International Journal of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology

171-180

Authors: Shreejana Pandey, Guheswari Chataut, Suja Maharjan, Dev Raj Maidali, Keshab Bhattarai

Jimbu (Allium przewalskianum), is an indigenous Himalayan spice herb in Nepal and has a long history of culinary use, yet its potential beyond home kitchens remains largely unexplored due to limited studies and exposure. It does not require extensive input of cash, machinery, land, or labor to profit from, making it an excellent and valuable source of pharmaceutical ingredients owing to its bioactive compounds. We investigated its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Quantitative analysis of Jimbu extracts revealed the presence of bioactive compounds, including Oleoresin (extracted using acetone and methanol), polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins. The methanol extract of. A. przewalskianum exhibited the highest polyphenol content (8.11±0.24 mg GAE/g), flavonoid content (5.28±0.29 mg GAE/g) and tannin content (0.923±0.02 mg GAE/g). The antioxidant potential of Jimbu was seen to be increased with an increase in concentration, reaching 58.79% at 400µg/ml, with an IC50 value of 303.58µg/ml for DPPH radical scavenging activity. Likewise, the yield of oleoresin was obtained as (10.86±0.27) from acetone and (7.8±0.20) from methanol. Similarly, sensory evaluation through One-way ANOVA highlighted concentrations of 0.07% and 0.1% of Oleoresin to be most favored. Furthermore, sensory evaluation of the Jimbu extracts in minced chicken meat exhibited remarkable antimicrobial activity against Salmonella along with a significant reduction in the colony forming units (CFU). This study shows that the extracts of A. przewalskianum could be utilized as a potential medicinal plant for the development of effective drugs against pathogenic bacteria. Meanwhile, it provides opportunities for economic benefits and a new potential revenue source for rural communities in the Himalayan region of Nepal.

186-196

Authors: Nikita Mahat, Niharika Bhattarai, Milan Thapa, Mousam Lawati, Anup Basnet

In Nepal, traditional medicinal plants and herbs have long been relied upon for treating various diseases. This study was aimed to explore the antimicrobial properties of commonly used traditional medicinal plants. This study was conducted from December 2022 to June 2023 at the Department of Microbiology, St. Xavier's College, Maitighar, Kathmandu. In this study, antimicrobial property of 12 plants were tested against four ATCC cultures of bacteria- Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538P), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027). The extracts were prepared using Soxhlet's apparatus with ethanol and distilled water as solvents. The ethanolic extract of S. aromaticum had the highest percentage yield The ethanolic extract of O. sanctum showed highest potential against S. aureus with a zone of inhibition of 21mm. The ethanolic extract of S. aromaticum demonstrated antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and S. epidermidis, with respective zones of inhibition of 18mm, 16mm, 18mm, and 20mm. The distilled water extract of A. marmelos displayed the highest antimicrobial activity against E. coli, with a zone of inhibition of 18mm. Phytochemical screening revealed that both extracts of S. aromaticum had the highest presence of phytochemicals. The ethanol extract of Z. armatum exhibited the highest antibacterial activity, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 2mg/ml against S. aureus. The study of the selected plants extracts confirmed their efficacy as natural antimicrobials against the tested organisms, suggesting their potential for novel drug development in treating infectious diseases.

209-216

Authors: Deepak T.A. , Avinash Tejasvi M.L

Systemic Health goes together with oral health. In India, Oral health remains a big challenge. It is connected tightly to overall individual’s health. Basic oral hygiene such as brushing teeth twice a day is still foreign to most, while such practices are widely practiced in the west. In India, economic factors, coupled with normally accepted behavior and acceptance of poor oral hygiene, prevention of awareness contributed to vast populace with dental issues, like cavities, gum diseases, premature teeth loss, and oral cancers in some cases. With almost 60% of 1.4 billion living in rural areas, initiatives like oral hygiene awareness, preventative care, lifestyle changes and increased dental facilities including universities, colleges and dental care facilities are needed today. We investigate whether there is an association between awareness of teeth alignment, good oral health to overall systemic health. We developed a questionnaire for dental patients falling between the age of 13 - 21 years. This range was selected as most of the patients are old enough to know their oral habits, and other health issues. The patient’s data was collected over a range of 8 months (April 2023 to November 2023) between two states in southern India. The research had 191 patients who were from rural areas, and their awareness on oral hygiene activities were found to be far worse than their urban counterparts (both genders). Based on the data collected, we establish a close relationship between awareness of teeth alignment, to gum bleeding, caries, and pollinosis in young Indians.