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Aphanamixis polystachya (Wall.) R.Parker, locally known as Pithraj, is a medicinal herb having enormous traditional applications. However, the scientific rationale underlying the ethnomedicinal claims was not well-founded. The current investigation aimed to explore the mechanistic insights of protective effects of ethanol extract of A. polystachya leaf (PT), given orally, on the chemical-intoxicated hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in Long-Evans female overiectomized rats. The GC-MS and HPLC-DAD analysis of PT revealed the presence of several bioactive metabolites, including polyphenolic compounds. Catechin hydrate, caffeic acid, syringic acid, epicatechin and p-coumaric acid have been identified and quantified in the ethanol extract of PT leaf. Intoxication with CCl4 developed the oxidative stress, fibrosis and inflammation in liver of rats. Moreover, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), nitric oxide (NO), advanced protein oxidation product (APOP) level were found increased; whereas superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities in the plasma and liver were decreased in CCl4 administered rats. Treatment with PT prominently mitigated the oxidative stress (TBARS, NO, APOP), and inflammatory (MPO) markers and improved the endogenous antioxidant enzymes (catalase and SOD) activities in CCl4-intoxicated rats. Additionally, histological assessment confirmed the clear manifestation of inflammation and fibrosis in the liver of CCl4-intoxicated rats, which was prevented by PT and silymarin treatment. In conclusion, PT treatment may protect the liver in CCl4-administered rats, probably by mitigating oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis, and also augmenting the function of the antioxidant enzymes.

Physicochemical parameters namely temperature, pH, salinity, EC, TDS, DO and COD were analyzed from October, 2012 to August, 2013. Toxic metals Cr, Cd, Ni, Cu and Zn were quantified during June, 2013. The observed parameters ranged as Temp. 20.5–31.3 °C, pH 6.9–8.0, salinity 57–582 mg/L, TDS 80–754 mg/L, EC 121–1167 μs, DO 0.5–3.5 mg/L and COD 80–480 mg/L. Toxic metal concentrations ranged as Cr 0.0371–0.1023 mg/L, Cd 0.0065–0.0152 mg/L, Ni 0.1441–0.513 mg/L, Cu 0.016–0.1434 mg/L, Zn 0.0481–0.13 mg/L. According to the statistical analysis pH, Salinity, EC, TDS and COD show positive correlations with each other and negative correlations with Temp. and DO. Toxic metals Cr, Cd and Ni show positive correlations among themselves and negative correlations with Cu and Zn. The hydrochemistry of the water body has revealed that the water is not safe for aquatic lives as well as human health. Also household, irrigations and industrial use without proper treatment are discursive.

Obesity is an enduring medical issue that has raised concerns around the world. Natural plant extracts have shown therapeutic potential in preventing oxidative stress and inflammation related to obesity complications. In this study, Senna alexandrina Mill. leaves were utilized to treat high-fat diet-related metabolic disorders and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases. Plasma biochemical assays were conducted to determine the lipid profiles and oxidative stress parameters, and the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and inflammatory mediators was measured. Histological stained livers of high-fat diet-fed rats were observed. S. alexandrina leaf powder supplementation prevented the increase in cholesterol and triglyceride levels in high-fat diet-fed rats. Moreover, S. alexandrina leaves also reduced lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide production in these rats. Prevention of oxidative stress by S. alexandrina leaf supplementation in high-fat diet-fed rats is regulated by enhancing the antioxidant enzyme activity, followed by the restoration of corresponding gene expressions, such as NRF-2, HO-1, SOD, and CAT. Histological staining provides further evidence that S. alexandrina leaf supplementation prevents inflammatory cell infiltration, lipid droplet deposition, and fibrosis in the liver of high-fat diet-fed rats. Furthermore, this investigation revealed that S. alexandrina leaf supplementation controlled non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by modulating the expression of fat metabolizing enzymes in high-fat diet-fed rats. Therefore, S. alexandrina leaf supplementation inhibits fatty liver inflammation and fibrosis, suggesting its usefulness in treating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Thus, this natural leaf extract has potential in treatment of obesity related liver dysfunction.

Zingiber roseum is a perennial herb in the Zingiberaceae family. The plant is native to Bangladesh, and rhizomes are frequently used in traditional medicine to cure gastric ulcers, asthma, wounds, and rheumatic disorders. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyse the antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties of Z. roseum rhizome to confirm its efficacy in traditional applications. After 24 h of treatment, ZrrME (400 mg/kg) showed a considerable drop in rectal temperature (3.42°F) compared to standard paracetamol (5.26°F). At both doses (200 and 400 mg/kg), ZrrME showed a substantial dose-dependent decrease in paw oedema. However, after 2, 3 and 4 h of testing, the extract (200 mg/kg) had a lower anti-inflammatory response than standard indomethacin, whereas the higher dose (400 mg/kg) of rhizome extract had a more robust response compared to standard. ZrrME also showed substantial analgesic activity against all in vivo analgesic test models. The in vivo findings were further evaluated by in silico study of our previously identified compounds of ZrrME with the cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme (3LN1). The substantial binding energy (ranges from-6.2 to-7.7 Kcal/mol) of the polyphenols (excluding catechin hydrate) to the COX-2 enzyme affirm the in vivo test results of the present studies. In addition, the compounds were found effective as antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic agents, according to the biological activity prediction software. Both in vivo and in silico results demonstrated promising antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving effects of Z. roseum rhizome extract, which corroborate the claim of its traditional uses., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHSs) containing ethanol (EtOH) or isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to inactivate microorganisms help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. These products have become very popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from vaccines or other preventative antiseptic measures, the majority of consumers have relied on different types of ABHSs to disinfect their hands. As a result, there has been a global rush in the demand for these ABHSs and other antiseptic hygiene products. This has resulted in the formation of many new commercial sanitizer producers. There are around fifty companies of varying sizes that have been marketing their ABHSs in Bangladesh, most of which have only been manufacturing their products for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. To monitor the quality and components of these products, the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) analyzed approximately 200 different hand sanitizer samples using GC-FID method. All samples were alcohol-based except for 3 which were alcohol-free aqueous hand sanitizers. Of the supplied formulated ABHSs, 80 samples were found to contain only IPA and 54 contained only EtOH. However, 28 samples were found to be contaminated with methanol (MeOH), 7 samples contained only MeOH and 18 samples contained both EtOH and IPA. This is the first study to explore the analysis of alcohol content in formulated ABHSs and their marketing status in Bangladesh, but the findings could be of use in other jurisdictions as similar issues have been raised in many parts of the world., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Blumea lacera (Burm. f.) DC. is attracting scientific interest due to the diverse biological activities of its various parts and its use in folk medicine. The present study was undertaken to investigate the tissue-specific differential expression pattern of its total bioactive compounds. The study was further extended to whole plant phenolics profiling, in vitro enzyme inhibition activities, followed by in silico enzyme inhibition analysis to assess its potential as herbal medicine. The amount of total phenolics in different tissues was followed in decreasing order as old leaf, flower bud, root, young leaf, flower, old stem, and young stem, while that for the flavonoids was old leaf, root, young leaf, flower bud, flower, young stem, and old stem. This study identified rosmarinic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol in this plant for the first time. The solvent extracts demonstrated strong inhibition of lipase and tyrosinase activity, along with varying degrees of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity. Among the detected compounds, ten displayed strong in silico binding affinities with the tested enzymes. The findings provide a new insight into further investigation of the medicinal potential of this species against obesity, neurological disorders, and aberrant skin color., (© 2022 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)