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Background: The development of digital technologies and the evolution of open innovation approaches have enabled the creation of diverse virtual organizations and enterprises coordinating their activities primarily online. The open innovation platform titled "International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce" (INPST) was established in 2018, to bring together in collaborative environment individuals and organizations interested in natural product scientific research, and to empower their interactions by using digital communication tools. Methods: In this work, we present a general overview of INPST activities and showcase the specific use of Twitter as a powerful networking tool that was used to host a one-week "2021 INPST Twitter Networking Event" (spanning from 31st May 2021 to 6th June 2021) based on the application of the Twitter hashtag #INPST. Results and conclusion: The use of this hashtag during the networking event period was analyzed with Symplur Signals (https://www.symplur.com/), revealing a total of 6,036 tweets, shared by 686 users, which generated a total of 65,004,773 impressions (views of the respective tweets). This networking event's achieved high visibility and participation rate showcases a convincing example of how this social media platform can be used as a highly effective tool to host virtual Twitter-based international biomedical research events.

In recent time bryophytes are gaining attention in terms of their unique phytochemistry. They can generate a wide range of bioactive phytochemicals. Though many of the bryophytes have been evaluated for this aspect yet majority of them are unexplored regarding their phytochemistry and bioactive potential. Hence, in present attempt 2 commonly growing species of bryophytes, viz., Plagiochasma appendiculatum (thalloid liverwort) and Sphagnum fimbriatum (moss) were evaluated for their phytochemical profiling using Folin-Ciocalteau and aluminium colorimetric methods. While antioxidant activity of selected species was evaluated by DPPH and NOSA. It was found that these species have higher levels of total phenols and flavonoids and have good antioxidant potential. Further, to check their possible role as antimicrobial agents, the plant extracts were tested against selected fungal and bacterial strains. The results suggested that these 2 bryophyte species have substantial antifungal and antibacterial activities. Based on this study, these plants appear as a good contender to evaluate further for future herbal formulations.

Drug resistance has been associated with point mutations in coding regions leading to an altered protein sequence and structure. Such changes have been seen as isolated events occurring at various positions in a sequence. However, we hypothesise that it is not a single mutation at a specific position but a group of positions that coevolve in a correlated fashion to increase the fitness of a target protein against a drug. To prove the hypothesis, selected protein sequences of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance genes were successfully screened using a bioinformatics approach to detect groups of coevolving amino acids at important structural and functional positions in the targets of first-line antituberculosis drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide). The algorithmically characterised genetic mutations and the lineage-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) detected previously in drug resistance genes of M. tuberculosis complex genomes were also found in the identified coevolving groups. Mapping of coevolving positions to the secondary structure of proteins clearly indicates the preference of amino acid residues in the helix to coevolve. Moreover, active-site residues of some candidate proteins were also found in coevolving groups. The coevolving groups detected in this study will be useful to gain new insights into the molecular and evolutionary basis of drug resistance. This work provides an important first step towards finding solutions to the multidrug resistance problem through coevolution analysis of proteins, in turn helping to develop new drug regimens against pathogens, including M. tuberculosis.

Moisture deficit stress is a major abiotic factor affecting muskmelon quality and productivity globally. Here we have examined the response of morpho-physiological traits under moisture deficit stress condition in muskmelon parental lines viz., Durgapur Madhu (DM) and BS25 along with F2:3 population derived from their cross for contrasting stress tolerance traits. Moisture stress reduced relative water content significantly (p < 0.01) with variation recorded among population lines. We observed that relative water content showed significant positive correlation (r = 0.34) with proline. A significantly increased value of the proline content (8.68 μg/gm), membrane stability index (27.11 mS/cm) and leaf area (24.43 cm2) were observed in BS25 compared to DM genotype. Some population lines such as L8, L10, L83, L16, L21, L54, and L63 showed significantly higher values for proline content and relative water content in moisture stress condition. We observed variability for different traits in the F2:3 population that allowed selection of individual lines with possibly greater potential of moisture stress tolerance, which can be useful in future breeding programs in muskmelon.

