The present work has been carried out to investigate both the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of seedlings grown in vitro and in vivo. Only ethanol extract of in vitro germinated seedlings on solidified Murashige and Skoog (MS) hormone free medium, had antibacterial activity. Activity was high in case of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae (inhibition zones = 55.00 ± 0.00, 55.00 ± 0.00 and 26.25 ± 1.58 mm; activity index = 4.15, 1.67 and 0.48, respectively). The effect was moderate in case of Staphylococcus aureus (inhibition zone = 15.75 ± 1.58 mm, activity index = 1.67). The extract had no effect against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes. Total antioxidant activity studies (GAE s in ppm) showed that 20 days old in vivo grown seedlings were highest in total antioxidants (1810.00 ± 60.12), followed by 30 days old in vivo grown seedlings (1133.13 ± 55.35). Results of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity showed that the least IC 50 in mg/ml was obtained using 30 days old in vivo grown seedlings extract (IC 50 = 1.16 ± 0.02), followed by 20 days old in vivo grown seedlings extract (IC 50 = 1.26 ± 0.02). The study shows the possibility of producing biological activity from early developmental growth stages of Rumex vesicarius.

The present work has been carried out for the in vitro production of biologically active constituents from Rumex vesicarius L. cultures. Calli and adventitious roots were tested for their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Results of preliminary phytochemical screening revealed that cultures were rich in flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, carbohydrates and/or glycosides, coumarins and cardiac glycosides. Sterols and/or triterpenodis, chlorides and sulphates were found in some cultures only. Calli and roots in all treatments were devoid of saponins, anthraquinones, irodoids and sublimable substances. Total phenolic content in roots produced by culture of leaf blade explant on media containing 1 mg/L kinetin (K) + 4 mg/L 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and calli produced on media containing 2 mg/L K + 2mg/L 2,4-D produced high total phenolic content (21.48 ± 0.24 and 18.15 ± 0.238 mg/explants, respectively). Total flavonoid content of calli and roots produced on media containing 2 mg/L K + 2mg/L 2,4-D and 1 mg/L K + 4 mg/L 2,4-D produced high total flavonoid contents (52.82 ± 0.56 and 49.27 ± 0.56 µg/explant, respectively). Results of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of flavonoids of calli obtained on 2 mg/L K + 2mg/L 2,4-D showed high concentration of quercetin (7.35 ± 0.245 µg/g D.W.). High total antioxidant activity was found in the extract of calli obtained on 2 mg/L K + 2 mg/L 2,4-D (617.85 ± 20.11 GAE s , ppm). Highest 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity was obtained using adventitious roots and calli extracts (IC 50 = 1.57 ± 0.02 and 1.76 ± 0.021 mg/ml, respectively). Antibacterial activity of adventitious roots and calli extracts was negative against all 6 human pathogenic isolates investigated.

In the field and greenhouses, chemical fungicides is the most commonly tool used for controlling fungal disease. Although chemical usage has been very effective in controlling fungal plant diseases, some major problems threaten to limit the continued use of fungicides. In the present research, extracts of Ziziphus and Rumex plants were chosen based on both traditional usages suggestive of antifungal activity. In addition, toxic fungal constituents of higher plants are generally thermo-labile, therefore, an aqueous extract was preferred for prevention any adverse effects. Phytochemicals of both plant extracts were detected by using HPLC, various phenolic and flavonoids compounds were detected. Ziziphus and Rumex extract concentrations that inhibited 50% of fungal growth (IC50) were 25 and 50 mg/ml, respectively. In vivo, results of morphological parameters of plant growth revealed that aqueous of tested plant extracts had allelopathy effects on seed germination. Increasing of plant roots length was appeared in the case of Ziziphus coated seed (either uninfected or infected). Both Ziziphus and Rumex aqueous extracts had positive synergistic effect where shoot lengths significantly increased. Dry weight of wheat spike significantly increased in Ziziphus and Rumex extracts treatments. Total proteins content of wheat plant were higher in all treatments than infected wheat plant with H. rostratum, on contrary, proline content. The results serve and support the new trend in biological control, where the aqueous extracts of Rumex and Ziziphus plants clearly reduced the effectiveness of fungal infection and improved all growth parameters of wheat seedlings (especially in the case of tri-treatments).