Melatonin enhanced the heavy metal-stress tolerance of pepper by mitigating the oxidative damage and reducing the heavy metal accumulation.

Heavy metals (HMs), like vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni) toxicity due to anthropogenic, impair plant growth and yield, which is a challenging issue for agricultural production. Melatonin (ME) is a stress mitigating molecule, which alleviates HM-induced phytotoxicity, but the possible underlying mechanism of ME functions under HMs' phytotoxicity is still unclear. Current study uncovered key mechanisms for ME-mediated HMs-stress tolerance in pepper. HMs toxicity greatly reduced growth by impeding leaf photosynthesis, root architecture system, and nutrient uptake. Conversely, ME supplementation markedly enhanced growth attributes, mineral nutrient uptake, photosynthetic efficiency, as measured by chlorophyll content, gas exchange elements, chlorophyll photosynthesis genes' upregulation, and reduced HMs accumulation. ME treatment showed a significant decline in the leaf/root V, Cr, Ni, and Cd concentration which was about 38.1/33.2%, 38.5/25.9%, 34.8/24.9%, and 26.6/25.1%, respectively, when compared with respective HM treatment. Furthermore, ME remarkably reduced the ROS (reactive oxygen species) accumulation, and reinstated the integrity of cellular membrane via activating antioxidant enzymes (SOD, superoxide dismutase; CAT, catalase; APX, ascorbate peroxidase; GR, glutathione reductase; POD, peroxidase; GST, glutathione S-transferase; DHAR, dehydroascorbate reductase; MDHAR, monodehydroascorbate reductase) and as well as regulating ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle. Importantly, oxidative damage showed efficient alleviations through upregulating the genes related to key defense such as SOD, CAT, POD, GR, GST, APX, GPX, DHAR, and MDHAR; along with the genes related to ME biosynthesis. ME supplementation also enhanced the level of proline and secondary metabolites, and their encoding genes expression, which may control excessive H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) production. Finally, ME supplementation enhanced the HM stress tolerance of pepper seedlings.

Mineral-Solubilizing Bacteria-Mediated Enzymatic Regulation and Nutrient Acquisition Benefit Cotton's (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Vegetative and Reproductive Growth.

Many farmers' incomes in developing countries depend on the cultivation of major crops grown in arid and semi-arid regions. The agricultural productivity of arid and semi-arid areas primarily relies on chemical fertilizers. The effectiveness of chemical fertilizers needs to improve by integration with other sources of nutrients. Plant growth-promoting bacteria can solubilize nutrients, increase plant nutrient uptake, and supplement chemical fertilizers. A pot experiment evaluated the promising plant growth-promoting bacterial strain's effectiveness in promoting cotton growth, antioxidant enzymes, yield, and nutrient uptake. Two phosphate solubilizing bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis IA6 and Paenibacillus polymyxa IA7) and two zinc solubilizing bacterial strains (Bacillus sp. IA7 and Bacillus aryabhattai IA20) were coated on cotton seeds in a single as well as co-inoculation treatments. These treatments were compared with uninoculated controls in the presence and absence of recommended chemical fertilizer doses. The results showed the co-inoculation combination of Paenibacillus polymyxa IA7 and Bacillus aryabhattai IA20 significantly increased the number of bolls, seed cotton yield, lint yield, and antioxidants activities, including superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase, and peroxidase. Co-inoculation combination of Bacillus subtilis IA6 and Bacillus sp. IA16 promoted growth attributes, including shoot length, root length, shoot fresh weight, and root fresh weight. This co-inoculation combination also increased soil nutrient content. At the same time, Paenibacillus polymyxa IA7 + Bacillus aryabhattai IA20 increased nutrient uptake by plant shoots and roots compared.

Bioassay-Guided Alkaloids Isolation from Camellia sinensis and Colchicum luteum: In Silico and In Vitro Evaluations for Protease Inhibition.