Moringa oleifera Lam., the miracle tree, is widely used as a traditional medicine. The analyses of phytochemicals and antioxidant potential of hydroethanolic extract of various plant parts of M. oleifera revealed that leaves possessed the highest content of total phenolics (9.58 mg/g), β-carotene (14.10 mg/g) and lycopene (2.60 mg/g). Flowers and bark showed the highest content of total flavonoids (3.5 mg/g) and anthocyanin (52.80 mg/g), respectively. Leaves also showed maximum antioxidant potential using nitric oxide scavenging assay (IC50 - 120 µg/ml) and deoxyribose degradation assay (IC50—178 µg/ml). Highest DPPH radical scavenging activity was observed in flowers (IC50—405 µg/ml). The GC–MS study revealed the presence of 29, 36 and 24 compounds in bark, leaf and flower, respectively. The major constituent identified were epiglobulol (41.68% in bark), phytol (23.54% in leaf) and β-sitosterol (15.35% in flower).The phytochemicals identified possess several therapeutic activity, including antioxidant potential, which was confirmed through earlier reports. Moreover, the presence of 1,1,3-triethoxubutane in all the plant parts analyzed, projects it as an important source of waste water treatment as hydrophobic modifiers.

Drought is one of the most serious threats to crop production all over the world and is likely to worsen with anticipated changes in the climate. Drought impairs normal growth, disturbs water relations and reduces water-use efficiency in plants. Plants, however, have a variety of physiological and biochemical responses at cellular and organism levels, making it a more complex phenomenon. Researchers have been trying to understand and dissect the mechanisms of plant tolerance to drought stress using various approaches. The present chapter describes the strategies used by plants to adapt to low water potential at physiological, biochemical and molecular levels. This chapter also describes the strategies involving genetic engineering used by breeders in order to obtain crop varieties with improved drought tolerance, some of which show great promise. Modern genomic and genetic approaches coupled with breeding methodologies are expected to more effectively identify the genes and metabolic pathways that confer drought tolerance in crops.

The search for new insecticidal natural products is very important viewing the global incidence of malaria. In the present study, rotenoids viz., sumatrol, rotenone, tephrosin, rotenol, deguelin, and elliptone were identified from the plant parts and callus culture of Cassia tora L. Maximum content of rotenoids was observed in roots (1.96% ± 0.03) and minimum in the stem (0.52% ± 0.02). Rotenoid showed larvicidal activity against Anopheles stephensi larvae (LC50-120.61 ppm; P

In current effort the level of selected atmospheric pollutants viz. S, Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb and Co was projected in samples of the common thalloid liverwort Riccia billardieri Mont. & Nees ex Gottsche, Lindenb. & Nees, from Mount Abu, (Rajasthan, India). Concentration of studied elements in plant tissue for R. billardieri was reported in the order of S> Zn> Pb> Cu> Cd>Co, while in substrate it was Zn> Pb> Cu> Cd> S> Co. Quantitative analysis of these elements in vegetative thalli of R. billardieri and the substrate showed a remarkable increase in metallic content during winter, which reveals the significance of this thalloid liverwort as an effective biological sink for metal pollutants present in the soil and air.

Rotenoids are group of ketonic compounds having chromno chromanone ring structure. In the present study Rotenoids were isolated from various plant parts and callus cultures of Cassia occidentalis L., (Fabaceae), and identified using TLC, gas–liquid chromatography and other spectral techniques comparable to that of the standard rotenoids. The recovery of rotenoids was found to be maximum in the roots and minimum in stem. The isolated compounds were found to effective against Anopheles stephensi larvae with lethal concentration (LC50 and LC 90) as 110.73 and 206.79 ppm, respectively. Precursors were used to enhance the rotenoid production in vitro. Treatment dose of 0.05 mM of both Phenylalanine and Methionine increased the production 1.18 times than the control.

