CpG islands (CGIs) are aggregation of CpG dinucleotides in the promoters of mammalian genes. Thes... more CpG islands (CGIs) are aggregation of CpG dinucleotides in the promoters of mammalian genes. These CGIs are present in almost all the housekeeping genes and some tissue-specific genes in the mammalian genome. Extensive research has been done on the prevalence and role of CGIs in protein-coding genes. However, little is known about CGIs in pseudogenes. In the current research project, we focused on CGIs in three main classes of pseudogenes e.g., duplicated pseudogenes (DPGs), processed pseudogenes (PPGs), and unitary pseudogenes (UPGs). We discovered a predominant absence of CGIs in the promoters of all three pseudogenes. We also compared the CGI profile of these pseudogenes with their parent genes and found that unitary pseudogenes (UPGs) differ from the DPGs and PPGs in the sense that in the latter, lack of CGIs is a consequential event while in UPGs, this lack of CGIs in their promoters is not a result of pseudogenization process. We also discussed the implication of the results obtained from this comparison. To our knowledge, this is the first-ever study highlighting this aspect of UPGs throwing new insights into the evolution of genome in general and especially in the context of pseudogenes.
The genus Papaver is highly esteemed in the pharmacy industry, in the culinary field, and as orna... more The genus Papaver is highly esteemed in the pharmacy industry, in the culinary field, and as ornamental plants. These plants are also valued in traditional medicine. Among all Papaver species, Papaver somniferum L. (opium poppy) is the most important species in supplying phytochemicals for the formulation of drugs, mainly alkaloids like morphine, codeine, rhoeadine, thebaine, and papaverine. In addition, Papaver plants present other types of phytochemicals, which altogether are responsible for its biological activities. Therefore, this review covers the phytochemical composition of Papaver plants, including alkaloids, phenolic compounds, and essential oils. The traditional uses are reviewed along with their pharmacological activities. Moreover, safety aspects are reported to provide a deep overview of the pharmacology potential of this genus. An updated search was carried out in databases such as Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and PubMed to retrieve the information. Overall, this ge...
Background: Sanguinarine, a benzophenanthridine alkaloid extracted from Sanguinaria canadensis ha... more Background: Sanguinarine, a benzophenanthridine alkaloid extracted from Sanguinaria canadensis has been found to show an inhibitory role on proapoptotic and growth inhibitory activities in various tumor cells of experimental subjects. Objective: This review highlights and summarizes the effects of sanguinarine against cancers alongside the possible mechanisms involved as depicted in various in vitro and in vivo models. Results: Sanguinarine shows anticancer activities via various mechanisms like inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, aberrantly activated signal transduction pathways, sang-mediated angiogenesis, and induction of cell death and tumor suppressors’ expressions. It also enhances the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutics via sensitizing cancer cells against these drugs, hence improving their pharmacological attributes. Conclusion: Due to the significant role of sanguinarine against various types of cancer, it can be explored for its potential functions in cancer treatment.
Propolis is a highly adhesive and resinous product of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) which is prod... more Propolis is a highly adhesive and resinous product of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) which is produced from the exudations of plants. Bee propolis being a source of bioactive compounds like polyphenols and flavonoids imparts numerous biological properties including, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Present study was designed to elucidate the composition and antioxidant status of locally available propolis using in-vitro conditions. Propolis collected from locally found apiaries and its hydroalcoholic extract of propolis was prepared using different concentrations of ethanol and methanol. The results regarding proximate composition of propolis showed a higher proportion of ether extract (85.59±0.87%) and lowest contents of crude fiber (0.31±0.08%). Among the mineral's sodium, potassium and calcium was found in a concentration of 11.33±0.91, 52.10±2.9 and 10.53±0.83.59±0.23mg/Kg respectively whilst zinc was noticed as 3.59±0.23mg/Kg. HPLC cha...
Human diets with functional ingredients showed promising role in management of diseases of modern... more Human diets with functional ingredients showed promising role in management of diseases of modern age like hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and even cancer. The study designed to elucidate role of honeybee propolis for management of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia states through animal modeling system. Hydroalcoholic extract of propolis was used for development of functional drink with standard recipe and addition of specified dose of extracts (400mg/500mL). Animals were grouped into three studies including study-I fed on regular diet, study-II fed on sucrose enrich diet and study-III fed on diet enriched with cholesterol and monitored to evaluate the results. Various parameters like feed consumption, liquid intake of animals measured regularly whereas body weight recorded at the end of each week of study. At the end of the study animals were analyzed for different blood indicators like blood lipid indices (cholesterol, LDL, HDL concentration and triglyceride contents)), glucose co...
