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Astragalus Stocksii a local flowering plant found in Hana Valley, Quetta Pakistan, used as home medicinal plant form many years. It is an encouraging source of bioactive compounds and has been conventionally manipulated for the coverage of several diseases. The present study based on the evaluation of phenolics, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory activities of Astragalus Stocksii by using three different solvents, i.e.; acetone, ethanol and methanol. The results showed that extraction yield depends upon the type of the solvents used for extraction. Among these, extraction in methanol has the highest phenolic contents (10.086±0.08mg CE/g DW), total antioxidant capacity (TAC, IC50 =14.50±0.01 μg/mL, phospho-molibdenum method, IC50 = 66.62± 0.03 μg/mL by DPPH method) and high anti-inflammatory activity (IC50 =75.0 ±2.5 μg/mL, oxidative burst assay). These results indicate that methanol is the best solvent for extraction of phenolic and antioxidants in Astragalus Stocksii. The high results of anti-inflammatory for Astragalus Stocksii suggests its use in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calotropis procera is a medicinal, traditional, and therapeutic plant in Pakistan. In this research study, the biological activities, for instance, anticancer, antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and brine shrimp lethality assay and GC-MS are studied. MTT assay, antileishmanial bioassay, microplate Alamar Blue assay, agar tube dilution method, oxidative burst assay using chemiluminescence technique, B-hatching techniques, and triple quadrupole acquisition method MS parameters were the methods used for anticancer, antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, brine shrimp lethality assay, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) inhibited 69.1% of the growth of HeLa cell line with an IC50 value of 3.1 ± 0.4 and whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) and whole plant and aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) inhibited the growth by 70.2% and 65.2% with IC50 values of 5.0 ± 0.3 and 17.1 ± 1.0. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) inhibited 70.1% of the growth of the PC3 cell line with an IC50 value of 5.1 ± 0.3 and whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) and whole plant aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) inhibited 61.6% and 59.7% with IC50 values of 3.7 ± 0.5 and 16.4 ± 1.0. None of the extract and fractions of Calotropis procera showed anticancer activities against the 3T3 cell line. None of the extract and fractions of Calotropis procera showed antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) exhibited lethality at the highest concentration while other fractions did not exhibit lethality. GC-MS studies revealed that the whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) consists of 11 compounds, whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) consists of 9 compounds, and whole plant aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) consists of 7 compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Karakoram Mountain Range (KMR) is one of the largest mountain ranges in the world, with ∼37% of its area glaciated. Glaciers harbor various microbes, including bacteria exposed to various extreme conditions. To thrive under these conditions, bacteria adopt various strategies, one of the most important being the production of pigments. Here, we present the geochemistry of ice, sediment and meltwaters sampled from Ghulmet, Ghulkin and Hopar glaciers of the Karakoram Range, Pakistan. In addition, we report the first information on the diversity of pigmented bacteria evaluated using a culture-dependent method and determined pigment production response of selected bacterial species to different temperatures. Geochemical analyses revealed Ca2+ and SO42– to be the most abundant cation and anion species across all glacial samples. Total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (T.N.) and total phosphorus (T.P.) were found in the sediments of all glaciers studied in current research. Bacterial species were capable of producing a variety of different pigments, including alloxanthin, astaxanthin, bacterioruberin, β-carotene, 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, peridinin, violacein and zeaxanthin. Culturable bacterial diversity based on two molecular biomarkers, 16S rRNA and rpoB gene, revealed total of 82 bacterial strains representing 25 genera across all glacial samples. This study provides the first characterization of glacier-associated, pigment-producing bacterial communities from the KMR. Findings are important for consideration of alternative sources of conventional pigment production in industrial fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1984 the Indian and Pakistani armies have been locked in the world's highest war on Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram Himalaya. This remote location is the world's only nuclear trijunction as well as a source of drinking water for significant portions of India and Pakistan, and its possession is considered by both governments to be key to their national security. In the past, alpine battles were fought predominantly on glaciers with a precipitation-dominated accumulation type; Siachen, however, gains most of its new ice mass from avalanches and icefalls. This