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Medicinal plants are precious gifts of nature, which may serve as a source of food and medicine to humans. Phyllanthus emblica L has held a unique position in the Indian (Ayurvedic), Turkish, Unani, and Tibetan medicinal systems for centuries. Its nutritional, therapeutic and healing potentials have made it a valid research option for the development of novel drug formulations with few side effects. The presence of vitamin C, alkaloids, ellagitannins, gallic acid, emblicanin A and emblicanin B, flavonoids (especially rutin and quercetin), and a variety of biological molecules, makes P. emblica, a valued medicinal plant. This review article summarizes the recent literature relevant to the nutritional, health, and therapeutic benefits of P. emblica, such as potential chemo-preventive, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-mutagenic, antioxidant, diuretic, aphrodisiac, UV protectant, and anti-aging activities. Its applications in memory enhancing, respiratory, skin and ophthalmic disorders, and detoxification including that of snake venom, are also highlighted. It additionally reviews retrospective studies on P. emblica at the molecular level, for disease management and control. P. emblica is an important medicinal plant with many benefits. It has been used for centuries and generations as a source of food because of its unique restorative and rejuvenating potential. Thus, in light of the sum of these investigations, new studies could be designed to explore valuable bioactive compounds present throughout in nature in the form of plants

The current study was designed to evaluate the urease inhibitory activities of the fractions of Ferula narthex Bioss, followed by bioassay guided isolation of new urease sesquiterpene coumarins, as potential urease inhibitors. The chloroform and ethylacetate fractions were found to be active against urease enzyme with IC50 values of 42.5 and 169.3 μg/mL, respectively. Activity-directed fractionation and purification of chloroform fraction lead to the isolation of compounds 2–5., whereas compound 1 was isolated from ethylacetate faction. The compounds 5 showed a moderate urease inhibition with IC50 value of 18.80 μg/mL, followed by compound 2 and 3 having IC50 values of 148.94 and 177.59 μg/mL, respectively. The binding mode of interaction and energy of these compounds 2, 3 and 5 in the active site of urease were also identified by molecular docking studies. In summary, the extract showed good urease inhibition and their isolated compounds showed moderate to weak inhibition.

Published studies indicate that virtually any kind of botanical material can be exploited to make biocompatible, safe, and cost‐effective silver nanoparticles. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that plants possess active bio‐ingredients that function as powerful reducing and coating agents for Ag+. In this respect, a phytomediation method provides favourable monodisperse, crystalline, and spherical particles that can be easily purified by ultra‐centrifugation. However, the characteristics of the particles depend on the reaction conditions. Optimal reaction conditions observed in different experiments were 70–95 °C and pH 5.5–8.0. Green silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have remarkable physical, chemical, optical, and biological properties. Research findings revealed the versatility of silver particles, ranging from exploitation in topical antimicrobial ointments to in vivo prosthetic/organ implants. Advances in research on biogenic silver nanoparticles have led to the development of sophisticated optical and electronic materials with improved efficiency in a compact configuration. So far, eco‐toxicity of these nanoparticles is a big challenge, and no reliable method to improve the toxicity has been reported. Therefore, there is a need for reliable models to evaluate the effect of these nanoparticles on living organisms.

The current paper summarizes the evaluation of the alcoholic extract of Sarcococca saligna (D. Don) Mull. fruits for acute toxicity, analgesic, GIT motility modulation, and anti-termite properties. The extract was evaluated for analgesic activity using acetic acid-induced writhing model while charcoal meal model was adopted for GIT motility estimation in mice. The fruit extract exhibited significant analgesic and GIT motility potential at 700, 1000 mg/kg i.p. in comparison to standard drug (Diclofenac sodium). The extract also showed good anti-termite activity. The extract was also evaluated for toxicological effects which showed that the fruit extract is safe for the consumption of mice at 1000 mg/kg i.p.

In a couple of decades, nanotechnology has become a trending technology owing to its integrated science collection that incorporates variety of fields such as chemistry, physics, medicine, catalytic processes, food processing industries, electronics and energy sectors. One of the emerging fields of nanotechnology that has gained momentous admiration is nano-biotechnology. Nano-biotechnology is an integrated combination of biology with nanotechnology that encompasses the tailoring, and synthesis of small particles that are less than 100nm in size and subsequent exploitation of these particles for their biological applications. Though the variety of physical techniques and chemical procedures are known for the nanoparticles synthesis, biological approach is considered to be the preferred one. Environmental hazards and concerns associated with the physical and chemical approaches of nanoparticles synthesis has added impetus and zenith to the biological approach involving the use of plants and microorganisms. The current review article is focused on the synthesis of plant-derived (phytochemical) gold nanoparticles alongside their scope in biomedical applications.

