Alginic acid-functionalized silver nanoparticles: A rapid monitoring tool for detecting the technology-critical element tellurium.

The increasing global demand for tellurium, driven by its critical role in alloys, photovoltaic devices, and electronics, has raised concerns about its environmental pollution and neurotoxicity. In response, the potential of alginic acid (AA), a renewable, low-cost, and sustainable biopolymer, was explored for the biosynthesis of ultra-small silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and their application in the detection of tellurium (Te(IV)). The effect of key synthesis parameters on desired physicochemical properties and yield of AgNPs was established to ensure high specificity and sensitivity towards Te(IV). The purified AgNPs with AA surface ligands were utilized to demonstrate a ratiometric absorbance sensor that exhibits excellent linearity and nanomolar-level affinity. This approach achieved a high correlation coefficient of ∼ 0.982, with a low detection limit of about 22 nM. Further investigations into the effect of pH, ionic strength, and organic molecules were conducted to elucidate detection performance and molecular understanding. The detection mechanism relies on the coordination between Te(IV) ions and the carboxylate groups of AA, which initiates aggregation-induced plasmon coupling in adjacent AgNPs. The capability of this analytical method to monitor Te(IV) in real-world water samples features its rapidity, user-friendliness, and suitability for point-of-care monitoring, making it a promising alternative to more complex techniques.

Targeting AKT2 in MDA-MB-231 Cells by Pyrazole Hybrids: Structural, Biological and Molecular Docking Studies.

Pyrazolic hybrids appended with naphthalene, p-chlorobenzene, o-phenol and toluene have been synthesized using Claisen Schmidt condensation reaction of 1-benzyl-3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbaldehyde. All compounds were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. Compound (E)-3-(1-benzyl-3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)prop-2-en-1-one crystallizes in monoclinic crystal system with C2/c space group. These synthesized compounds were tested for cytotoxic activity and among these compounds 4b and 5a shows prominent cytotoxic activity against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells MDA-MB-231 with IC50 values 47.72 µM and 24.25 µM, respectively. Distinguishing morphological changes were noticed in MDA-MB-231 cells treated with pyrazole hybrids contributing to apoptosis action. To get more insight into cytotoxic activity, in silico molecular docking of these compounds were performed and the results suggested that (E)-3-(1-benzyl-3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-1-(p-tolyl)prop-2-en-1-one and 1-(1'-benzyl-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-3',5'-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-1'H,2H-[3,4'-bipyrazol]-2-yl)ethan-1-one binds to the prominent domain of Akt2 indicating their potential ability as Akt2 inhibitor. Moreover, from in silico ADME studies clearly demonstrated that these compounds may be regarded as a drug candidate for sub-lingual absorption based on log p values (2.157-4.924). These compounds also show promising antitubercular activity. The overall results suggest that pyrazolic hybrids with substitution at less sterically hindered positions have appealing potent cytotoxic activity and antituberculosis activity due to which they may act as multidrug candidate.

Antioxidant peptide nanohybrid: a new perspective to immobilize bioactive peptides from milk industry wastewater.

In this study, dairy industry wastewater was collected and used as a protein source. The proteins were converted into powder form using lyophilization. The proteins were digested using Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) NCIM 2724. The maximum degree of hydrolysis (DH) of protein was observed at pH of 7, 30 °C incubation temperature, 120 rpm shaking speed, and 96 h incubation. The tris-glycine sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide (tris-glycine-SDS) gel electrophoresis showed the disappearance of large molecular weight proteins due to the proteolytic action of B. subtilis. The resulting digest was fractionated using a 3 kDa membrane filter. The antioxidant activity of the obtained fractions was evaluated. Antioxidant activity of digest and filtrate was found to be 12.78% (±0.040) and 49% (±0.025), respectively, at a concentration of 50 mg/mL. The 3 kDa filtrate was subjected to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) analysis. Bioinformatics tools were used to predict the sequences of antioxidant peptides. Furthermore, the 3 kDa filtrate was used for the synthesis of antioxidant nanohybrid. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the nanohybrid formation and encapsulation of peptides. The antioxidant nanohybrid showed enhanced antioxidant activity compared to the free peptide solution. The dairy industry has a significant environmental impact due to high water use and waste generation. This study addresses an important issue of recycling protein-containing wastewater and the potential to be used for converting these proteins into antioxidant peptides. Such practices will help to reduce environmental impact and sustainably operate the industry.

