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Strategies to increase the secondary metabolite production, obtained from medicinal plants has been the topic of research in recent years. The symbiotic interaction between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plants allows host-fungus pairings to enhance secondary metabolite synthesis. Therefore, the current study investigated the effect of inoculating two distinct AMF species discretely as well as in conjunction on the flower-derived secondary metabolites in Gomphrena globosa. The findings showed that the plants inoculated with combined treatment exhibited higher total phenolic (50.11 mg GAE/g DW), flavonoids (29.67 mg QE/g DW), saponins (122.55 mg DE/g DW), tannins (165.71 TAE/g DW) and terpenoid (8.24 mg LE/g DW) content in the methanolic extract. HPTLC examination showed the existence of kaempferol and benzoic acid with the highest amount (0.90% and 5.83% respectively) observed in the same treatment. FTIR analysis revealed functional group peaks with increased peak intensity in the combination treatment. Higher antioxidant activities such as DPPH (IC 50 : 401.39 µg/mL), ABTS (IC 50 : 71.18 µg/mL) and FRAP (8774.73 µM Fe (II) equivalent) were observed in the methanolic extract of combined treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the impact of AMF inoculation on bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities in G. globosa flowers. Moreover, this study could lead to the development of novel pharmaceuticals and herbal remedies for various diseases., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Endophytic fungi (EF) reside within plants without causing harm and provide benefits such as enhancing nutrients and producing bioactive compounds, which improve the medicinal properties of host plants. Selecting plants with established medicinal properties for studying EF is important, as it allows a deeper understanding of their influence. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the impact of EF after inoculating the medicinal plant Perilla frutescens, specifically focusing on their role in enhancing medicinal properties., Results: In the current study, the impact of two EF i.e., Irpex lenis and Schizophyllum commune isolated from A. bracteosa was observed on plant Perilla frutescens leaves after inoculation. Plants were divided into four groups i.e., group A: the control group, group B: inoculated with I. lenis; group C: inoculated with S. commune and group D: inoculated with both the EF. Inoculation impact of I. lenis showed an increase in the concentration of chlorophyll a (5.32 mg/g), chlorophyll b (4.46 mg/g), total chlorophyll content (9.78 mg/g), protein (68.517 ± 0.77 mg/g), carbohydrates (137.886 ± 13.71 mg/g), and crude fiber (3.333 ± 0.37%). Furthermore, the plants inoculated with I. lenis showed the highest concentrations of P (14605 mg/kg), Mg (4964.320 mg/kg), Ca (27389.400 mg/kg), and Mn (86.883 mg/kg). The results of the phytochemical analysis also indicated an increased content of total flavonoids (2.347 mg/g), phenols (3.086 mg/g), tannins (3.902 mg/g), and alkaloids (1.037 mg/g) in the leaf extract of P. frutescens inoculated with I. lenis. Thus, overall the best results of inoculation were observed in Group B i.e. inoculated with I. lenis. GC-MS analysis of methanol leaf extract showed ten bioactive constituents, including 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester, and hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester as major constituents found in all the groups of P. frutescens leaves. The phenol (gallic acid) and flavonoids (rutin, kaempferol, and quercetin) were also observed to increase after inoculation by HPTLC analysis. The enhancement in the phytochemical content was co-related with improved anti-oxidant potential which was analyzed by DPPH (% Inhibition: 83.45 µg/ml) and FRAP (2.980 µM Fe (II) equivalent) assay as compared with the control group., Conclusion: Inoculation with I. lenis significantly enhances the uptake of nutritional constituents, phytochemicals, and antioxidant properties in P. frutescens, suggesting its potential to boost the therapeutic