Differentiation of different dibenzothiophene (DBT) desulfurizing bacteria via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

Fossil fuels are considered vital natural energy resources on the Earth, and sulfur is a natural component present in them. The combustion of fossil fuels releases a large amount of sulfur in the form of SO x in the atmosphere. SO x is the major cause of environmental problems, mainly air pollution. The demand for fuels with ultra-low sulfur is growing rapidly. In this aspect, microorganisms are proven extremely effective in removing sulfur through a process known as biodesulfurization. A major part of sulfur in fossil fuels (coal and oil) is present in thiophenic structures such as dibenzothiophene (DBT) and substituted DBTs. In this study, the identification and characterization of DBT desulfurizing bacteria (Chryseobacterium sp. IS, Gordonia sp. 4N, Mycolicibacterium sp. J2, and Rhodococcus sp. J16) based on their specific biochemical constituents were conducted using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). By differentiating DBT desulfurizing bacteria, researchers can gain insights into their unique characteristics, thus leading to improved biodesulfurization strategies. SERS was used to differentiate all these species based on their biochemical differences and different SERS vibrational bands, thus emerging as a potential technique. Moreover, multivariate data analysis techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were employed to differentiate these DBT desulfurizing bacteria on the basis of their characteristic SERS spectral signals. For all these isolates, the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity are above 90%, and an AUC (area under the curve) value of close to 1 was achieved for all PLS-DA models.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for characterization of filtrates of blood serum samples from patients with tuberculosis obtained by 50 kDa filtration devices.

The ability of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to generate spectroscopic fingerprints has made it an emerging tool for biomedical applications. The objective of this study is to confirm the potential use of Raman spectroscopy for early disease diagnosis based on blood serum. In this study, a total of sixty blood serum samples, consisting of forty from diseased patients and twenty (controls) from healthy individuals, was used. Because disease biomarkers, found in the lower molecular weight fraction, are suppressed by higher molecular weight proteins, 50 kDa Amicon ultrafiltration centrifugation devices were used to produce two fractions from whole blood serum consisting of a filtrate, which is a low molecular weight fraction, and a residue, which is a high molecular weight fraction. These fractions were then analyzed, and their SERS spectral data were compared with those of healthy fractions. The SERS technique was utilized on blood serum, filtrate and residue of patients with tuberculosis to identify characteristic SERS spectral features associated with the development of disease, which can be used to differentiate them from healthy samples using silver nanoparticles as a SERS substrate. For further analysis, the effective chemometric technique of principal component analysis (PCA) was used to qualitatively differentiate all the analyzed samples based on their SERS spectral features. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) accurately classified the filtrate portions of healthy and tuberculosis samples with 97% accuracy, 97% specificity, 98% sensitivity, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of 0.74.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for comparison of biochemical profile of bacteriophage sensitive and resistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is gram positive bacteria and leading cause of a wide variety of diseases. It is a common cause of hospitalized and community-acquired infections. Development of increasing antibiotic-resistance by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains demand to develop alternate novel therapies. Bacteriophages are now widely used as antibacterial therapies against antibiotic-resistant gram-positive pathogens. So, there is an urgent need to find fast detection techniques to point out phage susceptible and resistant strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) bacteria. Samples of two separate strains of bacteria, S. aureus, in form of pellets and supernatant, were used for this purpose. Strain-I was resistant to phage, while the other (strain-II) was sensitive. Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) has detected significant biochemical changes in these bacterial strains of pellets and supernatants in the form of SERS spectral features. The protein portion of these two types of strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in their relevant pellets and supernatants is major distinguishing biomolecule as shown by their representative SERS spectral features. In addition, multivariate data analysis techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and a partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were found to be helpful in identifying and characterizing various strains of S. aureus which are sensitive and resistant to bacteriophage with 100% specificity, 100% accuracy, and 99.8% sensitivity in case of SERS spectral data sets of bacterial cell pellets. Moreover, in case of supernatant samples, the results of PLS-DA model including 95.5% specificity, 96% sensitivity, and 96.5% accuracy are obtained.

