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Abstract\nNOVELTY STATEMENTThis review article explores the applications of Basella alba (Malabar spinach), a fast-growing vine plant known for its numerous health benefits, culinary uses, and potential in dye and oil production. Fluoride contamination in water poses a significant global health and environmental challenge, particularly in regions where natural and industrial activities lead to elevated fluoride levels. Among its varied applications, B. alba has shown significant promise in the phytoremediation of contaminants in both water and soil, owing to its hyper accumulating capacities. The plant has a transfer factor value of more than 1 which means that there is higher accumulation of contaminants in parts of the plant than in soil. The objective of this review is to assess the feasibility of B. alba in contributing to sustainable water management solutions for fluoride contamination, while offering a comprehensive evaluation of its environmental remediation potential. The article examines the biosorption capabilities of B. alba based on its established use in phytoremediation, offering insights into its suitability for addressing fluoride contamination in water. This article is organized into sections starting with an introduction, which brings explains the global challenge of fluoride, and different treatment techniques justifying why biosorption needs to be considered, cases of application of phytoremediation using B. Alba, and finally exploring the success factors for plants that have been applied for both biosorption and phytoremediation.This review article presents a novel exploration of Basella alba (Malabar spinach) as a biosorbent—a material capable of adsorbing contaminants from solutions—for fluoride removal from aqueous environments. While B. alba is well-known for its health benefits, culinary uses, and broad phytoremediation capabilities, its specific application in fluoride biosorption remains underexplored. This review addresses that gap by providing key findings on the plant’s fluoride adsorption capacity, the influence of pretreatment methods (such as chemical modification), and its efficiency under varying environmental conditions. Additionally, the paper explores the synergistic effects of combining biosorption with other treatment strategies, demonstrating B. alba’s potential for enhanced performance. By focusing on how B. alba can contribute to the pressing challenge of fluoride contamination in water—an issue that poses significant health risks in many regions—this research introduces a sustainable, low-cost, and eco-friendly approach to water purification. The findings contribute to advancing plant-based environmental remediation methods, offering a viable solution to fluoride pollution in areas where traditional treatments may be less accessible or affordable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basella alba has been used in Thai remedies to treat skin disorders, but scientific evidence supporting its efficacy is currently limited. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of B. alba extracts on melanin production using melanoma cells, as well as their impact on oxidative stress and inflammation in keratinocytes. The results demonstrate that B. alba extracts inhibited melanin content and cellular tyrosinase activity in 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX)-induced melanoma cells by downregulating MITF and the pigmentary genes TYR, TRP-1, and DCT. Interestingly, the MITF regulator gene was inhibited by both the 50% and 95% ethanolic extracts of B. alba with levels of 0.97 ± 0.19 and 0.92 ± 0.09 of the control, respectively, which are comparable to those observed in the arbutin treatment group at 0.84 ± 0.05 of the control. Moreover, after hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exposure, pretreatment with B. alba reduced lipid peroxidation byproducts and increased the levels of antioxidant-related genes, including SOD-1, GPX-1, and NRF2. Notably, the suppression of the POMC promoter gene in keratinocytes was observed, which may disrupt melanogenesis in melanocytes involving the MC1R signaling pathway. MC1R mRNA expression decreased in the treatments with 50% and 95% ethanolic extracts of B. alba, with relative levels of 0.97 ± 0.18 and 0.90 ± 0.10 of the control, respectively, similar to the arbutin-treated group (0.88 ± 0.25 of control). A significant reduction in nitric oxide was also observed in the B. alba-treated groups, along with a decrease in genes associated with pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, and COX-2. These findings suggest that B. alba has potential in the prevention of skin-related problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture has always played a vital role in the economic development of Bangladesh. In Agriculture, leaf diseases have become an issue because they can lead to a major drop in both quality and quantity of crops. Therefore, leveraging technology to automatically detect diseases on leaves plays an important role in farming. Malabar Spinach (Basella alba) is a well-known, widely grown leafy vegetable, which is valued for its nutritional benefits. However, there is almost no dataset that can aid in identifying diseases affecting this important crop, which often leads to decreased quality as well as financial drawback. This lack of resources makes it difficult for farmers to recognize and manage common diseases. Our purpose is to solve this problem by creating a unique dataset of Bangladesh's Malabar Spinach leaves that will ease agricultural management and disease detection. Our dataset contains both healthy and diseased samples, categorised into four common ailments: Anthracnose, Bacterial Spot, Downy Mildew, and Pest Damage. We collected 3,006 original images in total. Images were collected from various locations in Bangladesh, including Mirpur, Savar, Sirajganj and Gazipur, with photographs taken under natural lighting conditions at different times of the day. This dataset will help the researchers for further research on Malabar Spinach disease detection implementing various efficient computational models and applying advanced machine learning techniques.

This study investigates the extraction, phytochemical screening, and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) estimation of bioactive compounds from Boerhavia diffusa, Kaempferia galanga, and Basella alba. These plants are renowned for their traditional medicinal uses and potential therapeutic properties. The extraction was performed using solvents such as ethanol and methanol, and the extracts were analyzed to identify the presence of key phytochemicals including alkaloids, flavonoids, and saponins through qualitative screening methods. HPLC was employed to quantify specific compounds, providing insights into their concentration and potential therapeutic value. The results revealed distinct profiles of phytochemicals across the plant extracts, with significant quantities of bioactive compounds associated with their medicinal benefits. This comprehensive analysis highlights the pharmacological potential of these plants and supports their continued use in traditional medicine, as well as potential applications in modern therapeutic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation was conducted to analyze the effects of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) on the bioactive compounds from Basella alba leaves. The experiment used response surface methodology (RSM) to assess the independent variables, which included solvent concentration (50 to 100%), treatment time (5 to 15 min), and amplitude percentage (70 to 90%). The solvent used was ethanol. The extraction yield of response variables was predicted using the RSM and ANN-GA approach. The experimental values of total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity (AA) ranged from 4.13 to 8.12 mgQEg−1, 5.30–8.23 mgGAEg−1, and 0.29–0.63 mgGAEACg−1 respectively. For the optimized conditions obtained using RSM, the predicted values of TFC, TPC, and AA were 8.31 mgQEg−1, 8.23 mgGAEg−1, and 0.59 mgGAEACg−1, respectively, while the predicted values using ANN-GA were 8.52 mgQEg−1, 7.64 mgGAEg−1, and 0.67 mgGAEACg−1, respectively. ANN-GA exhibited a high R2 value and reduced values for other statistical parameters compared to RSM. Moreover, the predicted ANN-GA value closely matched the experimental value. Thus, it can be considered that ANN-GA is the most optimal model for the optimization and modeling of the UAE process pertaining to the bioactive components derived from B. alba leaf extracts. The findings of the study will aid in efficiently utilizing sustainable techniques for extracting bioactive compounds from B. alba leaves and improving their industrial applications, particularly in the food and therapeutic industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The