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Bashir H, Sadia S, Saddiqe Z, Munir M, Bai X, Jia M, Ahmad KS. Application of microscopy and spectroscopy in investigating anti-cancer potential of Achyranthes aspera L. leaves. Microsc Res Tech 2024; 87:1031-1043. [PMID: 38205658 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The genus Achyranthes belong to the family Amaranthaceae which constitutes an important group of herbs and shrubs with immense medicinal value. The present research work was conducted to investigate the anticancer potential of Achyranthes aspera L. leaves by focusing on the antioxidant, aniproliferative and antimitotic activities of leaf extracts. Plant extraction was carried out by soxhelt method with different solvents. Phytochemical characterization of the plants extracts using chemical methods identified the presence of cardiac glycosides, saponins, coumarins, proteins, tannins, flavonoids and triterpenes. Alkaloid was present in methanolic and ethanolic extract. High performance liquid chromatography showed presence of different concentration of myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol in different extracts with the highest concentration of myricetin (84.53 μg/mL) in n-butanolic extract. The extracts were then tested for antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay by spectrophotometric method. In DPPH radical scavenging assay, antioxidant activity of A. aspera ranged between 79.78 ± 0.034% and 58.63 ± 0.069%. Highest antioxidant activity was observed for methanolic extract and lowest for acetone. Antimitotic activity was determined by using Allium cepa assay in which microscopic investigation was carried out to observe normal and abnormal phases of mitosis. In this assay, n-butanolic extract had highest antimitotic activity with minimum mitotic index at 2 mg/mL (57 ± 0.0351%). The plant extracts also caused chromosomal and mitotic aberrations which were clearly observed under 40× and 100× magnification of compound microscope. Antiproliferative activity was determined by using yeast cell model in which light microscope with hemocytometer was used for cell counting. In case of Antiproliferative activity, the ethyl acetate extract of A. aspera had highest antiproliferative activity with lowest cell viability (22.14 ± 0.076%) at highest extract concentration (2 mg/mL) while methanol extract of A. aspera had highest antiproliferative activity with lower cell viability (24.24 ± 0.057%) at lowest extract concentration (0.25 mg/mL). The results of the study indicated that the leaves extract of A. aspera have strong potential to be used as a source of anti-cancer agent. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Achyranthes aspera L. leaves have various phytochemicals which contribute to its medicinal properties Various extracts of the leaves of A. aspera L. possess antioxidant, antimitotic and antiproliferative potential The results of the study indicated that the leaves extract of A. aspera have strong potential to be used as a source of anti-cancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huma Bashir
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Sehrish Sadia
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Zeb Saddiqe
- Department of Botany, Govt. Queen Mary Graduate College, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Mubashrah Munir
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Xiaohang Bai
- School of Architecture, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Meiyu Jia
- East China University of Technology, Nanchang, China
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Khatoon J, Mehmood A, Khalid AUR, Khan MAR, Ahmad KS, Amjad MS, Bashir U, Raffi M, Proćków J. Green-fabricated silver nanoparticles from Quercus incana leaf extract to control the early blight of tomatoes caused by Alternaria solani. BMC Plant Biol 2024; 24:302. [PMID: 38637784 PMCID: PMC11027421 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05008-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early blight (EB) of Tomatoes, caused by Alternaria solani, is a serious fungal disease that adversely affects tomato production. Infection is characterized by dark lesions on leaves, stems, and fruits. Several agrochemicals can be used to control infection, these chemicals may disrupt environmental equilibrium. An alternative technology is needed to address this significant fungal threat. This study was designed to control the growth of EB in tomatoes caused by A. solani, using green-fabricated silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). RESULTS Ag-NPs were synthesized through an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach using leaf extract of Quercus incana Roxb. (Fagaceae). The physico-chemical characterization of the Ag-NPs was conducted through UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The Ag-NPs produced were round with a mean diameter of 27 nm. The antifungal activity of these Ag-NPs was assessed through in vitro Petri plate and in vitro leaflet assays against A. solani. The green fabricated Ag-NPs exhibited excellent antifungal activity in vitro at a concentration of 100 mg/l against A. solani, inhibiting growth by 98.27 ± 1.58% and 92.79 ± 1.33% during Petri plate and leaflet assays, respectively. CONCLUSION In conclusion, this study suggests the practical application of green-fabricated Ag-NPs from Q. incana leaf extract against A. solani to effectively control EB disease in tomatoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javaria Khatoon
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan.
| | - Abd Ur Rehman Khalid
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Abdul Rauf Khan
- Department of Physics, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shoaib Amjad
- Department of Botany, Women University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir Bagh, Bagh, 12500, Pakistan
| | - Urooj Bashir
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Raffi
- National Institute of Lasers and Optronics College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nilore, Islamabad, 45650, Pakistan
| | - Jarosław Proćków
- Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, ul. Kożuchowska 5b, Wrocław, 51-631, Poland.
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Rasool F, Nizamani ZA, Ahmad KS, Parveen F, Khan SA, Sabir N. An appraisal of traditional knowledge of plant poisoning of livestock and its validation through acute toxicity assay in rats. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1328133. [PMID: 38420196 PMCID: PMC10900104 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1328133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Kashmir Himalaya hosts the most diverse and rich flora in the world, which serves as grazing land for millions of small ruminants in the area. While most plant species are beneficial, some can be poisonous, causing economic losses and animal health issues for livestock. Consequently, this study is the first comprehensive report on the traditional phyto-toxicological knowledge in District Muzaffarabad and the assessment of its authenticity through experimental studies in rats. Methods: The data regarding traditional knowledge was gathered from 70 key respondents through semi-structured interviews, which was quantitatively analyzed and authenticated through plant extract testing on Wistar female rats and comparison with published resources. Results: A total of 46 poisonous plant species belonging to 23 families and 38 genera were reported to be poisonous in the study area. Results revealed that leaves were the most toxic plant parts (24 species, 52.1%), followed by the whole plant (18 species, 39.1%), stem (17 species, 36.9%), and seeds (10 species, 21.7%). At the organ level, liver as most susceptible affected by 13 species (28.2%), followed by the gastrointestinal tract (15 species, 32.6%), nervous system (13 species, 8.2%), dermis (8 species, 17.3%), renal (7 species, 15.2%), respiratory (4 species, 8.7%), cardiovascular system (3 species, 6.5%), and reproductive system (2 species, 4.3%). The poisonous plant species with high Relative frequency citation (RFC) and fidelity level (FL) were Nerium oleander (RFC, 0.6; FL, 100), Lantana camara (RFC, 0.6; FL, 100), and Ricinus communis (RFC, 0.6; FL, 100). Experimental assessment of acute toxicity assay in rats revealed that Nerium oleander was the most toxic plant with LD50 of (4,000 mg/kg), trailed by Ricinus communis (4,200 mg/kg), L. camara (4,500 mg/kg), and Datura stramonium (4,700 mg/kg); however, other plants showed moderate to mild toxicity. The major clinical observations were anorexia, piloerection, dyspnea, salivation, tachypnea, constipation, diarrhea, tremor, itchiness, and dullness. Conclusion: This study showed that numerous poisonous plants pose a significant risk to the livestock industry within Himalayan territory, leading to substantial economic losses. Consequently, it is of utmost importance to conduct further comprehensive studies on the phytotoxicity of plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal Rasool
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, Hyderabad, Pakistan
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Pakistan
| | - Zaheer Ahmed Nizamani
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, Hyderabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Fahmida Parveen
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, Hyderabad, Pakistan
| | - Shahzad Akbar Khan
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Pakistan
| | - Naveed Sabir
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Pakistan
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Talib H, Mehmood A, Amjad MS, Mustafa A, Khan MAR, Raffi M, Khan RT, Ahmad KS, Qureshi H. Antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer potential of green fabricated silver nanoparticles made from Viburnum grandiflorum leaf extract. Bot Stud 2024; 65:4. [PMID: 38252177 PMCID: PMC10803688 DOI: 10.1186/s40529-024-00411-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, researchers are focusing on creating new tools to combat the antibiotic resistant bacteria and malignancy issues, which pose significant threats to humanity. Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are thought to be a potential solution to these issues. The biosynthesis method, known for its environmentally friendly and cost-effective characteristics, can produce small-sized AgNPs with antimicrobial and anticancer properties. In this study, AgNPs were bio-fabricated from the distilled water and methanolic extracts of Viburnum grandiflorum leaves. Physio-chemical characterization of the bio-fabricated AgNPs was conducted using UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, and X-ray diffraction analysis. RESULTS AgNPs produced from the methanol extract were smaller in size (12.28 nm) compared to those from the aqueous extract (17.77 nm). The bioengineered AgNPs exhibited a circular shape with a crystalline nature. These biosynthesized AgNPs demonstrated excellent bactericidal activity against both gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. Highest antibacterial activity was observed with the methanol extract against P. aeruginosa (14.66 ± 0.74 mm). AgNPs from the methanol extract also displayed the highest antioxidant activity, with an IC50 value of 188.00 ± 2.67 μg/mL against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Furthermore, AgNPs exhibited notable cytotoxic activity against Rhabdomyosarcoma cell line (RD cell) of human muscle cancer cell. The IC50 values calculated from the MTT assay were 26.28 ± 1.58 and 21.49 ± 1.44 μg/mL for AgNPs synthesized from aqueous and methanol extracts, respectively. CONCLUSION The methanol extract of V. grandiflorum leaves demonstrates significant potential for synthesizing AgNPs with effective antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer actions, making them applicable in various biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hina Talib
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Shoaib Amjad
- Department of Botany, Women University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Bagh, Bagh, 12500, Pakistan.
- Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | - Amna Mustafa
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | | | - Muhammad Raffi
- Department of Materials Engineering, National Institute of Lasers and Optronics (NILOP), Lehtrar Road, Nilore, Islamabad, 45650, Pakistan
| | - Rizwan Taj Khan
- Department of Botany, University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Huma Qureshi
- Department of Botany, University of Chakwal, Chakwal, 48800, Pakistan
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Anwaar S, Jabeen N, Ahmad KS, Shafique S, Irum S, Ismail H, Khan SU, Tahir A, Mehmood N, Gleason ML. Cloning of maize chitinase 1 gene and its expression in genetically transformed rice to confer resistance against rice blast caused by Pyricularia oryzae. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0291939. [PMID: 38227608 PMCID: PMC10791007 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Fungal pathogens are one of the major reasons for biotic stress on rice (Oryza sativa L.), causing severe productivity losses every year. Breeding for host resistance is a mainstay of rice disease management, but conventional development of commercial resistant varieties is often slow. In contrast, the development of disease resistance by targeted genome manipulation has the potential to deliver resistant varieties more rapidly. The present study reports the first cloning of a synthetic maize chitinase 1 gene and its insertion in rice cv. (Basmati 385) via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation to confer resistance to the rice blast pathogen, Pyricularia oryzae. Several factors for transformation were optimized; we found that 4-week-old calli and an infection time of 15 minutes with Agrobacterium before colonization on co-cultivation media were the best-suited conditions. Moreover, 300 μM of acetosyringone in co-cultivation media for two days was exceptional in achieving the highest callus transformation frequency. Transgenic lines were analyzed using molecular and functional techniques. Successful integration of the gene into rice lines was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction with primer sets specific to chitinase and hpt genes. Furthermore, real-time PCR analysis of transformants indicated a strong association between transgene expression and elevated levels of resistance to rice blast. Functional validation of the integrated gene was performed by a detached leaf bioassay, which validated the efficacy of chitinase-mediated resistance in all transgenic Basmati 385 plants with variable levels of enhanced resistance against the P. oryzae. We concluded that overexpression of the maize chitinase 1 gene in Basmati 385 improved resistance against the pathogen. These findings will add new options to resistant germplasm resources for disease resistance breeding. The maize chitinase 1 gene demonstrated potential for genetic improvement of rice varieties against biotic stresses in future transformation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadaf Anwaar
- Department of Biological Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nyla Jabeen
- Department of Biological Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Saima Shafique
- Department of Plant Breeding and Molecular Genetics, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Samra Irum
- Department of Biological Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Hammad Ismail
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Siffat Ullah Khan
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ateeq Tahir
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Nasir Mehmood
- Department of Botany, Rawalpindi Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Mark L. Gleason
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
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Basharat S, Ahmad F, Hameed M, Ahmad MSA, Asghar A, Fatima S, Ahmad KS, Shah SMR, Hashem A, Avila-Quezada GD, Abd_Allah EF, Abbas Z. Structural and Functional Strategies in Cenchrus Species to Combat Environmental Extremities Imposed by Multiple Abiotic Stresses. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:203. [PMID: 38256756 PMCID: PMC10818359 DOI: 10.3390/plants13020203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Multiple abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat, and cold stress prevailing in natural habitats affect plant growth and development. Different species modify their structural and functional traits to combat these abiotic stresses while growing in stressful environments. Cenchrus species, i.e., Cenchrus pennisetiformis, C. setiger, and C. prieurii are widely distributed grasses found growing all over the world. Samples from natural populations were collected from different ecological regions in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa that were exposed to aridity, salinity, and cold, while one site was designated as normal control. In the present study, structural and functional modifications of three Cenchrus species under abiotic stresses were evaluated. It was expected that each Cenchrus species may evolve different strategies to cope with multiple abiotic stresses. All Cenchrus species responded differently whether growing in normal environment or stressful conditions. The most remarkable feature for survival in C. pennisetiformis under cold stress was increased inflorescence and increased stem and root lignification. C. prieurii showed better tolerance to saline and cold environments. C. setiger showed better development of leaf sheath anatomical traits. The structural and functional modifications in Cenchrus species such as development of mechanical tissues provided structural support, while dermal and parenchymatous tissues increased water storage capacity and minimized water loss. An increase in the concentration of organic osmolytes and ionic content aids turgor pressure maintenance and ionic content crucial for plant growth and development. It was concluded that structural and functional alterations in all Cenchrus species were very specific and critical for survival under different environmental stresses. The ecological fitness of these species relied on maintenance of growth and biomass production, and the development of mechanical, vascular, dermal and parenchyma tissues under stressful environmental conditions. Moreover, accumulation of beneficial ions (K+ and Ca2+) and organic osmolytes were critical in turgor maintenance, hence survival of Cenchrus spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Basharat
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan; (S.B.); (F.A.); (M.H.); (M.S.A.A.); (A.A.)
| | - Farooq Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan; (S.B.); (F.A.); (M.H.); (M.S.A.A.); (A.A.)
| | - Mansoor Hameed
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan; (S.B.); (F.A.); (M.H.); (M.S.A.A.); (A.A.)
| | - Muhammad Sajid Aqeel Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan; (S.B.); (F.A.); (M.H.); (M.S.A.A.); (A.A.)
| | - Ansa Asghar
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan; (S.B.); (F.A.); (M.H.); (M.S.A.A.); (A.A.)
| | - Sana Fatima
- Department of Botany, The Government Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan;
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan;
| | - Syed Mohsan Raza Shah
- Department of Botany, Division of Science and Technology, University of Education, Lahore 54700, Pakistan;
| | - Abeer Hashem
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 1451, Saudi Arabia;
| | | | - Elsayed Fathi Abd_Allah
- Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Zaheer Abbas
- Department of Botany, Division of Science and Technology, University of Education, Lahore 54700, Pakistan;
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Iqbal U, Usman Z, Azam A, Abbas H, Mehmood A, Ahmad KS. Invasive success of star weed ( Parthenium hysterophorus L.) through alteration in structural and functional peculiarities. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16609. [PMID: 38107576 PMCID: PMC10725175 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Parthenium weed poses significant threats to cropping systems, socioeconomic structures, and native ecosystems. The pronounced impact is primarily attributed to its rapid and efficient invasion mechanism. Despite that the detrimental effects of Parthenium weed are widely acknowledged, an in-depth scientific comprehension of its invasion mechanism, particularly regarding modifications in structural and functional attributes under natural conditions, is still lacking. To bridge this knowledge gap and formulate effective strategies for alleviating the adverse consequences of Parthenium weed, a study was conducted in the more cultivated and densely populated areas of Punjab, Pakistan. This study was focused on fifteen distinct populations of the star weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) to investigate the factors contributing to its widespread distribution in diverse environmental conditions. The results revealed significant variations in growth performance, physiological traits, and internal structures among populations from different habitats. The populations from wastelands exhibited superior growth, with higher accumulation of soluble proteins (TSP) and chlorophyll content (Chl a&b, TChl, Car, and Chl a/b). These populations displayed increased root and stem area, storage parenchyma, vascular bundle area, metaxylem area, and phloem area. Significant leaf modifications included thicker leaves, sclarification around vascular bundles, and widened metaxylem vessels. Roadside populations possessed larger leaf area, enhanced antioxidant activity, increased thickness of leaves in terms of midrib and lamina, and a higher cortical proportion. Populations found in agricultural fields depicted enhanced shoot biomass production, higher levels of chlorophyll b, and an increased total chlorophyll/carotenoid ratio. Additionally, they exhibited increased phloem area in their roots, stems, and leaves, with a thick epidermis only in the stem. All these outcomes of the study revealed explicit structural and functional modifications among P. hysterophorus populations collected from different habitats. These variations were attributed to the environmental variability and could contribute to the widespread distribution of this species. Notably, these findings hold practical significance for agronomists and ecologists, offering valuable insights for the future management of Parthenium weed in novel environments and contributing to the stability of ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ummar Iqbal
- Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Zartasha Usman
- Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Akkasha Azam
- Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Hina Abbas
- Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
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Mubeen K, Safeen K, Irshad A, Safeen A, Ghani T, Shah WH, Khan R, Ahmad KS, Casin R, Rashwan MA, Elansary HO, Shah A. ZnO/CuSe composite-mediated bandgap modulation for enhanced photocatalytic performance against methyl blue dye. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19580. [PMID: 37949952 PMCID: PMC10638292 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46780-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The removal of toxic dye pigments from the environment is of utmost importance since even trace amounts of these pollutants can lead to harmful impacts on ecosystems. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is a potential technique for eliminating microbiological, inorganic, and organic pollutants from wastewater. Here, we report the band gap alteration of ZnO by making its composites with CuSe to enhance photocatalytic activity. The purpose is to develop metal oxide nanocomposites (ZnO/CuSe) as an effective and efficient material for the photodegradation of methyl blue. The photocatalysts, ZnO nanorods, CuSe, and ZnO/CuSe nanocomposites of different weight ratios were synthesized by the simple and cost-effective technique of precipitation. UV-Vis spectra verified that the ZnO/CuSe photocatalyst improved absorption in the visible region. The optical bandgap of ZnO/CuSe nanocomposites reduced from 3.37 to 2.68 eV when CuSe concentration increased from 10 to 50%. ZnO/CuSe composites demonstrated better photocatalytic activity than ZnO when exposed to UV-visible light. The pure ZnO nanorods could absorb UV light and the nanocomposites could absorb visible light only; this was attributed to the transfer of excited high-energy electrons from ZnO to CuSe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalida Mubeen
- Department of Physics and Applied Mathematics, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Nilore, Islamabad, 45650, Pakistan
- National Institute of Lasers and Optoelectronics College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nilore, Islamabad, 45650, Pakistan
| | - Kashif Safeen
- Department of Physics, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan
| | - Afshan Irshad
- Department of Physics and Applied Mathematics, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Nilore, Islamabad, 45650, Pakistan
- Center for Mathematical Sciences, PIEAS, Nilore, Islamabad, 45650, Pakistan
| | - Akif Safeen
- Department of Physics, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, AJK, 12350, Pakistan.
| | - Tayyaba Ghani
- Department of Metallurgy and Material Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Nilore, Islamabad, 45650, Pakistan
| | - Wiqar H Shah
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, International Islamic University, H-10, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Rajwali Khan
- Department of Physics, University of Lakki Marwat, Lakki Marwat, KP, 28420, Pakistan
| | | | - Ryan Casin
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA
| | - Mohamed A Rashwan
- Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hosam O Elansary
- Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Attaullah Shah
- National Institute of Lasers and Optoelectronics College, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nilore, Islamabad, 45650, Pakistan.
