Impact of Prevalent Dietary Pattern on Serum Vitamin B12 Status and Its Association With Inflammation Among Reproductive Age Women.

SCOPE: Association between vitamin B12 deficiency (VB12D) and dietary patterns being well documented has bearing on obstetrics and neonatal outcomes. However, relationship between VB12D and serum inflammatory markers (IMs), particularly in vegetarian diet and Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), remains elusive. This cross-sectional study assesses VB12D and IMs among reproductive age women consuming different diets. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nonvegetarian (PCOS, n = 104; healthy, n = 148) and vegetarian women (PCOS n = 112; healthy, n = 186) are for evaluated clinical, biochemical, hormonal assessment, inflammatory, and four vitamin B 12 (VB12) markers. VB12D is defined by Fedosov's wellness quotient (4cB12). Using 4cB12, prevalence of VB12D is discerned in 54.4% (PCOS: 72.1%; healthy 36.5%) and 93.4% (PCOS: 95.9%; healthy: 91.9%) among nonvegetarians and vegetarians, respectively. Vegetarian PCOS women depict lowest median (interquartile range [IQR]) of serum B12 76.2(72.6) pg mL-1, holotranscobalamine (HTC) 37.9(11.3) and highest homocysteine (HCY) 40.32(6.0) µmol L-1, methylmalonic acid (MMA) 352.26(156.7) nmol L-1 with highest Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and IMs (Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α) and Interleukin 6 (IL-6)). Significant correlation of serum hs-CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 with VB12 markers is observed. CONCLUSION: The VB12D is rampant among reproductive age women that gets exacerbated by PCOS or vegetarian diet. It is directly correlated with magnitude of proinflammatory markers. The results carry substantial implications for public health policies aimed at improving preconception maternal VB12 status for better future pregnancy and offspring outcomes.

Efficacy of serum anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels for prediction of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and its association with clinical, biochemical and hormonal parameters.

Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) has been proposed to add significance to diagnosis of PCOS in case of ambiguity. However, variable cutoffs of AHM among PCOS women have been reported. Using case-control design, this study investigated the diagnostic threshold of serum AMH levels among age matched 113 PCOS and 75 normo-ovulatory women and its correlation with clinical, hormonal and ultrasonographic parameters.PCOS was defined as per Rotterdam criteria 2003. Results depicted the mean serum AMH level to be significantly higher in PCOS group (7.84 ± 3.67vs. 3.23 ± 1.56 ng/mL) than controls. The AMH levels were positively(p = 0.001) associated with ovarian volume (r = 0.521) as well as number of ovarian follicles(r = 0.461). Further, serum AMH levels showed a positive correlation with luteinizing hormone/follicle stimulating hormone (LH/FSH) ratio (r = 0.206, p = 0.02), but no correlation significant with age, BMI,FG score and testosterone levels. As per receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, cut-off was worked out to be 3.76 ng/ml with 86.7% sensitivity and 62.7% specificity. The mean level of AMH were highest among PCOS women with phenotype A (12.67 ± 3.46 ng/ml) with least among PCOS women displaying phenotype B(7.28 ± 1.60 ng/ml) where there is absence of PCOM. In conclusion, serum AMH levels are highly predictive of PCOM and high LH/FSH ratio among PCOS women and may be a potent diagnostic marker of ovarian dysfunction either alone or in conjunction with other tools. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12291-022-01058-4.

A novel mutation in the KCNJ11 gene (p.Val36Glu), predisposes to congenital hyperinsulinemia.

