Exploring the pharmacological potential of Lepionurus sylvestris blume: from folklore medicinal usage to modern drug development strategies using in vitro and in silico analyses.

BACKGROUND: Lepionurus sylvestris Blume has a long history of folklore medicinal usage against various ailments. However, studies on these plants were neglected particularly their pharmacological potential. METHODS: The crude extract was identified using LC-MS analysis. In vitro assays were carried out to determine the properties of antioxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer. Further, network pharmacology was proposed to evaluate the potential targets of the compounds against breast cancer and type II diabetes. Molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation were used to determine the potential compounds for the drug formulation of diabetes. RESULTS: Various bioactive compounds were identfied using LC-MS and Galiposin, Fujikinetin, Boeravinone B, 4-Deoxybryaquinone, and Norbaeocystin were described for the first time from the plant. Determination of antioxidant potential showed that the IC50 value of ABTS, DPPH, and phosphomolybdate was 24.33 µg/ml, 37.81 µg/ml, 60.35 µg/ml, and reducing power assays 1.185. The antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli was determined, and the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) was found to be 5.3 mg/ml, 3.47 mg/ml, 3.33 mg/ml, and 2.7 mg/ml respectively, revealing the extracts as effective antibacterial agents. The IC50 values for the plant extract were determined to be 26 µg/ml, 30.52 µg/ml, and 24.39 µg/ml for HeLa, MCF-7, and K-562 cells, respectively, and the increasing concentration of the plant extract increased LDH release. Furthermore, the in silico network pharmacology, molecular docking which had the highest docking score for GAPDH and HIF-1 target proteins of -9.3 kcal/mol, and - 11.3 kcal/mol binding affinities, and molecular dynamic simulation analysis revealed the bioactive compound Boeravinone B present in the plant was significant for the treatment of various ailments. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, plant extracts could be a promising option for developing new drug formulations.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by various ethnic tribes of Mizoram, India.

Mizoram has a diverse range of ethnic and cultural groups, including the Lushai, Mara, Lai, Bawm, Hmar, Chakma, and Bru. Through practice and experience in their protracted battles with disease and the harsh natural environment, they have amassed rich folk medicine knowledge. The preservation of indigenous knowledge, identification of bioactive compounds, and the eventual discovery of novel medicinal plant species all depend on the documentation of the traditional uses of medicinal plants. Therefore, the present study was designed to document the ethnomedicinal knowledge related to the usage of medicinal plants in Mizoram, India. An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was carried out in 17 villages of 5 districts in Mizoram between September 2022 and January 2023. A total of 128 informants (77 males and 51 females) were interviewed. Information was gathered through field observations, group discussions, and semistructured interviews. The data were presented using descriptive statistics. To assess the importance of medicinal plant species, quantitative indices such as the informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), use value (UV), and cultural index (CI) was used. In our ethnobotanical investigation, 102 medicinal plant species from 95 genera and 58 families were recorded and documented. The majority of them (90 species) were obtained from wild habitats. The majority of the documented species were trees (48), followed by herbs (23 species) and shrubs (21 species). The most common method of preparation was decoction (67 species). Diabetes had the highest ICF value (0.81), followed by cancer, liver problems, and hypertension (0.8). The fidelity level (FL) of indigenous communities in the study area was evaluated to determine the dependability and consistency of herbal drug use. Indigenous knowledge and the variety of medicinal plant species that are used are of great values. The therapeutic applications of documented plants provide fundamental information for additional studies centered on pharmacological investigations and the preservation of the most significant species.

Identification of novel AKT1 inhibitors from Sapria himalayana bioactive compounds using structure-based virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulations.

