Indica Leaf Research Articles

EFFICACY OF BOTANICAL DUST AGAINST PULSE BEETLE OF BLACK GRAM (Vigna mungo L.)

The study aims to devise suitable and eco-friendly control measures for pulse beetle. For this, the experiment was carried out in Central Agricultural Laboratory, Hariharbhawan, Lalitpur from April 2020- June 2020. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design with four replication and six treatments (Xanthoxylum armatum DC fruit dust@ 50gm kg-1; Acorus calamus L. rhizome dust@ 50 gm kg-1; Curcuma longa L. rhizome dust@ 50 gm kg-1; Azadirachta indica A. Juss. leaf dust@50gm kg-1; malathion dust@ 1gm kg-1 and control). Out of four botanical dust, bojho rhizome was found more effective than Malathion (positive check) with minimum insect build-up (0.00) and minimum loss (0.00%). It was effective in maintaining higher germination (92.5 percent) and lower moisture content (11.25). X. armatum fruit dust and A. indica leaf dust were found ineffective to cause adult mortality (56.25 and 59.37) in black gram. Thus, botanical materials such as A. calamus rhizome dust has been found as effective safe alternatives for the management of C. chinensis L. in the storage of black gram.

Exploring Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae) leaf and bark methanol extracts as potential adjuvant therapy in the management of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Background: After several decades of antibiotic use, pathogenic bacteria have reached alarming levels of resistance. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of nosocomial infections, and treatment is difficult owing to the advent of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. This motivates the search for more potent drugs. Foremost, adjuvant compounds that increase the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics are also being researched extensively. The current study examined the anti-staphylococcal and antibiotic-resistance reversal effects of the methanol extracts of Mangifera indica (leaves and bark). Methods: Botanicals were tested alone, in the presence of reserpine (efflux pump inhibitor), and in association with commonly prescribed antibiotics, using a 96-well broth microdilution method against a panel of seventeen MDR strains and clinical isolates of S. aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA). The ability of the leaf extract to inhibit H+-ATPase-mediated proton pumping was determined by controlling the acidification of the bacterial solution, whereas the influence on bacterial kinetic growth was determined by measuring absorbance (OD600 nm) after exposure to various concentrations of the test extract. Results: M. indica leaf and bark extracts exhibited exceptional anti-staphylococcal capabilities, inhibiting 100% of the S. aureus strains tested. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) recorded varied from 256 to 2048 µg/mL; the effects were bactericidal (MBC/MIC ≤ 4) in most cases. The bark extract demonstrated an outstanding potential to improve the efficacy of conventional antibiotics. The activity of chloramphenicol, doxycycline, tetracycline, levofloxacin, and ampicillin was enhanced against 100% of studied MDR S. aureus in association with the bark extract at sub-inhibitory concentrations of MIC/2 and MIC/4. The leaf extract of M. indica induced a concentration-dependent inhibition of S. aureus MRSA4 growth over 20 hours of exposure at 0.5×MIC, MIC, and 2×MIC. The latent phase has been extended up to 6 hours after treatment with the extract. Similarly, M. indica leaf extract significantly reduced the acidity of the bacterial solution in a concentration-dependent manner, indicating a possible target of its antibacterial effect. Conclusion: The present study revealed the remarkable activity of M. indica leaf and bark extracts against MDR strains and clinical isolates of S. aureus, including MRSA. The bark extract might be used as an adjuvant to antibiotic therapy, as indicated by its notable potentiation activity when combined with conventional antibiotics. Keywords: Antibacterial activity; Mangifera indica; multidrug resistance; potentiation; Staphylococcus aureus.

Green Biosynthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Pluchea indica Leaf Extract: Antimicrobial and Photocatalytic Activities.

