Exploring the nutritional and health benefits of pulses from the Indian Himalayan region: A glimpse into the region’s rich agricultural heritage

Pulses have been consumed worldwide for over 10 centuries and are currently among the most widely used foods. They are not economically important, but also nutritionally beneficial as they constitute a good source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, folate and magnesium. Pulses, but particularly species such as Macrotyloma uniflorum, Phaseolus vulgaris L., Glycine max L. and Vigna umbellate, are essential ingredients of the local diet in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). Consuming pulses can have a favourable effect on cardiovascular health as they improve serum lipid profiles, reduce blood pressure, decrease platelet activity, regulate blood glucose and insulin levels, and reduce inflammation. Although pulses also contain anti-nutritional compounds such as phytates, lectins or enzyme inhibitors, their deleterious effects can be lessened by using effective processing and cooking methods. Despite their great potential, however, the use of some pulses is confined to IHR regions. This comprehensive review discusses the state of the art in available knowledge about various types of pulses grown in IHR in terms of chemical and nutritional properties, health effects, accessibility, and agricultural productivity.Universidade de Vigo/CISU

The International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce (INPST) and the power of Twitter networking exemplified through #INPST hashtag analysis

Background: The development of digital technologies and the evolution of open innovation approaches have enabled the creation of diverse virtual organizations and enterprises coordinating their activities primarily online. The open innovation platform titled "International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce" (INPST) was established in 2018, to bring together in collaborative environment individuals and organizations interested in natural product scientific research, and to empower their interactions by using digital communication tools. Methods: In this work, we present a general overview of INPST activities and showcase the specific use of Twitter as a powerful networking tool that was used to host a one-week "2021 INPST Twitter Networking Event" (spanning from 31st May 2021 to 6th June 2021) based on the application of the Twitter hashtag #INPST. Results and Conclusion: The use of this hashtag during the networking event period was analyzed with Symplur Signals (https://www.symplur.com/), revealing a total of 6,036 tweets, shared by 686 users, which generated a total of 65,004,773 impressions (views of the respective tweets). This networking event's achieved high visibility and participation rate showcases a convincing example of how this social media platform can be used as a highly effective tool to host virtual Twitter-based international biomedical research events

Screening of phytoconstituents and antibacterial activity of leaves and bark of Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus from Uttarakhand Himalaya

Abstract Background Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus (QL) belongs to the family Fagaceae, commonly known as Banj oak in the Garhwal region of Himalaya, where it is the principal source of fuel, fodder, and medicine. Methods In the present study, GC-MS analysis has been performed for profiling the chemical composition of methanolic extracts of leaves and bark of QL. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by using the disk diffusion method against five bacterial strains. Results Total 23 components in bark and 62 components in leaves extracts of QL were identified. The major components identified in the bark extracts were Linoleic acid (19.77%), Lupeol (17.91%), Epi-psi-Taraxastanonol (14.20), and cis-Vaccenic acid (13.10%), while others were present in relatively small amounts. For the leaves extract, the major components were Linoleic acid (17.09%), Simiarene (15.29%), Flavone 4′-oh, 5-oh,7-di-o-glucoside (15.26%), and D-Quinic acid (9.29%), respectively. As far as antibacterial assays are concerned, it was observed that both the extracts are active against most of the tested bacterial strains with the zone of inhibition ranging between 8.53 ± 0.50 to 19.07 ± 0.31 mm, respectively. Conclusion The GC-MS results revealed the presence of several phytochemical compounds in leaves and bark of QL extract and are recommended as a plant of pharmaceutical importance. The antibacterial analysis showed that both the extracts (leaves and bark) of QL have antibacterial activity against all gram positive (S. aureus, B. subtilis and S. pyogenes) and gram negative (E. coli, P. aeruginosa) bacterial strains

Poisonous Plants of the Indian Himalaya: An Overview

Indian Himalayan region (IHR) supports a wide diversity of plants and most of them are known for their medicinal value. Humankind has been using medicinal plants since the inception of civilization. Various types of bioactive compounds are found in plants, which are directly and indirectly beneficial for plants as well as humans. These bioactive compounds are highly useful and being used as a strong source of medicines, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, food additives, fragrances, and flavoring agents. Apart from this, several plant species contain some toxic compounds that affect the health of many forms of life as well as cause their death. These plants are known as poisonous plants, because of their toxicity to both humans and animals. Therefore, it is necessary to know in what quantity they should be taken so that it does not have a negative impact on health. Recent studies on poisonous plants have raised awareness among people who are at risk of plant toxicity in different parts of the world. The main aim of this review article is to explore the current knowledge about the poisonous plants of the Indian Himalayas along with the importance of these poisonous plants to treat different ailments. The findings of the present review will be helpful to different pharmaceutical industries, the scientific community and researchers around the world