Structurally diverse morpholinyl/piperazinylbenzothiazines have been synthesized in quantitative yields by the reaction of substituted 1,4-benzothiazines with morpholine/N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine. 1,4-Benzothiazines were prepared by the reaction of substituted 2-aminobenzenethiols with β-ketoesters. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by their analytical and spectroscopic data. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against bacterial species; E. coli and Bacillus cereus. Some of the synthesized compounds have shown significant activity against microorganisms.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of initial temperature treatment on phytochemical and antioxidant potential of commercially important plant Azadirachta indica A. Juss. The leaves were differentially treated after harvest at temperatures 4, -20, and 110 °C and at room temperature, separately. It was found that a quick drying process at 110 °C followed by air-drying helped in maximum retention of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity, which was significantly higher than other processing methods. Correlation analysis revealed that total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) can be a measure to assess the antioxidant potential using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Nitric oxide scavenging assay (NOSA) was insignificantly related to DPPH and FRAP. Also, FRAP and DPPH can be a predictive assay for each other, but not with NOSA. Thus, a quick drying process at 110 °C using an oven can be a cost-effective venture, especially in developing countries, for retaining the nutritive value and antioxidant activity of A. indica.

Weeds have known to affect human activities including agriculture since ages. Looking at the global scenario the major contributors of crop loss are weeds, followed by animals and pathogens. World War II started the ‘chemical era’ for the development of herbicide. Herbicides are used to kill weeds and are still the largest product type accounting for 47.6 % of global pesticide sales followed by insecticide (29.4 %), fungicide (17.5 %) and others (5.5 %). Herbicides have been classified in various ways but classification based on site of action of herbicide is comparatively better as herbicide resistance management can be handled more properly and effectively. Commonly used herbicides globally are generally broad spectrum and non-selective which restricts their use in arable lands. Thus there is need to modify the crops genetically so that the crop plants remain unaffected by herbicide application. Different strategies have been used either individually or in combination to develop transgenic plants. Reports suggest that the global area covered by herbicide-resistant transgenic plant outnumbers the area covered by any other genetically modified plants. However, inadvertent use of herbicides has helped in evolution of resistant weeds. This problem is now a subject of discussion worldwide. Integrated herbicide management is important to avoid selection pressure for the evolution of resistance. Transgenic plants have really helped the mankind in increasing the crop yield but use of transgenic plant is still a debatable topic which needs meticulous research, observations and experimentations for a final statement either in favour or against.

Gymnema sylvestre R. Br. is an important medicinal plant known for its antidiabetic potential. In the present study, phytosterols from G. sylvestre was identified and quantified in vivo and in vitro. Maximum callus induction was observed in MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg L(-1) of 2, 4-D. The protein content was significantly high both in aerial plant parts and callus tissue. Phytosterols were identified using chromatographic and spectral studies. beta-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol were identified both in vivo and in vitro. Lanosterol was identified only in callus culture. Phytosterols have reported for the first time in callus culture of G. sylvestre.

A Gymnema sylvestre leaves extract (GSE) rich in gymnemic acids was examined for its antioxidant activities through various in vitro assays, along with its radioprotective efficacy in mice brain. The IC(50) values of GSE for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl scavenging assays, superoxide radical scavenging assays, inhibition of in vitro lipid peroxidation assays, and protein carbonyl formation assay were 238, 140, 99.46, and 28.03 microg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the total phenolic content in GSE was equivalent to 18.06 microg/mL of Gallic acid. The rate of *OH radical scavenging activity of GSE is 0.46 times slower than SCN- derived from nanosecond pulse radiolysis studies. Results of in vivo studies showed that radiation (8 Gy)-induced augmentation in the levels of lipid peroxidation and depletion in glutathione and protein levels in mice brain were significantly ameliorated by GSE pretreatment. Results suggest that the radioprotective efficacy of GSE may be due to its antioxidant properties.