Blumea lacera (Burm.f.) DC. is described as a valuable medicinal plant in various popular systems of medicine. The aim of the experiment reports the in vivo antiulcer activity of methanol extract of Blumea lacera (MEBLL) and in silico studies of bioactive constituents of MEBLL. In this study, fasted Long-Evans rat treated with 80 % ethanol (0.5 mL) to induce gastric ulcer, were pretreated orally with MEBLL at different doses (250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o., b.w) and omeprazole (20 mg/kg, p.o.) and distilled water were used as a reference drug and normal control respectively. In silico activity against gastric H⁺-K⁺ATPase enzyme was also studied. The findings demonstrated that the treatment with MEBLL attenuated markedly ulcer and protected the integrity of the gastric mucosa by preventing the mucosal ulceration altered biochemical parameters of gastric juice such total carbohydrate, total protein and pepsin activity. Additionally, the experimental groups significantly (p < 0.001) inhibited gastric lesions and malondealdehyde (MDA) levels and upregulated antioxidant enzymes level. Furthermore, nine compounds were documented as bioactive, displayed good binding affinities to against gastric H⁺-K⁺ATPase enzyme while these compounds illustrated inhibitory effect. From these studies, it is established MEBLL has ulcer healing property as unveiled by in vivo and in silico studies.

Through allelopathic interactions, plants may either suppress competing species or promote those that may help them better adapt to their environment. The purpose of this research was to determine how the root exudates of 15 common weeds affected the germination of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Every other day, 15 seeds were dispersed over Petri dishes (with filter paper) and pots (with garden soil) and treated with 1 mL and 5 mL of aqueous root exudates, respectively. Distilled water had the highest germination rate at 86.33% and the lowest at 64.00% (p = 0.001) for Commelina benghalensis in the Petri dish containing root exudates. The seed germination percentage of the pot condition was the lowest, at 68.45% (p = 0.004), for Solanum nigrum, while the control was 87.23%. Similarly, the lowest shoot length, 12.01 cm (p = 0.0025) in Mikania micrantha, and the lowest root length of 2.17 cm (p = 0.0048) in Leucas aspera, were recorded, whereas the control was 19.13 cm and 3.46 cm, respectively, in Petri dishes. In addition, the lowest shoot and root growth were 9.72 cm (p = 0.0004) in Mikania micrantha and 4.34 cm (p = 0.0019) in Spilanthes acmella, while the control was at 20.13 cm and 6.42 cm, respectively, for pot culture. Furthermore, in seedlings, biomass studies of treated T. aestivum showed elevated malonaldehyde (MDA) levels in both Petri dishes and pot cultures. However, chlorophyll a and b levels, as well as those of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), are lower than in the control group. Both enzymes were elevated in pot cultures compared to those grown in Petri plates. The dry weight of T. aestivum seedlings cultivated in pots and Petri dishes demonstrated its considerable allelopathic influence. This research found that the root exudates of all the weeds studied could have the capacity to impede wheat seed germination as well as the development of wheat seedlings. These inhibitory effects were higher in Petri dishes than in pot cultures.

Plants are an entity essential to the function of the biosphere as well as human health. In the context of human health, this research investigated the effect of Lasia spinosa (Lour) leaf methanolic extracts (LSML) on antioxidative enzymes and gene expression as well as biochemical and histological markers in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes model. Fructose-fed streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic animals were subjected to a four-week intervention followed by the assessment of the animal’s blood and tissues for enzymatic, biochemical, histological, and genetic changes. LSML-treated groups were shown to decrease plasma glucose levels and improve body and organ weights compared to the untreated group in a dose-dependent manner. At the doses of 125 and 250 mg/kg b.w., LSML were able to normalize serum, hepatic, and renal biochemical parameters and restore the pancreas, kidney, liver, and spleen tissue architectures to their native state. A considerable increase (p < 0.01) of liver antioxidant enzymes CAT, SOD, GSH, and a decrease of MDA level in LSML-treated groups were found at higher doses. The improved mRNA expression level of antioxidant genes CAT, SOD2, PON1, and PFK1 was also found at the doses of 125 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg BW when compared to untreated control groups. The results demonstrate that LSML impacts the upregulation of antioxidative gene expressions, thus improving the diabetic complications in animal models which need to be affirmed by compound-based antioxidative actions for therapeutic development.

Natural biometabolites of plants have been reported to be useful in chronic diseases including diabetes and associated complications. This research is aimed to investigate how the biometabolites of Lasia spinosa methanol stem (ME_XLS) extract ameliorative diabetes and diabetes-related complications. ME_XLS was examined for in vitro antioxidant and in vivo antidiabetic effects in a streptozotocin-induced diabetes model, and its chemical profiling was done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The results were verified by histopathological examination and in silico ligand-receptor interaction of characterized natural biometabolites with antidiabetic receptor proteins AMPK (PDB ID: 4CFH); PPARγ (PDB ID: 3G9E); and mammalian α-amylase center (PDB ID: 1PPI). The ME_XLS was found to show a remarkable α-amylase inhibition (47.45%), strong antioxidant action, and significant (p < 0.05) decrease in blood glucose level, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), urea, uric acid, creatinine, total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), liver glycogen, creatinine kinase (CK-MB), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and increase in serum insulin, glucose tolerance, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Rat’s pancreas and kidney tissues were found to be partially recovered in histopathological analyses. Methyl α-d -galactopyranoside displayed the highest binding affinity with AMPK (docking score, −5.764), PPARγ (docking score, −5.218), and 1PPI (docking score, −5.615) receptors. Data suggest that the ME_XLS may be an exciting source to potentiate antidiabetic activities affirming a cell-line study.

Allelopathy, a biological phenomenon where plants release chemicals that influence the growth and development of neighboring flora, offers potential natural alternatives for weed management in agriculture. This study investigated the allelopathic effects of Heliotropium indicum leaf and root extracts on the germination, growth, and biochemical parameters of eight cucurbit crops. Results demonstrated that H. indicum extracts generally inhibited seed germination across all cucurbit species, with aqueous extracts showing a stronger effect than methanol extracts in Lagenaria siceraria at 10.66 ± 0.46% (p < 0.001). The treatment also variably affected shoot and root growth, indicating both inhibitory and stimulatory actions, depending on the crop species and extract type. For instance, in methanol extract treatments, Benincasa hispida’s shoot length was significantly reduced, compared to the control, at 2.1 ± 0.14 cm (p < 0.001). Notably, aqueous leaf extracts enhanced chlorophyll content more effectively than root extracts, suggesting a potential application as a biostimulant, to improve photosynthetic efficiency in certain species, for example, Momordica charantia (p < 0.05). The study further explored the antioxidative potential of the extracts by measuring MDA levels, a biomarker for oxidative stress. MDA levels increased significantly across all species in response to both types of extracts, indicating oxidative stress (L. siceraria p < 0.05). These findings suggest the potential of H. indicum extracts as natural herbicides and biostimulants, though their effects are species-specific and dependent on concentration. This research contributes to understanding the complex interactions in plant allelopathy, and highlights the potential of plant-derived extracts in sustainable agriculture.