Tragia involucrata L. have been utilized as traditional medicine in Indian subcontinent for the treatment of numerous illnesses such as inflammation, pain and skin infection. In this current study we sought to assess the anxiolytic, sedative and analgesic activity of Tragia involucrata L. leaves extract. We first performed a phytochemical screening test of the leaves extracts following standard phytochemical screening protocols. We next examined the anxiolytic and sedative activity of crude methanol (TIME), ethyl acetate (TIEAE) and n-Hexane (TIHE) extract of Tragia involucrata L. leaves using mouse behavioral models such as elevated plus-maze test and pentobarbital-induced sleeping time test, respectively. Likewise, we evaluated the analgesic activity using acetic acid induced writhing test and formalin induced paw licking test. Additionally, we performed a quantitative analysis of heavy metals content of Tragia involucrata L. leaves by overnight digestion in concentrated nitric acid (HNO3). Phytochemical screening demonstrated that TIME, TIEAE and TIHE contain flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, phenols, terpenoids and sterols. Administration of these extracts resulted in higher number of open arm entry, lower number of close arm entry and higher time spent in open arm compared to control treatment (p < 0.05). Moreover, these treatments decreased the onset of sleep time and increased the duration of sleep compared to control treated mice (all p < 0.05). Likewise, extracts treated mice exhibited decreased number of writhing as well as lower acute phase and late phase duration compared to control treatment (all p < 0.05). The average level of As and Fe in Tragia involucrata L. leaves was 5.16 ± 0.012 ppm and 2.76 ± 0.015 ppm, respectively. Results from this study support that Tragia involucrata L. leaves extracts exhibit an anxiolytic, sedative and analgesic activity in mice.

Pit latrines are the most common latrine technology in rural Bangladesh, and untreated effluent from pits can directly contaminate surrounding aquifers. Sand barriers installed around the latrine pit can help reduce contamination but can also alter the decomposition of the fecal sludge and accelerate pit fill-up, which can counteract their benefits. We aimed to evaluate whether there was a difference in decomposition of fecal sludge and survival of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) ova among latrines where a 50-cm sand barrier was installed surrounding and at the bottom of the pit, compared to latrines without a sand barrier, in coastal Bangladesh. We assessed decomposition in latrine pits by measuring the carbon-nitrogen (C/N) ratio of fecal sludge. We enumerated Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura ova in the pit following 18 and 24 months of latrine use. We compared these outcomes between latrines with and without sand barriers using generalized linear models with robust standard errors to adjust for clustering at the village level. The C/N ratio in latrines with and without a sand barrier was 13.47 vs. 22.64 (mean difference: 9.16, 95% CI: 0.15, 18.18). Pits with sand barriers filled more quickly and were reportedly emptied three times more frequently than pits without; 27/34 latrines with sand barriers vs. 9/34 latrines without barriers were emptied in the previous six months. Most reported disposal methods were unsafe. Compared to latrines without sand barriers, latrines with sand barriers had significantly higher log₁₀ mean counts of non-larvated A. lumbricoides ova (log₁₀ mean difference: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.58) and T. trichiura ova (log₁₀ mean difference: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.73). Larvated ova counts were similar for the two types of latrines for both A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura. Our findings suggest that sand barriers help contain helminth ova within the pits but pits with barriers fill up more quickly, leading to more frequent emptying of insufficiently decomposed fecal sludge. Further research is required on latrine technologies that can both isolate pathogens from the environment and achieve rapid decomposition.

The utilization of synthetic dyes in food industries is a great concern for food safety and health issues. So, natural pigments can be an excellent substitute for synthetic dyes and also health-friendly for consumers. In the experiment, natural pigments were extracted from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and red amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.). Then the stability and consumer acceptance of the extracted pigments were examined. The highest amount of pigment was extracted from turmeric (2.14 ± 0.30 %) with ethanol solvent, followed by tomato (0.67 ± 0.06 %) with hexane: acetone (1:1) solvent, and red amaranth (0.78 ± 0.05 %) with acetone solvent. Turmeric pigment showed the highest stability in high temperatures and light exposure. All of the pigments were highly stable in a neutral environment; however, tomato pigment showed the highest stability index (84.33 ± 2.52) at pH 3.0, but turmeric pigment showed the highest stability (91.67 ± 1.53) at pH 5.0. The simple preference test revealed that the use of turmeric pigment in boiled rice had the highest acceptance rate, and in terms of taste and flavor, red amaranth pigments in ice cream. So turmeric pigment can be utilized in high-temperature processing and/or acidic foods, but tomato and red amaranth pigments might be in low-temperature processing foods such as the ice-cream and soft drinks processing industry.