Experimental based evidence suggests that most of the medicinal plants possess a wide-ranging pharmacological and biological activity that may possibly protect tissues against O

The current study was performed to synthesize stable, eco‐friendly and bio‐compatible silver nano‐particles (AgNPs) of Agave americana, Mentha spicata and Mangifera indica leaves and to screen them for biological activities. The ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopic analysis revealed that λ‐max for AgNPs range from 350–500 nm. All AgNPs possessed polycrystalline structure as notified as intense graphical peaks in complete spectrum of 20 values ranging from 10–80° in X‐ray diffraction measurements and supported by scanning electron microscopy data. The size of the nano‐particles was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (30–150 nm). Mass loss at variable temperatures was evaluated by simultaneous thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis revealed reduction in mass and activity of compounds was notified by temperature increase from 200 to 800 °C, thus concluding it as thermally sensitive compounds. A. americana AgNPs showed significant (96%) activity against Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli (95%) and Fusarium oxysporum (89%). Good antioxidant activity was shown by M. spicata AgNPs at 300 µl (79%). M. indica AgNPs showed significant phytotoxic activity (88%) at highest concentration. No haemagglutination reaction was observed for the test samples. The above results revealed that AgNPs synthesized from selected plant species possesses significant antimicrobial and phytotoxic effect.

A new compound namely (13-(3,3-dihydroxypropyl)-1,6-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-1H-isochromen-8(5H)-one (1) was isolated from an ethyl acetate extract of the borne fungi Screlotium rolfsii. Its chemical structure was elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. Screlotiumol 1 were evaluated for their effects on the reversion of multidrug resistant (MDR) mediated by P-glycoprotein (P-gp) of the soil borne fungi. The multidrug resistant P-glycoprotein is a target for chemotherapeutic drugs in cancer cells. In the present study rhodamine-123 exclusion screening test on human mdr1 gene transfected mouse gene transfected L5178 and L5178Y mouse T-cell lymphoma which showed excellent MDR reversing effect in a dose dependent manner against mouse T-lymphoma cell line. Moreover, molecular docking studies of compound-1 also showed better results as compared with the standard. Therefore the preliminary results obtained from this study suggest that screlotiumol 1 could be used as a potential agent for the treatment of cancer.

To identify biological activities of secondary metabolites obtained from penicillium and aspergillus species..The experimental study was conducted from December 2014 to November 2015 and comprised aspergillus and penicillium species that were isolated from the top soil of Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, and Mian Rashid Hussain Shaheed Memorial Hospital, Pabbi, both in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. To produce secondary metabolites, the species were grown in Czapek yeast broth. Fungal metabolites were extracted from the broth medium and were checked for anti-tuberculous, phytotoxic and insecticidal activities. Anti-tuberculous activity was checked against M.TB strains. Phytotoxicity was tested against Lemna minor plant, while insecticidal activities were performed against tribolium castaneum and rhyzopertha dominica.Secondary metabolites of aspergillus were active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis whereas those of penicillium showed no significant inhibitory activity (p0.05). Penicillium metabolites at 1000 µg/ml concentration showed significant (80%) phytotoxic activity. Aspergillus metabolites showed good (60-80%) insecticidal activity against tribolium castaneum and low (20-40%) activity against rhyzopertha dominica. Penicillium metabolites showed moderate (40-60%) activity against tribolium castaneum and low (20-40%) activity against rhyzopertha dominica..Secondary metabolites of both fungi contained some biologically active compounds. These metabolites could be further investigated for isolation of bioactive substances in purified form.

The hospital environment plays an important role in the spread of microorganisms, including multi drug resistant (MDR) strains. Patients can acquire Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which can reside in the clinical setup that are not cleaned and can spread through air droplets, bed clothing, and healthcare workers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of S. aureus in the Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH). A total of 200 samples were collected from the floor, walls, air and inanimate objects in different wards of the KTH, during May 2012 to September 2012. These samples were screened for the recovery of S. aureus. Recovered organisms were subjected to susceptibility testing and investigated for the detection of various toxin and antibiotic resistance genes by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). A total of 64 samples yielded S. aureus, out of which 37 (57.81%) were proved as MRSA. No isolate was found resistant to Vancomycin, however 81.25% of the isolates were found susceptible to Linezolid and Amikacin. The susceptibility to Fusidic acid, Chloramphenicol, Rifampicin, Doxycycline and Meropenem was observed as 79.69%, 76.56%, 75.00, 73.44% and 68.75% respectively. The frequency of sea, seb and sec genes were 56.25%, 43.75% and 12.5% in the recovered isolates. Erm C was more prevalent (28.12 %) than the ermA and ermB. The prevalence of pvl in MRSA was 21.62 % which is less than 33.33% in the MSSA isolates. S. aureus and especially MRSA are frequently prevalent in the KTH. Therefore, every immune-compromised patient is prone to infections caused by S. aureus. This will lead to high morbidity/mortality rate, prolong hospital stay and add extra cost to the health system.