therapeutic activities of medicinal plants have been associated with their constituent bioactive compounds called phytochemicals. The phytochemicals of methanol and aqueous leaf extracts of Basella alba were assessed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique and pharmacological potential of the phytochemicals were elucidated. The results showed the presence of 8-Methyl-6-nonenoic acid, Valeric acid, but-3-yn-2-yl ester, 3-Decyne, 2- Butynedioic acid, Benzene, propyl-, 5-Ethyl-2-furaldehyde, 2-Pyrazoline, Furan, 3-methyl-, Caryophyllene oxide, Hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, 6-Octen-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl- and transGeranylgeraniol in the methanol extract. Naphthalene, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-, Tetradecanoic acid, 1,5-Heptadiyne, 2-Pentadecanone, 6,10,14-trimethyl, 1,2Benzenedicarboxylic acid,1- Tetradecanol, Heptyl triacontyl ether, Pentadecanoic acid, n-Hexadecanoic acid, Cyclohexadecane, 9-Octadecenoic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, Cyclohexaneethanol, Heptadecanoic acid, 1-Octadecene, 1-Hexadecanol, and 1-Hexadecanol, 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl were identified in the aqueous extract. Some of the pharmacological properties of the identified phytochemicals include: antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, antiinflammatory and neuroprotective effects. The findings derived from this study hereby elucidate the therapeutic value of the plant especially the aqueous extract which contained more phytochemicals with more prominent antioxidant effects. Hence, B. alba plant could serve as a veritable source of therapeutic agent for treatment and management of diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The evaluation of toxicity is of paramount importance in the screening of a new compound. Basella alba mucilage possesses a versatile excipient property that can be innovated with its chemical modification to get the functionalized mucilage. A few pharmacological activities of Basella alba mucilage have also been reported earlier, but its toxicity study in rats has yet to be discussed. Aim: The study aims to assess the in vivo toxicity of carboxymethylated Basella alba mucilage in Wistar albino rats for 28 days. Material and Methods: In the current investigation, Carboxymethylated Basella alba mucilage is taken, and its subchronic toxicity study is carried out in forty-eight healthy rats (twenty-four male rats and 24 female rats), divided into four groups containing six rats of each sex. All the biochemical and hematological parameters and histopathological investigation were estimated for all the animal groups. Result: The subchronic toxicity study reveals that the modified mucilage is safe for all doses (20mg/kg body weight, 40mg/kg body weight, 80 mg/kg body weight). The study showed no significant difference in the dose group's behavioral toxicity, nephrotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity compared to the control. All the hematological and biochemical parameters lay in the normal range. The histopathological examination of treatment groups showed no abnormality or lesion in the tissue samples of internal organs. Conclusion: The study confirms the safety of Carboxymethylated Basella alba mucilage for use in pharmaceutical formulations.

Nineteen new records of flowering plants naturalised in the Kingdom of Tonga are recognised, with the majority of these present in the southern islands of ʻEua and Tongatapu. These records comprise earlier but unpublished collections made by G. P. Buelow and W. R. Sykes, and also collections made in 2023. These records are from seven families, with Asteraceae comprising seven species and Fabaceae and Lamiaceae three each. Basellaceae includes two new records, Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis and Basella alba L. The invasive Anredera was well-established at the location at which it was collected on ʻEua and may pose a threat to the indigenous tropical forest in ʻEua National Park. Many of the other new records are smaller-growing herbaceous species which are likely to have minimal environmental impact as they predominantly occur in disturbed waste places among other weed species. While some of the species listed here were previously recorded as observations in checklists, it has been difficult to locate herbarium vouchers supporting these records and so the vouchers reported here are a provisional first record for these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basella alba is a frequently consumed leafy vegetable. However, research on its nutritional components is limited. This study aimed to explore the variation in the nutritional components and antioxidant capacity of different cultivars and organs of Basella alba. Here, we primarily chose classical spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to characterize the variation in nutritional components and antioxidant capacity among different organs (inflorescences, green fruits, black fruits, leaves, and stems) of eight typical cultivars of Basella alba. The determination indices (and methods) included the total soluble sugar (anthrone colorimetry), total soluble protein (the Bradford method), total chlorophyll (the ethanol-extracting method), total carotenoids (the ethanol-extracting method), total ascorbic acid (the HPLC method), total proanthocyanidins (the p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde method), total flavonoids (AlCl3 colorimetry), total phenolics (the Folin method), and antioxidant capacity (the FRAP and ABTS methods). The results indicated that M5 and M6 exhibited advantages in their nutrient contents and antioxidant capacities. Additionally, the inflorescences demonstrated the highest total ascorbic acid and total phenolic contents, while the green and black fruits exhibited relatively high levels of total proanthocyanidins and antioxidant capacity. In a comparison between the green and black fruits, the green fruits showed higher levels of total chlorophyll (0.77–1.85 mg g−1 DW), total proanthocyanidins (0.62–2.34 mg g−1 DW), total phenolics (15.28–27.35 mg g−1 DW), and ABTS (43.39–59.16%), while the black fruits exhibited higher levels of total soluble protein (65.45–89.48 mg g−1 DW) and total soluble sugar (56.40–207.62 mg g−1 DW) in most cultivars. Chlorophyll, carotenoids, and flavonoids were predominantly found in the leaves of most cultivars, whereas the total soluble sugar contents were highest in the stems of most cultivars. Overall, our findings underscore the significant influence of the cultivars on the nutritional composition of Basella alba. Moreover, we observed notable variations in the nutrient contents among the different organs of the eight cultivars, and proanthocyanidins may contribute significantly to the antioxidant activity of the fruits. On the whole, this study provides a theoretical basis for the genetic breeding of Basella alba and dietary nutrition and serves as a reference for the comprehensive utilization of this vegetable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basella alba has been used in Thai remedies to treat skin disorders, but scientific evidence supporting its efficacy is currently limited. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of B. alba extracts on melanin production using melanoma cells, as well as their impact on oxidative stress and inflammation in keratinocytes. The results demonstrate that B. alba extracts inhibited melanin content and cellular tyrosinase activity in 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX)-induced melanoma cells by downregulating MITF and the pigmentary genes TYR, TRP-1, and DCT. Interestingly, the MITF regulator gene was inhibited by both the 50% and 95% ethanolic extracts of B. alba with levels of 0.97 ± 0.19 and 0.92 ± 0.09 of the control, respectively, which are comparable to those observed in the arbutin treatment group at 0.84 ± 0.05 of the control. Moreover, after hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exposure, pretreatment with B. alba reduced lipid peroxidation byproducts and increased the levels of antioxidant-related genes, including SOD-1, GPX-1, and NRF2. Notably, the suppression of the POMC promoter gene in keratinocytes was observed, which may disrupt melanogenesis in melanocytes involving the MC1R signaling pathway. MC1R mRNA expression decreased in the treatments with 50% and 95% ethanolic extracts of B. alba, with relative levels of 0.97 ± 0.18 and 0.90 ± 0.10 of the control, respectively, similar to the arbutin-treated group (0.88 ± 0.25 of control). A significant reduction in nitric oxide was also observed in the B. alba-treated groups, along with a decrease in genes associated with pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, and COX-2. These findings suggest that B. alba has potential in the prevention of skin-related problems.