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Iqbal U, Rehman FU, Aslam MU, Gul MF, Farooq U, Ameer A, Asghar N, Mehmood A, Ahmad KS. Survival tactics of an endangered species Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dunal to arid environments. Environ Monit Assess 2023; 195:1363. [PMID: 37874418 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11982-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Withania coagulans is a valuable medicinal plant with high demand, but its wild growth and local usage pose a threat to its natural habitat. This study aims to understand the plant's growth, anatomy, and physiology in different environmental conditions to aid in conservation and re-vegetation efforts. Fifteen differently adapted populations of Withania coagulans were collected from diverse ecological regions, viz., (i) along the roadside, (ii) hilly areas, (iii) barren land, and (iv) wasteland to unravel the adaptive mechanisms that are responsible for their ecological success across heterogenic environments of Punjab, Pakistan. The roadside populations had high values of photosynthetic pigments, total soluble proteins, root endodermis thickness, stem and leaf cortical thickness, and its cell area. The populations growing in hilly areas showed better growth performance such as vigorous growth and biomass production. Additionally, there was enhanced accumulation of organic osmolytes (glycine betaine and proline), chlorophyll content (chl a/b), and enlarged epidermal cells, cortical cells, vascular bundles, metaxylem vessels, and phloem region in roots. In case of stem area, epidermal thickness, cortical thickness, vascular bundle, and pith area showed improved growth. However, the barren land population showed significant increase in carotenoid contents, vascular bundle area, and metaxylem area in roots, and xylem vessels and phloem area in stems and leaves. The wasteland population surpassed the rest of the populations in having greater root dry weight, higher shoot ionic contents, increased root area, thick cortical, and vascular bundle area in roots. Likewise, cortical thickness and its cell area, and pith area in stems, whereas large vascular bundles, phloem region, and high stomatal density were recorded in leaves. Subsequently, natural populations showed the utmost behavior related to tissue organization and physiology in response to varied environmental conditions that would increase the distribution and survival of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ummar Iqbal
- Department of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Punjab, 64200, Pakistan
| | - Fahad Ur Rehman
- Department of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Punjab, 64200, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Usama Aslam
- Department of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Punjab, 64200, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Faisal Gul
- Department of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Punjab, 64200, Pakistan
| | - Umar Farooq
- Department of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Punjab, 64200, Pakistan
| | - Amina Ameer
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Naila Asghar
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, 12350, AJK, Pakistan
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10
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Mehmood A, Zahir S, Rauf Khan MA, Ahmad KS, Abasi F, Raffi M, Proćków J, M Pérez de la Lastra J. Optimization and bio-fabrication of phyto-mediated silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) for antibacterial potential. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-10. [PMID: 37793992 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2242960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
This report examines the bio-fabrication of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) utilizing AgNO3 and leaf extract of Crataegus monogyna as the precursor material. In order to maximize the antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the reaction conditions for the green fabrication of Ag-NPs were optimized. A one factor at a time approach (volume concentration of extract, volume concentration of AgNO3, pH and temperature) was used to optimize the best condition, and results were assessed through UV-visible spectroscopy and particle size distribution. The results showed that 20 mL of plant extract, 80 mL of AgNO3, pH 08, 100 °C temperature were the optimum reaction conditions under which we obtained the smallest Ag-NPs (7 nm). The scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the spherical and crystalline nature of Ag-NPs. The antibacterial activity assay demonstrated a high antibacterial effect of Ag-NPs against S. aureus, P. mirabilis, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa, and that impact was greater with smaller-sized nanoparticles (7 nm). This study shows that leaf extract of C. monogyna is a possible medium for the green fabrication of Ag-NPs, and control over reaction factors can establish the characteristics and antibacterial effectiveness of Ag-NPs.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Sobia Zahir
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Fozia Abasi
- Department of Botany, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Raffi
- Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National Institute of Lasers and Optronics College, Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Jarosław Proćków
- Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - José M Pérez de la Lastra
- Biotechnology of Macromolecules Research Group, Department of Life and Earth Sciences, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, (IPNA-CSIC), Tenerife, Spain
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11
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Mamoona T, Rafique N, Zubair Khan M, Shafique Ahmad K, Bashir S, Ali Shah T, Salamatullah AM, Mekonnen AB, Bourhia M. Phytonutritional and Sensorial Assessment of a Novel Functional Beverage Formulated from an Underutilized Fruit of Carissa spinarum L. ACS Omega 2023; 8:32643-32655. [PMID: 37720775 PMCID: PMC10500662 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c03386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Carissa spinarum L. belongs to the family Apocynaceae. It is a native shrub of Asia, locally known as Karonda or Karanda, and is an underutilized crop throughout the Asian region. The Karonda fruit is a rich source of vitamin C, minerals, phenolics, antioxidants, flavonoids, and other biofunctional compounds. The lack of awareness and knowledge among the community results in the wastage of fruits. Therefore, the present research was designed to formulate an easy-to-prepare beverage drink using C. spinarum fruit to evaluate the nutritional potential of the undervalued Karonda fruit. A beverage drink was formulated with three pulp concentrations: 20, 30, and 40%, each having 12, 14, and 16 °Brix, respectively. A total of nine treatments were prepared and stored for up to 10 weeks in refrigerated storage. The physicochemical parameters, such as pH, titratable acidity, vitamin C, total sugars, anthocyanin, total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidants, were measured at two-week intervals from 0 to 10 weeks. Additionally, a sensory assessment of the beverage was conducted. A decreasing trend in titratable acidity was exhibited among all the treatments (from treatment 1 to treatment 9), with the values decreasing from 0.815 to 0.556 as the fruit concentration increased. On the other hand, an increasing trend was observed for pH (from 3.04 to 3.37), vitamin C (from 22.2 to 31.48), reducing and non-reducing sugars, anthocyanin (from 31.95 to 110), total phenolics (from 19.86 to 32.16), flavonoids (from 0.64 to 0.77), and antioxidants (from 48.8 to 67.6) from treatment 1 to treatment 9, respectively. The sensory studies of the beverage formulations revealed that treatment 9, which consisted of a 40% fruit base and 16 °Brix, was the most acceptable for further development of the beverage at a commercial scale. This study represents a novel scientific contribution toward the utilization of the undervalued fruit of C. spinarum L. for the development of a beverage product. Ultimately, it has the potential to address food insecurity issues worldwide while offering its associated health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Turfa Mamoona
- Department
of Food Science and Technology, University
of Poonch Rawalakot, Poonch, Rawalakot 12350, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Nagina Rafique
- Department
of Food Science and Technology, University
of Poonch Rawalakot, Poonch, Rawalakot 12350, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Zubair Khan
- Department
of Plant Breeding and Molecular Genetics, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Poonch, Rawalakot 12350, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department
of Botany, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Poonch, Rawalakot 12350, Azad Kashmir Pakistan
| | - Saiqa Bashir
- Department
of Food Science and Technology, University
of Poonch Rawalakot, Poonch, Rawalakot 12350, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Tawaf Ali Shah
- College
of Agriculture Engineering and Food Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255049, China
| | - Ahmad Mohammad Salamatullah
- Department
of Food Science & Nutrition, College of Food and Agricultural
Sciences, King Saud University, 11 P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amare Bitew Mekonnen
- Department
of Biology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar 6000, Ethiopia
| | - Mohammed Bourhia
- Departement
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ibn Zohr University, Laayoune 70000, Morocco
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12
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Shehzad MA, Hussain I, Akhtar G, Ahmad KS, Nawaz F, Faried HN, Mehmood A. Insights into physiological and metabolic modulations instigated by exogenous sodium nitroprusside and spermidine reveals drought tolerance in Helianthus annuus L. Plant Physiol Biochem 2023; 202:107935. [PMID: 37579683 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.107935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Drought is the most critical climatic factor instigating severe threats to crop production worldwide. As stress ameliorants, exogenous sodium nitroprusside (SNP) or spermidine (Spd) supply has positive responses in alleviating the drought adversities in crops, however, reports regarding their combined effects is still elusive. Here, the protective role of SNP and Spd to confer drought resistance in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) through up-regulation of physiological and metabolic processes was investigated. Plants were foliar sprayed with individual or combined SNP (100 μM) or Spd (100 μM). Drought was induced by keeping the soil at 100% (normal) and 60% (drought stress) field capacity levels. Drought exposure caused a marked decline in relative water content (RWC), excised leaf water retention (ELWR), net photosynthesis (PN), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs), and sub-stomatal conductance (Ci) with substantial increase in catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POX). SNP plus Spd exhibited a considerable increase in CAT, SOD, and POX activities under drought, and helped the plants to retain optimum water status and gas exchange attributes. Similarly, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were increased significantly to drought; however, a notable decline was recorded in drought prone plants treated with exogenous SNP plus Spd. Moreover, addition of SNP plus Spd under drought caused a remarkable increase in chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), chlorophyll total (Chl t), carotenoids (Car), and growth traits like shoot length (SL), root length (RL), shoot fresh weight (SFW), shoot dry weight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW). Combined SNP and Spd application could potentially alleviate the drought-induced damages in sunflower through increased water status (8-10%), antioxidant enzymes (17-28%), chlorophyll pigments (14-21%), and growth performance (12-22%) under drought stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Asif Shehzad
- Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, 66000, Pakistan.
| | - Israr Hussain
- Department of Agronomy, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, 66000, Pakistan
| | - Gulzar Akhtar
- Department of Horticulture, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, 66000, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.
| | - Fahim Nawaz
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Hafiz Nazar Faried
- Department of Horticulture, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, 66000, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
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Ameer A, Ahmad F, Asghar N, Hameed M, Ahmad KS, Mehmood A, Nawaz F, Shehzad MA, Mumtaz S, Kaleem M, Iqbal U. Aridity-driven changes in structural and physiological characteristics of Buffel grass ( Cenchrus ciliaris L.) from different ecozones of Punjab Pakistan. Physiol Mol Biol Plants 2023; 29:1205-1224. [PMID: 37829703 PMCID: PMC10564708 DOI: 10.1007/s12298-023-01351-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Cenchrus ciliaris L. is a perennial grass that can grow in a diverse range of habitats including challenging deserts. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of aridity on morpho-anatomical and physiological traits in C. ciliaris populations collected from arid and semi-arid areas of Punjab, Pakistan. The populations growing in extremely arid conditions displayed a range of structural and physiological adaptations. Under extremely dry conditions, root epidermal thickness (90.29 µm), cortical cell area (7677.78 µm2), and metaxylem cell area (11,884.79 µm2) increased while root pith cell area (2681.96 µm2) decreased in tolerant populations. The populations under extremely aridity maximized leaf lamina (184.21 µm) and midrib thickness (316.46 µm). Additionally, highly tolerant populations were characterized by the accumulation of organic osmolytes such as glycinebetaine (132.60 µmol g-1 FW) was increased in QN poulations, proline (118.01 µmol g-1 F.W) was maximum in DF populations, and total amino acids (69.90 mg g-1 FW) under extreme water deficit conditions. In arid conditions, abaxial stomatal density (2630.21 µm) and stomatal area (8 per mm2) were also reduced in DF populations to check water loss through transpiration. These findings suggest that various parameters are crucial for the survival of C. ciliaris in arid environments. The main strategies used by C. ciliaris was intensive sclerification, effective retention of ions, and osmotic adjustment through proline and glycinebetaine under arid conditions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-023-01351-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Ameer
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000 Pakistan
| | - Farooq Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000 Pakistan
| | - Naila Asghar
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000 Pakistan
| | - Mansoor Hameed
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000 Pakistan
| | | | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, 12350 AJK Pakistan
| | - Fahim Nawaz
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Muhammad Asif Shehzad
- Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, 66000 Pakistan
| | - Sahar Mumtaz
- Division of Science and Technology, Department of Botany, University of Education, Lahore, 54770 Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Kaleem
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000 Pakistan
| | - Ummar Iqbal
- Department of Botany, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan Campus, Bahawalpur, 64200 Pakistan
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Ahmad I, Sohail M, Hameed M, Fatima S, Ahmad MSA, Ahmad F, Mehmood A, Basharat S, Asghar A, Shah SMR, Ahmad KS. Morpho-anatomical determinants of yield potential in Olea europaea L. cultivars belonging to diversified origin grown in semi-arid environments. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286736. [PMID: 37285364 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant performance is mainly estimated based on plant architecture, leaf features and internal microstructural changes. Olive (Olea europaea L.) is a drought tolerant, oil yielding, and medium sized woody tree that shows specific structural and functional modifications under changing environment. This study was aimed to know the microstructural alteration involving in growth and yield responses of different Olive cultivars. Eleven cultivars were collected all over the world and were planted at Olive germplasm unit, Barani Agricultural Research Institute, Chakwal (Punjab) Pakistan, during September to November 2017. Plant material was collected to correlate morpho-anatomical traits with yield contributing characteristics. Overall, the studied morphological characters, yield and yield parameters, and root, stem and leaf anatomical features varied highly significantly in all olive cultivars. The most promising cultivar regarding yield was Erlik, in which plant height seed weight and root anatomical characteristics, i.e., epidermal thickness and phloem thickness, stem features like collenchymatous thickness, phloem thickness and metaxylem vessel diameter, and leaf traits like midrib thickness, palisade cell thickness a phloem thickness were the maximum. The second best Hamdi showed the maximum plant height, fruit length, weight and diameter and seed length and weight. It also showed maximum stem phloem thickness, midrib and lamina thicknesses, palisade cell thickness. Fruit yield in the studied olive cultivars can be more closely linked to high proportion of storage parenchyma, broader xylem vessels and phloem proportion, dermal tissue, and high proportion of collenchyma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iftikhar Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Mohammad Sohail
- Department of Botany, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Mansoor Hameed
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sana Fatima
- Department of Botany, The Government Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | | | - Farooq Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawlakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Sana Basharat
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Ansa Asghar
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Syed Mohsan Raza Shah
- Department of Botany, Division of Science and Technology, University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan
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Ahmed H, Kilinc SG, Celik F, Kesik HK, Simsek S, Ahmad KS, Afzal MS, Farrakh S, Safdar W, Pervaiz F, Liaqat S, Zhang J, Cao J. An Inventory of Anthelmintic Plants across the Globe. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12010131. [PMID: 36678480 PMCID: PMC9866317 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A wide range of novelties and significant developments in the field of veterinary science to treat helminth parasites by using natural plant products have been assessed in recent years. To the best of our knowledge, to date, there has not been such a comprehensive review of 19 years of articles on the anthelmintic potential of plants against various types of helminths in different parts of the world. Therefore, the present study reviews the available information on a large number of medicinal plants and their pharmacological effects, which may facilitate the development of an effective management strategy against helminth parasites. An electronic search in four major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) was performed for articles published between January 2003 and April 2022. Information about plant species, local name, family, distribution, plant tissue used, and target parasite species was tabulated. All relevant studies meeting the inclusion criteria were assessed, and 118 research articles were included. In total, 259 plant species were reviewed as a potential source of anthelmintic drugs. These plants can be used as a source of natural drugs to treat helminth infections in animals, and their use would potentially reduce economic losses and improve livestock production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haroon Ahmed
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chakh Shazad, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
| | - Seyma Gunyakti Kilinc
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bingol University, Bingol 12000, Turkey
| | - Figen Celik
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Firat, Elazig 23119, Turkey
| | - Harun Kaya Kesik
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bingol University, Bingol 12000, Turkey
| | - Sami Simsek
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Firat, Elazig 23119, Turkey
- Correspondence: (S.S.); (J.C.)