Bioassay-guided isolation from Camellia sinensis (Theaceae) and Colchicum luteum (Liliaceae) utilizing an in vitro model of protease assay revealed colchicine (1) and caffeine (2) from chloroform fractions, respectively. Their structures were validated using spectral techniques. The purified compounds were further optimized with Gaussian software utilizing the B3LYP functional and 6-31G(d,p) basis set. The result files were utilized to determine several global reactivity characteristics to explain the diverse behavior of the compounds. Colchicine (1) showed a higher inhibition of protease activity (63.7 ± 0.5 %age with IC50 = 0.83 ± 0.07 mM), compared with caffeine (2) (39.2 ± 1.3 %age). In order to determine the type of inhibition, compound 1 was further studied, and, based on Lineweaver-Burk/Dixon plots and their secondary replots, it was depicted that compound 1 was a non-competitive inhibitor of this enzyme, with a Ki value of 0.690 ± 0.09 mM. To elucidate the theoretical features of protease inhibition, molecular docking studies were performed against serine protease (PDB #1S0Q), which demonstrated that compound 1 had a strong interaction with the different amino acid residues located on the active site of this understudied enzyme, with a high docking score of 16.2 kcal/mol.

Prolonged Repellent Activity of Plant Essential Oils against Dengue Vector, Aedes aegypti.

Repellents are effective personal protective means against outdoor biting mosquitoes. Repellent formulations composed of EOs are finding increased popularity among consumers. In this study, after an initial screening of 11 essential oils (EOs) at the concentration of 33 µg/cm2, five of the most repellent EOs, Perovskia atriplicifolia, Citrus reticulata (fruit peels), C. reticulata (leaves), Mentha longifolia, and Dysphania ambrosioides were further investigated for repellent activity against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in time span bioassays. When tested at the concentrations of 33 µg/cm2, 165 µg/cm2 and 330 µg/cm2, the EO of P. atriplicifolia showed the longest repellent effect up to 75, 90 and 135 min, respectively, which was followed by C. reticulata (peels) for 60, 90 and 120 min, M. longifolia for 45, 60 and 90 min, and C. reticulata (leaves) for 30, 45 and 75 min. Notably, the EO of P. atriplicifolia tested at the dose of 330 µg/cm2 showed complete protection for 60 min which was similar to the commercial mosquito repellent DEET. Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analyses of the EOs revealed camphor (19.7%), limonene (92.7%), sabinene (24.9%), carvone (82.6%), and trans-ascaridole (38.8%) as the major constituents of P. atriplicifolia, C. reticulata (peels), C. reticulata (leaves), M. longifolia, and D. ambrosioides, respectively. The results of the present study could help develop plant-based commercial repellents to protect humans from dengue mosquitoes.

Zinc Essentiality, Toxicity, and Its Bacterial Bioremediation: A Comprehensive Insight.

Zinc (Zn) is one of the most abundantly found heavy metals in the Earth's crust and is reported to be an essential trace metal required for the growth of living beings, with it being a cofactor of major proteins, and mediating the regulation of several immunomodulatory functions. However, its essentiality also runs parallel to its toxicity, which is induced through various anthropogenic sources, constant exposure to polluted sites, and other natural phenomena. The bioavailability of Zn is attributable to various vegetables, beef, and dairy products, which are a good source of Zn for safe consumption by humans. However, conditions of Zn toxicity can also occur through the overdosage of Zn supplements, which is increasing at an alarming rate attributing to lack of awareness. Though Zn toxicity in humans is a treatable and non-life-threatening condition, several symptoms cause distress to human activities and lifestyle, including fever, breathing difficulty, nausea, chest pain, and cough. In the environment, Zn is generally found in soil and water bodies, where it is introduced through the action of weathering, and release of industrial effluents, respectively. Excessive levels of Zn in these sources can alter soil and aquatic microbial diversity, and can thus affect the bioavailability and absorption of other metals as well. Several Gram-positive and -negative species, such as Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., and Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp., Klebsiella sp., and Enterobacter sp., respectively, have been reported to be promising agents of Zn bioremediation. This review intends to present an overview of Zn and its properties, uses, bioavailability, toxicity, as well as the major mechanisms involved in its bioremediation from polluted soil and wastewaters.

Physiological and Transcriptomic Analysis provide Molecular Insight into 24-Epibrassinolide mediated Cr(VI)-Toxicity Tolerance in Pepper Plants.

