In current years, the elimination of heavy metals from wastewater systems has become a global concern due to persistent adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. Adsorption technique has gained much attention for the removal of heavy metals from aquatic environments because of advantages like great efficiency, cost-effectiveness and simple operation. Biochar, a carbonaceous material, has been extensively applied for removing heavy metals from aqueous systems due to its low cost and eco-friendly nature. However, numerous existing studies are focusing on elimination of heavy metals from wastewater by using biochar as an adsorbent, but very few emphasize on re-utilization of spent biochar, which is a crucial concern. This is because if spent biochar is discharged or landfilled untreated into the environment can increase the risk of secondary pollution thus harming the ecosystem and mankind. Therefore, the present paper critically reviews the recent applications of biochar in removing heavy metals from wastewater along with potential electrochemical applications of metals loaded biochar in developing super-capacitors or other energy storage devices. The review also comprehensively discussed the characteristics of different biomass feedstock, methods used for biochar production and various physical, chemical and biological biochar engineering techniques. The key mechanisms involved in adsorption of heavy metals from aquatic systems through biochar have been reviewed. The paper also highlighted technical barriers, benefits-cost analysis, market status, future directions and scope of biochar as an adsorbent. Hence, the review will assist the successful development of highly efficient biochar-based adsorption techniques for eliminating heavy metals from aqueous environments.

In the present study, a comparative evaluation of the amino acid and metabolite profiles of Bacopa monnieri plants grown under two different conditions, ex vitro (pot/tray-raised) and in vitro (tissue culture-raised), was carried out. Significant qualitative and quantitative variations in biomolecular composition were observed and systematically analysed using Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). UHPLC-based amino acid profiling revealed significant differences between in vitro and ex vitro samples. In vitro cultures showed elevated levels of glutamic acid (23.145

Wild species like Glycine tomentella and Glycine tabacina possess remarkable antioxidant and antidiabetic properties, largely attributed to their abundant sources of bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, isoflavones (genistein and daidzein), and phenolics. These compounds exhibit strong antioxidant activity as they neutralize the free radicals, thereby preventing oxidative stress and preventing cellular damage. Wild Glycine species hold promise for use in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and medicinal products aimed at combating oxidative stress-related and metabolic disorders. The present paper gives an insight into the different bioactive compositions of Glycine tomentella and Glycine tabacina and their medicinal and therapeutic potential.

Uttarakhand is a hilly state in the western Himalayan region where climatic conditions are suitable for agriculture. Since ancient times, the region has grown 'Bhat', a soybean landrace known for its health benefits. The high altitudinal regions prominently feature 'Bhat' in their cuisine, as the extreme weather conditions necessitate energy-rich food. However, there is limited information on the exact nutritional content of this crop. The objective of this work was to evaluate the vitamin profiling, including vitamin B complex and vitamin E, in ‘bhat’ genotypes from different villages of the Pauri Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. The vitamin analysis was carried out through the UPLCMS technique for both water- and fat-soluble vitamins. The analysis revealed Vitamin E to be the most significant vitamin, with the highest concentration of 96.67 mg/kg in one of the samples. Significant differences were obtained in the vitamin content in the samples, indicating the influence of geographical location. The study also highlights the significance of the soybean variety from Uttarakhand as a potential source of both vitamin B and vitamin E.

The clonal propagation strategy of plant tissue culture can produce a large quantity of high-quality planting material in a relatively short time. The study focuses on mass propagation of roses using tissue culture techniques. The method is suitable for rose varieties with high commercial value, such as cut flowers and potted plants. Standardization of surface sterilization techniques involved treatment of explants with fungicides, antibiotics, and mercuric chloride solutions. We found that antibiotic treatment was essential to remove the bacterial infection, which could be due to endophytic bacteria in the plant material. For in vitro shoot regeneration, MS medium supplemented with BAP worked best, followed by medium supplemented with a mix of cytokinins. The in vitro regenerated shoots were then multiplied on the medium supplemented with BAP with periodic subculturing to maintain shoot cultures, which can be subsequently rooted and transplanted onto the field.