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 12350, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Sohail Afzal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Management & Technology (UMT), Lahore 54770, Pakistan
| | - Sumaira Farrakh
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chakh Shazad, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
| | - Waseem Safdar
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
| | - Fahad Pervaiz
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chakh Shazad, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
| | - Sadia Liaqat
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Park Road, Chakh Shazad, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
| | - Jing Zhang
- The School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jianping Cao
- The School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200240, China
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), Shanghai 200025, China
- Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, Shanghai 200025, China
- World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai 200025, China
- Correspondence: (S.S.); (J.C.)
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Khalil S, Mehmood A, Abdul Rauf Khan M, Shafique Ahmad K, Abasi F, Raffi M, Ali K, Ezaz Hasan Khan M, Aaron Jones D, Abdelkarim M. Antibacterial, antioxidant and photocatalytic activity of novel Rubus ellipticus leaf mediated silver nanoparticles. Journal of Saudi Chemical Society 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jscs.2022.101576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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17
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Mehmood A, Javid S, Khan MF, Ahmad KS, Mustafa A. In vitro total phenolics, total flavonoids, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of selected medicinal plants using different solvent systems. BMC Chem 2022; 16:64. [PMID: 36030245 PMCID: PMC9419333 DOI: 10.1186/s13065-022-00858-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, an interest has surged in utilizing indigenous medicinal plants to treat infectious illnesses and extract bioactive substances, highlighting the need to analyze medicinal plants for phytochemicals and bioactivities. The present study was aimed to evaluate the impact of different solvent systems (aqueous, ethanol, and methanol) used for extraction on total phenolics, total flavonoids, antioxidant, and antibacterial activity of three medicinal plants of Azad Kashmir (Achillea millefolium, Bergenia ciliata, and Aloe vera). High phenolic content was found in methanol extracts of B. ciliata (27.48 ± 0.58 mg GAE/g dry weight), A. vera (25.61 ± 0.33 mg GAE/g dry weight), and A. millefolium (24.25 ± 0.67 mg GAE/g dry weight). High flavonoid content was obtained in the ethanol extract of A. millefolium (27.13 ± 0.64 mg QE/g dry weight), methanol extract of B. ciliata (17.44 ± 0.44 ± 0.44 mg QE/g dry weight), and the methanol extract of A. vera (14.68 ± 0.67 mg QE/g dry weight). Strong 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH) was obtained with a methanol extract of B. ciliata (IC50 = 60.27 ± 0.20 µg/mL). With a zone of inhibition and a minimum inhibitory concentration ranging from 10.00 ± 0.66 to 24.67 ± 1.21 mm and 78 to 625 µg/mL, respectively, all of the studied plants demonstrated notable antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. A. vera showed greater antibacterial activity as compared to other plants under study while methanolic extract showed greater antibacterial activity than ethanolic and aqueous extract. The findings of this research support the use of these medicinal plants to treat a variety of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan.
| | - Sonia Javid
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Faraz Khan
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Amna Mustafa
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350, Pakistan
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18
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Ali MA, Iqbal MS, Ahmad KS, Akbar M, Mehmood A, Hussain SA, Arshad N, Munir S, Masood H, Ahmad T, Kaloi GM, Islam M. Plant species diversity assessment and monitoring in catchment areas of River Chenab, Punjab, Pakistan. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272654. [PMID: 35960769 PMCID: PMC9374230 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Biodiversity data is crucial for sustainable development and making decisions regarding natural resources and its conservation. The study goal was to use quantitative ecological approaches to determine the species richness and diversity of wild flora and the ultimate impact of environmental factors on vegetation dynamics. Methods Quadrats having sizes of 1×1 for herbs, 5×5 for shrubs, and 10×10 m2 for trees were used. Various phytosociological characteristics were investigated in association with a wide variety of environmental variables. Soil analysis based on texture, moisture, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), available potassium (K), and phosphorus (P) were examined. The existing state of vegetation along the River Chenab was assessed using SWOT analysis and a future conservation strategy was devised. Results One hundred twenty different plant speies were divided into 51 families including 92 dicots, 17 monocots, 6 pteridophytes and 1 bryophyte species. Herbs accounted for 89 followed by shrubs (16 species) and trees (15 species). Correlation analysis revealed a highly positive correlation between relative density and relative frequency (0.956**). Shannon and Simpson’s diversity indices elaborated that site 3 and 7 with clay loamy soil had non-significant alpha diversity and varies from site to site. Diversity analysis showed that site 10 was most diverse (22.25) in terms of species richness. The principal coordinate analysis expressed that different environmental variables including OM, soil pH, P, K, and EC affect vegetation significantly, therefore, loamy soil showed presence and dispersal of more vegetation as compared to loam, sandy and sandy loam soils. Further, 170 ppm of available potassium had significant affect on plant diversity and distribution. Conclusion Asteraceae family was found dominant as dicot while poaceae among monocot. Adhatoda vasica was one of the unique species and found in Head Maralla site. For evenness, site 3 had maximum value 0.971. Most of the soil represented loamy soil texture where site 2 and 4 possess high soil moisture content. SWOT analysis revealed strengths as people prefered plants for medicine, food and economic purposes. In weakness, agricultural practices, soil erosion and flooding affected the vegetation. In opportunities, Forest and Irrigation Departments were planting plants for the restoration of ecosystem. Threats include anthropogenic activities overgrazing, urbanization and road infrastructure at Head Maralla, habitat fragmentation at Head Khanki, and extensive fish farming at Head Qadirabad. Future conservation efforts should be concentrated on SWOT analysis outcome in terms of stopping illegal consumption of natural resources, restoration of plant biodiversity through reforestation, designating protected areas and multiplying rare species locally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Azhar Ali
- Biodiversity Informatics, Genomics and Post Harvest Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Sajjad Iqbal
- Biodiversity Informatics, Genomics and Post Harvest Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Muhammad Akbar
- Biodiversity Informatics, Genomics and Post Harvest Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Syed Atiq Hussain
- Biodiversity Informatics, Genomics and Post Harvest Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Noshia Arshad
- Biodiversity Informatics, Genomics and Post Harvest Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Saba Munir
- Biodiversity Informatics, Genomics and Post Harvest Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Hajra Masood
- Biodiversity Informatics, Genomics and Post Harvest Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Tahira Ahmad
- Biodiversity Informatics, Genomics and Post Harvest Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | | | - Muhammad Islam
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan
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Kausar H, Mehmood A, Khan RT, Ahmad KS, Hussain S, Nawaz F, Iqbal MS, Nasir M, Ullah TS. Green synthesis and characterization of copper nanoparticles for investigating their effect on germination and growth of wheat. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269987. [PMID: 35727761 PMCID: PMC9212164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Today, different types of nanoparticles (NPs) are being synthesized and used for medical and agricultural applications. In this study, copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were synthesized using the aqueous extract of mint (Mentha longifolia L.). For the characterization of CuNPs, UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry were used. The UV-Visible absorption peak at 558 nm confirmed the formation of CuNPs. The XRD pattern confirmed the phase-centered crystalline nature of CuNPs. FTIR analysis showed the O-H, Cu-H and C-C bonds, indicating the active role of these functional groups as reducing agents of Cu ions to CuNPS. The synthesized NPs were found to have an almost spherical shape with an average size of 23 nm. When applied to wheat, a condition dependent effect of CuNPs was found. Variety 18-Elite Line 1, Elite Line 3, and 18-Elite Line 6 showed maximum germination and growth rate at 50 mg CuNPs/L, while variety 18-Elite Line 5 showed that increase at 25 mg CuNPs/L. Beyond these concentrations, the seed germination and growth of wheat declined. In conclusion, the application of CuNPs showed a beneficial effect in improving the growth of wheat at a certain concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Humaira Kausar
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Rizwan Taj Khan
- Department of Botany, the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (UAJK), Muzaffarabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Sajjad Hussain
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Fahim Nawaz
- Department of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Punjab, Pakistan
| | | | - Muhammad Nasir
- Department of Botany, University of Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Tariq Saif Ullah
- Department of Botany, University of Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
