Endophytic fungi live inside plants or any part of them without creating any visible pathogenic signs. Endophytic fungi are found within medicinal plants and have shown strong biologic activity, such as anticancer and antioxidant activities, as well as producing extracellular enzymes. In this study, different fungal strains were isolated from the leaves of the medicinal plant Ziziphus spina, including Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium sp., Rhizopus sp., and Mucor sp. Extracellular enzymes have been quantified using agar plate-based methods in which fungi were grown in specified growth media to detect the enzymes produced. The results showed that A. niger has the highest ability to produce amylase, Cladosporium sp. has the highest ability to produce protease and pectinase, Rhizopus and Mucor sp. have the highest ability to produce cellulase, and A. niger and Cladosporium sp. have the same ability to produce lipase and laccase. The ability of medicinal plant endophytic fungi to produce extracellular enzymes has great therapeutic potential in clinical microbiology. Some of the isolates showed great activity in secreting particular enzymes, indicating that the enzymes of these fungi could be used in a variety of applications.
This study employed the biosynthetic technique for creating vanadium nanoparticles (VNPs), which are affordable and user-friendly; VNPs was synthesized using vanadium sulfate (VOSO4.H2O) and a plant extract derived from Fumaria Strumii Opiz (E2) at a NaOH concentration of 0.1 M. This study aims to investigate the potential applications of utilizing an adsorbent for metal ions to achieve environmentally friendly production and assess its antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. The reaction was conducted in an alkaline environment with a pH range of 8–12. The resulting product was subjected to various characterization techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), t
... Show MoreThis study aims to evaluate the performance of the sewage treatment plant in Al-Diwaniya, one of cities in the southern part in Iraq. This evaluation could be used to facilitate effluent quality assessment or optimal process control of the plant. The influent reaching the plant is considered a medium to strong in strength with BOD5/COD ratio in the range 0.23 and 0.69 which can be considered an easily degradable sewage by the biological processes performed by the activated sludge unit. The quality of the effluent was found to be higher than the Iraqi standards for disposal to water bodies. The BOD5/COD ratios of the treated sewage varied over a wide range as low of 0.13 to 1.48 indicating operational problems in the plant. Regression ana
... Show MoreA study was performed to evaluate heavy metals removal from sewage sludge using lime. The processes of stabilization using alkaline chemicals operating on a simple principle of raising pH to 12 or higher, with sufficient mixing and suitable contact time to ensure that immobilization can reduce heavy metals. A 0.157 m3 tank was designed to treat Al-Rustemeyia wastewater treatment plant sludge. Characteristics of raw sludge were examined through two parameters: pH and heavy metal analysis. Different lime doses of (0- 25) g CaO/100 g sludge were mixed manually with raw sludge in a rotating drum. The samples were analyzed two hours after mixing. pH and heavy metals results were compared with EPA and National Iraqi Stand
... Show MoreBackground: Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gingiva and bone supporting the teeth. Smoking, which is an important risk factor for periodontitis, induce oxidative stress in the body and cause an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD). This study aimed to evaluate the influence of smoking on periodontal health status by estimating the levels of salivary SOD level in non-smokers (controls) and light and heavy smokers and to test the correlation between the SOD enzyme level and the clinical periodontal parameters in each group. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 75 male, with age ranged from 35 to 50 years. Clinically, the perio
... Show MoreThe study aimed to evaluate injuries and economic losses which caused by rose beetle Maladerainsanabilis (Brenske) on ornamental and fruit plants as introduced insect in Iraq during 2015 and determine infested host plants in addition to evaluate efficacy of pathogenic fungi Metarhiziumanisopiliae (1x10⁹ spore/ ml) and Beauvariabassiana (1x10⁸spore/ ml) in mortality of insect larvae in laboratory and field.The results showed that the insect was polyphagous infested many host plants (20 host plant)Which caused degradation and dead the plants through adult feeding on leaves and flower but large injury caused by larvae feeding on root plants which caused obligate dead to infested plant, the percentage mortality of rose plants 68.6%, pear
... Show MoreThe presence of the most important steroidal sapogenin “Tigogenin†in the leaves of Agave americana cultivated in Iraq was detected. The absence of any study concerning the Tigogenin content of this medicinal plant in Iraq, and the industrial importance of Tigogenin depending on its role as a precursor in the synthesis of some steroidal drugs, acquired this study its value. This search include extraction, isolation, purification and dentification of Tigogenin from the leaves of Agave americana. Extraction of this compound was carried out using two methods. Identification of this compound is carried out by using thin layer chromatography (TLC) where three different mobile phase have been use
... Show MoreThis study detects the presence of the most important steroidal sapogenin “Tigogenin†in the leaves of Yucca aloifolia widely cultivated in Iraq. The absence of any study concerning the Tigogenin content of this medicinal plant in Iraq, and the industrial importance of Tigogenin depending on its role as a precursor in the synthesis of some steroidal drugs, acquired this study its value. This study concerned with extraction, identification, isolation, and purification of Tigogenin from the leaves of Yucca aloifolia. Extraction of this compound was carried out using two methods. Identification of this compound was done using thin layer chromatography (TLC) where different solvent systems had been tried. Liberm
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