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This study investigates the synthesis and characterization of Carbon dots (MA-CDs) derived from the aqueous extract of Martynia annua and examining their potential effects in an epilepsy model Drosophila melanogaster . Phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of saponin, terpeniods, and flavanoids in the leaf extract, which facilitated the green synthesis of MA-CDs. Physicochemical characterization revealed an absorbance peak at 326 nm, the mean size of the particle was 3.17 ± 0.16 nm, and moderate stability (−1.6 mV). To assess the therapeutic potential of MA-CDs alongside the antiepileptic drug Carbamazepine (CBZ), we conducted behavioral and cognitive assays in para bang senseless (para bss1 ) mutants of Drosophila , a model organism for epilepsy. Seizures induced by vortex and heat shock were significantly mitigated in a dose-dependent manner in flies treated with both MA-CDs and CBZ. However, higher doses of CBZ and MA-CDs increased the climbing ability of the flies. In cognitive assays, CBZ at higher doses improved memory and learning in mutant flies, while MA-CDs also showed significant impact. MA-CDs were consumed at a higher rate than CBZ when incorporated into food. The green synthesized MA-CDs at its higher concentration has garnered its positive effect on the mutants along with the CBZ antiepileptic drug which also has shown its positive effects when different concentration of them were treated to the mutants.

The herbal-based drug isolation-related research has increased recently around the globe. Accordingly, the current study was designed to evaluate the phytochemical content of ethanol extract of Martynia annua and its chitosan nanoparticles (MA-CNPs) antibacterial activity against bacterial pathogens such as Bacteroides fragilis, Streptococcus oralis MTCC 2696, Propionibacterium acnes MTCC 1951, Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 424, Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 2940, E. coli MTCC 443, Bacillus cereus MTCC 441, Streptococcus mutans MTCC 890, Aeromonas hydrophila MTCC 12301, and Streptococcus faecalis by agar well diffusion methods. The obtained results showed that the ethanol extract of M. annua contains more pharmaceutically valuable phytochemicals than other solvent extracts and its mediated chitosan nanoparticles showed effective antibacterial activities. The ethanol extract also effectively reduced, capped, and stabilized the chitosan into MA-CNPs. The green synthesized MA-CNPs were characterized and confirmed through UV-visible spectrophotometer, FT-IR, SEM, and DLS analyses. The MA-CNPs exhibited considerable antibacterial activity in the order of Bacteroides fragilis > Streptococcus oralis > Propionibacterium acnes > Pseudomonas aeruginosa > Staphylococcus aureus > E. coli > Bacillus cereus > Streptococcus mutans > Aeromonas hydrophila> Streptococcus faecalis. Finally, the results strongly recommended that the ethanol extract of M. annua-mediated chitosan nanoparticles could be considered an effective nanomaterial to control microbial pathogens. Further, therapeutical uses of MA-CNPs need in vitro and in vivo investigation.

Background The inhabitants of western Sudan use traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments due to lack of medical doctors and unaffordable prices of pharmaceutical products. The present study is the first documentation of the traditional plant knowledge on medicinal uses of plants by healers in Algoz (South Kordofan), Sudan. Method Ethnobotanical data were collected over a period from March to November 2015 using semi-structured interviews with 30 healers (24 male and 6 female) living in the investigated area. Quantitative indices such as use categories, use value (UV) and informant consensus factor (ICF) were intended to evaluate the importance of medicinal plant species. Results A total of 94 medicinal plants, which belong to 45 families and 81 genera, were recorded in the study area. The most represented families are Leguminosae with 20 species followed by Combretaceae (6 species), Rubiaceae (5 species) and Asteraceae (4 species). The reported species were belonging to herbs (43%), trees (28%), shrubs (22%), climbers (4%) and parasites (3%). Root and stem (21% each) were the most plant parts used. A majority of remedies are administered orally (67%) where infusion (36%) and maceration (32%) are the most used methods. The highest ICF (0.87) was reported for poisonous animal bites followed by urinary system diseases (0.89), blood system disorders (0.88) and gynaecological diseases (0.87). Anastatica hierochuntica , Ctenolepis cerasiformis , Echinops longifolius , Cleome gynandra , Maerua pseudopetalosa , Martynia annua , Oldenlandia uniflora , Opuntia ficus-indica , Solanum dubium , Sonchus cornutus , Tribulus terrestris and Drimia maritima were reported for the first time in this study. Conclusion The number of medicinal plants reported in this paper reflects evidence that Algoz area had a high diversity of medicinal plants which will continue to play an important role in the healthcare system in the study area.