properties of host plants., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Taxus contorta (family Taxaceae) is a native plant of temperate region of western Himalaya. The current study investigated the effect of altitude on the phytochemical composition and mycorrhizal diversity, associated with distribution of T. contorta in Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh, India. Quantitative phytochemical analysis of the leaf extracts indicated that alkaloid levels decreased with altitude, with the highest value in Himri's methanol extracts (72.79 ± 1.08 mg/g) while phenol content increased with altitude, peaking in Nankhari's methanol extracts (118.83 ± 5.90 mg/g). Saponin content was higher in methanol extracts (78.13 ± 1.66 mg/g in Nankhari, 68.06 ± 1.92 mg/g in Pabbas, and 56.32 ± 1.93 mg/g in Himri). Flavonoid levels were notably higher in chloroform extracts, particularly in Nankhari (219.97 ± 2.99 mg/g), and positively correlated with altitude. Terpenoids were higher in chloroform extracts at Himri (11.34 ± 0.10 mg/g) and decreased with altitude. Taxol content showed minimal variation between solvents and altitudes (4.53-6.98 ppm), while rutin was only detected in methanol extracts (1.31-1.46 ppm). Mycorrhizal spore counts in T. contorta's rhizosphere varied with altitude: highest at Himri (77.83 ± 2.20 spores/50 g soil), decreasing to Pabbas (68.06 ± 1.96 spores/50 g soil) and lowest at Nankhari (66.00 ± 2.77 spores/50 g soil), with 17 AMF species identified overall, showing significant altitudinal influence on spore density. The rhizosphere of T. contorta was shown to be dominated by the Glomus species. The rhizospheric soil of the plant was found to be slightly acidic. Organic carbon and available potassium content decreased contrasting with increasing available nitrogen and phosphorus with altitude. Correlation data showed strong negative links between organic carbon (-0.83), moderate positive for nitrogen (0.46) and phosphorus (0.414), and moderate negative for potassium (-0.56) with the altitude. This study provides a comprehensive insight into changes in phytochemical constituents, mycorrhizal diversity and soil composition of T. contorta along a range of altitude., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Carissa , a genus of the Apocynaceae family, consists of evergreen species, such as shrubs as well as small trees that are native to Asia, Africa, and Oceania's subtropical and tropical regions. Most of the Carissa species are traditionally used to treat various diseases, such as chest pain, headaches, gonorrhoea, rheumatism, syphilis, oedema, rabies, stomach pain, hepatitis, cardiac diseases, and asthma. The pharmacological studies on Carissa species revealed its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, cardioprotective, antipyretic, analgesic, wound healing, anticonvulsant, antiarthritic, adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic activities, thus validating its use in indigenous medicine systems. The review article summarised the comprehensive literature available, including morphology, indigenous uses, bioactive composition, nutraceutical, and pharmacological activities of Carissa species. A total of 155 research papers were cited in this review article. The Carissa fruits are rich in dietary fibre, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamin C, and macro- and micro-elements. A total of 121 compounds (35 polyphenols (flavonoids and phenolic acids), 30 lignans, 41 terpenoids, 7 steroids, 2 coumarins, and 6 cardiac glycosides) have been extracted from C. spinarum , C. carandas, and C. macrocarpa . Among all chemical constituents, lupeol, carissol, naringin, carisssone, scopoletin, carissaeduloside A, D, J, carandinol, sarhamnoloside, carissanol, olivil, carinol, 3β-hydroxyolean-11-en-28,13β-oilde, ursolic acid, and carissone are the key bioactive constituents responsible for pharmacological activities of genus Carissa . The gathered ethnopharmacological information in the review will help to understand the therapeutic relevance of Carissa as well as paving a way for further exploration in the discovery of novel plant-based drugs.