Bioconcrete-Enabled Resilient Construction: a Review.

Concrete, the ubiquitous cementitious composite though immensely versatile, is crack-susceptible. Cracks let in deleterious substances causing durability issues. Superseding conventional crack-repair methods, the innovative application of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICCP) stands prominent, being based on the natural phenomenon of carbonate precipitation. It is eco-friendly, self-activated, economical, and simplistic. Bacteria inside concrete get activated by contacting the environment upon the crack opening and filling the cracks with calcium carbonate-their metabolic waste. This work systematizes MICCP's intricacies and reviews state-of-the-art literature on practical technicalities in its materialization and testing. Explored are the latest advances in various aspects of MICCP, such as bacteria species, calcium sources, encapsulations, aggregates, and the techniques of bio-calcification and curing. Furthermore, methodologies for crack formation, crack observation, property analysis of healed test subject, and present techno-economic limitations are examined. The work serves as a succinct, implementation-ready, and latest review for MICCP's application, giving tailorable control over the enormous variations in this bio-mimetic technique.

Self-assembly of soybean peroxidase nanohybrid for activity enhancement and dye decolorization: experimental and computational studies.

The soybean peroxidase (SBP) mediated nanohybrid [SBP-Cu3(PO4)2·3H2O] synthesis was carried out in the present study. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed a characteristic flower-like hierarchical structure of the SBP-nanohybrid. The mechanism of SBP-nanohybrid formation was elucidated using computational approaches. The predicted Cu2+ binding sites followed by molecular docking studies showed the two lowest energy (-4.4 kcal/mol and -3.56 kcal/mol) Cu2+ binding sites. These two binding sites are located at the opposite position and might be involved in the formation of SBP-nanohybrid assemblies. Further, these sites are different than the catalytic active site pocket of SBP, and may facilitate more substrate catalysis. Obtained computational results were confirmed by in-vitro guaiacol oxidations studies using SBP-nanohybrid. The effect of various parameters on SBP-nanohybrid activity was studied. The pH 7.2 was found optimum for SBP-nanohybrid activity. The enzyme activity increased with an increase in temperature up to 50 °C temperature and then decreased with an increase in temperature. Around ∼138% enhanced activity was recorded using SBP-nanohybrid compared to crude SBP. Also, the SBP-nanohybrid showed around 95% decolorization of methylene blue (MB) in 1 h and the MB degradation was confirmed by high-pressure liquid chromatography analysis (HPLC).Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Exploration of intrinsic peroxidase-like activity of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans spent medium and its application for glutathione detection.

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (At. ferrooxidans) is a bacterium that has the ability to metabolize iron. It converts Fe2+ into Fe3+ during its metabolic cycle. Hence, the At. ferrooxidans spent medium is rich in Fe3+. The presence of Fe3+ contributes to a peroxidase-like activity. Therefore, in this study, an attempt has been made to explore the peroxidase-like activity of the At. ferrooxidans spent medium. It has been observed that the At. ferrooxidans spent medium oxidized 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The effect of various process parameters on the peroxidase-like activity has been studied. Optimum peroxidase-like activity is achieved using 5 µl of the spent medium, 0.3 mM TMB concentration, 4 mM H2O2 concentration, 4.2 pH, and 40 °C temperature. The peroxidase-like activity of the At. ferrooxidans spent medium has been used to develop a colorimetric assay for detection of glutathione (GSH). GSH inhibits the peroxidase-like activity of the At. ferrooxidans spent medium in a concentration range of 0-1 mM. The limit of detection (LOD) of GSH, obtained using the calibration plot is 0.69 mM. The developed assay is selective toward GSH, as the presence of amino acids, metals, and sugars have shown a negligible effect on the GSH sensing ability.