Background: Due to the increase in morbidity and mortality rate, cancer has become an alarming threat to the human population worldwide. Since cancer is a progressive disorder, timely diagnosis is necessary to prevent/stop cancer from progressing to a severe stage. In Khyber Paktunkhwa, Pakistan, many tumors are diagnosed with endoscopy and biopsy; rare studies exist regarding the diagnosis and evaluation of ovarian cancer, based on tumor markers like CA-125. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate and evaluate levels of CA-125 in hospitalized ovarian cancer patients. Materials and Methods: In this study, a total of 63 admitted patients having ovarian cancer by biopsy were included. The level of CA-125 was determined in the blood of these patients using ELISA technique. Results: Out of 63 patients, the level of CA-125 was high in 52% . The affected individuals were more in the group of 40-60 and the level of CA-125 was comparatively higher in patients having moderately differentiated histology than those having well differentiated and poorly differentiated tumor histology. Moreover, the highest level of CA-125 was present among the patients having serous subtype of carcinoma and the common stage of carcinoma was stage II followed by stage III, I and IV. Conclusions: CA-125 level was high in more than 50% of the total patients. Moreover, CA-125 elevation was more common in serous subtype and stage II cancer patients.

To examine the frequency and distribution of mutations in the 'hot spot regions' of drug-resistant genes.The study was conducted at Provincial Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, Peshawar, Pakistan, from April 2015 to March 2016, and comprised sputum samples. Isolates were tested for drug susceptibility and resistant isolates were investigated for mutations analysis in the 'hot spot regions' of rpoB, rpsL, embB, pncA, gyrA and gyrB genes.Of the 163 isolates, 47(28.8%) isolates were resistant to streptomycin, 56(34.36%) to rifampicin, 31(19%) to ethambutol, 16(9.82%) to pyrazinamide and 59(36.2%) isolates were resistant to ofloxacin. Resistant isolates were randomly selected for mutation analysis. Moreover, 14(25%) rifampicin-resistant isolates were analyed for mutation in rpoB gene. Ser450Leu, Asp435Gly, Ser450Gln, Gly455Asp and Pro454His mutations were detected in the selected isolates. Furthermore, 16(34%) streptomycin-resistant isolates were analysed for mutation in rpsL gene. Lys43Arg, Lys88Arg and Lys111Ile mutations were detected in rpsL gene of 6(37.5%) isolates. Besides, 16(51.6%) ethambutol-resistant isolates were analysed for mutations in embB mutation; Ala281val, Met306Leu and Met306Val mutations were detected in 10(10(62.5%) isolates. Also, 8(50%) pyrazinamide-resistant isolates were analysed for mutation in pncA gene.Some novel mutations were found in rpoB, rpsL and pncA genes.

Background: Fungi performing a wide range of function in soil by secreting low molecular weight compound known as secondary metabolites. S. rolfsii is a soil borne phytopathogenic fungi was used for the production of bioactive compounds. Objective: The present study belongs to evaluate the anticancer potentials of a secondary metabolites isolated from S. rolfsii, their multidrug resistance (MDR), and molecular docking study. Method: (1S,3R,4R,5R,E)-3-(3-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)acryloyloxy)-1,4,5 trihydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid (1), or best known as chlorogenic acid, was isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of crude secondary metabolites produced by the soil borne Fungus Screlotium rolfsii. Structure of chlorogenic acid (1) was confirmed by means of FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectrometry as well as by melting point. Results: Effect of compound 1 on the reversion of multidrug resistant (MDR) mediated by P-glycoprotein (P-gp) against cancer cells was evaluated with a rhodamine-123 exclusion screening test on human mdr1 gene transfected mouse gene transfected L5178 and L5178Y mouse T-cell lymphoma. Compound 1 was also evaluated for Anti-proliferative effect on the L5178 mouse T-cell lymphoma cell line. Conclusion: Results from the present investigation revealed that compound 1 exhibits excellent MDR reversing effect in a dose-dependent manner against mouse T-lymphoma cell line. Compound 1 also showed anti-proliferative effect on L5178Y mouse T-lymphoma cell line.

Background Seroprevalence of hepatitis C in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan was determined by screening blood samples of expectant mothers seeking antenatal care in gynecological units of district hospitals. The rationale behind this cohort study was that the availability of free-of-cost antenatal care in district hospitals brings expectant mothers from a broader geographical range in each district and thus provides a large sample-size of healthy pregnant women of known medical history for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) surveillance. The study was carried out along a south west to north east transact of five districts, Kohat-Peshawar-Nowshera-Charsadda-Mardan, with the central district Peshawar and outer districts Kohat and Mardan bordering northern mountainous ranges of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This distribution of districts along the transact allowed the study to gauge the impact of proximity to remote highland communities on the HCV burden of visiting pregnant women tested for HCV infection. Methods The cohort study randomly selected 150 pregnant women visiting each hospital for serological screening for Anti-HCV carried out by ELISA assay. The feasibility of ICT and RT-PCR assays for HCV prevalence was also examined in the present study. Results With a total of 750 blood specimen screened, the results of ELISA tests revealed a staggering 5.9% frequency of Anti-HCV in the five districts with the frequency of ELISA positive cases ranging from 3.3% in Nowshera, 4.7% in Charsadda, 6.0% in Peshawar, 6.7% in Kohat, and 8.7% in Mardan. The relatively higher frequencies of Anti-HCV cases among hospital visiting pregnant women in Peshawar, Kohat and Mardan were consistent with the proximity of these hospitals to the highland communities in the bordering mountain ranges. Compared to 44 Anti-HCV positive serologic specimens detected by ELISA, only 26 and 10 blood specimens were tested positive by ICT and PCR methods, respectively. Our study validates ELISA as a reliable diagnostic technique for both acute and chronic HCV infection. Conclusion The HCV infection rate of 5.9% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province clearly exceeds the HCV prevalence rates reported for other regions in Pakistan, making this province a hotspot of HCV infection in the country.

