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Aloes: a journey from traditional herb to modern panacea
Full text linkAloe vera, the most popular member of the genus Aloe L., is a wonderful healing plant that has been used for the last 6000 years since ancient Egyptian times for its wide of range of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. However, most of the available literature emphasizes on the properties of this one species only. Most probably, due to its early introduction to the world, it becomes dominant in the use, even though several other species also have great therapeutic potential. Emphasizing the broader significance of Aloe species beyond Aloe vera is crucial for unlocking their diverse applications. Aloe arborescens, Aloe ferox, and Aloe excelsa showcase potent antimicrobial properties, contributing significantly to skincare. Aloe secundiflora addresses kidney problems, while Aloe deserti and Aloe secundiflora find traditional use against malaria. Recent scientific studies underscore Aloe vera's potential in dentistry, diabetes management, anti-inflammatory actions, and anti-cancer effects. Species such as Aloe claviflora and Aloe littoralis reveal impressive antioxidant capabilities. Aloe vera and Aloe ferox lead in cosmetics, with their unique properties. Aloe trinervis leaves are consumed as food. Additionally, Aloe vera waste proves beneficial in environmental management, particularly in phytoremediation for arsenic toxicity. Caution is crucial due to their potential toxicity, emphasizing the need for careful application. Exploring the diverse Aloe genus is imperative for comprehending their specific applications and unlocking untapped industrial potential, promising a wealth of possibilities for various fields
Participatory validation of the ethno-veterinary practices followed by the livestock farmers in the vicinity of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, India
Full text linkThe livestock farmers in the vicinity of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) have a large knowledge of indigenous knowledge regarding the use of various plant species, herbs, shrubs, homemade ingredients, etc., for the treatment of various health problems in the livestock. The current study was aimed at documenting and evaluating the traditional veterinary practices used by livestock owners to treat common health issues in animals, such as retained placenta, blood in urine, skin conditions, and constipation. The research was conducted in a specifically chosen area, namely the Critical Tiger Habitat and buffer of the tiger reserve and a 360 livestock farmers were interviewed from the 30 villages in the vicinity of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. An open-ended interview schedule was used to record ethno-veterinary practices. To facilitate participatory evaluation of the identified practices, the Quantification of Indigenous Knowledge (QuIK) method was employed. To treat four common health ailments, the farmers used 15 ethno-veterinary methods. Uses of Triticum aestivum to treat retained placenta, roots of Urtica dioica L. against the haematuria, paste of Azadirachta indica for skin disease, and roots of Citrullus colocynthis L. for treatment of constipation in the livestock were found most effective practices. Hence, before further replication and application, the pharmacodynamics of these ethno-veterinary practices could be investigated.
Coping with disasters: The potential of traditional settlements of hill community of Uttarakhand
Full text linkTraditional settlements of the hill region are the outcome of multiple practices developed by generations from an advanced understanding of the natural settings. Over time, the hill communities know about the multiple challenges and risks that exist in the hill regions which compelled them to take preventive and mitigative measures to safeguard themselves. This paper highlights the potential of various practices exist in the traditional settlements of Uttarakhand’s hill region that enabled the communities to survive the impact of multiple disasters over the years. Extensive field studies were carried out in the Bhagirathi valley’s traditional settlements, to investigate the living traditional practices. The methods of data collection include observation, informative interviews, and discussion with the local populace. The study has a qualitative approach that has been interpretative and partly comparative, which demonstrates that the hill community has a settlement layout based on the understanding of natural geographical setting, and the socio-economic factor that limited their boundaries based on their belief system. It is also argued that ecological, political, and temporal factors have a significant bearing on the built expression and provide an identity to the hill community. Based on the study, the paper concludes that traditional knowledge gathered not only needs to be recognised, conserved and documented but also needs to be studied thoroughly to throw light upon the coping strategies, leading to reduced disaster risks in modern architectural practices.
Physico-chemical basis of insect-resistance of traditional rice varieties against Sitophilus oryzae (L.)
