The current study aims to assess the beliefs of the general public in Pakistan towards conspiracy theories, acceptance, willingness to pay, and preference for the COVID-19 vaccine. A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online self-administered questionnaire during January 2021. The Chi-square test or Fisher exact test was utilized for statistical data analysis. A total of 2158 respondents completed the questionnaire, among them 1192 (55.2%) were male with 23.87 (SD: ±6.23) years as mean age. The conspiracy beliefs circulating regarding the COVID-19 vaccine were believed by 9.3% to 28.4% of the study participants. Among them, 1040 (48.2%) agreed to vaccinate on its availability while 934 (43.3%) reported the Chinese vaccine as their preference. The conspiracy beliefs of the participants were significantly associated with acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. The existence of conspiracy beliefs and low vaccine acceptance among the general population is a serious threat to successful COVID-19 vaccination.

An estimated 450 species of Dryopteris in the Dryoperidaceae family grow in Japan, North and South Korea, China, Pakistan, and Kashmir. This genus has been reported to have biological capabilities; however, research has been conducted on Dryopteris juxtapostia. Therefore, with the present study, we aimed to exploring the biological potential of D. juxtapostia root and shoot extracts. We extracted dichloromethane and methanol separately from the roots and shoots of D. juxtapostia. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH, FRAP, and H₂O₂ assays, and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated using both in vitro (antiurease activity) and in vivo (carrageenan- and formaldehyde-induced paw edema) studies. Toxicity was evaluated by adopting a brine shrimp lethality assay followed by determination of cytotoxic activity using an MTT assay. Hepatoprotective effects of active crude extracts were examined in rats. Activity-bearing compounds were tentatively identified using LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. Results suggested that D. juxtapostia root dichloromethane extract exhibited better antioxidant (DPPH, IC₅₀ of 42.0 µg/mL; FRAP, 46.2 mmol/g; H₂O₂, 71% inhibition), anti-inflammatory (urease inhibition, 56.7% at 50 µg/mL; carrageenan-induced edema inhibition, 61.7% at 200 µg/mL; formaldehyde-induced edema inhibition, 67.3% at 200 µg/mL), brine shrimp % mortality (100% at 1000 µg/mL), and cytotoxic (HeLa cancer, IC₅₀ of 17.1 µg/mL; prostate cancer (PC3), IC₅₀ of 45.2 µg/mL) effects than D. juxtapostia root methanol extract. D. juxtapostia shoot dichloromethane and methanol extracts exhibited non-influential activity in all biological assays and were not selected for hepatoprotective study. D. juxtapostia root methanol extract showed improvement in hepatic cell structure and low cellular infiltration but, in contrast the dichloromethane extract, did not show any significant improvement in hepatocyte morphology, cellular infiltration, or necrosis of hepatocytes in comparison to the positive control, i.e., paracetamol. LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis showed the presence of albaspidin PP, 3-methylbutyryl-phloroglucinol, flavaspidic acid AB and BB, filixic acid ABA and ABB, tris-desaspidin BBB, tris-paraaspidin BBB, tetra-flavaspidic BBBB, tetra-albaspidin BBBB, and kaempferol-3-O-glucoside in the dichloromethane extract, whereas kaempferol, catechin, epicatechin, quinic acid, liquitrigenin, and quercetin 7-O-galactoside in were detected in the methanol extract, along with all the compounds detected in the dichloromethane extract. Hence, D. juxtapostia is safe, alongside other species of this genus, although detailed safety assessment of each isolated compound is obligatory during drug discovery.

Background: Heliotropium strigosum Willd. (Chitiphal) is a medicinally important herb that belongs to the Boraginaceae family. Traditionally, this plant was used in the medication therapy of various ailments in different populations of the world. The aim of the study is to probe the therapeutic aspects of H. strigosum described in the traditional folklore history of medicines. Methods: In the present study, the dichloromethane crude extract of this plant was screened to explore the antimicrobial, cytotoxic, phytotoxic and antioxidant potential of H. strigosum. For antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities, microplate alamar blue assay (MABA), agar tube dilution method and diphenyl picryl hydrazine (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay were used, respectively. The cytotoxic and phytotoxic potential were demonstrated by using brine shrimp lethality bioassay and Lemna minor assay. Results: The crude extract displayed positive cytotoxic activity in the brine shrimp lethality assay, with 23 of 30 shrimps dying at the concentration of 1000 µg/mL. It also showed moderate phytotoxic potential with percent inhibition of 50% at the concentration of 1000 µg/mL. The crude extract exhibited no significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Non-significant antifungal and radical scavenging activity was also shown by the dichloromethane crude extract. Conclusion: It is recommended that scientists focus on the identification and isolation of beneficial bioactive constituents with the help of advanced scientific methodologies that seems to be helpful in the synthesis of new therapeutic agents of desired interest.

