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The most important genus in the Rhamnaceae family is Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk). Phytochemicals present in Ziziphus have antioxidant as well as antimicrobial properties. The present study aimed to detect various phytochemicals and evaluate the antibacterial activity in the Z. mauritiana leaf extracts. Leaves from 14 cultivars/germplasm/varieties of Z. mauritiana were used to explore the presence of various phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, phenols, saponins, protein, steroids, tannins, lignins, and reducing sugar. These phytoconstituents have antioxidant, antibacterial, and hepatoprotective activities. The preliminary antimicrobial activity screening of Ziziphus leaf extract against bacterial strains-Bacillus subtilis (Gram-positive), Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive), Salmonella abony (Gram-negative), E. coli DH5α (Gram-negative) were performed by using well diffusion method. The results of various phytochemicals like alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and amino acids were reported in all selected commercial varieties/cultivars/ germplasm. On the other hand, saponins were found completely absent in methanolic solvents of all varieties/cultivars. The aqueous and methanolic solvent leaf extract were tested for antibacterial activity at different concentrations (25mg/ml, 50mg/ml, and 100mg/ml) against the bacterial strains of B. subtilis, S. aureus, S. abony, and E. coli DH5α, respectively. This study showed that the phytochemicals extracted from Z. mauritiana leaves have potential antimicrobial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main sources of novel chemicals with possible medical use is medicinal plants. Multiple diseases have been treated with them in traditional medicine. The purpose of this study was to explore the phytochemical characteristics, antioxidant effects, and antibacterial activities of several extracts of Ziziphus lotus fruits (ZLF). Phytochemical analysis of ZLF extracts revealed the presence of several bioactive molecules such as phenolic compounds and alkaloids. Water, methanol 50%, methanol 80%, methanol, ethanol, and hexane are the 6 different solvents which were used in order to evaluate the phytochemical profile as well as the biological activities of ZLF, and whose aqueous extract showed the best results. The aqueous extract had the highest yield, followed by methanol, ethanol, and lastly hexane (p < 0.05). The aqueous extract showed the highest total contents of phenols, flavonoids, and tannins (77.13 ± 0.11 mg GAE/g DM, 33.36 ± 0.51 mg QE/g DM, and 03.72 ± 0.16 mg CE/g DM respectively), while the Hexane extract revealed the lowest contents (12.36 ± 0.26 mg GAE/g DM, 06.20 ± 0.23 mg QE/g DM, and 01.20 ± 0.10 mg CE/g DM respectively). By using the DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP methods, and for the aqueous extract, ZLF extracts demonstrated considerable antioxidant capacities, with the values IC50 = 37 ± 0.27, IC50 = 67 ± 0.18 and IC0.5 = 31 ± 0.22 respectively. All of the ZLF extracts, with the exception of the hexanic extract on Staphylococcus aureus, showed antibacterial efficacy against the bacterial strains of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. The results obtained reveal that ZLF exhibit significant biochemical composition and considerable biological activities encouraging its nutritional and therapeutic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ziziphus tree species offer valuable socio-economic and ecological benefits but experience significant damage from insect pests. In Ethiopia, there is limited knowledge of the insects attacking Ziziphus fruits, and a study aimed to identify these pests, assess their impact and understand how different land use types (LUTs) affect them was conducted. Sampling involved collecting fifty fruits and ten leaves from each of ten randomly chosen Ziziphus trees per LUT within each agroecological zone from August to December in 2022 and 2023. Samples were visually assessed for incidence and infestation levels, and the five morphotypes were identified using molecular techniques through phylogenetic analysis. Fruit pest incidence varied during the season, yet a positive correlation (r = 0.84) was observed among the months and years when assessment took place. Most fruits showed low to medium infestation levels (5%–50%), while severe infestations (>75%) were predominant in the lowland agroecological zone. The insects that had caused the damage were identified as Carpomya incompleta Becker, 1903; Drosophila hydei Sturtevant, 1921; D. simulans Sturtevant, 1919 and Zaprionus indianus Gupta, 1970. Fruits showed higher incidence and infestation levels than leaves, indicating significant yield and income losses. Thus, implementing effective management strategies is vital to minimize these losses and achieve sustainable production in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the potential of medicinal plants for preventing and treating neurodegenerative diseases. This study investigated the neuroprotective properties of aqueous extracts derived from the pulp, seed, and almonds of Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf. and Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam. These extracts were assessed in vitro for their impact on acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and β‐amyloid aggregation, all key factors associated with neurodegenerative disorders (NDs). Given the strong connection between NDs and oxidative damage, as well as the role of metal accumulation in exacerbating oxidative stress and amyloid plaque formation, the antioxidant abilities of the extracts were also evaluated using various methods including ferric‐reducing antioxidant power, cupric‐reducing antioxidant capacity, and metal chelating assays. Furthermore, the study analyzed the total phenolic and flavonoid contents using standard spectrophotometric techniques, and the secondary metabolite composition was examined through UHPLC‐DAD analysis. To better understand the relationship between different plant species and their organ types with specific phenolic compounds and biological activities, principal component analysis (PCA) was employed for data analysis. Results revealed the presence of 25 secondary metabolites categorized into phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Interestingly, the seed extracts exhibited the highest bioactivity, significantly inhibiting antioxidant and cholinergic enzymes. In addition, almond extracts displayed promising antiamyloidogenic properties, effectively suppressing oligomers, fibrillation of Aβ42, and the amyloid cascade. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of seed and almond extracts from Z. spina-christi (L.) Desf. and Z. lotus (L.) Lam. as valuable sources of natural compounds with neuroprotective properties against neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Seventy-eight metabolites were annotated in two Ziziphus species collected from different localities by UPLC-MS/MS. • Samples' segregation in OPLS model was relied on their species type rather than their origin. • The Chinese Z. jujuba was more efficient than piroxicam in downregulating TNF-α levels. • OPLS coefficient plots resulted in identifying the anti-inflammatory biomarkers. Ziziphus is a cosmopolitan genus that has several traditional applications. One of them is alleviation of inflammation. However, Ziziphus mechanisms and exact biomarkers in charge of this effect are not extensively studied. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the phytochemical variability between the leaves' extracts of two Ziziphus species gathered from diverse geographic localities, scrutinizing their in vitro anti-inflammatory effects, identifying the mechanisms and exact biomarkers accountable for these effects utilizing UPLC-MS/MS along with an in vitro multivariate statistical approach. Seventy-eight metabolites were annotated by UPLC-MS/MS. These metabolites were found to belong to different chemical classes such as alkaloids, terpenoids, and flavonoids. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that samples' segregation was relied on their species type rather than their origin. Then, testing the effects of the studied extracts on the gene expression of four pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and INF-γ) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed that Z. jujuba extract originating from China downregulated TNF-α to levels less than those caused by piroxicam, indicating its higher efficacy. The Orthogonal Projection to Latent Structures (OPLS) coefficient plots indicated that zizybeoside I, zizyphine G and lotusine G were among the most potential metabolites downregulating the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α. However, ebelin lactone, oxyphylline B and zizyvoside I were from the more prominent biomarkers responsible for the downregulation of IL-1β. Furthermore, zizyphursolic acid, oxyphylline B and mauritine H, were strongly correlated with the downregulation of IFN-ɣ and IL-6. This study is the first attempt to decipher the anti-inflammatory metabolites from different Ziziphus species, valorizing their significance as a valuable traditional medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, activated and magnetic biochar prepared from Ziziphus Jujube Seeds (ZJS) is used to remove Hexavalent Chromium (Cr(VI)) using Fixed Bed Column Experiment. Physicochemical characteristics of the activated and magnetic biochar such as functional groups, surface area, morphological study, and magnetic properties were analyzed. The column experiment was carried out for varying bed heights (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 cm), flow rates (20, 30 ml/min), and initial chromium concentrations (40, 60, 80 ppm) to determine adsorption performance of the studied biochar. The characteristic study found that magnetic biochar (MB) has good magnetic properties and crystallinity nature with essential functional groups such as C-O, FeO. The study found that Magnetic Biochar (MB) effectively removed 99% of hexavalent chromium through column adsorption under optimal conditions, including bed height of 6 cm, 60ppm Chromium concentration, and flow rate of 20 ml/min. Kinetic model study showed that Magnetic Biochar (MB) showed very good agreement with Adam Bohart Model, with R2 of 0.97, which is best fit model than other model studies whereas the other model showed a lesser R2 value. The study reveals that magnetic biochar from Ziziphus Jujube Seed is optimal adsorbent for removal of Cr(VI) through column adsorption experiment. