Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences
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Allelopathic effects of the invasive plant Wedelia (Sphagneticola trilobata L.) aqueous extract on common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Get PDFSphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski is an alien invasive weed with aggressive growth habits, environmental stress tolerance, and the ability to synthesize allelochemicals. However, in many parts of the world, this plant is still recommended for use in composting, phytoremediation, and as an ornamental ground cover in gardens. The present study investigated the allelopathic effect of S. trilobata on the seed germination, growth and yield of Phaseolus vulgaris L. To analyze the allelopathic effects of S. trilobata on P. vulgaris seed germination, hundred seeds of P. vulgaris were exposed to different concentrations of the aqueous extracts of fresh and dry S. trilobata (2.5×102, 5.0×102 and 7.5×102 g/L) in Petri dishes for five days. The impact of S. trilobata aqueous extract on the growth and yield of P. vulgaris was also studied with seedlings planted in a compost soil mixture. Results of the study suggested negative impacts of S. trilobata extracts on P. vulgaris seed germination, growth and yield. P. vulgaris seed germination was significantly lower in the treatments than in the control (p<0.05). Further, P. vulgaris plants treated with fresh plant extracts at 5.0×102 and 7.5×102 g/L concentrations had significantly lower shoot height, growth rate, leaf area, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, root length, pod length and yield (p<0.05) than controls. From the results of the study, it can be concluded that S. trilobata aqueous extracts have a dose-dependent allelopathic effect on P. vulgaris seed germination, growth, and yield and among the dry and fresh plant extracts, fresh plant aqueous extracts have a more significant allelopathic impact. As S. trilobata contains water-soluble allelochemical, it should not be used in biofertilizer production, phytoremediation, or as live mulch
Potential benefits and therapeutic applications of "Panchgavya" therapy (Cowpathy) for human and animal health: Current scientific knowledge
Get PDFCow's milk, urine, dung, ghee, and curd (together known as "Panchgavya") have incomparable medicinal value in Ayurveda and ancient Indian clinical methods. Panchgavya is also known as Cowpathy in Ayurveda. In India, the cow is revered as a goddess known as "Gaumata" because of its nurturing qualities similar to those of a mother. Almost no adverse effects are associated with using Panchgavya, which is why it is recommended in Ayurveda for treating disorders affecting numerous body systems. Its possible antimicrobial effects have piqued the curiosity of medical researchers and practitioners. Cow milk is widely regarded as a nutritious diet and has been shown to effectively treat various medical conditions, including high body temperature, pain, cancer, diabetes, kidney diseases, and weakness. Milk can prevent the growth of microorganisms, has erotic qualities when combined with the leaves of medicinal herbs, and the fat in milk has anticancer characteristics. Toned and skim milk, lassi, yoghurt, cottage cheese, and khoa all come from milk and have important medicinal characteristics. Curd (dahi) is recommended as a blood purifier for conditions such as hemorrhoids, piles, and gastrointestinal issues. Ghee made from cows has been shown to boost immunity. It is important to highlight the use of cow dung as an antifungal and for treating malaria and tuberculosis. It has the potential to aid in the development of a populace free from disease, the creation of sustainable energy systems, the fulfilment of all nutritional needs, the elimination of poverty, the promotion of organic farming culture, and the like. Cow urine is a powerful remedy for numerous medical conditions, including but not limited to epileptic convulsions, diabetes, hepatitis, inflammation, fever, and anaemia. The current review article explores how the Panchgavya ingredients can be employed to safeguard human and animal health
Determination of carbendazim residues in Moroccan tomato samples using local enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and comparison with liquid chromatography