Management of Distal Femur Periprosthetic Fracture in an Elderly Patient by Open Reduction and Internal Fixation With Locking Plate Osteosynthesis -: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Distal femur periprosthetic fractures are rare entityies and difficult to manage. Supracondylar femur fractures are most common amongst periprosthetic fractures. They can be managed by various modalities. These fractures are often difficult to treat because of various factors likesuch as osteoporosis, communication, female gender, and poor bone stock. Fixation of supracondylar femur fracture by locking plate provides excellent results in terms of radiological and clinical outcomes. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 70 year -year-old female with pain and swelling in the right knee since for 1 day. She had a history of fall in bathroom 1 day back. The patient was operated with total knee replacement 6 years back for grade Grade 3 osteoarthritis of the knee. The patient was known case of hypertension and was on medication for the same. We operated the patient by open reduction and internal fixation with distal femur locking plate and it provided excellent clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: Periprosthetic supracondylar femur fractures are rare entity entities and generally difficult to manage, especially in elderly patient, due to poor bone quality. The choice of implant used to treat such fractures depends on the surgeon's choice and patient's compliance. Open reduction and internal fixation with a locking plate is a good entity as it provides excellent clinical and radiological outcome.

Bioleaching of copper from large printed circuit boards for synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrid.

The present study described a process for copper (Cu) bioleaching from waste printed circuit boards (PCBs). The 45 (± 0.18) mg/g Cu was found in waste PCBs. Acidiphilium acidophilum (NCIM 5344) (A. acidophilum) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were used for two-step Cu bioleaching. A. acidophilum showed growth in 9K medium containing glucose and sulfur. During the growth the bacteria decreased medium pH from 3.5 (± 0.01) to 1.0 (± 0.02) in 10 days. The results showed that it required 2.5 h to leach all of the Cu from single PCB piece using 60 mL culture supernatant + 15 mL H2O2 at 60 °C temperature and static condition. The leached Cu was further used to synthesize the organic-inorganic hybrid (OIH). For this study, egg white was used as a polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme source. The morphological, elemental, and structural analysis was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Further the PPO enzyme activity was tested in OIH and crude enzyme (egg white). The egg white showed 0.00014 (± 0.00001) U/mg/min PPO activity while OIH showed 0.005 (± 0.00016) U/mg/min PPO activity. The pH 7 and 30 °C temperature were found to be optimum for PPO enzyme activity. The OIH was applied for phenol degradation. It degraded 95 (± 0.49)% of phenol (5 mM). The efficiency of phenol degradation decreased with an increase in phenol concentration.

Intra-articular dislocation of patella reduced by closed method - A rare case report.

Intra-articular dislocation of the patella is a rare injury. Two types of intra-articular dislocations have been described in literature. In horizontal type, the patella has rotated on its horizontal axis. In the second type, the patella rotates on its vertical axis. These dislocations frequently are difficult to reduce by closed methods, and open reduction generally is required. We describe here a case of horizontal intra-articular dislocation of patella in a young 25-year-old male managed successfully by closed reduction.

Leaching of metals from large pieces of printed circuit boards using citric acid and hydrogen peroxide.

In the present study, the leaching of metals from large pieces of computer printed circuit boards (CPCBs) was studied. A combination of citric acid (0.5 M) and 1.76 M hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was used to leach the metals from CPCB piece. The influence of system variables such as H2O2 concentration, concentration of citric acid, shaking speed, and temperature on the metal leaching process was investigated. The complete metal leaching was achieved in 4 h from a 4 × 4 cm CPCB piece. The presence of citric acid and H2O2 together in the leaching solution is essential for complete metal leaching. The optimum addition amount of H2O2 was 5.83 %. The citric acid concentration and shaking speed had an insignificant effect on the leaching of metals. The increase in the temperature above 30 °C showed a drastic effect on metal leaching process.

