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Objective: To investigate the effect of Rosa moschata (R. moschata) extract on haloperidol-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) in rats. Methods: Haloperidol (1 mg/kg) was given to rats intraperitoneally for 3 weeks for induction of PD. R. moschata extract (150, 300 and 600 mg/kg) was administered orally for 21 days. The neuroprotective role of R. moschata leaf extract in PD was explored by performing neurobehavioral tests and RT-PCR analysis and measuring neurotransmitters and oxidative stress biomarkers. Results: An improvement in motor functions and muscle strength was observed in PD rats treated with R. moschata extract. The levels of dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase were significantly increased (P < 0.001), whereas acetylcholinesterase and malondialdehyde levels were markedly decreased by treatment with R. moschata extract (P < 0.001). The extract also markedly downregulated the mRNA expressions of IL-1β , α-synuclein , IL-1α , and TNF-α in brain tissue. Moreover, histopathological analysis indicated that neurofibrillary tangles and plaques were noticeably decreased in a dose-dependent manner in PD rats treated with R. moschata extract. Conclusions: R. moschata extract alleviates haloperidol-induced PD in rats by reducing oxidative stress and neurodegeneration. It may be used for management and treatment of PD. However, additional studies are required to confirm its efficacy and molecular mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Modern agriculture is facing the challenges of salinity and heat stresses, which pose a serious threat to crop productivity and global food security. Thus, it is necessary to develop the appropriate measures to minimize the impacts of these serious stresses on field crops. Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element on earth and has been recognized as an important substance to mitigate the adverse effects of abiotic stresses. Thus, the present study determined the role of Si in mitigating adverse impacts of salinity stress (SS) and heat stress (HS) on wheat crop. This study examined response of different wheat genotypes, namely Akbar-2019, Subhani-2021, and Faisalabad-2008, under different treatments: control, SS (8 dSm−1), HS, SS + HS, control + Si, SS + Si, HS+ Si, and SS + HS+ Si. This study's findings reveal that HS and SS caused a significant decrease in the growth and yield of wheat by increasing electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production; sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−) accumulation; and decreasing relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll and carotenoid content, total soluble proteins (TSP), and free amino acids (FAA), as well as nutrient uptake (potassium, K; calcium, Ca; and magnesium, Mg). However, Si application offsets the negative effects of both salinity and HS and improved the growth and yield of wheat by increasing chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, RWC, antioxidant activity, TSP, FAA accumulation, and nutrient uptake (Ca, K, and Mg); decreasing EL, electrolyte leakage, MDA, and H2O2; and restricting the uptake of Na+ and Cl−. Thus, the application of Si could be an important approach to improve wheat growth and yield under normal and combined saline and HS conditions by improving plant physiological functioning, antioxidant activities, nutrient homeostasis, and osmolyte accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is significant abiotic stress that limits crop growth and productivity across the globe. The intensity of drought stress continuously rises due to rapid climate change. Drought-induced alterations in physiological and bio-chemical processes by generating membrane dis-stability, oxidative stress, nutritional imbalance and leading to substantial reduction in growth and productivity. Plants accumulate various osmolytes that protect themselves from abiotic stresses' harmful effects. Trehalose (Tre) is a non-reducing sugar found in multiple microbes ranging from bacteria to yeast and in plants and it possesses an excellent ability to improve drought tolerance. Trehalose appreciably enhanced the plant growth, and counter the drought induced damages by maintaining cellular membranes, plant water relations, stomatal regulation, photosynthetic activities, nutrient uptake, osmolyte accumulation, activating stress proteins and detoxifying the reactive oxygen species (ROS) by strengthening the anti-oxidant system. Therefore, it is essential to understand the mechanism of exogenous and endogenous Tre in mitigating the drought-induced damages and to identify the potential research questions that must be answered in the future. Therefore, to better appraise the potential benefits of Tre in drought tolerance in this review, we discussed the diverse physiological and molecular mechanisms regulated by Tre under drought stress. We have a complete and updated picture on this topic to orientate future research directions on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Hertia , which belongs to the Asteraceae family, is a flowering genus with 12 species found in Africa, North and South. Among the species present in Algeria, Hertia cheirifolia L. is distributed in the eastern regions of Algeria. The aim of this study is to evaluate its phytochemical composition with following pharmacological assessments: the antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activities of Hertia cheirifolia L. essential oil (EO). GC-MS analysis was used to analyze the chemical constituents of H. cheirifolia essential oil. The antioxidant capacity was assessed using DPPH, FRAP, and H 2 O 2 tests. The EO was also tested for its ability to inhibit six strains of microorganisms, including two Gram (+) and four Gram (-) strains. The antifungal activity was tested by analyzing the effect of the EO on the mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (FOL) fungi. Results showed that primary volatile components were α-pinene (32.59%), 2-(1-cyclopent-1-enyl-1-methylethyl) cyclopentanone (14.62%), (-)-germacrene D (11.37%), and bakkenolide A (9.57%). H. cheirifolia EO showed inhibitory effects against DPPH, H 2 O 2 , and FRAP (IC 50 = 0.34 ± 0.1, 0.053 ± 0.1, and 0.047 ± 0.01 mg mL -1 , respectively). The EO also exhibited moderate antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 ( S. aureus ), Streptococcus pneumoniae ATCC 49619 ( S. pneumoniae ), and Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 13048 ( E. aerogenes ), as well as significant antioxidant potential and varied antifungal activity based on dosage and fungal strain. To our knowledge, no previous research has examined the antifungal capacity of H. cheirifolia oil and oil-mycelial development of the FOL relationship. To fully explore the benefits of H. cheirifolia EO, more in vivo research is necessary, along with more testing on other bacterial and fungal strains., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)