Berberine (BBR), a potential bioactive agent, has remarkable health benefits. A substantial amoun... more Berberine (BBR), a potential bioactive agent, has remarkable health benefits. A substantial amount of research has been conducted to date to establish the anticancer potential of BBR. The present review consolidates salient information concerning the promising anticancer activity of this compound. The therapeutic efficacy of BBR has been reported in several studies regarding colon, breast, pancreatic, liver, oral, bone, cutaneous, prostate, intestine, and thyroid cancers. BBR prevents cancer cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and controlling the cell cycle as well as autophagy. BBR also hinders tumor cell invasion and metastasis by down-regulating metastasis-related proteins. Moreover, BBR is also beneficial in the early stages of cancer development by lowering epithelial–mesenchymal transition protein expression. Despite its significance as a potentially promising drug candidate, there are currently no pure berberine preparations approved to treat specific ailments. Hence, th...
Journal of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences, 2016
Present exploration was an attempt to investigate the physicochemical and sensory evaluation of t... more Present exploration was an attempt to investigate the physicochemical and sensory evaluation of the cheddar cheese using different concentrations of starter’s cultures at different storage intervals. For this purpose, cheddar cheese was prepared through Streptococcus thermophillus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus in combination with starter cultures. In ripening, three types of starter cultures are used including Lc. Cremoris and Lc. lactis (95:5) 95% + Str.thermophilus and Lb.bulgaricus 5% (T 1 ), Lc. Cremoris and Lc. lactis (95:5) 90% + Str. Thermophilus and Lb. bulgaricus 10%, Lc. Cremoris and Lc. lactis (95:5) 85% + Str. Thermophilus and Lb. bulgaricus 15% (T 3 ) and along with T0 : Lc. Cremoris and Lc. lactis (95:5)100% @0.0025% were prepared for comparison purpose. During study, storage imparts substantial effect on pH and acidity. In pH, storage caused a significant reduction in pH from 5.20±0.001 to 5.09±0.005% at 0 and 90 th day, correspondingly. Likewise, the recorded ...
Malnutrition is a global concern affecting more than 2 billion people and iron deficiency anemia ... more Malnutrition is a global concern affecting more than 2 billion people and iron deficiency anemia is widely prevalent among the children. Food multi-mix (FMM) concept involves a food-based approach using locally available raw materials in different proportions and converting them into culturally acceptable food products using traditional methods of preparations. For this purpose, six food multi-mix formulations along with control were prepared by blending various levels of spinach, fenugreek and multi-legumes flour. Significant variations were observed regarding moisture (7.79-8.92g/100g), crude protein (20.00-22.10g/100g), crude fat (2.58- 3.63g/100g), crude fiber (3.34-3.94g/100g), ash (4.47-6.83g/100g), sodium (38.28-114.01mg/100g), potassium (1090.3-1415.65mg/100g), calcium (135.41-641.81mg/100g), iron (7.89-9.32mg/100g) and zinc (5.54-6.99mg/100g) among different FMM formulations. Results regarding sensory evaluation showed that highest score for appearance, breakability, chewin...
Genistein is an isoflavone first isolated from the brooming plant Dyer’s Genista tinctoria L. and... more Genistein is an isoflavone first isolated from the brooming plant Dyer’s Genista tinctoria L. and is widely distributed in the Fabaceae family. As an isoflavone, mammalian genistein exerts estrogen-like functions. Several biological effects of genistein have been reported in preclinical studies, such as the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral activities, the effects of angiogenesis and estrogen, and the pharmacological activities on diabetes and lipid metabolism. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date evidence of preclinical pharmacological activities with mechanisms of action, bioavailability, and clinical evidence of genistein. The literature was researched using the most important keyword “genistein” from the PubMed, Science, and Google Scholar databases, and the taxonomy was validated using The Plant List. Data were also collected from specialized books and other online resources. The main positive effects of genistein refer to the protectio...
Abstract Myricetin is a critical nutritive component of diet providing immunological protection a... more Abstract Myricetin is a critical nutritive component of diet providing immunological protection and beneficial for maintaining good health. It is found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and wine. The families Myricaceae, Polygonaceae, Primulaceae, Pinaceae, and Anacardiaceae are the richest sources of myricetin. Different researchers explored the therapeutic potential of this valuable constituent such as anticancer, antidiabetic, antiobesity, cardiovascular protection, osteoporosis protection, anti‐inflammatory, and hepatoprotective. In addition to these, the compound has been tested for cancer and diabetic mellitus during clinical trials. Health benefits of myricetin are related to its impact on different cell processes, such as apoptosis, glycolysis, cell cycle, energy balance, lipid level, serum protein concentrations, and osteoclastogenesis. This review explored the potential health benefits of myricetin with a specific emphasis on its mechanism of action, considering the most updated and novel findings in the field.
