Radha ..

Shoolini University · School of Biological Sciences

Limonia acidissima Groff, commonly referred to as the Wood apple, is a tropical fruit belonging to Rutaceae family. Indigenous to Sri Lanka, India, and Myanmar, it is extensively cultivated throughout Southeast Asia. This fruit holds a profound historical significance in traditional medicine due to its exceptional nutritional and therapeutic attrib...

The mouth houses the second largest diversity of microorganisms in the body, harboring more than 700 bacterial species colonizing the soft mucosa and hard tooth surfaces. Microbes are the cause of several health-related problems, such as dental carries, gingivitis, periodontitis, etc., in the mouth across different age groups and socioeconomic/demo...

More and more people in recent years have turned to oilseeds for their daily nutritional needs. Some of the most potent sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds can be found in the byproducts of whole seeds, oils, meal, and cake. Nutritionists and food manufacturers alike tout their benefits, so it’s no surprise that customers are showing a lot...

Cottonseed meal (CSM) is a byproduct of cottonseed oil extraction and is considered a valuable source of protein for animal and human nutrition. However, CSM utilization is limited due to the presence of anti-nutritional factors, particularly gossypol, which can negatively impact animal growth and health. The protein amount and quality, amino acid...

Zero liquid discharge (ZLD) technology emerges as a transformative solution for sustainable wastewater management in the textile industry, emphasizing water recycling and discharge minimization. This review comprehensively explores ZLD’s pivotal role in reshaping wastewater management practices within the textile sector. With a primary focus on wat...

Piperlongumine (PL), an alkaloid found primarily in the fruits and roots of the plant Piper longum L. (Piperaceae), is a natural compound that exhibits potent activity against various cancer cell proliferation. The most frequently caused malignancy in women globally, breast cancer (BC), has been demonstrated to be significantly inhibited by PL. Apo...

In recent times, there has been a resurgence of interest in V. negundo, with numerous ongoing clinical investigations exploring its therapeutic potential and the development of formulations derived from its bioactive constituents. Moreover, the market availability of homoeopathic medicines containing V. negundo highlights its enduring popularity. T...

Chrysanthemum is a flowering plant belonging to a genus of the dicotyledonous herbaceous annual flowering plant of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family. It is a perpetual flowering plant, mostly cultivated for medicinal purposes; generally, used in popular drinks due to its aroma and flavor. It is primarily cultivated in China, Japan, Europe, and Uni...

Green technologies and smart solvents are garnering attention with growing environmental concerns. These techniques and solvents can assist in reducing the hazardous impact of toxic chemicals used in conventional extraction techniques. Further, there are ample studies reporting their use for extraction of bioactive compounds from plant and plant-ba...

S-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC) is a sulfur-containing substance found in aged garlic extract (AGE), which has been observed to have numerous biological activities, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Compared to intact garlic, SAC has fewer odors and decreased toxicity, making it a more appealing option for individuals looking to gain...

Prunus persica (L.) Batsch (or peach) (Rosaceae) is the most important stone fruit crop in many areas, including North Africa, South Africa, and Europe. Peaches are well known for their flavor, nutritional value, and potential health benefits. During the consumption of peach fruit, usually jams, jellies, juices, and other food products, the seed an...

Leaves of jamun collected as agro by-produce during the cultivation of jamun is traditionally used as ayurvedic medicine to treat diabetes, gall bladder stones and other ailments. Most of the beneficial effects of jamun leaves are associated with phytochemicals found in jamun leaves such as gallic acid, tannins, mallic acid, flavonoids, essential o...

Pesticide and fertilizer usage is at the center of agricultural production to meet the demands of an ever-increasing global population. However, rising levels of chemicals impose a serious threat to the health of humans, animals, plants, and even the entire biosphere because of their toxic effects. Biostimulants offer the opportunity to reduce the...

Cotton is an important fiber crop cultivated around the world under diverse climate conditions and generates billions of dollars in annual revenue globally. Biotic and abiotic stress have caused reduction in yield and productivity of cotton crops. In this review, we comprehensively analyzed and summarized the effect of biotic and abiotic stress on...

Micronutrients are essential for plant growth and play a key role in crop nutrition. Micronutrients such as zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) are necessary for plants and humans who rely on them directly or indirectly. These minerals are important for several important cellular functions, including respiration (Fe and Cu), photo...

In conjunction with global climate change, progressive ocean warming, and acclivity in pollution and anthropogenic eutrophication, the incidence of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CHABs) continue to expand in distribution, frequency, and magnitude. Algal bloom-related toxins have been implicated in human health...

