Tag Archives: 2025-4

Md. Mamunur Rashid¹, Asmaul Hussna Mim¹, Ahnaf Akif Turjo¹, Md. Mominur Rahman¹, Md. Shafiqul Islam Sikdar¹, Shams Shaila Islam¹, Thanet Khomphet^2,3*

¹Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, 5200, Bangladesh

²Department of Agricultural Technology, School of Agricultural Technology and Food Industry, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80160, Thailand

³Herbology Research Center, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80160, Thailand

*Corresponding author’s email: thanet.kh@mail.wu.ac.th

Received: 10 July 2025 / Accepted: 24 September 2025 / Published Online: 11 October 2025

Abstract

Mungbean production in Bangladesh is seriously constrained by poor germination, weak seedling establishment, delayed emergence, and a high susceptibility to early-stage stress, resulting in lower yield potential. To overcome these limitations, a study was conducted from February to June 2023 at the Department of Agronomy, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Bangladesh. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of various seed priming techniques on germination, growth and yield of mungbean. Three varieties BARI Mung-6, BARI Mung-7, and BARI Mung-8 were tested with five priming methods: control (without primed), hydropriming, halopriming (2% NaCl), and hormonal priming using gibberellic acid (GA₃) at 100 and 200 ppm. The germination test followed a completely randomized design using petri dish and plastic pots, while field trials used a randomized complete block design with three replications. GA₃ at 200 ppm significantly enhanced germination percentage, germination index, plant height, branch number, biomass, seedling vigor, and yield components such as pods plant^–1, pod length, seeds pod^–1, 1,000-seed weight, and overall yield. The highest yield (565.67 kg ha⁻¹) was observed in BARI Mung-7 primed with GA₃ at 200 ppm. In contrast, 2% NaCl priming produced the lowest performance, with BARI Mung-6 yielding only 33.33 kg ha⁻¹. The results suggest that BARI Mung-7, when primed with GA₃ at 200 ppm for 24 hours, is optimal for improving mungbean production under the studied conditions.

Keywords: Seed priming, Gibberellic acid, Seed germination, Mungbean, PCA

Warin Wonok¹, Tawatchai Tanee², Runglawan Sudmoon³, Kittiya Silawong⁴, Sakda Daduang⁵, Sanit Kaewdaungdee¹, Shiou Yih Lee^6,7, Unchaleeporn Ameamsri¹*, Arunrat Chaveerach¹*

¹Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Thailand

²Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahasarakham University, Thailand

³Faculty of Law, Khon Kaen University, Thailand

⁴Department in Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University, Thailand

⁵Division of Pharmacognosy and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Thailand

⁶Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, INTI International University, Nilai, 71800 Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

⁷Faculty of Health Sciences, Shinawatra University, Pathum Thani 12160, Thailand

*Corresponding author’s email: raccha@kku.ac.th; ameamsri@gmail.com

Received: 15 July 2025 / Accepted: 22 September 2025 / Published Online: 10 October 2025

Abstract

Thunbergia grandiflora and T. laurifolia, an ornamental and traditional plants, closely related were investigated. Phytochemical analysis revealed that oleamide and phytol were present in high relative percentages. The respective amounts and concentrations by GC-FID of these two compounds were 0.031 mg/g and 0.016 mg/mL for T. laurifolia and 0.030 mg/g and 0.015 mg/mL for T. grandiflora. Toxicity tests, including MTT and comet assays at cyto-and genotoxicity, indicated the safety of the plant extracts for consumption, as supported by their LD₅₀ values. The detoxification properties of T. grandiflora and its combination with T. laurifolia showed more potential than T. laurifolia alone. The MTT results indicated a slight increase in cell viability for the combination (85-91%), T. grandiflora (83-90%), and T. laurifolia (81-82%), compared to the poisoned control cells. Additionally, the comet assay demonstrated increased activity in healing poison-exposed cells, with shorter DNA tails (OTM values) observed in the single plant extracts and the combination compared to the controls. These findings suggest that T. grandiflora and the two-plant combination are a more effective choice for detoxification than T. laurifolia alone. Regarding cytokine gene expression, both IL-10 and TGF-β gene expression with a PHA stimulant were slightly higher in each individual plant species than in the combination. The study suggests this may be beneficial for anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory purposes due to the observed decrease in cytokine expression. Overall, these results support the use of the two plants both individually and in combination.

