Medicinal plants have played an important role in the treatment of many diseases. Medicinal plants are believed to be well appropriate with the human body and to produce less side influences than the pharmaceuticals. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has abundant and wide variety of medicinal plants whose therapeutic effects have not been adequately studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic activities of the extracts of three plant species collected from Albaha region of Saudi Arabia including Olea oleaster (Oleaceae family) leaves (OLE), Juniperus procera (Cupressaceae family) leaves (JLE), and Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae family) stems (OSE) on streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic male rats. The animals were distributed into eight groups. The first group was used as normal control. The second group was diabetic control. Diabetic rats of the third, fourth, and fifth groups were supplemented with OLE, JLE, and OSE, respectively. Normal rats of the sixth, seventh, and eighth groups were treated with OLE, JLE, and OSE, respectively. As expected, the mean of body weight was significantly decreased in rats of the second group. Significant increase in the value of serum glucose and decline of insulin value were observed in rats of the second group. Several alterations of lipid and protein profile and oxidative stress markers were noted in diabetic control rats. Severe histopathological alterations of pancreatic tissues were observed in untreated diabetic rats. The obtained results showed that OLE, JLE, and OSE attenuated the physiological and histopathological alterations. These new data indicate that the attenuation influences of OLE, JLE, and OSE attributed to their antioxidant properties confirmed by oxidative stress markers evaluation.

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As a result of some major problems that come from using insecticides, the use of safe alternatives to these pesticides has become very necessary. Thus, a novel series of predicted toxicologically active urea, thiourea, thiosemicarbazide, oxadiazole, pyrazole, and triazine derivatives have been synthesized in a pure form to be lufenuron analogues as insect growth regulators which were screened and examined against Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd). The structure of synthesized compounds was established by means of spectroscopic and elemental analyses. Compounds b5, b2, b3, and a4 showed high insecticidal toxicity, and their LC50 values for the second larvae instar were found to be 26.63, 46.35, and 60.84 ppm, respectively, whereas the LC50 value for lufenuron as a reference insecticide was 17.01 ppm.

Camellia sinensis L. has long been used as a therapeutic agent for the Central nervous system (CNS) due to the presence of flavonoids. The present study aimed to evaluate the dose-dependent Neuropharmacological behavioral potential of Camellia sinensis seed and leaf extracts on mice. To evaluate the differential potential of leaf and seed extract various doses were prepared and examined in open field, head dip, rearing, cage cross, swimming and traction tests. One-way ANOVA set at P* < 0.05 followed by POST HOC LSD (P* < 0.01) was applied to evaluate the significant difference among the treatments. Herein both seed and leaf extract showed significant results at high doses. Interestingly leaf extract at high dose showed significant effect on mice CNS in open field and head dip test, while seed at high dose revealed significant stimulus on mice CNS in rearing, cage cross, swimming and traction tests. Overall results showed that seed produced more stimulant effect and less calmness as compared to leaf extract was. Tea leaves had already known as potential CNS stimulant drugs; current investigation suggests that tea seed can be used as an alternative CNS stimulant agent with more effective stimulant action.

Epiphytes constitute over 70% of orchid diversity, but little is known about the functioning of their mycorrhizal associations. Terrestrial orchid seeds germinate symbiotically in soil and leaf litter, whereas epiphytic orchids may be exposed to relatively high light levels from an early stage of development and often produce green seeds. This suggests that seedlings of the two groups of orchids may differ in their responses to light and requirements for mycorrhiza-supplied carbon. The interactive effects of light, exogenous carbon and mycorrhizal status on germination and growth were investigated in vitro using axenic agar microcosms for one tropical epiphyte and three geophytic orchid species . The geophytic species strongly depended on their mycorrhiza for growth and this could not be substituted by exogenous sucrose, whereas the epiphytic species achieved 95% of the mycorrhizal seedling volume when supplied with exogenous sucrose in the dark. Mycorrhiza status strongly interacted with light exposure, enabling germination. Light inhibited or severely reduced growth, especially for the terrestrial orchids in the absence of mycorrhiza. For the first time, this study showed the parallel ecological importance of mycorrhizal fungi in overcoming light inhibition of seed germination and growth in both terrestrial and epiphytic orchids.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of endophytic bacterium to control common bean rust disease under greenhouse conditions. Endophytic bacterium Pseudomonas putida ASU15 was isolated from fresh asymptomatic common bean, identified using biochemical and molecular characteristics. In vitro, the inhibitory effect of different concentrations of P. putida (1 × 104, 1 × 105 and 1 × 106), as well as fungicide ortiva (0.01%) on uredospores germination of Uromyces appendiculatus were tested using water agar medium. The concentration showing the highest reduction of uredospores germination was at 1 × 106, while there was complete inhibition of uredospores germination associated with using ortiva. Scanning electron microscope exhibited the ability of P. putida cells to attack the cell wall of the fungal uredospores germ tubes of U. appendiculatus, causing obvious cell wall breakdown. The activities of chitinase, lipase, and protease produced by P. putida ASU15, in vitro, were evaluated spectrophotometrically. Chitinolytic, proteolytic, and lipolytic activities were exhibited, contributing 55.26, 3.87, and 26.12 U/mL, respectively. Under greenhouse conditions, treated plants with P. putida ASU15 (two days before pathogen inoculation or at the same time of pathogen inoculation) or fungicide reduced the disease severity, compared to the control. Applying P. putida ASU15 at the same time of pathogen inoculation showed reduction in disease severity (69.9%), higher than application before pathogen inoculation (54.9%). This study is considered the first report that demonstrates the mycoparasitic strategy of P. putida for controlling U. appendiculatus. In conclusion, our results revealed that P. putida ASU15 affords a significant disease reduction that may be attributed to direct suppression of pathogen spores germination.

The increasing prevalence of environmental pollutants such as pesticides is a major global problem that affects living organisms. Exposure to environmental pollutants remains a major source of health risk throughout the world. The potential health benefits of various medicinal plants and natural products in relation to protect various diseases are currently receiving considerable attention. A current approach is to develop a new biological compound from natural products that inhibits pain. Ethnopharmacological surveys have been found to be one of the most reliable tools for the discovery of the natural and semi-synthetic drug. The present study was performed to investigate the hematological and biochemical changes induced by carbendazim (CBZ) and the potential protective effect of seeds extracts of Nigella sativa (NSSE) and Foeniculum vulgare (FVSE) against CBZ toxicity in male mice. Mice were distributed into 6 groups. Mice of group 1 were served as control. Group 2 was exposed to CBZ. Group 3 was supplemented with NSSE and exposed to CBZ. Group 4 was treated with FVSE and CBZ. Normal mice of group 5 and 6 were subjected to NSSE and FVSE respectively. Body weight gain was significantly decreased in mice of group 2. In mice of group 2, significant declines of RBC, HB, Hct, WBC, total protein, FSH, LH, testosterone, T4, T3, CAT and SOD were observed. Moreover, the levels of ALT, AST, ALP, total bilirubin, creatinine, BUN, uric acid, glucose, cholesterol, CK, LDH, MDA and GSH were significantly enhanced. Treatment with NSSE and FVSE showed attenuation effects against CBZ induced hematological and biochemical changes. The results suggest that the attenuation effects of NSSE and FVSE attributed to their antioxidant properties.

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