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Wali R, Khan MF, Mahmood A, Mahmood M, Qureshi R, Ahmad KS, Mashwani ZUR. Ethnomedicinal appraisal of plants used for the treatment of gastrointestinal complaints by tribal communities living in Diamir district, Western Himalayas, Pakistan. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269445. [PMID: 35675300 PMCID: PMC9176800 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Majority of the mountain dwelling communities living in the Himalayas rely on traditional herbal medicines for primary healthcare needs. Present study was conducted in fairy meadows and allied valleys in District Diamir, Gilgit Baltistan autonomous territory in northern Pakistan. Documentation of traditional medicinal knowledge (TMK) of local communities for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders was carried out as a component of a wider medico-botanical expedition conducted in the entire base camp of the great Nanga Parbat peak during 2016–19. Various ethnobotanical parameters i.e. use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF), Fidelity level (FL), direct matrix ranking test (DMRT) and preference ranking (PR) were applied to evaluate the data collected during field surveys. The plants were also subjected to a comparative review for novelty assessment. A total of 61 medicinal plant species belonging to 55 genera and 35 families are reported here for the treatment of GIDs. Compositae was the leading family with 8 (13%) species. Fourteen gastrointestinal disorders were cured with 32% taxon were reported for stomachic followed by diarrhea (15%) and constipation (14%). Highest use reports (5) and use citations (207) were reported for Mentha longifolia L. while highest UV (1.79) was obtained for Artemisia maritima L. Hylotelephium telephioides (Ledeb.), A. maritima, M. longifolia, M. piperita L., Allium cepa L., and A. annua L. exhibited 100% FL. Highest ICF was calculated against dysentery and flatulence. DMRT ranked Prunus persica L. first for its multipurpose uses. Taking constipation as a reference gastrointestinal disease, PR for ten plant species was calculated where H. telephioides was ranked first followed by A. maritima. Present study concluded that 19 out of 61 plant species were documented for the first time with novel medicinal uses to cure GIDs. These plant species could act as potential reservoirs of novel lead compounds for the treatments of gastrointestinal disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahmat Wali
- Department of Botany, PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
- * E-mail: (MFK); (RW)
| | - Muhammad Faraz Khan
- Department of Botany, PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, AJ&K, Pakistan
- * E-mail: (MFK); (RW)
| | - Ansar Mahmood
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, AJ&K, Pakistan
| | - Majid Mahmood
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, AJ&K, Pakistan
| | - Rahmatullah Qureshi
- Department of Botany, PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, AJ&K, Pakistan
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Rasool F, Nizamani ZA, Ahmad KS, Parveen F, Khan SA, Sabir N. Phytotoxicological study of selected poisonous plants from Azad Jammu & Kashmir. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263605. [PMID: 35544538 PMCID: PMC9094571 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Poisonous plants cause tremendous economic losses to the livestock industry. These economic losses are deterioration in their health, decreased productivity, deformed offspring, and reduced longevity. The current study is the first comprehensive report on poisonous plants of Azad Jammu and Kashmir which systematically documents the phytotoxicological effect and mode of action in livestock. The information was gathered from 271 informants including 167 men and 104 women through semi-structured interviews and literature search through available databases. The data collected through interviews was analyzed with quantitative tools viz. the factor informant consensus and fidelity level. A total of 38 species of flowering plants belonging to 23 families and 38 genera were reported. Family Asteraceae (5 spp) was the most dominant, followed by Solanaceae (4 spp), Fabaceae (4 spp), Euphorbiaceae (4 spp) and Convolvulaceae (3 spp). Among all the species collected, herbs were the dominant life form (22 spp, 57.89%), trailed by shrubs (11 spp, 28.95%), and trees (5 spp, 13.16%). Whole plant toxicity was reported to be the highest (15 spp, 39.47%), followed by leaf toxicity (12 spp, 31.58%), seed toxicity (4 spp, 7.89%), fruit toxicity (3 spp, 10.53%), latex toxicity (2 spp, 5.26%), flowers toxicity (1 spp, 2.63%), and berries toxicity (1 spp, 2.63%). The most toxic route of administration was found oral (39 spp, 40.63%), followed by intraperitoneal (24 spp, 25%), and intravenous (21 spp, 21.88%). The most commonly affected organ was found liver (20.41%), followed by gastrointestinal tract (20.341%), CNS (16.33%), skin (14.29%), kidneys (12.24%), lungs (4.04%), reproductive organs (2.04%), spleen (1.75%), blood (1.75%), heart (1.75%), urinary tract (1.75%), and pancreas (1.75%). The maximum Fic value was found for dermatological disorders (0.91), followed by the endocrine system (0.90), gastrointestinal (0.82), neurology (0.77), nephrology (0.67), cardiovascular (0.67), urinary (0.67), respiratory (0.60), sexual (0.60) disorders. Senecio vulgaris, and Ageratum conyzoides were the most important plants with fidelity level (0.95) and (0.87). Nerium oleander, Lantana camara, Leucaena leucocephala, and Ricinus communis were the important poisonous plant with maximum fidelity level (100%). Ricinus communis with reported lowest LD50 (<20 mg/kg) was the top-ranked poisonous plant followed by Lantana camara and Justicia adhatoda (25-50 mg/kg), Nerium Oleander (157.37 mg/kg), and Datura innoxia (400 mg/kg). We found that knowledge about poisonous plants is less prevailing in the rural areas of Azad Kashmir compared to the knowledge about medicinal plants and poisonous nature of reported plants is due to production of toxic substances and presence of essential oils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal Rasool
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan
- Department of Pathobiology, Faulty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Zaheer Ahmed Nizamani
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Fahmida Parveen
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan
| | - Shahzad Akbar Khan
- Department of Pathobiology, Faulty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Naveed Sabir
- Department of Pathobiology, Faulty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan
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Munir M, Sadia S, Khan A, Rahim BZ, Gagosh Nayyar B, Ahmad KS, Khan AM, Fatima I, Qureshi R. Ethnobotanical study of Mandi Ahmad Abad, District Okara, Pakistan. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265125. [PMID: 35389994 PMCID: PMC8989321 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
This study hypothesized that native people have unique traditional knowledge of plant resources in the rural areas and basic objective was the documentation of this valuable inheritance. Ethnobotanical data was collected from a remote rural area of Mandi Ahmad Abad, Union council number NA-144 Tehsil Depalpur District Okara, Pakistan. A total of 94 informants were randomly interviewed to collect data about local names of plant species, mode of administration, recipes and ailments, and ethnobotanical uses through semi-structured questionnaire, interviews and group discussion methods. The collected data was statistically analyzed by calculating use value (UV), frequency of citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC), factor of informant consensus (FIC), family importance value, and relative importance (RI). This study is also compared with ethnobotanical literature by using Jaccard’s index (JI) for similarity analysis. A total of 126 species belonging to 52 families were documented. The Poaceae (13spp.), Leguminosae (12spp.), Solanaceae (10spp.) and Cucurbitaceae (10spp.) were dominant families. Highest used value (UV = 0.22) was obtained for Azadirachta indica. The minimum used value (UV) was showed by Alhagi maurorum, Eclipta prostrata, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Solanum virginianum and Trianthema potulacastrum (UV = 0.01). Hepatitis, stomach ulcer, bowel disorders, urinary problems, psoriasis, cancer, and leucoderma were the most treated ailments with ICF value of 1, followed by leucorrhea (ICF: 0.89), and vomiting (ICF: 0.86). The highest Jaccard’s similarity index value (JI = 0.329) showed that plant species reported in our study was more similar with Arid regions of Northern Punjab, Pakistan. This novel ethnobotanical report concluded that traditional knowledge about use of medicinal plants is decreasing due to allopathic medicines. Immediate steps should be taken for conservation and documentation of traditional knowledge of plants especially those having medicinal properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mubashrah Munir
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Sehrish Sadia
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
- * E-mail: (SS); (KSA)
| | - Adnan Khan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
- * E-mail: (SS); (KSA)
| | | | - Ishrat Fatima
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Rahmatullah Qureshi
- Department of Botany, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
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Iqbal MS, Bashir F, Muhammad Akbar MA, Shafique Ahmad K, Ali MA, Hussain SA, Arshad N, Masood H, Munir S, Ahmad T, Muhammad Islam MI. Cadmium Toxicity Alleviation through Exogenous Application of Gibberellic Acid (GA3) in Mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.) and Rapeseed (Brassica rapa L.). SAINS MALAYS 2021. [DOI: 10.17576/jsm-2022-5111-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
An experiment was carried out by considering adverse impact of heavy metals on human health through consumption of crops. To alleviate the adverse effects of cadmium (Cd) toxicity through foliar application of gibberellic acid (GA3), two varieties of Brassica including Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.) commonly known as ‘Raya’ and rapeseed (Brassica rapaL.) as ‘Toria’ were studied. The Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used with eight treatments including control in four replicates. Treatments were as following, T0 (control), T1 (150 μM CdCl2), T2 (50 mg/L GA3), T3 (75 mg/L GA3), T4 (100 mg/L GA3), T5 (150 μM CdCl2 + 50 mg/L GA3), T6 (150 μM CdCl2 + 75 mg/L GA3), and T7 (150 μM CdCl2 + 100 mg/L GA3). Gibberellic acid (GA3), a plant growth regulator applied exogenously. The concentration of cadmium (150 µM CdCl2) resulted in Cd toxicity affected adversely the morphological and biochemical parameters. Foliar application of GA3 (50 mg, 75 mg and 100 mg) positively influenced the various growth parameters as root length (30 cm), shoot length (129.75 cm), number of leaves (14.5), pods per plant (88) and biochemical parameters like total chlorophyll (0.19 mg/g), protein content (0.70 mg/mL), carbohydrates (0.37 mg/mL) and CAT (0.56 units/mg). Outcome indicated that GA3 reduces the harmful effects of Cd stress in both varieties. It was concluded that all growth and yield parameters of variety ‘Raya’ were better as compared to variety ‘Toria’, hence Raya recommended for large scale cultivation with GA3 under Cd stress.
