Sikandar Khan Sherwani

Assessment of drinking water quality and its potential health impacts in academic institutions of Abbottabad (Pakistan)

AbstractThe continuously deteriorating water quality situation in Pakistan is posing serious health threats to the population. The study aimed to assess the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of drinking water in different institutions of Abbottabad city and its potential health effects on staff and students. About 63 samples from 60 institutions across different locations of Abbottabad city were analysed for physicochemical (temperature, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity (EC)) and bacteriological (total coliforms and Escherichia coli) analysis using standard methods. Water quality (n = 60) and health related (n = 300) information was obtained through pre-designed survey questionnaires. Results showed that all water samples were aesthetically acceptable. In physicochemical analysis, the mean temperature and pH values were found at 27.12 ± 2.47°C and 7.98 ± 0.24, respectively. The mean TDS and EC values were found at 335.42 ± 86.3 ppm and 647.38 ± 174.82 μS, respectively...

QUALITATIVE PHYTOCH EMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF CARICA PA PAYA LEAF EXTRACT AGAINST HUMAN AND PLANT PATHOGENIC FUNGI

Plants have been explored extensively all over the globe in quest of a novel bioactive compound that could a good therapeutic candidate treating infectious diseases especially against drug resistant microbes. Qualitative phytochemical analyses of Carica papaya leaf extract reveal that except steroids and tannins all the possible ph ytochemical constituents including carbohydrates, proteins, anthraquinones, flavonoids , saponins, cardiac glycosides and alkaloids were present. Two ways of Carica papaya leaf extract preparations i.e crushed and boiled were tested for their antifungal act ivity against 6 saprophytic fungi Penicillium sp, Aspergilus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium sp, Rhizopus and Helminthosporum , 5 dermatophytic fungi Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton tonsurans and 6 yeasts including Candida albicans , Candida albicans ATCC 0383, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , Candida galbrata, Candida tropicalis, Candida kruzei. The activity was found against majority of fungi but was much better in case of crushed leaf ext ract.

ANTIMICROBIAL POTENCY AGAINST MICROBES FOUND IN CLINICAL SAMPLES AND TO XICITY STUDIES ON SELECTED MEDICINAL PLANTS

The antib acterial and antifungal activi ties of Terminalia arjuna, Tephrosia purpurea and Thuja occidentalis extracts w ere investigated against the standard drugs , which are presen tly available in the market as G entam i cin, Cephradine , Amoxicillin c lavulanate, Norfloxacin and Itraconazole . W ell m ethod was used for antimicrobial activity and the zone s of inhibition were measured in m illi m eters . The antibacterial activity was observed on three gram negative bacteria i.e. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and one gram positive bacteria i.e. Staphy lococcus aureus . The antifungal activity was investigat ed against Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger . The cytotoxic effects (LD 50 ) of the crude extracts we re also observed on brine shrimps ( Artemia salina ) using E toposide a s an internal standard . The crude extract of T . arjuna bark exhibited less potent antimicrobial activity as compare d to crude extract of T . arjuna heart wood. Bark extract of T. arjuna show ed no cytotoxic activity but heart wood extract sho w ed this activit y in b rine s hrimp b ioassay technique . The crude extract of T . purpurea show ed positive cytotoxic, potent antibacterial but no antifungal activity . The crude extract of T . occidentalis show ed good antibacterial low antifungal and low cytotoxic activity. T. arjuna showed most potent antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity while T. Purpurea and T. oocidentalis posses less potent activities.

Biotransformation of β-Artemether by Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus, and Antifungal Activity of Their Metabolites

β-Artemether (1) on fermentation with Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus by liquid-phase medium yielded β-artemetherfurano acetate (2) and 3α-hydroxydeoxy-β-artemether (3), whereas with Aspergillus niger by solid-phase medium yielded β-artemetherfurano acetate (2) and deoxydihydroartemisinin (mixture of α and β isomers) (4 and 5). Their structures were elucidated by modern spectroscopic methods and reported data. β-Artemether (1) and both of its biotransformed products 2 and 3 were screened for their antifungal activity using the agar-well method.

ORGANOLEPTIC AND WORMICIDAL EVALUATION OF VARIOUS CRUDE EXTRACTS OF POM EGRANATE ( PUNICA GRANATUM ) PEEL

In the present study, organoleptic evaluation of Pomegranate ( Punica granatum L ) peel powder was done and found pink in color having no smell and slightly bitter taste. Moreover, aqueou s and methanolic extracts of Pomegranate ( Punica granatum L ) peel were also prepared and investigated for their anthelmintic activity using a model worm i.e. Pheretima posthuma . Three concentrations (25, 50 and 100 mg / ml) of each extracts were studied in activity, which involved the determination of time of paralysis and time of death of the worm. Both nature of extracts exhibited anthelmintic activity at highest concentration of 100 mg / ml; however, the response of methanolic extract was more profound. Piperazine citrate in same concentration as that of extract was included as standard reference and distilled water as control.