Nanotechnology is gaining significant attention, with numerous biomedical applications. Silver in wound dressings, copper oxide and silver in antibacterial preparations, and zinc oxide nanoparticles as a food and cosmetic ingredient are common examples. However, adverse effects of nanoparticles in humans and the environment from extended exposure at varied concentrations have yet to be established. One of the drawbacks of employing nanoparticles is their tendency to cause oxidative stress, a significant public health concern with life-threatening consequences. Cardiovascular, renal, and respiratory problems and diabetes are among the oxidative stress-related disorders. In this context, phytoantioxidant functionalized nanoparticles could be a novel and effective alternative. In addition to performing their intended function, they can protect against oxidative damage. This review was designed by searching through various websites, books, and articles found in PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. To begin with, oxidative stress, its related diseases, and the mechanistic basis of oxidative damage caused by nanoparticles are discussed. One of the main mechanisms of action of nanoparticles was unearthed to be oxidative stress, which limits their use in humans. Secondly, the role of phytoantioxidant functionalized nanoparticles in oxidative damage prevention is critically discussed. The parameters for the characterization of nanoparticles were also discussed. The majority of silver, gold, iron, zinc oxide, and copper nanoparticles produced utilizing various plant extracts were active free radical scavengers. This potential is linked to several surface fabricated phytoconstituents, such as flavonoids and phenols. These phytoantioxidant functionalized nanoparticles could be a better alternative to nanoparticles prepared by other existing approaches., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Acharya Balkrishna et al.)

• First study on inoculation impact of AMF on phytochemicals of Gomphrena g lobosa. • Inoculation with AMF enhanced the production of secondary metabolites. • Nutrient concentrations in the leaves were also increased by AMF inoculation. • Mycorrhizal inoculation positively affect the antioxidant activity of G. globosa. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are recognized to amend the biosynthesis of metabolites in plants through symbiosis. This relationship provides an opportunity to use host-fungus combinations that maximize secondary metabolite synthesis. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of two different AMFs (Rhizophagus intraradices and Funneliformis mosseae) individually and in combination on the phytochemical composition, antioxidant potential and nutrient uptake in Gomphrena globosa. The findings showed an increased concentration of total phenols (29.10 mg GAE/g DW), flavonoids (25.84 mg QE/g DW), saponins (105.77 mg DE/g DW) and tannins (137.38 mg TAE/g DW) in the methanol leaf extract of G. globosa inoculated with the combined AMF treatment. Moreover, the existence of phenol (benzoic acid) and flavonoid (kaempferol) was also observed using HPTLC analysis. GC-MS study of methanol extract revealed that hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester and 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester were the major active compounds with the highest area percentage (26.60 % and 23.74 % respectively) found in the combined AMF treatment. Changes in the functional groups due to AMF associations were observed using FTIR analysis, with the maximum level of metabolites reported in the combined treatment, as evidenced by their higher peak intensity. Furthermore, the plants inoculated with both R. intraradices and F. mosseae showed higher concentrations of P (1477.53 mg/kg), K (28872.88 mg/kg), Mg (10137.96 mg/kg), Ca (28723.07 mg/kg), Fe (125.29 mg/kg) and Mo (0.36 mg/kg), as well as antioxidant activity (DPPH IC 50 523.09 µg/mL and FRAP 7845.81 µM Fe (II) equivalent) in comparison to control. Overall, it was concluded that co-inoculation of R. intraradices and F. mosseae enhanced the production of secondary metabolites in G. globosa leaves which may be due to the improved mineral nutrition. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Western Himalaya is endowed with rich treasure of medicinal plant wealth. Bergenia ciliata is one of the important ethnomedicinal plants collected from Western Himalaya and used for dissolving kidney stones by the local inhabitants. In present work ethanolic rhizome extract of plant was evaluated for its medicinal potential by assessing its antimicrobial and phytochemical properties. In antimicrobial studies the ethanolic rhizome extract of the plant was used against standard and clinical isolates of selected pathogenic bacterial strains. Maximum inhibition zone (12±1.0mm) was observed against clinical isolate of S. typhimurium followed by clinical isolate of E. coli with an inhibition zone of 11.33±0.57mm. The MIC of B. ciliata rhizome extract ranged from 100 to 200μg/100μl against different pathogenic strains. The rhizome extract showed presence of reducing sugars, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides. Further, GC-MS analysis of