The hypoglycemia induced by insulin hypersecretion in congenital hyperinsulinemia (CHI), a rare life-threatening condition can lead to irreversible brain damage in neonates. Inactivating mutations in the genes encoding KATP channel (ABCC8 and KCNJ11) as well as HNF4A, HNF1A, HADH, UCP2, and activating mutations in GLUD1, GCK, and SLC16A1 have been identified as causal. A 3-month-old male infant presenting tonic-clonic seizures and hyperinsulinemia was clinically assessed and subjected to genetic analysis. Besides the index patient, his parents were clinically investigated, and a detailed family history was also recorded. The laboratory investigations and the genetic test results of the parents were compared with the index patient. The biochemical and hormonal profile of the patient confirmed his suffering from CHI and did not respond to diazoxide treatment. The genetic testing revealed that the subject harbored a novel homozygous missense mutation in the KCNJ11 gene, (c.107T>A, p.Val36Glu.). The bioinformatic analysis revealed that valine is highly conserved and predicted that the variant allele (p.Val36Glu) is likely pathogenic and causal for CHI. Parents were heterozygous carriers and did not report any abnormal metabolic profile. Identification of such mutations is critical and likely to change the therapeutic interventions for such patients in the future.

Variation in normative values of major clinical biochemistry analytes in healthy reproductive-age women in India: A subset of data from a National Indian Council of Medical Research-Polycystic Ovary Syndrome task force study.

OBJECTIVES: Clinical biochemistry reference intervals (RIs) play a crucial role in interpreting patient test results and making informed clinical decisions. Using data from an ongoing Indian Council of Medical Research-National task force study on healthy women, normative ranges for commonly analyzed biochemical analytes were established. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A.total of 13,181 women of reproductive age (18-40 years) were recruited from different urban and rural regions of the country, of which 9898 women signed an informed consent were included. Among these, women having features of hyperandrogenism, menstrual cycle irregularities, and comorbidities were excluded. RIs of 22 analytes were computed in the remaining 938 women controls. To estimate the 95% range of the reference distribution, the limits of the 2.5th percentile and the 97.5th percentile were used in the study. RESULTS: Mean ± standard deviation of age and body mass index of participants was 30.12 ± 6.32 years and 22.8 ± 3.36 kg/m2 respectively. Centiles (2.5th-97.5th) of liver function parameters, lipid parameters, glycaemic parameters, and renal parameters are presented. No significant difference in analytes was observed in relation to the area of residence, and age groups except in albumin (P = 0.03). The distribution of most of the parameters was consistent with the various RI studies conducted in India as well as other countries. CONCLUSION: This is the first study generating biochemical RIs data among a large representative sample of healthy reproductive-age women recruited using a robust design across the country. The resource may serve as a reference range for common biochemical analytes for future in this age group.

Do Pleiotropic Effects of Spironolactone in Women with PCOS Make it More than an Anti-androgen? Evidence from a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Spironolactone use as a treatment for hirsutism and other dermatological conditions among polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and idiopathic hirsutism shows varied results. OBJECTIVE: This study thus summarizes the entire evidence to better define its impact on Ferriman-Gallwey (FG) score in addition to other derangements associated with PCOS. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Scopus and bibliographies of relevant articles were searched. Randomized controlled trails (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of spironolactone in PCOS and idiopathic hirsutism were included. Pooled mean difference (MD) was calculated using random effects model and relevant subgroup analysis was done. Potential heterogeneity and publication bias was assessed. RESULTS: Of 1041 retrieved studies, 24 RCTs were included. Spironolactone (100 mg/daily) exhibited a significant reduction in FG score in idiopathic hirsutism compared to finasteride (MD: -2.43; 95% C.I: -3.29, -1.57) and cyproterone acetate (MD: -1.18; 95% C.I: -2.10, -0.26), however, no significant difference was found among PCOS subjects in comparison to flutamide and finasteride. A lower dose of spironolactone (50 mg/day) exhibited no significant difference relative to metformin on FG Score (MD: -0.61; 95% C.I: -1.76, 0.54, I2 = 57%), serum total testosterone (MD: -0.61; 95% C.I: -1.76, 0.54), I2 = 57% and HOMA-IR (MD: 1.03; 95% C.I: -1.22, 3.29), I2 = 60% among PCOS women. The main side effects reported by the studies were menstrual irregularity, mild nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. CONCLUSION: Spironolactone is well tolerated among idiopathic hirsute and PCOS women. The drug significantly improved hirsutism in the former group and shows a positive trend in the latter women, however, displays no effect on FSH, LH, menstrual cyclicity, BMI, and HOMA-IR in PCOS women.

Effect of exogenous taurine on pea (Pisum sativum L.) plants under salinity and iron deficiency stress.