To investigate the frequency of mutations in catalase-peroxidase and inhibin alpha genes in clinical isolates of isoniazid resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains.The study was conducted at Provincial Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, Peshawar, Pakistan, from April 2015 to March 2016, and comprised sputum specimens obtained from patients of different ages. All the isolates were analysed for isoniazid resistance. Thirty resistant isolates were randomly selected for mutation analysis of the hotspot regions of catalase-peroxidase and inhibin alpha genes.Of the 163 positive isolates, 79(48.46%) were resistant to isoniazid. Among these, 21(70%) had mutation in catalase-peroxidase gene and 2(6.6%) had C15T mutation in inhibin alpha promoter region. Among the 21 catalase-peroxidase mutants, Ser315Thr mutation was detected in 15(71.4%) isolates. Gly316Ser mutation was detected in 3(14.2%) isolates. Ser315Arg mutation was identified in 2(9.5%) isolates. Double mutation of Ser303Trp and Lys274Arg was detected in 1(4.7%) isolate. Among the inhibin alpha promoter region mutations, 2(6.6%) of the thirty isolates had the most common C15T mutation in the promoter region.One novel mutation at codon 303 in catalase-peroxidase gene was found in the study, and it could contribute to isoniazid resistance.

Staphylococcus aureus is a nosocomial pathogen that resides in the soft tissues causing many diseases. The current study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Methicillin Resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in ear discharge and pus of patients and antibacterial activity of crude methanolic extract (Cr. MeOH Ext.) and various fractions of M. Africana and V. agnus castus against clinical isolates of MRSA. A total of 40 samples were collected from ear, nose and throat (ENT) outpatient department and wards of Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Peshawar. Out of 40 samples, 36 (90%) samples showed growth on Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA) media out of which 9(25%) were MRSA and the remaining 27(75%) were methicillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA). A good antibacterial activity was observed for the Cr. MeOH Ext. (76.1%) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of V. agnus castus against S11 (71.4%). The n-hexane fraction also showed good antibacterial effect (70%) against S

Two new sesquiterpene coumarins, fnarthexone (1) and fnarthexol (2), along with three known coumarin derivatives, conferol (3), conferone (4) and umbelliferone (5), were isolated from the plant Ferula narthex Boiss. The structures of the compounds 1–5 were elucidated using modern spectroscopic techniques. The structure of compound 3 was unambiguously deduced by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique. Compounds 1–4 were tested for in vitro leishmanicidal activity and promising results were obtained. Conferol (3) was found to be the most potent with IC50 value of 11.51 ± 0.09 μg/mL.

A simple, easy, fast, inexpensive, and sensitive reversed phase HPLC method is developed for quantification of etoposide in plasma and biological samples. Separations are carried out using mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and water (35:65, v/v) on phoenix C18 chromolith reverse phase analytical column protected by Phenomenex guard cartridge. Etoposide and teniposide (internal standard) are extracted from tissue samples with acetonitrile and chloroform. The eluent is monitored at 254 nm at the temperature of 45°C. The developed method exhibited linearity over an analytical range of the respective samples. Run time is only 5 min using flow rate of 1.5 mL/min with great precision and reproducibility. The peak-height ratio of etoposide with respect to internal standard is linear, corresponding to its plasma concentration. The method was reliable as both intra-day and inter-day coefficient of variation was below 5%. It is observed that this method is sensitive and reliable. The described method will be ...

This study was conducted on wound isolates, collected both from in-patients and out-patients of two tertiary hospitals of Peshawar, Pakistan. A total of 70 Staphylococcus aureus isolates, including 35 methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 35 methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) were tested using different biocides and antibiotics. The biocides used in this study were Cetrimide, Benzalkonium chloride, Chlorhexidine, Triclosan, Triclorcarban, PCMX, Cetylpyridinium chloride, Copper sulphate and Silver nitrate while antibiotics used in this study were Erythromycin, Clindamycin Neomycine, Minocycline, Ciproflaxacin, Oflaxacin, Fusidic acid, Vancomycin, Mupiracin, Rifampicin, Chloramphenenicol, Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, Tetracylcine and Penicillin G. Sensitivity of biocides was performed by minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) while the antibiotic susceptibility was carried out using Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method. The phenotypic detection of efflux pump was performed by agar dilution method using Ethidium bromide (EtBr). Most of the S. aureus isolates were found highly resistant to antibiotics, while they showed high susceptibility to biocides. Among the biocides tested, only 22.8% isolates showed resistance to Cetrimide. Triclosan was found the most effective biocide which showed MIC90 ≤0.05 µg/ml for both MRSA and MSSA. Among the Cetrimide resistant isolates, three isolates of MRSA and one isolate of MSSA showed the presence of phenotypic efflux pump. Most of the isolates collected in Pakistan which exhibited high antibiotic resistance profile were sensitive to biocides. This indicates that biocides are infrequently used in Pakistani hospitals while antibiotics are overused. This study does not support the hypothesis of cross resistance between antibiotics and biocides. Key words: Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin susceptiable S. aureus, biocides.

