Medicinal plants contain bioactive substances that are highly bioavailable in extracts or pure molecules, making them promising for therapeutic applications and precursors for chemo-pharmaceutical semi-synthesis. Harpagophytum procumbens (Devil’s Claw) is widely recognized as one of the most potent therapeutic herbs. This study aimed to extract seeds from H. procumbens using two types of solvents and to assess both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the extracts. The two extracts were evaluated for antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities using agar well diffusion assays against four bacterial isolates and two yeast isolates. Qualitative analysis identified the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and terpenoids. The active components detected were: alkaloids (12.69%), flavonoids (3.25%), total phenolic compounds (24.58%), total terpenoids (8.55%), and total steroids (1.25% for methanolic and 4.55% for petroleum ether). Both methanolic and petroleum ether extracts exhibited antioxidant activities of approximately 85.33% and 74.19%, respectively, compared to ascorbic acid, which had an antioxidant effect of 67.99% at a concentration of 200 µg/ml. The extracts demonstrated a broad spectrum of activity against all tested bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes) and fungi (Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis). At a concentration of 1000 µg/ml, the seed extracts showed the highest bactericidal activity, with inhibition zones ranging from 10 to 22 mm. Moreover, both extracts exhibited greater anti-biofilm activity at 1000 µg/ml compared to lower concentrations. Our study found that seed extracts of H. procumbens possess significant antibacterial and antioxidant activities, particularly at a concentration of 1000 µg/ml.
This study was undertaken to prepare Nano zinc oxide (ZnO) by precipitation and microemulsion methods. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR spectrometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) surface area were the techniques employed for the preparation. The particle size of prepared nano ZnO was 69.15nm and 88.49nm for precipitation and microemulsion methods, respectively, which corresponded to the BET surface area 20.028 and 16.369m2/g respectively. The activity of prepared nano ZnO as a photocatalyst was estimated by the removal of ampicillin (Amp) under visible light. This study, therefore, examined the effect of pH in the range of 5-11, initial concen
... Show MoreThe quality of groundwater should be improved by keeping safe water sources from contaminants in protective way by doing regular measuring and checkup before it supplied for usage. Private Wells do not receive the same services that wells supplying the public do. Well owners are responsible for protecting their drinking water. This work was carried out in Badra city, Iraq from December 2017 to May 2018, six wells water were investigated to determine the general characteristics of wells as well as studying the effect of environmental factors on the quality of water. The average of six wells were eleven parameters that is out of permissible limits were EC, Sal., Alk., TH, TDS, Na, Ca, Cl, SO4, Fe, Zn (4402-5183 /cm, 2.76-3.9 ppt
... Show MoreThe skull is one of the largest bones in the body. It is classified into flat bones that maintain the important organic structures; which are the brain, eyes, and tongue. The skull is a strong support for preserving these organs but they are various according to the type of animals and the environments in which they live and the nature of their nutrition. There are many differences among living organisms in terms of the bones in the skull, their difference or disappearance and their length in the shape of the head. The samples were taken from the scientific storage in the Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum; Cape hare Lepus capensis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Red fox Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) and the study was conducted o
... Show MoreThe leaf miners Pegoinya terbrans (Rondani) and P. bicolor (Wiedemann) (Diptera; Anthomyiidae) were newly recorded in Iraq. Host plants of these leaf miners and P. cunicularia (Rondani) were identified: P. bicolor was found to be monophagous, whereas P. terbrans and P. cunicularia were oligophagous . It was found that Cirsixim syriaca and Silybum marianum were more susceptible to P. terbrans than the other ones. Infectivity and severity of infestation were estimated for most susceptible weeds against P. terbrans and P.bicolor. These leaf miners. Have two generations a year.
The researchers aim of this research to analyze the reality of educational services in the city of Ramadi in order to reveal the efficiency of the spatial distribution of schools at the level of residential neighborhoods and the requirements of the population, based on the standards and indicators for this service.
The research problem related to the educational function of the city of Ramadi was formulated by asking about the efficiency of the spatial distribution of educational services and whether there is a balance in the distribution of schools to residential neighborhoods in a way that meets the requirements of the population, and in order to answer the research problem, the research hypothesis was formulated that there is
... Show MoreThe genus Ziziphus is one of the Family Rhamnaceae and consists of more than 170 species distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. All the species in the genus are of economical and medical importance. This study was conducted to identify the morphologically and anatomically features of the genus in Iraq. The field survey was conducted across the study area where 4 species (Ziziphus jujube, Z. mauritiana, Z. nummularia and Z. spina-christi) were collected and used in the study. The result showed that there is variation in morphological and anatomical features among the species in the stem cross-section and longitudinal section of leaves also the differences appeared in the epidermis of leaves.
The biomarker significance of three chemokines (CXCL8, CXCL10 and CXCL16) was evaluated in sera of 45 breast cancer (BC) and 28 benign breast lesion (BBL) patients, as well as 20 control women. Clinical stage and tumor expression of estrogen (ER), progesterone (PgR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) receptors were considered in this evaluation. The results demonstrated that CXCL8, CXCL10 and CXCL16 showed a significant increased median in BC and BBL patients compared to control (CXCL8: 47.3 and 25.7 vs. 15.0; CXCL10: 37.6 and 30.7 vs. 13.1; CXCL16; 27.9 and 25.2 vs. 19.2 pg/ml, respectively). The increased levels of CXCL8 and CXCL16 were more pronounced in triple-negative and HER-2 positive p
... Show MoreThis study deals with the absence of state control over the whole of the Syrian geography in creating an environment conducive to the emergence of a new force represented by armed groups and organizations that point to fundamental changes in the conflict and to transform competition for control over the land into a struggle for influence. Which in itself represents the prospects of change in the Syrian scene, and that understanding their interests requires shedding light on the extent of the continuation of this competition and the conflict on land and expansion at the expense of the other, and thus contribute to complicate the Syrian scene, especially after attempts to bite Of land and annexation to each party's areas of influence, espe
... Show MoreOne of the most important challenges facing the development of laser weapons is represented by the attenuation of the laser beam as it passed through the layers of atmosphere.This paper presents a theoretical study to simulate the effect of turbulence attenuation and calculates the decrease of laser power in Iraq. The refractive index structure C_n^2 is very important parameter to measure the strength of the atmospheric turbulence, which is affected by microclimate conditions, propagation path, season and time in the day. The results of measurements and predictions are based on the Kolmogorov turbulence theory. It was demonstrated by simulations that the laser weapons in Iraq were severely affected due to the large change in temperatures,
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