Computational screening of natural MtbDXR inhibitors for novel anti-tuberculosis compound discovery.

DXR (1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase) is an essential enzyme in the Methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway, which is used by M. tuberculosis and a few other pathogens. This essential enzyme in the isoprenoid synthesis pathway has been previously reported as an important target for antibiotic drug design. However, till now, there is no record of any drug-like safe molecule to inhibit MtbDXR. Numerous plant species have been traditionally used for tuberculosis therapies. In this study, we selected six plant species with anti-tubercular properties. The chemoinformatic screening was performed on 352 phytochemicals from those plants against the MtbDXR protein. After molecular docking analysis, we filtered the top five compounds, CID: 5280443 (Apigenin), CID: 3220 (Emodin), CID: 5280863 (Kaempferol), CID: 5280445 (Luteolin), and CID: 6101979 (beta-Hydroxychalcone), based on binding affinity. Molecular dynamics simulations disclosed the stability of the compounds at the active site of the proteins. Finally, in silico ADME and toxicity evaluations confirmed the compounds to be effective and safe for oral administration. Thus, our findings identified three drug-like safe molecules- Apigenin, Kaempferol, and beta-Hydroxychalcone, that showed good stability in the protein's active site. The results of this computational approach may act as an initial instruction for future in vitro and in vivo testing to identify natural drug-like compounds to treat tuberculosis.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Capital outflows and the environment: fresh evidence from M&A purchases and greenfield FDI.

We analyze how the mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and greenfield foreign direct investment (GFDI) outflows impact the host countries' air pollution at the sectoral level. Following the recent advent of multinationals from emerging economies, we examine outflows rather than inflows. Evidence indicates that there are important distinctive effects of FDI mode of exit. GFDI outflows benefit the environment in the full sample and developing countries, supporting the reverse-pollution haven hypothesis, and at the industry level in the electrical power industry and building. The positive impact of M&A outflows on the environment is revealed only when data is disaggregated further into the industry level in the transport industry of developed economies and the electrical power industry of developing countries. We find that heterogeneities caused by countries' development levels and the FDI's two exit modes, M&As deteriorate the environment less than GFDI.

Unveiling Frequently Co-Occurring Reasons of Attitudinal Acceptance of Intimate Partner Violence against Women: A Behavioral Data Science Perspective.

The results of gender equality indicators across the world in the form of prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women are striking and has thus drawn the attention of policy makers as well as necessitates the adoption of a comprehensive system to deal with. The situation of IPV in Pakistan is alarming. This study examines the acceptability attitude of women and men toward intimate partner violence against women through data science. It discovers and contrasts the frequently co-occurring reasons due to which husbands' behaviour of beating their wives is believed to be legitimate by both partners in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. Though the discovered frequently co-occurring reasons, such as "arguing with the husband and neglecting the children" altogether, are similar in both genders but the fraction of wives believing in such reasons are significantly greater than that of husbands. This psychological disparity across genders could help in identifying the social and cultural factors to whom this disparity is attributed. It is expected that the identified co-occurring groups of reasons would help to understand the problem to the next level and devise better strategies to mitigate them.

The impact of financial development on ecological footprints of nations.

Financial development is an important driver of technological progress in economic development. Its role in environmental change has not been well examined. We endeavor to examine the non-linear effects of multi-dimensional financial development measures on four kinds of ecological footprints in a global sample of 124 economies. We apply a two-step system generalized method of moments to deal with possible endogeneity. We find a stark difference in the impact of financial institutions' development and financial markets' development on the ecological footprints. Whereas financial institutions, with their three dimensions (i.e., depth, access, and efficiency) have an inverted-U shaped relationship with the ecological footprints, allowing for the initially harmful effect on the environment to revert to beneficial effects, the same results are not observed for financial markets. We attribute the inverse-U shaped relationship to a declining scale effect of FD and rising technological and composition effects of FD that transform the economy. Based on that we recommend that best practices of financial institutions regarding making environmentally conscious investment decisions be turned into a conscious investing culture around the world. For this to become a reality, better information-sharing regarding the individual environmental performance of firms will be needed.

