Extraction Of Plant Material Research Articles

An ensuing repercussion of solvent alteration on biological and photocatalytic efficacy of Emilia sonchifolia (L.) phytochemicals capped zinc oxide nanoparticles

In the framework of the present study, a triumphant attempt was made to obtain biocompatible ZnOES NPs using E. sonchifolia (L.) plant extracts. A repercussion of solvent alteration on the biological and photocatalytic properties of ZnOES NPs has also been delineated employing two solvents viz. water and ethanol during the extraction of plant material. The formation of ZnOES NPs was confirmed through FTIR, PXRD, and UV–visible spectroscopy, which was further upheld by the elemental mapping study. Additionally, the NPs were examined through Rietveld refinement of P-XRD data obtained, FE-SEM, and BET analyses. The results of these analyses have substantiated the formation of mesoporous ZnOES NPs with divergent shapes and sizes ranging between 18.12 and 25.70 nm. The in-vitro antidiabetic activity of ZnOES NPs carried out revealed their excellent α-amylase inhibition activity (85.53 ± 0.002%). Furthermore, the in-vitro anti-inflammatory activity unfolded their biocompatibility by exhibiting a % HRBCMS up to 89.31 ± 0.002%. The NPs also displayed anti-microbial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtulis, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Pseudomonas syringae, and Escherichia coli. Therewithal the photo-degradation experiments of ZnOES nanocatalysts manifested superlative dye degradation efficacies exhibiting a % degradation of 92.01 and 79.36 for Methylene Blue and Methyl orange dyes respectively. Thus the studies have evinced the antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and dye degradation potentialities of biocompatible ZnOES NPs with excellent stability and reusability.

Isolation of antioxidants from Alchemilla xanthochlora

The aim of this study was to find conditions for isolation of antioxidants from Alchemilla xanthochlora. The solid-liquid extraction of plant material with different solvents (n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, methanol, and water) was used for preparation of crude extracts of antioxidants. For additional purification of crude extract, liquid-liquid extraction in different organic solvents (chloroform, ethylacetate, methanol) and water, and column chromatography with silica gel as stationary phase and mixture of chloroform : methanol as mobile phase were used. The content of active compounds was monitored by photometric method and special TLC analysis using DPPH as basic reagent. TLC-DPPH analysis of herbal extracts showed that antioxidants from Alchemilla xanthochlora were separated into two groups with different polarity. Finally, for the isolation of antioxidants from Alchemilla xanthochlora were successfully used the following procedures: extraction of dried grounded plant material with methanol at 50°C during 1 hour, subsequent liquid-liquid extraction in isopropanol and water and fractionation of isopropanol extract by column chromatography. Fraction with isolated antioxidants showed antioxidant activity 535.2 mg to g of fraction residue.

English

The current research work was conducted for the evaluation of repellent and growth inhibitory potential of Azadirachta indica, Murraya koenigii, Nicotiana tobacum and Liquorice against Callosobruchus chinensis (L.). Each plant extract was tested with four concentrations viz; 5, 10, 15 & 20 % for bioassay experiments. Repellent potentials of acetone extract of the plants were evaluated by using the area preference method against the pulse beetle. The four dilutions of the extracted plant materials (extract) were used at one half of the filter papers (of each) while remaining halves were solely treated with acetone (used as control experimental unit) for the comparison purposes. Data regarding repellence were taken after 12, 24 and 48 hours of the post treatment. In repellency bioassay, the highest (93.32%) repellence of Callosobruchus chinensis was observed for which against 20% concentration of A. indica extract, whereas lowest repellence (78.87%) was recorded in case of Liquorice. Repellency values of 90.07% and 84.76% were recorded in extracts of M. koenigii and N. tobacum in Faisalabad strain. In case of Lahore strain highest repellence of C. chinensis was observed for which 95.16% at 20% concentration of A. indica extract was whereas relatively lowest value (82.04%) was recorded in case of Liquorice. Repellency values of 87.27% and 91.06% were recorded in extracts of M. koenigii and N. tobacum. The results regarding growth inhibitory effect revealed that highest mean progeny inhibition (78.12%) was noted at 20% dose rate of A. indica extracted plant material after longest exposure time (60 days). Comparatively lowest inhibition (28.21%) was noted after 30 days exposure period at 5% dilution of Liquorice extract in Faisalabad strain. Mean inhibition of progeny was found directly dependent on both time as well as concentration, applied. Results revealed that highest mean progeny inhibition (85.03%) was recorded at 20% concentration of A. indica extract after longest exposure time (60 days). Comparatively, lowest inhibition (35.18%) was recorded at 5% after 30 days of application of Nicotiana tobacum extract in Lahore strain. Hence, use of plant-based materials can be helpful for the ecofriendly management of the stored grains insect pests as a part of IPM program.

