive (Olea europaea L.) is a worldwide famous tree crop having valuable commercial role due to nutritional as well as therapeutic benefits obtained from its edible oil. Eight varieties of Olea europaea L. fruits were obtained from three Agricultural research institutes located in different areas of Pakistan including Quetta, Lorallia and Zhob to extract and determine their oil contents by conventional method as solvent extraction (soxhlet apparatus). Statistical analysis showed significant (p = 0.002) difference in oil composition of collected plants. Highest amount (percentage) of oil was obtained from Gemlik variety (65%) from Lorallia and lowest oil content from Dolece-agogia variety (17.5%) collected from Quetta. Further research is under consideration to rule out best suitable factors including some soil and environmental factors to obtained more potential cultivars of Olea europaea in Pakistan.

Chemical constituents, experimental and clinical pharmacology of Rosa damascena: a literature review.

CONTEXT: Rosa damascena Mill. is prescribed for the management of chest and abdominal pain, constipation, digestive disorders, menstrual bleeding and liver ailments. OBJECTIVE: The current review compiles up to date and complete information of whole plant of R. damascena with particular emphasis on its numerous scientifically proved pharmacological effects, traditional and folk medicinal uses. KEY FINDING: The data on the pharmacological effects of R. damascena were collected from various databases such as PubMed, Wiley Online Library, Elsevier and Web of Science using the keywords like phytoconstituents, pharmacology, medicinal uses and biological activity of R. damascene. Rosa damascena has a wide spectrum of bio-pharmacological activity like antidepressant, hypoglycaemic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant and antimicrobial. The main ingredients of R. damascena essential oil responsible for pharmacological activity are geraniol and citronellol. Its uses have been widely accepted in traditional system of medicines for the management of numerous diseases of human beings in different dosage forms. SUMMARY: Rosa damascena has a significant place in traditional system of medicine. It is cost-effective and an important plant with curative application in contemporary medicine. Further studies on the characterization of chemical constituents and scientific basis of pharmacological activity of R. damascena should be carried out to evaluate its impact on traditional system of medicines. Large-scale preclinical and clinical trials will be beneficial in investigating the mechanism of the therapeutic potential of R. damascene to explore its uses in pharmaceutical industries.

Naegleria fowleri: Sources of infection, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management; a review.

Naegleria fowleri, a thermophilic flagellate amoeba known as a "brain-eating" amoeba, is the aetiological agent of a perilous and devastating waterborne disease known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), both in humans as well as in animals. PAM is a rare but fatal disease affecting young adults all around the world, particularly in the developed world but recently reported from developing countries, with 95%-99% mortality rate. Swimmers and divers are at high risk of PAM as the warm water is the most propitious environment adapted by N. fowleri to cause this infection. Infective amoeba in the trophozoite phase enter the victim's body through the nose, crossing the cribriform plate to reach the human brain and cause severe destruction of the central nervous system (CNS). The brain damage leads to brain haemorrhage and death occurs within 3-7 days in undiagnosed cases and maltreated cases. Though the exact pathogenesis of N. fowleri is still not known, it has exhibited two primary mechanisms, contact-independent (brain damage through different proteins) and contact-dependent (brain damage through surface structures food cups), that predominantly contribute to the pathogen invading the host CNS. For the management of this life-threatening infection different treatment regimens have been applied but still the survival rate is only 5% which is ascribed to its misdiagnosis, as the PAM symptoms closely resembled bacterial meningitis. The main objectives of this review article are to compile data to explore the sources and routes of N. fowleri infection, its association in causing PAM along with its pathophysiology; latest techniques used for accurate diagnosis, management options along with challenges for Pakistan to control this drastic disorder.

Medicinal Plants Combating Against Insomnia: A Green Anti-Insomnia Approach.

Insomnia is a state defined as trouble with sleep; it is a chronically disabling condition and is now significantly prevalent, imposing enormous health and economic burdens both on individuals and on society. This state includes trouble in falling asleep, problems staying asleep, fragmented sleep (repeatedly awakening at night), and/or awakening before time in the morning. This difficulty in sleeping causes feeling exhausted during the day and trouble with daytime activities including driving, family responsibilities, and completion of valued daily routines. Different types of synthetic sedative drugs are used to handle nervous system changes, but repeated use of sedatives caused tolerance in the human body. After a while, people had to take a heavy dose of sedative to make them feel sleepy, which imposes extra toxic effects on vital organs of the body. Medicinal plants are gaining more and more attention as sedative agents because herbs contained different types of natural bioactive metabolites with not well reported side effects. In addition, medicinal plants have economic, high efficacy and are easy available. So in current review plants possessing sedative activities have been compiled with their constituents responsible to manage insomnia. Review of the literature indicated that medicinal plants from various systems of medicine have been reported to possess sedative activity. This review suggests that medicinal plants are efficacious for insomnia; further laboratory and clinical studies are required.