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The present study was conducted to assess antifungal potential of the allelopathic grass Cenchrus pennisetiformis Hochst. & Steud. against the fungal plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (cause of tomato wilt disease) under chromium stress. Laboratory experiments were performed in 10 mL volume glass test tubes each containing 1.0 mL of malt extract broth with seven concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 and 350 ppm) of each of Cr(III) and Cr(VI), and two concentrations (5% and 6%) of methanolic leaf, stem or root extract of C. pennisetiformis. A metal + weed extract amended medium was inoculated with the pathogen and incubated for 7 days at 25 C. Different concentrations of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) proved equally inhibitory resulting in 10-84% and 18-89% reduction in fungal biomass, respectively. Methanolic leaf, stem and root extracts of the weed reduced fungal biomass by 12-25%, 14-23% and 46-50%, respectively, over negative control. In combined application of methanolic extracts of different parts of C. pennisetiformis and metal solutions, root extract in combination with either Cr(III) or Cr(VI) showed the highest inhibitory potential against the fungus followed by leaf and stem extracts. In combination with methanolic root, leaf and stem extracts, different concentrations of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) significantly reduced fungal biomass by 54-99%, 14-99% and 9-95%, respectively, over negative control. Such studies have not been carried out previously. Results of the present investigation suggest that F. oxysporum oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, the cause of Fusarium wilt disease in tomato, can be managed by application of extracts (or alternatively biomass) of C. pennisetiformis in chromium contaminated soils.

Antifungal potential of aerial parts of an allelopathic grass Cenchrus pennisetiformis (Hochst. & Steud.) Wipff. was evaluated against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici Snyder & Hansen, a fungal pathogen causing wilt disease in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Different concentrations (1% to 6%) of methanolic leaf, stem and inflorescence extract of the grass significantly reduced fungal biomass by 40-88%, 13-89%, and 26-76%, respectively. Methanolic shoot (leaf + stem) extract was fractionated using four organic solvents viz. n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. All the sub-fractions of methanolic shoot extract showed remarkable antifungal potential to variable extents. Different concentrations (1.56-200 mg mL-1) of ethyl acetate sub-fraction exhibited the best antifungal activity resulting in 49-100% suppression in the fungal biomass. GC-MS analysis of ethyl acetate sub-fraction showed the presence of 10 compounds. Phenol, 2,4-bis{1,1-dimethlethyl}- was the major compound (30.99%) followed by hexadecanoic acid, ethyl-ester (21.72%), benzofuran 2,3-dihydro (10.65%), 1-propanol-2-2-hydroxypropxy (10.60%) and 1-eicosene (8.32%).

IntroductionThere are conflicting studies regarding the efficacy of tocilizumab use in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease. There is a special need to identify the parameters that could predict its response in early COVID-19 disease. ObjectiveTo report our experience with tocilizumab and correlate the magnitude of fall in c-reactive protein (CRP) as a predictor of its response to treatment in early COVID-19 disease. MethodsAll confirmed COVID-19 cases admitted to a tertiary healthcare hospital in Peshawar Pakistan, receiving ≥1 dose of intravenous tocilizumab, between March and September 2020 were included. Relevant clinical data of the patients were recorded and further divided into two categories based on the relative fall in CRP levels, 48 hours after tocilizumab administration. Adequate response (≥50% fall from baseline CRP), primary outcomes (fall in oxygen requirement and inflammatory biomarkers), and secondary outcome (all-cause mortality at day 28) were recorded. All outcomes were compared based on falls in CRP levels. ResultsA total of 27 patients were included. Males were 24 (88.8%) while females were three (11.1%). The mean age was 60.9±11.6 years. The mean day of illness at the time of tocilizumab administration was 4.26±3 days. After 48 hours of tocilizumab administration, 17 (62.9%) patients showed clinical improvement, with the mean SaO 2 /FiO 2 ratio prior to treatment significantly increased (p<0.01). A significant reduction in CRP and ferritin levels was seen post-treatment (p <0.01 and p<0.01, respectively). Twenty (74.1%) patients demonstrated adequate response to tocilizumab while seven (25.9%) showed an inadequate response. Patients with adequate response had higher chances of improvement in oxygenation and lower in-hospital mortality (p-value 0.009 and 0.020, respectively). ConclusionsTocilizumab shows clinical improvement in a vast majority of patients. Being an early and sensitive predictor, a fall of ≥50% in CRP at 48 hours can be used to predict the overall response to tocilizumab as a guide to treatment.