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Iqbal MS, Ahmad KS, Ali MA, Akbar M, Mehmood A, Nawaz F, Hussain SA, Arshad N, Munir S, Arshad H, Shahbaz K, Bussmann RW. An ethnobotanical study of wetland flora of Head Maralla Punjab Pakistan. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258167. [PMID: 34648500 PMCID: PMC8516287 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wetlands are biologically diverse and highly productive ecosystems that support one-third of all threatened and endangered plants of the world. Wetland plants have been studied ethnobotanically much less than terrestrial plants, including in Pakistan, thus information about the uses of local wetland plants in traditional healthcare system is scare. Head Maralla is a non-recognized wetland with diversified flora that has been focused of the current study. METHODS The ethnobotanical data were collected from four sites viz., River Tavi, Upstream Chenab, River Manawarwala Tavi, and Bhalolpur through questionnaire and interviews during field trips. Quantitative indices including informant consensus factor (ICF), cultural significant indext (CSI), relative frequency of citation (RFC), and use value (UV) were used to analyze the data. RESULTS On the whole, 119 plant species were identified belonging to 54 families, of which 87 species were dicot, 12 monocots, 11 aquatic, 5 ferns, and 4 species were bryophytes. Of these, 50% of the plant species were utilized for therapeutic purposes, followed by leaves which had more than 20% usage of total consumption. Herbs were the primary source of medicine (73 spp) followed by trees (22 spp), weeds (11 spp), shrubs (9 spp), foliose (2 spp) and thaloids (2 spp) in the area. Fic ranged from 0.66 to 0.93 for constipation and respiratory disorders with an average Fic of 0.87 reflecting a high consensus among the informants about the use of plants to treat particular ailment. Major ailments viz., urination (14%), cough (8.40%), cold (6.70%), stomach (5.90%), asthma (5.90%), skin infection (5%), constipation (5%), and diarrhea (4%) etc., were treated with local plant recipes. The highest CSI value was found for A. vesica (7.55) widely used in respiratory disorders and in digestive problems. RFC ranged from 0.92 to 0.15 with the maximum value obtained for R. communis (0.95). The use values ranged from 0.03 to 0.90 with the maximum use value for R. communis (0.90). A positive correlation was found between CSI and RFC (r = 0.29), and CSI and UV (r = 0.29). The JI values ranged from 7.14 to 0.14 indicating strong affinity with Samahani valley, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. Unique species Osmunda regalis was first time reported from Pakistan with novel uses for renal and blood purifier. Fifteen percent (15%) plants contribute as fodder species consumed by local community for livestock while almost 6.7% species were utilized for timber and fuel purposes. CONCLUSION The ecosystem of Head Maralla provide a complex habitat for aqauatic, terrestrial, and agriculture wetland vegetation. It is suggested that conservation efforts should be made to conserve the ethnoecological knowledge of these areas and pharmacological studies should be conducted for noval drug synthesis in future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Muhammad Akbar
- Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Fahim Nawaz
- Institute of Crop Science (340h), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Agronomy, MNS, University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
| | | | - Noshia Arshad
- Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Saba Munir
- Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Hamna Arshad
- Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Khizra Shahbaz
- Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Gujrat, Pakistan
| | - Rainer W. Bussmann
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany, Ilia State University, La Paz, Bolivia
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Ulfat A, Mehmood A, Ahmad KS, Ul-Allah S. Elevated carbon dioxide offers promise for wheat adaptation to heat stress by adjusting carbohydrate metabolism. Physiol Mol Biol Plants 2021; 27:2345-2355. [PMID: 34744370 PMCID: PMC8526630 DOI: 10.1007/s12298-021-01080-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Carbohydrate metabolism in plants is influenced by thermodynamics. The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is expected to rise in the future. As a result, understanding the effects of higher CO2 on carbohydrate metabolism and heat stress tolerance is necessary for anticipating plant responses to global warming and elevated CO2. In this study, five wheat cultivars were exposed to heat stress (40 °C) at the onset of anthesis for three continuous days. These cultivars were grown at two levels of CO2 i.e. ambient CO2 level (a[CO2], 380 mmol L-1) and elevated CO2 level (e[CO2], 780 mmol L-1), to determine the interactive effect of elevated CO2 and heat stress on carbohydrate metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activity in wheat. Heat stress reduced the photosynthetic rate (Pn) and grain yield in all five cultivars, but cultivars grown in e[CO2] sustained Pn and grain yield in contrast to cultivars grown in a[CO2]. Heat stress reduced the activity of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, invertases, Glutathione reductase (GR), Peroxidase (POX), and Superoxide dismutase (SOD) at a[CO2] but increased at e[CO2]. The concentration of sucrose, glucose, and fructose mainly increased in tolerant cultivars under heat stress at e[CO2]. This study confirms the interaction between the heat stress and e[CO2] to mitigate the effect of heat stress on wheat and suggests to have in-depth knowledge and precise understanding of carbohydrate metabolism in heat stressed plants in order to prevent the negative effects of high temperatures on productivity and other physiological attributes. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-021-01080-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneela Ulfat
- Department of Biology, Virtual University of Pakistan, Rawalpindi, 46000 Pakistan
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, 12350 Azad Kashmir Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, 12350 Azad Kashmir Pakistan
| | | | - Sami Ul-Allah
- College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Bahadur Sub-campus, Layyah, Pakistan
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Anwar N, Mehmood A, Ahmad KS, Hussain K. Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles induce phytotoxicity in Vigna radiata L. Physiol Mol Biol Plants 2021; 27:2115-2126. [PMID: 34629782 PMCID: PMC8484397 DOI: 10.1007/s12298-021-01073-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED With the recent developments in the field of nanotechnology, the biosynthesis of nanoparticles has increased tremendously. Silver nanoparticles (SNPs) are among the most synthesized nanoparticles and this extensive synthesis can elevate the amounts of SNPs in the environment, which, consequently, pose a serious threat to the ecosystem and can bring unwanted environmental effects. As plants are an important part of ecosystem, investigation of toxic effects of SNPs on plants is particularly interesting. This study evaluates the potential risk of SNPs interaction with plants. For this, seeds of Vigna radiata L. were screened in presence of SNPs (20 mgL-1) using the germination, growth, and biochemical parameters as a phototoxicity criterion. The 19.57 nm average-sized SNPs were synthesized via the biosynthesis method. These biosynthesized SNPs were then applied on two varieties of V. radiata (Azri and High cross 404) and found to have variety dependent toxic effects on seed germination, growth, and biochemical parameters. Seed germination, root length, shoot length, fresh weight, chlorophyll, carotenoid, sugar content, and total proteins were reduced by 20, 46, 50, 18, 55, 62, 82, and 67%, respectively, in High cross 404, when compared with control (distilled water). The variety Azri was less sensitive than the variety High cross 404. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that SNPs affect seed germination and seedling growth when internalized and accumulated in plants, revealing that SNPs were responsible for the side effects. More in-depth research is required, in the form of different concentrations of SNPs or different plant species, to draw a logical conclusion and develop legislation about the safe use of biosynthesized SNPs. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-021-01073-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najma Anwar
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350 Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350 Pakistan
| | | | - Karamit Hussain
- Department of Botany, The University of Azad Jammu And Kashmir (UAJK), Muzaffarabad, 13100 Pakistan
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Rashid B, Zubair M, Irshad N, Ahmad KS, Mahmood M, Tahir MM, Shah KH, Shaheen A. Correction to: Biomonitoring of Toxic Metals in Feathers of Birds from North-Eastern Pakistan. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 2021; 106:909. [PMID: 33825911 PMCID: PMC8496626 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-021-03221-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bushra Rashid
- Department of Zoology, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Zubair
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.
| | - Nausheen Irshad
- Department of Zoology, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Majid Mahmood
- Department of Zoology, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Majid Mahmood Tahir
- Department of Soil and Environmental Science, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Khizar Hussain Shah
- Department of Chemistry, Comsats University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Aqeela Shaheen
- Department of Soil and Environmental Science, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
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Aqib M, Nawaz F, Majeed S, Ghaffar A, Ahmad KS, Shehzad MA, Tahir MN, Aurangzaib M, Javeed HMR, Habib-ur-Rahman M, Usmani MM. Physiological insights into sulfate and selenium interaction to improve drought tolerance in mung bean. Physiol Mol Biol Plants 2021; 27:1073-1087. [PMID: 34092951 PMCID: PMC8140040 DOI: 10.1007/s12298-021-00992-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The present study involved two pot experiments to investigate the response of mung bean to the individual or combined SO4 2- and selenate application under drought stress. A marked increment in biomass and NPK accumulation was recorded in mung bean seedlings fertilized with various SO4 2- sources, except for CuSO4. Compared to other SO4 2- fertilizers, ZnSO4 application resulted in the highest increase in growth attributes and shoot nutrient content. Further, the combined S and Se application (S + Se) significantly enhanced relative water content (16%), SPAD value (72%), photosynthetic rate (80%) and activities of catalase (79%), guaiacol peroxidase (53%) and superoxide dismutase (58%) in the leaves of water-stressed mung bean plants. Consequently, the grain yield of mung bean was markedly increased by 105% under water stress conditions. Furthermore, S + Se application considerably increased the concentrations of P (47%), K (75%), S (80%), Zn (160%), and Fe (15%) in mung bean seeds under drought stress conditions. These findings indicate that S + Se application potentially increases the nutritional quality of grain legumes by stimulating photosynthetic apparatus and antioxidative machinery under water deficit conditions. Our results could provide the basis for further experiments on cross-talk between S and Se regulatory pathways to improve the nutritional quality of food crops. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-021-00992-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Aqib
- Department of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Fahim Nawaz
- Department of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
- Institute of Crop Science (340 h), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
- Present Address: Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Hohenheim (340 h), 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sadia Majeed
- Department of Agronomy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Ghaffar
- Department of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Muhammad Naeem Tahir
- University College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Aurangzaib
- Department of Agronomy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | | | - Muhammad Habib-ur-Rahman
- Department of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
- Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES) Crop Science, University Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Aziz B, Zubair M, Irshad N, Ahmad KS, Mahmood M, Tahir MM, Shah KH, Shaheen A. Biomonitoring of Toxic Metals in Feathers of Birds from North-Eastern Pakistan. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 2021; 106:805-811. [PMID: 33743020 PMCID: PMC8049892 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-021-03184-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The current study was designed to determine the concentrations of toxic metals (Ni, Pb and Cr) in feathers of birds collected from four regions of NE Pakistan. Feather samples of birds (House Crow, Common Myna and House Sparrow) were collected from different areas. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine the concentration of metals in feathers. Analysis of the data revealed that concentrations of Pb and Cr were significantly different (p < 0.05) among bird species, whereas no difference (p > 0.05) was detected among bird species (house crow, common myna and house sparrow) for Ni. A significant difference was found for the concentration of Pb and Ni in all the four studied regions. Whereas, non-significant difference was found in all the studied regions for the concentrating of Cr. It was revealed that there is significant rising concentration of metals (Pb, Cr) in feathers of birds in Azad Kashmir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bushra Aziz
- Department of Zoology, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Zubair
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.