The main objective of cancer management with chemotherapy (anticancer drugs) is to kill the neoplastic (cancerous) cell instead of a normal healthy cell. The bioassay-guided isolation of two new sesquiterpene coumarins (compounds 1 and 2) have been carried out from Ferula narthex collected from Chitral, locally known as "Raw." Anticancer activity of crude and all fractions have been carried out to prevent carcinogenesis by using MTT assay. The n-hexane fraction showed good activity with an IC50 value of 5.434 ± 0.249 μg/mL, followed by crude MeFn extract 7.317 ± 0.535 μg/mL, and CHCl3 fraction 9.613 ± 0.548 μg/mL. Compounds 1 and 2 were isolated from chloroform fraction. Among tested pure compounds, compound 1 showed good anticancer activity with IC50 value of 14.074 ± 0.414 μg/mL. PASS (Prediction of Activity Spectra) analysis of the compound 1 was carried out, in order to predicts their binding probability with anti-cancer target. As a results the compound 1 showed binding probability with human histone acetyltransferase with Pa (probability to be active) value of 0.303. The compound 1 was docked against human histone acetyltransferase (anti-cancer drug target) by using molecular docking simulations. Molecular docking results showed that compound 1 accommodate well in the anti-cancer drug target. Moreover the activity support cancer chemo preventive activity of different compounds isolated from the genus Ferula, in accordance with the previously reported anticancer activities of the genus.

The aim of the current work was to screen the crude methanolic extract (Cr. MeOH Ext.) and various fractions of Hedera nepalensis for antibacterial, antifungal, brine-shrimp lethality, phytotoxicity, heamagglutination, insecticidal and nitric oxide free radical scavenging assay. The results revealed that chloroform (CHCl3) fraction of the plant possess good antibacterial activity (60%) against Staphylococcus aureus while the rest of the fractions and Cr. MeOH Ext. showed moderate (>40%) and low antibacterial activity (

A new compound, 6a,11a-dihydro-6H-[1] benzofuro [3,2-c][1,3]dioxolo[4,5-g]chromen-9-ol was isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of Vitex agnus-castus. The structure of this compound was identified with the help of spectroscopic techniques ((13)C NMR, (1)H NMR, HMBC, HMQC, NOESY and COSY). The compound showed low urease- (32.0%) and chymotrypsin- (31.4%) inhibitory activity, and moderate (41.3%) anti-inflammatory activity. The crude extract and various fractions obtained from the aerial parts of the plant were also screened for possible in vitro hemagglutination, antibacterial and phytotoxic activities. No hemagglutination activity against human erythrocytes was observed in crude extracts and fractions of V. agnus-castus. The fractions and crude methanolic extract showed moderate and low antibacterial activity. Exceptions were the CHCl(3) fraction, which showed significant antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumonia (81% with MIC(50)=2.19 mg/mL), the n-hexane fraction, which exhibited no activity against Salmonella typhi, and the CHCl(3) and aqueous fractions, which showed no activity against Bacillus pumalis. Moderate phytotoxic activity (62.5%) was observed by n-hexane fraction of V. agnus-castus against Lemna minor L at 1000 μg/mL.

The crude methanolic extract and various fractions of Andrachne cardifolia Muell, including chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions were subjected to in vitro enzyme inhibition activity against acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, lipoxygenase and urease enzymes. A significant enzyme inhibition activity (40-89%) was shown by the crude methanolic extract and its fractions against lipoxygenase, while low to significant activity (40-71%) against butyrylcholinesterase. The crude methanolic extract and its various fractions demonstrated poor to significant activity (25-73%) against acetylcholinesterase and no activity against urease.

The crude methanolic extract of Andrachne cordifolia Muell. (Euphorbiaceae) and its various fractions in different solvent systems (chloroform, ethyl acetate and n- butanol) were screened for antibacterial and antifungal activities. Crude extract and subsequent fractions demonstrated moderate to excellent antibacterial activities against the tested pathogens. Highest antibacterial activity was displayed by both chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions (100%) followed by the crude extract (68%) against Salmonella typhi. Similarly, crude extract and its subsequent fractions showed mild to excellent activities in antifungal bioassay with maximum (76%) antifungal activity against Microsporum canis by the chloroform fraction followed by the crude extract (65%).

