Comparative taxonomical, biological and pharmacological potential of healthy and geminivirus infected leaves of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.: First report.

In the present research project, the first report on comparative analysis of the taxonomical, biological and pharmacological potential of healthy and geminivirus infected Hibiscus rosa sinensis (L.) leaves of the family Malvaceae was done by using different micro and macroscopic techniques. First of all, leaves were characterized for Cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMuV) and its associated betasatellite (Cotton leaf curl Multan Betasatellite; CLCuMB). Different morphological parameters like shape and size of stem, leaves, seeds and roots, presence and absence of ligule, distance between nodes and internodes and type of inflorescence etc. were analyzed. CLCuMuV infected H. rosa-sinensis revealed systematic symptoms of infection like chlorosis of leaves, stunted growth, decrease in size of roots, shoots and distortion etc. Anatomical investigation was performed under light ad scanning electron microscope. Different anatomical features like length and shape of guard cells, subsidiary cells, presence or absence of stomata, secretory ducts and trichomes were examined. In both plant samples anomocytic types of stomata and elongated, non-glandular and pointed tip trichomes were present, but the size (especially length and width) of trichomes and other cells like epidermal, subsidiary, and guard cells were highest in virus infected plants likened to healthy one. In the antibacterial activity, the maximum antibacterial potentail was seen in methanolic extract of K. pneumonea while antifungal activity was shown by methanolic extract of A. solani. Plants interact with different biological entities according to environmental conditions continuously and evolved. These types of interactions induce changes positively and negatively on plant metabolism and metabolites production. Many plant viruses also attacked various host plants consequently alter their secondary metabolism. To overcome such virus infected plants produces many important and different types of secondary plant metabolites as a defense response. Subsequent analysis of this n-hexane plant extract using Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy technique revealed that Hibiscus eluted contained 10 main compounds in Healthy sample and 13 compounds in infected one. Presence of essential secondary metabolites were also analyzed by FTIR analysis. The present study provides a comprehensive and novel review on taxonomy (morphology, anatomy) and antimicrobial potential of both healthy and geminivirus infected H. rosa-sinensis.

Scientific Appraisal and Therapeutic Properties of Plants Utilized for Veterinary Care in Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

The importance of traditional and indigenous knowledge is acknowledged on a worldwide scale for its coexistence principles and sustainable use techniques. In view of this, the present study is an attempt to document the ethno-veterinary plants used by the tribal communities of Western Himalaya. This study also provides the scientific validation of herbal medicines used in ethno-veterinary practices through a reverse pharmacological approach. A total of 59 informants were selected through a non-probability sampling method. Detailed information on the medicinal plants used in ethno-veterinary practices along with their habits and habitats, part/s used, remedy preparation methods, additives/ingredients used during preparation and administration, dosages administered, and route of administration was collected. Data was analyzed for the Relative Frequency of Citations (RFC), Use Values (UV), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), and Jaccard Index (JI). Further, a reverse pharmacological approach was used for scientific validations of the documented herbal knowledge of plant species. During the study, 56 plant species belonging to 54 genera and 39 families were documented. Asteraceae was the dominant family followed by Lamiaceae, Amaranthaceae and Fabaceae. Life forms were dominated by herbaceous species and leaves were the most common plant parts used. The highest Relative Frequency of Citations (RFC) and Use Values (UV) were recorded for Brassica rapa L. (Brassicaceae). The Pearson correlation coefficient between RFC and UV shows a strong positive correlation between the proportion of uses of a plant species within a sample of informants and the number of times that a particular use of a plant species was mentioned by the informant. Studies of the biological activity of ethno-veterinary plants can provide clues of promising leads for the isolation and identification of useful compounds that may be developed into pharmaceuticals for human welfare.