Soil salinity and Fe deficiency affect plant growth and survival by changing nutrient availability and disrupting water balance. Natural and human activities, such as evaporation and deforestation, can intensify these soil conditions. Taurine, a novel growth regulator, holds promise in mediating plant defense responses. Its effects on defense responses are still unclear. Previously, taurine showed potential in improving clover tolerance to alkaline stress and manganese toxicity. Taurine impact on plant growth under Fe deficiency and salinity stress remains uninvestigated. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of taurine on pea plant growth, ion uptake, and defense strategies in response to salt stress and Fe deficiency. Iron deficiency was established by substituting 0.1 mM FeSO4 for 0.1 mM Fe-EDTA in the nutrient solution. Salinity stress was induced by incorporating a mixture of NaCl, MgCl2, KCl, Na2SO4, Na2CO3, NaHCO3 and CaCl2 in a 1:1:1:1:1:1:1 ratio to produce a salinity concentration of 100 mM. The simultaneous imposition of salinity and Fe deficiency significantly exacerbated oxidative stress, as evidenced by elevated levels of relative membrane permeability, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide radical (O2•-), methylglyoxal (MG), malondialdehyde (MDA), and increased activity of lipoxygenase (LOX). Salinity stress alone and the combination of salinity and Fe deficiency resulted in substantial accumulation of Na+ ions that impeded acquisition of essential nutrients. Taurine (100 and 200 mg L-1) notably improved osmotic adjustment and oxidative defense to diminish water imbalance and oxidative injury in plants under stress. These results suggest that exogenous taurine may serve as a promising means of mitigating the detrimental effects of salt stress and Fe deficiency in plants.

Exogenous α-Tocopherol Regulates the Growth and Metabolism of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) under Drought Stress.

The present investigation was designed to improve drought stress tolerance in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) through the exogenous application of α-tocopherol (TOC). For exogenous application, two modes, i.e., foliar spray (FS) and pre-sowing seed treatment (PS), were used. Water deficiency treatment (50% field capacity (FC)) was applied on 32-day-old seedlings of two eggplant cultivars, i.e., Janak and Black Beauty. Five levels of TOC (0 mg/L, 50 mg/L PS, 100 mg/L PS, 50 mg/L FS, and 100 mg/L FS) were applied as PS and FS. Pre-sowing seed treatment was conducted before seed sowing, while FS treatment after 30 days of drought stress treatment. After 15 days of TOC as an FS application, it was observed that drought stress significantly reduced plant growth (5-15%) and chlorophyll contents (4-10%), while it increased proline (4-6%), glycine betaine (GB) (5-10%), malondialdehyde (MDA) (10.8%), hydrogen peroxide (15-16%), relative membrane permeability (RMP) (5-8%), and the activities of peroxidase (7-8%) and superoxide dismutase (12-15%) in both eggplant cultivars. The TOC application (FS and PS) exhibited a positive role in overcoming the adverse effect of water stress on eggplants. Plant growth increased (15-18%) as a result of the application of TOC, which could be linked with improved chlorophyll, ascorbic acid (AsA), GB, proline, total soluble proteins (TSP), and the activities of peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. The reactive oxygen species H2O2 was also decreased by TOC application. Overall, TOC as a foliar spray was more effective in improving the accumulation of proline, GB, AsA, and activities of SOD and POD enzymes, while PS treatment was more effective in reducing RMP and improving the TSP of eggplant. Cv. Black Beauty was comparatively better in root dry weight, chlorophyll a and b, and MDA contents, while cv. Janak in RMP, AsA, TSP, and activity of the POD enzyme. It can be inferred that the application of TOC was useful in counteracting the harmful effects of drought stress on both cultivars of eggplants.