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Activated, Magnetic biochar and Magnetic activated biochar was used to remove Cr(VI) in fixed bed column studies. Maximum Cr(VI) removal efficiency was achieved at 6 cm bed height and 20 ml/min for all biochars. Magnetic biochar showed maximum Cr(VI) removal efficiency of 99% at 60 ppm and 95% at 40 and 80 ppm. Langmuir isotherm, Pseudo second order kinetic and Adam Bohart Model were the best fit kinetic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Two photosensitizer agents were used: rose bengal and eosin alone and mixed with soap. Two other chemical compounds were used: active cable oil and soap. All these materials were compared with malathion as a conventional insecticide. The Egyptian mealybug Icerya aegyptiaca attacking ornamental–medicinal plants (acalypha and rose shrubs) and the black Parlatoria scale Parlatoria ziziphus attacking sour orange were evaluated against the tested materials. Results: The results obtained suggest that soap, rose bengal mixed, eosin mixed, malathion and active cable oil revealed potency in reducing the population of I. aegyptiaca by 57.24, 87.25, 75.62, 98.71 and 59.91%, respectively, on rose; and by 54.91, 82.64, 62.48, 96.67 and 48.13%, respectively, on acalypha shrubs; their potency on insects showed a significant difference on infested rose than on infested acalypha. The tested compounds revealed lower potency in reducing the population of P. ziziphus than malathion. Reduction percentages were 35.43, 40.39, 34.25, 91.81 and 28.21%, respectively. The accumulation potency of the tested compounds on two insects collectively, without regard to insect species, stages or infested plant species, was assessed at 51.49, 66.18, 55.86, 94.37 and 44.69, respectively. The obtained results confirmed that malathion was the most effective agent against both tested insects, followed by rose bengal mixed with soap, eosin mixed with soap, soap alone and active cable oil. Conclusions: The obtained results showed that rose bengal (as a photosensitizers) mixed with soap can be used as a promising agent against all tested insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present microstructural evaluation was carried out on the woods of three ethnobotanically important local fruit trees, namely, Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., Z. spina-christi (L.) Willd., and Z. nummularia (Burm.f.) Wight and Arn., of family Rhamnaceae from Cholistan Desert of Pakistan. Wood samples were sectioned with sliding sledge microtome to make permanent slides for observing different anatomical parameters under the light microscope. All selected species were observed to have diffuse‐porous wood with indistinct growth rings. The vessels were rounded in outline in all the species studied and found mostly solitary or in radial multiples of 2 in Ziziphus mauritiana and Z. nummularia, while in radial multiples of 2 to 5 in Z. spina-christi. The intervessel pits were scalariform to opposite. The rays were uniseriate in Ziziphus mauritiana, while mostly were biseriate in Ziziphus spina-christi. Simple perforation plates and diffuse, confluent, and vasicentric types of axial parenchyma were present in all the selected species. The fibers were thin‐walled and nonseptate. One‐way ANOVA followed by the Tukey test was conducted to observe different anatomical variations within selected species. Principal component analysis revealed correlations among studied anatomical parameters. The number of rays per mm was comparatively larger in Ziziphus nummularia, showing its greater susceptibility to wood‐deteriorating agents than in other selected species. The Runkel ratio indicated the selected species suitable for making paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) causes dental caries. S. mutans biofilms are inhibited by the antibacterial properties of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam (Z. mauritiana Lam). Purpose: Evaluating the potential of Z. mauritiana Lam in inhibiting the growth and biofilm formation of S. mutans ATCC 25175 in vitro. Methods: This study used the ethanolic extract of Z. mauritiana Lam as the test material and S. mutans as the research subject. Spectrophotometry (620 nm) was used to assess the growth of S. mutans, the inhibition of S. mutans biofilm using a 1% crystal violet staining was measured by spectrophotometry (520 nm), and the visualization of the biofilm mass was conducted with an electric microscope (200x). Results: At all concentrations, Z. mauritiana Lam displayed excellent growth inhibition of S. mutans 0.04-0.09 (< 300 CFU/mL) and was able to inhibit the formation of S. mutans biofilm with a strong scale of optical density (OD) 0.4 at 24 hours incubation time. At the same time, the incubation time of 48 and 72 hours tended to have moderate-scale biofilm inhibition (OD 0.2-3.9). At a concentration of 25%, the biofilm mass decreased by a relatively small size, the same as the positive control group. At 50%, 12.5%, and 6.25%, it was seen that the S. mutans biofilm mass experienced a dominant loss. Conclusion: Z. mauritiana Lam can be bacteriostatic against the growth of S. mutans and can inhibit the formation of biofilms by degrading the structure and mass of S. mutans biofilms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Ziziphus spina christi leaves was used to synthesize a trimetallic CuO/Ag/ZnO nanocomposite by a simple and green method. Many characterizations e.g. FTIR, UV–vis DRS, SEM–EDX, TEM, XRD, zeta-size analysis, and DLS, were used to confirm green-synthesized trimetallic CuO/Ag/ZnO nanocomposite. The green, synthesized trimetallic CuO/Ag/ZnO nanocomposite exhibited a spherical dot-like structure, with an average particle size of around 7.11 ± 0.67 nm and a zeta potential of 21.5 mV. An extremely homogeneous distribution of signals, including O (79.25%), Cu (13.78%), Zn (4.42%), and Ag (2.55%), is evident on the surface of green-synthetic nanocomposite, according to EDX data. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to effectively use an industrially produced green trimetallic CuO/Ag/ZnO nanocomposite as a potent antimicrobial agent by employing different statistically experimental designs. The highest yield of green synthetic trimetallic CuO/Ag/ZnO nanocomposite was (1.65 mg/mL), which was enhanced by 1.85 and 5.7 times; respectively, by using the Taguchi approach in comparison to the Plackett–Burman strategy and basal condition. A variety of assays techniques were utilized to evaluate the antimicrobial capabilities of the green-synthesized trimetallic CuO/Ag/ZnO nanocomposite at a 200 µg/mL concentration against multidrug-resistant human pathogens. After a 36-h period, the tested 200 µg/mL of the green-synthetic trimetallic CuO/Ag/ZnO nanocomposite effectively reduced the planktonic viable counts of the studied bacteria, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, which showed the highest percentage of biofilm reduction (98.06 ± 0.93 and 97.47 ± 0.65%; respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to remove chromium (Cr) from a synthetic solution using Ziziphus jujube seed (ZJS)‐activated biochar (ZJSAB) as an adsorbent. Physicochemical characterization was carried out to understand the properties of ZJSAB samples. Adsorption characteristics of ZJSAB were determined using batch experiments for various temperatures, pH, dosage, concentration, and duration. The study reveals ZJSAB has 93 % efficiency in the removal of Cr for an initial concentration of 60 mg L−1 at 30 °C and 2 pH with 0.6 g L−1 dosage and 120 min duration. Freundlich isotherm and pseudo‐second‐order models were best fit with maximum removal efficiency for ZJSAB. When 0.3 N hydrochloric acid was introduced to a desorption study, Cr desorption was 93.47 %. The study reveals that activated biochar from ZJS was efficient for Cr removal from aqueous solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The vasorelaxant saponins jujuboside A(1), A1(2), B(3), and acetyljujuboside B(4) were isolated from 50% MeOH extracts of seeds of Zizyphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa Hu ex H.F. Chou (Rhamnaceae), and their effects were studied using isolated rat aortic rings. Method: Dried jujube seeds were crushed and extracted with 50% MeOH, and the extracts were concentrated under reduced pressure. Vasorelaxant effects of this extracts were assessed on rat isolated aorta rings. The aorta rings were placed in a well‐oxygenated bath of modified Krebs–Henseleit solution and the mechanical tension was measured isometrically. Results: The crude extract was fractionated by chromatographic methods with the guidance of vasorelaxant activity, and four saponins (1~4) were isolated. These compounds were identified using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies. Compounds 1~4 showed slow relaxation activity against norepinephrine (NE)‐induced contractions of rat aorta with/without endothelium. Treatment with 1~4 did not significantly inhibit