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Energy consumption is growing with each passing day. With the declining oil resources and environmental concerns for the power and transport sector, a search for better alternative is desired. Here, biofuels are one potential source in which castor bean plant, being a non-edible crop, has advantage of facile cultivation in Pakistan. However, castor oil biodiesel suffers from poor performance due to its high viscosity. To overcome this challenge, few researchers tested oxygenated additive-based ternary blends especially with castor biodiesel. Moreover, there is no comparative analysis on performance and emissions of these ternary blends among themselves in a single engine. Hence, we investigated, the effect of castor biodiesel–diesel blend with different oxygenated additives in detail. Ethanol, butanol, diethyl ether and dibutyl ether were used as additives. It was observed that the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) for all blends was lower up to 3.3 kW brake power. Upon increasing to 4.24 kW, the four blends showed higher BTE of up to 30% for the first time by addition of 5% diethyl ether. We also report a significant reduction of NOx (minimum value of 550 ppm) and HC emissions (minimum value of 19.5 ppm) for all ternary blends. The key highlights revealed diethyl ether blend with B20 significantly decreased brake-specific energy consumption by 8%, increased brake thermal efficiency by 8.76%, decreased brake-specific fuel consumption by 2.6% and decreased CO and HC emissions by 15.7% and 47.3%, respectively, at highest applied load against brake power of 4.24 kW when compared with diesel. Furthermore, it also showed significant reduction in NOx and CO2 emissions at all loads. Our study would be useful for finding economic as well as environmentally friendly renewable energy sources to substitute diesel with castor-based B20 blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil quality and quantity in oil seed crops are very much influenced by environmental conditions. Fatty acid composition of Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) reflects its oil quality. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to see the Pothwar environmental condition effects on quality of castor bean oil. For the purpose, castor bean oil (Ricinus communis L.) two years experimental data from the stand point of oil content and oil quality were collected and analyzed having four sowing dates 15th July, 30th July, 15th August and 30th August using four varieties (DS-30, PR-7/1, PR101, Local) crop planted at National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad. Randomized complete block design (split plot) having three replications was followed by sowing dates and varieties. Castor bean oil was analyzed for fatty acid profile and oil content by using soxhlet extr action apparatus and gas chromatography. Results revealed significant differences among oil quality components among castor cultivars and differ significantly (p<0.05) from the view point of oil content, linoleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid and protein but indicated no difference significantly (p>0.05) in oleic acid and ricin oleic acid. Among cultivars, DS-30 showed maximum oil content (49.356 %) and ricin oleic acid (87.978%). The most important component of castor oil the ricin oleic acid% was found highest by sowing date 15th July in all the varieties while highest oil content was also obtained with sowing date 15 July. The present research is the first report on oil contents and its quality extracted from the castor grown under climate of Pothwar area of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, is parasitic to the plants and greatly damages the root of many vegetables. The current in-Planta study was designed to explore the nematicidal properties of several botanicals (neem oil, garlic oil, castor oil, extracts of Tagetes patula and Datura inoxia at a standard dose of 2.0%) at District Peshawar, Pakistan. Tomato (cv. Riogrande) was grown in earthen pots for the growing seasons of 2014 to 2016. Pure culture of the root-knot nematodes were grown in laboratory and were applied at the rate of 50 infective juvenile and 200 eggs per root system through soil drench method. Neem oil and Datura inoxia gave the best results by having lower number (2.8 and 5.8, respectively) of galls. Adult females and egg masses were also reduced to 0.9 and 4.8, respectively, per root system. All the treatments differences were statistically significant (P= 0.05). Plant growth parameters were also upraised with application of medicinal herbs. This study highlights the nematicidal properties of botanicals for the safe and cheap management of the prevalent root knot nematode. Hence, it is recommended to the farmers for the use of these naturally occurring organic nematicides instead of commercial petro-chemicals that have ill effect on our environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eruca