Flavonoids are the predominant polyphenolic compounds which are ubiquitously present in plants, responsible for the colour development in different plant parts, thereby playing an important role in plant physiology. In order to understand chemodiversity and biological functions of flavonoids, it is important to understand flavonoid biosynthetic pathway that involves various structural genes. Three structural genes of flavonoid biosynthetic pathway, chalcone synthase (PgCHS; GenBank accession no: KY498075), flavanone 3-hydroxylase (PgF3H; GenBank accession no: MG012857) and dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (PgDFR; GenBank accession no: MG366127) were isolated and characterized from the wild Punica granatum. Molecular modelling indicated that the secondary structures of PgCHS, PgF3H and PgDFR are mainly α-helix and random coils. HPLC analysis of flavonoids showed its accumulation in different tissues and fruits, thus corroborating well with the expression profile of PgCHS, PgF3H and PgDFR genes. PgF3H and PgDFR genes exhibited high transcripts levels in red fruits while expression of Pg CHS gene was highest in flowers. Further, it is speculated that expression of all these structural genes is independent of each other. This is the first study that provides a comparative expression pattern of flavonoid genes playing a significant role in fruit ripening in wild pomegranate.

Background: Emergency obstetric hysterectomy is the life-saving surgical intervention when all other available measures are unable to control obstetric hemorrhage. In addition to the known indications and risk factors for globally increasing this near miss event, home deliveries by untrained birth attendants is irrefutable cause of obstetric morbidity and mortality Aim: To identify the risk factors and indications for EOH like Pakistan. Study design: Retrospective descriptive study. Settings: OB/GYN department of Lahore General Hospital, PGMI. Duration: Two years, from start of 2020 to the end of 2021. Methodology: All patients having emergency obstetric hysterectomy in Gynae Unit 3, were included in this study. Risk factors and indications for the procedure were recorded. Outcome in the form of morbidity and mortality was reviewed. Results: Out of total 6809 deliveries, 48 patients had EOH and majority were multiparous with age ranging from 20 to 35 years. Complicated home deliveries ending in EOH were 8.32% of the cases. Two third of the patients had one or more previous caesarean sections and 70.8% underwent Caesarean section in the index pregnancy. Most of the women, 81.25%, were un-booked cases. Most common indication for EOH (50%) in our study was uterine atony and 45.81% of the cases had morbidly adherent placenta. Conclusion: Rising trend of caesarian sections leading to placental issues, lack of proper antenatal care and deliveries at inappropriate places are the contributing factors in morbidity and mortality associated with EOH. Keywords: Uterine atony, morbidly adherent placenta, emergency obstetric hysterectomy.

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Wild pomegranate is an ancient fruit with known medicinal and curative properties, attributing to overall positive health. The present study focuses on phytochemical analysis and the antioxidant potential of the fruits (red and green), leaves and flowers of wild pomegranate. High amount of carbohydrates and proteins were observed in red fruits, followed by green fruit, while they were low in flowers and leaves. However, leaves possessed higher amounts of phenolics and tannins as compared to other tissues and fruit extracts. Highest radical scavenging effect was observed in red fruit with EC50 value 70.33µg/ml as compared to other tissues. The ferric reducing potential was significantly higher in red fruit (310.99 ± 0.98 µmol Fe2+/ g dry matter) in comparison to green fruit extracts of wild pomegranate. The results indicated that methanolic extract of red fruits are pharmacologically more active and can be exploited for studying the pharmacokinetics of various bioactive compounds present in wild pomegranate.