Phytochemical screening and antidiabetic effects of fruit rind of Momordica dioica roxb. on streptozocin induced type 2 diabetic rats.

Momordica dioica (M. dioica) is a gourd like blooming plant that is readily available in Bangladesh, requiring biological research to discover its therapeutic values. The goal of our research was to see if the ethanolic extract of this plant had any anti-hyperglycemic properties. Water, glibenclamide and M. dioica extracts were fed to Streptozocin induced type-2 diabetic rat models at a dose of 1.25 g/kg body weight (bw) for 28 days to see what kind of effects they had on serum glucose, insulin, liver glycogen and lipid contents. Except for the control group, all the groups followed a pattern of maintaining the body weight. The oral glucose tolerance test was observed to be improved in extract after 14 days of the experiment. When assessed with the control group, the M. dioica extract showed a significant (p = 0.0015) decrease in postprandial serum glucose level (M±SD, mmol/l, 13.23 ± 1.03 control Vs 11.47 ± 2.21 extract) at 120 min. The treatment of diabetic model rats with extract resulted in a 7% (p < 0.0001) reduction in serum cholesterol levels. While subsequent 28 days of treatment, insulin levels were found to be lowered in all groups (from 246.76 to 200.44 pg/dL; p < 0.0001 for standard and from 309.01 to 204.61 pg/dL; p < 0.0001 for sample). The results revealed that prolonged administration of M. dioica improved the glycemic and lipidemic state of type-2 diabetic rats, implying that more research is needed to identify the active ingredient (s).

Theoretical Approach to Evaluate the Gas-Sensing Performance of Graphene Nanoribbon/Oligothiophene Composites.

Composite formation with graphene is an effective approach to increase the sensitivity of polythiophene (nPT) gas sensors. The interaction mechanism between gaseous analytes and graphene/nPT composite systems is still not clear, and density functional theory calculations are used to explore the interaction mechanism between graphene/nPT nanoribbon composites (with n = 3-9 thiophene units) and gaseous analytes CO, NH3, SO2, and NO2. For the studied analytes, the interaction energy ranges from -44.28 kcal/mol for (C54H30-3PT)-NO2 to -2.37 kcal/mol for (C54H30-3PT)-CO at the counterpoise-corrected ωB97M-V/def2-TZVPD level of theory. The sensing mechanism is further evaluated by geometric analysis, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, density of-states analysis, calculation of global reactivity indices, and both frontier and natural bond orbital analyses. The variation in the highest occupied molecular orbital/lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gap of the composite indicates the change in conductivity upon complexation with the analyte. Energy decomposition analysis reveals that dispersion and charge transfer make the largest contributions to the interaction energy. The graphene/oligothiophene composite is more sensitive toward these analytes than either component taken alone due to larger changes in the orbital gap. The computational framework established in the present work can be used to evaluate and design graphene/nPT nanoribbon composite materials for gas sensors.

Physical therapists' knowledge and implementation of best practices in the outpatient physiotherapy department during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Physiotherapists (PTs) play an important role in the well-being and physical rehabilitation of patients with long term health problems. It is important that PTs follow recommended practices that minimize the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection in providing Outpatient Physiotherapy services. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of COVID-19 among the PTs and evaluate the state of implementation of best practices in Outpatient Physiotherapy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections during the ongoing pandemic. METHODS: A self-administered online questionnaire consisting of three sections, including section one on demographic information, section two on evaluating knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 and section three on implementing best practices as a survey tool for collecting data from PTs working in Lahore and Faisalabad in Punjab, Pakistan. RESULTS: A total of 216 completed surveys were received. Correct responses to different questions devised to test the participants' knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 varied from 58.3% to 99%. The implementation of best practices to prevent the infection transmission in the Outpatient Physiotherapy ranged from 22.7% to 92.1% for different domains. The age of the PTs and OPD setting were associated significantly with the PTs' knowledge of COVID-19 and also with the state of implementation of recommended practices to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections in the Outpatient Physiotherapy (p < .05). CONCLUSION: The majority of the PTs, particularly those working in the clinic setting, possessed a good knowledge of COVID-19 and implemented best practices in their Outpatient Physiotherapy at a good level. However, efforts should be directed towards further improving the knowledge of PTs and ensuring implementation of best practices in Outpatient Physiotherapy, particularly in government and private hospitals.