Medicinal plants have been used for years as a source of food, spices, and, in traditional medici... more Medicinal plants have been used for years as a source of food, spices, and, in traditional medicine, as a remedy to numerous diseases. Piper nigrum, belonging to the family Piperaceae is one of the most widely used spices all over the world. It has a distinct sharp flavor attributed to the presence of the phytochemical, piperine. Apart from its use as a spice, P. nigrum is frequently used for medicinal, preservation, and perfumery purposes. Black pepper contains 2-7.4% of piperine, varying in content is associated with the pepper plant. Piperine displays numerous pharmacological effects such as antiproliferative, antitumor, antiangiogenesis, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiobesity, cardioprotective, antimicrobial, antiaging, and immunomodulatory effects in various in vitro and in vivo experimental trials. Furthermore, piperine has also been documented for its hepatoprotective, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. This review highlights and discusses the medicinal and healthpromoting effects of piperine, along with possible mechanisms of its action in health promotion and disease prevention. In addition, the present review summarizes the recent literature related to piperine as a therapeutic agent against several diseases.
Adenosine plays a significant role in neurotransmission process by controlling the blood pressure... more Adenosine plays a significant role in neurotransmission process by controlling the blood pressure, while adenosine triphosphate (ATP) acts as a neuromodulator and neurotransmitter and by activation of P2 receptors, regulates the contractility of the heart. Adenosine signaling is essential in the process of regeneration by regulating proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of stem cells. In this review, we have selected neurological disorders (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy) with clinical trials using antagonists and epigenetic tools targeting adenosine receptor as a therapeutic approach in the treatment of these disorders. Promising results have been reported from many clinical trials. It has been found that higher expression levels of A2A and P2X7 receptors in neurological disorders further complicate the disease condition. Therefore, modulations of these receptors by using antagonists of these receptors or SAM (S-adenosylmethionine) therapy as an epigenetic tool could be useful in reversing the complications of these disorders. Finally, we suggest that modulation of adenosine receptors in neurological disorders can increase the regenerative phase by increasing the rate of proliferation and differentiation in the damaged tissues.
Medicinal plants and their derived compounds have drawn the attention of researchers due to their... more Medicinal plants and their derived compounds have drawn the attention of researchers due to their considerable impact on human health. Among medicinal plants, mint (Mentha species) exhibits multiple health beneficial properties, such as prevention from cancer development and anti-obesity, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and cardioprotective effects, as a result of its antioxidant potential, combined with low toxicity and high efficacy. Mentha species are widely used in savory dishes, food, beverages, and confectionary products. Phytochemicals derived from mint also showed anticancer activity against different types of human cancers such as cervix, lung, breast and many others. Mint essential oils show a great cytotoxicity potential, by modulating MAPK and PI3k/Akt pathways; they also induce apoptosis, suppress invasion and migration potential of cancer cells lines along with cell cycle arrest, upregulation of Bax and p53 genes, modulation of TNF, IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-8, ...
Abstract The higher utilization of fruits and vegetables is well known to cure human maladies due... more Abstract The higher utilization of fruits and vegetables is well known to cure human maladies due to the presence of bioactive components. Among these compounds, thymoquinone, a monoterpene and significant constituent in the essential oil of Nigella sativa L., has attained attention by the researchers due to their pharmacologies perspectives such as prevention from cancer, antidiabetic and antiobesity, prevention from oxidative stress and cardioprotective disorder. Thymoquinone has been found to work as anticancer agent against different human and animal cancer stages including propagation, migration, and invasion. Thymoquinone as phytochemical also downregulated the Rac1 expression, mediated the miR‐34a upregulation, and increased the levels of miR‐34a through p53, as well as also regulated the pro‐ and antiapoptotic genes and decreased the phosphorylation of NF‐κB and IKKα/β. In addition, thymoquinone also lowered the metastasis and ERK1/2 and PI3K activities. The present review article has been piled by adapting narrative review method and highlights the diverse aspects of thymoquinone such as hepatoprotective, anti‐inflammatory, and antiaging through various pathways, and further utilization of this compound in diet has been proven effective against different types of cancers.
Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 2021
Mint and ginger are rich sources of phenolic compounds, and thus the present study aimed to asses... more Mint and ginger are rich sources of phenolic compounds, and thus the present study aimed to assess the impact of different extraction techniques on their polyphenolic yield and antioxidant activity, and to develop a ginger-mint drink. Conventional, ultrasonic and supercritical fluid extraction techniques were used, and ethanol, methanol and distilled water selected as extraction solvents for mint and ginger. Antioxidant activity was determined by β-carotene bleaching inhibition, DPPH and FRAP assays. Total phenolics (TPC) and flavonoids contents were also quantified, and physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the ginger-mint drink assessed. The results elucidated higher TPC, β-carotene bleaching inhibition, DPPH, FRAP and total flavonoids of mint and ginger in supercritical on 30 min as 2481.6 ± 245 and 2441 ± 240, 74 ± 7.1 and 69 ± 6.1, 79 ± 7.1 and 74 ± 6.1, 17.21 ± 1.3 and 16.4 ± 1.5, and 35 ± 2.8 and 34 ± 2.9, respectively, followed by ultrasonic assisted extraction. Likewise, the functional drink prepared from these extracts exhibited promising physicochemical, sensorial and antioxidant traits. In conclusion, supercritical fluid extraction was the best method for maximum and accurate extraction with ethanol revealing to be the best solvent for this process, with higher yields, when compared to methanol and distilled water.