To Fabricate and Evaluate the Wound Healing Activity of Herbal Medicated Plasters Containing the Extracts Obtained from Tridax procumbens and Azadirachta indica

The present research work is to fabricate medicated plaster containing herbal extracts for wound healing properties. Till date no herbal medicated plaster have been prepared and evaluated using the extracts obtained from the plants Neem and Coat button. The objective of the present study is to provide the herbal medicated plasters to the society. The major advantage of this medicated herbal plaster is its safety, efficacy, portability and efficiency. There is much more study such as Collection of plant, Extraction of plant materials and their antimicrobial test, Evaluation of qualitative and quantitative test, Estimation of total phenolic content, Antioxidant study, Antimicrobial study, Estimation of patch test, Antimicrobial studies of patch test. The plant extracts were quantitatively analysed for total flavonoids content, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity. Methanolic extract of Azadirechta indica and Tridax procumbens has shown presence of high content of flavonoids and total phenolic content. Also the Azadirachtin content in the neem extracts was determined. All the six extracts AIME, AIPE, AIAE, TPME, TPPE and TPAE were subjected to antimicrobial activity. In patch test FII batch shows the excellent antimicrobial activity.FII patch was selected for fabrication of plasters which was then subjected to the pharmacological study. FII patch possess the maximum wound healing activity by using the methanolic extracts of AIME, TPME and AIPE.

Sonication, a Potential Technique for Extraction of Phytoconstituents: A Systematic Review

Traditional extraction techniques have lost their optimum performance because of rising consumer demand and novel technologies. In this regard, several techniques were developed by humans for the extraction of plant materials from various indigenous sources, which are no longer in use. Many of the techniques are not efficient enough to extract maximum plant material. By this time, evolution in extraction has led to development of various techniques including microfiltration, pulsed electric fields, high pressure, microwave assistance, enzyme assistance, supercritical fluid, subcritical fluid and ultrasonication. These innovations in food processing/extraction are known as “Green Food Processing”. These technologies were basically developed by focusing on three universal parameters: simplicity, energy efficiency and economy. These green technologies are practical in a number of different food sectors, mostly for preservation, inhibition of microorganisms, inactivation of enzymes and extraction of plant material. Like the others, ultrasonication could also be used for the said purposes. The primary objective of this review is to confine the potential use of ultrasonication for extraction of oils, pectin and phytochemicals by reviewing the literature systematically.

Comparative study of four different flavonoid compounds‐containing plant extracts functionalised waste wool for accelerating aqueous chromium(VI) reductive removal

AbstractFour different plant material extracts containing flavonoid compounds were prepared with fruits of Lycium ruthenicum Murray (LRM) and Vaccinium spp. (VS), Ginkgo biloba L. (GBL) leaves and grape seeds. On the basis of several characterisation, these extracts were then used for functionalising waste wool fibres by an exhaustion dyeing process. Content of deposited flavonoid compounds and aqueous chromium(VI) reductive removal capacity of four plant material extract dyed wool fibres were investigated and compared. The results indicated that LRM and VS extracts contained more flavonoid compounds (0.12‐0.15 mg ml−1) than the other two extracts (0.06‐0.08 mg ml−1), which led to high content of deposited flavonoid compounds and strong chromium(VI) reductive removal performance of their dyed wool fibres. Importantly, 0.10 mmol L−1 of chromium(VI) species could be almost completely removed by fallen GBL extract dyed wool fibre from water by increasing content of deposited flavonoid compounds up to 8.0 mg g−1, which offer a novel strategy to produce cost‐effective, environmental‐friendly and renewable chromium(VI) removal material based on waste control by waste.