Vegetables provide many nutrients in the form of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which make them an important part of our diet. Numerous biotic and abiotic stresses can affect crop growth, quality, and yield. Traditional and modern breeding strategies to improve plant traits are slow and resource intensive. Therefore, it is necessary to find new app...

Mangiferin (1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxy-2-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl) oxan-2-yl] xanthen-9-one) is a bioactive component derived primarily from the mango tree. Belonging to the Xanthone family, its structure allows it to engage with a variety of pharmacological targets. The symmetric linked core of xanthones has a heterogeneous biogenetic backgrou...

Plants are regarded as the crucial creatures in the formation of life on the planet Earth. Unfortunately, the climate of the Earth is rapidly deteriorating, primarily because of the increasing concentration of pollutant gases in the atmosphere, and the consequent rise of temperature and its after effects. Emissions from power plants and various fac...

Human awareness of the need for health and wellness practices that enhance disease resilience has increased as a result of recent health risks. Plant-derived polysaccharides with biological activity are good candidates to fight diseases because of their low toxicity. Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Hook.f. & Thomson polysaccharides extract from diffe...

Proteins are well known as the principal molecules responsible for the rheological properties and stability of food products throughout manufacture and storage, in addition to their nutritional and physiological relevance. Bioactive peptides can also be found in proteins, which have been demonstrated to have beneficial impacts on human health. In r...

In vitro culture of a plant cell, tissue and organ is a marvellous, eco-friendly biotechnological strategy for the production of phytochemicals. With the emergence of recent biotechnological tools, genetic engineering is now widely practiced enhancing the quality and quantity of plant metabolites. Triterpenoid saponins especially asiaticoside and m...

In all cereals, particularly maize, rice, barley, and wheat have colored varieties that consist of significant levels of pigments and anthocyanins. Using whole grain components produced from colored cereals in the development of functional foods is thus a potential strategy or approach to follow. In the current study, the findings of investigation...

Recent trends in food industry focus on utilization of fruit processing waste and by-products as novel ingredients due to their nutritional benefits. Apple seed is one such novel ingredient that can find application as functional ingredient in food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industry. The existing studies suggest that apple seed is a rich so...

With the advent of pandemics and infectious diseases, numerous research activities on natural products have been carried out to combat them. Researchers are investigating natural products for the treatment and/or management of various infectious diseases and/or disorders. Acacia catechu (L.f.) Willd. belong to the family Fabaceae (subfamily Mimosoi...

Allium sativum L. (Garlic) is a fragrant herb and tuber-derived spice that is one of the most sought-after botanicals, used as a culinary and ethnomedicine for a variety of diseases around the world. An array of pharmacological attributes such as antioxidant, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antihyperlipidemic, anticancer, antimicrobial, and hepato...

Jamun (Syzygium cumini L. Skeels) is highly perishable with a very short shelf life, hence, jamun fruit is either consumed fresh as soon as it is harvested or converted to value-added products such as jam, wine, juice, and jellies. The processing of jamun fruit generates a large quantity of seeds as the primary waste. Jamun seeds are a rich source...

Hyphaene thebaica, also known as doum, is a wild plant growing in Egypt, Sudan, and other African countries. It is usually used to prepare nutritive diets, tasty beverages, and other food products. This review aimed to highlight the phytochemical composition of the doum plant using NMR, GC–MS, HPLC, and UPLC/Qtof/MS. The reported active constituent...

Annona squamosa L. (custard apple or sugar apple) belongs to Annonaceae family is a small fruit tree or shrub, that grows natively in subtropical and tropical regions. Seeds of custard apple were employed in folk medicines because of the presence of bioactive chemicals/compounds like alkaloids, flavonoids and phenolic compounds and acetogenins and...

Stroke remains one of the world’s leading causes of death and disability. Curcumin, a bioactive component of turmeric derived from Curcuma longa Linn’s rhizomes, has a variety of pharmacological activities. Native curcumin’s therapeutic use against stroke has been limited by its low solubility, poor bioavailability, rapid metabolism, physicochemica...

Piper longum (family Piperaceae), commonly known as "long-pepper" or "Pippali" grows as a perennial shrub or as an herbaceous vine. It is native to the Indo-Malaya region and widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical world including the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Middle-East, and America. The fruits are mostly used as culinary spice a...

Jamun (Syzygium cumini Skeels) is a nutritious fruit and has historically been used as both as an edible and a traditional medicine. The jamun seed is an inedible by-product of the fruit. However, their high concentration of phytochemicals makes them valuable components of nutraceuticals. Various studies on diverse biological activities of jamun se...