Analysis of metal Bioleaching from thermal power plant fly ash by Aspergillus niger 34770 culture supernatant and reduction of phytotoxicity during the process.

Aspergillus niger culture supernatant is used for bioleaching process. Before starting bioleaching process, fly ash was washed with distilled water. This removed 100 % sodium, 47 % (±0.45) boron, 38.07 % (±0.12) calcium, 29.89 % (±0.78) magnesium, and 11.8 % (±0.05) potassium. The pH was reduced from 10.5 to 8.5 after water washing. During bioleaching process, around 100 % metal removal was achieved in 4 h for all metals except chromium 93 % (±1.18), nickel 83 % (±0.32), arsenic 78 % (±0.52), and lead 70 % (±0.20). The process parameters including temperature, shaking speed, and solid/liquid ratio were optimized for bioleaching process. Experiments were conducted to evaluate effect of fly ash on growth of mung bean (Vigna radiata). At 20 g/100 ml fly ash concentration no germination of V. radiata seeds was observed. With an increasing concentration of untreated fly ash, a gradual decrease in root/shoot length was observed. After bioleaching process 78 % (±0.19) germination of V. radiata was observed with 20 g/100 ml fly ash. This study will help to develop an efficient process to remove the toxic metals from fly ash.

Bioleaching of metals from steel slag by Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans culture supernatant.

The generation of 300­500 kg of slag per ton of the steel produced is a formidable amount of solid waste available for treatment. They usually contain considerable quantities of valuable metals. In this sense, they may become either important secondary resource if processed in eco-friendly manner for secured supply of contained metals or potential pollutants, if not treated properly. It is possible to recover metals from steel slag by applying bioleaching process. Electric arc furnace (EAF) slag sample was used for bioleaching of metals. In the present study, before bioleaching experiment water washing of an EAF slag was carried out. This reduced slag pH from 11.2 to 8.3. Culture supernatants of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans (At. thiooxidans), Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (At. ferrooxidans), and Aspergillus niger (A. niger) were used for metal solubilization. At. thiooxidans culture supernatant containing 0.016 M sulfuric acid was found most effective for bioleaching of metals from an EAF slag. Maximum metal extraction was found for Mg (28%), while it was least for Mo (0.1%) in six days. Repeated bioleaching cycles increased metal recovery from 28% to 75%, from 14% to 60% and from 11% to 27%, for Mg, Zn and Cu respectively.

Removal of nickel and cadmium from battery waste by a chemical method using ferric sulphate.

The removal of nickel (Ni) and cadmium (Cd) from spent batteries was studied by the chemical method. A novel leaching system using ferric sulphate hydrate was introduced to dissolve heavy metals in batteries. Ni-Cd batteries are classified as hazardous waste because Ni and Cd are suspected carcinogens. More efficient technologies are required to recover metals from spent batteries to minimize capital outlay, environmental impact and to respond to increased demand. The results obtained demonstrate that optimal conditions, including pH, concentration of ferric sulphate, shaking speed and temperature for the metal removal, were 2.5, 60 g/L, 150 rpm and 30 degrees C, respectively. More than 88 (+/- 0.9) and 84 (+/- 2.8)% of nickel and cadmium were recovered, respectively. These results suggest that ferric ion oxidized Ni and Cd present in battery waste. This novel process provides a possibility for recycling waste Ni-Cd batteries in a large industrial scale.

Functional evaluation of patient after arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff tear.