Antifungal activity of foliar extracts from Maytenus spp. on Cylindrocladium clavatum

The use of leaf extracts to reduce pesticide applications that harm the environment and cause environmental disorder can be an alternative to the control of fungi during propagation of eucalyptus. The experiment tested the effect of leaf extracts from two species of espinheira-santa on Cylindrocladium clavatum. The extraction of plant material was carried out through percolation at 28 °C for 7 days using column liquid chromatography with hexane, chloroform, and methanol as solvents. Evaluations of antifungal activity were performed with a fixed extract concentration of 2,000 mg L-1. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the extracts, sporulation, and control of C. clavatum in eucalyptus leaves were evaluated using concentrations of 500, 250, 125, and 100 mg L-1 after 5 and 15 days of incubation. The concentration of 500 mg L-1 of chloroform extract from leaves of M.ilicifolia and M.aquifolium resulted in a better control of Cylindrocladium clavatum. In the evaluation of sporulation, the crude and methanolic extracts obtained the best performances, with emphasis on the concentrations of 500 and 250 mg L-1, which resulted in the lowest number of spores. For the evaluation of the minimum inhibitory concentration, it was observed that the fungus is not 100% controlled, but that the greatest effect lies on the reduction of fungus growth. In the image tests with eucalyptus leaves, the crude extract resulted in the smallest lesion area at concentrations of 500 and 250 mg L-1. The extract was more effective when applied in its raw form and with greater concentration.

Study of the phenolic compounds of the dry extract of Thymus crebrifoli ususing a combined HPLC–UV and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method

In world practice interest in herbal medicines is noticeably increasing every year. From this point of view, plants of the ThymusL. genus of the Lamiaceaefamily are of undoubted interest. Previously we have obtained a dry extract from the aerial part of an endemic plant of the flora of Kazakhstan Thymus crebrifoliusKlokovfor the first time by double extraction of raw plant materials with 70% ethanol using ultrasound. Dry extract of Thymus crebrifoliushas a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity, including against Helicobacter pylori, while it is not toxic, and can be used as an antimicrobial agent. The article presents the results of a study of the composition of phenolic compounds of dry extract of Thymus crebrifoliususing a combined HPLC-UV and HPLC-MS/MS method. 12 phenolic compounds have been identified and quantified in the dry extract of Thy-mus crebrifolius. Four of them are phenolic acids, and eight are flavonoids. The dominant phenolic compounds are luteolin-7-O-glucoside (109.00mg g−1),rosmarinic acid (30.98mg g−1), naringenin (24.84 mg g−1), epicat-echin (9.98mg g−1),myricetin (6.15mg g−1) and gallic acid (3.41mg g−1). The results of chromatographic analysis will be used to standardize drugs based on dry extract of Thymus crebrifolius.

Efficient Access to the Iboga Skeleton: Optimized Procedure to Obtain Voacangine from Voacanga africana Root Bark.

Iboga alkaloids are a group of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids with promising and intriguing biological activities. Ibogaine is the representative member of the series and has become widely known as a potent atypical psychedelic with promising effects to treat substance use disorder. Nowadays, an efficient and scalable enantioselective total synthesis of ibogaine and related iboga alkaloids is still lacking, so direct extraction from natural sources or semi-synthetic schemes are the methods of choice to obtain them in a preparative scale. In particular, ibogaine can be obtained either by a low yielding direct isolation from Tabernanthe iboga or using a semi-synthetic procedure from voacangine, an iboga alkaloid occurring in a higher yield in the root bark of Voacanga africana. In this work, we describe an optimized process to obtain voacangine from V. africana root bark as a precursor of the iboga scaffold. Using a direct acetone-based extraction procedure (0.5 kg of root bark), voacangine was isolated in ∼0.8% of root bark dried weight, while the major alkaloids isolated from the bark were identified as iboga-vobasinyl dimers (∼3.7%) such as voacamine and voacamidine. Since these alkaloids contain the voacangine moiety in their structure, the cleavage of the dimers was further optimized, affording an extra amount of voacangine in ∼50% isolated molar yield. In this manner, the total amount of voacangine obtained by application of the whole procedure to the plant material (extraction and dimer cleavage) could almost duplicate the content originally found in the root bark.