Through the experimental and computational analyses, the present study sought to elucidate the chemical composition and anticancer potential of Sapria himalayana plant extract (SHPE). An in vitro analysis of the plant extract was carried out to determine the anticancer potential. Further, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulation were employed to evaluate the potential phytochemical compounds for cervical cancer (CC) drug formulations. The SHPE exhibited anti-cancerous potential through inhibition properties against cancer cell lines. The LC-MS profiling showed the presence of 14 compounds in SHPE. Using network pharmacology analysis, AKT1 (AKT serine/threonine kinase 1) is identified as the possible potential target, and EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor) is identified as the possible key signal pathway. The major targets were determined to be AKT1, EGFR by topological analysis and molecular docking. An in silico interaction of phytoconstituents employing molecular docking demonstrated a high binding inclination of ergoloid mesylate and Ergosta-5,7,9(11),22-tetraen-3-ol, (3.beta.,22E)- with binding affinities of -15.5 kcal/mol, and -11.3 kcal/mol respectively. Further, MD simulation and PCA analyses showed that the phytochemicals possessed significant binding efficacy with CC protein. These results point the way for more investigation into SHPE compound's potential as CC treatment.

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the indigenous community of the western region of Mizoram, India.

BACKGROUND: Plants have long been utilized as traditional medicines by the inhabitants. However, until recently, the traditional knowledge had not been extensively documented from the hilly state of Mizoram, India. The present study was designed to perform a quantitative analysis of ethnomedicinal plants used by Mizo tribes using quantitative ethnobotanical indices. The study attempts to find new ethnomedicinal plant species that could be a source for the discovery of new drug formulations. METHODS: The information was obtained through extensive and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative indices such as informant consensus factor (ICF), use value (UV), fidelity level (FL), relative frequency of citation (RFC), and relative importance index (RI) were used to quantify the advantages, significance, and coverage of ethnomedicine. All the collected data were analyzed using the ethnobotanyR package in R. RESULTS: A total of 124 ethnomedicinal plant species, distributed in 112 genera under 60 families, were documented from 206 informants. Herbs (49.19%) were the most dominant growth form, and leaves (49.19%) were the most common plant parts used for the preparation of herbal medicine while decoction (61.21%) was the most popular formulation. Asteraceae (11) were the most common families among the documented species. Digestive disease, burns, cuts, and wounds had the highest ICF value (0.94), and Lepionurus sylvestris had the highest FL (91%). Oroxylum indicum (6.25) was the most commonly utilized ethnomedicinal plant based on UV, RI had the highest value in Blumea lanceolaria (1.12), and O. indicum (0.29) had the highest RFC value. According to the findings, the traditional medicinal plant treatment is still widely used in the research area. CONCLUSION: Documentation of new ethnomedicinal species and their therapeutic usage will encourage further phytochemical and pharmacological research, potentially leading to the discovery of new drug formulations.

GC-MS and molecular docking analyses of phytochemicals from the underutilized plant, Parkia timoriana revealed candidate anti-cancerous and anti-inflammatory agents.

Plants are excellent sources of functionally bioactive compounds and essential nutrients. The phytochemical constituents have enormous potential in treating both plant and human diseases. Parkia timoriana (Yongchak/Zawngtah), one of the most important underutilized plants popularly consumed in Manipur and Mizoram states of Northeastern region of India, is known for its ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal values. A significant DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)), and Phosphomolybdate scavenging activity corresponding to high antioxidant potentials was shown by the extracts from different edible parts of P. timoriana. P. timoriana extract showed significant antibacterial potential against Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus subtillis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses of the extracts revealed the functional groups and bioactive compounds present in different edible parts of the plant. Characteristic peaks of phenols, carboxylic acids, alkenes, glycogen, alkyl halides, halogen, aliphatic amines, primary and secondary amines, esters, ether, aromatics, lipids, triglycerides, nitro compounds that had antimicrobial, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties etc. were observed. The GC-MS analysis also revealed the occurrence of 49 bioactive compounds that are known to possess a variety of pharmacological activities. Subsequently, in silico molecular docking studies of the identified bioactive compounds predicted potential anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first-hand report on the bioactive compounds of edible parts of P. timoriana extracts showing antioxidant, antimicrobial and pharmacological significance. This study can lead to the production of new herbal medicines for various diseases employing P. timoriana and perhaps leading to the creation of new medications.