sativa L. (known as taramira in South Asia) oil biodiesel shows good fuel properties when tested against ASTM D 6751 standard. Environmental performance of taramira oil B10 (10% (v/v) biodiesel blends with mineral diesel fuel, which is based upon the target set by the Government of Pakistan for 2025) in terms of engine exhaust emissions of CO2, CO, SO2, NOx and PM10 is compared with jatropha, castor and canola oil BIO fuels and found to be better. However, its calorific value is low thus resulting in poor engine performance in comparison to other B10 fuels. In addition, due to the high cost of taramira oil at present, it is not economical to produce in comparison to jatropha biodiesel. Study suggested that these drawbacks may be circumvented by growing taramira plants on large scale on marginal lands across South Asian countries and conducting further research to increase its calorific value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional naturopaths of Punjab Province (Pakistan) have trivial usage of Anagallis arvensis Linn.(Primulaceae) for cure of diarrhea, constipation, asthma as well as hypertension. Present research was focused to discover comprehensive mechanism of spasmogenic, spasmolytic, bronchorelaxant and hypotensive folkloric usage of Anagallis arvensis Linn.. The crude extract of Anagallis arvensis Linn. (Aa.Cr) & its (aqueous & organic) portions tested in-vitro on isolated jejunum, ileum, trachea, aorta, paired atria preparations as well as in-vivo in mice & normotensive anaesthetized rats. The responses have been noted by transducers (isotonic & isometric) coupled to Power Lab. Anagallis arvensis Linn. (Aa.Cr; crude aqueous-alcoholic extract) produced contractile action at low concentrations but relaxant action was observed by increasing concentrations on spontaneous contractions of isolated jejunum of rabbit. But, pre-treatment of tissue with atropine prior extract caused suppression of contractile effect indicating presence of cholinergic muscarinic response of Aa.Cr. It also triggered relaxation of high Potassium -stimulated contractions of jejunum with subsequent non-parallel right move in Ca++ CRCs. Moreover, Aa.Cr relaxed carbachol - & high Potassium - stimulated contractions in trachea of rabbit but observed relaxant effect was powerful against CCh (1 μM)- stimulated contractions with rightside parallel move of CCh-curves succeeded by non-parallel move, like Dicyclomine, having dual activities. The Aa.Cr also showed relaxant result on Phenylephrine and High Potassium -prompted contractions in endothelium intact aorta. The fractionation revealed segregations of contractile & relaxant effects in relevant aqueous & organic portions. The Intravenous administration of Aa.Cr to ketamine-diazepam anaesthetized normo-tensive albino rats resulted in decreased MABP, SBP & DBP. The Aa.Cr applied negative (−) inotropic & chronotropic action on paired atria. The Aa.Cr also exhibited anti-diarrheal action in mice against castor oil prompted diarrhea and also mitigated distance covered by charcoal meal in gastrointestinal tract in a manner comparable with loperamide. These results revealed presence of CCB and selective muscarinic agonist activity in Aa.Cr, hence validating folkloric practice of Anagallis arvensis Linn. in diarrhea, constipation, asthma & hypertension. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous ailments have been effectively treated with natural plants for long time all over the world. Plants provided a back bone for the exploration of novel medicinal compounds. Therefore, chief focus of our study was to isolate the biologically active compounds from the plant source and evaluate their antidiarrheal potentials, as diarrhea is still the most dominant disease in developing countries. The isolation and structure elucidation of two new compounds were identified from methanolic and chloroform extracts of Psidium guajava (guava) leaves. Extracts of plants were acquired by successive maceration from dried powder. Castor oil induced diarrheal-model was used to evaluate the antidiarrheal activity and therapeutic response was endorsed to the suppression of normal and wet stools in Spraug Dawley rats. Through the series of fractionations, compound-A was obtained from methanolic extract and named 3-(4-amino 1,3,8-tri-OH 5,6-di-CH 3 7-propyl 1,2,3,4,4a,5,8,8a-octahydronaphthalen 2-yl) propanoic3-(4-NH3 7-butyl 1,3,8-tri-OH 5,6-di-CH 3 1,2,3,4,4a,5,8,8a-octahydronaphthalen 2-yl)propanoic anhydride. Compound-B was entitled 5-(3-hydroxy-1,4-di-CH3-1,2,3,4,4a,5,8,8a-octahydronaphthalen-2-yl)pent-3-enoic acid was acquired from the chloroform extract. The structure elucidations of both compounds were interpreted through spectroscopic data, including EI-MS, FTIR, 1 HNMR and 13 C-NMR. The significant antidiarrheal activities were determined with crude extracts and isolated compounds. In inference, present study revealed that substantial antidiarrheal feature of guava is confined to the identified compounds.