Cryptolepine (1,5-methyl-10H-indolo[3,2-b]quinoline), an indoloquinoline alkaloid, found in the roots of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl.) Schltr (family: Periplocaceae), is associated with the suppression of cancer and protozoal infections. Cryptolepine also exhibits anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-hyperglycemic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory...

Freeze drying is an important and effective technology in food and pharmaceutical industry for retaining the quality in final dried product. It is highly recommended drying technique for valuable foods and thermally sensitive ingredients. However, freeze drying technique has high energy consumption and required more time. Nonetheless, inventive sup...

Plants produce a large number of secondary metabolites, known as phytometabolites that may be employed as medicines, dyes, poisons, and insecticides in the field of medicine, agriculture, and industrial use, respectively. The rise of genome management approaches has promised a factual revolution in genetic engineering. Targeted genome editing in li...

Cotton (Gossypium sp.) is a commercially important annual fibre crop; cottonseed oil (CSO) important product extracted from one of byproducts cottonseeds. Oil yield varies with cotton species, places and season when cotton grown and extraction methods used for oil extraction. This review provides an overview on the extraction of CSO by different ch...

Global agricultural demand and the impact of fluctuating climatic conditions including global warming have catastrophically limited crop productivity and immensely outstretched the market value of agricultural products leading to acute inflation. The effect of desiccation or drought stress in plants is manifested at three levels viz. morphological,...

Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa (Bael) fruit, a member of the Rutaceae family, is a major cultivated fruit plant in tropical and subtropical regions in countries of southeast Asia. Bael fruit has been a major topic for studies in recent years mainly due to its high nutritional (carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and vitamins) value and presence of vario...

Aristolochia, belonging to the family Aristolochiaceae, has immense ecological significance due to its large size and huge geographic distribution. In the context of dealing with a genus with a huge number of species like Aristolochia, these markers come in handy to precisely identify a particular species and enumerate the genetic diversity. Also,...

Considering the acceptability, nutritional and bio-functionality of Piper betel leaves (PBL), it was utilized in ghee-based low-fat spread (LFS). In the first phase of the experiment, the form and level of PBL were optimized. In the latter stage, the products were periodically evaluated for storage stability, The LFS under various treatments were a...

Stem cells are well known autologous pluripotent cells source having excellent potential to develop into specialized cells such as brain, skin and bone marrow cells. The oral cavity is reported to be rich source for multiple types of oral stem cells including the dental pulp, mucosal soft tissues, periodontal ligament and apical papilla. Oral stem...

Low-fat spread (LFS) is the product harmonizing with the idea of healthy nutrition. At the same time, it has a good taste and flavour, as well as very good spreadability at refrigerator temperature. The present investigation studied the effect of method of cooling on the properties of cow and buffalo milk ghee, and comparative evaluation of LFS pre...

Allium cepa (onion) and Allium sativum (garlic) are important members of the Amaryllidaceae (Alliaceae) family and are being used both as food and medicine for centuries in different parts of the world. Polysaccharides have been extracted from different parts of onion and garlic such as bulb, straw and cell wall. The current literature portrays sev...

Gloriosa superba L., commonly known as “gloriosa lily,” “glory lily,” and “tiger claw,” is a perennial climber in the Liliaceae family. This plant is used in African and Southeast Asian cultures as an ayurvedic medicinal herb to treat various health conditions. Its main bioactive component is colchicine, which is responsible for medicinal efficacie...

More than a half-century has passed since it was discovered that phytohormone cytokinin (CK) is essential to drive cytokinesis and proliferation in plant tissue culture. Thereafter, cytokinin has emerged as the primary regulator of the plant cell cycle and numerous developmental processes. Lately, a growing body of evidence suggests that cytokinin...

ABSTRACT Black soybean (BS) is a nutritious legume that is high in proteins, essential amino acids, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, isoflavones, and flavones. Traditional approaches for extracting BS bioactive compounds are commonly employed because they are simple and inexpensive, but they use toxic solvents and h...

Rauvolfia serpentina (L). Benth. ex Kurz. (Apocynaceae), commonly known as Sarpagandha or Indian snakeroot, has long been used in the traditional treatment of snakebites, hypertension, and mental illness. The plant is known to produce an array of indole alkaloids such as reserpine, ajmaline, amalicine, etc. which show immense pharmacological and bi...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Tribal migratory shepherds (Gaddi) living in the Northwestern Himalayan region are well known for their nomadic lifestyle in which tribal migratory shepherds along with their livestock which mainly include sheep and goat migrate seasonally in the Northwestern Himalayan region from high hills to low hills for the survi...

The prevalence of viral infections, cancer, and diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate around the world, and these diseases are now considered to be the most serious risks to human well-being in the modern period. There is a widespread practice in Asian countries of using papaya leaves (C. papaya L.) as herbal medicine, either alone or in combi...

