Farrukh Jaleel

The undeniable impact of nanotechnology in biomedicines science is further explored by the rapid green synthesis of Cu nanoparticles (NPs) from flower extract of a deserted region species, Capparis decidua which is proven to be an important pharmacological medicine. The extract of Capparis decidua exhibits potential against diseases like paralysis, diabetes, cough, asthma, enlarged spleen. Synthesized NPs were characterized by UV-vis, FTIR, SEM, and EDX spectroscopy, and results declare the conformation of these NPs which can enhance extract`s effectiveness against diseases.

Herein, we report the quantum chemical results based on density functional theory for the polarizability (α) and first hyperpolarizability (β) values of diacetylene-functionalized organic molecules (DFOM) containing an electron acceptor (A) unit in the form of nitro group and electron donor (D) unit in the form of amino group. Six DFOM 1-6 have been designed by structural tailoring of the synthesized chromophore 4,4-(buta-1,3-diyne-1,4-diyl) dianiline (R) and the influence of the D and A moieties on α and β was explored. Ground state geometries, HOMO-LUMO energies, and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis of all DFOM (R and 1-6) were explored through B3LYP level of DFT and 6-31G(d,p) basis set. The polarizability (α), first hyperpolarizability (β) values were computed using B3LYP (gas phase), CAM-B3LYP (gas phase), CAM-B3LYP (solvent DMSO) methods and 6-31G(d,p) basis set combination. UV-Visible analysis was performed at CAM-B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. Results illustrated that much reduced energy gap in the range of 2.212-2.809 eV was observed in designed DFOM 1-6 as compared to parent molecule R (4.405 eV). Designed DFOM (except for 2 and 4) were found red shifted compared to parent molecule R. An absorption at longer wavelength was observed for 6 with 371.46 nm. NBO analysis confirmed the involvement of extended conjugation and as well as charge transfer character towards the promising NLO response and red shift of molecules under study. Overall, compound 6 displayed large <α> and β tot , computed to be 333.40 (a.u.) (B3LYP gas), 302.38 (a.u.) (CAM-B3LYP gas), 380.46 (a.u.) (CAM-B3LYP solvent) and 24708.79 (a.u.), 11841.93 (a.u.), 25053.32 (a.u.) measured from B3LYP (gas), CAM-B3LYP (gas) and CAM-B3LYP (DMSO) methods respectively. This investigation provides a theoretical framework for conversion of centrosymmetric molecules into non-centrosymmetric architectures to discover NLO candidates for modern hi-tech applications.

Tryptamine the important psychotropic drug having indole ring has wider biological and pharmaceutical significance. The focus is to see the relevant and recent achievements as neurotransmitter and neuromodulator, vasoconstrictor and vasodilator, antimicrobial and antibacterial, antioxidant and antifungal agents. Tryptamine and its natural and synthetic derivative have been reported for the variety of biological significance in the above mentioned area. This review covers all these aspects in a comprehensive way.

Industrialization results in urbanization, mainly due to efflux of population from rural areas, which
often creates different kinds of pollution. The explosion of urban populations in limited resources may lower
the life quality and severely imbalance the economy of country. Current study was done in view of various such
reports on increasing pollution problems in industrial areas, to analyze the status of heavy metals in irrigation
water in Bahawalpur district, Pakistan. Two study sites were selected in the periurban areas of Bahawalpur city
(site 1 Village Bindra and site 2 Jhangiwala) and collected the water samples for qualitative analyses including
physical characteristics, ionic concentration (meql 1) and heavy metals (As, Pb, Hg, Ni) (ppm). By comparing
the national and international standards, it was found that, pH is in the permissible limits. Electrical conductivity
(EC), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and Organic Matter (OM) level are higher in top soil layers and become
less as gone down to the deep soil layers irrigated with sewage and canal waters. Sodium a dsorption ratio
(SAR) values were higher in deep soils and make soils saline sodic giving clayey loam to calcareous texture.
Pb, Ni and As were observed in safe limits except Hg which was higher in top and deep soil layers. It is
recommended that, a proper treatment of waste water should be done to avoid higher accumulation of Hg in
agricultural fields and ultimately food chain.