Herbal medicine is the oldest and commonly used in clinical practices worldwide. The knowledge about Indian medicinal plants and their uses in the Indian system of medicine have paved the way to many scientific investigations and researches around the world. The scientific based Phytochemical screening not only support in information about the active components but also help in the synthesis of better and newer analogues and congeners of different active principles isolated from plants. These scientific investigations help in accurate identification and authentication of many plant materials those belongs to family Martyniaceae commonly known as “bichu”. Martynia annua is commonly found in dense cluster on roadsides, degraded moist and dry deciduous forest, waste lands and over-grazed pasture. It is a weedy foreign species native to tropical and sub-tropical region of Mexico, Central America, Burma and naturalized throughout India. Its excellent dispersal mechanism has helped it spread throughout the tropical world as a weed. In folklore practices, the decoction of whole plant is used in the treatment of pneumonia, cold and fever. The poultice of roots used in snake bite for external application. Roots of Martynia annua are boiled in milk and taken as a tonic in folklore. In tribal pockets of Satpura Plateau in Madhya Pradesh, root paste of Martynia annua is used to treat Cancer and rheumatism. In this review our aim is to explore the Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Martynia annua root extract in turn it will pave the way for further research.

The current study was performed with aim of evaluating antioxidant, cytotoxicity, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and mutagenicity properties of Martynia annua mediated Chitosan nanoparticles (MAL-CNPs). The green synthesized MAL-CNPs were characterized and confirmed through several characterization techniques, including UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The HR-TEM analysis exhibited that the as-synthesized chitosan nanoparticles are spherical in shape. Furthermore, the DLS analysis exhibited that the average size of MAL-CNPs was 53 nm and the maximum diameter was 130.7 nm. The antioxidant activity results revealed that the MAL-CNPs showed DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) (66.78%) and H2O2 (91.65%) scavenging activities at 50 µg/mL concentration. The IC50 values were 2.431 μg/mL and 50 µg/mL for DPPH and H2O2, respectively. MTT (3-4, 5 dimethylthiazol-2yl-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay results exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity found from 50 μg/mL concentration of MAL-CNPs. The MAL-CNPs showed remarkable α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activity (IC50 1.981 μg/mL and 161.8 μg/mL). No toxic effect of MAL-CNPs was found through the Ames test. Further, the study concluded that MAL-CNPs are non-toxic and possess adequate antioxidants and cytotoxicity activity against cancer cells, α-glucosidase, and α-amylase inhibitory activity. Hence, the MAL-CNPs were considered for biomedical applications after the assessment of their efficiency and safety.

Background Arthritis is a disorder of change in joint architecture and ligament degeneration. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which body’s immune system targets own cells and degrade them. Martynia annua L. has been used in Indian traditional therapies for the treatment of epilepsy, many types of inflammations, respiratory infection, sore throat and wound. The objective of the present study was to determine anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activities of M. annua ethanolic fruit extract. Methods The extraction was performed using ethanol as a solvent followed by phytochemical investigation of M. annua ethanolic fruit extract. Antioxidant and anti-hyaluronidase enzyme inhibition activities was performed for the fruit extract. In vivo anti-inflammatory of fruit extract was performed on Calotropis procera latex (CPL) induced paw edema in rats using ibuprofen as standard. Inflammation was observed at 0, 1, 2, 4 and 6 h. In vivo anti-arthritic of fruit extract was performed on Complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis in rats. Arthritis was observed at 0, 7, 14 and 21 day. X-Ray study was also performed for inflammatory and arthritic paw of rats. Results The qualitative phytochemical screening of fruit extract showed presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, tannins, steroids, glycosides, proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids and polysaccharides. The antioxidant activity of fruit extract was 49.1 as compared to standard 45.73 at 100 μl dose. The anti-hyaluronidase enzyme inhibition activity of fruit extract was 84.60 as compared to standard 94.21 at 100 μl dose. Conclusion It is evident from the study that Martynia annua L. extract possess both antioxidant and hyalurinodase inhibition activity at dose dependent manner as well as anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory potential.

