Evaluation of essential and non-essential elemental composition of commonly used medicinal plants from district Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

This study illustrates a profile of some essential and non-essential elements (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cr, Cd, Co, Al, and Sn) in the aerial parts of six medicinal plants, i.e. Coriandrum sativum L., Mentha spicata L., Papaver somniferum L., Calotropis gigantean (L.) Dryand., Withania coagulans (Stock) Dunal, and Fagonia arabica L. widely consumed in district Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The samples were converted into liquid state via wet digestion method and analyzed for elemental composition by using atomic absorption spectrometry. After determining the concentration, hazard quotient (HQ) was calculated for the elements having available maximum permissible limit set by FAO/WHO or any other agency for 50 mg daily intake of the herbal plants by a person of body mass 70 kg. K/Na ratio for the studied plants varied between 14.88:1 and 113.75:1 which was in agreement with the reported permissible range. The amount of Mg, Ca, Cu, and Co was within the permissible limit in all the enlisted plants. However, the HQ value for Mg and Ca was greater than the safe limit for some of the plants. The concentration and HQ value of Zn, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cr, and Cd was beyond the permissible and unsafe limits for almost all the plants. This study suggests that the plants of this area must be pretreated for lessening the concentration of some elements before consumption.

Removal of Cd(II) from water using zero valent iron/copper functionalized spent tea.

Zero valent Fe/Cu functionalized spent tea adsorbent was prepared for the decontamination of Cd(II) contaminated water. The synthesized material was characterized for structural and morphological characteristics using various analytical techniques. The material was used as adsorbent for the adsorption of Cd(II) from aqueous solutions in batch study experiments. The effect of initial pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and adsorbate concentration was investigated. The obtained data well followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model and pseudo-second order rate model with maximum adsorption capacity of 89.686 mg·g-1. Based on Langmuir separation factor (R), having a value of 0.706-0.194, the adsorption process was confirmed to be favorable. The adsorbent was used in the form of a column for the sorption of Cd(II) from a running solution with satisfactory results. The spent material was regenerated and reutilized with reduction of adsorption capacity by 1.48% only. Overall, the current adsorbent can be efficiently utilized for the removal of aqueous Cd(II).

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, crystal structure, DNA interaction study and invitro biological screenings of 4-(5-chloro-2-hydroxyphenylamino)-4-oxobut-2-enoic acid.

The titled compound, 4-(5-chloro-2-hydroxyphenylamino)-4-oxobut-2-enoic acid was synthesized and characterized by various techniques like elemental analyses, FT-IR, NMR ((1)H, and (13)C) and single crystal X-ray structural analysis. The appearance of the OH peak of the carboxylic acid in the FT-IR and NMR spectra conform the formation of the compound. A good agreement was found between the calculated values of C, H, N and found values in elemental analysis that show the purity of the compound. Protons H2 and H3 are in cis conformation with each other as conformed both from (1)H NMR as well as from single crystal X-ray analysis. The molecular structure of the title compound, C10H10NO3Cl, is stabilized by short intramolecular OH---O hydrogen bonds within the molecule. In the crystal structure, intermolecular NH---O hydrogen bonds link molecules into zigzag chains resulting in a dendrimer like structure. The title compound was screened for biological activities like interaction with DNA, cytotoxicity, antitumor and antioxidant activities. DNA interaction study reveals that the binding mode of interaction of the compound with SS-DNA is intercalative as it results in hypochromism along with significant red shift of 5 nm. It was also found to be effective antioxidant of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and show almost comparable antioxidant activity to that of the standard and known antioxidant, ascorbic acid, at higher concentration. The antitumor activity data of the compound shows that it can be used as potent antitumor agent.