This study was designed to evaluate the pre-reproductive and reproductive responses of Linum usitatissimum L. (flax, linseed plant) to different levels of Pb in the soil. Flax seeds were sown in garden soil-filled earthen pots and treated with three different levels of lead as lead chloride (150, 450, and 750 mg Pb kg⁻¹ soil) except control, and each treatment was replicated three times. Growth and reproductive parameters and photosynthetic pigments were significantly reduced (p ≤ 0.05) for all treatments. Quantitatively, Chlorophyll b content decreased more than chlorophyll a and the amount of proline content in the leaves increased in lockstep with the increase of Pb levels in the soil. Pb was found in substantial amounts in the roots, shoots, and seeds. The pattern of Pb accumulation in different organs was root > shoot > seeds. Pb levels in seeds obtained from 750 mg Pb kg⁻¹ soil-treated plants exceeded the permissible limits. Biological concentration factor (BCF), biological accumulation coefficient (BAC) and translocation factor (TF) values showed that roots of L. usitatissimum absorbed and accumulated a substantial quantity of Pb but translocated only a fraction of that to the shoots. Therefore, L. usitatissimum L. can be used in phytostabilization rather than phytoextraction of Pb. Graphical Abstract The accumulation of lead (Pb) concentrations (mg kg⁻¹dry weight) in the different parts of the flax plants exposed to varying concentrations of Pb applied in soil (150, 450 and 750 mg kg⁻¹ soil) at 170 days after sowing (DAS). This manuscript evaluates the potential of flaxseeds to cause biomagnification of lead (Pb) in the human body when grown under different concentrations of Pb and assessment of the risk posed to consumer health in a food chain. This study also provides insight to evaluate the uptake and extraction efficiency of Linum usitatissimum L. to remediate the Pb-polluted soil and use of Pb contaminated plant products (stem fibers and linseed oil) in an ecofriendly manner.

The current study aimed to conduct a phytochemical screening of commonly known Withania somnifera leaf extract through gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to identify the bioactive compounds responsible for its MAO-A inhibitory action and evaluate the pharmacological potentialities of the extract and its fractions against anxiety. In the in-silico analysis, various tools were employed, including molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. These methods assessed the binding affinity and stability of the phytochemicals (ligands) with MAO-A. The preclinical efficacy and safety of the phytochemicals were evaluated using ADMET/T analysis. Furthermore, the biological activity of the selected phytochemicals as potential “MAO-A” inhibitors was assessed using PASS analysis. Lipinski’s rule of five was applied to predict the drug-likeness properties of the compounds. The interacting residues and the types of interactions between the active site of MAO-A and the compounds were evaluated. The cumulative results of these analyses identified 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol, Hexadecanoic acid, N,N-Bis(2-hydroxyethyl) dodecanamide, 1,2 Benzene dicarboxylic acid diethyl ester, and Oxacycloheptadec-8-en-2-one as hit compounds from W. somnifera, suggesting their potential as MAO-A inhibitors. This research aims to provide an elaborative description of promising phytochemical entities with activities against MAO-A. However, the efficacy of these phytochemicals as potential anxiolytic compounds needs further validation via in vitro and in vivo studies.