Nanotechnology is playing a critical role in several essential technologies with nanoscale structures (nanoparticles) in areas of the environment and biomedicine. In this work, the leaf extract of Pluchea indica was utilized to biosynthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) for the first time and evaluated for antimicrobial and photocatalytic activities. Different experimental methods were used to characterize the biosynthesized ZnONPs. The biosynthesized ZnONPs showed maximum Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) absorbance at a wavelength of 360 nm. The X-Ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the ZnONPs exhibits seven strong reflection peaks, and the average particle size was 21.9 nm. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectrum analysis reveals the presence of functional groups that help in biofabrication. The existence of Zn and O was confirmed by the Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum and the morphology by SEM images. Antimicrobial studies showed that the biosynthesized ZnONPs have antimicrobial efficacy against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans where inhibition zones at concentration 1000 µg/mL were 21.83 ± 0.76, 13.0 ± 1.1, 14.9 ± 0.85, 24.26 ± 1.1, 17.0 ± 1.0, 20.67 ± 0.57 and 19.0 ± 1.0 mm respectively. Under both dark and sunlight irradiation, the photocatalytic activity of ZnONPs was evaluated towards the degradation of the thiazine dye (methylene blue-MB). Approximately 95% of the MB dye was broken down at pH 8 after 150 min of sunlight exposure. The aforementioned results, therefore, suggest that ZnONPs synthesized by implementing environmentally friendly techniques can be employed for a variety of environmental and biomedical applications.

Toxicological Evaluation of the Leaves of Mangifera indica L. (Mango) on Albino Rats (Rattus norvegicus)

The increasing use of plant-based medicines necessitates safety evaluations of all medicinal plants. This study evaluated the effects of mango (Mangifera indica) leaf extracts on albino rats (Rattus norvegicus). The phytochemistry of the plant’s extract was evaluated, followed by a determination of its acute toxicity using 24 rats. Thereafter, the chronic toxicity of the extract was determined using another set of 24 rats, separated into four groups of six rats each. Rats in group 1 (the control) were administered distilled water, while groups 2, 3, and 4 received daily doses of 1000, 2000, and 3000 mg kg-1 body weight, respectively. The rats’ body weights and reactions were monitored for 90 days before blood, liver, and kidney samples were collected for hematological and histopathological examinations. The phytochemistry revealed phenols, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, and saponins. The acute toxicity test recorded no mortality at doses up to 5000 mg kg-1, and all the rats behaved normally, except for one that was sluggish. The chronic toxicity test revealed no significant (p>0.05) weight difference between the control and treated rats. The packed cell volume, hemoglobin, and red and white blood cells of the rats fed 2000 and 3000 mg were significantly altered (p<0.05), while lymphocytes exhibited no significant alterations in any of the groups. The treated rats’ livers revealed dose-dependent necrosis, whereas their kidneys showed atrophy and epithelial cell degeneration. The results obtained suggest that a single dose of the plant’s extract is not harmful, but repeated high-concentration dosing for a long time may result in toxicity.

Natural Clerodendrum-derived tick repellent: learning from Nepali culture

Ticks attaching to ear canals of humans and animals are the cause of otoacariasis, common in rural areas of Nepal. The plant Clerodendrum viscosum is used in multiple indigenous systems of medicine by ethnic communities in the Indo-Nepali-Malaysian region. Visiting the Chitwan National Park, we learned that in indigenous medicine, flower extract of C. viscosum is utilized to treat digestive disorders and extracts from leaves as tick repellent to prevent ticks from invading or to remove them from the ear canal. The objective of our study was to provide support to indigenous medicine by characterizing the in vivo effect of leave extracts on ticks under laboratory conditions and its phytochemical composition. We collected plant parts of C. viscosum (leaves and flowers) and mango (Mangifera indica) leaves at the Chitwan National Park, previously associated with repellent activity to characterize their effect on Ixodes ricinus ticks by in vivo bioassays. A Q-ToF high-resolution analysis (HPLC-ESI-QToF) was conducted to elucidate phenolic compounds with potential repellent activity. Clerodendrum viscosum and M. indica leaf extracts had the highest tick repellent efficacy (%E = 80–100%) with significant differences when compared to C. viscosum flowers extracts (%E = 20–60%) and phosphate-buffered saline. Phytochemicals with tick repellent function as caffeic acid, fumaric acid and p-coumaric acid glucoside were identified in C. viscosum leaf extracts by HPLC-ESI-QToF, but not in non-repellent flower extracts. These results support the Nepali indigenous medicine application of C. viscosum leaf extracts to repel ticks. Additional research is needed for the development of natural and green repellent formulations to reduce the risks associated with ticks resistant to acaricides.