| | - Nausheen Irshad
- Department of Zoology, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Majid Mahmood
- Department of Zoology, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Majid Mahmood Tahir
- Department of Soil and Environmental Science, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Khizar Hussain Shah
- Department of Chemistry, Comsats University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Aqeela Shaheen
- Department of Soil and Environmental Science, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
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Khan MF, Mashwani ZUR, Mehmood A, Qureshi R, Sarwar R, Ahmad KS, Quave CL. An ethnopharmacological survey and comparative analysis of plants from the Sudhnoti District, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2021; 17:14. [PMID: 33743778 PMCID: PMC7980561 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-021-00435-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This is the first comprehensive report on the traditional and novel uses of medicinal plants practiced by the indigenous communities of the Sudhnoti district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan. The area is rich in folklore and indigenous medicinal knowledge due to a unique tribal composition and socioeconomic conditions. This study aimed to document traditional knowledge of native plant use by the local communities, particularly those used for therapeutic purposes. METHODS Field surveys were conducted from September 2015 to March 2017. Interviews with 125 local inhabitants of different tribes, age groups, genders, and occupations were conducted using structured and semi-structured questions along with group discussions. Data gathered on plant uses, local names, and modes of application of each plant species were organized in tables. Ethnobotanical indices such as use value (UV) and cultural significance index (CSI) were used to produce quantitative information on the plant use category, frequency, and cultural preference of species. Reports on therapeutic uses of medicinal plants were compared with previous studies. RESULTS In all, 88 plant species from 45 families were reported, out of which 67 (77%) were used in ethnomedical applications. Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, and Lamiaceae were the dominant families. Berberis lycium was the most valued plant species, followed by Zanthoxylum armatum and Taraxacum officinale. Mentha arvensis had the highest cultural significance, followed by Mentha longifolia, Punica granatum, and Zanthoxylum armatum. Leaves were the most preferred plant parts in the preparation of medicine exclusively or mixed with other parts. The most frequently used process of crude preparation of medicinal plants was cooking. Oral intake was the predominant route of administration. CONCLUSIONS Our comparative analysis confirmed that most of the plants documented have uses that match those previously reported for the region and other parts of the world, with the exception of novel medicinal uses for 11 plant species, including Verbascum thapsus for earache, Elaeagnus umbellata for hepatitis, Achillea millefolium for oral care, Dicliptera roxburghiana to prevent sunstroke in cattle, Rumex hastatus for allergy antidote, Pyrus pashia for hepatitis, and Nerium oleander for diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Faraz Khan
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, 12350, Pakistan
| | | | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Rehmatullah Qureshi
- Department of Botany, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Rizwan Sarwar
- Department of Botany, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot, 12350, Pakistan
| | - Cassandra L Quave
- Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University, 550 Asbury Circle, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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Deng J, Liang H, Luo X, Zhang W, Gao G, Yang R, Ahmad KS, Zhang G. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of herb Nardostachys jatamans (family: Valerianaceae) in China. Mitochondrial DNA B Resour 2021; 6:254-256. [PMID: 33659647 PMCID: PMC7872520 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2020.1861568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Nardostachys jatamans is an endemic herb in China, distributes mainly in Southeast Gansu, South Qinghai and West Sichuan of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome (a typical quadripartite structure) sequence of N. jatamans was reported. The length of the DNA molecule was 155,268 bp with a large single-copy region (LSC: 87,263 bp), small single-copy region (SSC: 17,327 bp) and inverted repeats (IRa and IRb: 25,339 bp). The overall GC content was 38.56%. It has a total of 129 genes, containing 83 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis has shown that N. jatamans is sister to Valeriana offcinalis. The chloroplast genome provides the basis for development and utilization of N. jatamans in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiabin Deng
- School of Geography and Resources, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang, China
| | - Heng Liang
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Yaan, China
| | - Xuqiang Luo
- School of Geography and Resources, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Geography and Resources, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang, China
| | - Gang Gao
- College of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Yibin University, Yibin, China
| | - Ruiwu Yang
- College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Yaan, China
| | | | - Guiling Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang, China
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Irum S, Jabeen N, Ahmad KS, Shafique S, Khan TF, Gul H, Anwaar S, Shah NI, Mehmood A, Hussain SZ. Biogenic iron oxide nanoparticles enhance callogenesis and regeneration pattern of recalcitrant Cicer arietinum L. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242829. [PMID: 33259506 PMCID: PMC7707474 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This study is the first report on the biosynthesized iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) which mediate in-vitro callus induction and shoot regeneration in economically important recalcitrant chickpea crop (Cicer arietinum L.). Here, we used leaf extract of Cymbopogon jwarancusa for the synthesis of IONPs in order to achieve a better biocompatibility. The bioactive compounds in C. jwarancusa leaf extract served as both reducing and capping agents in the fabrication process of IONPs. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) revealed rods like surface morphology of IONPs with an average diameter of 50±0.2 nm. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) depicted formation of pure IONPs with 69.84% Fe and 30.16% O2. X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and attenuated total reflectance-fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) validate the crystalline structure, chemical analysis detect the presence of various biomolecular fingerprints in the as synthesized IONPs. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy depicts activity of IONPs under visible light. Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) displayed thermal loss of organic capping around 500°C and confirmed their stabilization. The biosynthesized IONPs revealed promising results in callus induction, shoot regeneration and root induction of chickpea plants. Both chickpea varieties Punjab-Noor 09 and Bittle-98 explants, Embryo axes (EA) and Embryo axes plus adjacent part of cotyledon (EXC) demonstrated dose-dependent response. Among all explants, EXC of Punjab-Noor variety showed the highest callogenesis (96%) and shoot regeneration frequency (88%), while root induction frequency was also increased to 83%. Iron content was quantified in regenerated chickpea varieties through inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. The quantity of iron is significantly increased in Punjab-Noor regenerated plants (4.88 mg/g) as compare to control treated plants (2.42 mg/g). We found that IONPs enhance chickpea growth pattern and keep regenerated plantlets infection free by providing an optimum environment for rapid growth and development. Thus, IONPs synthesized through green process can be utilized in tissue culture studies in other important recalcitrant legumes crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samra Irum
- Applied Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nyla Jabeen
- Applied Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch, Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Saima Shafique
- Applied Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Talha Farooq Khan
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Institute of Space Technology Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Hina Gul
- University Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Sadaf Anwaar
- Applied Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Nuzhat Imam Shah
- Department of Microbiology, Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch, Rawalakot (UPR), Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Syed Zaheer Hussain
- Department of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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Majeed M, Bhatti KH, Amjad MS, Abbasi AM, Bussmann RW, Nawaz F, Rashid A, Mehmood A, Mahmood M, Khan WM, Ahmad KS. Ethno-veterinary uses of Poaceae in Punjab, Pakistan. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241705. [PMID: 33142315 PMCID: PMC7608896 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant species of the Poaceae family are not only used as fodder and forage but also contribute substantially to the treatment of various health disorders, particularly in livestock. Consequently, the present study was aimed to document the therapeutic uses of Poaceae practiced by the inhabitants of the Punjab Province for the treatment of various veterinary health disorders. Semi structured interviews, group discussion and field walks were conducted to collect the data. Quantitative indices including cultural significance index (CSI), relative frequency of citations (RFC), fidelity level (FL), relative popularity level (RPL), and Jaccard Index (JI) were used for the data analysis. Traditional uses of 149 species belonging to 60 genera and 16 tribes of 5 sub families of Poaceae were recorded. Whole plants and leaves were the most consistently used parts with 40.94 and 29.53%. The plants were mainly given orally as fodder (59 reports) without processing followed by decoction (35 reports). Most of the species were employed to treat infectious diseases (25.93%), and digestive disorders (14.10%). Triticum aestivum had the highest CSI, RFC and RPL levels at 8.00, 0.96, 1.00, respectively, followed by Oryza sativa and Poa annua. Likewise, T. aestivum and Saccharum spontaneum had 100% FL and ROP. Jaccard index ranged from 12.25 to 0.37. Twelve plant species namely Chrysopogon zizanioides (anti-inflammatory), Pennisetum lanatum (improve bull fertility), Cymbopogon citratus (glandular secretion), Sorghum saccharatum and Themeda triandra (malaria), Aristida funiculate (anticancer), Koeleria argentia (skin allergies), Tetrapogon villosus (antibacterial), Cynodon radiatus (eyes infection), Sporobolus nervosa (Jaundice), Enneapogon persicus (antifungal), and Panicum repens (dysfunctional cattle organs) were reported for the first time, with novel ethnoveterinary uses. The inhabitants of the study area had a strong association with their surrounding plant diversity and possessed significant knowledge on therapeutic uses of Poaceae to treat various health disorders in animals. Plant species with maximum cultural and medicinal values could be a potential source of novel drugs to cure health disorders in animals and human as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Majeed
- Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Hafiz Hayat Campus, Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Khizar Hayat Bhatti
- Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Hafiz Hayat Campus, Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shoaib Amjad
- Department of Botany, Women University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Bagh, AJK, Pakistan
| | - Arshad Mehmood Abbasi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Pakistan
| | - Rainer W. Bussmann
- Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany, Ilia State University, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Fahim Nawaz
- Department of Agronomy, MNS, University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Audil Rashid
- Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Hafiz Hayat Campus, Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Majid Mahmood
- Department of Zoology, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | | | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
- * E-mail: ,
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Majeed S, Nawaz F, Naeem M, Ashraf MY, Ejaz S, Ahmad KS, Tauseef S, Farid G, Khalid I, Mehmood K. Nitric oxide regulates water status and associated enzymatic pathways to inhibit nutrients imbalance in maize (Zea mays L.) under drought stress. Plant Physiol Biochem 2020; 155:147-160. [PMID: 32758996 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is a key signaling molecule that instigates significant changes in plant metabolic processes and promotes tolerance against various environmental stresses including drought. In this study, we focused on NO-mediated physiological mechanisms and enzymatic activities that influence the nutrient concentrations and yield in maize under drought stress. The drought-tolerant (NK-8711) and sensitive (P-1574) maize hybrids were sown in lysimeter tanks and two levels of water stress (well-watered at100% field capacity and drought stress at 60% field capacity) were applied at three-leaves stage of maize. Foliar treatment of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), the donor of NO was applied at the cob development stage. The results showed that the foliar spray of NO regulated water relations by increasing proline content and improved drought tolerance in water stressed maize plants. In addition, it stimulated the activity of antioxidative enzymes which reduced the production of free radicals and lipid peroxidation. The activities of nitrate assimilation enzymes were considerably increased by NO spray which, in turn, increased nutrient accumulation and yield in maize under water deficit conditions. These results acknowledge the importance of NO as a stress-signaling molecule that positively regulates defense mechanisms in maize to withstand water-limited conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadia Majeed
- Department of Agronomy, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Fahim Nawaz
- Department of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan; Institut für Kulturpflanzenwissenschaften (340 h), Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Muhammad Naeem
- Department of Agronomy, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Yasin Ashraf
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Samina Ejaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch, Rawalakot, 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Saba Tauseef
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Ghulam Farid
- Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology, Jhang road, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Iqra Khalid
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Kinza Mehmood
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
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Shafique S, Jabeen N, Ahmad KS, Irum S, Anwaar S, Ahmad N, Alam S, Ilyas M, Khan TF, Hussain SZ. Green fabricated zinc oxide nanoformulated media enhanced callus induction and regeneration dynamics of Panicum virgatum L. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230464. [PMID: 32645102 PMCID: PMC7347099 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study focuses on the usage of bio synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles to increase the tissue culture efficiency of important forage grass Panicum virgatum. Zinc being a micronutrient enhanced the callogenesis and regeneration efficiency of Panicum virgatum at different concentrations. Here, we synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles through Cymbopogon citratus leaves extract to evaluate the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles on plant regeneration ability in switchgrass. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) validate phase purity of green synthesize Zinc oxide nanoparticles whereas, electron microscopy (SEM) has illustrated the average size of particle 50±4 nm with hexagonal rod like shape. Energy dispersive spectroscopy X-ray (EDS) depicted major peaks of Zn (92.68%) while minor peaks refer to Oxygen (7.32%). ZnO-NPs demonstrated the incredibly promising results against callogenesis. Biosynthesized ZnO-NPs at optimum concentration showed very promising effect on plant regeneration ability. Both the explants, seeds and nodes showed dose dependent response and upon high doses exceeding 40 mg/L the results were recorded negative, whereas at 30 mg/L both explants demonstrated 70% and 76% regeneration frequency. The results conclude that ZnO-NPs enhance the plant growth and development and tailored the nutritive properties at nano-scale. Furthermore, eco-friendly approach of ZnO-NPs synthesis is strongly believed to improve in vitro regeneration frequencies in several other monocot plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saima Shafique