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with a new separation mode for rapid profiling of the Z/E isomers of plant glucosylceramides

Plant glucosylceramide (GlcCer) is characterized by various long-chain bases (LCBs) containing a Z/E isomeric unsaturated bond at the Δ8 position. The isomer ratio of GlcCer is highly diversified among plant species and is involved in tolerance to membrane fluidity-associated stresses such as chilling and aluminum toxicity. Therefore, a plant GlcCer isomer-selective quantitative method is required, allowing further sphingolipidomic studies for crop breeding. We here report a new technique for rapid determination of the Z/E isomers of plant GlcCer. A Cholester column contains cholesteryl groups as the hydrophobic stationary phase and separated the GlcCer isomers more efficiently than a conventional C18 column. We also investigated various mobile phases and column temperatures. The optimized column, solvent, and temperature conditions provided comprehensive profiles of the Z/E ratios of GlcCer in crude extracts of plant materials in less than 20 min. This high-throughput method will facilitate the large-scale profiling of plant GlcCer isomers.

Green Synthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Mediated by Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Leucas aspera and Morinda tinctoria

Copper oxide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using the aqueous leaf extracts of Leucas aspera and Morinda tinctoria plant material with copper sulfate (CuSO4.5H2O) as the precursor. The crystalline nature and morphology of the synthesized sample were identified using XRD and SEM analytical instrumentation and found that the crystal was in the monoclinic phase, and the average particle size was estimated as 30.32nm and 18.72nm for both the samples. The functional groups were identified using FTIR spectroscopy, and the strong absorption peak at 620 cm-1 and 615cm-1 confirms the presence of Cu-O vibration. The optical bandgap of the plant leaf extract mediated CuO particles was calculated based on the results obtained from UV-Vis spectroscopy and found that the value of the energy gap is 5.6eV and 3.16eV. The antibacterial activity of plant samples was carried out by the disc diffusion method. The test compounds' concentrations were taken in DMSO and used in the concentration of 500 µg and 1000 µg /disc. The zone of inhibition formed by the prepared CuO nanoparticles was good and compared with Amikacin's standard value. The study reports the plant leaf extract mediated CuO nanoparticles might find suitable application in the field of nanotechnology.

Antibacterial activity of grapefruit peel extracts and green-synthesized silver nanoparticles.