Get PDFThe fungicide carbendazim (CBZ) is not approved for agricultural uses in some countries but is still used by many farmers due to its effectiveness. For this reason, in previous work of the same authors, they developed a competitive enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) using rabbit polyclonal antibodies to detect CBZ. This study aimed to validate this in-house ELISA after extraction with methanol for CBZ analysis in tomato samples, and the results were compared with the conventional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method after QuEChERS extraction. The results showed that both ELISA and HPLC methods have good repeatability, reproducibility and high precision with a good variation verified by principal components analysis (PCA). ANOVA tested the detection limit (LOD), and quantification limit (LOQ), and the values for ELISA (LOD = 0.026± 0.001 µg/L and LOQ = 0.083 ± 0.003 µg/L) were significantly lower than those obtained by HPLC (LOD = 0.61 ± 0.02 µg/L and LOQ = 1.85 ± 0.07 µg/L). ELISA and HPLC were used for analyzing CBZ in 100 Moroccan tomato samples. These two methods detected the presence of CBZ above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) level in 9 samples. However, the presence of the CBZ was detected in the 79 samples by ELISA and quantified in 66 samples. In contrast, the presence of CBZ was detected in 57 and quantified in 35 samples by HPLC. These results showed that the ELISA system coupled with a simple methanol extraction is much more sensitive than HPLC after QuEChERS extraction
Optimization of protein extraction from "Cam" rice bran by response surface methodology
Get PDF"Cam" rice bran was considered a waste product from rice, which is rich in natural compounds and protein owing to its outstanding nutritional value. This study aimed to establish an optimization model for extracting protein from rice bran, with two responses: extraction yield (%) and protein content (%). The variable parameters included were pH (8.5-9.5), stirring time (3.5-4.5 h), and enzyme incubation temperature (85-95°C). The coefficient of determination for both models were above 0.95, indicating a high correlation between the actual and estimated values. The maximum extraction yield and protein content were achieved when the conditions were set at pH of 9.02, stirring time of 4.02 h, and extraction temperature of 90.6°C. Under these optimum conditions, the predicted protein extracted from rice bran was 43.03% (moisture <13.0%), with an extraction yield of 15.9%. The findings of this study suggested that this protocol can enhance the utilization of rice bran and might be employed on a large scale in the food industry to exploit the nutritional source
Assessment of bacterial diversity in the chicken litter: A potent risk to environmental health
Get PDFUsing chicken litter as an organic fertilizer on land is the most common, cheapest and environmentally safest way to manage the latter generated swiftly from the poultry industry. Raw chicken litter has been applied to field soils where various vegetables are cropped to increase yield or productivity. However, the chicken litter frequently come in contact with different environments, such as water, soil, microbes and vegetation. When chickens defecate, their litters, in a few countries, are particularly reused for the next flock, potentially causing cross-contamination. Due to various contact points in the environment, a high probability of bacterial transmission is predicted, which could lead to infection spread in animals and humans. Consumption of contaminated water, food, and meat could lead to the transmission of deadly infections. Microbes in the chicken litter also affect the grazing animals while feeding on fields duly applied with chicken litter as manure. The maximum permissible limits (MPLs) in the chicken litter for land application should not exceed 106-108 CFU/g for Coliform bacteria. Antibiotics are regularly mixed in the diet or drinking water of chicken grown in marketable poultry farms for treating bacterial diseases. Rampant usage of antimicrobials also results in resistant bacteria's survival in animal excreta. Herein, we surveyed the literature to identify the major bacterial genus harboured in the fields applied with chicken manure to increase soil fertility. Our detailed survey identified different bacterial pathogens from chicken litter samples from different investigations. Most studies showed the prevalence of Campylobacter, Salmonella, Enterococcus, E. coli, Bacillus, Comamonas, Proteus and Citrobacter, including many other bacterial species in the chicken litter samples. This article suggested that chicken litter does not meet the standard parameters for direct application as organic fertilizer in the fields. Before being applied to the ground, chicken litter should be treated to lessen the danger of polluting crops or water supplies by reducing the prevalence of harmful bacteria carrying antibiotic-resistance genes
Argania spinosa Leaves and Branches: Antiaggregant, Anticoagulant, Antioxidant Activities and Bioactive Compounds Quantification