NE‐induced vasoconstrictions. Compounds 1~4 inhibited vasoconstriction induced by high‐concentration potassium (60 mM) and NE in the presence of nicardipine but did not affect phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate‐induced vasoconstriction. Conclusion: These results suggest that inhibition of NE‐induced vasoconstriction by 1~4 is due to the inhibition of receptor‐operated Ca2+ channels and voltage‐dependent Ca2+ channels or inhibition of intracellular calcium modulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One useful economic crop which is utilized worldwide is Chinese jujube. It offers both nutritional and therapeutic benefits. Meanwhile, Oolong tea is a semi-oxidized form of tea which has a flavour that falls somewhere between black tea and green tea. Finally, spray-drying is an important technique used in food preservation. This current study sought to assess the most suitable use of Chinese jujube along with appropriate levels of maltodextrin when creating a mixed Oolong tea which incorporates Chinese jujube and is subsequently processed via spray-drying. Oolong tea served as the control sample, while evaluations were carried out on 60%, 70% and 80% blends of Chinese jujube with maltodextrin which served as a carrier agent at concentrations of 20 g, 30 g, 40 g and 50 g. These solutions underwent spray-drying where the respective inlet and outlet temperatures were 190°C and 80°C, respectively. An evaluation of the physico chemical, microbiological and sensory evaluation were performed. There was evidence of an increase in the total phenolic compounds, whereas in contrast there was a decline in antioxidant activity. L* and +a* showed no statistically significant difference, although for +b* a statistically significant difference was found. For products with mixed Chinese jujube and Oolong tea, the moisture, water activity and pH values were shown to be lower, although there was an increase in total soluble solids. In the evaluation, flavour and overall acceptability for Treatment 4 (80% Chinese jujube) achieved the highest respective ratings at 8.17 and 8.13 on the 9-point hedonic scale. This demonstrates that spray-drying can be beneficial in the context of powdered particles. The combination of Chinese jujube and powdered Oolong tea provides good antioxidant properties and offers strong potential for applications in the food sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ziziphus genus, belonging to the Rhamnaceae family, holds significant economic, nutritional, and medicinal value. However, much remains to be discovered about its diversity and physical characteristics. Factors such as growth, resilience to changes, disease resistance, and unique features contribute to the quality of Ziziphus species. This study aims to investigate the genomes of 200 genotypes from five Ziziphus species: Ziziphus jujuba (Zj), Ziziphus nummularia (Zm), Ziziphus oxyphylla (Zx), Ziziphus mauritiana (Zm), and the cultivated variety Ziziphus jujube var. jujube, collected from Pakistan and China. Our goal is to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with eight different traits and understand the genetic diversity within the selected Ziziphus species and their genotypes. Using high‐quality SNPs obtained through genotype‐by‐sequencing (GBS), we conducted population structure, phylogenetic, and principal coordinates analyses, identifying a total of 10,945 clean SNPs. These genotypes were categorized into two groups, A and B. Natural Ziziphus variants in Pakistan, specifically Z. jujuba and Z. nummularia, exhibited high levels of genetic diversity and polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.46 and 0.41, respectively, compared to other species. Furthermore, we identified 15 influential candidate genes that play crucial roles in regulating agronomic traits, such as fruit width and diameter, leaf width, plant height, and stem diameter within this group. This study provides valuable insights that can be utilized in Ziziphus breeding efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of fourteen honey samples, including monofloral, polyfloral, and honeydew honeys, collected from Bulgaria, Turkiye, and Morocco were analyzed with the aim to investigate the influence of floral origin on the biological properties of honey. The antioxidant activities of the samples were estimated using the DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC methods, as well as analyzing their phytochemical composition by measuring the total phenolic content through the Folin- Ciocalteu method and individual polyphenols by HPLC. The results demonstrated that honeydew honey exhibited the highest total phenolic content and antioxidant activity among all the samples tested. It was followed by linden and forest honeys, which also demonstrated significant biological activity. In contrast, acacia and ziziphus honeys displayed the lowest levels of phenolic content and antioxidant properties among the samples. Our results indicated that while the botanical origin of honey had a significant influence on its biological properties, other factors such as geographical location also played a role in determining its quality. The observed variations among the honey samples from the same botanical origin could be attributed to factors such as specific landscape conditions, including whether the honey was sourced from an urban or rural area, the timing of harvest, beekeeping practices, and storage conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The adoption of Ziziphus species medicines for the treatment of inflammatory illnesses is extensive and increasing, nevertheless, the impact of the Ziziphus genus on inflammatory illnesses has not been well studied. Aim of study:- study the Antibacterial, Cytotoxicity of Ziziphus spina-christi leaves extract of in vitro and Immunological effect in vivo, Methods and material : Enterobacter cloacae was obtained from patients from patient with Orthodontics, The Ziziphus spina-christi leaves were obtained from Iraqi market then dried for extraction and 100, 150, 200 mg/ml concentrations were prepared, the experimental design included two parts, in vitro and in vivo, In virto study which estimation the antibacterial activity by agar diffusion methods and Cytotoxicity using WRL-68 cell line with neutral red uptake method, in vivo study was included four groups Group I (Control): daily intraperitoneal injections of normal saline, Group II: injected Intraperitoneal with 100 µl of 1.5 x 108 CFU / ml of E. cloacae, Group III administrated orally with 200 mg/ml of extract, Group IV injected Intraperitoneal with 100 µl of 1.5x108 CFU/ ml of E.cloacae then for 14 day administrated orally with 200 mg/ml with extract then notice the clinical signs of each group evaluation the innate immunity (neutrophil activity) by Nitroblue tetrazollum (NBT) method, Toll Like receptors-2(TLR-2) and Adaptive immunity (Arthus reaction Delayed hypersensitivity,IL-4,IL-17,IL-10). The results: The results showed that the extract revealed a good antibacterial activity against the studied isolates (E. cloacae ) which that highest activity recorded in 200 mg/ml concentration, The cytotoxicity findings reported the IC50 value of Ziziphus Rugosa extract, which indicates the concentration at which 50% proliferation inhibition of WRL-68 cells occurs, was found to be 280 mg/ml. At the greatest concentration of the extract (200 mg/ml), the cell viability was measured to be 80.08%. On the other hand, the lowest dosage tested (6.25 mg/ml) had no effect on the cells. Furthermore, the mice group that received E.cloacae presented clinical symptoms of illness with clear weight loss and diarrhea, reduction in movement activity through the cage space for 7 days while the mice groups that followed by extract administration presented clinical symptoms of illness for 3 days. On the other side the innate immunity findings that represented with the neutrophilsindex were showed the group that had a combination injection by E.cloacae and extract recorded high values(47.15 %) with valuable difference at (p ≤ 0.05 ) comparison with other studied groups and findings of TLR-2 reported the mice that received only E.cloacae showed highest value (98.12±0.087) with a valuable difference at (p≤ 0.05). In additional the adaptive immunity that represented with the Arthus test and DHT were revealed the group that had a combination administration of extract and E.cloacae showed a higher value than the other group, after 48 hr but the value started decreasing after 72 hr but the highest value recorded ( 4.24± 0.00) after 24 hr with valuable difference at p ≤ 0.05 with other groups. On the other side IL-17,IL-4 and IL-10 showed the groups that received extract with E.cloacae given a high value (424.95±0.46, 100±0.00, 72.18±0.12) respectively which higher than other groups with a significant difference at p≤ 0.05. Conclusion: the current study showed Ziziphus spinachristi leaves aqueous extract have positive effect to regulate the immune response by rising the IL-10 and IL-4 that played anti-inflammatory role also increase IL-17 which contributed to mobilization of neutrophil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to еvaluatе thе antimicrobial еffеcts of mеthanol and еthanol еxtracts of Ziziphus spina-christi lеavеs on divеrsе pathogenic bacteria. Mеthods: Thе antimicrobial activity of thе lеaf еxtracts was assеssеd. Thе еxtracts wеrе appliеd to agar platеs, and thе inhibition zonеs wеrе mеasurеd to dеtеrminе thе еxtеnt of bactеrial growth inhibition. Thе MIC valuеs of standard antibiotics wеrе dеtеrminеd using Vitek2 system. Various microorganisms, including Psеudomonas aеruginosa, Strеptococcus agalactiaе, Citrobactеr kosеri, Klеbsiеlla pnеumoniaе ssp pnеumoniaе, and E. coli, wеrе tеstеd in thе study. Rеsults: Thе rеsults showеd that both thе