Sharanagouda J. Patil

Background: Samsarjana Krama, the graduated post-Shodhana dietary regimen described in classical texts like the Charaka Samhita and Ashtanga Hridayam, offers a systematic protocol for dietary re-introduction during convalescence. Standardised, nutritionally validated modern formulations aligned with this framework remain limited, despite growing interest in millets as nutrient-dense functional foods. Aim: To develop, standardise, and nutritionally characterise four millet-based ready-to-cook/reconstitute formulations, Peya, Vilepi, Akrita Yusha, and Krita Yusha, aligned with Samsarjana Krama principles, using millets selected through multi-drying method optimisation. Methods: Eight millet varieties (Finger, Great, Pearl, Proso, Foxtail, Little, Barnyard, Browntop) were sprouted and subjected to oven, sun, and shade drying, then screened for proximate composition. Proso millet (highest carbohydrate: 70.04%) and Foxtail millet (highest protein: 11.74%) were selected for their compatibility with respective preparations. Twelve formulations (P1–P3, V1–V3, A1–A3, K1–K3) were developed using standardised processing soaking, sprouting, drying, roasting, dehulling, autoclaving, and freeze-thaw cycling and evaluated for proximate, mineral, and antinutrient composition. Results: Krita Yusha formulations showed the highest nutritional density, with protein ranging from 16.53–20.53 g/100 g, calcium up to 75.91 mg, and potassium up to 583.06 mg/100 g, attributed to synergistic contributions from Pippali, Turmeric, Ginger, Mustard, and Curry leaves. Antinutrient levels of phytates (288–525 mg), tannins (0.21–0.37 g), and oxalates (18.47–23.25 mg) remained within acceptable dietary safety thresholds across formulations. Conclusion: The standardised millet-based Samsarjana Krama formulations represent a validated, scalable, and nutritionally adequate modern adaptation of classical convalescent dietary protocols. Major Findings: Krita Yusha formulations demonstrated the highest protein, calcium, and potassium content among all preparations, while antinutrients remained within safe limits, confirming the nutritional adequacy of these millet-based Samsarjana Krama formulations.

The study evaluated the engineering and physical characteristics of eight millet species to generate baseline data for post-harvest processing and storage. Grain samples analysed included finger millet (KMR 301), sorghum (CSV 15), pearl millet (MPMH 21), proso millet (TNAU 202), foxtail millet (SiA3156), little millet (CLmv1), barnyard millet (DHBM 93-2) and browntop millet (HBr 2). The objective was to quantify and compare dimensional (length, width, thickness), geometric (mean diameters, sphericity, projected area, grain volume) and physical (thousand-grain weight, bulk density, true density, porosity) properties of several millet cultivars to inform processing, breeding and policy decisions. Significant interspecific variation was observed across all parameters. Sorghum exhibited the largest grains, while finger millet had the smallest. Bulk density ranged from 0.585–0.810 g/cm³ and true density showed comparatively minor variation, spanning 1.008–1.225 g/cm³. Porosity values ranged between 21.71 and 41.98 %, reflecting differences in grain packing behaviour with direct implications for storage system design. Thousand grain weights varied considerably, from 2.16–23.17 g, underscoring the morphological diversity across species. Statistical analysis confirmed that differences among the eight millet species were significant at p < 0.05. These findings provide reliable engineering data essential for designing species-specific post-harvest processing equipment, handling systems and storage infrastructure, thereby supporting more efficient and optimised millet value chain operations across diverse agro-processing environments.

1. Honey bees (Apis Cerana) play a crucial role in both ecology and agriculture, pollinating various plant species, including food crops (Botezan et al., 2023). The queen keeps the colony intact, d...

The present study investigates the plant-based methanolic extract from Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link, which has been shown to enhance the antioxidant and neuroprotective properties against Parkinson's disease (PD). Phytoconstituents extracted from the plant possess potential antioxidant and therapeutic qualities, making it a medicinal herb. Antioxidant tests, including the Phosphomolybdenum assay, Free Radical Scavenging Assay (FRSA) and Free Radical Antioxidant Power assay (FRAP), were performed on methanolic extracts of L. aspera. The methanolic extract of the plant exhibited antioxidant activity against both aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts, as well as against Levodopa (L-DOPA), as evidenced by the results, which indicated a positive response towards its antioxidant potential. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the plant extract revealed the presence of key bioactive ingredients, including 1-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)-2,2-dimethylpropan-1-one, cyclohexane carboxamide, ethyl tridecanoate, docosanoic acid ethyl ester, oleonic acid and squalene. These bioactive ingredients play a significant role in the plant's antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. For instance, 1-(1H-Imidazol-2-yl)-2,2-dimethyl-propan-1-one is known for its antioxidant activity, while oleonic acid and squalene have neuroprotective properties. The presence of catechins and epigallocatechins (EGCG) is directly involved in protecting neurons from excessive stress and oxidative damage. Histopathological analysis showing the neuroprotective activity of the L. aspera-induced sample at 500 mg/L compared to the Trichloroethylene (TCE)-induced group. Herbal formulations extracted from the L. aspera plant exhibit strong antioxidant properties, which enable them to chelate metals and demonstrate their medicinal value in reducing the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. The study implies support for the pharmacological utility of L. aspera plant extract in the development of neuroprotective medicines.