Emotional response bias, autistic traits and paranormal beliefs in patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To find the relationship involving autistic traits, paranormal beliefs and emotional response bias in obsessive compulsive disorder patients. METHOD: The cross-sectional quasi-experimental study was conducted from November 2017 to November 2018 at the Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan, and comprised patients with obsessive compulsive disorder and healthy controls from the general population aged 20-40 years. Data was collected using the self-reporting Autism Spectrum Quotient, the Revised Paranormal Belief Scale, the Emotional Recognition Task and the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder symptom checklist. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. RESULTS: Of the 140 participants, there were 70(50%) patients and as many controls. Overall, there were 72(52%) males and 68(48%) females. High level of autistic traits (p<0.001) and paranormal beliefs (p<0.001) had a significant impact on obsessive compulsive disorder. Impairments in recognition of emotions were related to the presence of high autistic traits and obsessive compulsive symptoms in the patients group (p<0.05). Emotion of disgust (p<0.001) was significantly impaired in the patients, while the differences were not significant in terms of emotions of happiness and surprise (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Autistic traits, paranormal beliefs and emotional response bias were found to have a significant relationship in obsessive compulsive disorder patients.

Polyaniline emeraldine salt as selective electrochemical sensor for HBr over HCl: a systematic density functional theory study through oligomer approach.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed to rationalize the experimentally observed sensitivity and selectivity of polyaniline emeraldine for hydrogen bromide over hydrogen chloride. The interaction behaviour is studied at UB3LYP method of density functional theory through oligomer approach. The properties for polymers are obtained extrapolation through second-degree polynomial fit. Optimized of geometries, interaction energies, Mulliken and natural bond orbital charges are analysed to study the sensing behaviour. In the preferred orientation modes, emeraldine salt acts as a hydrogen donor, whereas HBr and HCl are hydrogen acceptors (nucleophile). Basis set superposition error corrected interaction energies are calculated for accurate determination of interaction strength between sensor and analyte. The basis set superposition error is significant for HBr complex compared to HCl. The decrease in energy gap between highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular of conducting polymer (sensor) on complex formation with both analytes has been studied. The results of computational study show that polyaniline emeraldine salt shows more selectivity towards HBr as compared to HCl and this outcome is in agreement with reported results based on experimental observations. Graphical abstract.

Remarkable enhancement in sensor ability of polyaniline upon composite formation with ZnO for industrial effluents.

Polyaniline emeraldine salt and Polyaniline Zinc Oxide composite are comprehensively studied to compare their sensing ability towards ammonia, acetone, methanol and ethanol. Sensing ability is evaluated through thermodynamic, geometric and electronic parameters. A number of orientations are evaluated in search for the lowest energy structure. The comparison of thermodynamic, geometric and electronic parameters of simple and composite sensors confirmed that composite sensor shows better sensing ability than simple PANI. Composite formation between polyaniline and zinc oxide is a thermodynamically feasible process with interaction energy of -42.8 kcal/mol. Both sensor shows highest interaction energy for ethanol among four analytes. Composite sensor shows almost twice the interaction with ethanol, methanol and acetone while 1.5 times the interaction energy for ammonia. The results of run simulations and subsequent calculations showed that in composite sensors, zinc oxide not only enhances the binding power of conducting polymer with analytes but also interacts directly with analytes. Strong hydrogen bonding as well as weak dispersion forces of attraction are responsible for the stability of composite and all complexes, as revealed by non-covalent interaction (NCI) studies. Acetone shows a different behaviour in composite sensor complex than other analytes.