The paper discusses the effect of microwave assisted aqueous extraction conditions on the recovery and quantification of bioactive compounds of Basella alba leaves. The experiment was carried out using the Box–Behnken design of response surface methodology (RSM) with microwave power (100–300 W), treatment time (5–15 min), and feed/solvent ratio (0.025–0.05 w/v) as independent variables. The response variables, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity (AA) were predicted individually using both RSM and artificial neural network-genetic algorithm (ANN-GA). Experimental values of TPC, TFC and AA (% of DPPH scavenging assay) ranged from 2.64 to 5.46 mg GAE g−1, 7.38 to 15.71 mg QE g−1 and 0.12 to 0.32 mg GAEAC g−1 respectively. The predicted values of TPC, TFC, and AA for the optimized conditions extracted using RSM are 6.21 mg GAE g−1, 14.29 mg QE g−1, and 0.25 mg GAEAC g−1, respectively, whereas using ANN-GA were 6.23 mg GAE g−1, 11.2 mg QE g−1, and 0.24 mg GAEAC g−1, respectively. When compared to RSM, ANN-GA demonstrated a greater value of R2 and lower values of other statistical parameters. Additionally, the predicted value of ANN-GA was more closely aligned with the experimental value. Therefore, ANN-GA can be considered the best model for the optimization and modeling of aqueous MAE of bioactive components from Basella alba leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basella alba (B. alba) is known for health benefits owing to its beneficial phytochemicals. This study aimed to process B. alba leaves into candies which has prolonged shelf life. B. alba candy was analyzed for the physicochemical characteristics like color, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solid, moisture content, water activity, texture profile analysis. During storage, significant increase in TSS and TA, while a nonsignificant increase in water activity was observed. pH and moisture contents were found to decrease significantly during storage at both ambient and accelerated temperature. Hardness and adhesion of candy showed significant decrease upon storage at both ambient and accelerated temperature. Yeast and mold count of 100 cfu/g suggests that the candies were safe for human consumption during storage at both ambient and accelerated temperature and the desired sensory characteristic of the candy was retained for 28 days at ambient temperature and less than 14 days at accelerated temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The aim of this research was to assess the health risk of textile wastewater reuse as irrigation water on leafy vegetable (Basella alba) by comparing variable growth rate in different ration of wastewater and freshwater irrigation and assess their soil-to-plant transfer factor (TF) and health risk index (HRI). Methods Pot experiments were laid out with five treatments including control with three replications with different irrigation schemes with textile wastewater collected from the untreated point source. The irrigation scheme was, 100 % groundwater as control with four treatments as 75 % groundwater: 25 % wastewater, 50 % groundwater: 50 % wastewater, 25 % groundwater: 75 % wastewater and 100 % wastewater. Results Soil-to-plant TF in different treatments including control were in the order of Pb (1.0â1.7)[Cu (1.3â1.5)[Cd (0.8â1.0)[Zn (0.1â1.1). TF values of Pb and Cu in the range from 1 to 1.7 indicating their accumulation in B. alba plants and their potential health risk by dietary exposure. The HRI for individual metal as well as cumulative HRI of the metals was less than unity (0.33) which indicated the consumption of the vegetables was considered to be safe for one harvest. Conclusion Over many seasons of irrigation with wastewater, level of salinity and heavy metals can accumulate on the agriculture land and their long term consumption may link to a chronic health risk. Hence, consumption of these vegetables on regular basis should be avoided

Malabar spinach (Basella alba) is an underexploited tropical leafy vegetable with high nutritional value and therapeutic properties. The leaves are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants. Identifying appropriate drying methods and conditions for B. alba leaf production and storage can stimulate large-scale manufacture while preserving its intrinsic bioactive components. In this study, an investigation has been carried out to study the impact of thin-layer drying conditions on the retention of bioactive components in B. alba leaves. Drying tests were performed in a hot air oven (50, 60, 70 °C), microwave (600, 650, 700, 750,800 W), and freeze dryer (freezing temperature: -35 °C and vacuum pressure:150 mbar). The drying characteristics of the leaves were investigated. Semi-empirical thin-layer drying models were fitted to the obtained data with the intent to predict the drying behaviour of leaves. Amongst the fitted models, Page and Aghbashlo models showed the best performance with a high R2 value (0.98 – 0.99). The total drying time taken for microwave drying was 98.25% less than the hot air oven drying and 99.19% less than freeze drying. Maximum retention of total phenolic (4.80 ± 0.12 mg GAE g−1) and total flavonoid (5.95 ± 0.02 mg GAE g−1) compounds was observed in freeze-dried samples. Microwave dried samples showed high antioxidant activity than other samples due to less processing time. Results also revealed a less activation energy of 2.22 kJ mol−1 for microwave drying with high moisture diffusivity (1.54 × 10–9 to 4.09 × 10–9 m2s−1).

To achieve the health benefit from the natural of Basella. Albafruit. This study intended to figure out the bioactive compounds in the two varieties of B. alba (native and hybrid) fruit extract and measurement its biological activities like antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic activities and a molecular docking were performed to observed the pharmaceutical impact on the anti-inflammatory Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme. The cold extractions along with GC-MS were used for the extraction of and analysis of phytoconstituents from B. alba fruit. The hemolytic inhibitory and BSA (Bovine serum albumin)-denaturation assay, DPPH(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and H2O2-free radical scavenging analysis, and brine shrimp lethalness test were performed to measure the biological activities of the extracted The biological activities assay results showed that the ethanol extract of native malabar spinach exhibited dose-dependent antioxidant activity. The IC50 value 21.55 ± 1.51 μg/mL was for DPPH scavenging assay and 23.36 ± 0.36 μg/mL was for H2O2 scavenging analysis. In anti-inflammatory activity assessment study, the IC50 values of the ethanol extracts were 20.52 ± 0.91 μg/mL for BSA inhibition and 20.43 ± 1.30 μg/mL for RBC hemolytic inhibitory study. In this study, cytotoxicity test results reveal that aqueous extract exhibited no cytotoxicity as compared to ethanol and ethyl acetate extract (LD50 = 875.27 μg/mL). Conversely, the current study insist the in silico analysis, to find out the anti-inflammatory activity of the investigated two fruit varieties due to pharmacokinetics analysis, toxicity properties analysis, ADMETand molecular docking. The result of this study signified that both (native and hybrid) malabar spinach fruit varieties contain phytoconstituents with potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic action.Moreover, the in vitro and in silico results suggest that the native and hybrid fruit varieties of the extracts could be a superior striver for future appraisal as a prospective therapeutically active ingredient.

