Humaira Shaheen

Correction: Descriptive study of plant resources in the context of the ethnomedicinal relevance of indigenous flora: A case study from Toli Peer National Park, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

Background This paper presents the first quantitative ethnobotanical study of the flora in Toli Peer National Park of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Being a remote area, there is a strong dependence by local people on ethnobotanical practices. Thus, we attempted to record the folk uses of the native plants of the area with a view to acknowledging and documenting the ethnobotanical knowledge. The aims of the study were to compile an inventory of the medicinal plants in the study area and to record the methods by which herbal drugs were prepared and administered. Materials and methods Information on the therapeutic properties of medicinal plants was collected from 64 local inhabitants and herbalists using open ended and semi-structured questionnaires over the period Aug 2013-Jul 2014. The data were recorded into a synoptic table comprising an ethnobotanical inventory of plants, the parts used, therapeutic indications and modes of application or administration. Different ethnobotanical indices i.e. relative frequencies of citation (RFC), relative importance (RI), use value (UV) and informant consensus factor (Fic), were calculated for each of the recorded medicinal plants. In addition, a correlation analysis was performed using SPSS ver. 16 to check the level of association between use value and relative frequency of citation. Results A total of 121 species of medicinal plants belonging to 57 families and 98 genera were recorded. The study area was dominated by herbaceous species (48%) with leaves (41%) as the most exploited plant part. The Lamiaceae and Rosaceae (9% each) were the dominant families in the study area. Among different methods of preparation, the most frequently used method was decoction (26 species) of different plant parts followed by use as juice and powder (24 species each), paste (22 species), chewing (16 species), extract (11 species), infusion (10 species) and poultice (8 species). The maximum Informant consensus factor (Fic) value was for gastro-intestinal, parasitic and hepatobiliary complaints (0.90). Berberis lycium Ajuga bracteosa, Prunella vulgaris, Adiantum capillus-veneris, Desmodium polycarpum, Pinus roxburgii, Albizia lebbeck, Cedrella serrata, Rosa brunonii, Punica granatum, Jasminum mesnyi and Zanthoxylum armatum were the most valuable plants with the highest UV, RFC and relative importance values. The Pearson correlation coefficient between UV and RFC (0.881) reflects a significant positive correlation between the use value and relative frequency of citation. The coefficient of determination indicated that 77% of the variability in UV could be explained in terms of RFC. Conclusion Systematic documentation of the medicinal plants in the Toli Peer National Park shows that the area is rich in plants with ethnomedicinal value and that the inhabitants of the area have significant knowledge about the use of such plants with herbal drugs commonly used to cure infirmities. The results of this study indicate that carrying out subsequent pharmacological and phytochemical investigations in this part of Pakistan could lead to new drug discoveries.

Genome-wide association mapping in bread wheat subjected to independent and combined high temperature and drought stress

Most investigations to date aiming to identify the genetic basis of the stress response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) have focused on the response to single stress agents such as high temperature or drought, even though in the natural situation, these stresses tend often to occur together. Here, a panel of 108 spring type bread wheat cultivars was phenotyped for 15 yield and yield related traits for two years (2014/15 and 2015/16) under non-stressed conditions, under high temperature stress, under drought and under a combined high temperature and drought regime. The mean loss in grain yield caused by all stress regimes was 51.33%. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of yield trait showed significant differences among genotypes environments and their interactions (G×E). All the studied traits had higher heritability values which ranged from 0.35–0.94 under [C], 0.58–0.95 under [D], 0.62–0.93 under [H] and 0.60–0.95 under [HD]. GWAS was performed by using 9,646 informative SNP markers and based on these polymorphic SNPs population structure analysis divided whole germplasm into five major sub-populations. Mixed model association analysis detected 503 marker-trait associations (MTAs) at P ≤0.001 while 329 MTAs crossed FDR ≤ 0.05 for all traits with phenotypic variances (R2) ranged from 24.83% to 12.51%. Seven new pleiotropic SNPs on chromosome 7D and IAAV8258 (86.91cM) and wsnp_Ex_c7168_12311649 (57.93cM) on chromosome 5A were most stable association in present study. Furthermore, candidate genes Psy and Sr25 (TG0040) were also significant in present study, these genes were previously mapped on 7A and 7D. The region on 7D was assiociated with 7DL.7Ag translocation from Lophopyrum carring rust resistance Yr16 and many other genes. Similarly region on chromosome 7A which was associated with Psy gene was linked with grain yellow pigment content QTLs. Favourable alleles controlling grain yield were of vital importance and incorporation of these alleles after validation through marker assisted selection and fine mapping could be helpful in wheat yield improvement stress and non-stress conditions.