The irrational use of antimicrobials has enormously contributed to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally and especially in the developing world. To assess the knowledge and perception regarding AMR and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in university students enrolled in pharmacy, veterinary, and biology programs by using an online self-administered questionnaire. The Chi-square and Fisher exact tests (where applicable) were performed to assess the association of the demographics with the students’ knowledge and perception regarding AMR and AMS. A total of 496 students completed the questionnaire, among which, 85.7% of the participants were familiar with the term AMR and 79.4% of the participants correctly identified a poorly designed dosing regimen as a contributing factor towards AMR. The majority of participants (57.9%) were familiar with the term AMS and 86.5% were aware of the aim of AMS. The participants showed good knowledge regarding AMR and AMS, but to further improve student knowledge and perception of AMS and AMR, it is suggested that dedicated modules on antibiotic use and AMS should be incorporated into the curricula of these undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

This research aimed to assess the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of methanol extract of Wilckia maritima, a plant belonging to the family Brassicaceae, which is enriched with natural antioxidants. Qualitative phytochemical studies showed the presence of numerous compounds including glycosides, phenols, triterpenoids, and GC-MS studies revealed the presence of 35 bioactive components, including n-hexadecanoic acid (26.96%), 9,12,15 octadecatrienoic acid (cis) (25.52%), 3,5 di-hydroxy-6-methyl 2,3-di-hydro-4-pyran 4-one (14.35%), and 3-tertiary butyl-4-hydroxy-anisol (11.68%) as major components, which are thought to be responsible for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentials of methanol extract of W. maritima., flavonoids, steroids, tannins, and saponins. The antioxidant potential of the extract was determined by performing various assays, including DPPH free radical scavenging, ferrous reducing, and hydrogen peroxide assays, which showed significant percentage inhibition (83.55 ± 0.89, 79.40 ± 1.17, and 81.26 ± 0.36%, respectively) as compared to ascorbic acid (standard). The extract also exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity with percentage inhibition 65.66 ± 0.42% compared to standard ibuprofen, which showed 73.20 ± 0.21% inhibition. In vivo analysis further confirmed this anti-inflammatory potential of the extract, showing a 75.55 ± 0.11% reduction in edema at 300 mg/kg as compared with standard diclofenac sodium 70.27 ± 0.012%. Moreover, in silico investigations revealed that the phytocompounds in W. maritima exhibited excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics, which could provide novel biological molecules for target receptors. Overall, our findings suggest that W. maritima can be utilized as a potential resource of natural compounds with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory potential, with promising therapeutic effect in relieving various ailments related to inflammatory response.

Plants are always better choice for treatment of disease in contrast to synthetic agents due to their less toxicity, and free availability with minor limitations of identifications, purity, and potency which should be addressed. The objective of current study was to explore the anti-inflammatory effect of methanol extract of Yucca elephantipes roots by using oxidative burst assay and carrageen an induced rat paw edema. GC-MS analysis was carried for the determination of ani-inflammatory potential of fatty acids and other phytochemicals present in Yucca elephantipes roots. Among fifteen detected compounds trans-13-octadecenoic acid, n-hexadecanoic acid and 4-hydroxy benzoic acid were found as 84.21%, 5.21% and 2.17% respectively. Oxidative burst assay showed anti-inflammatory potential of Yucca elephantipes roots 74.58 +/- 0.32% with IC50 of 15.3 +/- 2.2mg/mL as compared to Ibuprofen with percentage of inhibition 73.20 +/- 0.17% and IC50 was 11.2 +/- 0.98mg/mL. Fortunately, less than 8g/kg dose of the Yucca elephantipes roots found safe in albino rats. Interestingly, in-vivo carrageen an induced paw edema method proved its anti-inflammatory potential at dose 100 and 200 mg/kg in albino rats. Conclusively, 200 mg/kg dose of Yucca elephantipes roots extract was optimized for 88.89 +/- 0.015% anti-inflammatory effect which can be considered most potent, safe and better alternative of synthetic drugs.