Factors such as oxidative stress and reduced acetylcholine level have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease. Green leafy vegetables exhibit neuroprotective activities by various mechanism, one of them being inhibition of acetylcholineesterase (AChE). Inhibition of AChE activity has been accepted as an effective treatment for neurodegenerative disease. AChE inhibitory activity prevents it from breaking down acetylcholine in the brain and improves acetylcholine concentration which leads to increased communication between the nerve cells. Some medicinal plants like Basella alba leaves (BAL) have been found to contain numerous phytochemicals with potent antioxidant effects. The majority of these component phytochemicals scavenge free radicals thereby neutralizing their injurious potentials on body tissues. BAL is an edible perennial vine found in tropical Asia and Africa, known as vegetables containing mucilage. The objective of this research is to estimate antioxidant capacity and AChE inhibitory activity of BAL. The total phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity (FRAP, DPPH, ABTS, RPA) and AChE inhibitory activity of BAL were studied which results into total phenolic and flavonoid content of dried BAL was 664.49 mg GAE/ 100 gm and 950.52 mg RE/ 100 gm whereas total antioxidant capacity using FRAP, RPA, DPPH and ABTS was found to be 695.58, 429.17, 204.50 and 27.08 mg TE/100 gm, respectively. IC50 of fresh BAL for AChE inhibitory activity was 20.02 mg while that of positive control (tacrine) was found to be 0.008 mg. BAL have good antioxidant capacity and AChE inhibitory activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basella alba is a frequently consumed leafy vegetable. However, research on its nutritional components is limited. This study aimed to explore the variation in the nutritional components and antioxidant capacity of different cultivars and organs of Basella alba. Here, we primarily chose classical spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to characterize the variation in nutritional components and antioxidant capacity among different organs (inflorescences, green fruits, black fruits, leaves, and stems) of eight typical cultivars of Basella alba. The determination indices (and methods) included the total soluble sugar (anthrone colorimetry), total soluble protein (the Bradford method), total chlorophyll (the ethanol-extracting method), total carotenoids (the ethanol-extracting method), total ascorbic acid (the HPLC method), total proanthocyanidins (the p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde method), total flavonoids (AlCl3 colorimetry), total phenolics (the Folin method), and antioxidant capacity (the FRAP and ABTS methods). The results indicated that M5 and M6 exhibited advantages in their nutrient contents and antioxidant capacities. Additionally, the inflorescences demonstrated the highest total ascorbic acid and total phenolic contents, while the green and black fruits exhibited relatively high levels of total proanthocyanidins and antioxidant capacity. In a comparison between the green and black fruits, the green fruits showed higher levels of total chlorophyll (0.77–1.85 mg g−1 DW), total proanthocyanidins (0.62–2.34 mg g−1 DW), total phenolics (15.28–27.35 mg g−1 DW), and ABTS (43.39–59.16%), while the black fruits exhibited higher levels of total soluble protein (65.45–89.48 mg g−1 DW) and total soluble sugar (56.40–207.62 mg g−1 DW) in most cultivars. Chlorophyll, carotenoids, and flavonoids were predominantly found in the leaves of most cultivars, whereas the total soluble sugar contents were highest in the stems of most cultivars. Overall, our findings underscore the significant influence of the cultivars on the nutritional composition of Basella alba. Moreover, we observed notable variations in the nutrient contents among the different organs of the eight cultivars, and proanthocyanidins may contribute significantly to the antioxidant activity of the fruits. On the whole, this study provides a theoretical basis for the genetic breeding of Basella alba and dietary nutrition and serves as a reference for the comprehensive utilization of this vegetable.

Abstract The effect of pure multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was studied on the development and morphology of the Basella alba plant. The plants were treated with varying sonicated concentrations of MWCNTs. The parameters taken into consideration were germination percentage of seeds, protein content in the plant, estimation of chlorophyll concentration, and the effect on the soil microbial community after treatment with MWCNTs. A boost in vigour index was recorded with the 200 µg ml−1 concentration of MWCNTs. Increment in other parameters like protein content, chlorophyll concentration, and microbial community in soil samples have also been observed. All parameters showed higher efficiency in a concentration-dependent manner of MWCNTs compared to control by testing the significance of results through statistical one-way ANOVA analysis. The uptake of MWCNTs by plants was confirmed by SEM–EDX analysis of treated and control leaf tissue sections. This study concludes that MWCNTs exhibit significant growth effects with no toxicity to Basella alba. Graphical Abstract

Background: Nicotine has been reported to exert adverse effects on insulin sensitivity, predispose individuals to metabolic syndrome, and induce decreased functionality of the pancreas. The present study evaluated the influence of methanol extract of Basella Alba leaf on glucose utilization in nicotine treated male Wistar rats.Methods: Twenty male rats, weighing 200-240g were divided into four groups of five animals each as follows; Healthy Control (H-C) rats, which were given no treatment but placebo, Nicotine Control (N-C), which received 1.0 mg/kg of nicotine, Low Dose Nicotine + Basella Alba group (LDN-Ba), which received 0.5 mg/kg nicotine and 200mg/kg of MeBa, and High Dose Nicotine + Basella Alba group (HDN-Ba) that were given 1.0 mg/kg of nicotine and 200 mg/kg of MeBa.Results: Following acute nicotine exposure, FBG levels were significantly higher (p ˂ 0.05) in NC, LDN-B and HDN-B rats when compared to H-C. Likewise, OGTT showed a significant (p ˂ 0.05) derangement in N-C and HDN-B when compared to HC and LDN-B groups. Body weight, weight and relative weight of pancreas were significantly decreased (p ˂ 0.05) in all nicotine treated groups when compared to the healthy control group. Histopathology also revealed general distortion of pancreatic histoarchitecture in the nicotine control rats. A significant decrease (p ˂ 0.05) in the blood glucose level and improved OGTT was observed in LDN-B rats after four weeks treatment with Basella Alba compared with N-C.Conclusion: The findings revealed that the dysfunction in glucose metabolism caused by nicotine toxicity is dose dependent and the administration of methanol extract of Basella Alba leaf ameliorate these effects to a greater extent in low dose than in high dose nicotine group.

Purpose This study aims to ascertain the physiochemical characteristics of the compost made from recycled cotton spinning waste (CSW) for Indian Spinach cultivation in Bangladesh.Method The physiochemical characteristics of the compost made of fresh cotton spinning waste (CSW), cotton spinning waste ash (CSWA), rice husk (RH), rice husk ash (RHA) with varying ratios following open air composting method was determined. The utility of the resulting compost was justified by applying it to Indian Spinach cultivation compared with chemical fertilizer and control (no-compost) treatments.Results Among the several composting options, the compost prepared by mixing 87% CSW + 13% CSW ash (C3) and 87% CSW + 13% rice husk (C4) was found to be the quality compost with a higher C/N ratio, P, K, S and a lower Pb content. The vegetative growth, yield and nutritional qualities were significantly affected by the compost characteristics compared to chemical fertilizer because of increased nutrient uptake and biostimulation functions. Moreover, Indian Spinach cultivated with CSW compost provided 64 BDTk. profits compared to 28 BDTk. in case of control that indicates 128% increase in profit for the compost than that of control.Conclusion The compost derived from the mixture of CSW+CSWA+RH+RHA substrates possesses an optimum moisture content (31.2%), pH (7.5), C/N ratio (16.8:1), macronutrients, and micronutrients that enable it to act as an alternative to chemical fertilizer. When it comes to yield and nutrition quality of the grown Indian Spinach, CSW based compost fared much better than chemical fertilizer in field test.

