Arnav Roy

Conventional antibiotic treatment of bacterial infections is hampered by prevalent antimicrobial resistance. In this research, the synergistic antibacterial activity of different herbal extracts and cefixime against resistant clinical isolates is tested. The preliminary antibiotic susceptibility and antibacterial activity of the herbal extracts were evaluated using disc diffusion and microbroth dilution. Checkerboard experiments, time-kill kinetics, and protein content assays were used to establish synergy. RP-HPLC phytochemical profiling showed high levels of gallic acid (0.24-19.7 μg/mg), quercetin (1.57-18.44 μg/mg), and cinnamic acid (0.02-5.93 μg/mg) in the extracts. 13/16 Gram-negative and 4/6 Gram-positive clinical isolates were resistant to intermediate or total cefixime. Aqueous plant extracts were non-synergistic, whereas ethanolic and methanolic were synergistic. Time-kill kinetics demonstrated that the synergistic interaction reduced bacterial load by 2–8 and was time- and concentration-dependent. The fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) combination therapy inhibited growth and protein content (5–62%) in the bacterial isolates from the antibiotic or extract. The research indicates herbal extracts are potential adjuvants to standard antibiotics in resistant microorganisms.

This research, "Ethnobotanical Survey and Pharmacognostic Profiling of Medicinal Plants Used in Wound Healing," sets out to record the traditional medicinal plants utilized to heal wounds and scientifically assess their pharmacognostic attributes. Carried out in a chosen rural area in India, the research utilizes an ethnobotanical survey using formal interviews with traditional practitioners and local healers to determine popular plant species in use. 25 medicinal plants were screened and examined with macroscopic, microscopic, physicochemical, and phytochemical screening for their bioactive potential. Results show that the most common phytochemicals are flavonoids (92%) and tannins (88%), responsible for tissue regeneration and antimicrobial activity. Their anti-inflammatory and antiseptic activities are brought about by alkaloids (76%) and saponins (68%). Statistical analysis also disclosed a high correlation (r = 0.85) between the concentration of flavonoids and antimicrobial activity that testifies to their therapeutic significance. Results vindicate scientifically the age-old practice of using plants as drugs in wound healing and establish a basis for their incorporation into contemporary herbal preparations and drug development.

Diabetes and hyperlipidemia are among the biggest worldwide health issues and are the causative factors behind many chronic ailments and complications. Polyherbal formulations from traditional medicine hold much promise as an alternative or complement to orthodox medication. This investigation sought to compare the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic properties of a polyherbal drug in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, in addition to checking for any possible herb-drug interactions with metformin. Results indicated that the polyherbal drug lowered blood glucose levels remarkably, enhanced lipid profiles, and showed no adverse interactions with antidiabetic medication metformin. The findings indicate the therapeutic potential of the polyherbal drug in controlling diabetes and hyperlipidemia with a good safety profile. Additional clinical trials are suggested to validate these effects in human subjects and investigate the mechanisms of action of the herbs in the formulation.