Background and Aim:The gradual loss of efficacy of conventional antibiotics is a global issue. Plant material extracts and green-synthesized nanoparticles are among the most promising options to address this problem. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the antibacterial properties of aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of grapefruit peels as well as their inclusion in green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs).Materials and Methods:Aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts (80% v/v) were prepared, and the volume and mass yields were determined. The synthesis of AgNPs was done in an eco-friendly manner using AgNO3 as a precursor. The nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet–vis spectrometry and photon cross-correlation spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity of the extracts was tested on three Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, clinical Enterococcus faecalis, and S. aureus) and two Gram-negative bacteria (two clinical Escherichia coli) using various concentrations of extracts (100, 50, 25, 12, and 5 mg/mL and 5% dimethyl sulfoxide as negative control). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using the microdilution method. Modulation of cefazoline and ampicillin on resistant E. coli and S. aureus strains was added to the mixture design response surface methodology with extreme vertices design, with the diameters of inhibition and the fractional inhibitory concentration index as responses and factors, respectively. The antibiotic, the ethanolic extract, and water varied from 0.1 MIC to 0.9 MIC for the first two and from 0 to 0.8 in proportion for the third. Validating the models was done by calculating the absolute average deviation, bias factor, and accuracy factor.Results:The volume yield of the EE and aqueous extract (AE) was 96.2% and 93.8% (v/v), respectively, whereas their mass yields were 7.84% and 9.41% (m/m), respectively. The synthesized AgNPs were very uniform and homogeneous, and their size was dependent on the concentration of AgNO3. The antibacterial activity of the two extracts was dose-dependent, and the largest inhibition diameter was observed for the Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus ATCC 6538; AE, 12; EE, 16), whereas AgNPs had a greater effect on Gram-negative bacteria. The MICs (mg/mL) of the AEs varied from 3.125 (S. aureus ATCC 6538) to 12.5 (E. coli 1 and E. coli 2), whereas the MICs of the EEs varied from 1.5625 (S. aureus 1, S. aureus ATCC 6538, and E. faecalis) to 6.25 (E. coli 1). There was a significant difference between the MICs of AEs and EEs (p=0.014). The MBCs (mg/mL) of the AEs varied from 12.5 (S. aureus ATCC 6538) to 50 (S. aureus 1), whereas those of the EEs varied from 6.25 (S. aureus 1) to 25 (E. coli 1 and E. faecalis). Ethanolic grapefruit extracts demonstrated an ability to modulate cefazolin on E. coli and S. aureus but were completely indifferent to ampicillin on E. coli.Conclusion:Grapefruit peel extracts and their AgNPs exhibit antibacterial properties that can be exploited for the synthesis of new antimicrobials and their EEs may be efficiently used synergistically with other antibiotics against bacteria with intermediate susceptibility.

English

Curative dependence on season of harvest for medicinal plants is an alleged claim by traditional health practitioners. This study aimed to verify these claims by investigating antifungal activity and chemical profiles of two traditionally used medicinal plant species: Turraea holstii and Clausena anisata harvested in the rainy and dry seasons, with a view of establishing appropriate the season for optimal activity. The antifungal activities were determined by Broth micro-dilution method, while chemical profiling of the extracts from the plant materials was done by gas chromatography (GC). Results indicated that extracts of plant materials harvested in dry season showed enhanced antifungal activity as compared to extracts of plant materials harvested in the rainy season, highest potency being 0.39 mg/mL, observed on dichloromethane fractions of both T. holstii and C. anisata. The GC chromatograms showed a general increase in the number and amount of chemical species for extracts of plant materials harvested in dry season as compared to extracts of plant materials harvested in the rainy season. Thus, it is concluded that because the dry season produces the best curative activity, harvesting should focus on this season. Key words: Chemical profile, antifungal activity, extracts, seasonal impacts.

Isolation and NMR Characterization of Ursane-Type Triterpenoid from the Leaves of Peperomia pellucida

Peperomia pellucida is a member of the Piperaceae family. Extraction of plant material was carried out by Soxhlet extraction method using hexane and ethylacetate as solvents respectively. The extract was concentrated using a rotary evaporator, followed by isolation and purification using column and thin layer chromatographic techniques. Fraction C20 showed a clearly defined single spot with Rf value of 0.51. Using 1HNMR, 13C-DEPT, COSY, HSQC and HMBC and by comparison with literature values, the structure of the compound was established as an Ursane-type triterpenoid. The use of P. pellucida in ethnomedicine for the treatment of various ailments could be attributed to the Ursane-type triterpenoid and other bioactive chemical compounds present in the plant.
 Keywords: Peperomia pellucida, extraction, isolation, chromatographic techniques, ursane-type triterpenoid

Cytotoxic and anti-excitotoxic effects of selected plant and algal extracts using COMET and cell viability assays