has presented unique challenges in tactics and logistics, rendering many of the strategies of modern conventional warfare useless, and the style of mountain warfare these challenges have produced has impacted both the combatants and the glacier itself. Existing literature on Siachen, while it discusses the verticality of the conflict, has done little to analyze the singular nature of warfare on a high-altitude glacier with an avalanche-heavy accumulation type. This paper draws on USGS Landsat data, glaciological mass balance studies, hydrological studies, firsthand combat accounts and historical reviews of the region to examine the unique tactics, logistics and impact of warfare on Siachen Glacier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria inhabiting non-polar glaciers are exposed to large variations in temperature, which significantly affects the fluidity of bacterial cell membranes. In order to maintain normal functions of the cell membranes, psychrophilic bacteria adapt by changing the composition of cell membrane fatty acids. However, information on the exact pattern of cell membrane adaptability in non-polar low-temperature habitats is scarce. In the present study, 42 bacterial strains were isolated from the Ghulmet, Ghulkin, and Hopar glaciers of the Hunza Valley in the Karakoram Mountain Range, Pakistan and their cell membrane fatty acid distributions studied, using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for the analysis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) liberated by acid-catalyzed methanolysis. Furthermore, Gram-negative and Gram-positive groups were grown under different temperature settings (5, 15, 25, and 35°C) in order to determine the effect of temperature on cell membrane (CM) fatty acid distribution. The analyses identified the major groups of cell membrane fatty acids (FA) as straight-chain monounsaturated fatty acids (n -MUFAs) and branched fatty acids (br -FAs), accounting for more than 70% of the fatty acids analyzed. The distribution of br-FAs and n -FAs in bacterial cell membranes was significantly affected by temperature, with the level of br-FAs decreasing relative to n -FAs with increasing temperature. Notably, the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was only seen at lower temperatures. This study contributes to understanding, for the first time, the role of br-FAs in the maintenance of cell membrane fluidity of bacteria inhabiting non-polar habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hindu Kush mountains spread over Northern areas of Pakistan having hundreds of glaciers representing a unique ecosystem driven by the specific geochemistry and climate. The current study measured the distribution of culturable fungi in Tirich Mir glacier, Hindu Kush range, and the potential of these isolates to show antimicrobial activity and produce biotechnologically important enzymes. Samples of glacial ice, sediments, and meltwater were collected from Tirich Mir glacier, and 46 fungal strains were isolated and characterized for identity and biotechnological applications. The findings revealed Penicillium (10) as the most common genus, followed by Alternaria (9), Cladosporium (7), Coprinopsis, two isolates each belonging to genus Phoma, Ulocladium, Epicoccum, Onygenales, and Didymella, and one isolate of genus Davidiella, Aspergillus, Geomyces, Dothideomycetes, Pseudogymnoascus, Irpex, Scopulariopsis, Ascochyta, Tomicus, and Davidiellaceae. Davidiella tassiana HTF9 showed growth in the presence of 18% NaCl and pH 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. The isolates Ulocladium sp. and Onygenales sp. inhibited the growth of test fungi, Gram‐negative and positive bacteria. Fungal strains were capable of producing cold‐active enzymes, including cellulase, lipase, amylase, and deoxyribonuclease. The isolate Penicillium chrysogenum HTF24 was an efficient producer of amylase, deoxyribonuclease, and cellulase. The fungi of high‐altitude glaciers are potent candidates for biotechnological applications; however, studies using more sensitive techniques are needed for further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, cyanobacterium isolate CHS1 isolated from Hopar glacier, Pakistan, was analyzed for the first time for cell membrane fatty acids and production of pigments. Sequencing of the 16-23S intergenetic region confirmed identification of the isolate CHS1 as Nodularia spumigena. All chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography and experiments to test tolerance against a range of physico-chemical conditions were conducted. Likewise, the fatty acid profile of the cell membrane CHS1 was analyzed using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. The cyanobacterium isolate CHS1 demonstrated tolerance to 8 g/L% NaCl, 35°C and pH 5–9. The characteristic polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) of isolate CHS1, C18:4, was observed in fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) extracted from the cell membrane. CHS1 was capable of producing saturated fatty acids (SFA) (e.g., C16:0), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (e.g., C18:1) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (e.g., C20:5) in the cell membrane. In this study, we hypothesize that one mechanism of cold adaptation displayed by isolate CHS1 is the accumulation of high amounts of PUFA in the cell membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]