Full text linkBased on popularity and specialty, seven traditional rice varieties were tested for resistance reactions in terms of physico-chemical properties against rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae and compared with the improved high yielding rice varieties during 2019-2021. The result revealed that the aromatic rice variety Kon joha was the least suffered (11.67%) under the husked condition, whereas the aromatic traditional rice variety Bokul joha was the least suffered (53.00%) under the de-husked conditions at 18 days after infestation. Amongst the traditional varieties, the Black rice variety suffered maximum weight loss of 60.16% under de-husked conditions. All tested physical and biochemical parameters revealed a significant positive correlation with weight loss (r=0.87), total soluble protein (r=0.86), 1000 grain weight (r=0.74), moisture content (r=0.54), germination loss (r=0.89) and seed vigor loss (r=0.54) at 180 days of infestation under husked condition, while significant positive correlation with weight loss (r=0.91), starch content (r=0.98), crude protein content (r=0.94), L/B ratio (r=0.88), 1000 grain weight (r=0.50) and moisture content (r=0.87) at 180 days of infestation under de-husked condition. The rice grains possessing a high percentage of starch and protein, but a low per cent of crude fat was found more prone to infestation by S. oryzae
Caesalpinia bonducella seeds restore the ovarian functions in mifepristone-induced PCOS rats acting through insulin –insulin-like growth factors
Full text linkThe prime complications namely hyperandrogenism and hyperinsulinemia, observed in PCOS condition is due to the abnormal signalling pathways triggered by insulin as well as insulin-like growth factor family of genes and proteins. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the down regulating effect of ethanolic seed extract of Caesalpinia bonducella (ESECB) on the genes like IGF-1, IGF-2 and PTEN and proteins IRS1 and IRS2 in mifepristone induced PCOS rats. The level expression pattern of genes were studied using in vivo methods and the in silico method is used to study the proteins. Mifepristone induced PCOS rats were treated with 200 mg and 400 mg/kg b.w. p.o of ESECB extract for 28 days. The ovaries were collected for gene expression study using semi quantitative real time PCR analysis. Molecular docking analysis was performed from the GC-MS phyto-constituents for a antagonistic ligand which can halt the reactions of IRS1 and IRS2 proteins. The fold change of the mRNA expression of IGF-1, IGF-2 and PTEN genes were found to be 1.4, 0.34 and 0.36 respectively in the mifepristone induced PCOS rat ovaries. ESECB treatment decreased the fold change to 0.44, 0.13 and 0, 20 respectively. In docking studies, eight ligands namely, dioxan, propyl acetate, acetic anhydride, methyl butenoic acid, methyl isopropyl carbonate, glycerine, diethanolamine and 2,2, dimethyl propanoic anhydride inhibted the IRS1 and IRS2 proteins by interacting with their amino acid residues. It can be concluded that ESECB extract can be used as a potential drug for the treatment of PCOS as it acts at the molecular level to correct the complications of this disease.
Evaluation of in vitro immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activity with safety study of granules of Naque Nazla
Full text linkCommon cold and flu are frequently occurring in humans, if not managed, can cause secondary infections and other complications. It may be minimized by boosting immunity, which can be done by Unani Medicine. Objective of this study is to evaluate in vitro immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activity and safety of granules of Naque Nazla, a famous Unani infusion / decoction. Naque Nazla granules (NNG) were tested for its immunomodulatory activity by lymphocyte proliferation assay and macrophage phagocytosis and antimicrobial activity by well diffusion method. LC-MS and GC-MS was done for standardization. Acute toxicity study was carried as per OECD guidelines 423, to evaluate safety of granules. THP-1 cells study displayed EC50 value of 997.6 µg/mL with a proliferation of 53.95% at 1280 µg/mL. Phagocytosis assay displayed 67.85% phagocytosis at 1280 µg/mL, antimicrobial activity was tested against common respiratory tract bacteria which showed susceptibility against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes. LC-MS and GC-MS fingerprinting data was set in and revealed the presence of many phytochemicals. Acute toxicity study displayed the drug safe up to 2000 mg/kg. NNG displayed immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activity inin vitro study and was also found safe
Negotiating cyclonic storms on Odisha coast: Integrating meteorological with traditional knowledge
Full text linkThis paper explores traditional knowledge in four coastal districts of Odisha to understand its nature, role and relevance in negotiating cyclonic storms. It draws from fieldwork carried out in two phases 2007-2009 and 2015-2019 from the district of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Ganjam and Puri. In each of these locations, people have experience of cyclonic phenomena both as major disasters and as relatively smaller scale recurrent occurrences. The study shows that there is an extensive, informal rule based traditional knowledge system that makes use of multiple observational attributes in association with meteorological warning. In this perspective, prevalent traditional knowledge is neither privileged nor static and as a matter of fact is in a continual dialogue with meteorological information provided through India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) cyclone warning services. Based on findings of this analysis, a framework is proposed that integrates traditional and meteorological knowledge systems for a more comprehensive understanding of local rural communities’ response to cyclones