Inventory of medicinal flora from Thal Desert, Punjab, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: This article reports the preliminary findings of an ethno-botanical survey that was carried out in the Thal Desert, Punjab, Pakistan during 2010 to 2013. The aim of this study was to document the traditional use of medicinal plants from the study area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The whole area was surveyed for inventorying medicinal flora by using a semi-structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The people of the study area are extremely knowledgeable, hence reported 120 plants which are being used in treating various human diseases. The detailed inventory including botanical name, parts used, method of preparation and diseases treated is provided in this paper. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the inhabitants possessed empirical knowledge of medicinal plants which would be useful in developing health care products and preserving traditional cultures as well as phyto-diversity.

Exploring thermophilic cellulolytic enzyme production potential of Aspergillus fumigatus by the solid-state fermentation of wheat straw.

Cellulases can be used for biofuel production to decrease the fuel crises in the world. Microorganisms cultured on lignocellulosic wastes can be used for the production of cellulolytic enzymes at large scale. In the current study, cellulolytic enzyme production potential of Aspergillus fumigatus was explored and optimized by employing various cultural and nutritional parameters. Maximum endoglucanase production was observed after 72 h at 55 °C, pH 5.5, and 70 % moisture level. Addition of 0.3 % of fructose, peptone, and Tween-80 further enhanced the production of endoglucanase. Maximum purification was achieved with 40 % ammonium sulfate, and it was purified 2.63-fold by gel filtration chromatography. Endoglucanase has 55 °C optimum temperature, 4.8 optimum pH, 3.97 mM K m, and 8.53 µM/mL/min V max. Maximum exoglucanase production was observed at 55 °C after 72 h, at pH 5.5, and 70 % moisture level. Further addition of 0.3 % of each of fructose, peptone, and Tween-80 enhances the secretion of endoglucanase. It was purified 3.30-fold in the presence of 40 % ammonium sulfate followed by gel filtration chromatography. Its optimum temperature was 55 °C, optimum pH was 4.8, 4.34 mM K m, and 7.29 µM/mL/min V max. In the case of ß-glucosidase, maximum activity was observed after 72 h at 55 °C, pH 5.5, and 70 % moisture level. The presence of 0.3 % of fructose, peptone, and Tween-80 in media has beneficial impact on ß-glucosidase production. A 4.36-fold purification was achieved by 40 % ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel filtration chromatography. Optimum temperature of ß-glucosidase was 55 °C, optimum pH was 4.8, K m was 4.92 mM, and V max 6.75 µM/mL/min. It was also observed that fructose is better than glucose, and peptone is better than urea for the growth of A. fumigatus. The K m and V max values indicated that endoglucanase, exoglucanase, and ß-glucosidase have good affinity for their substrates.

Effects of acacia honey on wound healing in various rat models.

Honey is a traditional remedy for the treatment of infected wounds, and is becoming more important as microbial resistance to conventional therapeutic agents increases. A study was conducted to assess the wound-healing activity of Acacia honey using incision, excision, burn and dead-space wound models in rats. Different formulations of honey were used and rats were treated topically as well as orally. Both the higher and lower doses of honey produced a significant effect on healing (p < 0.05). The area of epithelization was found to increase, followed by an increase in wound contraction, skin-breaking strength, tissue granulation. The hydroxyproline content also increased in the rats treated with higher doses of honey compared to control, indicating an increase in collagen formation.

Comparison of the antidiabetic activity of Berberis lyceum root extract and berberine in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Berberine has been shown to have hypoglycaemic activity in several in vitro and in vivo models, although the mechanism of action is not fully known. Berberis lyceum Royle root produces high concentrations of berberine, and in traditional medicine, the whole extract of this plant is used widely to treat diabetes. The antidiabetic activity of the ethanol root extract of Berberis lyceum was compared with pure berberine in normal and alloxan-diabetic rats using similar doses of each. The concentration of berberine in the extract was determined to be 80% dry weight with only trace amounts of other alkaloids present. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of berberine and a whole extract of Berberis lyceum on blood glucose and other parameters associated with diabetes, to compare the effects of the crude extract with those of pure berberine and thus validate its use as a therapeutic agent, and finally to identify any contribution of the other components of the extract to these effects. Oral administration of 50 mg/kg of Berberis extract and berberine to normal and experimental diabetic rats produced a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in blood glucose levels from days 3-7 days of treatment. Significant effects were also observed on the glucose tolerance, glycosylated haemoglobin, serum lipid profiles and body weight of experimental animals. Berberis extract and berberine demonstrated similar effects on all parameters measured, and although the extract was comparable in efficacy to berberine, it did not produce any effects additional to those shown by pure berberine. The results support the use of the extract in traditional medicine, and demonstrate that apart from being a highly cost-effective means of treating with berberine, the total extract does not appear to confer any additional benefits or disadvantages compared with the pure compound.

Cytoprotective effects of Bergenia ciliata Sternb, extract on gastric ulcer in rats.

Bergenia ciliata is used for the treatment of stomach disorders in the folk medicine of some areas of South East Asia. This study was designed to evaluate its gastroprotective effects on ethanol/HCl, indomethacin and pylorus ligation-induced gastric ulcers in rats. Doses of 15, 30 and 60 mg/kg b/w of the aqueous and methanol extracts of the rhizome were administered 1 h after ulcerogenic treatment. The animals were killed 3 h later, their stomachs removed and the mean area of ulcer lesion was determined. The weight of mucus and gastric acidity were also measured. The aqueous extract decreased the ulcer lesion (p < 0.05) in all models to a greater extent than the methanol extract, but at the higher doses the effect was reduced. In addition, the antiulcer activity appears to be mediated via cytoprotective effects conferred by enhancement of the mucosal barrier, rather than by prevention of gastric acid secretion or the lowering of pH and acidity.

Wound healing activity of root extracts of Berberis lyceum royle in rats.

The wound healing activities of the aqueous and methanol extracts of the root of Berberis lyceum were assessed using incision, excision and dead wound space models of wound repair in rats. After application of both extracts it was observed that the area of epithelialization increased, followed by an increase in wound contraction, skin breaking strength, tissue granulation, dry weight and hydroxyproline content. Histopathological studies of the granulation tissue also indicated that there was an increase in collagen formation in those rats treated with the methanol extract, compared with the control group animals. The methanol extract was more effective than the aqueous extract, but both showed significant results compared with the control.

In vivo measurement of colour changes in natural teeth.

It has been observed that teeth become lighter when they are dried. The present study was designed to quantify these changes and the time taken for tooth colour to return to normal. The colour of an upper central incisor in each of seven subjects was measured using a reflectance spectrophotometer before and after application of a rubber dam and, in another seven subjects before and after taking a polyvinylsiloxane impression. There were statistically significant changes in the L*, a* and b* values following rubber dam application and in the L* value following impression taking. The results demonstrate that teeth become brighter and less colour saturated after rubber dam application and brighter after impression taking. The original values were regained after 30 min.