Keywords: Thunbergia grandiflora, Thunbergia laurifolia, Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)

Jingrui Ji^1,2,4†, Xiangdong Wang^1,2,4†, Shuai Lian^1,2,4, Haoyang Nie^1,2,4, Fa Shi^1,2,4, Fei Peng^1,2,4, Mingxuan Zhao^1,2,4, Ziauddin³, Hongliang Zhang^1,2,4*, Peng Shang^1,2,4*

¹College of Animal Science, Xizang Agriculture and Animal Husbandry University, Linzhi 860000, Xizang, China

²Key Laboratory of Tibetan Pig Genetic Improvement and Reproduction Engineering, Linzhi 860000, Xizang, China

³Center for Advanced Studies in Vaccinology & Biotechnology (CASVAB), University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan

⁴Center for Provincial Departmental Collaborative Innovation of Xizang Characteristic Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Resources Research and Development, Linzhi 860000, Xizang, China

^†These authors contributed equally to this work

*Corresponding author’s email: holingzhang@126.com; shangpeng1984@xza.edu.cn

Received: 17 June 2025 / Accepted: 23 September 2025 / Published Online: 10 October 2025

Abstract

Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapeutic, yet its clinical use is limited by severe nephrotoxicity that often causes acute kidney injury (AKI). Effective, safe strategies to mitigate this remain unmet. We investigated the protective effect of Mirabilis himalaica extract (MHE) against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in mice and explored its underlying mechanisms. Fifty mice were divided into five groups: control negative, cisplatin model (Control positive with 10 mg/kg), and three MHE treatment groups (10, 15, 20 mg/kg/day) following cisplatin (10 mg/kg). Controls and the model group received saline orally; treatment groups received MHE for 14 days. We measured serum creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) levels. Renal histopathology was assessed using H&E staining. Compared to the cisplatin model group, the medium-dose MHE group (15 mg/kg) significantly reduced serum Cr (41.8%, P < 0.01), BUN (24.5%, P < 0.01), and β2-MG levels (17.3%, P < 0.01). Histopathological analysis confirmed that medium-dose MHE markedly attenuated cisplatin-induced renal tubular damage, including epithelial cell swelling, necrosis, and inflammatory infiltration. While high-dose MHE (20 mg/kg) showed a trend in reducing β2-MG, this effect was not statistically significant. Low-dose MHE (10 mg/kg) did not demonstrate significant protection. MHE dose-dependently ameliorates cisplatin-induced AKI in mice, with optimal efficacy observed at 15 mg/kg. The renoprotective effects are associated with attenuation of renal dysfunction and histological damage, potentially mediated through suppression of oxidative stress and inflammation. These findings support MHE as a promising candidate for further development as a natural therapeutic agent against AKI.

Keywords: Acute Renal injury, Cisplatin, Inflammatory response, Mirabilis himalaica, Oxidative stress

Uyen Quynh Nguyen¹, Chi Thi Linh Nguyen¹, Phuong Mai Vu¹, Truong Huu Nguyen², Phuong Hoang Nguyen², Vinh Van Hoang^1*

¹Vietnam National University Hanoi, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam

²Allergy and Clinical Immunology Center, Bachmai Hospital, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam

*Corresponding author’s email: vinhhv@vnu.edu.vn

Received: 17 July 2025 / Accepted: 20 September 2025 / Published Online: 08 October 2025

