The Therapeutic Potential of the Medicinal Plant Justicia Adhatoda and its Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities: A Comparative Study.

Context: Screening ethnobotanical plants is a pre-requisite to evaluating their therapeutic potential and can lead to the isolation of new bioactive compounds. Objective: To determine the antibacterial and antifungal therapeutic potential of Justicia adhatoda. Design: The research team conducted an antimicrobial activity. Setting: The study was conducted in a bioscience lab at International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Intervention: Methanolic, ethanolic, and ethyl acetate crude extracts of Justicia adhatoda were prepared at concentrations of 1000, 500, and 100 µg/ml. Outcome measures: The crude extracts were evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli and for in vitro antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, and Fusarium oxysporum, indicating different zones of inhibition. Results: The highest antibacterial activity was recorded in Justicia adhatoda-methanolic extract (16.33 ± 0.57 mm) and Justicia adhatoda-ethanolic extract (17 ± 1 mm) against Escherichia coli at 1000 µg/ml. Justicia adhatoda-ethyl acetate extract (13 ± 1 mm) showed a significant result as a zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus at 1000 µg/ml. In the fungal strain culture, the highest antifungal activity was recorded in Justicia adhatoda-methanolic extract (15.66 ± 0.57 mm), Justicia adhatoda-ethanolic extract (14 ± 1 mm), and Justicia adhatoda-ethyl acetate extract (14.33 ± 1.15 mm) against the Aspergillus niger at 1000 µg/ml. Conclusion: The antimicrobial activities may be due to the strong occurrence of active compounds, i.e., saponins, tannins, alkaloids, steroids, phenols, and flavonoids. It has been concluded that Justicia adhatoda extracts are suitable candidates for the development of novel antibacterial compounds.

Exploring the potential effect of Achnatherum splendens L.-derived biochar treated with phosphoric acid on bioavailability of cadmium and wheat growth in contaminated soil.

Biochar remediation efficiency could be enhanced through numerous treatments such as acids treatment. Still, there has little work done on H3PO4-treated biochar particularly biochar derived from Achnatherum splendens L. feedstock. Therefore, the present study has been conducted to further explore the potential effect of A. splendens L.-derived biochar treated with H3PO4 on bioavailability of Cd and wheat growth in Cd contaminated soil. Phosphoric acid and untreated biochar each applied at the rate of 1% and 2% to Cd contaminated/spiked soil in pots and having one contaminated/spiked control without biochars amendment. The results show that 2% phosphoric acid-treated biochar has the most significant increase in plant height, shoot dry weight, and grain yield of wheat as compared to contaminated control. As compared to contaminated control, maximum improvement in total chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance occurred with 2% phosphoric acid-treated biochar. The 2% phosphoric acid-treated biochar also declined bioavailable Cd in soil by 53%, and its accumulation in shoot and grain by 65% and 90%, respectively, compared to contaminated control. Overall, phosphoric acid-treated biochar most effectively immobilized Cd in soil and reducing its uptake and translocation to grains. Therefore, A. splendens L.-derived biochar treated with phosphoric acid could be successfully utilized for remediation of contaminated soil.

Bacillus safensis with plant-derived smoke stimulates rice growth under saline conditions.

Salinity is a worldwide environmental problem of agricultural lands. Smoke and plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR) are individually used to improve plant growth, but the combined effects of these have not been studied yet under saline conditions. The combined effect of plant growth-promoting bacteria Bacillus safensis and plant-derived smoke Cymbopogon jwarancusa was studied under different salinity level as 50, 100, and 150 mM on rice (cv. Basmati-385). Smoke dilutions of C. jwarancusa (C-500 and C-1000) and bacterial culture of B. safensis were used to soak seeds for 10 h. It was observed that the salt concentration decreases the germination percentage, vegetative growth, ion contents (K+ and Ca2+), and photosynthetic pigments (Chl "a," Chl "b," and carotene) while an increase occurred in Na+, total soluble protein (TSP), proline, total soluble sugar, catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) contents. The combined effect of B. safensis and smoke primed seeds increased the germination percentage, seedling growth, ion contents (K+, Ca2+), and photosynthetic pigments (Chl "a," Chl "b," carotene) and reduced the Na+ ion content, total soluble protein, proline content, total soluble sugar, CAT, and POD activity by lowering the drastic effect of salt stress. It was concluded that combined effect of smoke and PGPR is more effective than individual effect.

Safety issues associated with the use of nanoparticles in human body.

Nanotechnology has transformed the world by the introduction of a distinctive class of materials and products in a wide array of fields. It has contributed to the production of innovative materials and devices. Having unique advantages and domestic along with industrial applications, however, has raised the issue of safety for consumers, producers and environment. Having a comparative smaller dimension and other exclusive properties, nanoparticles have the ability to harm human body by interacting through various mechanisms. Here, we endeavoured to review and discuss the characteristics of nanoparticles relevant to their toxicity, conceivable exposure routes of nanoparticles to human body like skin contact, inhalation, and ingestion, and the basic approaches which can aid to control human exposures to toxic nanoparticles have been discussed.

Polymorphism of the IL28B gene (rs8099917, rs12979860) and virological response of Pakistani hepatitis C virus genotype 3 patients to pegylated interferon therapy.

BACKGROUND: The gold standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) in combination with ribavirin. Most patients treated with PEG-IFN achieve a sustained virological response (SVR). However host genetic factors play a vital role in the spontaneous and treatment-induced clearance of HCV infection from these infected patients. In the current study, polymorphisms of IL28B (rs8099917 and rs12979860) were analyzed and their association with the virological response to PEG-IFN alpha treatment was determined. METHODS: One hundred and fifty HCV genotype 3 patients were assessed to study the correlation of IL28B with a therapeutic regimen of PEG-IFN alpha plus ribavirin. Twenty patients were excluded due to a refusal to participate in the study and 25 patients failed to meet the inclusion criteria. Of the 105 patients recruited, 49 (46.7%) were male and 56 (53.3%) were female. In order to determine single nucleotide polymorphisms of rs8099917 and rs12979860, the sample was amplified by PCR and then IL28B typing was carried out by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) followed by standard sequencing. RESULTS: We found three types of genotype in rs8099917 of IL28B: wild-type TT in 60.0% of patients, heterozygous GT minor genotype in 36.2%, and GG in 3.8%. The frequency of the CC genotype of rs12979860 was 54.3%, CT was 37.1%, and TT was 8.6%. Overall, SVR was achieved in 68.6% of patients. A higher SVR was achieved for patients with the favorable genotype CC of rs12979860, with 84.2% as compared to 56.4% and 22.2% for minor genotype CT and TT, respectively (p=0.0001). We did not find a significant association for SVR to antiviral treatment in patients with genotype TT (rs8099917) (71.9%, p=0.36). The rapid virological response (RVR) rate was significantly higher in patients with major genotype TT (88.9%, p=0.04). These results show that IL28B polymorphism is highly associated with SVR to therapy in the Pakistani population infected with HCV genotype 3. CONCLUSIONS: HCV-infected patients carrying homozygous C/C have a higher chance of SVR. In addition, patients who carry T/T (rs8099917) have a higher chance of RVR.