Phytopharmacological and ethnomedicinal uses of the Genus Berberis (Berberidaceae): A review

Salinity stress is one of the major abiotic factors limiting crop yield in arid and semi-arid regions. Plant growth-promoting fungi can help plants thrive in stressful conditions. In this study, we isolated and characterized 26 halophilic fungi (endophytic, rhizospheric, and soil) from the coastal region of Muscat, Oman, for plant growth-promoting activities. About 16 out of 26 fungi were found to produce IAA, and about 11 isolates (MGRF1, MGRF2, GREF1, GREF2, TQRF4, TQRF5, TQRF5, TQRF6, TQRF7, TQRF8, TQRF2) out of 26 strains were found to significantly improve seed germination and seedling growth of wheat. To evaluate the effect of the above-selected strains on salt tolerance in wheat, we grew wheat seedlings in 150 mM, 300 mM NaCl and SW (100% seawater) treatments and inoculated them with the above strains. Our findings showed that fungal strains MGRF1, MGRF2, GREF2, and TQRF9 alleviate 150 mM salt stress and increase shoot length compared to their respective control plants. However, in 300 mM stressed plants, GREF1 and TQRF9 were observed to improve shoot length. Two strains, GREF2 and TQRF8, also promoted plant growth and reduced salt stress in SW-treated plants. Like shoot length, an analogous pattern was observed in root length, and different salt stressors such as 150 mM, 300 mM, and SW reduced root length by up to 4%, 7.5%, and 19.5%, respectively. Three strains, GREF1, TQRF7, and MGRF1, had higher catalase (CAT) levels, and similar results were observed in polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and GREF1 inoculation dramatically raised the PPO level in 150 mM salt stress. The fungal strains had varying effects, with some, such as GREF1, GREF2, and TQRF9, showing a significant increase in protein content as compared to their respective control plants. Under salinity stress, the expression of DREB2 and DREB6 genes was reduced. However, the WDREB2 gene, on the other hand, was shown to be highly elevated during salt stress conditions, whereas the opposite was observed in inoculated plants.

Modern irrigation practices and industrial pollution can contribute to the simultaneous occurrence of salinity and heavy metal contamination in large areas of the world, resulting in significant negative effects on crop productivity and sustainability. This study aimed to investigate the growth-promoting potentials of an important endophytic fungal strain SL3 and to compare its potential with exogenous IAA (indole-3-acetic acid) in the context of salt and heavy metal stress. The strain was assessed for plant growth-promoting traits such as the production of indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellins (GA), and siderophore. We selected two important crops, mung bean and maize, and examined various physiological and biochemical characteristics under 300 mM NaCl and 2.5 mM Pb stress conditions, with and without the application of IAA and SL3. This study’s results demonstrated that both IAA and SL3 positively impacted the growth and development of plants under normal and stressed conditions. In NaCl and Pb-induced stress conditions, the growth of mung bean and maize plants was significantly reduced. However, the application of IAA and SL3 helped to alleviate stress, leading to a significant increase in shoot/root length and weight compared to IAA and SL3 non-treated plants. The results revealed that photosynthetic pigments, accumulation of catalase (CAT), phenolic contents, polyphenol oxidase, and flavanols are higher in the IAA and SL3-treated plants than in the non-inoculated plants. This study’s findings revealed that applying the SL3 fungal strain positively influenced various physiological and biochemical processes in tested plant species under normal and stress conditions of NaCl and Pb. These findings also suggested that SL3 could be a potential replacement for widely used IAA to promote plant growth by improving photosynthetic efficiency, reducing oxidative stress, and enhancing metabolic activities in plants, including mung and maize. Moreover, this study highlights that SL3 has synergistic effects with IAA in enhancing resilience to salt and heavy stress and offers a promising avenue for future agricultural applications in salt and heavy metal-affected regions.

Resistant hypertension is a well-recognized clinical challenge yet there are no reported data on its prevalence in Pakistan. These patients are subjected to a higher risk of developing hypertensive complications. The objective of our study was to evaluate the prevalence and determinants of resistant hypertension in an Asian cohort of hypertensive patients. This cross-sectional study was carried out among hypertensive patients visiting a tertiary care hospital in Karachi from September-December 2015. Patient data and characteristics were recorded using a pre-coded questionnaire. Morisky and Berlin questionnaires were used to assess compliance to medications and determine the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea, respectively. Pearson's chi-square test was used to analyze statistical differences between hypertensive patients and related factors. A total of 515 patients were included in the study. Overall, 12% of the total patients (n=62) were resistant hypertensives and 25% (n=129) had pseudo-resistant hypertension. Resistant patients were more often females, older and had a higher body mass index (all P<0.001). Use of painkillers and noncompliance to dietary recommendations were found to be significant determinants of resistant hypertension. Prevalence of comorbid conditions, including diabetes (p=0.33), hyperlipidemia (p=0.46), and chronic kidney disease (p=0.23), was not significantly higher in patients with resistant hypertension. Nearly one in ten hypertensive patients had true resistant hypertension, and twenty-five percent of patients had pseudo-resistance. Resistance hypertensions is significantly associated with female gender, older age, obesity, dietary noncompliance and increased use of NSAIDs.

The authors report the first case of stage 4 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) (graded by the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Effects scale) involving a patient with advanced metastatic melanoma who was treated with the combination of two monoclonal antibodies, nivolumab (anti-programmed cell death receptor 1 inhibitor [PD-1]) and ipilimumab (a cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 inhibitor [CTLA-4]) after her first dose of both. The patient was treated initially with methylprednisolone and tocilizumab but was refractory to treatment. A trial of etanercept was initiated due to her elevated levels of TNF-α which elicited a satisfactory response. Monoclonal antibody therapy is a new tool for the treatment of many cancers, and therefore there may be a subsequent rise in the cases of CRS and this case exemplifies a treatment algorithm. Utilizing levels of cytokines assists in tailoring treatment such as in this case where etanercept, a TNF-α inhibitor, was utilized due to the patient’s elevated levels of TNF-α.