Antimicrobial resistance is a worldwide health problem that demands alternative antibacterial strategies. Modified nano-composites can be an effective strategy as compared to traditional medicine. The current study was designed to develop a biocompatible nano-drug delivery system with increased efficacy of current therapeutics for biomedical applications. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized by chemical and green methods by mediating with Moringa olifera root extract. The ZnO–NPs were further modified by drug conjugation and coating with PEG (CIP-PEG-ZnO-NPs) to enhance their therapeutic potential. PEGylated ZnO-ciprofloxacin nano-conjugates were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and Scanning Electron Microscopy. During antibacterial screenings chemically and green synthesized CIP-PEG-ZnO-NPs revealed significant activity against clinically isolated Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. The sustainable and prolonged release of antibiotics was noted from the CIP–PEG conjugated ZnO-NPs. The synthesized nanoparticles were found compatible with RBCs and Baby hamster kidney cell lines (BHK21) during hemolytic and MTT assays respectively. Based on initial findings a broad-spectrum nano-material was developed and tested for biomedical applications that eradicated Staphylococcus aureus from the infectious site and showed wound-healing effects during in vivo applications. ZnO-based nano-drug carrier can offer targeted drug delivery, and improved drug stability and efficacy resulting in better drug penetration.

Medicinal plants play important role in the public health sector worldwide. Natural products from medicinal plants are sources of unlimited opportunities for new drug leads because of their unique chemical diversity. Researchers have focused on exploring herbal products as potential sources for the treatment of cancer, cardiac and infectious diseases. Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) is an important medicinal plant found in the northwest Himalayan regions of Pakistan. It is a poisonous plant and is used as a remedy against snake bites and scorpion stings. In this study, two bioactive compounds were isolated from Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) and their anticancer activity was evaluated against human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 using an MTT assay. The crude extract of Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) was subjected to fractionation using different organic solvents in increasing order of polarity. The fraction indicating maximum activity was then taken for isolation of bioactive compounds using various chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques such as column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Crude extract of Arisaema flavum (Forssk.), as well as various fractions extracted in different solvents such as n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate, were tested against human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 using an MTT assay. The crude extract exhibited significant dose-dependent anticancer activity with a maximum activity of 78.6% at 500 µg/mL concentration. Two compounds, hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester with molecular formula C₁₈H₃₆O₇ and molar mass 284 and 5-Oxo-19 propyl-docosanoic acid methyl ester with molecular formula C₂₆H₅₀O₃ and molecular mass 410, were isolated from chloroform fraction. These compounds were tested against the MCF-7cell line for cytotoxic activity and exhibited a significant (p < 0.00l) decrease in cell numbers for MCF-7 cells with IC₅₀ of 25 µM after 48 h of treatment. Results indicated that Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) possesses compounds with cytotoxic activity that can further be exploited to develop anticancer formulations.

Organic materials from various sources have been commonly adopted as soil amendments to improve crop productivity. Phosphorus deficiency and fixation in alkaline calcareous soils drives a reduction in crop production. A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of rock phosphate enriched composts and chemical fertilizers both individually and in combination with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on wheat productivity and soil chemical and biological and biochemical properties. The present study demonstrates significant increments in crop agronomic and physiological parameters with Pseudomonas sp. inoculated RPEC₁ (rock phosphate + poultry litter + Pseudomonas sp.) over the un-inoculated untreated control. However, among all other treatments i.e., RPEC₂ (rock phosphate + poultry litter solubilized with Proteus sp.), RPC (rock phosphate + poultry litter), HDP (half dose inorganic P from Single Super Phosphate-SSP 18% P₂O₅) and SPLC (poultry litter only); RPEC₁ remained the best by showing increases in soil chemical properties (available phosphorus, nitrate nitrogen, extractable potassium), biochemical properties (alkaline phosphatase activity) and biological properties (microbial biomass carbon and microbial biomass phosphorus). Economic analysis in terms of Value Cost Ratio (VCR) showed that the seed inoculation with Pseudomonas sp. in combination with RPEC₁ gave maximum VCR (3.23:1) followed by RPEC₂ (2.61:1), FDP (2.37:1), HDP (2.05:1) and SPLC (2.03:1). It is concluded that inoculated rock phosphate (RP) enriched compost (RPEC₁) can be a substitute to costly chemical fertilizers and seed inoculation with Pseudomonas sp. may further increase the efficiency of composts.

Endophytes are microorganisms residing within plant tissues. Bacterial endophytes are important sources for production of pharmaceutically important metabolites. Berberis lycium is an important medicinal plant and there exist no report regarding isolation and determination of bioactive potential of its bacterial endophytes. Therefore the present study was aimed to isolate and identify bacterial endophytes from Berberis lycium. The study resulted in isolation of 20 strains of bacterial endophytes. Based on their antibacterial activity three strains were identified as Bacillus cereus (LBL6), Bacillus thuringiensis (SBL3) and Bacillus anthracis (SBL4) on basis of 16SrRNA gene using universal primers. Crude ethyl acetate extracts of LBL6, SBL3 and SBL4 were further evaluated for antioxidant and antifungal activities. Moderate antioxidant activity (56 %) at a concentration of 1000 µg/mL was observed for LBL6 followed by 45 and 43 % activity by SBL4 and SBL3 respectively. Significant antifungal activity was observed against Aspergillus niger (60 %) and Aspergillus flavus (56 %) at concentration of 4 mg/mL of SBL3 and SBL4 respectively. GCMS analysis of extract (LBL6) exhibited presence of 12 bioactive secondary metabolites corresponding to antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, antitumor and anticancer activities. In conclusion, present study highlighted the importance of Berberis lycium to host diverse bacterial endophytes of pharmaceutical importance.

Antibacterial resistance requires an advanced strategy to increase the efficacy of current therapeutics in addition to the synthesis of new generations of antibiotics. In this study, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) were green synthesized using Moringa oleifera root extract. CuO-NPs fabricated into a form of aspartic acid-ciprofloxacin-polyethylene glycol coated copper oxide-nanotherapeutics (CIP-PEG-CuO) to improve the antibacterial activity of NPs and the efficacy of the drug with controlled cytotoxicity. These NPs were charachterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-rays diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Antibacterial screening and bacterial chemotaxis investigations demonstrated that CIP-PEG-CuO NPs show enhanced antibacterial potential against Gram-positive and Gram-negative clinically isolated pathogenic bacterial strains as compared to CuO-NPs. In ex-vivo cytotoxicity CIP-PEG-CuO-nano-formulates revealed 88% viability of Baby Hamster Kidney 21 cell lines and 90% RBCs remained intact with nano-formulations during hemolysis assay. An in-vivo studies on animal models show that Staphylococcus aureus were eradicated by this newly developed formulate from the infected skin and showed wound-healing properties. By using specially designed nanoparticles that are engineered to precisely transport antimicrobial agents, these efficient nano-drug delivery systems can target localized infections, ensure targeted delivery, enhance efficacy through increased drug penetration through physical barriers, and reduce systemic side effects for more effective treatment.