Advancement in Medicinal Plant Research

Number 1, 2020

1-13
Phytochemical investigation of Punica granatum pomace: As source of bioactive and medicinal natural products

Authors: Hossein Tavallali, Atefeh Bahmanzadegan, Vahid Tavallali and Vahid Rowshan

Abstract

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Punica granatum L. is a native plant that is greatly dispensed in south of Iran. The massive pomace of Punica exhibits a challenging losses exposure difficulty for the processing industries. The resent study was aimed to investigate the composition and quality of P. granatum pomace and understand its bioactive compounds to introduce it to different industries such as pharmaceutical, food, medicinal, agricultural etcetera for optimum use. The SHS (static headspace) GC-MS on the Combi PAL system method was used to identify and analyze the volatile components (VCs). Four different extracts (60°C water, distilled water, methanol and methanol 80%) were analyzed for polyphenol compounds identified by HPLC-DAD, total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (DPPH(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay). The relationship between TFC, TPC and antioxidant activity were statistically investigated. The dominant VCs of P. granatum were limonene (50.6%) followed by -pinene (25.1%), -terpinene (6.79%), -pinene (5.7%) and sabinene (2.59%), respectively. Gallic acid was major polyphenol compound in all studied extracts of marc. 60°C water extract from P. granatum pomace represented higher antioxidant capacity, TPC and TFC than other investigated extracts. This studied marc can be introduced to different industries as a source of bioactive and medicinal natural compounds because of its valuable phytochemical characterization.

14-23
Seedling growth and development of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. in different soil types of industrial and non-industrial areas

Authors: Muhammad Kabir, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Muhammad Shafiq, Zia-ur-Rehman Farooqi and Um E Habiba

Abstract

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Number of views: 334

The problem of environmental pollution has been growing rapidly for the last couple of years as a result of discharge of various kinds of pollutants from unplanned industrialization, particularly in developing countries and affecting air, water soil and vegetation. The effects of different soil types on seedling growth performance of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. were recorded. Seedlings of P. julliflora which were grown in soils of Indus Battery Factory, Universal Chemicals Factory, Haroon Textile Factory and National Foods Ltd. Factory showed significant (p < 0.05) variation in growth variables like root, shoot, seedling length, plant cover, leaf area, root, shoot and leaf dry weight and total plant dry weight of P. julliflora as compared to plants grown in soil of control area (Karachi University Campus). It was concluded that the seedlings of P. julliflora showed significantly (p < 0.05) more root, shoot, seedling length, plant cover and leaf area in Haroon Textile Factory soil compared to Indus Battery Factory and Universal Chemicals Factory soil treatment. The root, shoot, leaf and total plant dry weight of P. julliflora was also decreased in these industrial areas soil as compared to Karachi University Campus soil. Soil of Haroon Textile Factory promoted shoot and seedling length of P. julliflora relative to the seedlings of P. julliflora grown in control soil (Karachi University soil).