Parameters optimization of Fe3O4 NPs synthesis by Tamarindus indica leaf extract possessing both peroxidase as well as excellent dye removal activity

This study reports optimized conditions for the green synthesis of iron (II,III) oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) from Tamarindus indica (T. indica) leaf extract. The synthetic parameters like concentration of leaf extract, solvent system, buffer, electrolyte, pH, and time were optimized for Fe3O4 NPs synthesis. Fe3O4 NPs were obtained from the synthesis protocol by measuring size (80 ± 3 nm approx.), characteristics color changes, and an absorption peak between 270 nm and 280 nm using a UV–visible spectrophotometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) study. Peroxidase activity was tested with 3,3,5,5–Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) oxidation in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and dye removal activity was tested with malachite green (MG). The results indicated that the successful synthesis of Fe3O4 nanoparticles using aqueous leaf extract of T. indica is a practical alternative for biomedical applications due to its potent peroxidase activity and high dye removal capacity (about 93% with UV light and 55% with room light).

In vivo assessment of antidiabetic activity and safety of polyherbal teas from selected Cameroonian medicinal plants: Persea americana, Ageratum conyzoides and Mangifera indica

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder of the endocrine system which results in persistently high blood glucose levels. Available control measures do not completely cure the disease and most patients in the tropics cannot afford diabetes drugs regularly. Amongst other plants, Mangifera indica (MI), Persea americana (PA), and Ageratum conyzoides (AC) are used individually as traditional medicine by most people for the management of diabetes. This work was set to produce polyherbal teas (water infusion) from these plants and evaluate in vivo antidiabetic activity and safety of the teas. Methods: Three (3) monoherbal teas (MI, PA, AC) and 4 polyherbal of which 3 composed of two plants each (MI+PA, MI+AC, PA+AC) and one including all the plants (MI+PA+AC) were formulated. The antidiabetic activity was assessed by evaluating the hypoglycaemic activity of the teas by carrying out the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in male Wistar albino rats and the subacute antidiabetic assay in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Safety was evaluated using the in vivo acute toxicity test in mouse model. Results: The OGTT revealed a significant drop in post-prandial glucose peak in rats treated with 20mg/kg monoherbal tea from Mangifera indica leaf (MI), as compared to the negative control (distilled water). The polyherbal tea of all three plants (AC+MI+PA) at a dose of 20mg/kg was able to return the glucose levels to normal 30mins after the glucose peak. The tea AC+MI+PA also exhibited a higher antidiabetic activity as it produced a 60% glycemia recovery rate compared to the reference drug glibenclamide and monoherbal tea MI with 40% and 20% recovery rate respectively. Polyherbal tea and MI exhibited hepato-protective and nephron-protective activities. The in vivo acute toxicity test showed that the teas were not toxic as there was no record of mortality and adverse effects in physical appearance, behavior, change in body weight, water, and food intake. Conclusion: Out of the seven teas produced, two showed promising antidiabetic potential, with both acute hypoglycemic effects and significant subacute efficacy. Further investigations are envisaged to pursue the development of improved alternative therapies from these, to address the enduring challenge of diabetes, particularly in resource-limited settings. Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; antidiabetic; activity; polyherbal tea.

Green synthesized nano-additive dosed biodiesel-diesel-water emulsion blends for CI engine application: Performance, combustion, emission, and exergy analysis

Numerous research studies have demonstrated that biodiesel is an ideal substitute for standard diesel fuel. However, biodiesel produced more nitric oxide emissions. The novel green synthesized cerium oxide (CeO2) nano-additive is used and produced from cerium nitrate hexahydrate using Azadirachta indica leaf extract to reduce NO. Subsequently, the presence of CeO2 is analyzed through different morphological studies. The CeO2 nano-additive is mixed with the 20% Trichosanthes cucumerina oil biodiesel emulsion in different proportions of 10, 20, and 30 ppm are used for this experimental study. From the experimental outcomes, TCB20 Emulsion+30 ppm CeO2 blend shows a significant reduction in hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, smoke opacity, and NO emissions by 16.78, 38.30, 20.73 and 6.06%, respectively, when compared with standard diesel. Also, it was found that the TCB20 Emulsion+30 ppm CeO2 blend showed better engine performance with enhanced combustion characteristics. As a result, the comparison of TCB20 Emulsion and TCB20 Emulsion+30 ppm CeO2 blends shows a substantial difference in the decrease of NO by 4.92% and smoke opacity by 11.82%, respectively. It shows improved engine combustion characteristics with an excellent smoke-NO emission trade-off. According to the exergy analysis, the TCB20 Emulsion+30 ppm CeO2 blend had a higher energy share (53.73%) and lower exergy destroyed (46.27%) than other TCB blends. Hence, the TCB20 Emulsion+30 ppm CeO2 blend can be used as an alternative for standard diesel fuel without any engine modifications.

