Aims:  The anti‐tubercular drugs are less effective because of the emergence of multi‐drug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains of M. tuberculosis, so plants being an alternative source of anti‐microbial compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate anti‐tuberculosis potential of the plants using Mycobacterium smegmatis as a rapid screening model for detection of anti‐mycobacterial activity and further to evaluate the active plants for anti‐tuberculosis activity against M. tuberculosis using radiometric BACTEC assay. Methods and Results:  The 15 plants were screened for anti‐mycobacterial activity against M. smegmatis by the disk diffusion assay. The ethanolic extracts of Mallotus philippensis, Vitex negundo, Colebrookea oppositifolia, Rumex hastatus, Mimosa pudica, Kalanchoe integra and Flacourtia ramontchii were active against M. smegmatis in primary screening. The anti‐tuberculosis potential was identified in the leaves extracts of Mallotus philippensis by radiometric BACTEC assay. The ethanolic extract of M. philippensis showed anti‐tuberculosis activity against virulent and avirulent strains of M. tuberculosis H37Rv and M. tuberculosis H37Ra with minimum inhibitory concentration 0·25 and 0·125 mg ml−1, respectively. The inhibition in growth index values of M. tuberculosis was observed in the presence of ethyl acetate fraction at a minimum concentration of 0·05 mg ml−1. Conclusion:  We found that BACTEC radiometric assay is a valuable method for detection of anti‐tuberculosis activity of the plant extracts. The results indicate that ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction of M. philippensis exhibited significant anti‐mycobacterial activity against M. tuberculosis. Significance and Impact of the Study:  These findings provide scientific evidence to support the traditional medicinal uses of M. philippensis and indicate a promising potential of this plant for the development of anti‐tuberculosis agent.

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HIV/AIDS can cause malnutrition directly and also indirectly through opportunistic infections (OIs). Infectious diarrhoea and tuberculosis are the commonest OIs linked to malnutrition in HIV/AIDS. Environmental enteric dysfunction has now been identified to play a significant role in HIV-malnutrition. Food insecurity is bidirectionally associated with aggravation and perpetuation of HIV infection. Increasingly, drugs used in antiretroviral therapy have been recognised to lead malnutrition in many ways. Both HIV and malnutrition are most prevalent in the poorest areas of the world, and there is a convergence of etiological factors. Malnutrition depresses every aspect of immune function. Deficiency of key micronutrients like iron, folic acid, zinc, selenium and vitamins A, C and D also adversely affects immune function. Recent research has led to a greater understanding of these mechanisms. Immune dysfunction secondary to malnutrition is referred to as nutrition-associated immunodeficiency. Hence it is easy to surmise that malnutrition and HIV/AIDs are a deadly duo.

Soil health sustains the biological productivity, maintains environmental quality and promotes plant health. Soil borne diseases are most damaging when soil conditions are poor. Major factors influencing the disease in plants are soil moisture, soil temperature, soil pH and soil nutrients. To manage disease, different methods are used like crop rotation, biological control, cover crops, suppressive soils, organic amendment, plant growth promoting rhizobacterium, vascular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, mulching, good compost, good aeration, etc. Implementation of these practices improves the soil health and reduces disease incidence in a sustainable manner. Cover crops, crop rotations and healthy sanitary practices keep the pathogenic populations at low levels and also add beneficial nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to the soil. These all manage the disease by creating physical barrier, releasing antagonistic chemicals, competing with pathogen, increasing nutrient uptake, etc. Biological control agents have different mode of action viz., parasitism, predator, antibiosis, competition for site and nutrition, as well as by inducing the resistance in plants against pathogen [Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR)]. However, all these management strategies are helpful in improving the soil health, decreases the disease incidence and subsequently increases the yield and productivity of the crop.

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