Get PDFThrombocytes, also known as platelets, are crucial in maintaining the balance between blood clotting. Platelet hyperactivity and oxidative stress are the primary factors contributing to cardiovascular complications. Antithrombotic therapy remains one of the most effective treatments, but various potential side effects hinder its effectiveness, including the risk of haemorrhage. Intense research has been conducted on medicinal plants to discover the natural antithrombotic compounds. Argania spinosa, commonly known as the argan tree or argan oil tree, is a native species of southwestern Morocco. This study evaluated the primary and secondary hemostasis and antioxidant activity of leaf and branch aqueous extracts of A. spinosa and also assessed the phytochemical composition of these extracts. Platelet aggregation assay was performed using washed platelets stimulated with thrombin. For plasmatic coagulation, activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time were measured using the poor plasma method. Bleeding time was evaluated by inducing bleeding at the tip of a mouse tail. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined through the DPPH, β-carotene, and FRAP methods. The presence or absence of the secondary metabolites was carried out with the help of specific reagents, and the quantitative analysis was carried out using spectrophotometric and colorimetric methods. The study results revealed the presence of phenols, total flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, tannins, and coumarins type of secondary metabolites in both types of aqueous extracts and a higher concentration of these was recorded in the leaves extracts. Both aqueous extracts significantly reduced in vitro thrombin-induced platelet aggregation, extended tail bleeding time, prolonged activated partial thromboplastin and prothrombin time and exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity. The leaf extract of A. spinosa exerts significant effects against thrombotic manifestations and could be a promising source of new antithrombotic compounds
EFFECT OF APPLYING BIO-INPUTS ON PRODUCTION OF HIGH BUSH BLUEBERRY (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cv. biloxi IN BRAZIL'S FEDERAL DISTRICT
Get PDFBlueberry production is increasing in Brazil, and growers are turning to bio-inputs or biostimulants to be used on their growth. This has been due to the growing concern about sustainability in the food production chain and the necessity to increase the yield. The current experiment aimed at evaluating the effects of Samurai King, EM-1 and Brutal Plus (Minhofértil) biostimulants on the cultivation of Southern Highbush blueberries (V. corymbosum L.), cultivar 'Biloxi'. The parameters evaluated were plant height (cm), diameter of the main stem (mm), number of shoots, chlorophyll content, total number of leaves, leaf length and width. The total mass, number of fruits, average mass per fruit, the transversal and longitudinal diameters, and the total sugars (°Brix) were also measured. In 2020, the treatment of Samurai King + EM-1 showed the highest efficiency for the studied parameters related to fruits and yield but with no significant difference as compared to the other treatments. Regarding the plant growth, treatments 1 (Brutal Plus) and 5 (Brutal Plus + EM-1) were the most efficient. In 2021, treatment 7 (Brutal Plus + Samurai King + EM-1) had the highest yields, except for average mass per fruit and total sugars. In the two years of evaluation, although treatments obtained lower averages than the control, the effect observed was generally positive, revealing the efficiency of products containing microorganisms for the growth of blueberry plants. In conclusion, these bioproducts could remarkably affect plant biomass, production and fruit quality, resulting in better yields
Exploring the untargeted metabolites of Moringa oleifera Lam seed oil using two-dimensional gas chromatography with time of flight mass spectrometry for therapeutic application
Get PDFMoringa oleifera Lam is an economically and medicinally important plant. However, its essential oil characterization has been limited to one-dimensional gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. This study identified secondary metabolite composition and variation in M. oleifera seed oil through two-dimensional gas chromatography with time of flight mass spectrometry and their associated bioactivity. GC×GC TOF MS analysis of M. oleifera seed oil was performed on an Agilent 7890 Gas chromatograph equipped with Pegasus 2D GC-TOFMS. About 1µl of the sample (dissolved in n-Hexane) was injected into the system, and the carrier gas was Helium. Identification was made using ChromaTOF software with reference to the NIST library. A total of 2000 phytoconstituents were obtained, of which 236 were identified using the NIST mass spectral values. Total constituents