BACKGROUND: Rotator cuff tear is a common problem either after trauma or after degenerative tear in old age group. Arthroscopic repair is the current concept of rotator cuff repair. Here, we are trying to evaluate the functional outcome after arthroscopic repair of full thickness rotator cuff tear (single row) in Indian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty five patients (14 males and 11 females) who underwent arthroscopic repair of full thickness rotator cuff tear at a single institution were included in the study. Postoperatively patient's shoulder was rated according to UCLA score, pain was graded according to the visual analog score. The range of motion was analysed and documented. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients were 50.48 years. The preoperative VAS score mode was 7 and post operative VAS was 1 (p value <0.001). The UCLA grading was good in 80% (n = 20), fair in 12% (n = 3), excellent in 8% (n = 2) and poor results were seen in none of the patients. The mean UCLA improved from a score of 15.84 to 30.28 with a p value <0.001. Mean postoperative forward flexion was 161.6°, mean abduction was 147.6° and mean external rotation was 45.4°. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopic repair is a good procedure for full thickness rotator cuff tear with minimal complications. The newer double row repair claims to be biomechanically superior with faster healing rates without functional advantages, hence we used a single row repair considering the Indian population and the cost effectiveness of the surgery with good to excellent results.

Nano and microparticle engineering of water insoluble drugs using a novel spray-drying process.

In the current study nano and microparticle engineering of water insoluble drugs was conducted using a novel piezoelectric spray-drying approach. Cyclosporin A (CyA) and dexamethasone (DEX) were encapsulated in biodegradable poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) grades of different molecular weights. Spray-drying studies carried out with the Nano Spray Dryer B-90 employed with piezoelectric driven actuator. The processing parameters including inlet temperature, spray mesh diameter, sample flow rate, spray rate, applied pressure and sample concentration were examined in order to optimize the particle size and the obtained yield. The process parameters and the solute concentration showed a profound effect on the particle engineering and the obtained product yield. The produced powder presented consistent and reproducible spherical particles with narrow particle size distribution. Cyclosporin was found to be molecularly dispersed while dexamethasone was in crystalline state within the PLGA nanoparticles. Further evaluation revealed excellent drug loading, encapsulation efficiency and production yield. In vitro studies demonstrated sustained release patterns for the active substances. This novel spray-drying process proved to be efficient for nano and microparticle engineering of water insoluble active substances.

Decolorization of the textile dyes using purified banana pulp polyphenol oxidase.

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) purified using DEAE-cellulose and Biogel P-100 column chromatography from banana pulp showed 12.72-fold activity and 2.49% yield. The optimum temperature and pH were found to be 30 degrees C and 7.0, respectively for its activity. Catechol was found to be a suitable substrate for banana pulp PPO that showed V(max), 0.041 mM min(-1) and K(m), 1.6 mM. The enzyme activity was inhibited by sodium metabisulfite, citric acid, cysteine, and beta-mercaptoethanol at 10 mM concentration. The purified enzyme could decolorize (90%) Direct Red 5B (160 microg mL(-1)) dye within 48 h and Direct Blue GLL (400 microg mL(-1)) dye up to 85% within 90 h. The GC-MS analysis indicated the presence of 4-hydroxy-benzenesulfonic acid and Naphthalene-1,2,3,6-tetraol in the degradation products of Direct Red 5B, and 5-(4-Diazenyl-naphthalene-1-ylazo)-8-hydroxy-naphthalene-2-sulfonic acid and 2-(4-Diazenyl-naphthalene-1-ylazo)-benzenesulfonic acid in the degradation products of Direct Blue GLL.

Degradation of tannic acid by cold-adapted Klebsiella sp NACASA1 and phytotoxicity assessment of tannic acid and its degradation products.

BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE: The focus of the present study is to know the potential of bacterial isolate for tannic acid degradation at low temperature. Also, we tried to evaluate the suitability of phytotoxicity testing protocol for the determination of tannic acid toxicity. METHODS: Screening for tannic acid degrading bacterial strains was carried out by using microbial isolation techniques. The 16S rDNA amplicon of the isolate was used to identify the isolate. The effect of different concentrations of tannic acid and its degradation products on germination of Vigna unguiculata was evaluated. The study was carried out to determine total sugar and starch content of the used seeds and even to check the presence of α-amylase activity during seed germination. RESULTS: The isolated bacterium was identified as Klebsiella sp NACASA1 and it showed degradation of tannic acid in 40 (±0.85***) h at 15°C and pH 7.0. A gradual decrease in root/shoot length was observed with increasing concentration of tannic acid. There was 95.11 (±0.24**)% inhibition in α-amylase activity at 20,000 ppm tannic acid, as compared to control. No such effects were observed on germination, root-shoot length, and α-amylase activity with tannic acid degradation products. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained confirmed that tannic acid may act as a toxic agent in plant cells. The simple biodegradation process presented in this study was found to be effective in reducing toxicity of tannic acid. Also, it reveals the potential of soil bacterium to degrade tannic acid at low temperature.