Antioxidant Efficacy of Green-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles Promotes Wound Healing in Mice.

Developing an efficient and cost-effective wound-healing substance to treat wounds and regenerate skin is desperately needed in the current world. Antioxidant substances are gaining interest in wound healing, and green-synthesized silver nanoparticles have drawn considerable attention in biomedical applications due to their efficient, cost-effective, and non-toxic nature. The present study evaluated in vivo wound healing and antioxidant activities of silver nanoparticles from Azadirachta indica (AAgNPs) and Catharanthus roseus (CAgNPs) leaf extracts in BALB/c mice. We found rapid wound healing, higher collagen deposition, and increased DNA and protein content in AAgNPs- and CAgNPs (1% w/w)-treated wounds than in control and vehicle control wounds. Skin antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, catalase, GPx, GR) were significantly (p < 0.05) increased after 11 days CAgNPs and AAgNPs treatment. Furthermore, the topical application of CAgNPs and AAgNPs tends to suppress lipid peroxidation in wounded skin samples. Histopathological images evidenced decreased scar width, epithelium restoration, fine collagen deposition, and fewer inflammatory cells in CAgNPs and AAgNPs applied wounds. In vitro, the free radical scavenging activity of CAgNPs and AAgNPs was demonstrated by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. Our findings suggest that silver nanoparticles prepared from C. roseus and A. indica leaf extracts increased antioxidant status and improved the wound-healing process in mice. Therefore, these silver nanoparticles could be potential natural antioxidants to treat wounds.

Green and Facile Approach for the Synthesis of ZnO/MgO Nanocomposite using Azadirachta indica Leaf Extract: Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity

In this study, biomolecules of the aqueous leaf extract of Azadirachta indica were used as a green catalyst for the synthesis of bimetallic- ZnO/MgO nanocomposites (ZM NCs). The function of biomolecules for the fabrication of biosynthesized ZM NCs was studied by FT-IR spectroscopy while the existence of both MgO and ZnO in ZM NCs was confirmed by SEM and TEM micrographs. Results of EDX spectroscopy with element mapping revealed the homogenous distribution of magnesium and zinc in the as-prepared nanocomposites. Powder XRD analysis reflects the polycrystalline nature of NCs with crystallite size ~33nm whereas XPS analysis confirmed the formation of ZnO-MgO heterojunction in ZnO/MgO NCs. In addition, biosynthesized and characterized ZMNCs were evaluated for photodegradation performance using methylene blue solution (40ppm) under visible light irradiation. The achieved degradation efficiency of ZnO/MgO NCs (95.7%) was higher compared to biosynthesized monometallic nanoparticles {ZnO (82.4% and MgO (80.1%)}.

Developing a UV-visible reporter-assisted CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system to alter flowering time in Chrysanthemum indicum.

Developing a UV-visible reporter-assisted CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system to alter flowering time in Chrysanthemum indicum.

The Effect of Hot Water Extract of Pluchea indica Leaf Powder on the Physical, Chemical and Sensory Properties of Wet Noodles