Purpose: Macro and micronutrients rich vegetable and fish wastes are generated hugely in Sri Lanka, but not recycled properly into valuable byproducts. It is a serious problem and needs to be managed to make environment free from pollution. Extraction of nutrients from organic wastes can be used as liquid fertilizers for hydroponic crop production even in congested urban cities. Research Method: Organic hydroponic medium using vegetable waste extracts (M2), fish emulsion (M3), vermi tea (M4), the mixture of M2+M3+M4, and Albert's solution (M1-control) were prepared and tested on Spinach. The experimental setup was arranged in a CRD with four replicates. The nutritional qualities of formulated liquid fertilizers (N, P, K, Ca, Na), pH, EC, spinach growth parameters such as plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area, root length, weight (Fresh /Dry) were measured eight weeks after planting and subjected to ANOVA using SAS 9.1. Tukey's HSD multiple comparison test to identify the best treatment combination at P <0.05. Findings: The results revealed that the amount of each N, P, K, Na, and Ca was significantly different between treatments (P <0.05). The highest quantity of each N (11.1mg/L), P (37.99mg/L), and K (145,5 mmol/L) was detected in M2. Whereas, Na and Ca quantities were highly significant in M4 with the values of 208.7 and 96.2 mmol/L, respectively. Plant height and root length in M1, M2 and M3 were significantly higher than those of other treatments. Fresh and dry weights were also significantly higher in M3, M1 and M2 treatments when compared with other treatments. The highest leaf number and leaf area were also recorded in M3 treatment after 8 weeks of planting. Originality/ Value: This study shows that fish emulsion solution is found to be more promising and both fish emulsion and vegetable waste hydrophonics medium can be used as alternatives to Albert's solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basella alba is an underutilized green leafy vegetable predominantly grown in the Asian subcontinent. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, phenols, and antioxidants. Ferulic acid, gallic acid, caffeic acid, lutein, zeaxanthin, and β-carotene are the major bioactive compounds present in B. alba. However, their potential as ingredients for development of functional foods has not been fully explored. Extraction and encapsulation of bioactive compounds from Basella alba will help in their incorporation into foods imparting functionality to the developed foods. Therefore, it is important to explore the potential of B. alba as functional food perse or as an ingredient in various processed food products for imparting functional attributes to such products. This review, therefore aims to identify the bioactive compounds present in Basella, in addition to evaluating the nutritional and therapeutic properties of this vegetable and also appraise different methods for extraction and encapsulation of bioactive compounds present in it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Naturally occurring biomolecules from the plant extract have been identified to play an active role in the formation of any nanoparticles. Methods: This work aimed to synthesize the nano-sized zinc oxide material (zinc oxide nanoparticles [ZnONPs]) using the 70% ethanolic leaf extract of Basella alba by precipitation method and also studied the antibacterial activity of green-synthesized ZnONPs on infection-causing five bacteria. Synthesized nanomaterials were characterized by the aid of ultraviolet (UV)-visible, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX). Results: Qualitative analysis and UV results of extract reveal the occurrence of some medicinally important phytomolecules such as flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, and ascorbic acid. The spherical nature of ZnONPs was observed with an average crystalline size of 28.64 nm. EDAX analysis revealed the elemental compositions in the B. alba-mediated ZnONPs (BA-ZnONPs) which showed zinc in 70.04% and oxygen in 29.96%. BA-ZnONPs were tested against the bacteria (an infection causing) such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Proteus vulgaris, which results that, against all the pathogens, ZnONPs showed noticeable inhibition effects compared with zinc acetate and B. alba extract. Especially against the E. coli, ZnONPs performed well with inhibitory effect and least on S. aureus. Conclusion: Antibacterial activities of BA-ZnONPs were studied which can act as the new antimicrobial-resistant agents.

The effect of pure multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was studied on the development and morphology of the Basella alba plant. The plants were treated with varying sonicated concentrations of MWCNTs. The parameters taken into consideration were germination percentage of seeds, protein content in the plant, estimation of chlorophyll concentration, and the effect on the soil microbial community after treatment with MWCNTs. A boost in vigour index was recorded with the 200 µg ml−1 concentration of MWCNTs. Increment in other parameters like protein content, chlorophyll concentration, and microbial community in soil samples have also been observed. All parameters showed higher efficiency in a concentration-dependent manner of MWCNTs compared to control by testing the significance of results through statistical one-way ANOVA analysis. The uptake of MWCNTs by plants was confirmed by SEM–EDX analysis of treated and control leaf tissue sections. This study concludes that MWCNTs exhibit significant growth effects with no toxicity to Basella alba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of betacyanins in Basella alba L. and Basella alba L. var. 'Rubra' fruits was performed by low- and high-resolution mass spectrometry (LRMS and HRMS) as well as 1H, 13C and two-dimensional NMR which revealed hitherto completely not known betacyanin classes in the plant kingdom. Especially, the presence of unique nitrogenous acyl moieties in the structures of the pigments was ascertained by the HRMS Orbitrap detection. Except for detected polar betacyanin glycosylated derivatives, presence of a series of previously not reported pigments such as malonylated betanidin 6-O-β-glusosides with their acyl migration isomers along with the evidence of the 3′′-hydroxy-butyrylated betacyanins is reported. The first complete NMR data were obtained for novel and principal acylated gomphrenins with hydroxycinnamic acids: 6′-O-E-caffeoyl-gomphrenin (malabarin), 6′-O-E-sinapoyl-gomphrenin (gandolin), 6′-O-E-4-coumaroyl-gomphrenin (globosin) and 6′-O-E-feruloyl-gomphrenin (basellin). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the quest for natural biodegradable, non-toxic polymers for use as excipients in pharmaceutical formulations, mucilage of Basella alba L (BAM) stem was isolated and evaluated as a suspending agent in metronidazole suspensions at different concentrations (0.5% - 2% w/v) in comparison to tragacanth (TCG) and gelatin gums (GLT). The micromeritic properties of the mucilage powder were determined and the metronidazole suspension was characterized using flow rate, redispersion number, sedimentation volume, viscosity and pH. The degree of flocculation was also determined. BAM powder has good flow property with minimal swelling. The order of flow rate of metronidazole suspension was BAM=TCG>GLT while sedimentation volume ranking was TCG>BAM>GLT. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the redispersion number of BAM and TCG formulations. The viscosities of formulations containing BAM and TCG at concentrations of 0.5%-1.0% w/v were the same. The pH of the suspensions ranged from 5 to 8. The degree of flocculation was in the order GLT>BAM>TCG. From our findings, BAM can be used as an alternative suspending agent in suspension formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased lead (Pb) content in the environment has an impact on all living beings, including plant growth and quality. The present study aims to investigate the protective roles of zinc (Zn)- and iron (Fe)- nanoparticles (NPs) in alleviating stress symptoms caused by lead (Pb) exposure in Basella alba seedlings. For this purpose, 15 different treatment combinations of seed priming with two NPs at 0 and 200 mg L−1, and five Pb levels (0, 4, 8, 15, 20 mM) were chosen. Pb stress (20 mM) was found to reduce seed germination by 72.8% and seedling growth, particularly root length, by 92% when compared to the control. Under different Pb concentrations, seed priming with ZnNPs (200 mg L−1) and FeNPs (200 mg L−1) increased seed germination by 34.7% and 54.9%, respectively, and root length by 152.9% and 252.9%, respectively. In 20 mM Pb stress, NPs primed seedling showed decrease in Pb content by 33.7% with ZnNPs and 32.6% with FeNPs. Increased Pb stress resulted in increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (H2O2) and lipid peroxidation (MDA) compared to non-Pb stressed seedlings. However, increased antioxidants in the NPs treatments such as SOD, CAT, POD and proline content, scavenged these ROS. Considering all the parameters under study, priming alleviated Pb stress in the following order: FeNPs > ZnNPs > hydropriming > control. To summarise, seed priming with Zn- and Fe-NPs has the potential to alleviate Pb toxicity via reduced Pb uptake, ROS generation and lipid peroxidation as well as increased proline content and activation of antioxidant enzymatic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infertility is 30% caused by male problems. There are so many ways to solve this, one of them is taking traditional medicine, gendola leaves. This research was aim to analyze the effect of gendola leaves to increase sperms count and testosterone in male rat (Rattus norvegicus). This study was conducted in Medical Faculty of Sriwijaya University on August until November 2020. Methods: The rats were classified to 11 groups which consist of 3 rats. They were given fraction suspension of gendola leaves for 30 days per oral in doses n-hexan 1 mg/kgBB, n-hexane 5 mg/kgBB, n-hexane 10 mg/kgBB, ethyl acetate 1 mg/kgBB, ethyl acetate 5 mg/kgBB, ethyl acetate 10 mg/kgBB, methanol-water fraction1 mg/kgBB, methanol-water dosis 5 mg/kgBB, methanol-water 10 mg/kgBB given in 30 days. As a negative control given Sodium Carboxymethil Cellulose 1% per oral for 30 days. As a positive control given testosterone enanthate 5mg/KGBB on 0 day and 12 day. Results: There was increased of testosterone and sperm counts after given fraction of Basella alba for 30 days compared to testosterone enanthate and Na CMC 1%. Conclusion: in this study we can conclude that fraction of gendola leaves increase male fertility [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Naturally occurring biomolecules from the plant extract have been identified to play an active role in the formation of any nanoparticles. Methods: This work aimed to synthesize the nano-sized zinc oxide material (zinc oxide nanoparticles [ZnONPs]) using the 70% ethanolic leaf extract of Basella alba by precipitation method and also studied the antibacterial activity of green-synthesized ZnONPs on infection-causing five bacteria. Synthesized nanomaterials were characterized by the aid of ultraviolet (UV)-visible, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX). Results: Qualitative analysis and UV results of extract reveal the occurrence of some medicinally important phytomolecules such as flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, and ascorbic acid. The spherical nature of ZnONPs was observed with an average crystalline size of 28.64 nm. EDAX analysis revealed the elemental compositions in the B. alba-mediated ZnONPs (BA-ZnONPs) which showed zinc in 70.04% and oxygen in 29.96%. BA-ZnONPs were tested against the bacteria (an infection causing) such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Proteus vulgaris, which results that, against all the pathogens, ZnONPs showed noticeable inhibition effects compared with zinc acetate and B. alba extract. Especially against the E. coli, ZnONPs performed well with inhibitory effect and least on S. aureus. Conclusion: Antibacterial activities of BA-ZnONPs were studied which can act as the new antimicrobial-resistant agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Meloidogyne incognita adversely affects numerous crop plants worldwide. Therefore, the modern world has been moving towards biocontrol methods to prevent nematode attacks. This study was aimed to (i) investigate the potential use of Trichoderma harzianum NFCF160 and T. virens Isf-77 in managing M. incognita in soil and (ii) identify trapping mechanisms employed by both Trichoderma strains to suppress M. incognita. Methodology and results: Three weeks old, Basella alba L. plants were subjected to five different treatments. The above and below ground growth parameters and the galling indices of these plants were measured every four weeks for three sampling times. Trapping mechanisms employed by Trichoderma strains were examined following plate assays. Plants treated with T. harzianum NFCF160 and T. virens Isf-77 had significantly higher values for the total number of leaves (34 ± 2.84) and (27 ± 2.61), fresh weight of the shoot (81 ± 9.51 g) and (91 ± 9.70 g), dry weight of the shoot (71 ± 5.24 g) and (62 ± 5.81 g), respectively eight weeks after inoculation of M. incognita. Significantly low galling indices (2 and 2) were recorded in B. alba treated with Trichoderma strains. Both Trichoderma strains exhibited various nematode-trapping mechanisms, such as non-constricting rings and adhesive spores. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: This investigation highlighted the potential of both Trichoderma strains as biocontrol agents to control M. incognita effect in sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, metallic nanoparticles manufactured by green method have become a popular environmentally beneficial technology. Our current study describes an eco-friendly, biological production of palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) with leaf extracts from Allium fistulosum, Basella alba and Tabernaemontana divaricate. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) be used to characterise the produced PdNPs. The results of our SEM examination showed spherical form with a size of of 500 nm, 2 µm and 2 µm, correspondingly, for leaf extracts of Allium fistulosum, Basella alba, and Tabernaemontana divaricate derived PdNPs. In TEM images of all three extracts, the diameter and shape of the generated PdNPs were rather constant. Therefore, PdNPs with diameters ranging from 2 to 5 nm were measured respectively. Finally, all the extracts were evaluated for antioxidant, antifungal and antibacterial activity. The optimized PdNPs were taken for the application of dye degradation process by varying the concentration from 0 to 50 of different aliquots of PdNPs dispersions at different time of 0 to 10 and about 1 mL of congo red (1x10-4 M) was mixed with 0.25 mg of PdNPs and kept for continuous stirring at room temperature (RT). The data demonstrated that the effects of duration and concentration were strongly related to the generated functional groups as well as nanoparticles, played an important role in decreasing metal ions and stabilising PdNPs in an environmentally manner.