Electronic structure of polythiophene gas sensors for chlorinated analytes.

Density functional theory studies are performed to investigate the response of polythiophene as a sensor for chlorinated gaseous analytes. Interaction of polythiophene with these analytes is studied from both H-side (dipole-dipole) and Cl-side (halogen bonding) of analyte to get the most stable interaction site. Inferences from interaction energy, natural bond orbital, and Mulliken charge analyses are in line with those from geometric analysis. Interaction energies reveal that polythiophene has specificity and selectivity towards chlorine. Interestingly, the halogen bond in PT-Cl2 complexes is stronger than ion-dipole bond in the complexes of polythiophene with other analytes. The sensing of polythiophene towards these analytes is also measured by perturbing the electronic properties including ionization potential, electron affinity, λmax, and H→L gap. The spectroscopic properties (UV absorption spectra) reveal the interaction behavior of polythiophene with these chlorinated analytes. All these parameters including orbital analysis and H→L energies indicate high sensitivity of polythiophene for chlorine. Graphical abstractInteraction of chlorinated gaseous analytes with polythiophene surface.

In vivo evaluation of the biodistribution of intravenously administered naked and functionalised silver nanoparticles in rabbit.

Water-based suspension of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and dextran coated AgNPs (dextran-AgNPs) are fabricated and characterised for intravenous administration. A simple method for radiolabelling of nanoparticles with (99m)Tc was used. Labelling efficiency for AgNPs and dextran-AgNPs was found to be more than 80 and 88%, respectively. In vivo tissue uptake of nanoparticles during dynamic phase, after systematic administration by biodistribution analysis with single-photon emission computed tomography imaging has been evaluated. Biodistribution analysis revealed that (99m)Tc-AgNPs and (99m)Tc-dextran-AgNPs are mainly accumulated in liver/spleen region but (99m)Tc-dextran-AgNPs delayed recognition and uptake by liver. Results indicate that dextran-AgNPs are able to evade reticuloendothelum system with enhanced blood retention time. Accumulation of nanoparticles in liver/spleen region implicates the utilisation of AgNPs for liver cancer treatment.

Psychosocial risk factors of myocardial infarction and adverse effects of streptokinase in public sector hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the psychosocial risk factors of myocardial infarction and time related adverse effects of administration of streptokinase on short-term morbidity and mortality in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: One hundred patients with STEMI treated with streptokinase in the hospital setting were prospectively enrolled in the study. The primary outcome parameter was the incidence of major adverse cardiac events. During hospital stay the psychosocial and demographic risk factors were also investigated. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was similar in both groups and it was not significant. (5.7% vs 14.5%; P = 0.18). The number of recurrent chest pain was significantly higher in the group 2 compared to the group 1 (25% vs 62.5%; P = .01). The number of hypotesion was significantly higher in the group 1 as compared to the group 2 (30.7% vs 6.2%; P = .009). The demographic and psychosocial risk factors were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: The early intravenous administration of streptokinase in the hospital setting leads to a reduced rate of major cardiovascular events compared to delayed administration beyond 2 hours. However, mortality rates were not significantly affected. Secondary prevention should be targeted on modifiable demographic, dietary, and psychosocial risk factors of STEMI.

Elevated levels of plasma phenylalanine in schizophrenia: a guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase-1 metabolic pathway abnormality?