Abstract

Blomia tropicalis, a common house dust mite, serves as a significant indoor allergen in tropical climates such as Vietnam. Precise identification of key allergens plays a crucial role in enabling component-resolved diagnostics and applying allergen-specific immunotherapies. In this study, we investigated the recombinant expression and immunological evaluation of Blo t 1, a cysteine protease allergen obtained from B. tropicalis isolated in Vietnam. The Blo t 1 gene, after codon optimization and signal peptide removal, was cloned into the pPICZα A vector and expressed in Pichia pastoris. IgE-binding ability of the recombinant Blo t 1 was assessed using sera from 53 subjects (21 males, 32 females; aged 6–72 years), including 29 patients sensitized to B. tropicalis and 24 non-allergic controls. The purified recombinant protein with an approximate molecular weight of 47 kDa, including ~37 kDa from the truncated Blo t 1 sequence, a C-terminal His-tag, and ~10 kDa from the α-factor secretion signal, was purified using His-tag affinity chromatography. Dot blot results indicated that 23 out of the 29 allergic sera (79.3%) displayed IgE reactivity to the Blo t 1, which was further validated by western blot analysis. These findings support that Blo t 1 is a major allergen in the Vietnamese population and highlight its potential as a molecular tool for improving the accuracy of allergy diagnostics and the development of targeted immunotherapies in Vietnam. This work also adds to the limited data on B. tropicalis allergens expressed in yeast systems.

Keywords: Allergen, Blomia tropicalis, Blo t 1, IgE-binding reactivity, Pichia pastoris

Nguyen Van Chuong^1,3*, Tran Thanh Liem^1,3, Tran Le Kim Tri^2,3, Nguyen Ngoc Phuong Trang^1,3, Phan Tran Hai Dang^1,3

¹Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, An Giang University, Vietnam

²Department of Laboratory, An Giang University, Vietnam

³Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

*Corresponding author’s email: nvchuong@agu.edu.vn

Received: 16 July 2025 / Accepted: 19 September 2025 / Published Online: 29 September 2025

Abstract

Arsenic (As) contamination poses a serious threat to crop productivity and food safety in the Mekong Delta. This study evaluated the synergistic effects of Bacillus songklensis (BS), Bacillus siamensis WD-32 (WD-32), and vermicompost (VA) on soil fertility, peanut growth, yield, and arsenic accumulation. A field experiment was conducted in An Phu commune, An Giang province, Vietnam, using two factors with (factor 1) three vermicompost (VA) rates (0, 5, and 10 t ha⁻¹) and (factor 2) three microbial inoculation treatments: BS, WD-32, and their combination. The studied results revealed that the combined application of 10 t ha⁻¹ VA with both bacterial strains significantly improved soil chemical properties, including pH (6.10), CEC (7.98 cmol⁺ kg⁻¹), SOM (2.21%), TN (0.20%), AP (352 mg kg⁻¹), and EK (160 mg kg⁻¹). This integrated treatment also promoted plant development, pod formation, and achieved the highest fresh pod yield (7.34 t ha⁻¹), representing an 11% increase compared to the control (Without BS, WD-32 and VA). Notably, this treatment reduced As accumulation in stems and seeds by 25% and 30%, respectively, relative to the control. The synergistic effects were clearly demonstrated through key interaction parameters, confirming that the co-application of BS, WD-32 and VA is more effective than single applications. These findings highlight the potential of combining VA application with seed inoculation using BS and WD-32 as a sustainable strategy to enhance peanut yield and reduce arsenic uptake under field conditions, particularly in arsenic-contaminated areas.

Keywords: Animal manures, Arsenic, Beneficial bacteria, Groundnut, Organic amendment

Rui Jin^1†, Chang An^2†, Bingrui Wang^3†, Changbin Liu¹, Xiaopeng Fan⁴, Zongshen Zhang^1*

¹ Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Plant Cell Culture Research, School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China

² Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Center for Genomics, College of Life Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China

³ College of Plant Science & Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China

⁴ Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Technology, Hangzhou 310018, China

^† These authors contributed equally to this work

*Corresponding author’s email: zhangzs@dlpu.edu.cn

Received: 14 May 2025 / Accepted: 11 September 2025 / Published Online: 29 September 2025