Acrylamide (AA), a common toxicant in processed foods is associated with cancer development via induction of oxidative stress. Therefore, the need for a potent antioxidant substance or compound that could ameliorate this toxic effect. Basella alba has been reported to have medicinal properties, and in this study, the anti-oxidative potentials of ethanol leaf extract of Basella alba (ELEBa) were assessed against oxidative stress induced by acrylamide in male Wistar rats (120-150g). Twenty (20) animals were grouped into four. Group 1: 1 ml/kg body weight (bwt.) distilled water (control), Group 2: 17.5 mg/kg bwt AA, Group 3: 17.5 mg/kg bwt AA+100 mg/kg bwt ELEBa, Group 4: 17.5 mg/kg bwt AA + 250 mg/kg bwt ELEBa. Treatment of animals was done orally and once daily for 14 days before sacrifice. The liver and kidney tissues were processed for the analyses of antioxidant activities. Serum was analyzed for hepatic and renal function bio markers in the treated animals. The plant's bio active constituents were characterized by GC-MS. Acrylamide caused a significant (p < 0.05) ameliorated these values. GC/MS analysis revealed the presence of pentadecanoic acid, n-hexadecanoic acid, cis-13-octadecenoic acid, cis-vaccenic acid, oleic acid and octadecanoic acid. Our findings suggest that, ELEBa is a potential chemopreventive agent against acrylamide-induced oxidative stress in wistar rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is aimed at evaluating the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of aqueous extracts of the plants Moringa olifera (drumstick tree or murungai), Sesbania grandiflora (vegetable hummingbird or agati), Basella alba (malabar spinach or pasalai), and then developing herbal hydrogel with gelatin to improve its pharmacological properties and to use it as a primary dressing for managing infected wounds. The aqueous extracts of murungai, agati, pasalai and the herbal hydrogels has been tested in vitro against wound infecting microrganisms by well-diffusion method and micro-dilution method. Both plant extracts and herbal hydrogel are found to inhibit the growth of Gram positive, Gram negative and polymicrobial cultures. According to EN13726, all the three herbal hydrogels manage the simulated exudates effectively. Hence, the hydrogels developed in the present study could be used to manage infection and also moderately exudating wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant nutrients are essential for the production of healthy crops for the world's expanding population and thus, they are a vital component of sustainable agriculture. Increased crop production depends on the type of fertilizers used to supplement essential nutrients for plants. The nutrient level fertilizers provide depends on their nature-each type of fertilizer has its advantages and disadvantages concerning crop growth and soil fertility. The management of using fertilizer must aim to ensure both an enhanced and safeguarded environment. Thus, a balanced fertilization strategy must be implemented. An experiment was conducted under field conditions to assess the effects of combinations of bio-fertilizers on agronomic and quality criteria of Brassica juncea (brown mustard), Basella alba (climbing spinach), and Amaranthus dubius (red spinach). Randomized block design with three replicas were used for the study, one set with the application of fertilizers containing Azotobacter, Rhizobium, Sesbania, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus megaterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Glomus (Mycorrhizal inoculant)-under bio-fertilizer; another with a mixture of urea, Potassium Nitrate, Super Phosphate, Potassium Sulfate, and Maple EM solution as chemical fertilizer and a control (water). Results indicated that yield and other plant criteria like chlorophyll content and gel volume were enhanced in bio-fertilizer treated plants compared to the plants grown with chemical fertilizer and control. In general, the application of bio-fertilizer significantly increased leaf length by 16-50%, the total number of leaves by 50-80%, plant size 19.15-63.15%, and gel volume by 147% (approximately) in comparison with untreated plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is extensively used in various industries and induces oxidative stress in humans. Unfortunately, it is one of the neglected potent male reproductive toxicants. Objective: The present research reports the testicular histopathology of CCl4 and ameliorations by four medicinal fruit pulp extracts (FPEs) in mice. Materials and Methods: Sixty male albino mice were divided into six groups (10/group) as per the following: 1. Vehicle control (Vc); 2. CCl4 (C); 3-6. CCl4+Basella alba (CBa), CCl4+Solanum nigrum (CSn), CCl4+Ficus carica (CFc) and CCl4+Grewia asiatica (CGa). Except for the control group, CCl4 (0.1 mL of 0.2 mL kg-1) was given to the animals in corn oil. The four plant extracts (0.1 mL each) were respectively given to the relevant FPE group animals for the next five consecutive days, while the animals in the Vc and CCl4 groups received water instead of FPE. Results: The CCl4 exposure led to various histometric and histological alterations (loss of interstitial tissue and various dislodged tailless spermatids with enlarged heads) that were recovered in all except Solanum nigrum FPE mice post-treatment. The micrometric data of testicular sections also indicated significant decline in the number of spermatogonia, while the cross-sectional area of the sperm heads remained significantly higher in the CSn and C groups. Conclusion: Except for Solanum nigrum, the three FPEs, especially Ficus carica, showed rehabilitative properties against CCl4 exposure-related modifications in testicular histopathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study aims to ascertain the physiochemical characteristics of the compost made from recycled cotton spinning waste (CSW) for Indian Spinach cultivation in Bangladesh. Method The physiochemical characteristics of the compost made of fresh cotton spinning waste (CSW), cotton spinning waste ash (CSWA), rice husk (RH), rice husk ash (RHA) with varying ratios following open air composting method was determined. The utility of the resulting compost was justified by applying it to Indian Spinach cultivation compared with chemical fertilizer and control (no-compost) treatments. Results Among the several composting options, the compost prepared by mixing 87% CSW + 13% CSW ash (C3) and 87% CSW + 13% rice husk (C4) was found to be the quality compost with a higher C/N ratio, P, K, S and a lower Pb content. The vegetative growth, yield and nutritional qualities were significantly affected by the compost characteristics compared to chemical fertilizer because of increased nutrient uptake and biostimulation functions. Moreover, Indian Spinach cultivated with CSW compost provided 64 BDTk. profits compared to 28 BDTk. in case of control that indicates 128% increase in profit for the compost than that of control. Conclusion The compost derived from the mixture of CSW+CSWA+RH+RHA substrates possesses an optimum moisture content (31.2%), pH (7.5), C/N ratio (16.8:1), macronutrients, and micronutrients that enable it to act as an alternative to chemical fertilizer. When it comes to yield and nutrition quality of the grown Indian Spinach, CSW based compost fared much better than chemical fertilizer in field test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Environmental-friendly organic fertilizers reduce the adverse impacts of chemical fertilizers. This study was conducted to formulate organic liquid fertilizers using selected plant materials i.e., Tithonia diversifolia, Mikania scandens, Chromolaena odorata and Gliricidia sepium with selected organic wastes to compare the efficacies of foliar and soil-applications over the growth of leafy vegetables; Basella alba and Centella asiatica. Research Method: Selected plant materials were allowed to decompose for two months and thereafter fish waste was hydrolyzed separately with fruit wastes of Carica papaya, Ananas comosus and (1:1 w/w) mixture of both were mixed and nutrients analyzed. Fertilizers were foliar and soil-applied separately on C. asiatica and B. alba in RCBD in pot trials. Findings: Fertilizer formulated with decomposed plants + fish waste hydrolyzed with C. papaya significantly recorded the highest N (0.57%), P (0.06%) and highest growth of C. asiatica and B. alba over both soil and foliar applications followed by the fertilizer formulated with decomposed plants + fish waste hydrolyzed with C. papaya + A. comosus. Foliar-application of B. alba significantly showed the highest growth than the soil-application [shoot height (36.6±3.4 cm vs 30.0±1.5 cm), number of leaves per plant (21.7±1.4 vs 17.5±0.8) and plant fresh-weight (61.5±1.8 vs 55.6±0.9 g)] whereas, C. asiatica indicated no significant difference considering both fertilizer application methods. Research limitation: Pot experiments were carried out to provide uniform soil conditions for the experiment which was the main limitation compared to field trials. Originality/value: The formulated novel fertilizers could be utilized effectively in organic farming for safe and healthy leafy vegetables which reduce the adverse impacts of chemical fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Basella alba L. var. 