BACKGROUND: Phenylalanine and tyrosine are precursor amino acids required for the synthesis of dopamine, the main neurotransmitter implicated in the neurobiology of schizophrenia. Inflammation, increasingly implicated in schizophrenia, can impair the function of the enzyme Phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH; which catalyzes the conversion of phenylalanine to tyrosine) and thus lead to elevated phenylalanine levels and reduced tyrosine levels. This study aimed to compare phenylalanine, tyrosine, and their ratio (a proxy for PAH function) in a relatively large sample of schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. METHODS: We measured non-fasting plasma phenylalanine and tyrosine in 950 schizophrenia patients and 1000 healthy controls. We carried out multivariate analyses to compare log transformed phenylalanine, tyrosine, and phenylalanine:tyrosine ratio between patients and controls. RESULTS: Compared to controls, schizophrenia patients had higher phenylalanine (p<0.0001) and phenylalanine: tyrosine ratio (p<0.0001) but tyrosine did not differ between the two groups (p = 0.596). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated phenylalanine and phenylalanine:tyrosine ratio in the blood of schizophrenia patients have to be replicated in longitudinal studies. The results may relate to an abnormal PAH function in schizophrenia that could become a target for novel preventative and interventional approaches.

Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-diarrheal activities of ethanolic leaf extract of Typhonium trilobatum L. Schott.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy of ethanolic leaf extract of Typhonium trilobatum L. Schott in treating diarrhea, pain and inflammation using experimental models. METHODS: In the present study, acetic acid-induced writhing, xylene-induced ear edema and castor oil-induced diarrheal model were used to evaluate the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-diarrheal activities, respectively. Acute toxicity test was carried out to fix the safe doses of the plant extract. RESULTS: The plant extract demonstrated a significant inhibition of writhing (P<0.01) compared with the control group in acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice. The extract also significantly inhibited the xylene induced ear edema formation (P<0.05). In anti-diarrheal test, the extract significantly decreased the frequency of defecation and increased the mean latent period (P<0.01) in castor oil-induced diarrheal model mice at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the extract possesses significant analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-diarrheal activities that support to the ethnopharmacological uses of this plant.

Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal activities of ethanolic calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. (Malvaceae) in mice.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal activities of the ethanolic calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. in mice. METHODS: In the present study, the dried calyxes of H. sabdariffa were subjected to extraction with 95% ethanol and the extract was used to investigate the possible activities. Antinociceptive activity of the extract was evaluated by using the acetic acid-induced writhing test. The anti-inflammatory effect of the extract was tested by using the xylene-induced ear edema model mice. Castor oil-induced diarrheal model mice were used to evaluate the antidiarrheal activity of the extract. RESULTS: In acetic acid-induced writhing test, the extract produced inhibited writhing in mice significantly compared with the blank control (P<0.01). The extract showed significant inhibition of ear edema formation in xylene-induced ear edema model mice in a dose-related manner compared with the blank control (P<0.01). The extract demonstrated a significant antidiarrheal activity against castor oil-induced diarrheal in mice in which it decreased the frequency of defecation and increased the mean latent period at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The above mentioned findings indicate that the calyx extract of H. sabdariffa possesses significant antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal activities that support its uses in traditional medicine.

Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal activities of ethanolic calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. (Malvaceae) in mice / 中西医结合学报

Objective: To evaluate the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal activities of the ethanolic calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. in mice. Methods: In the present study, the dried calyxes of H. sabdariffa were subjected to extraction with 95% ethanol and the extract was used to investigate the possible activities. Antinociceptive activity of the extract was evaluated by using the acetic acid-induced writhing test. The anti-inflammatory effect of the extract was tested by using the xylene-induced ear edema model mice. Castor oil-induced diarrheal model mice were used to evaluate the antidiarrheal activity of the extract. Results: In acetic acid-induced writhing test, the extract produced inhibited writhing in mice siginificantly compared with the blank control (P<0.01). The extract showed significant inhibition of ear edema formation in xylene-induced ear edema model mice in a dose-related manner compared with the blank control (P<0.01). The extract demonstrated a significant antidiarrheal activity against castor oil-induced diarrheal in mice in which it decreased the frequency of defecation and increased the mean latent period at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (P<0.01). Conclusion: The above mentioned findings indicate that the calyx extract of H. sabdariffa possesses significant antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal activities that support its uses in traditional medicine.