Food safety is a current challenge that needs to be addressed globally to overcome burden of food... more Food safety is a current challenge that needs to be addressed globally to overcome burden of foodborne diseases. In this study, food samples collected from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, were analyzed for microbial quality. Parameters to measure the presence or absence of Salmonella, Staphylococcus, coliform, fungi, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, and total viable counts in foods were studied. Enumeration of aerobic mesophilic bacteria and coliform bacteria was carried out to check the quality of water. The results showed that there was microbial contamination in the foods served at hospital under investigation for this study. Most of the contamination existed because of nonhygienic practices by individuals and serving places. Salmonella, fecal coliforms, and fungal cross-contamination was reported. A hazard analysis and critical control point system was implemented to study what areas are at greater risk and are a reason of contamination in the hospital. The ...
The current study was employed to investigate the organochlorine pesticides (OCP) concentrations ... more The current study was employed to investigate the organochlorine pesticides (OCP) concentrations in milk, as the milk we consume, has residues of these notorious pesticides. The residual concentrations of OCP in milk have numerous harmful effects on health especially the children. Therefore, milk was analyzed using gas chromatography equipped with lECD for seven OCP residues, namely a-endosulfan, b-endosulfan, Endosulfansulphate, DDE, c-HCH, Dieldrin, and DDT. Three hundred and sixty raw milk samples were collected from urban areas (10 areas of Lahore N = 300) and Dairy Farms (10 farms in Lahore N = 60) from September 2012 to September 2013. Samples were collected after an interval of 2 months, for 12 months. Mean values of OCPs in milk samples from urban areas were reported as a-endosulfan, b-endosulfan, Endosulfan-sulphate, DDE, c-HCH, and Dieldrin with concentration of 17.44
Whole-blood choline, plasma choline and serum choline are emerging biomarkers in cardiovascular d... more Whole-blood choline, plasma choline and serum choline are emerging biomarkers in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). To examine the association of Whole-blood choline is an early predictor for cardiac events. In case control study, we enrolled 240 individuals including 120 normal (39 females and 82 males) and 120 cases (49 females and 71 males) where age limit was >40 years) Information through interviews, family disease history, 24 recall diet assessment and blood sampling. Odds ratios express the associated risks with CVD and without CVD patients. In healthy populations, good dietary habits and active lifestyle were observed. The number of participants with CVD were smokers than normal. In men, and women the risk was observed highly significant. (p=0.0049) Different blood parameters like Triglycerides, Uric Acid, Urea, Creatinine, CRP and ESR were non-significant observed. In females the low carbohydrates and high protein and frequent salad vegetable consumption observed. On the oth...
This study assessed the effects of galacto-oligosaccharides (Oligomate) on hematocrit, serum enzy... more This study assessed the effects of galacto-oligosaccharides (Oligomate) on hematocrit, serum enzymes, total bilirubin levels, and serum electrolytes in controls and severely malnourished infants, with emphasis on gastrointestinal symptoms. Oligomate doses and phases did not affect stools frequency per day, indicating that prebiotic effect on stool may be due to the prebiotic type. The number of vomits per day during phases 2 and 3 were significantly reduced (p<0.05) in response to prebiotics, despite the prebiotic dose effect was not significant (p>0.05). Moreover, prebiotics administration during phases 2 and 3 markedly improved hemoglobin levels (p<0.05), but not the dose. Similarly, hematocrit levels and white blood cells were significantly improved during the last 2 phases, but dose have no effects on blood hematocrit levels. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate significantly decreased (p<0.05) in phases 2 and 3 compared to phase 1. No dose-related effect was stated on ery...
The core objective was to evaluate the effect of probiotic fortification at three phases of formu... more The core objective was to evaluate the effect of probiotic fortification at three phases of formula milk administration in malnourished children. A dose related effect was determined in 30 severely acute malnourished children (6-59 months) in a double-blind, randomized design. According to the results, serum albumin levels, treatment T2 (6 billion cfu) has significantly increased albumin levels (3.7g/dL) and the effect of phase-III (Plumpy'nut) was found to be better. Results regarding sodium levels showing probiotic-dose have significant effect (P≤0.05) in phases as well. Moreover, the effect of T1 i.e. 3 billion cfu of probiotics has significantly reduced sodium levels (141.8mmol/L) vs. others and the effect of phase-II was better on reducing sodium levels. which is further confirmed in terms of reduced erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels at phase-III (29.566 vs. phase-II, 41.3 and phase-I, 46.533 mm/h). Conclusively, the effect of 6 billion cfu at phase-III was more effec...