Powdered Pluchea indica Less leaves have been utilized as herbal tea, brewing of pluchea tea in hot water has antioxidant and antidiabetic activities, because of phytochemical compound content, namely tannins, alkaloids, phenol hydroquinone, phenolics, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, and sterols. Using of this extract on food, such as jelly drinks, buns, and soymilk can increase functional values and influence physic, chemical, and sensory characteristics of food. The study was carried out to assess the effect of various concentration of pluchea tea on the physical, chemical and sensory properties of wet noodles. A one-factor randomized design was applied with pluchea tea at concentrations of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30% (w/v). Physical properties analyzed included water content, swelling index, cooking loss, color and texture. Chemical properties measured were bioactive contents of total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant ability to scavenge DPPH free radicals and to reduce iron ions. Sensory properties determined were taste, texture, color, aroma and overall acceptance. The addition of various concentrations of extract offers significantly effects on parameters of physical, chemical and sensory properties of noodles, except color (redness, chroma and hue), cooking loss, water content, swelling index and aroma. Using of 10% (w/v) of pluchea tea resulted in the best sensory properties such as color, aroma, taste, texture, and overall acceptance with the scores of 5.62 (slightly like), 5.45 (slightly like), 5.46 (somewhat like), 6.53 (like), and 6.53 (like), respectively. Generally, the study concluded that wet noodles can be made by adding pluchea tea at 10% (w/v). Dried samples TPC, TFC, DPPH free radical scavenging and iron ion reducing power were 82.84 mg GAE/kg, 62.44 mg CE/kg, 130.68 mg GAE/kg and 51.33 mg GAE/kg, respectively.

Effect of biosynthesized nanoselenium using Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae) leaf extracts against Eimeria papillata infection

Coccidiosis is a protozoan parasitic disease affecting different animal species. Resistance has been reported for all available anticoccidial drugs. Recently, green synthesis of nanoparticles is considered a new therapeutic tool against this parasitic disease. The present work aimed to study the effect of biosynthesized nanoselenium from Azadirachta indica leaf extracts (BNS) against Eimeria papillata-induced infection in mice. The phytochemical analysis of leaf extracts contained 33 phytochemical components. The BNS was spherical with ⁓68.12 nm in diameter and an absorption peak at 308 nm via UV-spectra. The data showed that mice infected with E. papillata revealed the highest oocyst output on the 5th-day post-infection (p.i.). Infection also induced injury and inflammation of the mice jejunum. Treatment with BNS resulted in a 97.21% suppression for the oocyst output. The treated groups with BNS showed enhancement in feed intake as compared to the infected group. Histological examinations showed a significant reduction in the intracellular developmental Eimeria stages in the jejunal tissues of infected-treated mice of about 24.86 ± 2.38 stages/10 villous crypt units. Moreover, there was a significant change in the morphometry for Eimeria stages after the treatment with BNS. Infection induced a disturbance in the level of carbohydrates and protein contents in the infected mice which enhanced after treatment with BNS. In addition, BNS counteracted the E. papillata-induced loss of the total antioxidant capacity. Collectively, BNS is considered a promising anticoccidial and antioxidant effector and could be used for the treatment of coccidiosis.

EFFECT OF ORGANIC SEED PRIMING ON YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTING TRAITS OF CHICKPEA (Cicer arietinum L.) IN DROUGHT PRONE AREA

The goals of this study are to evaluate the suitable variety and priming method and find out the interaction effect of seed priming and variety for maximization of chickpea yield and yield attributes at drought-prone region. The Agronomy Research Plot of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh led this experiment during November 2021 to April 2022 following randomized complete block design with three replications. The experiment had two factors: (A) two chickpea varieties, V1= BARI Chola-10 and V2= BARI Chola-11, and (B) five priming treatments, P1= Control (No priming), P2= Hydropriming, P3= Alovera leaf extract, P4= Azadirachta indica leaf extract, and P5= Moringa olifera leaf extract. It was manifested that BARI Chola-10 (V1) exhibited the superior performance in the yield and yield attributing traits subjected to no. of pods plant-1 (5.62), no. of seeds plant-1 (2.18), 1000 seeds weight (207.8 g), grain (1.76 t ha-1), stover (2.71 t ha-1) and biological yield (4.48 t ha-1). In varied priming treatments, P5 (Moringa olifera leaf extract) produced the most grain yield (2.07 t ha-1), whereas control (P1) produced the least (1.35 t ha-1). The maximal stover yield was 2.72 t ha-1 with Moringa olifera leaf extract and the lowest was 2.40 t ha-1 without priming. The treatment combination V1P5 performed best in extent of grain (2.13 t ha-1) and stover yield (2.83 t ha-1) whereas the minimum seed yield (1.30 t ha-1) and stover yield (2.26 t ha-1) were recorded from V2P1 treatment combination. BARI Chola-10 (V1) primed with Moringa olifera leaf extract (P5) improved chickpea yield in the study region.