Exploration of ethno-medicinal knowledge among rural communities of Pearl Valley; Rawalakot, District Poonch Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Background Medicinal plants are the basic source of health care in the Pearl Valley District Poonch, Azad Jammu, and Kashmir. The basic aim of present study was to record information about the use of plants in herbal preparation and quantification of recorded data. Materials and methods The research was conducted with the null hypothesis that there was no differential distribution of knowledge among the communities between genders and among different age groups in the study area and across cultural medicinal uses of the plants are similar. To check these hypotheses information about medicinal plants was collected from 46 laypeople and 18 herbalists by using an open ended and semistructured questionnaire. Different ethnobotanical indices were calculated in order to quantify the knowledge on the medicinal plants reported in the study. Results Our study recorded 136 species of medicinal plants belonging to 45 families with Asteraceae (14 species) as the dominant family of the area. Decoction (26 species), juice and powder (24 species each) were most common methods of preparation. Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that age and gender had the significant effect on both numbers of mentioned species and different uses. A number of known medicinal plants and the number of different uses (H: 38.51; p < 0.001) differ significantly as indicated by Kruskal-Wallis tests. These results showed that the knowledge about the plant varies among different age groups, which were the first hypothesis of the present study. The highest use values (UVs) were reported for Berberis lyceum and Ajuga bracteosa (1.13 each) followed by Abies pindrow (1.03). Highest informant consensus factor (ICF) values were recorded for digestive system diseases (ICF = 0.90) and muscular and skeletal system diseases (ICF = 0.89). The value of Jaccarad index ranged from 6.11 to 32.97 with an average value of 19.84, percentage of similarity was highest between study area and Pir Lasura National Park (34.62%). Conclusion High similarity might be due to the fact that the communities living in these areas have same sociocultural values and have more opportunities to exchange their traditional knowledge. The present study provides practical evidence about the use of medicinal plants among the inhabitants of the Pearl Valley.

Exploration of phytotherapies common among local communities of rawalakot, district poonch azad jammu and kashmir

The aim of this study was to compare the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of roots and shoots of Cardiospermum corindum collected from two geographically distant regions of Botswana (Tswapong Hills and Kgale Hills). Qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed presence of alkaloids, reducing sugars, saponins, phytosterols, phenols, flavonoids and terpenoids. Analysis by thin layer chromatography, revealed that both shoots and roots of plant collected from the two respective regions showed no differences in phytochemical constituents. Total phenol and flavonoid contents were quantitatively estimated. Total phenolic content measured by Folin-Ciocalteu method varied from 164.4±2.2 to 364.2±3.1mg/L (GAE) Gallic Acid Equivalents. The order of total phenol contents were [364.2±3.1](Roots from Tswapong Hills)>[356.0±4.5](Roots from Kgale Hills)>[169.1±2.6](Shoots from Tswapong Hills)>[164.4±2.2mg/lGAE](Shoots from Kgale Hills). The total flavonoid contents as measured by aluminium Chloride method varied from 56.7±1.1 to 124.1±1.5mg/L(QE) Quercetin Equivalents. The order of the total flavonoid contents were [124.1±1.5](Shoots from Kgale Hills)>[118.8±2.6](Shoots from Tswapong Hills)>[63.3±1.6](Roots from Tswapong Hills)>[56.7±1.1mg/l QE](Roots from Kgale Hills). The antioxidant activity as determined by the DPPH radical scavenging assay, revealed that, at all tested concentrations, root extracts exhibited greater (≥86%) scavenging potency than shoot extracts (≤83%). A direct correlation between total phenolic content and free radical scavenging activity was revealed. This work has validated the use of this plant as a health improving tool. However, structural identification of the bioactive constituents should be carried out.Morinda morindoides (Rubiaceae) is an indigenous tree of West Africa. This tree is used in Cote d’Ivoire against malaria. In this study, we investigated the in vitro antiplasmodial and antifungal activity of the leaves of M morindoides. M morindoides leaves were collected, air dried and made into a fine powder. Aqueous extracts (Aqe), ethanol (Eeth), ethyl acetate (EAc) and acetate-water (EAc-H2O) were performed. EAch extract was tested on Plasmodium falciparum and Aspergillus fumigatus. IC50 values of different extracts is ranked in the following order: 6.1 (EAc) <17.8 (Eeth) <21.5 (Aqe) <46.5 (EAc-H2O) for P. falciparum and 1.3 (EAc) <6.1 (Eeth) <12.47 (Aqe) < more than 300 (EAc-H2O) for A. fumigatus, the ethyl acetate extract being the most active against both patogens. These results show that M morindoides leaves display significant antiplasmodial and antifungal activity, which justifies its use in traditional medicine against malaria and mycoses.