BACKGROUND Due to the increase in morbidity and mortality rate, cancer has become an alarming threat to the human population worldwide. Since cancer is a progressive disorder, timely diagnosis would be helpful to prevent/stop cancer from progressing to severe stage. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, most of the time, tumors are diagnosed with endoscopy and biopsy; therefore rare studies exist regarding the diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GIT) carcinomas based on tumor markers, especially CEA. OBJECTIVES This study made a comparative analysis of CEA in admitted hospitalized stomach and colon cancer patients diagnosed as GIT with biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, a total of 66 cases were included. The level of CEA was determined in the blood of these patients using ELISA technique. RESULTS Out of 66 patients, the level of CEA was high in 59.1% of the total, 60.7% in colon cancer patients and 57.9 % in stomach cancer patients. Moreover, the incidence of colorectal and stomach cancer was greater in males as compared to females. Patients were more of the age group of 40- 60 and the level of CEA was comparatively higher in patients (51.5%) with histology which was moderately differentiated, than patients with well differentiated and poorly differentiated tumor histology. CONCLUSIONS CEA level was high in more than 50% of the total patients. Moreover, CEA exhibited higher sensitivity for colon than stomach cancer.

In vitro enzymes inhibition activities of the crude methanolic extract and various fractions of Colchicum luteum Baker (Liliaceae) including chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous were carried out against actylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, lipoxygenase and urease enzymes. A significant enzyme inhibition activity (89%) is shown by the crude methanolic extract and its fractions against lipoxygenase, while low to significant activity (32-75%) was evident against butyrylcholinesterase. The crude methanolic extract and its various fractions demonstrated low activity (29-61%) against acetylcholinesterase and no activity against urease.

Purpose: To evaluate the concentration of copper and iron in the aqueous humour of steroid-treated eyes, particularly to study the concentration of these metals in relation to steroid-induced increases in intraocular pressure (IOP). Methods: Adult rabbits of both sexes were selected in order to study the effect of steroids on the concentrations of copper and iron in the aqueous humour and on IOP. The rabbits were acclimatised for 2 weeks prior to the instillation of various drugs into the eyes. Then a steroid (dexamethasone, betamethasone or fluoromethalone) was instilled in both eyes of the rabbits, for about 1 month. Intraocular pressure was measured twice a week. When IOP was significantly increased, the animals were killed. The aqueous humour was collected and analysed for copper and iron using atomic absorption spectrophotometry coupled with graphite furnace. Results: After about 30 days of steroid treatment the mean (± SD) IOP in dexamethasone, betamethasone and fluoromethalone treated groups was 17.5 (± 4.81) mmHg, 18.48 (± 4.5) mmHg and 21.8 (± 5.7) mmHg, respectively. These values were significantly higher compared to the control group where the mean IOP was 11.6 (± 2.2) mmHg. The concentration of copper in the aqueous humour of steroid-treated rabbits was significantly lower (P

Crude methanolic extract of roots, aerial parts and its subsequent fractions of Ferula narthex Boiss were tested for antibacterial, anti-fungal and phytotoxic activities. Crude methanolic extract of roots and its fractions showed significant antibacterial effect against P.aeruginosa (86.95%, 73.91, 69.59, 78.26amp; 73.91%) represented by percent inhibition except ethyl acetate (EtoAc) fraction. The EtoAc fraction of roots and aerial parts showed significant activity against E. coli (80%), S. typhi (81.2amp; 81.25%) and S. pneumoniae (80%). The n-hexane, chloroform and aqueous fractions of aerial parts showed significant activity against P. aeruginosa (78.26, 69.56amp; 73.91%). Following fungal strains (T. longifusus, C. albicans, A. flavus, M. canis, F. solani, C. glabrata) were also used for anti-fungal activity. Among tested samples only crude methanol extract of roots, n-hexane and chloroform fraction showed moderate anti-fungal activity against M. canis (40, 35amp; 30%) represented by percent inhibition. The remaining fractions showed no effect on tested fungi. Different oils fractions were also tested against above fungal strains. Fraction I, IIamp; V showed mild to moderate activity against M. canis (40, 40amp; 25%). Phytotoxic effect of tested samples of roots, aerial part and its fractions showed concentration dependent growth inhibition. Maximum phytotoxic effect was noted for n-hexane and aqueous fraction (50% growth inhibition). The remaining tested samples showed mild effect on growth of Lemna minor plant.

Medicinal plants are used worldwide to treat a variety of ailments. Due to the provenance of medicinal plants, they are subjected to contamination by moulds, which may be responsible for spoilage and production of mycotoxins. The investigation was designed to throw light on mycological and mycotoxicological status of some medicinal plants from Pakistan and the result showed 30 % and 26.7 % samples were contaminated with aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, respectively. Mould contamination was present in 90 % samples, of which 70 % exceeded the permissible limits. Opium poppy, licorice root, and Indian rennet were most contaminated samples. The predominant moulds found were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Penicillium spp. and 31 % of the 47 isolates tested were found to be toxigenic. The findings indicate that the contamination in the medicinal plants may contribute to adverse human health problems. This information would prove helpful for regulatory agencies to establish limits for these contaminants in medicinal plants and will explore ways for export of herbal products to countries where more stringent permissible limits of mycotoxins exist. The study is first of its kind in the country reporting natural occurrence of mycotoxins in medicinal plants in Pakistan.