The tribes of the Tons Valley in Uttarakhand, India, prepare Pakhoi, a traditional drink, as the subject of the current study. This drink is known to have therapeutic properties and has potential applications in anti-cancer research. The present study investigates the antiproliferative activity of key compounds found in this drink. Numerous computational tools have assessed the physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, drug likeness, and medicinal chemistry of these compounds. SwissADME and Molsoft were utilized to determine properties such as drug likeness scores, especially for Tomentin, which showed the highest score of 1.09. To evaluate anticancer potential, PASS Online software was employed to obtain bioactivity scores; the program reports activity as probable activity (Pa) with values ranging from 0.000 to 1.000 and has a 95% accuracy rate. Pa values greater than 0.7 suggest greater pharmacological action, whereas values less than 0.7 indicate less activity. A variety of drugs regulate ion channel modulators, crucial therapeutic targets that facilitate the passage of charged particles across cell membranes. The next server predicted Haplopine, molecule 4, to be the most bioactive ion channel modulator, with a score of 0.35. Molinspiration: Kinase inhibitors are drugs that selectively inhibit or alter disease-related signaling. Atherospermidine, one of the components in the drink, displayed a bioactivity score of 0.32 as a kinase inhibitor. CLC-Pred was employed to determine the cytotoxicity of major compounds found in the drink for specific cancer cell lines, which shows the value of Pa 0.907 and Pi 0.004. Furthermore, we used PaccMann, a compound that indicates efficacy against cancer cell lines, to determine the IC50 value. It predicted that Narciclasine and Tomentin would be efficient in reducing the proliferation of certain cell lines. Molecular docking was conducted to gain insights into the molecular interaction between the compounds and their specific targets, and the ligand shows the best binding affinity with the protein target CDK4 with -9.7 binding affinity. Swiss Target Prediction helped identify the targets associated with the compounds. The study provided significant insights into the potential of the tribal drink as an anticancer therapeutic agent.

Soybean (Glycine max) is considered one of the most substantial produced crops across the globe because of its high nutritional value. It is a great alternative for lactose-intolerant patients and vegans to fulfil their daily protein requirements. Soybean has various varieties depending upon the colour of their seed coat. In the past few years, the consumption of Soybean has increased which demands higher production, better yield, and better seed quality. Conventional propagation methods fail to fulfil such demands. The alternate method of plant tissue culture ensures rapid mass propagation, better yield, and quality of the plants. However, the technique is often beset with challenges of low-field performance of tissue culture-raised plants due to defective chloroplast machinery. The present study investigates the effect of various plant growth regulators (PGRs) on in vitro propagation of soybean cultivars from different regions of Uttarakhand, India, and their effect on chlorophyll content in the regenerated tissues.

The medicinal properties of spices and condiments have been known to the world since ancient times. These plants have been used in a variety of conventional and alternative medicines, including cinnamon, coriander, cloves, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, etc., to name but a few. These plants' medicinal properties, which include antifungal, antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, have been verified by scientific investigations. This has resulted in an increase in the use of spices and condiments as key components of cooked food, as well as in a wide variety of herbal medicines and natural supplements. As a result, large quantities of these medicinal spices and condiments are required for such uses on a constant basis. Plant tissue culture is an effective technology that ensures mass production of high-quality plants in limited space and time. The current chapter outlines tissue culture techniques utilized to produce many commonly used medicinally significant spices and condiments. It also highlights the bioactive compounds of these plants that contribute to their therapeutic potential.