CpG islands (CGIs) are aggregation of CpG dinucleotides in the promoters of mammalian genes. Thes... more CpG islands (CGIs) are aggregation of CpG dinucleotides in the promoters of mammalian genes. These CGIs are present in almost all the housekeeping genes and some tissue-specific genes in the mammalian genome. Extensive research has been done on the prevalence and role of CGIs in protein-coding genes. However, little is known about CGIs in pseudogenes. In the current research project, we focused on CGIs in three main classes of pseudogenes e.g., duplicated pseudogenes (DPGs), processed pseudogenes (PPGs), and unitary pseudogenes (UPGs). We discovered a predominant absence of CGIs in the promoters of all three pseudogenes. We also compared the CGI profile of these pseudogenes with their parent genes and found that unitary pseudogenes (UPGs) differ from the DPGs and PPGs in the sense that in the latter, lack of CGIs is a consequential event while in UPGs, this lack of CGIs in their promoters is not a result of pseudogenization process. We also discussed the implication of the results obtained from this comparison. To our knowledge, this is the first-ever study highlighting this aspect of UPGs throwing new insights into the evolution of genome in general and especially in the context of pseudogenes.
The genus Papaver is highly esteemed in the pharmacy industry, in the culinary field, and as orna... more The genus Papaver is highly esteemed in the pharmacy industry, in the culinary field, and as ornamental plants. These plants are also valued in traditional medicine. Among all Papaver species, Papaver somniferum L. (opium poppy) is the most important species in supplying phytochemicals for the formulation of drugs, mainly alkaloids like morphine, codeine, rhoeadine, thebaine, and papaverine. In addition, Papaver plants present other types of phytochemicals, which altogether are responsible for its biological activities. Therefore, this review covers the phytochemical composition of Papaver plants, including alkaloids, phenolic compounds, and essential oils. The traditional uses are reviewed along with their pharmacological activities. Moreover, safety aspects are reported to provide a deep overview of the pharmacology potential of this genus. An updated search was carried out in databases such as Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and PubMed to retrieve the information. Overall, this ge...
Background: Sanguinarine, a benzophenanthridine alkaloid extracted from Sanguinaria canadensis ha... more Background: Sanguinarine, a benzophenanthridine alkaloid extracted from Sanguinaria canadensis has been found to show an inhibitory role on proapoptotic and growth inhibitory activities in various tumor cells of experimental subjects. Objective: This review highlights and summarizes the effects of sanguinarine against cancers alongside the possible mechanisms involved as depicted in various in vitro and in vivo models. Results: Sanguinarine shows anticancer activities via various mechanisms like inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, aberrantly activated signal transduction pathways, sang-mediated angiogenesis, and induction of cell death and tumor suppressors’ expressions. It also enhances the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutics via sensitizing cancer cells against these drugs, hence improving their pharmacological attributes. Conclusion: Due to the significant role of sanguinarine against various types of cancer, it can be explored for its potential functions in cancer treatment.
Propolis is a highly adhesive and resinous product of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) which is prod... more Propolis is a highly adhesive and resinous product of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) which is produced from the exudations of plants. Bee propolis being a source of bioactive compounds like polyphenols and flavonoids imparts numerous biological properties including, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Present study was designed to elucidate the composition and antioxidant status of locally available propolis using in-vitro conditions. Propolis collected from locally found apiaries and its hydroalcoholic extract of propolis was prepared using different concentrations of ethanol and methanol. The results regarding proximate composition of propolis showed a higher proportion of ether extract (85.59±0.87%) and lowest contents of crude fiber (0.31±0.08%). Among the mineral's sodium, potassium and calcium was found in a concentration of 11.33±0.91, 52.10±2.9 and 10.53±0.83.59±0.23mg/Kg respectively whilst zinc was noticed as 3.59±0.23mg/Kg. HPLC cha...
Human diets with functional ingredients showed promising role in management of diseases of modern... more Human diets with functional ingredients showed promising role in management of diseases of modern age like hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and even cancer. The study designed to elucidate role of honeybee propolis for management of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia states through animal modeling system. Hydroalcoholic extract of propolis was used for development of functional drink with standard recipe and addition of specified dose of extracts (400mg/500mL). Animals were grouped into three studies including study-I fed on regular diet, study-II fed on sucrose enrich diet and study-III fed on diet enriched with cholesterol and monitored to evaluate the results. Various parameters like feed consumption, liquid intake of animals measured regularly whereas body weight recorded at the end of each week of study. At the end of the study animals were analyzed for different blood indicators like blood lipid indices (cholesterol, LDL, HDL concentration and triglyceride contents)), glucose co...
