Assessment of Allelopathic Potential of Melastoma malabathricum L. on Radish raphanus sativus L. and Barnyard Grass (Echinochloacrus-galli)

Melastoma malabathricum L. is a weedy invasive shrub in arable lands, abandoned farmlands, secondary forest openings and derelict areas in Malaysia. Some allelochemicals present in this plant extracts may, directly, prevent or promote germination when environmental conditions are conducive to growth and establishment. It may have an important role, indirectly, in determining plant community structures. The aqueous extract and methanol extracts , were assayed for the aqueous extract of fresh materials with concentrations of 0, 50,100,150 and 200 gl-1 and at aqueous of oven dried materials extract with concentrations of 40,80,120,160,and 200 gl-1 .The crude methanol extracts were prepared using extract concentrations of 10.8,14.28 ,18 and 30 gl-1 of shoot and root materials. The extracts were tested with the widely used radish seed barnyard grass seed. Radish seed germination was inhibited at concentrations ranging from 200 gl-1 in the extract aqueous of dried materials and in the methanol extract concentrations of 14.28 and 30 gl-1 .The inhibition of root and shoot growth was also observed in the Barnyard grass seed. Both species were susceptible to allelopathy by extracts isolated from shoot and root of M. malabathricum and also their rate of germination, root length and shoot length in were decreased upon the application of both type of extractions. The results from this study strongly suggest that allelopathy may be a possible mechanism controlling the timing of barnyard grass germination and seedling establishment

Wpływ nawożenia na wzrost, plon i składniki plonu czarnuszki siewnej

Nigella sativa is an annual flowering plant, native to Iran and other parts of southwest Asia, belonging to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). Its grain has several important health-related properties such as anti-parasitic, anti-virus, anti-bacterial, increased milk production, carminative, and anti-diabetic. To determine effects of fertilizer treatments on this plant, this experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design in three replications with seven treatments. Fertilizer treatments consisted of Bio phosphor (B 2 kg∙ha-1), Bio sulphur (S 5 kg∙ha-1), Biological fertilized phosphate BAVAR 2 (F 100 g∙ha-1), chemical fertilizer (M) according to soil analysis, and combined fertilizer (B+S), (S+F), and (C) treatment. The application of fertilizers showed a significant effect (p<0.01) on plant height, number of capsules per plant, seed weight, grain yield (g/m-2), number of flowers per plant, and biological yield (g/m-2). There were no observed significant differences (p<0.01) on the number of seeds per capsule, seed weight and yield between chemical fertilizer and biological BARVAR 2. Thus, it can be concluded that there is no preventative for biological fertilizer to produce a good yield of biological product for human health.Nigella sativa (czarnuszka siewna) jest jednoroczną rośliną kwitnącą występującą w Iranie i innych częściach Azji południowo-zachodniej. Należy do rodziny jaskrowatych (Ranunculaceae). Jej nasiona mają wiele właściwości prozdrowotnych: działają przeciwpasożytniczo, przeciwwirusowo, przeciwbakteryjnie, zwiększają produkcję mleka, działają wiatropędnie i przeciwcukrzycowo. By określić efekty nawożenia tej rośliny, przeprowadzono doświadczenie w czterech randomizowanych blokach, w trzech powtórzeniach przy użyciu siedmiu mieszanek nawozów. W skład zastosowanych mieszanek wchodziły: biofosfor (B 2 kg.ha-1), biosiarka (S 5 kg.ha-1), nawóz biologiczny fosfat BAVAR 2 (F 100 g.ha-1), nawóz chemiczny (M) odpowiednio do analizy gleby i nawóz mieszany (B+S), (S+F), oraz kontrola (C). Wynikiem zastosowania nawozów było wyraźne zwiększenie wysokości roślin (p<0.01), zwiększenie liczby torebek nasiennych w roślinie i plonu (g/m-2). Nie zaobserwowano wyraźnych różnic w liczbie nasion w torebce nasiennej, wadze nasion i plonie pomiędzy roślinami nawożonymi chemicznie i za pomocą nawozu biologicznego BARVAR 2. Zatem można stwierdzić, że nie ma przeciwwskazań do stosowania nawozu biologicznego przy produkcji surowca dla potrzeb zdrowotnych

Methanol extract of Melastoma malabathricum leaves exerted antioxidant and liver protective activity in rats

Background Melastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomaceae) is a small shrub with various medicinal uses. The present study was carried out to determine the hepatoprotective activity of methanol extract of M. malabathricum leaves (MEMM) against the paracetamol-induced liver toxicity in rats model. Methods The respective chemicals and herbal solutions (10% DMSO, 200 mg/kg silymarin or MEMM (50, 250 and 500 mg/kg)) were administered orally to rats once everyday for 7 days followed by the hepatotoxicity assay. The blood samples and livers were collected and subjected to biochemical and microscopical analysis. Prior to the hepatoprotective study, MEMM was subjected to determination of the total phenolic content (TPC) and the antioxidant properties using several standard assays (e.g. 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl- and superoxide anion- radical scavenging assay, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay). Results MEMM exerted significant (p < 0.05) and high antioxidant activity in which high TPC was recorded; while in the hepatotoxicity study, the extract exhibited significant hepatoprotective effects against the paracetamol-induced hepatotoxic model. The results observed for serum liver enzymes (ALT, ALP and AST) as well as the microscopic observations and microscopic scoring supported the hepatoprotective potential of MEMM. The phytochemical and HPLC analysis of MEMM demonstrated the presence of flavonoids as its major constituents. Conclusions The MEMM-induced hepatoprotective activity could be allied partly to its antioxidant activity and the presence of flavonoids