The ever-increasing industrial activities over the decades have generated high toxic metals such as chromium (Cr) that hampers plant growth and development. To counter Cr-toxicity, plants have evolved complex defensive systems including hormonal crosstalk with various signaling pathways. 24-epibrassinolide (24-EBR) lowers oxidative stress and alleviates Cr(VI)-toxicity in plants. In this study, the concealed BR-mediated influences on Cr(VI)-stress tolerance were explored by transcriptome analysis in the Capsicum annuum. Results revealed a linkage between plant development under Cr(VI)-stress and the mitigating effect of 24-epibrassinolide and brassinazole. Growth inhibition, chlorophyll degradation, and a significant rise of malondialdehyde (MDA) were observed after 40 mg/L Cr(VI) treatment in Brz supplemented seedlings, whereas 24-EBR supplemented seedlings exhibited commendatory effect. Comparative transcriptome analysis showed that the expression levels of 6687 genes changed (3846 up-regulated and 2841 downregulated) under Cr(VI)-stress with Brz supplementation. Whereas the expression levels of only 1872 genes changed under Cr(VI)-stress with 24-EBR supplementation (1223 up-regulated and 649 downregulated). The functional categories of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by gene ontology (GO) revealed that drug transport, defense responses, and drug catabolic process were the considerable enrichments between 24-EBR and Brz supplemented seedlings under Cr(VI)-stress. Furthermore, auxin signaling, glutathione metabolism, ABC transporters, MAPK pathway, and 36 heavy metal-related genes were significantly differentially expressed components between Cr(VI)-stress, 24-EBR, and Brz supplemented seedlings. Overall, our data demonstrate that employing 24-EBR can commendably act as a growth stimulant in plants subjected to Cr(VI)-stress by modulating the physiological and defense regulatory system.

Metabolites in Conocarpus erectus leaves attenuate α-amylase activity by modulating amino acid residues of α-amylase: an in vitro and docking study / Los metabolitos en las hojas de Conocarpus erectus atenúan la actividad de la α-amilasa al modular los residuos de aminoácidos de la α-amilasa: un estudio in vitro y de acoplamiento

The antioxidant activity and the inhibitory potential of α-amylase of lyophilized hydroethanolic extracts of Conocarpus erectus leaves obtained by ultrasonication were determined. The most potent extract was subjected to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography system equipped with mass spectrometer for metabolite identification. The identified metabolites were docked in α-glucosidase to assess their binding mode. The results revealed that 60% ethanolic extract exhibited highest ferric reducing antioxidant power (4.08 ± 0.187 mg TE/g DE) and α-amylase inhibition (IC50 58.20 ± 1.25 µg/mL. The metabolites like ellagic acid, 3-O-methyl ellagic acid, ferujol, 5, 2 ́-dihydroxy-6,7,8-trimethyl flavone and kaempferol glucoside were identified in the extract and subjected to molecular docking studies regarding α-amylase inhibition. The comparison of binding affinities revealed 3-O-methyl ellagic acid as most effective inhibitor of α-amylase with binding energy of -14.5911 kcal/mol comparable to that of acarbose (-15.7815 kcal/mol). The secondary metabolites identified in the study may be extended further for functional food development with antidiabetic properties.

Se determinó la actividad antioxidante y el potencial inhibidor de la α-amilasa de extractos hidroetanólicos liofilizados de hojas de Conocarpus erectus obtenidos por ultrasónicación. El extracto más potente se sometió a un sistema de cromatografía líquida de ultra alto rendimiento equipado con un espectrómetro de masas para la identificación de metabolitos. Los metabolitos identificados se acoplaron en α-glucosidasa para evaluar su modo de unión. Los resultados revelaron que el extracto etanólico al 60% exhibió el mayor poder antioxidante reductor férrico (4.08 ± 0.187 mg TE/g DE) e inhibición de la α-amilasa (IC50 58.20 ± 1.25 µg/mL. Los metabolitos como el ácido elágico, 3-O-metil elágico ácido, ferujol, 5, 2 ́-dihidroxi-6,7,8-trimetil flavona y kaempferol glucósido se identificaron en el extracto y se sometieron a estudios de acoplamiento molecular con respecto a la inhibición de la α-amilasa. La comparación de las afinidades de unión reveló 3-O-metil El ácido elágico como inhibidor más eficaz de la α-amilasa con una energía de unión de -14,5911 kcal/mol comparable a la de la acarbosa (-15,7815 kcal/mol). Los metabolitos secundarios identificados en el estudio pueden ampliarse aún más para el desarrollo funcional de alimentos con propiedades antidiabéticas.