In the present study the understory vegetation or communities under the canopy of tree species of Cholistan desert (27° 42’ and 29° 45’ North and longitudes 69° 52’ and 75° 24’East) and the effect of canopy cover on the soil chemistry were studied. Quadrats of 1 m2were laid to record the different plant species underside the canopy cover of tree species and then frequency, density and plant cover were recorded, whereas relative frequency, relative density, relative cover and IVI for each of the plant species were computed following the standard methods. The study was repeated for three times and field guides were used to identify the plant species. Soil analysis showed that tree species greatly modified the soil chemistry beneath the canopy cover. Stipagrostis plumosa, Salsola baryosma andCenchrus cilaris were the major plant species that form the understory communities of tree species due to their close association with each other in the Cholistan desert. Other plant species also take part in forming the understory vegetation of tree species but to some less extent as they fail to form any type of association with each other.

Current study was done in Cholistan desert (27° 42’ and 29° 45’ North and longitudes 69° 52’ and 75° 24’ East) to study the understory vegetation of major shrub species. Phytosociological as well as soil chemistry were analysed to find the association among various plant species forming understory vegetation of shrubs.Quadrats (1 m2) sampling given the species data forming the plant communities underside the canopies of shrubs and then cover, relative cover, relative frequency, relative density, importance value index and some dominant ratios of each plant species were calculated following standard methods. Field guides were used for the identification of the plant species and study was repeated for three times. Understory soil chemistry varied among all shrubs species and there was no consistency among various physico-chemical parameters. Two grass species (C. ciliaris and S. plumose) and one shrub (S. baryosma) were noted to be most frequent and form good association among the other understory plant species. Other understory plant species found to have little associations with other understory plant species. Plant eco-physiological studies are needed to find the indepth phenomenon of plant communities formation among the plants.

Mass scale industrial development lead to urbanizations which is thought to be a major problems of air, water and soil pollution ultimately retard the life standards as well as socio-economics of the country. Keeping in view these environmental degrading facts, the present study was designed to evaluate the quality of sewage effluents and canal water used for irrigation purpose. For this purpose, two sampling sites, i.e. study site 1 (Village Bindra) and study site 2 (Jhangiwala), were selected to collect the water samples for analyzing the irrigation water quality through physical characters, cation & anion (meql 1) concentrations and four heavy metals (ppm). According to the results the chemical quality of sewage effluent with respect to EC, SAR, RSC, cations and anions was not satisfactory. The concentration of heavy metals i.e., Pb and Hg was above the NEQS directed permissible limit for sewage effluent being used for irrigation purpose, while Ni and As were found in the safe limits. Concentration of heavy metals in canal water were also not satisfactory, as all the samples contained heavy metals above the safe limits set for ideal water use for irrigation purpose. In conclusion it is recommend to control the industrial discharge program to check the excessive amounts of different salts including heavy metals to the agricultural fields.

The present manuscript designed to collect and enlist the knowledge about the medicinal plant species used to treat various diseases by the local inhabitants of district Bahawalnagar, Punjab, Pakistan. This is the very first study of its kind as no one has reported about the vegetation and medicinal flora of this area in recent years. A total of 56 plant species belonging to 38 families have been recorded and local herbal use of the plant species was gathered by using questionnaires and personal verbal conversations with the herbalists in the area. Out of five Tehsils, the people in Fort-Abbas area are more dependent on the folk medicines as compared to others areas of the district. The reason for the fact is due to the high poverty ratio and less approach to basic life necessities in that area. The current status of the flora is threatened by the poor management, fast urbanization, poor land utilizations, over utilization of the flora for the grazers by local communities which is calling an immediate conservational strategies to be laid down along with future studies on biochemical analyses, pharmaceutical and phytochemical isolations.