This study deals with the ethnoveterinary medicines used by tribal migratory shepherds in Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary of district Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh, India. The migratory shepherds are very close to nature as they spend most of their time in forests with their livestock. Healing and curing from different diseases depends on traditional hea...

Plants hold the ability to produce wide types of bioactive secondary metabolites. Having emerged in the pregenomic era, increasingly more biosynthetic genes are being discovered in plants, leading to the discovery of new types of bioactive secondary metabolites. Utilisation of classical techniques is limited that hampers the discovery of pharmacolo...

An investigation was carried out to check the influence of altitude on antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities displayed by ethanolic leaf extracts of Justicia adhatoda L. Justicia adhatoda is a medicinal plant, growing predominantly at an altitude of 1,300 m above sea level. The collections of leaves were made from...

The importance of medicinal plants in traditional health care practices has long been recognized as a source of biodiversity conservation and research. However, many remote areas of Himachal Pradesh lack information upon the usage of plants for medicinal purposes. The current study was conducted in Kangra Valley (district Kangra, Himachal Pradesh,...

Anthocyanin-rich extracts from black carrots are being considered as a candidate replacer for the red colour in processed foods. The present investigation optimizes the extraction of anthocyanins with high phenolic content and low degradation parameters from black carrots using a cellulolytic multi-enzyme preparation known as ‎‎Viscozyme. The optim...

Background: COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a serious health problem worldwide. Present treatments are insufficient and have severe side effects. There is a critical shortage of possible alternative treatments. Medicinal herbs are the most traditional and widely used therapy for treating a wide range of human illnesses around the wo...

Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) consumed in several tropical and subtropical countries is a highly valued multi-purpose herbal plant with numerous medicinal properties and high nutritional value. Moringa seeds contain high protein content (~ 52%) with all the essential amino acids and could act as a potential source of functional protein isolat...

Piper betle L. (synonym: Piper betel Blanco), or betel vine, an economically and medicinally important cash crop, belongs to the family Piperaceae, often known as the green gold. The plant can be found all over the world and is cultivated primarily in South East Asian countries for its beautiful glossy heart-shaped leaves, which are chewed or consu...

Piper betleL. (synonym: Piper betel Blanco), or betel vine, an economically and medicinally important cash crop, belongs to the family Piperaceae, often known as the green gold. The plant can be found all over the world and is cultivatedprimarily in South East Asian countries for its beautiful glossy heart-shaped leaves, which are chewed or consume...

The upsurging global population, along with the increasing cost of traditional sources of food proteins, provides an opportunity to directly utilize plant-derived proteins in human diets. Recently, the utilization of agro-industrial-generated raw byproducts has attracted the attention of modern food industries toward the production of sustainable,...

Over the last decade, remarkable progress has been made in our understanding the phytohormones, cytokinin’s (CKs) biosynthesis, perception, and signalling pathways. Additionally, it became apparent that interfering with any of these steps has a significant effect on all stages of plant growth and development. As a result of their complex regulatory...

Over the last decade, remarkable progress has been made in our understanding the phytohormones, cytokinin’s (CKs) biosynthesis, perception, and signalling pathways. Additionally, it became apparent that interfering with any of these steps has a significant effect on all stages of plant growth and development. As a result of their complex regulatory...

Periodontal diseases are caused mainly by inflammation of the gums and bones surrounding the teeth or by dysbiosis of the oral microbiome, and the Global Burden of Disease study (2019) reported that periodontal disease affects 20 to 50% of the global population. In recent years, more preference has been given to natural therapies compared to synthe...

Low-fat spread (LFS) is the product harmonizing with the idea of healthy nutrition. At the same time, it has a good taste and flavour, as well as very good spreadability at refrigerator temperature. The present investigation studied the effect of method of cooling on the properties of cow and buffalo milk ghee, and comparative evaluation of LFS pre...

Owing to numerous biological activities of different parts of Moringa oleifera Lam., various studies have been carried out to isolate and explore the activities of its various bioactive compounds including polysaccharides. Polysaccharides of M. oleifera have been reported to possess a variety of biofunctionalities including antihyperlipidemic, anti...

Guava processing industries generate peel and seeds as primary waste fractions. Guava seeds obtained after fruit processing possess untapped potential in the field of food science due to the presence of a diversity of nutritional and bioactive compounds. Along with offering a detailed understanding of the nutritional attributes of guava seeds, the...

