Total Bioactive Contents, Metabolic Profiling, Docking Studies, Antioxidant and Enzyme Inhibition Activities of Convolvulus Arvensis L. and Multivariate Analysis to Unravel a Potential Herb as Natural Resource for Pharmaceutical Industry.

Convolvulus arvensis L. is an evergreen herb growing in various regions of Pakistan. Despite of several medicinal properties associated to this herb, it was not investigated scientifically for its bioactive compounds and detailed pharmaceutical properties. Therefore, its methanolic extract was divided into hexane (CA-H), chloroform (CA-C), ethyl acetate (CA-E) and butanol (CA-B) soluble fractions. CA-H and CA-C were found rich in phenolics (30.73±0.63 and 20.15±0.59 mg GAE/g of the extract, respectively), and the same fractions exhibited significant antioxidant activities (DPPH: 5.23±0.11 & 12.34±0.17 mg TE/g extract, respectively; ABTS: 36.82±0.04 & 56.74±0.61 mg TE/g extract, respectively). Also in CUPRAC activity assay, CA-H and CA-C exhibited highest activities as 87.30±0.46 and 56.74±0.61 mg TE/g extract, respectively, while CA-C was most active in FRAP activity assay with value of 40.21±2.19 mg TE/g extract. Total antioxidant capacity (1.23±0.033 mmol TE/g extract) was also found higher for CA-C, while CA-H activity was also comparable, however, CA-H showed higher metal chelating activity (22.74±0.001 mg EDTAE/g extract) than that of CA-C (17.55±0.22 mg EDTAE/g extract). These activities clearly revealed a direct relation between antioxidant potential and phenolic contents of CA-H and CA-C. In AChE and BChE inhibitory assay, CA-H and CA-E showed better inhibition (AChE: 8.24±0.77 & 4.46±0.007 mg GALAE/g extract; BChE: 5.40±0.02 & 1.92±0.24 mg GALAE/g extract) as compared to other fractions, whereas, against tyrosinase, CA-B was most active (37.35±0.53 mg KAE/g extract). CA-H and CA-C also showed higher inhibitory potential (0.98±0.08 & 0.58±0.01 mmol ACAE/g extract) against α-Amylase; while against α-Glucosidase, CA-E was the most active fraction. UHPLC/MS analysis of the methanolic extract of C. arvensis disclosed the presence of 62 compounds as sterols, triterpenes, flavonoids, fatty acids, alkaloids and coumarins. In Multivariate Analysis, the total phenolic contents were correlated strongly with all antioxidant assays except FRAP and DPPH. Regarding enzyme inhibitory properties, only AChE, BChE and α-amylase were correlated with the total phenolic contents in the extracts. Docking analyses confirmed these findings, as identified compounds had high binding free energy and inhibition constants with the enzymes studied. It was finally concluded that C. arvensis is a potential industrial crop, which can be a component of nutraceuticals and functional foods, if evaluated for its toxicity.

Comparative Assessment of Medicinal Plant Utilization among Balti and Shina Communities in the Periphery of Deosai National Park, Pakistan.

Traditional ecological knowledge, linguistic, and sociocultural perspectives are key contributors to environmental sustainability. Therefore, it is essential to identify and preserve this biocultural heritage, especially that of indigenous communities and minorities. We conducted an ethnobotanical survey to document the plant species used by the Balti and Shina communities living in the buffer zone of Deosai National Park (DNP), western Himalayas, Pakistan. A combination of random and purposive sampling techniques was adapted, targeting middle- and old-aged informants. A total of 46 semi-structured interviews were conducted and the gathered data were evaluated using relative frequency of citation (RFC) and through comparison with the ethnomedicinal literature. In total, 47 medicinal plant species belonging to 42 genera and 23 families were recorded. Baltis and Shinas cited 42 and 38 plant species, respectively, that were used to treat various diseases. About 60% of species were common among both communities, but 27.7% and 12.8% were exclusive to Baltis and Shinas, respectively. Considerable heterogeneity was noted in vernacular names, plant part(s) used, preparation, and administration. Ribes alpestre, Aconitum violaceum, Delphinium brunonianum, Thymus linearis, and Swertia petiolata were highly utilized species having RFCs > 50. In addition, 46% of medicinal uses, specifically that of Allardia tomentosa, A. tridactylites, Jurinea dolomiaea, and Gallium boreale, were reported for the first time from the region. Cross-cultural analysis revealed sociocultural gaps between both groups. Relatively, Baltis retained more ethnomedicinal knowledge and their traditional medicinal system is more closely associated with traditional Tibetan medicine. Generally, Balti and Shina communities retain substantial biocultural and ethnological diversity, which has been reflected in the present study. Our findings underline the importance and need for sustainable utilization of natural resources, specifically the plant species of this region. However, an in-depth ethnobotanical investigation may underpin the holistic comparative medical ethnobotany of the entire region.