rhizome extract confirmed the presence of phytochemicals viz., beta sitasterol, ethyl iso-allocholate, hexadecanoic acid, cetene, monolinolein TMS, berginin, gallic acid, linolool, β-caryophyllene, calcitriol, carotene, oleic acid and astaxanthin with significant ethnomedicinal importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants are considered as a healthcare resource and widely used by rural people in their traditional medicine system for curing neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases refer to incurable and debilitating conditions that result in progressive degeneration/death of nerve cells or neurons in the human brain. This review is mainly focused on the usage of different ethnomedicinal plants in the treatment of different neurodegenerative diseases in Himachal Pradesh. Study reveals total of 73 ethnomedicinal plants, which are used for treating different neurological disorders in different areas of Himachal Pradesh. The data is compiled from the different sources that described the detailed information of plants in tabular form and highlights the significance of different phytochemicals on neuroprotective function. The present study also provides the scientific data and clinical (in-vivo and in-vitro) studies in support of ethnomedicinal use. This review aims to provide information of ethnomedicinal plants which are used for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases in Himachal Pradesh. Information on the use of ethnomedicinal plants to treat various neurological disorders has been gathered from a variety of sources, including various types of literature, books, and relevant publications in Google Scholar, Research Gate, Science Direct, Scopus, and Pub Med, among others. The collected data is tabulated, including the botanical names of plants, mode of use and the disease for which it is used for curing, etc. There are 73 ethnomedicinal plants that are used to cure various neurological disorders, with the most plants being used to treat epilepsy problem in Himachal Pradesh. Numerous phytochemicals and extracts from diverse plants were found to have a protective effect against neurodegenerative diseases. Antioxidant activity is known to exist in a variety of herbal plants. The most common bioactive antioxidant chemicals having their significant impacts include flavonoids, flavones, coumarins, lignans, isoflavones, catechins, anthocyanins, and isocatechins. [Display omitted] • Seventy three ethnomedicinal plants are reported to be used for the treatment of different neurodegenerative disorders in Himachal Pradesh. • Most of the ethnomedicinal plants were observed to be used for epilepsy treatment. • The neuroprotective potential of many phytochemicals helps to reduce oxidative stress and hence has an antioxidant impact. • Flavonoids have shown a potential role in neuroprotection against a variety of neurodegenerative illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ethnomedicinal plant extract of Trillium govanianum was assessed for its antimicrobial activity and for the presence of phytochemicals to provide scientific support for its ethnomedicinal use. Ethanolic rhizome extract of the plant was used for the antibacterial study and displayed a maximum inhibition zone against a standard isolate of K. pneumoniae (16.66 ± 0.57) followed by an inhibition zone against clinical isolate of K.pneumoniae (16.33 ± 0.57) at 200 μg/disc. The antimicrobial activity of plant rhizome extract was observed against five pathogenic microbial strains, with both standard strains and clinical isolates viz. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Standard analysis of phytochemicals in the plant showed the presence of flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, reducing sugars and saponins, however, tannins were found to be absent. In GC–MS profiling the plant rhizome extract showed the presence of important compounds possessing antibacterial, anticancer, antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. DPPH and FRAP assays showed optimum antioxidant potential of the plant. Antimicrobial and phytochemical investigation of the plant rhizome extract revealed therapeutic potential of Trillium govanianum, thus scientifically supporting its ethnomedicinal use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different plants are used for the treatment of various ailments and Acorus calamus L. is one such plant found in Western Himalaya. Rhizome of this plants has ethnomedicinal significance, as its rhizome is used for curing fever, pain and inflammation. An attempt has been made to alter the phytochemicals and increase its antioxidant property in a sustainable way with the help of mycorrhizal inoculation. Study of mycorrhizal (Funneliformis mosseae) impact on the biological activities and phytochemical profile of A. calamus L. rhizome and in silico studies of phytochemicals for their anti-inflammatory property. F. mosseae was mass multiplied by single spore culture and then A. calamus rhizomes were inoculated with it. Antioxidant potential of rhizome extract was observed by DPPH and FRAP assays and the phytochemical profiling was done with GC-MS analysis. For observing antimicrobial activity disc diffusion method was