MicroRNA (miRNA), a noncoding ribonucleic acid, is considered to be important for the progression of gene expression in plants and animals by rupture or translational repression of targeted mRNAs. Many types of miRNA regulate plant metabolism, growth, and response to biotic and abiotic factors. miRNA characterization helps to expose its function in...

Selenium (Se) is found in plants both in inorganic and organic forms as selenoamino acids and methylated complexes. Se influences growth and physiological parameters, viz. root and shoot growth, starch accumulation, water status regulation, respiration, germination promotion, nitrogen assimilation and delaying senescence in plants. Se deficiency ca...

Polyamines (PAs) are ubiquitous low-molecular-weight, aliphatic compounds with wide as well as complex application in fundamental areas of plant growth and development. PAs are mediator of basic metabolism of organisms which include cell division and differentiation, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, reversal of oxidative damage, stabilization o...

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is considered as food-grade microorganism with Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status. Both hetero-fermentative and homo-fermentative LAB have the ability to produce mannitol as metabolic end product in normal fermentation. Ten LAB isolates selected were detected for its mannitol production potential using colorimetri...

Black soybean (BS) is a nutritious legume that is high in proteins, essential amino acids, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, isoflavones, and flavones. Traditional approaches for extracting BS bioactive compounds are commonly employed because they are simple and inexpensive, but they use toxic solvents and have lower...

Dioscin has gained immense popularity as a natural, bioactive steroid saponin, which offers numerous medical benefits. The growing global incidence of disease-associated morbidity and mortality continues to compromise human health, facilitating an increasingly urgent need for nontoxic, noninvasive, and efficient treatment alternatives. Natural comp...

Huge quantities of byproducts/wastes generated in onion processing are usually discarded, but they are excellent sources of bioactive compounds and phytochemicals. However, with growing interest in the sustainable use of resources and the circular economy to reduce adverse impacts on the environment, food processing wastes such as onion peel/skin c...

Garlic (Allium sativa L.) is a bulbous flowering plant belongs to the family of Amaryllidaceae and is a predominant horticulture crop originated from Central Asia. Garlic and its products are chiefly used for culinary and therapeutic purposes in many countries. Bulbs of raw garlic have been investigated for their role in oral health, which are ascr...

Neoechinulins are fungal and plant-derived chemicals extracted from Microsporum sp., Eurotium rubrum, Aspergillus sp., etc. Two analogues of neoechinulin, i.e., A and B, exerted extensive pharmacological properties described in this review. Neoechinulin is an indole alkaloid and has a double bond between C8/C9, which tends to contribute to its cyto...

Proteins serve as an imperative macronutrient in human nutrition and well-being. Their nutritional quality substantially varies with their digestibility, amino acid profile, bioavailability, processing and purity. From a nutritional viewpoint, the ideal integration of proteins from diverse plant sources can supply an adequate amount of essential am...

The present study was conducted in the Dagshai region of district Solan, located in Himachal Pradesh, to collect and document the traditional ethnoveterinary knowledge utilized by the local communities. A total of 67 veterinary plants belong to 44 families were reported from the study area. The informants were selected through the snowball method,...

The main aim of this study is to document important ethnomedicinal plants from the Maraog region, located in the district of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, India. A total of 110 medicinal plant species belonging to 102 genera and 57 families were reported from the study site. All of the species were collected from wild habitats. The rural people of th...

The aim of current study is to provide a significant traditional knowledge on wild medicines used for ethnoveterinary purposes in the rural area of Maraog region in district Shimla. The medicinal plants have played a significant role in the treatment of human as well as animal’s diseases. The rural people of the Maraog region were interviewed throu...

The main aim of this study is to document important ethnomedicinal plants from the Maraog region, located in the district of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, India. A total of 110 medicinal plant species belonging to 102 genera and 57 families were reported from the study site. All of the species were collected from wild habitats. The rural people of th...

The study was performed in the mid hills of the Dharampur region in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. At the study site, a total of 115 medicinal plants were documented (38 trees, 37 herbs, 34 shrubs, 5 climbers, 1 fern, and 1 grass). In the study region, extensive field surveys were performed between March 2020 and August 2021. Indigenous...

Oral cancer continues to be a leading cause of death worldwide, and its prevalence is particularly high in developing countries, where people chew tobacco and betel nut on a regular basis. Radiation-, chemo-, targeted-, immuno-, and hormone-based therapies along with surgery are commonly used as part of a treatment plan. However, these treatments f...

The processing of tomato fruit into puree, juices, ketchup, sauces, and dried powders generates a significant amount of waste in the form of tomato pomace, which includes seeds and skin. Tomato processing by-products, particularly seeds, are reservoirs of health-promoting macromolecules, such as proteins (bioactive peptides), carotenoids (lycopene)...