Decolorization of Textile Dyes and Degradation of Mono-Azo Dye Amaranth by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIM 2890.

Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NCIM 2890 (A. caloaceticus) was found to decolorize 20 different textile dyes of various classes. Decolorization of an azo dye amaranth was observed effectively (91%) at static anoxic condition, whereas agitated culture grew well but showed less decolorization (68%) within 48 h of incubation. Induction of intracellular and extracellular lignin peroxidase, intracellular laccase, dichlorophenol indophenol (DCIP) reductase and riboflavin reductase represented their involvement in the biodegradation of amaranth. The products obtained after degradation of Amaranth were characterized as naphthalene sulfamide, hydroxyl naphthalene diazonium and naphthalene diazonium. The germination and growth of Sorghum vulgare and Phaseolus mungo seeds, and the growth of E. coli and Bacillus substilis were not inhibited by the metabolic products of the dye.

Efficient industrial dye decolorization by Bacillus sp. VUS with its enzyme system.

This work presents role of different enzymes in decolorization of industrial dye Orange T4LL by Bacillus sp. VUS. Bacillus sp. strain VUS decolorized dye Orange T4LL, under static anoxic condition in 24 h. During decolorization of Orange T4LL a significant induction in the activities of lignin peroxidase, tyrosinase, and reductases (NADH-DCIP, azo, and riboflavin) was observed. The biodegradation was monitored by Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and high performance liquid chromatography. The final products 4-methyl-2-o-tolylazo-benzene-1,3-diamine and [3-(phenyl-hydrazono)-cyclohexa-1,4-dienyl]-methanol were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Phytotoxicity, COD, and BOD revealed non-toxicity of degraded products. Phytotoxicity study demonstrated non-toxicity of the biodegraded products for crop plants with respect to Triticum aestivum and Sorghum bicolor. Bacillus sp. VUS with its enzyme system could be a useful tool for textile effluent treatment.

Antiaflatoxigenic and antioxidant activity of an essential oil from Ageratum conyzoides L.

BACKGROUND: Aflatoxin contamination of various commodities can occur as a result of infection, mainly by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Every year, almost 25% of the world's food supply is contaminated by mycotoxins. Aflatoxins B(1), B(2), G(1) and G(2), which occur naturally, are significant contaminants of a wide variety of commodities. A number of biological activities have been associated with Ageratum conyzoides. We have therefore investigated the antiaflatoxigenic, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of essential oils of A. conyzoides. This could help to turn A. conyzoides, a nuisance weed, into a resource. RESULTS: The essential oil of Ageratum conyzoides L. shows the presence of 12 compounds when analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The growth and aflatoxin production of the toxigenic strain Aspergillus parasiticus was completely inhibited by essential oil. All the studied concentrations of the oil demonstrate a reduction in mycelia growth and decreased production of different aflatoxins in fungi, as revealed by liquid chomatographic-tandem mass spectrometric analysis. Volatiles from macerated green leaf tissue of A. conyzoides were also effective against A. parasiticus. The strongest antibacterial activity was observed against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis in a disk diffusion bioassay. Essential oil and methanol extract of A. conyzoides L. were assayed for their antioxidant activity. Methanol extract showed the highest antioxidant activity in FRAP and DPPH assay, whereas essential oil showed greater lipid peroxidation inhibition than methanol extract. CONCLUSION: The plant's ethno-medicinal importance, antioxidant potential, inhibitory activity against the Aspergillus group of fungi and production of aflatoxins may add a new dimension to its usefulness in the protection of stored product.