Abstract

Psammosilene tunicoides is a well-known representative of “Miao medicine” in China, has high market demand and application potential. However, wild resources are scarce and increasingly endangered due to overharvesting. To address this issue, this study investigates the potential of bioreactor-cultivated hairy roots (HRs) of P. tunicoides as a sustainable alternative to wild medicinal resources. We first examined the bioreactor cultivation of P. tunicoides HRs, with emphasis on their growth, bioactive compound accumulation, and biological activities. HRs were cultured in 10 L bioreactors for up to 45 days. At 30 days of culture, the results showed that the biomass and growth rate of HRs reached 138.19±2.77 g and 0.233±0.06 g/d, respectively, with a saponin content of 11.41±0.02 %, which exceeded the levels observed in five-year-old wild. P. tunicoides. In addition, the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the HRs were evaluated. Before deglycosylation, the DPPH radical scavenging rate was 65%, increasing to 83% after deglycosylation. Similarly, hydroxyl radical scavenging rates were 65% and 80%, and superoxide anion scavenging rates were 48.2% and 81.6% before and after deglycosylation, respectively. The deglycosylated saponins exhibited scavenging effects comparable to vitamin C, likely due to the removal of impurities by AB-8 macroporous adsorption resin. Antibacterial tests showed that deglycosylated saponins had a higher inhibitory effect on gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus > M. luteus > E. coli > P. aeruginosa) than on gram-negative bacteria. Taken together, the consistent enhancement in saponin levels, antioxidant capacity, and antibacterial performance underscores the pharmacological robustness of bioreactor-cultivated HRs. These findings indicate that bioreactor-cultivated P. tunicoides HRs possess similar biological activities to wild P. tunicoides, supporting the feasibility of using cell engineering methods to sustainably replace rare and endangered wild medicinal resources.

Keywords: Psammosilene tunicoides, Hairy roots, Bioreactor cultivation, Antioxidant activity, Antibacterial activity

Arwa Ishaq A Khayyat^1,2*

¹ Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

*Corresponding author’s email: aalkhyyat@ksu.edu.sa

Received: 20 May 2025 / Accepted: 23 September 2025 / Published Online: 29 September 2025

Abstract

Syzygium aromaticum exhibits diverse pharmacological activities due to its antioxidant potential. Therefore, this study addressed the mechanisms of S. aromaticum extract (SAE) treatment on HT-29 cells proliferation. SAE has an adequate content of phytochemicals. The IC₅₀ of SAE for HT-29 cells was calculated to be 137.81 ± 1.25 µg/ml after 48 hours. Treatment with SAE showed significant increase in the percentage of apoptotic HT-29 cells, with significant increase in their count in the G0/1 and S-phases, along with significant decrease in the G2/M phase. Significant downregulations of the Hh, Wnt-4, and PDGFR-β genes was represented in the colorectal cell lines (HT-29) after treatment with SAE. Collectively, these results demonstrate that SAE inhibits HT-29 cell proliferation by activating apoptosis and interfering with cilia signal transduction, highlighting its potential as a natural therapeutic candidate against colorectal cancer.

Keywords: Syzygium aromaticum extract, Colorectal cancer, Cell proliferation, Apoptosis, Cell cycle, Cilia signal transduction

Saima Mumtaz^1,2,3, Muhammad Azam Khan^1*, Armghan Shahzad⁴, Rashid Mehmood Rana^5*, Irfan Ali¹

¹Department of Horticulture, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, 46300, Pakistan

²Horticultural Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad, Pakistan

³Horticultural Science Department, North Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida/IFAS, Quincy, FL 32351, USA

⁴National Institute of Genomics & Biotechnology (NAGAB), NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan

⁵Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan

*Corresponding authors’ email: rashid.pbg@uaar.edu.pk; drazam1980@uaar.edu.pk

Received: 22 February 2025 / Accepted: 20 August 2025 / Published Online: 22 September 2025