Cyanogenic glycosides, including amygdalin from Prunus species, are compounds of significant forensic and toxicological importance due to their ability to release hydrogen cyanide upon metabolism. Found in seeds and kernels of fruits like apricots, almonds, and cherries, these compounds serve as plant defense mechanisms but pose risks of accidental or intentional poisoning in humans. This article explores the dual nature of amygdalin as a potential therapeutic agent in alternative medicine and as a toxicant implicated in forensic cases. It highlights the biochemical pathways of cyanide release, the impact of environmental and genetic factors on glycoside concentrations, and the methodologies for their detection in biological and environmental samples. Forensic applications include the investigation of cyanide-related deaths and distinguishing between natural and synthetic cyanide sources. Advances in analytical techniques, such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), enhance the precision of cyanogenic glycoside quantification. The study underscores the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to managing the risks associated with amygdalin while leveraging its potential benefits. These insights are pivotal for toxicologists, forensic scientists, and public health officials in understanding the complexities of cyanogenic glycosides in toxicology and legal investigations

It has been suggested that an unconventional medicinal approach might be considered an integration with, rather than an alternative to, regular medical practices of ancient physicians who included certain kinds of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) or similar medicinal goods in their clinical practices. Among CAM options, homeopathy is becoming more and more popular with the public, although neither academics nor medical guidelines recognize it. The usage of herbal medicines has been used for many centuries, which has made them effective in curing various illnesses. When compared to a single extract, many naturally occurring alkaloid compounds show synergistic properties such as antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiparasitic effects. Herbal medications were used to treat patients with amoebiasis, Escherichia coli, gastrointestinal tract infections, skin infections, and urinary tract infections. These diseases were verified by the diagnosis to identify new medicinal herbal drugs. These medications are highly sought after for primary health care due to their cost-effectiveness, cultural acceptance, and fewer side effects. The current study aims to demonstrate how Indian medicinal plants are actually used to treat different kinds of disorders using homeopathy.

Herbal medication from plants has expedited the world over due to its viability in treating severe illnesses for time immemorial. A major share of herbal drugs constitutes among the officially recognized systems of health in India, namely, Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Sidda, Homeopathy and Naturopathy, barring allopathy. Across the world, phytomedicines have played a major role in health care, from far and wide. Herbal medicines are gaining attention as compared to synthetic drugs due to their severe side effects and toxicity. Although the development of novel botanical products is increasing globally, only a few could find their approval due to technical and monetary hurdles as the formulation, quality assurance, safety, therapeutic efficacy, and administrative issues. Almost 70% of the 1.1 billion Indian population use these systems of medicine, and there is no alternate category of herbal drugs or dietary supplements as per the Indian Drugs Act at the moment. Moreover, herbal drugs are regularly used as spices, home remedies, health foods as well as over the counter as self-medication or also drugs as per non-allopathic systems. In such a situation, an estimate states that the current loss of plant species is between 100 and 1000 times higher than the expected natural extinction rate, one potentially major drug is lost from earth every 2 years. With the population and plant consumption increasing to 20%, wild resources are being exhausted or threatened with extinction from overharvesting and habit destruction among 15,000 species. Hence, biodiversity conservation is facing various challenges such as scientific, social and political, as the enormity of species diversity and limited resources are accessible to take up conservation programs, prioritization of species for conservation, assessment of threat status and the most suitable strategies to be adopted become the basic requirements.

Asia has some of the world’s most biodiverse and biodiversity-rich countries, as well as biodiversity hot spots. The landscape, vegetation, fauna, and climate of the Asian countries differ from one another. The forest region contains about 70% of nonnative plants, with the remaining 30% occurring in non-forest areas or on cultivable soils. Yet, many nonnative species can have an adverse effect on human health, particularly if they carry toxins, poisons, or venoms that are harmful to humans or can trigger allergic reactions. Using wild plant kinds as remedies for illnesses is not new around the globe. Because local medical professionals only use plants readily available in the area, Chinese and Indian traditional medical systems use more than 8,000 different plants. Many people in Asia rely on indigenous species for traditional treatments and are not aware of contemporary pharmaceuticals. Due to the growing demand for phytomedicinal products on the market, numerous national and international enterprises are exploring medicinal plant resources from nonnative species and their indigenous knowledge, which could pose a major danger to these biological resources. Conserving these threatened and endangered nonnative plant species is possible, provided that the biotech, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries properly comprehend and apply traditional ethnobotanical knowledge using nonnative plants from the local residents. A better strategy would be to use low-cost biotechnology techniques to cultivate unknown plants on a huge scale, which would benefit the local tribes by generating jobs and improving their standard of living. Comparable healing qualities in alternative medicinal plants benefit the pharmaceutical industry and obliquely aid in nonnative species conservation. Asia’s nations, including China, India, Indonesia, and others, must work toward similar accords or at the very least enact their own laws to protect the rich variety of biological resources that have a high market value and benefit the native populace.

This study investigates the therapeutic potential of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) in diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). The goal is to further research regenerative medicine by improving knowledge of ASC-based therapies in diabetic wound management. A comprehensive literature review included studies from reputable databases, including PubMed and the Cochrane Library. We paid particular attention to the clinical, in vivo, and in vitro investigations of the utility and effectiveness of ASCs in treating DFU. We also highlighted novel isolation techniques and application methods for ASCs in chronic wound management. ASCs have shown great potential in regenerative interventions for diabetes, especially in DFU management. These cells facilitate wound repair by differentiating into different cell types, promoting angiogenesis, secreting growth factors, reducing inflammation, and increasing wound perfusion. However, the current body of research on ASC applications for DFU still requires further investigation. This shows the importance of thoroughly studying their biological mechanisms and therapeutic uses. This review establishes that ASC-based treatments effectively enhance outcomes for patients suffering from DFU. We recommend further investigation of the functionality of ASCs and therapeutic approaches to maximize their therapeutic potential in managing diabetic wounds, thereby advancing the development of regenerative medicine.