Antimicrobial and Photocatalytic Activities of Selenium Nanoparticles Synthesized from Elaeagnus indica Leaf Extract

Selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) have recently received much interest due to their low toxicity, high bioavailability, and wide applications. This study synthesized Se NPs using selenious acid as a starting material and leaf extract from Elaeagnus indica as a reducing agent. Spectroscopic and electron microscopy investigations have demonstrated the production of aggregated amorphous Se NPs with phytochemicals. Furthermore, the reduction of selenious acid into Se NPs by phytochemicals present in the leaf extract of E. indica was confirmed in a prominent band at 269 nm in the UV-visible spectrum. The biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles have a 10–15 nm particle size distribution. The agar well diffusion assay exhibited remarkable dose-dependent, wide-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy of the Se NPs against all the tested microorganisms. Moreover, the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (10 µg/mL) was noted against Salmonella Typhimurium and Fusarium oxysporum. The prepared Se NPs degraded methylene blue dye by about 89% after 6 h of exposure to sunlight. In conclusion, the synthesis of Se NPs using E. indica leaf extract shows promise as a method for producing Se NPs with significant antimicrobial activity and potential for methylene blue photodegradation. These properties make them potentially valuable in various fields, including water treatment and biomedical applications, in the future.

Azadirachta indica Leaf Mediated Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles and Their Catalytic Application in Methylene Blue Degradation

The objective of this work was to investigate the production of iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) employing an Azadirachta indica leaf extract. The effects of reaction temperature and solution pH on the synthesis of iron nanoparticles were investigated. The UV-visible absorption peaks of the phyto-synthesized FeNPs were at 258 nm, and FT-IR analysis identified several functional groups that are involved in the bio-reduction of FeNPs. Iron nanoparticles were studied using SEM and TEM to define their morphology. The results show that the particles are spherical in shape and have an average size of 48 nm. Additionally, spectrophotometric analysis was used to determine the catalytic activity of the synthesized NPs on the degradation of methylene blue (MB) in the presence of Peroxodisulphate (PDS). The kinetics of MB decomposition was enhanced by Peroxodisulphate, dye, increasing concentrations of nanoparticles, and high temperatures. The maximum MB decomposition efficiency for the FeNPs/PDS system was 98% in 90 minutes under optimal reaction conditions. Thus, the current study contributes to the development of green synthesis that is affordable, reduces the use of harmful chemicals, and has diverse applications in the biological sciences.

&lt;i&gt;In vitro&lt;/i&gt; Evaluation of Antibiofilm Activity of Methanolic Leaf Extract of &lt;i&gt;Azadirachta indica&lt;/i&gt; on Cariogenic &lt;i&gt;Streptococcus mutans&lt;/i&gt;

Dental caries is a biofilm-dependent disease, and Streptococcus mutans is the primary etiological agent involved in the initiation of the disease. The extensive use of a limited range of antimicrobial drugs in dentistry has led to the development of drug-resistant bacteria. There is an increasing need to find new alternatives against drug-resistant bacteria. Globally, there is a continuous effort towards identifying natural anti-caries agents for the prevention and better management of caries. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antibiofilm potential of Azadirachta indica leaf methanolic (ALM) extract against S. mutans biofilm. The study employed a standard reference strain of S. mutans MTCC 497, for in vitro standardisation of biofilm by microtiter plate assay. The antibiofilm activity of the ALM extract was evaluated against the S. mutans strain, and the same was confirmed by light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The in vitro biofilm standardisation results demonstrated that 50 µl/ml of S. mutans inoculum concentration exhibited a much superior biofilm formation than the other concentrations employed. Light microscopy and SEM images revealed that ALM extract at 100 mg/ml concentration significantly inhibited the S. mutans biofilm. To conclude, the study reports that the A. indica leaf extract is a potential source to inhibit the S. mutans biofilm. Further studies are warranted to identify the phytochemicals responsible for the antibiofilm activity of ALM extract against S. mutans biofilm that aid in the design of natural anti-caries products.

The Insecticidal Activity of Azadirachta indica Leaf Extract: Optimization of the Microencapsulation Process by Complex Coacervation.