Cancer is a life threatening disease. Many people die of cancer every year. Epidemiological studies suggest that alteration of trace elements in the body can contribute to the development of cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), iron (Fe) and magnesium (Mg) in the blood, hair and nails of lymphoma and esophageal cancer (EC) patients in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The results reveal that the mean concentration of Cu, Pb and Ni increased significantly, while the concentration of Zn, Fe and Mg significantly decreased in the blood, hair and nails of lymphoma and EC patients. From this study it can be concluded that increased Pb, Cu, Ni and decreased Zn, Fe and Mg concentration in lymphoma and esophageal cancer patients suggest that these may play some role in carcinogenesis. Key Words: Trace elements, lymphoma, esophageal cancer

A new compound was isolated from the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of the aerial parts of Myrsine africana. The compound was eluted with mobile phase of EtOAc and n-hexane at a ratio of 0.2:9.8. The structure of the compound was identified with the help of 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR, heteronuclear multiple bond correlation (HMBC), heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence (HMQC), nuclear overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) and correlation spectroscopy (COSY). The crude methanolic extract and various fractions of the aerial parts of the plant were also screened for anti-inflammatory activity. The EtOAc and n-hexane fractions of the plant showed moderate (44.8 and 40.9%, respectively) antiinflammatory activity, while the rest of the fractions and crude extract showed low activity at concentration of 500 μg/ml against human neutrophils.Key words: Myrsine africana, anti-inflammatory activity, indomethacin.

As Hepatitis C infection is the cause of hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide including Pakistan. Different regions have different infection rates in Pakistan and hence different mortality. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) is one of the main affected provinces of the country. Since Interferon (IFN) based therapy is used to eradicate the infection from the bodies of infected individuals. However information regarding treatment response in different population groups in case of chronic HCV patients is lacking. So it is aimed to investigate response rates of IFN and Ribavirin combination therapy in different districts of KPK. A total of 198 anti-HCV and PCR positive patients were selected from district Swabi, 54 from Kohat and 89 from Bunir for conventional IFN therapy keeping in mind therapy exclusive criteria for patients. All the patients were given 3MIU thrice a week and 300-400 mg thrice a day, dose of conventional IFN and Ribavirin respectively. Therapy was continued for six months with repeated investigations of CBCs and LFTs during and at the end of course. PCR test was also repeated during (3 months) and at the end of treatment (6 months). Out of total 341, selected patients for standard IFN- based therapy, 288 (81%) showed ETR while 53 (19%) did not show response. In different districts of KPK, the ETR rates were, 92% in district Swabi, 71% in Bunir and 80% in district Kohat. All these patients having positive ETR were negative for HCV RNA at the end of six months of conventional IFN therapy. IFN therapy response varies among different population groups of KPK but the average response rate is good enough against HCV infection. This high response may be attributed to responsive genotypes prevalent in KPK.

Many bioactive compounds are produced by the medicinal plants that have important pharmacological activities. The present study describes the chemical composition, antifungal, phytotoxic, brine shrimp cytotoxic, insecticidal and antibacterial activities of essential oils from Acacia modesta. The oils were extracted from the n-hexane fraction of the aerial parts of the plant and were analyzed by gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The results revealed 38 components from the oil of A. modesta. The oils exhibited moderate antifungal activity (40%) against Microsporum canis and low against Fusarium solani (25%). At the concentration of 1000 and 100 µg/ml, the oils showed moderate phytotoxic activity of 50 and 40%, respectively, against Lemna minor. The oils were highly cytotoxic at the concentration of 100 µg/ml killing all the shrimps in the experiment. At the concentration of 10 µg/ml only 2 and at concentration of 1 µg/ml, only 8 shrimps survived out of 30. The oils showed no antibacterial and insecticidal activity against the test organisms. Key words: Essential oil, Acacia modesta, antibacterial, antifungal, phytotoxic, insecticidal brine shrimp cytotoxicity.

The aim of the current study was to screen the crude methanol extract (Cr. MeOH Ext.) of the aerial parts (leaves and stem) of Vitex agnus castus, for antispasmodic actions on isolated tissues. The Cr. MeOH Ext. was screened to measure antispasmodic action on the spontaneous rabbit’s jejunum preparations at different concentration(s) (0.01, 0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 mg/ml). Similarly, the Cr. MeOH Ext was also applied at same concentrations, on potassium chloride (KCl) (80 mM) induced contractions to explain its possible mode of action. The plant Cr. MeOH Ext. showed a significant anti-spasmodic action on rabbit jejunum and abolished the spontaneous tissue contractions, completely at concentration 3.0 mg/ml. The study concludes that the Cr. MeOH Ext. of aerial parts of V. agnus castus has significant antispasmodic action possibly through the calcium channel blocking mechanisms. Key words: Vitex agnus castus, antispasmodic action, potassium chloride (KCl) induced contractions.