In vitro pharmacological attributes and metabolite's fingerprinting of Conocarpus lancifolius / Atributos farmacológicos in vitro y huellas dactilares de metabolitos de Conocarpus lancifolius

Search for safe antioxidants and novel nutraceuticals urged to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-acetylcholine esterase and anti-lipoxygenase activity of various leaf extracts of Conocarpus lancifolius. Extraction was optimized from freeze dried plant extracts quenched with liquid nitrogen using water, ethanol, methanol, hexane, ethyl acetate and chloroform. Maximum extract yield, total phenolic contents and total flavonoid contents were obtained in case of ethanolic extraction. The highest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazylradical scavenging in terms of IC50 value of 55.26 µg/mL was observed for ethanolic leaf extract. The acetylcholine esterase and lipoxygenase inhibitory activities (IC50) were also observed for ethanolic extract. These findings for ethanolic extract were statistically significant when compared with other extracts (ρ<0.05). The haemolytic % values indicated that all extracts were associated with very low or negligible toxicity. The epicatechin, isorhamnetin, rutin, scopoleptin, skimmianine, quercetin-3-O-α-rhamnoside, quercetin-3-O-ß-glucoside, cornoside, creatinine, choline, pyruvic acid, α-hydroxybutyric acid, phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin were identified as major functional metabolites in ethanolic leaf extract of C. lancifoliusby 1H-NMR. The identified metabolites were probably responsible for the pharmacological properties of C.lancifolius. The findings may be utilized as pharmacological leads for drug development and food fortification.

Se insta a la búsqueda de antioxidantes seguros y nuevos nutracéuticos para evaluar la actividad antioxidante, anti-acetilcolina esterasa y anti-lipoxigenasa de varios extractos de hojas de Conocarpus lancifolius. La extracción se optimizó a partir de extractos de plantas liofilizados enfriados con nitrógeno líquido usando agua, etanol, metanol, hexano, acetato de etilo y cloroformo. En el caso de extracción etanólica se obtuvo el rendimiento máximo de extracto, el contenido de fenoles totales y el contenido de flavonoides totales. La mayor eliminación de radicales 2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidrazilo en términos de valor de CI50 de 55,26 µg/mL se observó para el extracto de hoja etanólico. También se observaron las actividades inhibidoras de la acetilcolina esterasa y lipoxigenasa (CI50) para el extracto etanólico. Estos hallazgos para el extracto etanólico fueron estadísticamente significativos en comparación con otros extractos (ρ<0.05). Los valores del % hemolítico indicaron que todos los extractos estaban asociados con una toxicidad muy baja o insignificante. Se identificaron la epicatequina, isorhamnetina, rutina, escopoleptina, skimmianina, quercetina-3-O-α-ramnosido, quercetina-3-O-ß-glucósido, cornosido, creatinina, colina, ácido pirúvico, ácido α-hidroxibutírico, filantrina e hipofillantina. como metabolitos funcionales principales en el extracto etanólico de hojas de C. lancifoliuspor 1H-NMR. Los metabolitos identificados probablemente fueron responsables de las propiedades farmacológicas de C. lancifolius. Los hallazgos pueden utilizarse como pistas farmacológicas para el desarrollo de fármacos y la fortificación de alimentos.

The In Vitro α-Glucosidase Inhibition Activity of Various Solvent Fractions of Tamarix dioica and 1H-NMR Based Metabolite Identification and Molecular Docking Analysis.

