227 The scientists at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA reported the production and characteristics of natural cellulose fibres obtained from the leaves and stems of Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum Linn.). The composition, structure and properties of fibres obtained from the leaves and stem of switchgrass have been evaluated in comparison to the common natural cellulose fibre...

The aim of this study was to test a possible use of Urtica dioica (common nettle) plant as a biomonitor of polonium (210)Po and lead (210)Pb contamination near phosphogypsum stacks by determining concentrations of these radionuclides in samples collected from the area of phosphogypsum stockpile in Wiślinka (northern Poland). The (210)Po and (210)Pb contents in roots depended on their concentrat...

A new record species Heterodera ripae was found in the rhizosphere soil of nettle (Urtica sp.) on the bank of the Mangniu River in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, China. The new record species can be characterized by vulval cone bifenestrate with circular or subcircular semifenestrae, vulval slit length averaging 34.2 μm, vulval bridge mostly broad, underbridge weak, bullae absent; the second...

The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the evidence for or against the efficacy of plant food supplements (PFS) for coping inflammatory conditions by considering epidemiological and human intervention studies. The review considers six botanical species commonly used as food supplements/medicinals: Urtica dioica L., Symphytum officinalis L., Calendula officinalis L., Curcuma longa L.,...

This research was conducted on selected underutilized plant species in Ayubia National Park, Pakistan. The six most prominently used medicinal and food species viz., Adhatoda vasica, Artemisia scoparia, Galium aparine, Amaranthus viridis, Hedera nepalensis and Urtica dioica that gain little attention by scientific research and local community were selected as underutilized species. Due to their...

Khuzestan province has the highest rate of scorpion sting in Iran. This is a study to identify these scorpions in Khuzestan. In this study 418 scorpions were kept in the ethyl alcohol 70%, each being studied by stereomicroscopy and diagnosis key separately. 120 (28.7%) Androctonus crassicauda, 104 (24.9%) Hemiscorpius lepturus, 91 (21.7%) Mesobuthus eupeus, 86 (20.65%) Compsobuthus matthiesseni...

The government of Hong Kong grasped the political nettle of control of tobacco in the early 1980s, since when a comprehensive policy of legislation, education, and publicity, together with large increases in taxation on tobacco products, has been introduced. This has led to almost all of the population of Hong Kong having knowledge of the harmful effects of tobacco and of antismoking measures t...

BACKGROUND Herbaceous plants are common vegetal species generally exposed, for a limited period of time, to bioavailable environmental pollutants. Heavy metals contamination is the most common form of environmental pollution. Herbaceous plants have never been used as natural bioindicators of environmental pollution, in particular to monitor the amount of heavy metals in soil. In this study, we ...

Despite the enormous achievements in conventional medicine, herbal-based medicines are still a common practice for the treatment of diabetes. Trigonella foenum-graecum, Atriplex halimus, Olea europaea, Urtica dioica, Allium sativum, Allium cepa, Nigella sativa, and Cinnamomum cassia are strongly recommended in the Greco-Arab and Islamic medicine for the treatment and prevention of diabetes. Cyt...

OBJECTIVES One strategy for the treatment of diabetes is inhibition of pancreatic α- amylase. Plants contains different chemical constituents with potential for inhibition of α-amylase and hence maybe used as therapeutic. MATERIALS AND METHODS Urtica dioica and Juglans regia Linn were tested for α-amylase inhibition. Different concentrations of leaf aqueous extracts were incubated with enzyme...