Excess glutamate in the central nervous system may be a major cause of neurodegenerative diseases with gradual loss and dysfunction of neurons. Primary or secondary metabolites from medicinal plants and algae show potential for treatment of glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Three plant extracts were evaluated for impact on glutamate excitotoxicity-induced in primary cultures of retinal ganglion cells (RGC). These cells were treated separately in seven groups: control; Plicosepalus. curviflorus treated; Saussurea lappa treated; Cladophora glomerate treated. Cells were treated independently with 5, 10, 50, or 100 µg/ml of extracts of plant or alga material, respectively, for 2 h. Glutamate-treated cells (48 h with 5, 10, 50, or 100 µM glutamate); and P. curviflorus/glutamate; S. lappa/glutamate; C. glomerata/glutamate [pretreatment with extract for 2 h (50 and 100 µg/ml) before glutamate treatment with 100 µM for 48 h]. Comet and MTT assays were used to assess cell damage and cell viability. The number of viable cells fell significantly after glutamate exposure. Exposure to plant extracts caused no notable effect of viability. All tested plants extracts showed a protective effect against glutamate excitotoxicity-induced RGC death. Use of these extracts for neurological conditions related to excitotoxicity and oxidative stress might prove beneficial.

In-vitro cytotoxic and anti-Vibrio cholerae activities of alcoholic extracts of Desmodium triflorum (L.) whole plant and Terminalia citrina (Roxb.) fruits

BackgroundThe majority of epidemic Vibrio cholerae strains have become resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents for many reasons, including mutations, horizontal gene transfers, etc. Therefore, secondary means of treatment are needed to overcome this impediment in combating cholera. Desmodium triflorum (L.) and Terminalia citrina (Roxb.) are extensively used in traditional medicine. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity of methanolic and ethanolic extracts of Desmodium triflorum (L.) whole plant and Terminalia citrina (Roxb.) fruits against V. cholerae isolates.MethodsInitially, different extracts of both plant materials were subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening. Anti-V. cholerae activities were assessed by performing MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) test using disc diffusion method with different concentrations (1.25, 2.50, 8.00, 10.00, 12.50, 15.00 mg/ml) where standard discs of gentamycin and meropenem (10 μg/disc) were used. Further, Brine shrimp lethality bioassay was done to evaluate the extracts’ cytotoxic activities using different concentrations (800, 400, 200, 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25 μg/ml) against vincristine sulphate.ResultsThe preliminary screening confirms the presence of convenient phytochemical constituents like flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, etc., and are liable for the emergence of the antibacterial activities in different strains. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of both methanolic and ethanolic extracts of Terminalia citrina (fruits) and Desmodium triflorum (L.) (whole plant) were found to be 2.50 mg/ml and 5 mg/ml, respectively. Moreover, 100% mortality was observed only in ethanolic extract of Terminalia citrina fruits at the highest concentration (800 μg/ml). In comparison, the rest of the test extracts showed less than 90% mortality at the highest concentration (800 μg/ml).ConclusionsBoth plants possess significant phytoconstituents and showed appreciable anti-V. cholerae activities with mild toxicity. Hence, Desmodium triflorum (L.) whole plant and Terminalia citrina (Roxb.) fruits may be recommended as potential phytotherapy against cholera disease.

Is the Household Microwave Recommended to Obtain Antioxidant-Rich Extracts from Lycium barbarum Leaves?

Nowadays, much interest is devoted to the extraction of plant materials, considering also their waste and by-products, to obtain antioxidant-rich products. The effect of household microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) on the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Lycium barbarum leaf extracts was investigated. An experimental design approach was adopted considering solid/liquid ratio (1, 3, and 5 g of leaves in 150 mL water), irradiation time (1, 3, and 5 min), and microwave power (300, 400, and 500 W) as independent variables. These three factors and their interactions were studied to evaluate the effect of MAE conditions on the responses of total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and chlorogenic acid content. The results showed that the analytical parameters were positively influenced by the solid/liquid ratio and time. On the contrary, microwave power was inversely correlated with the investigated responses. This research revealed that microwave extraction conditions should be carefully monitored to obtain bioactive-rich aqueous extracts with high antioxidant activity. A comparison with household traditional methods showed an unexpected lower phenolic content and antioxidant activity for MAE extract in respect to the decoction and infusion. In fact, it was found that L. barbarum leaf infusion had the best functional properties, regarding the investigated characteristics. The outcome of this study has implications for raising awareness that household preparation conditions strongly affect the health properties of herbal extracts.