mеthanol and еthanol еxtracts of Ziziphus spina-christi lеavеs еxhibitеd antimicrobial activity against thе tеstеd microorganisms. Thе inhibition zonеs variеd for diffеrеnt microorganisms and еxtracts. For thе mеthanol еxtract, thе largеst inhibition zonе of 12 mm was obsеrvеd for Psеudomonas aеruginosa. Thе еthanol еxtract showed a maximum inhibition zonе of 14 mm for Citrobactеr kosеri. Thеsе findings indicatеd thе sеnsitivity of thе tеstеd microorganisms to thе еxtracts and thеir potential as antimicrobial agеnts. Thе MIC valuеs of standard antibiotics against thе microorganisms rеvеalеd varying lеvеls of sеnsitivity and rеsistancе.Conclusion: Thеsе findings highlight thе potential of Ziziphus spina-christi as a natural source of antimicrobial agеnts .Furthеrmorе, thе intеrprеtations of thе MIC valuеs contributе to thе undеrstanding of thе sеnsitivity or rеsistancе profilеs of thе microorganisms to standard antibiotics. This information can guide clinicians in sеlеcting appropriate antibiotics for trеating infеctions causеd by thеsе microorganisms. Furthеr rеsеarch is warrantеd to idеntify thе bioactivе compounds rеsponsiblе for thе antimicrobial activity and еlucidatе thеir mеchanisms of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present experiment was conducted during October, 2022 to March, 2023 at Horticulture Garden, Department of Fruit Science of Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, U.P, India. The experiment was layout in RBD with three replicates of each treatment. Total 10 treatments including one control viz., GA3 15 ppm, GA3 20 ppm, GA3 25 ppm, GA3 30 ppm, Urea 2%, GA3 15 ppm and urea 2%, GA3 20 ppm and urea 2%, GA3 25 ppm and urea 2%, GA3 30 ppm and urea 2% and Control i.e., water spray. The present investigation, it is reported that the application of GA3 30 ppm and Urea 2% with significantly increased initial fruit set (169), fruit retention (84.22%) and decreased fruit drop (84.22%), increased fruit weight (15.44 g), pulp weight (14.43 g), fruit length (4.52 cm), diameter (2.99 cm), volume (16.80 cc) and yield (31.50 kg) branch-1 and minimum stone weight (1.01 g), pulp: stone ratio (14.29) and quality parameters like; TSS (15.30 °Brix), ascorbic acid (99.25 mg) 100 g-1 of fruit pulp and total sugars (9.99%) and decreased titratable acidity (0.10%) content. Hence, plants treated with GA3 30 ppm and urea 2% can further be used to improve the fruiting, overall yield improvement, and quality characteristics of Banarasi Karaka cultivar of ber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian jujube displays genetic diversity and does not prominently display minute morphometric variations, and this makes correct identification a difficult and long-term task. However, little work has been conducted to bring jujube cultivars into domestication. So, the present study aimed to evaluate eleven cultivars of Indian jujube in terms of the fruit's morphometric characteristics, as well as molecular marker studies by plastidial megakaryocyte-associated tyrosine kinase (matK) barcoding and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers for species differentiation, identification, and relationships among Indian jujube cultivars. The results of the morphometric characteristics showed that the mean geometric diameter, surface area, sphericity, sphericity ratio, shape index, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight, and seed weight varied among cultivars. The results also showed that the color values of L*, a*, and b* for fruits differed in different cultivars. In addition, the results showed a discrepancy in the genetic diversity parameters related to the matK barcoding, ISSR markers, and relationships among Indian jujube cultivars. Substantially, hierarchical clustering by heatmap revealed that 'Zytoni' and 'Um-Sulaem' with spines seem to be mono-clades distinct from other cultivars, which related to variations in the expression levels of genes. Therefore, they should be relied upon together to distinguish and identify cultivars in order to maximize the effectiveness of local germplasm conservation and exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep is crucial for preserving both physical and mental health, including skin health. Presently, there is a burgeoning interest in the use of herbal and natural ingredients to mitigate the adverse effects of sleep disorders. In this 4‐week, randomized, double‐blind, controlled trial, 70 subjects with sleep disorders were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or a Poria cocos, Ziziphus spinose, and GABA (PZG) supplement (10 mL per day). Total sleep duration was detected by wrist actigraphy, and sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Skin conditions were evaluated based on assessments of skin hydration, glossiness elasticity, color, severity of wrinkles, and skin roughness. After 4 weeks, the total sleep duration significantly increased by 12.96% (p =.006) and the PSQI score notably decreased by 59.94% (p =.000) compared to the baseline. Notably, compared to the baseline conditions, skin hydration, radiance, elasticity, firmness, wrinkle severity, and roughness were significantly improved in the PZG group. In addition, the PZG group demonstrated significantly greater improvements than the placebo group in terms of changes from baseline in total sleep duration, PSQI score, skin hydration, wrinkle severity, and skin roughness. The present results demonstrated that the combined intake of herbs and GABA can improve sleep quality and enhance skin health without adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Alternative and affordable tick control strategies are crucial to control and prevent tick bites and tick-borne diseases. Methods: In this study, we evaluated the acaricidal efficacy of 35 aqueous plant extracts (17%) against the camel tick, Hyalomma dromedarii. Results: The phytochemical profile indicated the presence of various secondary substances. Plants were classified into three groups according to their mortality percentage 15 days post-treatment with 17%. This highly effective group (91%–95%) comprised Ocimum basilicum, Mespilus germanica, and Viola alpine followed by Carum carvi, Cucurbita pepo (peel), and Peganum harmala. A moderately effective group (80%–90%) included Acacia nilotica, Apium graveolens, Capsicum annuum, Ceratonia siliqua, Cucurbita pepo (seeds), Equisetum arvense, Eruca sativa, Ginkgo biloba, Plantago psyllium, Phyllanthus emblica, Punica granatum, and Ziziphus spinachristi. The 20 remaining plants were assigned to the less effective group (< 80%). Viscum album (58.3%), which was the least effective reference plant. The high potency of six plant extracts as acaricides may be attributed to the high content of active principles, e.g., phenols, flavonoids, and tannins. Conclusion: All of these highly effective plants are recommended for use as an acaricide, in case of facing acaricidal resistance or limited options for tick control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The development of resistance by Plasmodium falciparum is a burdening hazard that continues to undermine the strides made to alleviate malaria. As such, there is an increasing need to find new alternative strategies. This study evaluated and validated 2 medicinal plants used in traditional medicine to treat malaria. Methods: Inspired by their ethnobotanical reputation of being effective against malaria, Ziziphus mucronata and Xysmalobium undulutum were collected and sequentially extracted using hexane (HEX), ethyl acetate (ETA), Dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MTL). The resulting crude extracts were screened for their anti-malarial and cytotoxic potential using the parasite lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, respectively. This was followed by isolating the active compounds from the DCM extract of Z. mucronata using silica gel chromatography and structural elucidation using spectroscopic techniques (NMR: 1H, 12C, and DEPT). The active compounds were then targeted against P. falciparum heat shock protein 70–1 (PfHsp70-1) using Autodock Vina, followed by in vitro validation assays using ultraviolet–visible (UV–VIS) spectroscopy and the malate dehydrogenase (MDH) chaperone activity assay. Results: The extracts except those of methanol displayed anti-malarial potential with varying IC50 values, Z. mucronata HEX (11.69 ± 3.84 µg/mL), ETA (7.25 ± 1.41 µg/mL), DCM (5.49 ± 0.03 µg/mL), and X. undulutum HEX (4.9 ± 0.037 µg/mL), ETA (17.46 ± 0.024 µg/mL) and DCM (19.27 ± 0.492 µg/mL). The extracts exhibited minimal cytotoxicity except for the ETA and DCM of Z. mucronata with CC50 values of 10.96 and 10.01 µg/mL, respectively. Isolation and structural characterization of the active compounds from the DCM extracts revealed that betulinic acid (19.95 ± 1.53 µg/mL) and lupeol (7.56 ± 2.03 µg/mL) were responsible for the anti-malarial activity and had no considerable cytotoxicity (CC50 > µg/mL). Molecular docking suggested strong binding between PfHsp70-1, betulinic acid (− 6.8 kcal/mol), and lupeol (− 6.9 kcal/mol). Meanwhile, the in vitro validation assays revealed the disruption of the protein structural elements and chaperone function. Conclusion: This study proves that X undulutum and Z. mucronata have anti-malarial potential and that betulinic acid and lupeol are responsible for the activity seen on Z. mucronata. They also make a case for guided purification of new phytochemicals in the other extracts and support the notion of considering medicinal plants to discover new anti-malarials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The potential of aqueous extract of Christ's thorn jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi) leaves (SLAE) to reduce the negative impacts of heat stress on production performance and physiological traits was investigated in