Cassia plants have a considerable position in conventional systems of medicine. The possible anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and anti-neuropathic properties of Cassia artemisiodes (CAD) extract were tested using the standard animal models. In this study, in vitro antioxidant, cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and 2), and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibitory assays were performed. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan, histamine, and serotonin-induced paw edema models. Antipyretic activity, thermally and chemically-induced nociception, and naloxone antagonistic activities were carried out. The CAD extract was tested for anti-neuropathic activity in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathy model. Suppressing the effect of CAD extract on the mRNA level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), COX-2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) was determined by performing RT-PCR. The CAD extract inhibited COX-2 and 5-LOX enzymes, paw inflammation, and reduced nociceptive behaviors. The mRNA gene expression of iNOS, COX-2, and inflammatory cytokines was reduced significantly with increased DPPH scavenging activity. The extract significantly reduced the diabetes-induced neuropathic pain. In a nutshell, these results recommended that the CAD extract has anti-nociceptive and anti-neuropathic activities due to inhibition of inflammatory and oxidative signaling.

Zinc (Zn) is an important micronutrient with vital biological roles and its deficiency causes serious complications both in plants and human cells. The present research aims to introduce a sustainable intervention to improve zinc bioavailability, partitioning and biofortification in wheat genotypes through the use of zinc solubilizing bacteria. Three bacterial strains; Pseudomonas lurida (DJ4), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (DJ5) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (DJ13), previously isolated from a forest soil in Dir, Pakistan with zinc solubilization potential were used during this study. The maximum of 242.34 and 108.08 µg·l⁻¹ gluconic and glucuronic acid, respectively, was produce by the bacterial strain DJ13 in the presence of zinc oxide and consequently, a decrease in medium pH from 7.0 to 4.63 was noted. Further, root colonization potential of these bacterial strains with wheat genotypes (Atta Habib, Sirin and Pak China) was confirmed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Similarly, the zinc uptake and translocation potential of the eight wheat genotypes under no zinc, ZnSO₄.7H₂O supplementation or inoculation with DJ13 was evaluated in a pot experiment in greenhouse. Wheat genotypes Zincol 2016, Sirin and Atta Habib attained higher grain zinc content after DJ13 inoculation (57.87, 63.55 and 60.47 mg·kg⁻¹ respectively). Genetic differences in zinc uptake, translocation and grain accumulation in wheat genotypes under different growth conditions were noted to be because of differential expression of ZIP transporters. High expression levels of TaZIP1, TaZIP4, TaZIP13, and TabZIP1 were correlated with increased root uptake, TaZIP1 and TabZIP1 were correlated with zinc translocation and TaZIP5 with grain accumulation. In conclusion, this research demonstrated the capacity to solubilize zinc and establish a synergistic interaction with wheat by specific bacterial strains, particularly Pseudomonas fluorescens (DJ13), significantly enhancing zinc uptake, translocation, and mobilization. These strains also modulated the expression of ZIP genes, leading to increased zinc partitioning in wheat grains. Consequently, these rhizobacteria present a highly effective biofertilizer strategy for zinc biofortification of grains and the optimization of wheat growth and development.

Availability of clean drinking water to the masses is one of the major challenges faced by developing countries, like Pakistan. Spring water is one of the major sources of water supply for the people dwelling in the northern Pakistan, including district Chitral. In many parts of Chitral, water from small natural springs remains the only source for water supply, however very little research data is available about the physical and biological characteristics of and its suitability as drinking water. In this research the water quality of thirty springs has been assessed through sample collection and analysis. The results have been statistically analyzed and compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) Standards for various physicochemical characteristics. The analysis has revealed that the springs provide good quality of water for the people but there is an urgent need for protection of such springs from surface runoff.