High throughput biochemical profiling, and functional potential analysis for valorization of grape peduncles

Vitis vinifera L., commonly known as grape is a major fruit crop in the world. Grapes seem to confer health benefits due to their chemical components, biological and antioxidant activities. The present study is conducted to evaluate the biochemical constituents, antioxidant, and antimicrobial potential of ethanolic grape peduncles (EGP) extract. The result of phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of various phytochemicals such as flavonoid, tannin, carbohydrates, alkaloids, cardiac glycoside, phenol, steroid, terpenoids, quinones and anthraquinones. Furthermore, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) were 7.35 ± 0.25 mg GAE/g (Gallic Acid Equivalent per gram) and 29.67 ± 0.13 mg QE/g (Quercetin Equivalent per gram) respectively. DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay revealed IC₅₀ = 159.3 μg/mL. The antibacterial and antifungal study disclosed that the extract was highly potent against Salmonella typhi with maximum zone of inhibition of 27.2 ± 1.60 mm and Epidermophyton floccosum with 74 ± 1.81% inhibition. The extract was analyzed for its cytotoxicity and antileishmanial activity and showed no activity against HeLa cell line and promastigotes of Leishmania major. Elements Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Cd were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy and approximately 50 compounds were identified by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Current work suggest that grape peduncles can be a promising source of bioactive medicinal component.

Investigation of Anti-Inflammatory Properties, Phytochemical Constituents, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Potentials of the Whole Plant Ethanolic Extract of Achillea santolinoides subsp. wilhelmsii (K. Koch) Greuter of Balochistan

Medicinal plants are rich source of phytochemical constitutes and can be used to treat many human diseases. Infectious diseases have always been a major source of concern. Globally, the medicinal plant Achillea wilhelmsii locally known as Bohe Madran is extensively dispersed and widely used as traditional medicine. The aim of this present work is to investigate phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of the whole plant ethanolic extract of Achillea santolinoides subsp. wilhelmsii (WEEAW) from Balochistan region. The total phenolic content was $14.81\pm 0.18$  mg GAE/g of the extract whereas the total flavonoid content was $12.27\pm 0.12$  mg QE/g of the extract. The antioxidant ability of the extract was analyzed by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl) scavenging assay and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assay in terms of concentration having 50% inhibition (IC50). Results showed that IC50 value for DPPH% inhibition was $0.367\pm 0.82$  mg/mL while FRAP assay represented with IC50 value of $0.485\pm 1.26$  mg/mL. In antileishmanial bioassay, the extract was analyzed against Leishmania major and showed good activity with IC50 value of $7.02\pm 0.83$  mg/mL. Antibacterial assay revealed that Staphylococcus aureus was highly sensitive with the diameter of inhibition zone ( $21.61\pm 1.09$  mm) followed by Salmonella typhi ( $17.32\pm 0.15$  mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( $16.41\pm 0.63$  mm), and Escherichia coli ( $15.30\pm 1.17$  mm) while Klebsiella pneumoniae showed minimum inhibition ( $14.13\pm 0.49$  mm). Antifungal activity was tested against Aspergillus flavus with 89% of inhibition zone and 77% against Mucor mucedo and Aspergillus niger with 74% of inhibition zone. The anti-inflammatory assay was carried out by inhibiting protein denaturation, proteinase inhibitory activity, and heat-induced hemolysis. The IC50 value for protein denaturation was $6.67\pm 1.25$  mg/mL, proteinase inhibitory with IC50 value of $4.12\pm 0.69$  mg/mL, and heat-induced hemolysis assay with IC50 value $4.53\pm 0.82$  mg/mL by comparing to the standard drug aspirin having IC50 value $1.85\pm 0.54$  mg/mL. Results of the current work showed that whole plant ethanolic extract of Achillea wilhelmsii exhibited substantial anti-inflammatory action, thus can be utilized as a traditional treatment. Furthermore, overall finding of this research suggested that the antioxidant potential of the plant aids to prevent free radical damage and reduce the incidence of chronic disease. More research is needed to find out more active compounds present in the extract that are responsible for their pharmacological effects.

Bio-Functional Potential and Biochemical Properties of Propolis Collected from Different Regions of Balochistan Province of Pakistan

Propolis is a well-known resinous natural substance collected by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) from plants exudations. Variations in chemical composition of propolis are due to different sources from which it is collected and change in climate and geographical location. In this study, different propolis samples were collected from different regions of Balochistan and examined for its chemical composition, total phenolics and total flavonoid contents, and antioxidant potential by using DPPH radical scavenging assay and antimicrobial activity. Bioactive components analysis revealed the presence of steroids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, coumarins, cardiac glycosides, quinones, anthraquinones, terpenoids, tannins, and phlobatannins at different levels. The total phenolics contents were ranged from $2.9343\pm 1.247$ to $6.0216\pm 2.873$  mg GAE g-1, and flavonoid contents were found to be $0.1546\pm 0.087$ to $0.6586\pm 0.329$  mg QE g-1, respectively. The antioxidant ability of each extract was analyzed by their concentration having 50% inhibition ( $I{C}_{50}$ ). The propolis sample P3 possessed lower $I{C}_{50}$ $27.07\pm 0.73$  mg mL−1 with higher % inhibition of DPPH radical, and P8 showed lower % inhibition by having $I{C}_{50}$ $84.43\pm 2.07$  mg mL−1. The antibacterial activity of all samples was analyzed against a wide group of bacteria including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumonia and propolis extract (P4) was highly active against Klebsiella pneumoniae with the maximum diameter of zone of inhibition $20.33\pm 1.52$  mm, and propolis extract (P3) showed maximum zone of inhibition against Escherichia coli $19.06\pm 1.90,$ while propolis extract (P2) was found less active with minimum diameter of zone of inhibition $7.46\pm 1.50\text{mm}$ . The antifungal activity of extract was considered as active against the fungal species. Propolis extract (P3) showed 82% of zone of inhibition against Aspergillus Niger, and propolis extract (P1) was highly active against Aspergillus parasiticus with 80% of zone of inhibition. By comparing the vibration frequencies in wave numbers of the sample spectrograph acquired from an FTIR spectrophotometer, the functional groups present in the extracts were identified. The presence of seven elements (Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, Pb, Cd, and Cr) was analyzed through atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The obtained concentrations were within the permissible ranges established by the World Health Organization. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 80 different compounds belonged to different classes. The obtained results confirmed the imperative potential of propolis which can be used in various biological applications.