Background: Phytochemical derived from plant consisting of phenols and flavonoids possess antioxidant properties, which are useful to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS). The aim of the work is to ascertain the level of antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-microbial properties and in vivo analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of methanolic extracts of Pouzolzia zeylanica (L.) Benn.
Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of mortality in Pakistan and also worldwide. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) regulates the transcription of many genes and has a significant impact on inflammation and the morphology of cardiac cells. Genetic variation in the VDR gene such as the TaqI polymorphism (rs731236) may have an impact that causes adverse effects. Accordingly, it is important to determine possible association of the TaqI polymorphism (rs731236) with CAD.
Methods:The study included blood samples from 1016 subjects: 516 from CAD patients and 500 from age-and gender-matched controls. Genomic DNA was extracted by standard salting out method. Targeted variation was amplified by an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR products were examined and genotyped on agarose gel electrophoresis represented by an amplified product size of 148 bp followed by Sanger sequencing to validate variations.Results: Serum vitamin levels, as observed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, were found to be insufficient in both CAD patients (20.52 ± 0.06 ng/ml) and controls (21.6981 ± 0.05 ng/ml). The TaqI polymorphism (rs731236) T>C was found to be significantly associated with CAD (p < 0.0001). The odds ratio showed that the risk increases by 1.8-fold with variant C allele. Dominant, co-dominant and over dominant genetic model analyses suggested that the TC genotype might be a risk factor involved in the possible association with susceptibility to CAD.
Conclusions:The TaqI polymorphism (rs731236) in the coding region may affect the function of the receptor by altering the binding site, which might participate in an inflammatory response and increase the risk for developing susceptibility to CAD.
Salinity stress has hindered the growth and yield of crops globally. The demands for inducing salt stress tolerance by natural and biological sources with potent antioxidants and growth-promoting metabolites have been the main focus of the recent era. Therefore, the current research was conducted to extract salt stress tolerance-ameliorating metabolites and growth-promoting hormones from the marine brown macroalgae Sargassum wightii Greville ex J. Agardh with maximum antioxidant potential used as a liquid fertilizer for okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.). In the current study, the biochemical analysis showed that Sargassum aqueous extract (SAE) was rich in growth-promoting metabolites, antioxidants, and hormones. Meanwhile, overaccumulation of glycine betaine attracted the focus of the current research dealing with salt stress tolerance amelioration in A. esculentus. The plants supplemented with SAE (2% and 4%) and 0.04% ascorbic acid (AsA) alone and in combinations were subjected to sodium salt stress (NaCl; 75 mM). Results revealed that SAE efficiently promoted the vegetative and reproductive growth of plants by elevating the growth-promoting metabolites and hormones in comparison to control plants. Ionic contents (Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+) and ratios (K+/Na+, Mg2+/Na+, and Ca2+/Na+) were modulated in SAE-treated plants. SAE also increased the level of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, carotenoids, and proline and decreased the level of hydrogen peroxide and abscisic acid in salt-treated plants compared with the control groups. Enzymatic activities of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and guaiacol peroxidase were also enhanced by SAE treatment upon salt stress. The SAE-mediated stress tolerance amelioration and the positive growth response of A. esculentus were further accelerated by AsA (0.04%) supplementation used in combination with SAE (2% and 4%). The current study revealed a novel report of the antioxidant and metabolite-rich algal extract (S. wightii) formulation along with AsA that induced salt stress tolerance and promoted the overall growth performance of A. esculentus by rebalancing the ionic and metabolic status.
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