Berberine (BBR), a potential bioactive agent, has remarkable health benefits. A substantial amoun... more Berberine (BBR), a potential bioactive agent, has remarkable health benefits. A substantial amount of research has been conducted to date to establish the anticancer potential of BBR. The present review consolidates salient information concerning the promising anticancer activity of this compound. The therapeutic efficacy of BBR has been reported in several studies regarding colon, breast, pancreatic, liver, oral, bone, cutaneous, prostate, intestine, and thyroid cancers. BBR prevents cancer cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and controlling the cell cycle as well as autophagy. BBR also hinders tumor cell invasion and metastasis by down-regulating metastasis-related proteins. Moreover, BBR is also beneficial in the early stages of cancer development by lowering epithelial–mesenchymal transition protein expression. Despite its significance as a potentially promising drug candidate, there are currently no pure berberine preparations approved to treat specific ailments. Hence, th...
Journal of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences, 2016
Present exploration was an attempt to investigate the physicochemical and sensory evaluation of t... more Present exploration was an attempt to investigate the physicochemical and sensory evaluation of the cheddar cheese using different concentrations of starter’s cultures at different storage intervals. For this purpose, cheddar cheese was prepared through Streptococcus thermophillus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus in combination with starter cultures. In ripening, three types of starter cultures are used including Lc. Cremoris and Lc. lactis (95:5) 95% + Str.thermophilus and Lb.bulgaricus 5% (T 1 ), Lc. Cremoris and Lc. lactis (95:5) 90% + Str. Thermophilus and Lb. bulgaricus 10%, Lc. Cremoris and Lc. lactis (95:5) 85% + Str. Thermophilus and Lb. bulgaricus 15% (T 3 ) and along with T0 : Lc. Cremoris and Lc. lactis (95:5)100% @0.0025% were prepared for comparison purpose. During study, storage imparts substantial effect on pH and acidity. In pH, storage caused a significant reduction in pH from 5.20±0.001 to 5.09±0.005% at 0 and 90 th day, correspondingly. Likewise, the recorded ...
Malnutrition is a global concern affecting more than 2 billion people and iron deficiency anemia ... more Malnutrition is a global concern affecting more than 2 billion people and iron deficiency anemia is widely prevalent among the children. Food multi-mix (FMM) concept involves a food-based approach using locally available raw materials in different proportions and converting them into culturally acceptable food products using traditional methods of preparations. For this purpose, six food multi-mix formulations along with control were prepared by blending various levels of spinach, fenugreek and multi-legumes flour. Significant variations were observed regarding moisture (7.79-8.92g/100g), crude protein (20.00-22.10g/100g), crude fat (2.58- 3.63g/100g), crude fiber (3.34-3.94g/100g), ash (4.47-6.83g/100g), sodium (38.28-114.01mg/100g), potassium (1090.3-1415.65mg/100g), calcium (135.41-641.81mg/100g), iron (7.89-9.32mg/100g) and zinc (5.54-6.99mg/100g) among different FMM formulations. Results regarding sensory evaluation showed that highest score for appearance, breakability, chewin...
Genistein is an isoflavone first isolated from the brooming plant Dyer’s Genista tinctoria L. and... more Genistein is an isoflavone first isolated from the brooming plant Dyer’s Genista tinctoria L. and is widely distributed in the Fabaceae family. As an isoflavone, mammalian genistein exerts estrogen-like functions. Several biological effects of genistein have been reported in preclinical studies, such as the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral activities, the effects of angiogenesis and estrogen, and the pharmacological activities on diabetes and lipid metabolism. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date evidence of preclinical pharmacological activities with mechanisms of action, bioavailability, and clinical evidence of genistein. The literature was researched using the most important keyword “genistein” from the PubMed, Science, and Google Scholar databases, and the taxonomy was validated using The Plant List. Data were also collected from specialized books and other online resources. The main positive effects of genistein refer to the protectio...
Abstract Myricetin is a critical nutritive component of diet providing immunological protection a... more Abstract Myricetin is a critical nutritive component of diet providing immunological protection and beneficial for maintaining good health. It is found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and wine. The families Myricaceae, Polygonaceae, Primulaceae, Pinaceae, and Anacardiaceae are the richest sources of myricetin. Different researchers explored the therapeutic potential of this valuable constituent such as anticancer, antidiabetic, antiobesity, cardiovascular protection, osteoporosis protection, anti‐inflammatory, and hepatoprotective. In addition to these, the compound has been tested for cancer and diabetic mellitus during clinical trials. Health benefits of myricetin are related to its impact on different cell processes, such as apoptosis, glycolysis, cell cycle, energy balance, lipid level, serum protein concentrations, and osteoclastogenesis. This review explored the potential health benefits of myricetin with a specific emphasis on its mechanism of action, considering the most updated and novel findings in the field.