Traditionally used edible Solanaceae plants of Mizoram, India have high antioxidant and antimicrobial potential for effective phytopharmaceutical and nutraceutical formulations.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Solanaceae plants have been used as traditional medicines in Mizoram, India. This warrants the presence of therapeutic compounds and various bioactive phytochemicals in these plants, and characterizing their structures could lead to a possible focus for drug development. AIM OF THE STUDY: Solanaceae plants are incredible sources of proteins and minerals; some even have high medicinal values which has been recognized traditionally. The present study was designed to explore and document the ethnobotany, phytochemical and mineral nutrient composition, antimicrobial properties, antioxidant potential and to identify functional groups from edible species of Solanaceae from Mizoram, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Field surveys and samples collection was conducted from Aizawl District, Mizoram, India. All the studied samples were extracted using Soxhlet apparatus for the analysis of bioactive compounds. The total phenol, total flavonoid and total anthocyanin contents were determined using standard methods. The antioxidant activities were measured using DPPH free radical scavenging, APX, CAT and SOD activities. The proximate analyses and mineral contents were determined by standard methods. The antibacterial potential was determined using the agar well diffusion method, and the functional groups were analysed using FTIR. All the results were reported as the mean ± standard deviation. The linear regression coefficient (R2) for total flavonoid and phenolic content with antioxidant activity was analysed using Graph Pad Prism Version 5. P-value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The phytochemical screenings showed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids and saponins in all the samples. The highest total phenolic content was found in Solanum anguivi Lam. (29.51 mg GAE/g), and Capsicum annuum L. contained the highest total flavonoids (35.15 ± 0.03 mg/g). Proteins and carbohydrates contents were found to be the highest in Solanum melongena L. (28.49 mg/g) and Physalis angulata L. (35.64 mg/g) respectively. Elemental analysis showed the presence of Calcium (Ca), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg) and Sodium (Na) in high proportion in all the studied samples. All the plant extracts showed effective antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The Fourier Transformed Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra revealed multiple functional groups in these plants species which could be used to identify bioactive compounds that can be subsequently utilized as herbal remedies for various ailments. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a considerable amount of nutrients, biologically active and therapeutic compounds are present in the studied samples and these plants could be potential sources for new phyto-pharmaceutical and nutraceutical preparations.

Correction to: Meta-barcoding in combination with palynological inference is a potent diagnostic marker for honey floral composition.

In the version of this article that was originally published (Laha et al. 2017) the authors did not properly reference one paragraph in the Introduction section.

Meta-barcoding in combination with palynological inference is a potent diagnostic marker for honey floral composition.

Identification of floral samples present in honey is important in order to determine the medicinal value, enhance the production of honey as well as to conserve the honey bees. Traditional approaches for studying pollen samples are based on microscopic observation which is laborious, time intensive and requires specialized palynological knowledge. Present study compares two composite honey metagenome collected from 20 samples in Mizoram, Northeast India using three gene loci- rbcL, matK and ITS2 that was sequenced using a next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform (Illumina Miseq). Furthermore, a classical palynology study for all 20 samples was carried out to evaluate the NGS approach. NGS based approach and pollen microscopic studies were able to detect the most abundant floral components of honey. We investigated the plants that were frequently used by honey bees by examining the results obtained from both the techniques. Microscopic examination of pollens detected plants with a broad taxonomic range covering 26 families. NGS based multigene approach revealed diverse plant species, which was higher than in any other previously reported techniques using a single locus. Frequently found herbaceous species were from the family Poaceae, Myrtaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae. The future NGS based approach using multi-loci target, with the help of an improved and robust plant database, can be a potential replacement technique for tedious microscopic studies to identify the polleniferous plants.