The Tamarix dioica (T. dioica) is widely used medicinal plant to cure many chronic ailments. T. dioica is being used to manage diabetes mellitus in traditional medicinal system; however, very little scientific evidence is available on this plant in this context. The current study involves the fractionation of crude methanolic extract of T. dioica using n-hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and n-butanol. The screening for antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was carried out. The in vitro antidiabetic potential was assessed by measuring α-glucosidase inhibition. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined for each fraction. The metabolites were identified using highly sensitive and emerging 1H-NMR technique. The results revealed the ethyl acetate fraction as the most potent with DPPH scavenging activity of 84.44 ± 0.21% and α-glucosidase inhibition with IC50 value of 122.81 ± 2.05 µg/mL. The total phenolic and flavonoid content values of 205.45 ± 1.36 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram dried extract and 156.85 ± 1.33 mg quercetin equivalent per gram dried extract were obtained for ethyl acetate fraction. The bucketing of 1H-NMR spectra identified 22 metabolites including some pharmacologically important like tamarixetin, tamaridone, quercetin, rutin, apigenin, catechin, kaempferol, myricetin and isorhamnetin. Leucine, lysine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, serine, and tyrosine were the major amino acids identified in ethyl acetate fraction. The molecular docking analysis provided significant information on the binding affinity among secondary metabolites and α-glucosidase. These metabolites were most probably responsible for the antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory potential of ethyl acetate fraction. The study ascertained the ethnomedicinal use of T. dioica to manage diabetes mellitus and may be a helpful lead towards naturopathic mode for anti-hyperglycemia.

Polyphenol fingerprinting and hypoglycemic attributes of optimized Cycas circinalis leaf extracts.

BACKGROUND: Cycas circinalis leaves are used to treat diabetes mellitus in local medicinal systems without any scientifically proved information on their medicinal potential and phytochemicals. In this study, the total phenolic contents, total flavonoid contents, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging and inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and α-amylase were determined for optimized hydroethanolic leaf extracts. Secondary metabolites were identified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS). In vivo studies on diabetic albino mice were also carried out to evaluate the impact of the most active extract on their blood glucose levels. RESULTS: The 60% ethanolic extract showed the highest extract yield (209.70 ± 0.20 g kg-1 ) and total phenolic (154.24 ± 3.28 mg gallic acid equivalent) and flavonoid (78.52 ± 1.65 mg rutin equivalent per gram dried extract) contents and exhibited the maximum DPPH scavenging activity (IC50 = 59.68 ± 2.82 µg mL-1 ). The IC50 values for inhibition of α-glucosidase (58.42 ± 2.22 µg mL-1 ) and α-amylase (74.11 ± 1.70 µg mL-1 ) were also significant for the 60% ethanolic extract. The untargeted UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-based metabolite profiling confirmed the presence of iridoid glucoside, gibberellin A4, O-ß-d-glucosyl-4-hydroxy-cinnamate, 3-methoxy-2-phyenyl-4H-furo[2,3-h]chromen-4-one, kaempferol, withaferin A, amentoflavone, quercitin-3-O-(6″-malonyl glucoside), ellagic acid, and gallic acid. Plant extract at a dose of 500 mg kg-1 body weight reduced the blood glucose level by a considerable extent and also improved the lipid profile of diabetic mice after a 28-day trial. CONCLUSION: The findings revealed the medicinal potential of C. circinalis leaves to treat diabetes mellitus and provided the nutraceutical leads for functional food development. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Anti-Obesity Attributes; UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-Based Metabolite Profiling and Molecular Docking Insights of Taraxacum officinale.

The naturopathic treatment of obesity is a matter of keen interest to develop efficient natural pharmacological routes for disease management with low or negligible toxicity and side effects. For this purpose, optimized ultrasonicated hydroethanolic extracts of Taraxacum officinale were evaluated for antiobesity attributes. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl method was adopted to evaluate antioxidant potential. Porcine pancreatic lipase inhibitory assay was conducted to assess the in vitro antiobesity property. Ultra-high performance chromatography equipped with a mass spectrometer was utilized to profile the secondary metabolites in the most potent extract. The 60% ethanolic extract exhibited highest extract yield (25.05 ± 0.07%), total phenolic contents (123.42 ± 0.007 mg GAE/g DE), total flavonoid contents (55.81 ± 0.004 RE/g DE), DPPH-radical-scavenging activity (IC50 = 81.05 ± 0.96 µg/mL) and pancreatic lipase inhibitory properties (IC50 = 146.49 ± 4.24 µg/mL). The targeted metabolite fingerprinting highlighted the presence of high-value secondary metabolites. Molecular-binding energies computed by docking tool revealed the possible contribution towards pancreatic lipase inhibitory properties of secondary metabolites including myricetin, isomangiferin, icariside B4, kaempferol and luteolin derivatives when compared to the standard drug orlistat. In vivo investigations revealed a positive impact on the lipid profile and obesity biomarkers of obese mice. The study presents Taraxacum officinale as a potent source of functional bioactive ingredients to impart new insights into the existing pool of knowledge of naturopathic approaches towards obesity management.

UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS based phytochemical characterization and anti-hyperglycemic prospective of hydro-ethanolic leaf extract of Butea monosperma.

Butea monosperma is one of the extensively used plants in traditional system of medicines for many therapeutic purposes. In this study, the antioxidant activity, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition properties of freeze drying assisted ultrasonicated leaf extracts (hydro-ethanolic) of B. monosperma have been investigated. The findings revealed that 60% ethanolic fraction exhibited high phenolic contents, total flavonoid contents, highest antioxidant activity, and promising α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitions. The UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis indicated the presence of notable metabolites of significant medicinal potential including apigenin, apigenin C-hexoside C-pentoside, apigenin C-hexoside C-hexoside, apigenin-6,8-di-C-pentoside and genistin etc., in B. monosperma leave extract. Docking studies were carried out to determine the possible role of each phytochemical present in leaf extract. Binding affinity data and interaction pattern of all the possible phytochemicals in leaf extract of B. monosperma revealed that they can inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase synergistically to prevent hyperglycemia.

Antioxidant activity, α-glucosidase inhibition and phytochemical profiling of Hyophorbe lagenicaulis leaf extracts.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus type II (DMT-2) is a widely spread metabolic disorder both in developed and developing countries. The role of oxidative stress is well established in DMT-2 pathogenesis. The synthetic drugs for DMT-2 are associated with serious side complications. Antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory actions of phytochemicals from various plant species are considered as an alternative to synthetic drugs for DMT-2 management. The present study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity, α-glucosidase inhibitory potential and phytochemical profiling of Hyophorbe lagenicaulis. METHODS: The total phenolic and flavonoid contents, in vitro antioxidant activity (α, α-diphenyl-ß-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and phosphomolybdenum method) and α-glucosidase inhibition of ultrasonicated hydroethanolic H. lagenicaulis leaf extracts were determined spectrophotometrically. The results of DPPH assay and α-glucosidase inhibition were reported in terms of IC50 value. The phytochemical profiling was accomplished by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS/MS technique. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Findings leaped 60% ethanolic extract as rich fraction regarding total phenolic and flavonoid contents. The 60% ethanolic fraction was a promising source of natural antioxidants and α-glucosidase inhibitory agents as indicated by anti-radical and enzyme inibitory activities. Kaempferol, rutin, hesperetin 5-O-glucoside, kaempferol-coumaroyl-glucoside, luteolin 3-glucoside, Isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, trimethoxyflavone derivatives and citric acid were identified by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. These compounds were believed to be responsible for the strong antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activity of plant extracts. The extensive metabolite profiling of H. lagenicaulis was carried out the first time as never reported previously. The H. lagenicaulis might be an appropriate choice to manage diabetes mellitus in an alternate way. The findings may be further exploited extensively for toxicity evaluation to proceed with functional food development having antidiabetic attributes.

Metabolite profiling of Cycas revoluta leaf extract and docking studies on alpha-glucosidase inhibitory molecular targets by phytochemicals.

The leaves of Cycas revoluta were explored for their antioxidant, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory properties to develop safe and diet based therapeutic treatment of diabetes. In optimized fractionation, 60% ethanol provided the highest extract yield of 19.35±0.05a%, TPC 95.70±1.60a mg GAE/g and TFC 55 .60 ± 1.20a mg Rutin/g extract. The antioxidant and anti α-glucosidase activities of 60% ethanolic extracts were also promising and statistically significant as compared with remaining plant extracts. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) analysis of the leaf extract revealed the presence of three apigenin derivatives, kaempferol derivative, hexadecenoic acid and citric acid. The binding energy values of molecular docking studies supported the synergistic behavior of leaf extract to inhibit α-glucosidase activity. The leaves of Cycas revoluta were proved to be apigenin rich natural pool of metabolites of antidiabetic importance to improvise food functionalities.