Medicinal plants have been used for years as a source of food, spices, and, in traditional medici... more Medicinal plants have been used for years as a source of food, spices, and, in traditional medicine, as a remedy to numerous diseases. Piper nigrum, belonging to the family Piperaceae is one of the most widely used spices all over the world. It has a distinct sharp flavor attributed to the presence of the phytochemical, piperine. Apart from its use as a spice, P. nigrum is frequently used for medicinal, preservation, and perfumery purposes. Black pepper contains 2-7.4% of piperine, varying in content is associated with the pepper plant. Piperine displays numerous pharmacological effects such as antiproliferative, antitumor, antiangiogenesis, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiobesity, cardioprotective, antimicrobial, antiaging, and immunomodulatory effects in various in vitro and in vivo experimental trials. Furthermore, piperine has also been documented for its hepatoprotective, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. This review highlights and discusses the medicinal and healthpromoting effects of piperine, along with possible mechanisms of its action in health promotion and disease prevention. In addition, the present review summarizes the recent literature related to piperine as a therapeutic agent against several diseases.
Adenosine plays a significant role in neurotransmission process by controlling the blood pressure... more Adenosine plays a significant role in neurotransmission process by controlling the blood pressure, while adenosine triphosphate (ATP) acts as a neuromodulator and neurotransmitter and by activation of P2 receptors, regulates the contractility of the heart. Adenosine signaling is essential in the process of regeneration by regulating proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of stem cells. In this review, we have selected neurological disorders (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy) with clinical trials using antagonists and epigenetic tools targeting adenosine receptor as a therapeutic approach in the treatment of these disorders. Promising results have been reported from many clinical trials. It has been found that higher expression levels of A2A and P2X7 receptors in neurological disorders further complicate the disease condition. Therefore, modulations of these receptors by using antagonists of these receptors or SAM (S-adenosylmethionine) therapy as an epigenetic tool could be useful in reversing the complications of these disorders. Finally, we suggest that modulation of adenosine receptors in neurological disorders can increase the regenerative phase by increasing the rate of proliferation and differentiation in the damaged tissues.
Medicinal plants and their derived compounds have drawn the attention of researchers due to their... more Medicinal plants and their derived compounds have drawn the attention of researchers due to their considerable impact on human health. Among medicinal plants, mint (Mentha species) exhibits multiple health beneficial properties, such as prevention from cancer development and anti-obesity, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and cardioprotective effects, as a result of its antioxidant potential, combined with low toxicity and high efficacy. Mentha species are widely used in savory dishes, food, beverages, and confectionary products. Phytochemicals derived from mint also showed anticancer activity against different types of human cancers such as cervix, lung, breast and many others. Mint essential oils show a great cytotoxicity potential, by modulating MAPK and PI3k/Akt pathways; they also induce apoptosis, suppress invasion and migration potential of cancer cells lines along with cell cycle arrest, upregulation of Bax and p53 genes, modulation of TNF, IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-8, ...
Abstract The higher utilization of fruits and vegetables is well known to cure human maladies due... more Abstract The higher utilization of fruits and vegetables is well known to cure human maladies due to the presence of bioactive components. Among these compounds, thymoquinone, a monoterpene and significant constituent in the essential oil of Nigella sativa L., has attained attention by the researchers due to their pharmacologies perspectives such as prevention from cancer, antidiabetic and antiobesity, prevention from oxidative stress and cardioprotective disorder. Thymoquinone has been found to work as anticancer agent against different human and animal cancer stages including propagation, migration, and invasion. Thymoquinone as phytochemical also downregulated the Rac1 expression, mediated the miR‐34a upregulation, and increased the levels of miR‐34a through p53, as well as also regulated the pro‐ and antiapoptotic genes and decreased the phosphorylation of NF‐κB and IKKα/β. In addition, thymoquinone also lowered the metastasis and ERK1/2 and PI3K activities. The present review article has been piled by adapting narrative review method and highlights the diverse aspects of thymoquinone such as hepatoprotective, anti‐inflammatory, and antiaging through various pathways, and further utilization of this compound in diet has been proven effective against different types of cancers.
Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 2021
Mint and ginger are rich sources of phenolic compounds, and thus the present study aimed to asses... more Mint and ginger are rich sources of phenolic compounds, and thus the present study aimed to assess the impact of different extraction techniques on their polyphenolic yield and antioxidant activity, and to develop a ginger-mint drink. Conventional, ultrasonic and supercritical fluid extraction techniques were used, and ethanol, methanol and distilled water selected as extraction solvents for mint and ginger. Antioxidant activity was determined by β-carotene bleaching inhibition, DPPH and FRAP assays. Total phenolics (TPC) and flavonoids contents were also quantified, and physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the ginger-mint drink assessed. The results elucidated higher TPC, β-carotene bleaching inhibition, DPPH, FRAP and total flavonoids of mint and ginger in supercritical on 30 min as 2481.6 ± 245 and 2441 ± 240, 74 ± 7.1 and 69 ± 6.1, 79 ± 7.1 and 74 ± 6.1, 17.21 ± 1.3 and 16.4 ± 1.5, and 35 ± 2.8 and 34 ± 2.9, respectively, followed by ultrasonic assisted extraction. Likewise, the functional drink prepared from these extracts exhibited promising physicochemical, sensorial and antioxidant traits. In conclusion, supercritical fluid extraction was the best method for maximum and accurate extraction with ethanol revealing to be the best solvent for this process, with higher yields, when compared to methanol and distilled water.
