Chemical constituents of the roots of Kniphofia schimperi and evaluation of their antimicrobial activity

Kniphofia schimperi is one of the endemic plants of Ethiopia and is widely used for the treatment of microbial infections. However, the biological and phytochemical information pertaining to this plant has not been reported so far. Anticipated by these claims, the chromatographic isolation of the CHCl3/CH3OH (1:1 v/v) extract of the roots of K. schimperi afforded five compounds, viz., knipholone (1), asphodeline (2), β-sitosterol (3), 9-pentacosenoic acid (4), and nonacosanoic acid (5). The structures of the isolated compounds were identified based on their NMR (1D and 2D) spectral data analysis and comparison with reported literature data. The crude extract and isolated compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial activity against four bacterial strains (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus) and a fungal strain (Candida albicans) using the agar disk diffusion method. The test samples showed moderate antimicrobial activity, with the highest activity observed for compound 3 (with a zone of growth inhibition of 15.5 ± 0.71 mm) against S. typhimurium.

Investigation of the effects of heat and light on iodine content of packaged and open salt brands collected from Jimma town

Iodine deficiency is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries, which leads to iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). To combat iodine deficiency disorders, universal salt iodization is mandatory. However, iodized salt can lose its iodine due to environmental factors such as heat, light, moisture, and so on. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of heat and light on the iodine content of packaged and open salt brands available in Jimma town, Oromia, Ethiopia. An experimental study design was employed to determine the effects of heat and light on the iodine content of salts. A total of six salt samples were collected from retailers selected based on convenience sampling technique. Among six different salt brands, three were packaged salts, and the rest were non-packaged (open) salts. The iodine content of the salt samples was determined by the iodometric titration method, and the effects of heat and light on the concentration of iodine were also investigated. It has been revealed that heat and light decrease the iodine content of salt samples. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the stability of iodized salt against heat and light. It is also helpful in identifying the right time at which salt should be added while cooking and the appropriate storage conditions for salt in households.

Phytochemicals as alternative fungicides for controlling plant diseases: A comprehensive review of their efficacy, commercial representatives, advantages, challenges for adoption, and possible solutions

Fungal infections are responsible for about 70-80% of the losses in agricultural production brought on by microbial diseases. Synthetic fungicides have been employed to manage plant diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi but their use has been criticized due to unfavorable side effects. As alternative strategies, botanical fungicides have caught the interest of many researchers in recent years. There are numerous experimental studies on the fungicidal activities of phytochemicals against phytopathogenic fungi, but there is not a thorough review article that summarizes these experimental studies. The purpose of this review is therefore to consolidate data from in vitro and in vivo studies on the antifungal activity of phytochemicals reported by various researchers. This paper describes antifungal activities of plant extracts and compounds against phytopathogenic fungi, approved botanical fungicides, their benefits, obstacles and mitigation strategies. Relevant sources were collected using online data bases such as Google Scholar, PubMed and Science Direct, and comprehensively reviewed for preparation of this manuscript. This review revealed that phytochemicals are effective to manage plant diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi. Botanical fungicides are endowed with benefits such as resistance inhibition, being ecofriendly, effective, selective, and more affordable compared to synthetic fungicides. However, there are only small number of approved botanical fungicides due to the many challenges that hinder their adoption and utilization for a wider scale production. Farmers' reluctance, lack of standardized formulation techniques, strict legislation, rapid degradation, and other factors hinder their adoption and utilization. The ways to address these challenges include increasing awareness among farmers, conducting more research to identify potential plants with fungicidal properties, standardizing extraction and formulation techniques, implementing the idea of plant breeding to increase bioactive agents, identifying favorable environments for site-specific plant species production, discovering synthetic analogues of the active ingredient to maintain quality standards, establishing reasonable regulation procedures and price points for a quicker market introduction. To put all these into practice, we recommend collaboration of regulatory agencies and researchers from a variety of fields.

Pharmaceutical and drug delivery applications of pectin and its modified nanocomposites

Due to their natural availability, biocompatibility, biodegradability, nontoxicity, flexibility, as well as improved structural and functional characteristics, pectin and pectin-based nanocomposites have become an interesting area of numerous researchers. Pectin is a polysaccharide that comes from plants and is used in a variety of products. The significance of pectin polysaccharide and its modified nanocomposites in a number of applications has been shown in numerous reviews. On their uses in pharmaceutical and medication delivery, there are, however, few review publications. The majority of papers on pectin polysaccharide do not structure their explanations of drug distribution and medicinal application. The biological application of pectin nanocomposite is also explained in this review, along with a recent publication. As a result, the goal of this review was in-depth analysis to summarize biological application of pectin and its modified nanocomposites. Due to their exceptional physicochemical and biological characteristics, pectin and its nanocomposites are remarkable materials for medicinal applications. In addition to enhancing the immune system, controlling blood cholesterol, and other things, they have been shown to have anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antibacterial properties. Because of their biocompatibility and properties that allow for regulated release, they have also received a lot of interest as drug carriers in targeted drug delivery systems. They have been used to administer medications to treat cancer, inflammation, pain, Alzheimer's, bacteria, and relax muscles. This review found that pectin and its derivatives have better drug delivery efficiency and are viable candidates for a wide range of medicinal applications. It has been advised to conduct further research on the subject of toxicity in order to produce commercial formulations that can serve as both therapeutic agents and drug carriers.