Insights into New Therapeutic Approaches for the Treatment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: An Updated Review.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a long-term, highly prevalent, complex heterogeneous, polygenic endocrine disorder characterized by both metabolic and reproductive disorders. It affects 6-23% of reproductive-age women globally. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to facilitate an understanding of novel PCOS management approaches and highlight the results from relevant interventional animal and human studies. METHODS: Manual search on PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases was performed for relevant articles, preclinical and clinical trials based on related keywords. RESULTS: According to a multitude of studies, PCOS has evolved over time, but a substantial lag remains in management approaches. New insights into the cross-talk between muscle, brain, fat, and ovaries pointed out new therapeutic targets. This review has highlighted the efficacy of a wide spectrum of novel therapeutic agents [Phosphodiesterase-4 Inhibitors, Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, nutritional supplements (Vitamins D and K, omega-3, prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics), fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and intestinal cytokine IL-22] as PCOS therapeutic options. These novel therapies combine anti-inflammatory, insulinsensitizing, and anti-obesity activities, along with the restoration of the gut microbiota and thus hold the potential to address the basic pathogenic mechanisms of PCOS. CONCLUSION: Exhaustive, multicentric and multiethnic studies are vital to generating a network of normative data to better figure out the PCOS trajectory and change prognostic outcomes. Preclinical and clinical data are warranted to corroborate the new therapeutics and direct health care resources accordingly.

Assessment of wheat productivity responses and soil health dynamics under brackish ground water.

The continuous use of brackish groundwater for irrigation is detrimental for soil and crop attributes. A three-year research study was designed for the wheat crop to assess the effects of brackish groundwater on crop yield and soil health under a surface irrigation system. Three sites were selected in different cropping zones of Pakistan. The treatments comprised of irrigation with moderately brackish water having 0.8, 1.3 & 2.7 dSm-1 of salinity and canal water. The results indicated that EC, SAR, bicarbonates, Ca2+ and Mg2+ levels increased in the soil for consecutive years and this increase was more at site S3 followed by S2 and S1. As soil depth is concerned, the increase was more pronounced in upper layers of soil (0-15 cm) as compared to 15-30 cm depth. Growth and yield were also affected by the consecutive use of this water, the number of plants, plant height, the number of spikes per plant, and yield was reduced at all the three sites. However, the impact was less pronounced at the site S1 whereas S3 was the most affected one. Grain weight and dry matter weight were observed to be maximum at S1. Water productivity was also calculated for all the three sites. Maximum water productivity was observed at S1 followed by S2 & S3. It was concluded that the continuous use of brackish water would have an adverse effect on crop yield and subsequently, soil health is also affected by it significantly.

Ethnobotanical and conservation studies of tree flora of Shiwalik mountainous range of District Bhimber Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.

The present study was carried out to explore and document traditional ethnobotanical knowledge of indigenous rural communities of Shiwalik mountainous range regarding tree flora of the area, District Bhimber of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. The local people of the area primarily depend on wild flora for life sustenance and cure of different infirmities. In this research, data was collected through visual appraisal and participatory rural approach using questionnaire method by applying semi-structured and structured-interview protocols (S4 Table). To validate and explore novelty of research work, various quantitative ethnobotanical indices like informant consensus factor, use value index, fidelity level, relative frequency of citation, relative importance of plants, rank order of priority, Jaccard index and priority ranking were used. The highest ICF was found for jaundice with 0.91 value followed by ICF values of 0.89, 0.86 and 0.85 for wounds, skin diseases and stomach pains, respectively. Fidelity level predicted that Azadirachta indica (Indian lilac tree) ranked first (100%) for its prevalent use in ethnomedicines. Highest use value index (0.61) was found for Azadirachta indica while the highest relative frequency of citation (55) was measured for Melia azedarach. The relative order of priority index was the highest for Azadirachta indica and Acacia arabica L. (ROP = 100) depicting their prevalent use in ethnomedicines. For EB study, the highest relative importance (50.8) was found for Azadirachta indica with good number of agro-uses and its seeds and bark are sold or marketed in local markets to prepare herbal therapeutics by indigenous practioners. The Jaccard index depicted that many traditional ethnomedicinal uses of prescribed trees were novel in recipe form or first time reported such as Senegalia modesta (Phulai) resin was used to prepare 'Panjoori' a local tonic prepared from cow or buffalo butter mixing with seeds of Papaver somnifera (Kashkhash) and Prunus amygdalus (Badaam). The wood of many trees like Pinus roxburghii (pine), Dalbergia sissoo (rosewood), Senegalia modesta (Phulai), Acacia. Arabica (kikar), Bombax cieba (cotton tree) is commercially sold as timber in markets (S3 Table). The research proved that population explosion and climate changes have triggered severe biotic and abiotic pressure on tree flora of the study area of Bhimber, AJK. The research describes that plants like Terminalia belerica (belerica), Terminalia arjuna (arjun tree), Cassia fistula (Indian laburnum), Butea monosperma (bastard teak), Phyllanthus emblica (Indian gooseberry), Morus laevigata (Shah toot), Bauhinia variegata (orchid tree) and Flacourtia indica (Indian plum/ kakoo) are threatened species and their population is highly reduced and if reclamation measures for their conservation are not taken, it may lead towards their complete loss from the area. This research recommends sustainable ethnobotanical use of tree flora, their growth and conservation for green and ecofriendly environment for safe and secure future of human generation.