dual-purpose layers under subtropical farming. Methods: A total of 200, 25-week-old laying hens (Inshas strain) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments including SLAE at 0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mL/kg, respectively. The average temperature-humidity index value was 26.69 during the experimental period. The SLAE contained saponin (0.045%), total flavonoid content of 17.9 mg of quercetin equivalent/100 g and overall antioxidant capacity concentration of 17.9 mg of ascorbic acid equivalent/100 g. Results: The maximum final body weight (BW), BW gain, egg weight, number, and mass occurred at the level of SLAE7.5 inclusion. The egg quality was significantly higher in SLAE groups than in control, and overall, SLAE7.5 had the most favorable influence at 28 and 32 weeks. Liver and kidney function, as well as lipids profile, improved significantly by SLAE inclusion; the lowest concentrations of these parameters were in SLAE7.5 hens. Treatment with SLAE7.5 increased total antioxidant capacity and endogenous antioxidant enzymes compared to control, whereas no effect on superoxide dismutase was noticed. Conclusion: The addition of SLAE at 7.5 mL/kg diet improved egg laying performance and quality, metabolic profiles, and antioxidant status during hyperthermia conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisplatin is famous, effective anti-cancer drug but has some adverse effects such as nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. This work was planned to assess the protective effect of Ziziphus spina-christi oil extract against Cisplatin induced hepatorenal toxicity. A total of 24 male albino rats divided into equal four groups for 14 consecutive days. G1(control), G2(Ziziphus spina-christi), G3(cisplatin), G4(cisplatin+ Ziziphus spina-christi). Cisplatin treated rats showed increased serum AST, ALP, ALT, triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, urea, creatinine concentrations and decreased total protein and albumin concentration. Furthermore, cisplatin treated rats significantly increased the MDA level and decreased both of CAT and SOD levels in hepatic and renal tissue compared to control. Administration of Ziziphus spina-christi oil extract orally at dose of with once intraperitoneal IP at 10th day of experiment renormalized cisplatin hepatorenal damaged group by exerting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. Both of histopathological and immunohistochemical (TNF alpha) changes showed good changes, recovered after using of Ziziphus spina-christi oil extract orally [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivation of the 'Apple of the Sahel' (also known as Indian Jujube) is central to the food security, nutrition, and income of rural communities in developing countries like Niger. However, rainfall variability significantly impacts the development of this plant. This study aims to determine the effects of seasonal water regimes on the growth and productivity of the Apple of the Sahel. The trials were conducted in 2020 and 2021 during the rainy and dry seasons at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) experimental site in Sadore, Niamey, Niger. The experiment was arranged in a factorial design with three irrigation doses (D) and three irrigation systems (G) as main and subplot factors, respectively. The sub-subplot factors were irrigation frequencies (F) and growth boosters (B), each with two levels. In the dry season, irrigation dose application significantly (p = 0.001) increased soil volumetric water content (vwc). A similar increase in soil vwc was achieved under small-scale drip irrigation with an application of the same dose of organic material (p = 0.001). The diameter of the Apple of the Sahel trees significantly increased (p = 0.03) under the small-scale drip irrigation systems with 6.72 mm recorded under the two-drip irrigation system (G2) as compared with the manual system (G0). In the dry season, the total fruit harvest of Apple of the Sahel recorded had increased (p = 0.04) under the irrigated system, varying from 112 to 246% depending on the number of drippers, and compared to the manual system. These results highlight that small-scale drip irrigation should be used in combination with appropriate water and fertilizer management to improve water availability and tree yield in agroforestry systems in arid regions such as Niger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio CuO NPs were prepared using copper (II) sulfate as well as Ziziphus jujube leaves. XRD analysis was performed using an XPERT-PRO diffractometer. The metal oxide stretching of bio CuO NPs confirms the production of bio CuO NPs through the FTIR characterization executed to study the functional group of the formed bio CuO NPs. Optical studies were made and the energy band gap was calculated which resulted in a wide energy band gap of bio CuO NPs. SEM analysis was executed by the use of a scanning electron microscope and the surface morphology was reported. The antibacterial studies were executed for two bacteria and the inhibition value was determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to compare the antioxidant activity and bacteriostasis of ethanol extracts from Zizyphus jujuba leaves in main producing areas of Shanxi Province. The samples of Zizyphus jujuba leaves from main producing areas such as northern Shanxi, central Shanxi, southeastern Shanxi and southern Shanxi were collected, and the antioxidant active sites of Zizyphus jujuba leaves were screened by organic solvent extraction of ethanol extract method, and the antioxidant activity of different polar parts of Zizyphus jujuba leaves from different main producing areas were compared, and the bacteriostasis of ethanol extract aqueous solution of Zizyphus jujuba leaves was tested. The results showed that the total flavonoids content in the ethyl acetate phase of ethanol extract of Zizyphus jujuba leaves was the highest. Ethyl acetate phase has the strongest scavenging ability against ABTS radical and DPPH radical, which indicates that ethyl acetate phase was the strongest site of antioxidant activity. In different producing areas, the antioxidant activity of different polar parts of Zizyphus jujuba leaves in central Shanxi was the strongest, while that in southern Shanxi was the weakest. The aqueous solution of ethanol extract of Zizyphus jujuba leaves in Taigu District and Pingyao County has the strongest bacteriostatic effect. The study indicates that the ethanol extract of Zizyphus jujuba leaves in central Shanxi has higher antioxidant activity, and the ethyl acetate phase has higher antioxidant activity than other polar parts, and the aqueous solution of ethanol extract of Zizyphus jujuba leaves in central Shanxi has the strongest antibacterial and bactericidal effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zizyphus spinosus Hu (ZS), as a "medicinal and food-homologous" plant, has been used for a long history. The study was to assess the sedative and hypnotic effects among various parts of ZS. The model, diazepam (DZP), ZS kernel (ZSS), ZS flesh (ZSF), and ZS husk (ZSKS) group occurred subsequent to the successful establishment of the para-chlorophenylalanine induced insomnia model via intraperitoneal injection. The latency and duration of sleep in mice in each group were recorded. The substance basis of various parts of ZS was analyzed by the UPLC-QTOF-MS technique. The results showed that relative to the model group, DZP, ZSS, ZSF, and ZSKS groups demonstrated shortened sleep latency (p < 0.05) and extended sleep duration (p < 0.01). The GABA, 5-HT, and BDNF levels were significantly upregulated in the brain tissues of the mice in the DZP, ZSF, and ZSS groups (p < 0.01). However, the improvement in ZSKS was non-significant. Additionally, the mRNA and protein expression levels of 5-HT1AR, GABAARα1, and BDNF in mice in the DZP, ZSS, and ZSF groups were significantly enhanced (p < 0.01). However, the improvement in the ZSKS group was insignificant (p < 0.05). The examination of the substance composition across different parts revealed that the shared chemical basis contributing to the sedative and hypnotic potency of different parts of ZS may involve the presence of compounds such as (1) magnoflorine, (8) betulinic acid, (9) ceanothic acid, and (10) alphitolic acid. It provides a basis for further elucidation of the substance basis responsible for the functional and medicinal effects of ZS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory diseases present a significant burden to global health, often requiring targeted and specific therapeutic agents for effective management. Ziziphus nummularia (Aubrev.), a traditional medicinal plant, offers a potential source for these agents. This article aims to explore the anti-inflammatory potential of a novel cyclic alkaloid compound isolated from the root bark of Ziziphus nummularia. The cyclic alkaloid compound, [(16-methoxy-10-(3-methyl-butyl)-2-oxa-6, 9, 12-triaza-tricyclo [13.3.1.03, 7] nonadeca-1(18), 13, 15(19), 16- tetraene-8, 11-Dione], exhibited promising anti-inflammatory properties. The potential of this isolated compound (IC) was evaluated in vitro by measuring the levels of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Additionally, Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME) simulations and molecular docking to the TNF-α receptor were carried out for IC. In vivo evaluations of both the IC and its ethanolic extract (EE) were performed using carrageenan-induced paw oedema and arachidonic acid/xylene-induced ear oedema tests. The IC showed a higher inhibition of TNF-α compared to other compounds, reaching a maximum inhibition of 88.00% at a concentration of 50.11 μM. In silico analysis revealed that IC formed hydrogen bonds with residues, aspartate at position 45 (ASP 45) and glutamine at