'Rubra' - promising food-plant in daily diet with bioactive gomphrenins. • Unique pigment profiles in leaves of Basella alba L. var. 'Rubra'. • Novel methoxy- E -cinnamoylated betacyanins identified in leaves of B. 'Rubra'. • Protecting activity of B. 'Rubra' leaf extract against metal cation-assisted pigment degradation. • Protection by B. 'Rubra' leaf extract against pigment degradation under UV/Vis irradiation. The unique profiles of betacyanins as well as their stability and antioxidant activity in purple leaf extracts of the fast-growing, soft-stemmed vine Basella alba L. var. 'Rubra', known as Malabar spinach, are partly characterized for the first time. The distribution of gomphrenin and its acylated derivatives in the leaves is completely different from the profiles of the pigments in the fruits. The most abundant acylated pigment in leaves (24%) turned out 6′ -O-E -sinapoyl-gomphrenin (gandolin), however, the most significant difference in the pigment profiles is a presence of two novel pigments tentatively identified as highly abundant 6′ -O- (3,4-dimethoxy- E -cinnamoyl)-gomphrenin and 6′ -O- (3,4,5-trimethoxy- E -cinnamoyl)-gomphrenin as well as their isoforms. Significant degradation of the pigments in the fruit extracts under the impact of selected metal cations and UV–Vis irradiation as well as high protective activity of the leaf extract matrix were observed. Partial chromatographic purification of the leaf extract resulted in an increase of the pigment concentration which was correlated positively with the increased antioxidant activity of obtained fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased lead (Pb) content in the environment has an impact on all living beings, including plant growth and quality. The present study aims to investigate the protective roles of zinc (Zn)- and iron (Fe)- nanoparticles (NPs) in alleviating stress symptoms caused by lead (Pb) exposure in Basella alba seedlings. For this purpose, 15 different treatment combinations of seed priming with two NPs at 0 and 200 mg L−1, and five Pb levels (0, 4, 8, 15, 20 mM) were chosen. Pb stress (20 mM) was found to reduce seed germination by 72.8% and seedling growth, particularly root length, by 92% when compared to the control. Under different Pb concentrations, seed priming with ZnNPs (200 mg L−1) and FeNPs (200 mg L−1) increased seed germination by 34.7% and 54.9%, respectively, and root length by 152.9% and 252.9%, respectively. In 20 mM Pb stress, NPs primed seedling showed decrease in Pb content by 33.7% with ZnNPs and 32.6% with FeNPs. Increased Pb stress resulted in increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (H2O2) and lipid peroxidation (MDA) compared to non-Pb stressed seedlings. However, increased antioxidants in the NPs treatments such as SOD, CAT, POD and proline content, scavenged these ROS. Considering all the parameters under study, priming alleviated Pb stress in the following order: FeNPs > ZnNPs > hydropriming > control. To summarise, seed priming with Zn- and Fe-NPs has the potential to alleviate Pb toxicity via reduced Pb uptake, ROS generation and lipid peroxidation as well as increased proline content and activation of antioxidant enzymatic system.

This work aimed to evaluate the technical feasibility of lettuce, Indian spinach and taro intercropping under organic fertilizer. The experiment was performed at Água Limpa Farm, belonging to the University of Brasília, located in Brasília - DF, from October 2014 to June 2015. A completely randomized block design with seven treatments and four replications was used. Each experimental plot had 18 m2 (4.5 m x 4.0 m), totaling 28 plots. The following treatments were assessed: lettuce monoculture, Indian spinach monoculture, taro monoculture, lettuce/Indian spinach intercropping, lettuce/taro intercropping, Indian spinach/taro intercropping, and lettuce/Indian spinach/taro intercropping. In all treatments, the following spacings were used: 0.25 x 0.25 m (lettuce), 1.0 x 0.6 m (Indian spinach), and 1.0 x 0.3 m (taro). Crop production was evaluated from sample plants taken from the central part of each plot. Two harvests of lettuce, two of Indian spinach and one of taro were carried out during intercropping. In the first cycle, lettuce highest mean yield values were observed in the lettuce monoculture (3.5 kg m-2) and lettuce/Indian spinach intercropping (3.4 kg m-2). The crop reached the commercial size in both production cycles, except when intercropped with Indian spinach in the second cycle. The highest Indian spinach mean fresh mass was recorded in the lettuce/Indian spinach intercropping (974.7 g plant-1; first harvest) and monoculture (327.5 g plant-1; second harvest). The yield of taro rhizomes was significantly higher when intercropped with lettuce, showing a mean value of 16.8 kg m-2. The intercropping arrangements with lettuce increased yield of nonconventional vegetables. The conventional and nonconventional vegetables’ intercropping technique increased species diversity in the area without interfering in the agronomic performance and quality of the crops.

Apoptosis plays a pivotal role in the exclusion of abnormal cells without any ruin of surrounding healthy cells. Generally, it occurs through an orderly and autonomously process which is controlled by proper function of various genes. Therefore, the current experiments detect the expression level/pattern of those genes to confirm the involvement of extrinsic and intrinsic pathway using Basella alba leaf (BAL). Several fractions after gel filtration chromatography of BAL extract have been pooled to evaluates its apoptosis induction potentiality on Ehrlich's Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) cells through conducting a number of bio-assays such as cell growth inhibition assay, fluorescence and optical microscopy, DNA fragmentation assay and gene expression analysis etc. The pooled fractions of BAL showed 12–56% inhibitory effect on EAC cell line at the concentration range of 25–400 μg/ml that was determined by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. They also exhibited excellent cell growth inhibition at in vivo and in vitro condition when treated with 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg day. After administration of six consequent days, significant morphological features of apoptosis were observed in EAC cells under both fluorescence and optical microscope which was further supported by DNA fragmentation assay. The polymerase chain reaction amplification of bax, bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma 2), p53, tumor necrosis factor-α, Fas, NF-kβ (Nuclear factor-Kappa-B), PARP-1 (Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase), Cyt-c cas-8, cas-9 and cas-3 revealed that the experimental sample able to induce apoptosis in both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways through altering the gene expression. The current findings suggest that sample from BAL occupy wonderful competence to induce cell apoptosis and become an ideal resource for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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