The modulation of PI3K/Akt pathway by 3ß hydroxylup-12-en-28-oic acid isolated from Thymus linearis induces cell death in HCT-116 cells.

The presence of intricate carbon skeletons in natural compounds enhances their bioactivity spectrum with unique modes of action at several targets in various dreadful diseases like cancer. The present study was designed to purify the molecules from Thymus linearis and elucidate their antiproliferative activity. The compounds were isolated from the active methanolic extract of Thymus linearis through column chromatography and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. Antiproliferative activity of isolated compounds was evaluated using MTT assay on cancer and normal cell lines. Mechanism of cell death was elucidated using flow cytometric, microscopic, and Western blot analysis. Four compounds, Sitosterol, Chrysin, 3ß-hydroxylup-12-en-28-oic acid (3BH), and ß-Sitosterol glycoside, were isolated. Among these, 3BH was most potent antiproliferative agent across all cell lines under study, HCT-116 being the most affected one. 3BH was demonstrated to downregulate PI3Ksubunits (p110α and p85α), downstream pAktSer473 and prompted G1 phase cell cycle arrest. The cell cycle CDK inhibitor p27 and p21 were upregulated with simultaneous downregulation of cyclin D1 and cyclin E in HCT-116 cells. This was accompanied by apoptosis, as depicted by decrease in Bcl-2/Bax ratio, with increase in active caspases-3 and caspase-9, cleavage of PARP-1, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The findings established that 3BH induced cell death in HCT-116 cells by modulating PI3K/Akt signaling axis, impeding cell cycle, and instigating apoptosis.

