Chemical composition,antioxidant and antibacterial activities of essential oil and methanol extract of Artemisia vulgaris and Gaultheria fragrantissima collected from Nepal

Objective: To identify the chemical constituents and biological activities of essential oil and crude methanol extract of Artemisia vulgaris(A.vulgaris) and Gaultheria fragrantissima(G.fragrantissima).Methods: Phytochemical screening, total phenolic and flavonoid content, antibacterial activities, anti-oxidant assay of the crude extract were carried out to identify the biological activities and phytonutrients present in the extract.Furthermore, the chemical constituents present in the essential oil and crude methanol extract were analyzed using gas chromatography mass spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) analysis.Results: Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy analysis of essential oil from the aerial part of A.vulgaris revealed 24 different compounds in it.Sabinene(11.29%), b-thujone(19.19%), chrysanthenone(4.48%), camphor(11.89%), borneol(4.44%) and germacrene D(8.42%) were the major compounds.Similarly, leaves of G.fragrantissima contained methyl salicylate(95%) and asarone(4.64%).Furthermore, methanol extract of leaves of A.vulgaris and G.fragrantissima were found rich in the total flavonoids and phenolic content.HPLC analysis of the methanol extract of leaves A.vulgaris revealed the presence of morin and luteolin, whereas rutin was found as a major flavonoids compound in the leaves of G.fragrantissima.Further, methanol extract of the A.vulgaris and G.fragrantissima showed the highest antioxidant and antibacterial properties compared to the essential oil.Conclusions: The HPLC analysis of the methanol extract of A.vulgaris shows the presence of luteolin and morin, whereas G.fragrantissima reveals the presence of rutin and a glycosylated flavonoids.Results reveal that A.vulgaris oil is the rich source of monoterpene and sesquiterpene compounds.Furthermore, A.vulgaris and G.fragrantissima are the rich source of the phenolic and flavonoids compounds and show good antioxidant and antibacterial activity.

Effect of plasma treatment on the seed germination and seedling growth of radish(Raphanus sativus)

The effect on the germination and seedling growth of radish(Raphanus sativus)seeds were examined employing a dielectric barrier discharge(DBD)at atmospheric pressure and room temperature for various treatment time.DBD plasma using argon gas of flow rate 21 m^(-1)was employed in this study.Radish seeds were treated with DBD plasma for 1-5 min,respectively.Germination characteristics,seedling growth parameters,the contact angle of the seed coat,water uptake capacity,mass loss,the temperature of the seeds,chlorophyll,and carotenoid contents of the seedlings were measured before and after the DBD plasma treatments.Plasma treatment of radish seeds significantly increased germination-related characters,including germination percentage,fresh and dry weight,vigor index,and total carotenoids contents.However,the cumulative production rate was found to be decreased.Results from the experiment indicate an acceleration in the water uptake of the radish seeds and make the seed surface hydrophilic by plasma treatment.Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that etching effects on the seed coat occurred after the argon plasma treatments,which affected the wettability of the radish seed.The experimental findings showed that seeds being treated by DBD plasma for 2 and 3 min had a positive effect on the germination and seedling growth of radish.