The objective of the present work was to optimize the microencapsulation conditions of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) leaf extracts for the biocontrol of Tenebrio molitor. The complex coacervation method was used for the encapsulation of the extracts. The independent factors considered were the pH (3, 6, and 9), pectin (4, 6, and 8% w/v), and whey protein isolate (WPI) (0.50, 0.75, and 1.00% w/v). The Taguchi L9 (33) orthogonal array was used as the experimental matrix. The response variable was the mortality of T. molitor after 48 h. The nine treatments were applied by immersion of the insects for 10 s. The statistical analysis revealed that the most influential factor on the microencapsulation was the pH (73% of influence), followed by the pectin and WPI (15% and 7% influence, respectively). The software predicted that the optimal microencapsulation conditions were pH 3, pectin 6% w/v, and WPI 1% w/v. The signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio was predicted as 21.57. The experimental validation of the optimal conditions allowed us to obtain an S/N ratio of 18.54, equivalent to a T. molitor mortality of 85 ± 10.49%. The microcapsules had a diameter ranging from 1-5 μm. The microencapsulation by complex coacervation of neem leaf extract is an alternative for the preservation of insecticidal compounds extracted from neem leaves.

Evaluation of In Vitro and In Vivo Antifungal Activity of Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles against Early Blight in Tomato

Silver nanoparticles have gained considerable interest in recent decades due to their antimicrobial activity and are used in water disinfection, wound healing, food packaging, and plant protection. This study tested the potential of silver nanoparticles synthesized using the neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf extract against Alternaria solani causes early blight disease in tomato plants. The pathogen was isolated from infected tomato plants and identified using morphological and molecular features. The results showed significant variation among isolates. Isolates, Shk-1 and Ksr-1 were highly pathogenic, causing up to 80% disease incidence. The potential of silver nanoparticles against each isolate was determined using different concentrations of silver nanoparticles. During in vitro and in vivo experiments, the growth inhibition rate of the pathogen was 70–100% at 50 ppm. Lower concentrations of silver nanoparticles (5 and 10 ppm) increased phenolics, PO, PPO, and PAL production by more than 50% as compared to the untreated control. These defensive mechanisms clearly demonstrate the fungicidal potential of AgNPs and recommend their utilization in different crop protection programs.

Effects of Leea indica leaf extracts and its phytoconstituents on natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity in human ovarian cancer

BackgroundThe rich biodiversity of medicinal plants and their importance as sources of novel therapeutics and lead compounds warrant further research. Despite advances in debulking surgery and chemotherapy, the risks of recurrence of ovarian cancer and resistance to therapy are significant and the clinical outcomes of ovarian cancer remain poor or even incurable. ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the effects of leaf extracts from a medicinal plant Leea indica and its selected phytoconstituents on human ovarian cancer cells and in combination with oxaliplatin and natural killer (NK) cells.MethodsFresh, healthy leaves of L. indica were harvested and extracted in 70% methanol by maceration. The crude extract was partitioned with n-hexane, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate. Selected extracts and compounds were analyzed for their effects on cell viability of human ovarian cancer cells, NK cell cytotoxicity, and stress ligands expression for NK cell receptors. They were also evaluated for their effects on TNF-α and IL-1β production by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human U937 macrophages.ResultsLeaf extracts of L. indica increased the susceptibility of human ovarian tumor cells to NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Treatment of cancer cells with methyl gallate but not gallic acid upregulated the expression of stress ligands. Tumor cells pretreated with combination of methyl gallate and low concentration of oxaliplatin displayed increased levels of stress ligands expression and concomitantly enhanced susceptibility to NK cell-mediated cytolysis. Further, NK cells completely abrogated the growth of methyl gallate-pretreated ovarian cancer cells. The leaf extracts suppressed TNF-α and IL-1β production in human U937 macrophages. Methyl gallate was more potent than gallic acid in down-regulating these cytokine levels.ConclusionsWe demonstrated for the first time that leaf extracts of L. indica and its phytoconstituent methyl gallate enhanced the susceptibility of ovarian tumor cells to NK cell cytolysis. These results suggest that the combined effect of methyl gallate, oxaliplatin and NK cells in ovarian cancer cells warrants further investigation, for example for refractory ovarian cancer. Our work is a step towards better scientific understanding of the traditional anticancer use of L. indica.