Use of natural plant extracts as a novel microbiological quality indicator in raw milk: An alternative for resazurin dye reduction method

In the present study, we propose a novel field-scale analytical tool for rapid screening of microbiological quality in raw milk using aqueous extracts of plant materials, i.e. flowers (e.g. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. and Clitoria ternatea), taproots (e.g. Beta vulgaris) and pricklypears (e.g. Opuntia dillenii). For each plant extract, the colour changes in raw milk were evaluated between 4.5 and 6.5 pH against the resazurin dye as a control. The plant anthocyanin content in each extract was analyzed by the differential pH method using a spectrophotometer. The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis flower extract was opted to further test since it had a pH-sensitive colour change (6.5; maroon to 6.2; light-pink) compared to other plant extracts, which did not indicate a noticeable colour variation with pH. Anthocyanin content of the Hibiscus extract was 0.59 g/mL. The novel method showed high linearity (R2 = 0.95), 100% accuracy and greater repeatability with an intermediate level of precision. The limit of quantification and detection was 0.46 and 0.15 g/mL, respectively. In conclusion, we demonstrated the potential in using water extract of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. flowers as an alternative to the resazurin dye reduction method for rapid and accurate microbiological quality control for raw milk procurement in remote areas.

Exercise and Nutraceuticals: Eminent Approach for Diabetic Neuropathy.

Diabetic neuropathy is an incapacitating chronic pathological condition that encompasses a large group of diseases and manifestations of nerve damage. It affects approximately 50% of patients with diabetes mellitus. Autonomic, sensory, and motor neurons are affected. Disabilities are severe, along with poor recovery and diverse pathophysiology. Physical exercise and herbal- based therapies have the potential to decrease the disabilities associated with diabetic neuropathy. Aerobic exercises like walking, weight lifting, the use of nutraceuticals and herbal extracts are found to be effective. Literature from the public domain was studied emphasizing various beneficial effects of different exercises, herbal and nutraceuticals for their therapeutic action in diabetic neuropathy. Routine exercises and administration of herbal and nutraceuticals, either the extract of plant material containing the active phytoconstituent or isolated phytoconstituent at safe concentration, have been shown to have promising positive action in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. Exercise has shown promising effects on vascular and neuronal health. It has proven to be well effective in the treatment as well as prevention of diabetic neuropathy by various novel mechanisms, including Herbal and nutraceuticals therapy. They primarily show the anti-oxidant effect, secretagogue, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and neuroprotective action. Severe adverse events are rare with these therapies. The current review investigates the benefits of exercise and nutraceutical therapies in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.

Antifungal Activities of Selected Plant Extracts in In-Vitro Control of Anthracnose and Root Rot Diseases on Cucumber (Cucumis sativus B.)

An in-vitro experiment was conducted at National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Moor plantation, Ibadan. The experiment was carried out to test the antifungal efficacy of some plant extracts (Ageratum conyzoides, Azadirachta indica, Morinda lucida, and Chromolaena odorata) and a chemical fungicide (mancozeb). The mycelial growth inhibition potentials of five concentrations of aqueous plant extracts were assayed at different incubation periods on the growth of Colletotrichum orbiculare and Lasiodiplodia theobromae. The experiment was carried out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five replications. A 3 mm mycelial disc of each test fungus was placed at the center of a 9 cm Petri dish containing 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 g of the plant extracts or 0.25g/100mL of mancozeb (synthetic fungicide) in Potato Dextrose Agar. The results obtained revealed that all the plant extracts, at all concentrations, significantly inhibited the growth of these mycopathogens, with 25g C. odorata having the highest percentage inhibition of 70.78% and 73.68% at 48 and 96 hours of incubation on C. orbiculare and L. theobromae respectively. All the selected aqueous extracts inhibited more than 50% C. orbiculare mycelial growth. Antifungal extracts recovered from the selected plants could be further purified to improve and characterize their fungicidal activities in controlling plant diseases. Extracts of plant materials, which are readily available to the farmers, are better alternatives to the commonly used hazardous, synthetic fungicides.