Antioxidant activity, Hypoglycemic potential and metabolite profiling of Hyophorbe indica leaf extract.

Current work was performed to evaluate antioxidant activity, α-glucosidase inhibition, phytochemical profiling and in vivo hypoglycemic activity of freeze dried, ultrasonicated Hyophorbe indica leaf extracts. The highest total phenolic contents of 208.77±2.11 mg GAE/g DE and total flavonoid contents of 173.90±2.30 mg Rutin/g DE were obtained in 60% ethanol extract. The 60% ethanol extract exhibited maximum DPPH radical scavenging with IC50 value of 35.35±0.189µg/mL and total antioxidant power of 330.26±3.13 (ASE/g PE), respectively. The highest α-glucosidase inhibition (IC50 36.52 ± 0.08µg/mL) was also observed for 60% ethanol extract. The 60% ethanol extract at dose of 450 mg/kg body weight reduced blood glucose level of alloxan induced diabetic mice by 51.41% which was quite comparable with metformin (56.67%). Twelve compounds namely citric acid, procyanidin B3, epicatechin, procyanidin B2, catechin, catechin derivative, procyanidin B1, apigenin-c-hexocide-c-hexocide, kaempferol, kaempferol derivative, quinic acid derivative and gallic acid have been identified by using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS in 60% ethanol extract.

Impact of different amendments on biochemical responses of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) plants grown in lead-cadmium contaminated soil.

Soil co-contamination with lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) is a tenacious risk to crop production globally. The current experiment observed the roles of amendments [biochar (BC), slag (SL), and ferrous manganese ore (FMO)] for enhancing Pb and Cd tolerance in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). Our results revealed that application of amendments significantly enhanced the nutrient level of sesame seedlings developed under extreme Pb and Cd conditions. The higher Pb and Cd-tolerance in sesame encouraged by amendments might be credited to its capability to restrict Pb and Cd uptake and decreased oxidative damage induced by Pb and Cd that is also demonstrated by lesser production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced electrolyte leakage (EL) in plant biomass. The added amendments relieved Pb and Cd toxicity and improved photosynthetic pigments, soluble protein, and proline content. Not only this amendments also decreased the antioxidant bulk, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) in sesame plants compared to control when exposed to Pb and Cd. Moreover, the added amendments = down-regulated the genes expression which regulate the SOD, POD, and CAT activity in sesame under Pb and Cd-stress. Furthermore, supplementation of amendments to the soil, reduced the bio accessibility (SBET), leachability (TCLP), and mobility (CaCl2) of Pb and Cd. Collectively, our findings conclude that the application of amendments enhanced sesame tolerance to Pb and Cd stress by restricting Pb and Cd accumulation, maintained photosynthetic presentation and dropped oxidative loss through enhanced antioxidant system, thus signifying amendments as an operational stress regulators in modifying Pb and Cd-toxicity that is highly important economically in all crops including sesame.

Antihyperglycemic effect of Conocarpus erectus leaf extract in alloxan-induced diabetic mice.

Synthetic drugs have widely been helpful in management of diabetes mellitus type 2. However, side effects associated with synthetic drugs serve as an impetus to explore plants as alternate mode of treatment. The hydroethanolic leaf extracts of Conocarpus erectus were evaluated for phenolic contents, flavonoid distribution, antioxidant activity and antidiabetic potential. The maximum extract yield, total phenolic and flavonoid contents were exposed by 60% ethanolic extract. The Antioxidant and anti α-glucosidase tendency of 60% ethanolic extract was the most promising and complemented by in-vivo antihyperglycemic impact on mice. The findings were substantial regarding suppression of blood glucose levels in alloxan induced diabetic mice establishing the Conocarpus erectus as proficient pool of nutraceuticals for diabetes mellitus type 2 management.

Morinda citrifolia L. leaf extract prevent weight gain in Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high fat diet.