Background Interferon based therapy is used to eradicate the Hepatitis C Virus from the bodies of the infected individuals. HCV is highly prevalent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) that is why it is important to determine the response of standard interferon based therapy in Chronic HCV patients of the region. Study design A total of 174 patients were selected for interferon based therapy. The patients were selected from four different regions of KPK. After confirmation of active HCV infection by Real Time PCR, standard interferon with ribavirn was given to patients for 6 months. After completion of therapy, end of treatment virologic response (ETR) was calculated. Results Out of total 174 patients, 130 (74.71%) showed ETR and 44 (25.28%) did not show ETR. In district Bunir, out of 52 patients, 36 (69.23%) showed ETR and 16 (30.79%) did not show ETR. In district Mardan, out of the total 74 patients, 66 (89.18%) were negative for HCV RNA and 8 (10.81%) were resistant to therapy. In Peshawar, out of 22, 16 (60%) were negative and 6 (40%) were positive for HCV RNA at the end of 6 months therapy. In the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA), out of 18 only 10 (55.5%) were negative and 8 (44.45%) were positive for active HCV infection. Conclusion It is concluded that the response of antiviral therapy against HCV infection in chronic HCV patients of KPK province is 74.71%. The high response rate may be due to the prevalence of IFN-responsive HCV genotypes (2 and 3) in KPK.

Plants are very useful, self-generating machines, producing a variety of useful bioactive products. Keeping in view this idea, the crude methanolic extract and various fractions of Zizyphus jujuba were screened for antifungal, cytotoxic, antitermite and insecticidal activities. Low activity was shown by the crude methanolic extract (12%), n-hexane (9%), chloroform (20%) and ethyl acetate (14%) fraction against Penicillium notatum. Low activity was shown by the n-hexane fraction against Aspergillus niger (10%) and Trichoderma harzianum (13%) and inactive against Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizopus stolonifer. The CHCl(3) fraction exhibited low activity of 10% against F. oxysporum while showing no activity against the rest of the test fungi. All the test samples were inactive against Rhizopus stolonifer. The crude methanolic extract was highly cytotoxic (73.33%) at the concentration of 1000 (µg/ml) while the rest of the test samples were low in toxicity at the same concentration. The crude methanolic extract of Zizyphus jujuba showed significant antitermite activity against Heterotermes indicola, among the test samples. Against Tribolium castaneum, Rhizopertha dominica and Callosbruchus analis the insecticidal activity was determined. All the test samples except n-hexane showed low activity (20%) against T. castaneum. The n-hexane fraction showed low activity (20%) against R. dominica while the rest of the fractions were inactive against it. Low activity of 40% and 20% was shown by the chloroform and n-hexane fraction respectively against C. analis. The results of the present study revealed that the plant could be as potent source of cytotoxic drugs.

Background Myrsine africana is an herbaceous plant that is traditionally used as appetizer and carminative. Locally, it is used for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, rheumatism and diarrhea by healers. The aims of the current study were to screen the crude methanol extract obtained from the aerial parts (leaves and stem) of M. africana, for antispasmodic actions on isolated tissues and further to subject the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of plant to column chromatography for isolation of pure compounds. Methods The antispasmodic action of the crude methanol extract was measured on the spontaneous rabbit's jejunum preparations at concentration 0.01, 0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 mg/ml. The crude extract was also applied, in similar concentrations, on KCl (80 mM) induced contractions to explain its possible mode of action. Results A new compound Myrsigenin was isolated from the EtOAc fraction of M. africana. The structure of the compound was identified with the help of 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR, HMBC, HMQC, NOESY and COSY. The plant crude methanol extract showed a significant antispasmodic action on rabbit jejunum and abolished the tissue contraction completely at concentration of 5.0 mg/ml. Conclusion The study concludes that the methanol crude extract of aerial parts of M. africana has antispasmodic action possibly through the calcium channel blocking mechanisms. A new compound Myrsigenin was isolated from the EtOAc fraction of the plant.

The crude methanolic extract and subsequent fractions of Teucrium royleanum (Labiatea) were screened for antibacterial and antifungal activities. Against tested pathogens, crude extract and subsequent fractions demonstrated moderate to excellent antibacterial activities. Highest antibacterial activity was displayed by the ethyl acetate fraction against S. typhi (100%), against E.coli (76.7%) and against P. aerugenosa (70.8%) followed by the chloroform fraction against S. typhi (85.7%). Similarly, the crude extract and its subsequent fractions showed mild to excellent activities in the antifungal bioassay with maximum antifungal activity against M. canis (87%) by the chloroform fraction followed by the ethyl acetate (71%) and n-butanol (70%) fractions.

The methanolic extract of the corms of Colchicum luteum Baker (Liliaceae) and its subsequent fractions in different solvent systems were screened for antibacterial and antifungal activities. The crude extract and all the fractions demonstrated moderate to excellent antifungal activities against tested pathogens in antifungal bioassay. Excellent antifungal activity was shown against trichophyton longifusus, up to 75%, and microsporum canis, up to 85%, while the crude extract and subsequent fractions showed mild to moderate activities in an antibacterial bioassay with maximum antibacterial activity 58% against Bacillus subtilis.