employed. Dominant phytochemicals α-asarone and monolinolein TMS were chosen for molecular docking studies against four receptors (4COX, 2AZ5, 5I1B, 1ALU). There was increase in antioxidant activity of rhizome extract after mycorrhizal inoculation. However, no change in antimicrobial activity was observed in the plant after mycorrhizal inoculation. The comparison in phytochemicals was observed by GC-MS analysis which showed qualitative and quantitative variation in biochemical content in plants. The phytochemical, α-asarone and monolinolein TMS showed highest docking score and least binding energy against 1ALU and 4COX respectively for anti-inflammatory activity. Medicinal plants are potential source of antioxidants which can be increased by mycorrhizal inoculation without addition of chemical fertilizers and also results in altering the phytochemical composition. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green synthesis has gained wide attention as a sustainable, reliable, and eco-friendly approach to the synthesis of a variety of nanomaterials, including hybrid materials, metal/metal oxide nanoparticles, and bioinspired materials. Plant flowers contain diverse secondary compounds, including pigments, volatile substances contributing to fragrance, and other phenolics that have a profound ethnobotanical relevance, particularly in relation to the curing of diseases by 'Pushpa Ayurveda' or floral therapy. These compounds can be utilized as potent reducing agents for the synthesis of a variety of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs), such as gold, silver, copper, zinc, iron, and cadmium. Phytochemicals from flowers can act both as reducing and stabilizing agents, besides having a role as precursor molecules for the formation of NPs. Furthermore, the synthesis is mostly performed at ambient room temperatures and is eco-friendly, as no toxic derivatives are formed. The NPs obtained exhibit unique and diverse properties, which can be harnessed for a variety of applications in different fields. This review reports the use of a variety of flower extracts for the green synthesis of several types of metallic nanoparticles and their applications. This review shows that flower extract was mainly used to design gold and silver nanoparticles, while other metals and metal oxides were less explored in relation to this synthesis. Flower-derived silver nanoparticles show good antibacterial, antioxidant, and insecticidal activities and can be used in different applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants have been exploited for therapeutic purposes since the dawn of civilization and have long been acknowledged essential to human health. The purpose of this research is to examine the scientific evidence for using the therapeutic herbal plants Thalictrum foliolosum DC. and Cordia dichotoma G. Forst. to treat hepatitis illness. The fundamental explanation for the therapeutic relevance of these plants is phytochemicals, which were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively in three separate extracts with different solvent properties (methanol-polar, chloroform-non-polar, and aqueous-polar as one of the bases of traditional use). Flavonoids, phenols, tannins, saponins, and alkaloids were all evaluated for their presence in plant extracts, and it was observed that methanolic extract had the highest content of phytochemicals among different extracts whereas, the aqueous extract showed least amount of phytochemicals. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of these plants was also evaluated and methanolic extract was revealed with potential antioxidant activity, as also evidenced by the lowest half inhibitory concentration (IC 50) values in the DPPH, ABTS, and high %inhibition in µM Fe equivalent of FRAP assays. Following that, the dominant phytochemicals were investigated using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography from the selected plants. Furthermore, default docking algorithms were used to appraise the dominant phytoconstituents for their in-silico investigation, in which rutin was found with the highest binding affinity (8.2 kcal/mol) and interaction with receptor which is further involved in causing jaundice. The receptor is infact an enzyme that is sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase Leptospira interrogans (PDB: 5EBB) which is holded back in its position by rutin and do not interact with Leptospira inferrogans spp which causes jaundice. Overall, the study suggested that these herbs have significant therapeutic properties, and their in-silico analysis strongly recommends further clinical investigations to get insight into the mechanisms of action in curing variety of diseases. [Display omitted] • Different phytochemicals were derived from the Thalictrum foliolosum and Cordia dichotoma extracts. • Methanolic extracts of T. foliolosum and C. dichotoma exhibited the best antioxidant activity. • In-silico studies confirm the involvement of flavonoids, notably rutin & caffeic acid as antioxidants with jaundice-healing property. • Overall, the phytoconstituents proved to be useful for diseases associated with oxidative stress, primarily jaundice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]