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): key emphasis on melatonin safety and therapeutic efficacy

Viral infections constitute a tectonic convulsion in the normophysiology of the hosts. The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is not an exception, and therefore the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, like any other invading microbe, enacts a generalized immune response once the virus contacts the body. Melatonin is a systemic dealer that does not overlook any homeostasis disturbance, which consequently brings into play its cooperative triad, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-stimulant backbone, to stop the infective cycle of SARS-CoV-2 or any other endogenous or exogenous threat. In COVID-19, the corporal propagation of SARS-CoV-2 involves an exacerbated oxidative activity and therefore the overproduction of great amounts of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). The endorsement of melatonin as a possible protective agent against the current pandemic is indirectly supported by its widely demonstrated beneficial role in preclinical and clinical studies of other respiratory diseases. In addition, focusing the therapeutic action on strengthening the host protection responses in critical phases of the infective cycle makes it likely that multi-tasking melatonin will provide multi-protection, maintaining its efficacy against the virus variants that are already emerging and will emerge as long as SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate among us.UCJC | Ref. NEWTHERMEL: UCJC 2019-02UCJC | Ref. QUIMELTER: UCJC 2021-2

Revisiting the Nutritional, Chemical and Biological Potential of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.

The genus Cajanus (Family: Fabaceae) consists of approximately 37 species, and Cajanus cajan (C. cajan) is a significant member of the genus. It is a commercial legume crop widely grown in sub-tropical and semi-arid tropical areas of the world. C. cajan is well known for its folk medicinal uses to treat various disorders, such as toothache, dizziness, diabetes, stomachache, female ailments and chronic infections. These properties have been linked to the presence of several value-added nutritional and bioactive components. Different solvent extracts from C.cajan (leaves, root, stem and seeds) have been evaluated for their phytochemical and biological activities, namely antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory effects. Taken together, and considering the prominent nutraceutical and therapeutic properties of C. cajan, this review article focuses on the important details including ethnomedicinal uses, chemical composition, biological applications and some other medicinal aspects related to C.cajan nutraceutical and pharmacological applications

Isolation and Characterization of Dominant Fungi from Rhizospheric Soil of Saussurea obvallata (DC.) Edgew. (Brahma Kamal) of the Indian Himalayan Region

The Himalayan region is conferred by diverse wealth in term of flora and fauna. Among Himalayan plant biodiversity, Saussurea obvallata (common name Brahma Kamal) has an immense spiritual and medicinal significance. Owing to high demand, this herb is on the verge of extinction. Numerous studies have been carried out for preservation and in vitro regeneration of Saussurea obvallata. In view of above, this is the first study which aims to isolate and identify rhizospheric fungi associated with this plant. Soil samples were collected from three locations in Kedarnath valley and total 34 fungal isolates were isolated. Out of 34, three fungal isolates i.e. MaHaD1, MaHaD2 and MaHaD3 were selected for morphological and molecular characterization. The 16S rDNA sequencing identified MaHaD1, MaHaD2 and MaHaD3 as Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Aspergillus fumigatus respectively. The presence of these three dominant fungi in rhizospheric region seems to be results of climatic conditions and plant physiology. Results indicate that the presence of fungal microflora may play a vital role in survival and proliferation of Saussurea obvallata plant by providing tolerance and resistance to abiotic stress and fungal/nematode pathogens respectively

Neuroinflammatory Markers: Key Indicators in the Pathology of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neuroinflammation, a protective response of the central nervous system (CNS), is associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. The CNS is composed of neurons and glial cells consisting of microglia, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes. Entry of any foreign pathogen activates the glial cells (astrocytes and microglia) and overactivation of these cells triggers the release of various neuroinflammatory markers (NMs), such as the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-1β (IL-10), nitric oxide (NO), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), among others. Various studies have shown the role of neuroinflammatory markers in the occurrence, diagnosis, and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. These markers also trigger the formation of various other factors responsible for causing several neuronal diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), multiple sclerosis (MS), ischemia, and several others. This comprehensive review aims to reveal the mechanism of neuroinflammatory markers (NMs), which could cause different neurodegenerative disorders. Important NMs may represent pathophysiologic processes leading to the generation of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, various molecular alterations related to neurodegenerative diseases are discussed. Identifying these NMs may assist in the early diagnosis and detection of therapeutic targets for treating various neurodegenerative diseases