position 47 (GLN 47). The IC significantly attenuated oedema induced by carrageenan, xylene, and arachidonic acid. Hence, this compound may offer a potential therapeutic approach for treating inflammation in future clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of blueberry (BB) and jujube fruit (JF) on the quality parameters, functional, probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM 20079) viability, and sensorial properties of probiotic ice cream were investigated. No statistical differences were discovered regarding titratable acidity and L. acidophilus DSM 20079 counts between all samples. However, the ice creams preserved the survivability of probiotic bacteria during the storage period. The probiotic ice creams had counts of viable L. acidophilus DSM 20079 ranging from 8.42 to 8.80 log CFU/g which met the minimum required to achieve probiotic effects after 60 days of storage. Probiotic ice cream with BB or JF had significantly lower L* values than the control, and the BB addition caused the greatest decrease. The addition of both fruits clearly enhanced the total phenolic content and antioxidative activity in ice cream. The incorporation of BB or JF into the ice creams did not statistically affect the overrun value, while the addition of both fruits dramatically affected the first dripping time and increased hardness. Overall, sensory attributes were not significantly altered by the fortification of either fruit relative to the control, so these fruits can be added at higher concentrations to ice cream formulations for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to their simplicity, eco-friendliness, availability and non-toxicity, the greener fabrication of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles has been a highly attractive research area over the last decade. Aim: This study aimed to assess the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using an aqueous leaf extract of Ziziphus spina-christi. Method: The antioxidant property of ZnO-NPs was analyzed by the α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Additionally, the diffusion agar method assessed the antimicrobial activities against bacteria and fungi. Results: ZnO-NPs synthesized by Z. spina-christi had shown promising H2O2 and DPPH free radical scavenging actions compared to vitamin C. The ZnO-NPs exhibited significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria with various susceptibility as a concentration- dependent effect. The largest zone of inhibition for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was observed (36 ± 2 mm) compared to Escherichia coli (E. coli) (15 ± 2 mm) by the same concentration of ZnO-NPs. The ZnO-NPs showed remarkable antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger. Conclusion: It can be concluded that, ZnO-NP have been imposed as suitable antimicrobial agent being able to combat both S. aureus and E. coli in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grafting serves as a pervasive methodology in the propagation of jujube plants, yet the nuanced molecular mechanisms that dictate rootstock-scion interactions remain inadequately understood. We examined the transcriptomic landscapes of jujube heterograft combinations. Contrary to self-grafting conditions, early-stage heterografting yielded no discernible advantageous effects on scion biomass accretion. Interestingly, the rootstock's biomass was significantly impacted by the scion, varying by species. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across graft combinations were mainly enriched for the vegetative growth of rootstocks, secondary metabolism, and resistance improvement of scions. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified 27 hub genes which were negatively correlated with plant growth and biomass enlargement, serving as negative regulators, while the genes, L484_001734, ATHB-15, and BPC1, were involved in positive regulation. With biomass measurements, the transcriptomic data supported that an incomplete vascular recovery during early grafting led to nutrient accumulation at the graft junction, temporarily limiting plant growth while providing development resources for callus. In summary, our work has demonstrated that the intricate biological connections between the rootstock and scion guarantee the effective jujube grafting process by elucidating the molecular processes involved in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various physical attributes of jujube fruits, including axial dimensions, geometric and arithmetic mean diameters, sphericity, weight, volume, and projected areas, were analyzed to estimate their relationship with fruit mass. This analysis utilized five different models -- S-curve, linear, power, quadratic, and logarithmic -- for both ungraded and three size-graded categories of jujube fruits. Among the models, the power model (M = 0.984V1014) demonstrated the best fit for ungraded fruits, exhibiting the highest R2 value (0.999) and the lowest standard error of estimate (SEE = 0.012) for mass prediction. For the graded fruits, the power model (M = 1.012V1 005) based on the actual volume of small jujube fruits proved to be the most efficient, with an R2 value of 0.996. These findings suggest that mass modelling using actual volume for ungraded Indian jujube fruits yields the most accurate predictions compared to graded fruits, which is critical for the design and development of effective and precise grading mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive compounds of medicinal plants, including polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, and alkaloids, are essential sources for developing analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antidiarrheal drugs. In the current study, secondary metabolites were assessed through phytochemical screening and GC-MS analysis whereas analgesic activity was carried out through hot plate (HP) and acetic acid-induced method (AAI), anti-inflammatory through paw edema model (PEM), and antispasmodic activity via charcoal meal test (CMT) using ethyl acetate and ethanolic extract of Ziziphus mauritiana var. spontanea and Oenothera biennis. The phytochemical screening revealed that the ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis were rich in alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, triterpenoids, and saponins. GC-MS analysis of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis of ethyl acetate and ethanolic extract showed the existence of many bioactive substances at various retention durations (min). These included pharmacologically active compounds such as heptadecane, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, hexadecanoic acid, and tetradecanoic acid. The results of the HP method revealed that ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis at 300 mg/kg increased basal reaction time significantly (p < 0.001) after 90 min. The results of the AAI method revealed that the ethanolic and ethyl acetate extract of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis showed significant (p < 0.001) peripheral analgesic activity at the dose of 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight. The dosage of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight of the ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis showed significant (p < 0.001) anti-inflammatory activity. According to PEM, the ethanolic extract of O. biennis showed the highest reduction in paw volume (73.3%) at 300 mg/kg. The results of CMT revealed that ethanolic and ethyl acetate extract of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis significantly (p < 0.001) inhibited charcoal movement at 300 mg/kg. The maximum percent inhibition (67.2%) was shown by ethyl acetate of O. biennis at 300 mg/kg. From the present study, it can be concluded that ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of Z. mauritiana and O. biennis have the potential to manage inflammation, pain, and diarrhea-related problems mainly at a higher dose, i.e., 300 mg/kg. The presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, triterpenoids, and saponins might be among the responsible bioactive constituents. These plants showed significant medicinal and therapeutic efficacy which are novel. However, further studies are required to investigate the mechanism responsible for the activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is responsible for approximately 10 million deaths worldwide, with 70% of the deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries; as such safer and more effective anti-cancer drugs are required. Therefore, the potential benefits of Ziziphus nummularia and Ziziphus spina-christi as sources of anti-cancer agents were investigated. Z. nummularia and Z. spina-christi extracts were prepared using chloroform, ethanol, ethyl acetate, and water. The extracts' anti-cancer properties were determined using the MTT Cell Viability Assay in four cancer cell lines: breast (KAIMRC2 and MDA-MB-231), colorectal (HCT8), and liver (HepG2). The ApoTox-Glo Triplex Assay and high-content imaging (HCI)-Apoptosis Assay were used to assess KAIMRC2 and HCT8 cells further. In addition, KAIMRC2 cells were tested for microtubule staining, and AKT/mTOR protein expression was determined by western blot analysis. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS) was performed to identify the secondary metabolites in the ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts, followed by in silico techniques to predict molecular targets and interactions, safety, and pharmacokinetic profile for identified metabolites. Out of the eight extracts, the ethanolic extract of Z. nummularia, exhibited the most potent activity against KAIMRC2 cells with an IC50 value of 29.2 μg/ml. Cancer cell treatment with the ethanolic extract of Z. nummularia resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability with increased apoptosis and cytotoxic effects. Microtubule staining showed a disrupted microtubular network. The ethanolic extract treatment of KAIMRC2 cells led to upregulated expression of pAKT and pmTOR. In silico studies predicted luteolin-7-O-glucoside to be a ligand for tubulin with the highest docking score (− 7.686) and similar binding interactions relative to the native ligand. Further computational analysis of the metabolites showed acceptable pharmacokinetic and safety profiles, although ethanolic extract metabolites were predicted to have cardiotoxic effects. Ethanolic extraction is optimal for solubilizing active anticancer metabolites from Z. nummularia, which may act by causing M-phase arrest via inhibition of tubulin polymerization. Luteolin-7-O-glucoside is the lead candidate for further research and development as an anti-cancer agent. In addition, this study suggests that herbal treatment could switch on mechanisms of adaptation and survival in cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to describe a new fossil wood from the Middle Miocene of South Anatolia (Mersin) and to identify it and evaluate its palaeoenvironmental implications. Thin sections of transverse, tangential, and radial surfaces were examined and described using the terminology of the International Association of Wood Anatomists. The wood was determined to have characteristics of Ziziphus (Rhamnaceae). It is the first fossil wood of Ziziphus and is described as Ziziphoxylon sayaz Akkemik sp. nov. It is from the Middle Miocene Climate Optimum (MMCO), which is a relatively warm interval in the Miocene. Indistinct annual growth ring boundaries and wide rings indicate optimum growth site conditions during its life time. Furthermore, this fossil wood also supports the presence of shallow marine terrestrial areas in Mut Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural products have long been utilized in traditional medicine as remedies to improve health and treat illnesses, and have had a key role in modern drug discovery. Recently, there has been a revived interest in the search for bioactives from natural sources as alternative or complementary modalities to synthetic medicines; especially for cancer treatment, which incidence and mortality rates are on the rise worldwide. Ziziphus nummularia has been widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Its traditional uses and numerous ethnopharmacological properties may be attributed to its richness in bioactive metabolites. However, its phytochemical composition or chemopreventive effects against the aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are still poorly explored. Here, phytochemical composition of an ethanolic extract of Z. nummularia leaves (ZNE) and its chromatographically isolated fractions was identified both qualitatively by spectrophotometric assays and analytically by HPLC-PDA-MS/MS. The anti-proliferative effects of ZNE were tested in several cancer cell lines, but we focused on its anti-TNBC effects since they were not explored yet. The anti-cancerous potential of ZNE and its fractions was tested in vitro in MDA-MB-231, a TNBC cell line. Results showed that ZNE and its Fraction 6 (F6) reduced the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells. F6 decreased MDAMB-231 viability more than crude ZNE or its other fractions. ZNE and F6 are rich in phytochemicals and HPLC-PDA-MS/MS analysis identified several metabolites that were previously reported to have anti-cancerous effects. Both ZNE and F6 showed potent antioxidant capacity in the DPPH assay, but promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in MDA-MB-231 cells; an effect which was blunted by the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). NAC also blunted ZNE- and F6-induced reduction in TNBC cell viability. We also demonstrated that ZNE and F6 induced an arrest of the cell cycle, and triggered apoptosis- and autophagymediated cell death. ZNE and F6 inhibited metastasis-related cellular processes by modifying cell migration, invasion, and adhesion. Taken together, our findings reveal that Z. nummularia is rich in phytochemicals that can attenuate the malignant phenotype of TNBC and may offer innovative avenues for the discovery of new drug leads for treatment of TNBC and other cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ziziphus mauritiana is an economically detrimental and environmentally destructive plant in non‐native areas where it has escaped cultivation. It forms dense, impenetrable thickets that restrict the movement of livestock across the landscape and has the capacity to alter various ecological functions at the site of invasion, all of which contribute towards land degradation and the reduction of economic profitability. Although there are several management strategies implemented to control Z. mauritiana, it is clear that no single‐method approach will effectively control the species in the long‐term. Whilst chemical and mechanical methods appear to show promising results, they tend to be restricted to areas that are easily accessible and, even so, can be challenging and laborious to treat evenly across dense thicket areas. Several prospective biological control agents have been identified for Z. mauritiana, although further investigations are required to ascertain the host specificity, and to explore and identify their climatic and environmental suitability of host specific agents for release in non‐native regions. Ecological burning alone is not effective in controlling Z. mauritiana and will likely increase its emergence. As such, it could be adopted as part of an integrated management approach to assist other methods for long‐term control, but again the development of such an approach requires further investigation. To contribute towards the control of Z. mauritiana, this review explores its biology, distribution and management challenges whilst identifying areas of research that will assist in the long‐term and confident control of the species, with an emphasis on its invasion in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of infrared-combined hot air intermittent drying (IIRHAD) on energy consumption, drying characteristics, and the quality of jujube slices. The water content of jujube slices decreased from 0.267 g/g to 0.05 g/g during the experiment, and the infrared heating plate's temperature was fixed at 70 °C while the hot air temperature was fixed at 50 °C. Nine different intermittent ratios were used to dry jujube slices, and the results showed that intermittent treatment had varying effects on drying characteristics, energy consumption, and quality. In comparison to infrared-combined hot air drying (IRHAD), the effective drying time of red jujube slices was reduced by 40 to 100 min, the energy consumption decreased by 11.91% to 34.34%, and there were also varying degrees of improvement in the quality indicators. It was discovered that excessively long or short active drying and tempering periods had a negative impact on the drying process. Therefore, these factors should be further broken down and improved in the future. This research holds great importance for the future advancement and widespread use of IIRHAD in fruit and vegetable materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ziziphus lotus has been the subject of several researchs because of its nutritional benefits and ecological attributes. The removal of hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) from a solution using powdered Zizphus lotus fruits, for its qualities of being inexpensive as well as environmentally friendly, was investigated. The results obtained showed that at pH = 2, at 30°C, after 600 min of adsorbent/adsorbate contact, with 100 mg/L as initial concentration of Cr(VI) and a biosorbent dosage of 5 g/L, the biosorption of Cr(VI) on Zizphus lotus fruit powder (ZLFP) is at its maximum rate. The sorption process was exothermic (H° = -6.69 kJ/mol), and was characterized by a positive entropy values (S° = 46.76 J/K mol) suggesting a high affinity of the ZLFP for Cr(VI). Given that the Gibbs free energy (G°) is negative and decreases as temperatures increase from 293 to 323 K, the process of biosorption is both feasible and spontaneous. The Temkin model and the Langmuir model both generated excellent fits to the equilibrium data. The maximum monolayer biosorption capacity was 36.11 mg/g. The pseudo second order model was used to fit the kinetic data relating to the adsorption of Cr(VI) on the ZLFP. The FTIR spectral analysis allowed the characterization of the biochemical groups mainly involved in the sorption of Cr(VI) ions on the ZLFP, and which are: N-C, H-O, O-C, H-C, and O=C. The capacity of Ziziphus lotus fruit as an inexpensive, effective, and ecofriendly biosorbent is confirmed through this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Ziziphus is a tropical genus that is native to the Northern hemisphere. The identification of the species in the genus is confusing due to their phenotypic diversity. In this study, numerical taxonomic approach was employed to identify the species in Katsina and to evaluate the useful characters to be use in delimiting the species. A total of 40 specimens were collected and subjected to morphological examination using both qualitative and quantitative characters. The result of the multivariate analysis revealed four major clusters at Euclidean distance of 0.58 and cophenetic correlation coefficient value of (r)=0.675. The result revealed that Ziziphus is represented by four species in Katsina, namely: Z. spina-christi, Z. mauritiana, Z. mucronata and Z. abyssinica. The petiole length, seed weight, leaf length are the important characters that were useful in delimiting the species with coefficient of variation of 41.06 %, 39.08 % and 33.67 %, respectively.