were classified into alkanes (64), alkenes (11), aldehydes (7), alcohol (10), acids (18), acid esters (70), Ketones (10), benzenoids (10), Monoterpenoids (1), olefins (6), Phenols (1), an alkaloid (1), triterpenoid (4), diterpenoid (1), sesquiterpenoid (2), tocopherol (2), and Others (18). Based on area percentage, fatty acids and their derivatives were predominant. The major constituents were Erucic acid (9.10%), trans-13-Octadecenoic acid (6.06%), Triethyl citrate (5.15%), Bis-(3,5,5-trimethylhexyl) phthalate (4.94%). This study reports a detailed metabolic profiling of M. oleifera seeds, which opens up the possibility of identifying and decoding specific bioactivities leading to novel drug discovery in the future
Assessment of Heavy Metal Content and Consumption Risks At Selected Paddy Field in Malaysia: A Review
Get PDFAs the Malaysian population grows, there is a high demand for rice, the main staple food in this region. This has caused the overuse of agrochemicals that contain heavy metals and the utilization of contaminated groundwater to increase paddy yield, posing a risk to humans. This study reviewed the accumulated heavy metals in paddy fields of Malaysia's Selangor, Kedah and Sabah states and further calculated the consumption risks of rice grains from the selected areas. The study revealed that paddy soil in Ranau Valley (Sabah), Kota Marudu (Sabah) and Tanjung Karang (Selangor) showed presences of Cu and Cd in high concentration, respectively, creating higher potential to be uptake by paddy roots. These findings also revealed that Ranau Valley (Sabah) paddy grains contained high Cu and Cd concentrations, while Sabak Bernam (Selangor) contained high Pb concentrations. Further, a higher Cd concentration was reported from the Ranau Valley (Sabah), while the higher Pb concentrations were reported from the samples collected from Sabak Bernam (Selangor), Tanjung Karang (Selangor) and Kubang Pasu (Kedah). Based on the health risk indices calculation in this study, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks in all study areas except in Kubang Pasu (Kedah) and Langkawi (Kedah) are likely to occur due to Cu mining activities, ultrabasic soil contamination, utilization of contaminated groundwater and rock phosphate fertilizer and vehicular emission. Regular assessment of heavy metal content and consumption risks of paddy is essential to ensure the paddy field is free from contamination and will help protect the ecosystem and human health
Wound Healing and Skin Regeneration: Present Status and Future Directions
Get PDFWound healing and skin regeneration involve intricate interactions between various cellular, molecular, and biochemical factors. This narrative review aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the present status of therapeutic strategies for wound healing and skin regeneration. The literature review was performed using the Google Scholar search engine with the help of relevant keywords. Selected publications were used to synthesize different sections of the narrative review. The quest for innovative therapeutic approaches to accelerate wound healing and enhance skin regeneration has led to remarkable advancements in recent years. The landscape of therapeutic approaches for wound healing and skin regeneration is evolving rapidly, driven by groundbreaking discoveries and interdisciplinary collaborations. From advanced wound dressings and growth factor therapies to stem cell-based interventions and gene editing techniques, the arsenal of tools at our disposal continues to expand. As researchers continue to unravel the intricate mechanisms underlying wound repair and regeneration, the potential for transformative therapies to revolutionize patient care remains immense. Through a combination of innovative technologies, personalized approaches, ethical considerations, and global accessibility, the future of wound healing holds promise for improving the lives of countless individuals worldwide. Despite significant advancements, several knowledge gaps persist in the field of wound healing and skin regeneration. Further elucidation of cellular and molecular mechanisms governing wound repair, inflammation resolution, and scar formation is warranted. Exploring the crosstalk between wound healing and the microbiome and the influence of ageing and systemic diseases will unravel new therapeutic targets and strategies. As researchers delve deeper into understanding the intricate mechanisms underlying wound repair, the development of novel therapies and their clinical translation become increasingly promising. With a multidisciplinary approach and ongoing advancements in technology, biology, and medicine, the future holds great potential for transforming the field of wound healing and skin regeneration