Food safety is a current challenge that needs to be addressed globally to overcome burden of food... more Food safety is a current challenge that needs to be addressed globally to overcome burden of foodborne diseases. In this study, food samples collected from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, were analyzed for microbial quality. Parameters to measure the presence or absence of Salmonella, Staphylococcus, coliform, fungi, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, and total viable counts in foods were studied. Enumeration of aerobic mesophilic bacteria and coliform bacteria was carried out to check the quality of water. The results showed that there was microbial contamination in the foods served at hospital under investigation for this study. Most of the contamination existed because of nonhygienic practices by individuals and serving places. Salmonella, fecal coliforms, and fungal cross-contamination was reported. A hazard analysis and critical control point system was implemented to study what areas are at greater risk and are a reason of contamination in the hospital. The ...
The current study was employed to investigate the organochlorine pesticides (OCP) concentrations ... more The current study was employed to investigate the organochlorine pesticides (OCP) concentrations in milk, as the milk we consume, has residues of these notorious pesticides. The residual concentrations of OCP in milk have numerous harmful effects on health especially the children. Therefore, milk was analyzed using gas chromatography equipped with lECD for seven OCP residues, namely a-endosulfan, b-endosulfan, Endosulfansulphate, DDE, c-HCH, Dieldrin, and DDT. Three hundred and sixty raw milk samples were collected from urban areas (10 areas of Lahore N = 300) and Dairy Farms (10 farms in Lahore N = 60) from September 2012 to September 2013. Samples were collected after an interval of 2 months, for 12 months. Mean values of OCPs in milk samples from urban areas were reported as a-endosulfan, b-endosulfan, Endosulfan-sulphate, DDE, c-HCH, and Dieldrin with concentration of 17.44
Whole-blood choline, plasma choline and serum choline are emerging biomarkers in cardiovascular d... more Whole-blood choline, plasma choline and serum choline are emerging biomarkers in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). To examine the association of Whole-blood choline is an early predictor for cardiac events. In case control study, we enrolled 240 individuals including 120 normal (39 females and 82 males) and 120 cases (49 females and 71 males) where age limit was >40 years) Information through interviews, family disease history, 24 recall diet assessment and blood sampling. Odds ratios express the associated risks with CVD and without CVD patients. In healthy populations, good dietary habits and active lifestyle were observed. The number of participants with CVD were smokers than normal. In men, and women the risk was observed highly significant. (p=0.0049) Different blood parameters like Triglycerides, Uric Acid, Urea, Creatinine, CRP and ESR were non-significant observed. In females the low carbohydrates and high protein and frequent salad vegetable consumption observed. On the oth...
This study assessed the effects of galacto-oligosaccharides (Oligomate) on hematocrit, serum enzy... more This study assessed the effects of galacto-oligosaccharides (Oligomate) on hematocrit, serum enzymes, total bilirubin levels, and serum electrolytes in controls and severely malnourished infants, with emphasis on gastrointestinal symptoms. Oligomate doses and phases did not affect stools frequency per day, indicating that prebiotic effect on stool may be due to the prebiotic type. The number of vomits per day during phases 2 and 3 were significantly reduced (p<0.05) in response to prebiotics, despite the prebiotic dose effect was not significant (p>0.05). Moreover, prebiotics administration during phases 2 and 3 markedly improved hemoglobin levels (p<0.05), but not the dose. Similarly, hematocrit levels and white blood cells were significantly improved during the last 2 phases, but dose have no effects on blood hematocrit levels. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate significantly decreased (p<0.05) in phases 2 and 3 compared to phase 1. No dose-related effect was stated on ery...
The core objective was to evaluate the effect of probiotic fortification at three phases of formu... more The core objective was to evaluate the effect of probiotic fortification at three phases of formula milk administration in malnourished children. A dose related effect was determined in 30 severely acute malnourished children (6-59 months) in a double-blind, randomized design. According to the results, serum albumin levels, treatment T2 (6 billion cfu) has significantly increased albumin levels (3.7g/dL) and the effect of phase-III (Plumpy'nut) was found to be better. Results regarding sodium levels showing probiotic-dose have significant effect (P≤0.05) in phases as well. Moreover, the effect of T1 i.e. 3 billion cfu of probiotics has significantly reduced sodium levels (141.8mmol/L) vs. others and the effect of phase-II was better on reducing sodium levels. which is further confirmed in terms of reduced erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels at phase-III (29.566 vs. phase-II, 41.3 and phase-I, 46.533 mm/h). Conclusively, the effect of 6 billion cfu at phase-III was more effec...
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