Five dimethylamino-based chalcone derivatives (AC) were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibition degree against monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes. All AC compounds showed better inhibitory activity against MAO-B than that against MAO-A. AC4 showed the highest inhibitory ability with an IC50 value of 0.020 µM, similar to that of a reference drug safinamide (IC50 = 0.019 µM) against MAO-B, followed by AC1 (IC50 = 0.068 µM) and AC3 (IC50 = 0.083 µM). Substituent -F in ring A (AC4) increased the MAO-B inhibition, followed by -H (AC1), -Br (AC3), and -Cl (AC2). The selectivity index (SI) value of AC4 was high (SI = 82.00) as well as other compounds (44.41 to 98.15). AC4 was found to be a reversible inhibitor as confirmed through analysis using the dialysis method. Interestingly, AC4 was observed to be a noncompetitive MAO-B inhibitor with a rare case and with Ki values of 0.011 ± 0.0036 µM. These experiments confirmed that AC4 is a reversible and potent selective inhibitor of MAO-B. Molecular docking experiments revealed that AC4 showed the highest inhibitory activity with a docking score (-9.510 kcal/mol). A study using molecular dynamics modeling revealed that the protein–ligand complex was more stable. It was observed that AC4 was non-cytotoxic in the study using L929 cell line. In conclusion, compound AC4 shows promise as a MAO-B inhibitor.

Dimethylamine (DMA) derivatives represent a promising class of compounds with significant potential in the field of medicinal chemistry. DMA derivatives exhibit a diverse range of pharmacological activities, including antimicrobial, antihistaminic, anticancer, and analgesic properties. Their unique chemical structure allows for the modulation of various biological targets, making them valuable candidates for the treatment of numerous diseases. Synthetic strategies for the preparation of DMA derivatives vary depending on the desired biological activity and target molecule. Common synthetic routes involve the modification of the DMA scaffold through functional group manipulation, scaffold hopping, or combinatorial chemistry approaches. Therapeutically, DMA derivatives have shown promise in the treatment of infectious diseases, especially bacterial infections. Additionally, by focusing on particular biochemical pathways involved in tumor growth and metastasis, DMA-based drugs have shown anticancer activity. In addition to their direct pharmacological effects, DMA derivatives can serve as valuable tools in drug delivery systems, prodrug design, and molecular imaging techniques, enhancing their utility in medicinal chemistry research. Overall, DMA derivatives represent a versatile class of compounds with immense potential in medicinal chemistry. Further research and development efforts are warranted to explore their full therapeutic capabilities and optimize their clinical utility in the treatment of various diseases. This article outlines the pharmacological properties, synthetic strategies, and therapeutic applications of DMA derivatives of FDA approved drugs, highlighting their importance in drug discovery and development.

‘Bhat’ is the soybean variety highly valued in the traditional food and therapeutic system of Uttarakhand state in the Indian Himalayan region. It is available in diverse colors, shapes, and sizes, often linked to their nutritional parameters. The present investigation was conducted to assess the diversity and genetic relatedness in ‘bhat’ genotype indigenous to the Garhwal division of Uttarakhand. 25 polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers were used to determine the genetic diversity and varietal identification among the 45 genotypes collected from the different villages of Uttarakhand. Out of the different markers assessed only 13 primers showed amplification with the maximum of 2–4 alleles obtained with each primer with the molecular weight ranging between 80 and 400 kb. The highest band amplification was observed in Satt 257 and Satt 197. The allelic frequencies of amplified primers ranged from 0.5 to 0.833 with a mean value of 0.645 and the mean gene diversity and PIC value was found to be 0.43 and 0.33. Satt 183, Satt 288, and Satt 389 showed the highest polymorphism, while Satt257 and Satt245 exhibited the presence of unique alleles in some samples. The phylogenetic analysis grouped the genotypes into 4 major clusters having visually distinct phenotypes in each group, indicating the mixing of population and loss of authenticity also confirming that phenotypic attributes are not indicative of genetic relatedness among the genotype under study. The results indicate the need for the development of novel ‘bhat’ specific markers for more accurate genetic identification of the nutritionally rich indigenous soybean variety.