This study was conducted to elucidate the inherent potential of Bacillus sp. MR-1/2, which was isolated from root zone of maize crop grown on a textile wastewater-irrigated soil. The isolated strain was identified through its ribosomal RNA sequence. Under in vitro conditions, the strain demonstrated its tolerance for high concentrations of various heavy metal ions as determined by minimum inhibitory concentration. Moreover, the strain MR-1/2 exhibited many important phytobeneficial traits such as inorganic P solubilization and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase ability even under high metal and salt stress. Results showed that the strain proficiently decolorizes various azo dye compounds, e.g., reactive black-5, reactive red-120, and direct blue-1 and congo red, in broth culture. The bioremediation potential of the strain MR-1/2 was further confirmed by analyzing the retrieved azoreductase gene sequence through bioinformatics tools, whereby a subsequent prediction revealed that the azoreductase enzyme activity was involved in decolorization process. When mung bean seeds were grown in pots under various concentrations of decolorized and non-decolorized azo dye, the Bacillus sp. MR-1/2 not only alleviated the azo dye toxicity, but also increased the plant growth parameters. In conclusion, the strain MR-1/2 efficiently decolorized the azo dyes and helped in mung bean plant growth by alleviating azo dye toxicity.
Nigella sativa and Piper nigrum are implicated in the treatment of various disorders, especially in the management of metabolic, infectious and hepatorenal ailments. However, data on the mechanism behind therapeutic potential of N. sativa and P. nigrum in liver diseases is scarce. The present study investigated the hepatoprotective potential of 70% methanolic extract of N. sativa (NSE) and P. nigrum (PNE) at varying dose levels (100 to 400 mg/kg body weight) against concanavalin A (conA)-induced liver injury. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of plant extracts was performed. Acute hepatic injury was induced by administering intraperitoneally 12mg/kg conA in Balb/c mice. The extent of hepatic injury was measured by analysing serum biochemical parameters, liver antioxidant stress assay and histopathology. Data were analysed statistically. NSE and PNE showed dosedependent hepatoprotective efficacy by lowering the conA-dependent rise in liver transaminase level. Treatment with NSE (400 mg/Kg) and PNE (400 mg/Kg) ameliorated conA-induced alterations in serum oxidative stress markers, biochemical parameters, liver function markers and histopathology. NSE indicated greater effectiveness to ameliorate the acute hepatic injury in comparison with PNE at the same dose. Collectively, pretreatment with NSE and PNE attenuated the liver injury induced by conA, might be through alleviating the antioxidant capacity of experimental mice
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