- Department of Biological Sciences, Applied Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Lab, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Department of Plant Breeding and Molecular Genetics, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Nyla Jabeen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Applied Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Lab, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- * E-mail: (NJ); (KSA)
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch, Rawalakot (UPR), Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
- * E-mail: (NJ); (KSA)
| | - Samra Irum
- Department of Biological Sciences, Applied Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Lab, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sadaf Anwaar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Applied Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Lab, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Naeem Ahmad
- Department of Physics, Spintronics Laboratory, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sadia Alam
- Department of Microbiology, University of Haripur, Haripur, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ilyas
- Department of Plant Breeding and Molecular Genetics, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Talha Farooq Khan
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Institute of Space Technology Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Syed Zaheer Hussain
- Department of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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Yousaf H, Mehmood A, Ahmad KS, Raffi M. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their applications as an alternative antibacterial and antioxidant agents. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl 2020; 112:110901. [PMID: 32409057 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.110901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a complex global health challenge today. Discovery and development of new natural alternates with novel targets is utmost priority. In this experiment, alternative antibiotic agents in the form of silver nanoparticles (SNPs) and Achillea millefolium L. extracts were evaluated for antibacterial and antioxidant activity. The SNPs were synthesized using aqueous, ethanol and methanol extracts of A. millefolium and were monitored by a color change and UV-vis spectroscopy. The size and shape of the nanoparticles were determined through scanning electron microscopy and phase was assessed through X-ray diffraction. The SNPs were shown to have an average diameter of 20.77, 18.53 and 14.27 nm with spherical, rectangular and cubical shapes, synthesized from aqueous, ethanol and methanol extract respectively. The response of biomolecules present in plant extract during the formation of SNPs was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, showing polyphenols, proteins, carboxylic acid and alcohol are involved in the formation of SNPs. The plant extracts and SNPs were then studied for their antibacterial potential against common human pathogens such as gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), displaying a very good activity against both types of bacteria. The Methanol-SNPs exhibit greater inhibition of DPPH radicals with IC50 7.03 ± 0.31 μg/mL. This green method of synthesis of SNPs would support the production of SNPs with considerably boosted antibacterial and antioxidant properties and significantly enhanced therapeutic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huma Yousaf
- Department of Botany, University of the Poonch, Rawalakot 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Ansar Mehmood
- Department of Botany, University of the Poonch, Rawalakot 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of the Poonch, Rawalakot 12350, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Raffi
- Department of Materials Engineering, National Institute of Laser and Optronics (NILOP), Lehtrar Road, Nilore, Islamabad 45650, Pakistan
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Usmani MM, Nawaz F, Majeed S, Shehzad MA, Ahmad KS, Akhtar G, Aqib M, Shabbir RN. Sulfate-mediated Drought Tolerance in Maize Involves Regulation at Physiological and Biochemical Levels. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1147. [PMID: 31980688 PMCID: PMC6981264 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58169-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Restriction in nutrient acquisition is one of the primary causes for reduced growth and yield in water deficient soils. Sulfur (S) is an important secondary macronutrient that interacts with several stress metabolites to improve performance of food crops under various environmental stresses including drought. Increased S supply influences uptake and distribution of essential nutrients to confer nutritional homeostasis in plants exposed to limited water conditions. The regulation of S metabolism in plants, resulting in synthesis of numerous S-containing compounds, is crucial to the acclimation response to drought stress. Two different experiments were laid out in semi-controlled conditions to investigate the effects of different S sources on physiological and biochemical mechanisms of maize (Zea mays L. cv. P1574). Initially, the rate of S application in maize was optimized in terms of improved biomass and nutrient uptake. The maize seedlings were grown in sandy loam soil fertigated with various doses (0, 15, 30 and 45 kg ha-1) of different S fertilizers viz. K2SO4, FeSO4, CuSO4 and Na2SO4. The optimized S dose of each fertilizer was later tested in second experiment to determine its role in improving drought tolerance of maize plants. A marked effect of S fertilization was observed on biomass accumulation and nutrients uptake in maize. In addition, the optimized doses significantly increased the gas exchange characteristics and activity of antioxidant enzymes to improve yield of maize. Among various S sources, application of K2SO4 resulted in maximum photosynthetic rate (43%), stomatal conductance (98%), transpiration rate (61%) and sub-stomatal conductance (127%) compared to no S supply. Moreover, it also increased catalase, guaiacol peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities by 55, 87 and 65%, respectively that ultimately improved maize yield by 33% with respect to control under water deficit conditions. These results highlight the importance of S fertilizers that would likely be helpful for farmers to get better yield in water deficient soils.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fahim Nawaz
- Department of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan.
| | - Sadia Majeed
- Department of Agronomy, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Gulzar Akhtar
- Department of Horticulture, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Aqib
- Department of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Rana Nauman Shabbir
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
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Khan A, Ayaz R, Mehtab A, Naz K, Haider W, Gondal MA, Umer M, Afzal MI, Shah NA, Afzal MS, Yayi G, Ahmad KS, Ahmed H. Knowledge, attitude & practices (KAPs) regarding rabies endemicity among the community members, Pakistan. Acta Trop 2019; 200:105156. [PMID: 31491398 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rabies is one of the most neglected tropical diseases in numerous regions of the world. Annually, 60,000 deaths have been reported, mostly in Asia and Africa. Dogs are responsible for approximately 99% of human deaths due to rabies. Consequently, incidences of canine bites are increased yet rabies continues to remain a neglected disease in Pakistan. The objective of the study was to investigate the Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) for rabies, among the participants from urban and rural population of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. METHODS Data was collected by conducting household based cross-sectional survey over a period of 5 months (from January 2018 to May 2018). Quantitative data was collected in the form of questionnaires to investigate awareness and knowledge of rabies among the participants. The questionnaire compromised of socio-demographic features and degree of KAP with respect to rabies management and control. RESULTS A total sample size of 434 participants responded in the study. Among them, 89.4% were found to have heard about rabies, 38.7% have no knowledge of signs and symptoms, 93.3% knew that infected dogs are the major cause of spreading rabies and 77.6% considered that the vaccination of animals is important for prevention of rabies. However, only 39.8% actively seek medical treatment at a hospital if bitten by a dog. From the 434 participants 61 reported dog bites, of which 68.8% (42/61) were male and 49.1% (30/61) belonged to age group of 6-25 years. CONCLUSION This study concludes that respondents have relatively limited knowledge, inconsistent attitude and poor practices towards rabies prevention and control. There is a high need of imparting knowledge to the population from multidisciplinary programs for effective management and prevention of rabies.
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Ahmad KS, Hamid A, Nawaz F, Hameed M, Ahmad F, Deng J, Akhtar N, Wazarat A, Mahroof S. Ethnopharmacological studies of indigenous plants in Kel village, Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2017; 13:68. [PMID: 29191238 PMCID: PMC5709976 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-017-0196-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This explorative study was undertaken for the first time in Kel village located in the Upper Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. The purpose was to document the indigenous knowledge of the native people used in the preparation of herbal medicines. METHODS To get the data on traditional uses of medicinal plants, 20 informants were interviewed. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, i.e., use value (UV), relative frequencies of citation (RFC), informant consensus factor (Fic), fidelity level (FL), data matrix ranking (DMR), preference ranking (PR), and jaccard index (JI), were calculated for the recorded medicinal plants. RESULTS A total of 50 medicinal plants belonging to 33 families used in 13 disease categories were documented. Leaves were the frequently used plant parts, and decoction was the commonly used method for herbal medicine. Plants with high use value were Berberis lycium (2.05), Impatiens glandulifera (1.95), Artemisia scoparia (1.75), Ageratum conozoides (1.75), and Achillea millefolium (1.7). The highest RFC value was calculated for Berberis lycium (0.75), Cynoglossum lanceolatum (0.65), and Impatiens glandulifera and Achillea millefolium (0.60 each). The maximum informant consensus factor was for urinary system, cardiac diseases, baldness, and abortion and miscarriage (1.00). Berberis lyceum (95%) used in jaundice, hepatitis, typhoid, fever, and tuberculosis disorders. Plants with maximum fidelity level (FL) were Berberis lycium (95%) followed by Dioscorea bulbifera, Impatiens glandulifera, and Artemisia vulgaris (90%). Olea ferruginea was the most multipurpose plant and exports (21.2%) was the leading threat in the area. The pearson correlation coefficient (0.500) showed a positive correlation between the use value and relative frequency of citation. CONCLUSION The present study provides useful information about traditional uses of medicinal plants used by local communities in different ailments. The plants with the highest use values could be employed in pharmacological research and biotechnological approaches in order to achieve adequate revenue. Some of the plants in the study area are facing high threats of becoming rare, and conservation initiatives are needed to conserve them for sustainable management in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abdul Hamid
- Department of Horticulture, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350 Pakistan
| | - Fahim Nawaz
- Department of Agronomy, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Mansoor Hameed
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Farooq Ahmad
- Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Jiabin Deng
- School of Geography and Tourism, Guizhou Education University, Guiyang, China
| | - Noreen Akhtar
- Department of Botany, G.C. Women University, Faisalabad, 38000 Pakistan
| | - Ambreen Wazarat
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350 Pakistan
| | - Sehrish Mahroof
- Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir, 12350 Pakistan
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Ahmad KS, Hameed M, Deng J, Ashraf M, Hamid A, Ahmad F, Fatima S, Akhtar N. Ecotypic adaptations in Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) for altitudinal stress tolerance. Biologia (Bratisl) 2016. [DOI: 10.1515/biolog-2016-0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Matthews A, Emelianova K, Hatimy AA, Chester M, Pellicer J, Ahmad KS, Guignard MS, Rouhan G, Soltis DE, Soltis PS, Leitch IJ, Leitch AR, Mavrodiev EV, Buggs RJA. 250 years of hybridization between two biennial herb species without speciation. AoB Plants 2015; 7:plv081. [PMID: 26187604 PMCID: PMC4571729 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plv081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 07/04/2015] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Hybridization between plant species can generate novel morphological diversity and lead to speciation at homoploid or polyploid levels. Hybrids between biennial herbs Tragopogon pratensis and T. porrifolius have been studied in experimental and natural populations for over 250 years. Here we examine their current status in natural populations in southeast England. All hybrids found were diploid; they tended to grow taller and with more buds than their parental species; many showed partial fertility; a few showed evidence of backcrossing. However, we found no evidence to suggest that the hybrids are establishing as a new species, nor can we find literature documenting speciation of these hybrids elsewhere. This lack of speciation despite at least 250 years of hybridization contrasts with the fact that both parental species have formed new allopolyploid species through hybridization with another diploid, T. dubius. Understanding why hybrids often do not speciate, despite repeated opportunities, would enhance our understanding of both the evolutionary process and risk assessments of invasive species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Matthews
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK Present address: Division of Ecology and Evolution, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, UK
| | - Katie Emelianova
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Abubakar A Hatimy
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Michael Chester
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA Department of Plant Science, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Jaume Pellicer
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3DS, UK
| | - Khawaja Shafique Ahmad
- Lab of Plant Taxonomy, Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
| | - Maité S Guignard
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Germinal Rouhan
- Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, UMR CNRS 7205, Herbier National, CP3916 rue Buffon, F-75231 Paris, France
| | - Douglas E Soltis
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Pamela S Soltis
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Ilia J Leitch
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3DS, UK
| | - Andrew R Leitch
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Evgeny V Mavrodiev
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Richard J A Buggs
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
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Ahmad KS. Training to be peri-operative physicians. Anaesthesia 2000; 55:302-3. [PMID: 10744576 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2044.2000.01351.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Segasothy M, Muhaya HM, Musa A, Rajagopalan K, Lim KJ, Fatimah Y, Kamal A, Ahmad KS. Analgesic use by leprosy patients. Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis 1986; 54:399-402. [PMID: 3746043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
We questioned 235 subjects with leprosy regarding the consumption of analgesic preparations, and 46 subjects (19.5%) admitted to having consumed more than 2 kg of analgesics; the main reason for consumption was neuritic pain. The commonly consumed analgesics are paracetamol (acetaminophen) and local proprietary compound analgesics containing aspirin, phenacetin, and caffeine. Intravenous urograms were done on 28 of the 46 subjects, but none showed evidence of renal papillary necrosis. The reasons for this lack of renal papillary necrosis are postulated. Excessive ingestion of analgesics may be a contributory factor in the development of interstitial nephritis in patients with leprosy.
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