Inventorization of traditional ethnobotanical uses of wild plants of Dawarian and Ratti Gali areas of District Neelum, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: An ethnobotanical expedition was conducted to document the traditional ethnobotanical (TEB) uses of wild flora of Dawarian and Ratti Gali villages of District Neelam, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Pakistan. District Neelam has rich plant diversity and is hub of many endemic plant species while the study areas are not yet explored. The research area: Dawarian and Rati Gali (DRG) area is mountaineous terrain and villages are located on far and farther distances. DRG area has rich biocultural and plant diversity comprising of different ethnic groups of Kashmir state. The current research was aimed to explore and document traditional medicines (TEMs) and other domestic and commercial uses of wild plants. This study will assist to evaluate conservation and commercial worth of wild flora which can be potential candidate for drug discovery through ethnopharmacological analysis. METHODS: The current quantitative ethnobotanical research was carried out in 2018 by interviewing 150 indigenous informants (90 male and 60 female) of DRG area using questionnaire applying structured and semi structured interview methodology. Data analysis was analyzed by using quantitative ethnobotanical statistical tools such as fidelity level (FL), informant consensus factor (ICF), Spearman's rank correlation (SRC) and data matrix ranking (DMR). RESULTS: The indigenous people of DRG area use wild plants in their daily life to cope life necessities i.e. food, vegetables, fodder, fuel, shelter, timber and herbal medicines. TEMs are primarily used to cure different infirmities like diabetics, asthma, dysentery, constipation, cold, fever, joint pain, wound healing, cancer, cardiovascular disorders, epilepsy, kidney infections and many types of skin diseases. Current study revealed the data of 103 wild plants species belonging to 46 plant families from selected areas of District Neelum, AJK. Results depicted that Asteraceae ranked 1st (12 plants spp). Among plant parts used leaf ranked 1st (18%), followed by seed (17%) and root (13%). While prevalent form recipe mode was decoction (20%), followed by powder (17%) and extract (14%) and fodder was highest (37%) EB use-form fodder, followed by food (32%) and fuel (17%). Quantitative ethnobotanical analysis (QEA) was carried to find the reliability and novelty of the study. Five plant species including Berberis lyceum (FL = 97.78%), Isodon rugosus (FL = 95.71%), Saussurea lappa (FL = 94.74%), Aconitum heterophyllum (FL = 92.71%) and Taxus baccata (91.58%) had shown high fidelity level which confirmed that these plants have high medicinal worth in study area. The highest value (0.94) of ICF was for diseases group "tuberculosis and leucorrhea", followed by stomachache and flatulence (0.93), diabetics and blood pressure (0.92) and asthma and chest infections (0.88). For other uses fuel with ICF (0.83) ranked first and second was hedging and thatching (ICF = 0.82) where people use plants or their parts for construction. Spearman's rank correlation (SRC) test indicated that number of TEB uses increases if number of species is increased. Jaccard index (JI) analysis depicted that 56.31% plants are being used as TEMs which are first time explored from the study area. While 26.21% plants are being used in different TEB uses which are different from past cited literature. These novel findings of research indicate that wild flora of the study area has great potential for novel drug discovery and provision of materialist services for the indigenous communities. CONCLUSION: The present research revealed that TEMs uses of 58 plants are novel being first time reported from the study area (DRG) of District Neelam of AJK. The results showed that plants like Acer cappadocicum, Ajuga bracteosa and Swertia paniculata are used to cure diabetes, Viscum album, Viola canescens, Taxus baccata are used for cure of cancer, Isodon rugosus, Polygala chinensis are used in TEMs for treating cardiovascular disorders and Anaphalis triplinervis is used for epilepsy. Berberis lyceum, Ajuga bracteosa, Aconitum heterophyllum, Bistorta amplexicaule, Saussurea lapa and Jurinea dolomiaea are severely threatened and there is urgent need to do conservation measures for available of valuable MPs to the indigenous communities for life necessities and for future research. The current study will also be useful addition in ethnobotanical database, preservation of traditional culture and drug discovery and drug development through future ethnopharmacological research.

Effect of Pharmaceutical Effluents on Growth, Oxidative Defense, Secondary Metabolism, and Ion Homeostasis in Carrot.

Pharmaceutical wastes are environmental micro pollutant and potential risk for the ecosystem. Therefore, the present study was planned to find out the effects of different pharmaceutical effluent (PE) regimes on growth, secondary metabolism, and oxidative defense in 2 carrot lines. The seeds of 2 carrot lines (DC-3 and T-29) were spread in plastic pots containing sandy loam soil. The design of experiment was completely randomized with 3 replicates per treatment. At vegetative stage, plants were irrigated with 5 different doses (control), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) of PE on every 3-day interval, while control plants were irrigated with canal water. The carrot roots were harvested after 25 days' application of the treatments to determine various attributes. High concentration of PE caused a substantial decline in growth, beta carotenoids, anthocyanin, total soluble protein, free amino acids, total soluble sugar, phenolic and flavonoid contents and an increase in proline, levels of H2O2 and MDA, activities of antioxidant enzymes such as peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in both lines. Moreover, PE caused significant reduction in the levels of essential nutrients (K+, Ca2+) and increased in Na+ content. However, T-29 line was found to be more PE tolerant because it had less H2O2, MDA and ascorbic acid contents. Thus, our findings showed that diluted PE (25%) could not be used for irrigation to increase the growth of plants in nutrients deprived environments without using bio filtration and biocarbon sorption technologies for treatments.

Chelators induced uptake of cadmium and modulation of water relation, antioxidants, and photosynthetic traits of maize.