Abstract

A study was designed to determine the influence of different rootstocks on the growth, leaf nutrient composition, and physiological parameters of Kinnow (C. nobilis×C. deliciosa). In this experiment, two years old grafted plants of Kinnow on nine citrus rootstocks, including Trifoliate orange  (Poncirus trifoliata), C-35 citrange (Ruby orange ×Webber-Fawcett trifoliate), Troyer citrange (C. sinensis “Washington”× Poncirus trifoliata), Carrizo citrange (C. sinensis “Washington”× Poncirus trifoliata), Benton citrange (Poncirus trifoliate × C. sinensis), Cleoptera mandarin (C. reshni), Cox mandarin (C. reticulata ‘Scarlet mandarin’ × Poncirus trifoliata ‘trifoliate orange’), Rough lemon (C. jambhiri), and Sour orange (C. aurantifolia) was used. The research was carried out over two consecutive years in the Pothowar region, Islamabad, Pakistan. Results revealed that different citrus rootstocks significantly affected ‘Kinnow’ growth in both years at P<0.05. ‘Carrizo’ rootstock resulted in significant increase in scion diameter, rootstock diameter, graft union diameter, leaf number, and leaf area of Kinnow in the year 2023. For physiological parameters, ‘Kinnow’ leaves had higher ‘An’, ‘ci’, ‘WUE’ values and Chlorophyll contents (SPAD) when plants were grafted onto Carrizo rootstock in 2022 and 2023, whereas VPD values were only higher on Carrizo rootstock during 2023. Regarding leaf nutrient compositions, ‘Kinnow’ leaves showed a notable increase in nitrogen (N) content when grafted onto Carrizo rootstock in 2023. Similarly, higher values of leaf potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) contents were observed when ‘Kinnow’ was grafted onto Carrizo rootstock. Overall, plants grafted on Poncirus had lower values of ‘VPD’, ‘gs’, ‘Ci’, ‘E’ compared to others during the studied period. Significant correlations among the morphological, physiological, and leaf nutrient compositions were identified at the P<0.01 and P<0.05 significance levels, showing that all the investigated parameters were strongly correlated. In conclusion, Kinnow had more growth on the ‘Carrizo’ rootstock, showing better results for growth vigor, nutrient uptake and physiological attributes.

Keywords: Citrus, Rootstocks, Kinnow, Carrizo, Nutrient composition, Cox, Physiological parameters, PCA

Shaokun Sun^1,2, Meng Li², Lili Zhao¹, Shujun Liu¹*

¹Institute of Vegetable Research, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, China

²College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agriculture University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China

*Corresponding author’s email: llssjj2000@163.com

Received: 04 May 2025 / Accepted: 11 September 2025 / Published Online: 20 September 2025

Abstract

Fertiliser application can enhance soil fertility while influencing the structure and diversity of archaeal communities in croplands. However, the relationship between soil fertility and Archaea remains insufficiently explored. Here, we examined this interaction in a 34-year vegetable fertilisation experiment in Northeast China. Six treatments were selected: an unfertilised control (CK), organic fertiliser alone (MN₀), nitrogen fertiliser combined with organic fertiliser (MN₁ and MN₂), and nitrogen fertiliser alone (N₁ and N₂). Results indicated that Organic fertilizer treatments (MN0/MN1/MN2) significantly increased soil organic matter (36.1%–51.1%), total nitrogen (51.1%–88.9%), available phosphorus (2.2–5.1-fold), and available potassium (3.0–4.0-fold), whereas sole nitrogen fertilization (N1/N2) induced soil acidification and salinization risk. Combined fertilization (MN1) stimulated hydrolase activities (urease increased by 149%–217%, invertase increased by 60–130%), boosted enhanced nitrogen-phosphorus transformation (neutral phosphatase increased by 102%); Thaumarchaeota (87%) dominated as the core phylum, exhibiting significant negative correlations with SOM, EC, and catalase (CAT) activity (P<0.05); Sole nitrogen fertilization enriched Euryarchaeota (N1:10%) and Marine Group II (N1:9.5%); Organic amendments promoted unclassified archaeal proliferation (MN1:29%), with LEfSe identifying Soil Crenarchaeotic Group SCG as a biomarker for organic treatments; The tomato yield under combined fertilization (MN1) reached 2.5 times that of CK, showing significant correlation with Thaumarchaeota abundance (P<0.05). These results suggested that integrated organic-inorganic fertilization synergistically improves nutrient use efficiency and sustains soil health by optimizing archaeal community structure (elevating Thaumarchaeota/unclassified taxa) and enhancing enzymatic networks, providing microbial regulation targets for precision agriculture in greenhouse systems.

Keywords: Archaea, Soil fertility, Soil enzymes, High throughput sequencing