Asymmetrical gene flow, which has frequently been documented in naturally occurring hybrid zones, can result from various genetic and demographic factors. Understanding these factors is important for determining the ecological conditions that permitted hybridization and the evolutionary potential inherent in hybrids. Here, we characterized morphological, nuclear, and chloroplast variation in a putative hybrid zone between Schiedea menziesii and S. salicaria, endemic Hawaiian species with contrasting breeding systems. Schiedea menziesii is hermaphroditic with moderate selfing; S. salicaria is gynodioecious and wind-pollinated, with partially selfing hermaphrodites and largely outcrossed females. We tested three hypotheses: 1) putative hybrids were derived from natural crosses between S. menziesii and S. salicaria, 2) gene flow via pollen is unidirectional from S. salicaria to S. menziesii and 3) in the hybrid zone, traits associated with wind pollination would be favored as a result of pollen-swamping by S. salicaria. Schiedea menziesii and S. salicaria have distinct morphologies and chloroplast genomes but are less differentiated at the nuclear loci. Hybrids are most similar to S. menziesii at chloroplast loci, exhibit nuclear allele frequencies in common with both parental species, and resemble S. salicaria in pollen production and pollen size, traits important to wind pollination. Additionally, unlike S. menziesii, the hybrid zone contains many females, suggesting that the nuclear gene responsible for male sterility in S. salicaria has been transferred to hybrid plants. Continued selection of nuclear genes in the hybrid zone may result in a population that resembles S. salicaria, but retains chloroplast lineage(s) of S. menziesii.

Martynia annua (cat’s claw, bichu) is part of Martyniaceae family. For centuries, extracts of leaves, roots, stems, fruits and seeds of M. annua have been used to cure eplilepsy, inflammation, tuberculosis, skin infections etc. Present investigations revealed qualitative phytochemical screening and bioactivites of fruit extracts of M.annua in solvents of different polarties. The qualitative phytochemical analysis exhibited the presence of alkaoids, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, tannis, anthocyanins, steroids, amino acids and phenols. DPPH (1.1-diphenyl-2-dipicryl hydrzal free radical scanvenging, reducing power assay and lipid peroxidation inhibition assay likability in different solvents were explored which revealed that with increase in concentration of extracts resulted increase in degree of reduction. The outcome of the present studies revealed that the fruit extracts of M. annua have eminent antioxidant activity

Background Lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes are steadily increasing worldwide. In Sudan, there are a variety of plant species used traditionally for the treatment of diabetes, obesity and other symptoms which need to be validated through scientific studies for their claimed traditional uses. Therefore, in the current study, the free radical scavenging activity, α-glucosidase inhibitory and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities of 70% ethanol and water extracts of eighteen Sudanese medicinal plants were investigated using various in vitro assays. Moreover, the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were assessed for the bioactive plant extracts. Methods Eighteen plants were selected on the basis of their traditional uses and extracted with 70% ethanol and water to obtain thirty-six extracts. The obtained extracts were screened using different in vitro bioassays namely, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, α-glucosidase inhibitory and pancreatic lipase inhibitory assays. Furthermore, the active plant extracts were investigated for their cytotoxicity and genotoxicity on HeLa cell line using HCS DNA Damage Assay. Results Both 70% ethanol and water extracts of Acacia nilotica, Ziziphus spina-christi, Abrus precatorius, and Geigeria alata along with the 70% ethanol extract of Martynia annua showed potent free radical scavenging activity. Regarding the α-glucosidase inhibition assay, both extracts of Acacia nilotica, Ziziphus spina-christi, Geigeria alata, and Cyperus rotundus showed potent activity. In general, 70% ethanol extracts were more potent compared to water extracts with exception of Cordia sinensis and Cymbopogon proximus, for which water extracts also showed potent enzyme inhibitory activity. Similarly, water extracts of Acacia nilotica and Ziziphus spina-christi showed potent inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase enzyme. Some of the extracts also showed significant genotoxicity and cytotoxicity at the concentration range used for bioactivities. Conclusion The extracts of Acacia nilotica, Ziziphus spina-christi, Geigeria alata, Martynia annua and Abrus precatorius exhibited an appreciable range of activity on antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory assays.