The present study was aimed to reveal the effect of cadmium (Cd)-polluted soil on the activation of antioxidant enzymes, photosynthesis, pigments, water relation, and other biochemical traits and comparative effect of synthetic and organic chelators. A pot experiment was conducted using two maize varieties grown in Cd-contaminated (15 and 30 mg kg-1) soil and chelators (1 mM EDTA, and 1 mM citric acid). Cd decreased biomass and photosynthetic traits while increased malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, total proteins, and antioxidant enzyme activities. Addition of EDTA enhanced Cd uptake, antioxidative enzyme, and total proteins; however, it reduced the water, osmotic, and turgor potential as compared to Cd alone. Addition of citric acid has lessened the antioxidant enzyme activities and MDA contents and enhanced the plant biomass as compared to Cd alone. Increases in antioxidants and MDA content were found to be positively related to the Cd contents in shoot and root. The application of citric acid significantly alleviated the Cd-induced toxic effects, showing remarkable improvement in biomass. These results indicated that EDTA was more effective for mobilizing Cd from soil to the root and shoot than citric acid; however, the physiological traits and plant biomass were more strongly inhibited by EDTA than by the Cd. Our study implies that citric acid ameliorated the negative effect of Cd on physiological traits and biomass, and hence could be used effectively for Cd phytoextraction.

Hepatoprotective Potential of Elsholtzia densa Against Acute and Chronic Models of Liver Damage in Wistar Rats.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of methanolic extract of Elsholtzia densa against experimentally induced acute (CCl4) and chronic (paracetamol) liver injury in albino wistar rats. Activity was measured by monitoring the serum levels of ALT, ALP AST and LDH, total protein levels, bilirubin and albumin. The results of the CCl4 and paracetamol-induced liver toxicity experiments showed that the rats treated with the methanolic extract of Elsholtzia densa exhibited a significant decrease in biochemical parameters as well as the proteins, which were all elevated in the CCl4 and paracetamol group. The extract at a concentration of 300 mg/kg body wt. showed a significant decline (P≤0.05) in the levels of AST, ALT, ALP and LDH to 69.50±2.23IU/L, 60.01±2.25IU/L,46.20±2.24 IU/L and 150.21±5.68IU/L in CCl4 injected animals and 51.12±2.20 IU/L,49.15±3.25 IU/L, 44.12±2.56 IU/L and 125.15±4.45 IU/L in paracetamol-treated animals when compared to the control group. The activities of tissue antioxidants GSH, GPx, GR, GST and CAT was significantly (P≤0.05) restored in dose dependent manner in animals treated with extracts as with acute and chronic hepatotoxic models. The current study confirmed the hepatoprotective effect of methanolic extract of Elsholtzia densa against the model hepatotoxicant CCl4 and paracetamol.

Identification of a major pathogenicity determinant and suppressors of RNA silencing encoded by a South Pacific isolate of Banana bunchy top virus originating from Pakistan.

Five genes encoded by Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) originating from Pakistan were expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana using a Potato virus X (PVX) vector. Expression of the master replication-associated protein (mRep) and movement protein (MP) resulted in necrotic cell death of inoculated tissues, as well as leaf curling and necrosis along the veins in newly emerging leaves. The systemic necrosis induced by the expression of MP was discolored (dark) in comparison to that induced by mRep. Expression of the cell-cycle link protein (Clink), the coat protein (CP), and the nuclear shuttle protein from the PVX vector induced somewhat milder symptoms, consisting of mild leaf curling and mosaic, although expression of the CP caused a necrotic response in inoculated leaf. The accumulation of viral RNA was enhanced by MP, Clink, and CP. Of the five BBTV-encoded gene products two, the MP and Clink, stabilized GFP-specific mRNA and reduced GFP-specific small interfering RNA in N. benthamiana line 16c when expressed under the control of the 35S promoter and co-inoculated with a construct for the expression of GFP hairpin RNA construct. These results identified MP and Clink as suppressors of RNA silencing. Taken together the ability of MP to induce severe symptoms in plants and suppress RNA silencing implicates this product as a major pathogenicity determinant of BBTV.