The study aimed to assess the effects of different concentrations of Ziziphus spina-Christi (ZSC) leaves on the fertility of buck goats. Twelve buck goats aged 12–15 months with an average body weight of 22±2 kg were divided randomly into three dietary treatments: T1, T2, and T3, each given a basal diet daily plus feeds of 20 g/kg (2%) of ZSC for T1 and 40 g/kg (4%) of ZSC for ‎T2; and T3 was used as the control that consumed a basal diet only. The experiment lasted for 3 months. On days 45 and 90, blood samples were collected for plasma testosterone measurement using an immunochromatographic assay. Additionally, semen samples were collected at the same time points for physical (volume, color, and pH) and microscopic (semen concentration, mass and individual motility percentage, and live-dead sperm percentages) evaluations. ‎ The results showed that ZSC at 4% significantly (P

Abstract Background Several species of the genus Ziziphus are used worldwide for their medicinal and therapeutic properties. The present study aimed to investigate the phenotypic variation of five species of the Ziziphus genus, including Z. jujuba Mill. (25 accessions), Z. mauritiana Lam. (25 accessions), Z. spina-christi L. (25 accessions), Z. nummularia L. (10 accessions), and Z. xylopyrus Willd. (10 accessions) from Markazi, Sistan-va-Baluchestan, and Khuzestan provinces, Iran. Results The investigated accessions have significant differences in terms of all the measured as revealed using analysis of variance (ANOVA, P

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to detect the changes in physicochemical and functional properties of raw and processed divergent honey varieties after adulterating with different sugar syrups. Specifically, when 25% to 55% cane syrup was added to raw Acacia honey, the HMF content increased from 46.25 to 101.6 mg/kg. In processed honey that contained 55% cane syrup, HMF content was even higher, reaching up to 402.47 mg/kg. The reported values for HMF (>80 mg/kg) content and DN (>8 DN) were above the described quality evaluation standard of honey. The results indicated that adulterating Acacia honey with up to 55% corn and corn syrup caused a reduction in diastase content to below 3.5 DN, and an increase in HMF content above 93.28 mg/kg. Similarly, adding 10% corn syrup to raw Ziziphus honey resulted in a decrease in both DPPH and ABTS+ values from 83.16% and 88.58%, respectively, to 72.83% and 76.97%. The findings in this study demonstrated that the addition of malt syrup (55%) to raw Trifolium honey resulted in an increase in the phytochemical content, with the TPC value reaching 805.15 mg GAE/100 g. However, processing Trifolium honey caused a significant decrease in TPC content to 505.15 mg GAE/100 g. This work highlights the need for more research into unexplored honey varieties and adulteration methods to improve quality evaluation standards and mitigate authenticity issues.

Incorporating green chemistry concepts into nanotechnology is an important focus area in nanoscience. The demand for green metal oxide nanoparticle production has grown in recent years. The beneficial effects of using nanoparticles in agriculture have already been established. Here, we highlight some potential antifungal properties of Zizyphus spina leaf extract-derived copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-Zs-NPs), produced with a spherical shape and defined a 13–30 nm particle size. Three different dosages of CuO-Zs-NPs were utilized and showed promising antifungal efficacy in vitro and in vivo against the selected fungal strain of F. solani causes tomato root rot disease, which was molecularly identified with accession number (OP824846). In vivo results indicated that, for all CuO-Zs-NPs concentrations, a significant reduction in Fusarium root rot disease occurred between 72.0 to 88.6% compared to 80.5% disease severity in the infected control. Although treatments with either the chemical fungicide (Kocide 2000) showed a better disease reduction and incidence with (18.33% and 6.67%) values, respectively, than CuO-Zs-NPs at conc. 50 mg/l, however CuO-Zs-NPs at 250 mg/l conc. showed the highest disease reduction (9.17 ± 2.89%) and lowest disease incidence (4.17 ± 3.80%). On the other hand, CuO-Zs-NPs at varied values elevated the beneficial effects of tomato seedling vigor at the initial stages and plant growth development compared to either treatment with the commercial fungicide or Trichoderma Biocide. Additionally, CuO-Zs-NPs treatments introduced beneficial results for tomato seedling development, with a significant increase in chlorophyll pigments and enzymatic activity for CuO-Zs-NPs treatments. Additionally, treatment with low concentrations of CuO-Zs-NPs led to a rise in the number of mature pollen grains compared to the immature ones. however the data showed that CuO-Zs-NPs have a unique antifungal mechanism against F. solani, they subsequently imply that CuO-Zs-NPs might be a useful environmentally friendly controlling agent for the Fusarium root rot disease that affects tomato plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the control and treatment of African trypanosomiasis are limited by the number of chemotherapeutic drugs with associated side effects. Consequently, there is an urgent need for a non-toxic herbal treatment for African trypanosomiasis. Leaf, stem, and root bark extracts of Acacia nilotica L. and Guiera senegalensis J. F. Gmel and Ziziphus abyssinica Hochst ex A. Rich were sequentially extracted using hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water as solvents and evaluated for in vitro anti-trypanosomal activities against Trypanosoma brucei, and phytochemical contents. Results revealed that out of the 36 extracts, Methanol leaf extracts of G. senegalensis, aqueous leaf extract of G. senegalensis, methanol leaf extract of A. nilotica and methanol leaf extract of Z. abyssinica leaf extract (MIC 3.93±2.88, 10.98±3.21, 16.91±3.21 and 18.88±3.44 µg/ml respectively), gave the best in vitro antitrypanosomal activity against T. b. brucei compare to the control. The quantitative phytochemical analysis of the 4 most trypanocidal plant extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpene, quinines, saponins and tannins, with alkaloids and flavonoids having the highest concentrations (4.3.13±0.05 mg/100 g and 4.5±0.02 mg/100 g respectively) in the methanol leaf extract of G. senegalensis and quinone with the lowest concentration (0.1±0.07 mg/100 g). The methanol leaf extracts of G. senegalensis were found to have the most in vitro anti-trypanosomal activities (MIC of 3.93±2.88 ug/ml), possibly due to the high content of alkaloids and flavonoids. The results of this study revealed the potential of G. senegalensis for the treatment of African trypanosomiasis. Consequently, further studies are needed with this plant to evaluate its in vivo anti-trypanosomal potential, the structures of the bioactive compounds responsible for its activity, and its other medicinal properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the effects of in-bottle pasteurization conditions, soda water, different types and ratios of flavor syrup additions on several quality attributes of the green apple (Ziziphus mauritiana) cider. Higher pasteurized temperature and time resulted in lower total acid content; however, there was no significant difference between the different temperatures and time. The product with the pasteurized conditions of 70°C and 10 min provided the highest overall acceptance score and completely met microbiological standards of safety. However, as the pasteurization temperature and time increased, the lower the taste and smell scores were found for the product. The amount of soda water added positively affects not only the sensory quality but also the alcohol content. The addition of strawberry and sugar syrup at 10–14% (v/v) were the most preferred, while that of honey syrup at these ratios were all low in sensory evaluation score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]