Traditional Knowledge, Phytochemistry, and Biological Properties of Vachellia tortilis

Vachellia tortilis is a medicinal plant of the Fabaceae family, widely distributed in arid and semi-arid regions of North, East and Southern Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula. In traditional medicine. It's commonly used to treat certain ailments, including diabetes, asthma, hepatitis and burns. Different scientific search databases were used to obtain data on V. tortilis, notably Google Scholar, Scopus, Wiley Online, Scifinder, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and PubMed. The knowledge of V. tortilis was organized based on ethnomedicinal use, phytochemistry, and pharmacological investigations. Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of a variety of phytocompounds, including fatty acids, monosaccharides, flavonoids, chalcones, and alcohols. Essential oils and organic extracts prepared from V. tortilis showed several biological properties, specifically antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antioxidant, antiproliferative, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Antimicrobial and antiparasitic activities are due to the disturbance of cellular membranes and ultra-structural changes triggered by V. tortilis phytochemicals. While physiological and molecular processes such as apoptosis induction, preventing cell proliferation, and inflammatory mediators are responsible for the anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, further investigations concerning pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics should be carried out to validate their clinical applications.

A Deep Learning-Based Approach for Identifying the Medicinal Uses of Plant-Derived Natural Compounds

Medicinal plants and their extracts have been used as important sources for drug discovery. In particular, plant-derived natural compounds, including phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, are gaining attention as they promote health and prevent disease. Although several in vitro methods have been developed to confirm the biological activities of natural compounds, there is still considerable room to reduce time and cost. To overcome these limitations, several in silico methods have been proposed for conducting large-scale analysis, but they are still limited in terms of dealing with incomplete and heterogeneous natural compound data. Here, we propose a deep learning-based approach to identify the medicinal uses of natural compounds by exploiting massive and heterogeneous drug and natural compound data. The rationale behind this approach is that deep learning can effectively utilize heterogeneous features to alleviate incomplete information. Based on latent knowledge, molecular interactions, and chemical property features, we generated 686 dimensional features for 4,507 natural compounds and 2,882 approved and investigational drugs. The deep learning model was trained using the generated features and verified drug indication information. When the features of natural compounds were applied as input to the trained model, potential efficacies were successfully predicted with high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity.

Heavy metals concentration, and antioxidant activity of the essential oil of the wild mint (Mentha longifolia L.) in the Egyptian watercourses

In the present study, we assessed seasonal variation in the accumulation potential of wild mint (Mentha longifolia) to heavy metals as well as the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the essential oil of mint in polluted and unpolluted watercourses. The results indicated that the wild mint showed seasonal fluctuations in accumulation potential for heavy metals proved by bioaccumulation factor (BF) and translocation factor (TF). The all measured heavy metals, except Pb were retained in the underground parts. Summer plants accumulated the highest concentrations of Al, Cd, Cr and Fe in their root, while the lowest concentration of Ni in their shoot. The bioaccumulation factor for Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn and Co was greater than one, while the translocation factor of the investigated metals (except Pb) did not exceed one, indicating the potential of wild mint for phytostabilization of these metals in contaminated wetlands. The yield and composition of mint essential oil (MEO) were affected by harvesting season and heavy metals pollution. GC/MS showed that isomenthone, cis-piperitenone oxide, menthone and pulegone, were the main oil constituents. Mint essential oil show promising antioxidant activity by 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay under pollution stress. The maximum reducing power of MEO were obtained during autumn and summer seasons (polluted canals).In conclusion, summer is the ideal season for harvesting wild mint plants for the maximum plant biomass, oil yield, high radical scavenging activity of MEO and to monitor pollution in contaminated wetlands.

Evolutionary history and leaf succulence as explanations for medicinal use in aloes and the global popularity of Aloe vera

BACKGROUND

Aloe vera supports a substantial global trade yet its wild origins, and explanations for its popularity over 500 related Aloe species in one of the world's largest succulent groups, have remained uncertain. We developed an explicit phylogenetic framework to explore links between the rich traditions of medicinal use and leaf succulence in aloes.

RESULTS

The phylogenetic hypothesis clarifies the origins of Aloe vera to the Arabian Peninsula at the northernmost limits of the range for aloes. The genus Aloe originated in southern Africa ~16 million years ago and underwent two major radiations driven by different speciation processes, giving rise to the extraordinary diversity known today. Large, succulent leaves typical of medicinal aloes arose during the most recent diversification ~10 million years ago and are strongly correlated to the phylogeny and to the likelihood of a species being used for medicine. A significant, albeit weak, phylogenetic signal is evident in the medicinal uses of aloes, suggesting that the properties for which they are valued do not occur randomly across the branches of the phylogenetic tree.

CONCLUSIONS

Phylogenetic investigation of plant use and leaf succulence among aloes has yielded new explanations for the extraordinary market dominance of Aloe vera. The industry preference for Aloe vera appears to be due to its proximity to important historic trade routes, and early introduction to trade and cultivation. Well-developed succulent leaf mesophyll tissue, an adaptive feature that likely contributed to the ecological success of the genus Aloe, is the main predictor for medicinal use among Aloe species, whereas evolutionary loss of succulence tends to be associated with losses of medicinal use. Phylogenetic analyses of plant use offer potential to understand patterns in the value of global plant diversity.

Prevalence, patterns and predictors of alcohol consumption in a mountainous district of Bhutan

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS

South Asian countries, with their diverse cultures, have varying prevalences of alcohol consumption. Little is known about Bhutan, a Himalayan country. The objectives of this study are to estimate the prevalence of alcohol consumption among the residents of a rural community in Bhutan and determine their patterns of and factors associated with drinking.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A cross-sectional household survey using a multistage systematic sampling technique was conducted in eight sub-districts of Tashiyangtse. A total of 442 subjects of 270 households were surveyed in 17 villages using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), with the tri-level method and face-to-face interviews.

RESULTS

The drinking prevalence (at least one standard drink in the past year) was 38.5% (52% in men and 30% in women). The prevalence of low-, moderate- and high-risk drinking based on the AUDIT was 22.4%, 13.6% and 2.5%, respectively. Annual per capita alcohol consumption was 5442 and 2566 g in men and women, respectively, while the corresponding values of home-made alcohol consumption were 3768 and 2127 g, respectively. Among drinkers, 30.3% of men and 25.9% of women reported encountering financial consequences. The home was almost the exclusive drinking venue (92.4%). Belief in the medicinal use of alcohol was 34.8% in men and 58% in women as the reason to start drinking. This belief was a strong independent predictor for current drinking after adjustment for age and sex.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Home-made alcohol and home drinking with a belief of medicinal effects were the major cause of drinking and its consequences in the study area.