Background: Morinda citrifolia L. is widely used as a folk medicinal food plant to manage a panoply of diseases, though no concrete reports on its potential anti-obesity activity. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of M. citrifolia leaf extracts (MLE60) in the prevention of weight gain in vivo and establish its phytochemical profile. Design: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into groups based on a normal diet (ND) or high fat diet (HFD), with or without MLE60 supplementation (150 and 350 mg/kg body weight) and assessed for any reduction in weight gain. Plasma leptin, insulin, adiponectin, and ghrelin of all groups were determined. 1H NMR and LCMS methods were employed for phytochemical profiling of MLE60. Results: The supplementation of MLE60 did not affect food intake indicating that appetite suppression might not be the main anti-obesity mechanism involved. In the treated groups, MLE60 prevented weight gain, most likely through an inhibition of pancreatic and lipoprotein activity with a positive influence on the lipid profiles and a reduction in LDL levels . MLE60 also attenuated visceral fat deposition in treated subjects with improvement in the plasma levels of obesity-linked factors . 1Spectral analysis showed the presence of several bioactive compounds with rutin being more predominant. Conclusion: MLE60 shows promise as an anti-obesity agents and warrants further research.

Biochemical characterization and 1H NMR based metabolomics revealed Melicope lunu-ankenda leaf extract a potent anti-diabetic agent in rats.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by continuous hyperglycemia associated with insulin resistance and /or reduced insulin secretion. There is an emerging trend regarding the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Melicope lunu-ankenda (ML) is one of the Melicope species belonging to the family Rutaceae. In traditional medicines, its leaves and flowers are known to exhibit prodigious health benefits. The present study aimed at investigating anti-diabetic effect of Melicope lunu-ankenda (ML) leaves extract. METHODS: In this study, anti-diabetic effect of ML extract is investigated in vivo to evaluate the biochemical changes, potential serum biomarkers and alterations in metabolic pathways pertaining to the treatment of HFD/STZ induced diabetic rats with ML extract using 1H NMR based metabolomics approach. Type 2 diabetic rats were treated with different doses (200 and 400 mg/kg BW) of Melicope lunu-ankenda leaf extract for 8 weeks, and serum samples were examined for clinical biochemistry. The metabolomics study of serum was also carried out using 1H NMR spectroscopy in combination with multivariate data analysis to explore differentiating serum metabolites and altered metabolic pathways. RESULTS: The ML leaf extract (400 mg/kg BW) treatment significantly increased insulin level and insulin sensitivity of obese diabetic rats, with concomitant decrease in glucose level and insulin resistance. Significant reduction in total triglyceride, cholesterol and low density lipoprotein was also observed after treatment. Interestingly, there was a significant increase in high density lipoprotein of the treated rats. A decrease in renal injury markers and activities of liver enzymes was also observed. Moreover, metabolomics studies clearly demonstrated that, ML extract significantly ameliorated the disturbance in glucose metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. CONCLUSION: ML leaf extract exhibits potent antidiabetic properties, hence could be a useful and affordable alternative option for the management of T2DM.

Zinc solubilizing Bacillus spp. potential candidates for biofortification in maize.

Bioaugmentation of Zn solubilizing rhizobacteria could be a sustainable intervention to increase bioavailability of Zn in soil which can be helpful in mitigation of yield loss and malnutrition of zinc. In present study, a number of pure rhizobacterial colonies were isolated from maize rhizosphere and screened for their ability to solubilize zinc oxide. These isolates were screened on the basis of zinc and phosphate solubilization, IAA production, protease production, catalase activity and starch hydrolysis. All the selected isolates were also positive for oxidase activity (except ZM22), HCN production (except ZM27) and utilization of citrate. More than 70% of isolates produces ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, siderophores, exopolysaccharides and cellulase. More than half of isolates also showed potential for urease activity and production of lipase. The ZM31 and S10 were the only isolates which showed the chitinase activity. All these isolates were evaluated in a jar trial for their ability to promote growth of maize under axenic conditions. Results revealed that inoculation of selected zinc solubilizing rhizobacterial isolates improved the growth of maize. In comparison, isolates ZM20, ZM31, ZM63 and S10 were best compared to other tested isolates in stimulating the growth attributes of maize like shoot length, root length, plant fresh and dry biomass. These strains were identified as Bacillus sp. (ZM20), Bacillus aryabhattai (ZM31 and S10) and Bacillus subtilis (ZM63) through 16S rRNA sequencing. This study indicated that inoculation of Zn solubilizing strains have potential to promote growth and can be the potential bio-inoculants for biofortification of maize to overcome the problems of malnutrition.