In human diet, vegetables play important role to maintain the physiological conditions. Due to anthropogenic activities and pollution, the food items become contaminated. The present study was performed to evaluate the level of heavy metals in the vegetables irrigated with wastewater across Chunian and Jamber, district, Kasur. Level of heavy metals from the study area like Zinc, Lead and chromium in the soil, water and vegetables was compared. The four sites of each city and 10 vegetables e.g. potato, radish, carrot, fenugreek, spinach, tomato, Onion, Turnip, Cauliflower, Pangalo were selected to conduct the experiment. The vegetables were irrigated with industrial wastewater and the concentration of heavy metals was measured by the atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). We concluded that the level of heavy metals was beyond the FAO limits in irrigated water due to industrial waste. In Jamber and Chunian, the level of Zn and Pb was high and beyond the FAO safe limits in the all water sample, the level of Cr was much higher only in the water sample of one site from Jamber. The concentration of zinc was higher in soil samples as compared to lead and chromium. Zn and Pb in vegetables of study area were labeled as priority pollutants but this concentration was within the safe limits set by FAO. However, constant inspection of heavy metals is recommended to avoid accumulation in the food chain and thus avoid human health risks. Keywords: Atomic absorption spectrophotometer, Heavy metals, Industrial wastewater, Vegetables.

Laboratory experimentations were conducted for the evaluation of contact and repellent activities of acetone based plant extracts of Allium sativum (Garlic), Azadirachta indica (Neem), Citrus limon (Lemon) and Eucalyptus globules (Safaida) against the insect pest of stored grain commodities, Tribolium castaneum.Various concentrations (5, 10 and 15%) of the plant extracts were applied on the filter papers in the bioassay experiments and after the release of 15d old beetles, mortality was evaluated after fixed intervals (24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144 and 168h). Repellent action was also checked using the area preference method and preference of adult beetles were checked after fixed period (24, 48 and 72h). Contact toxicity experiments revealed that E. globules (9.41%) proved to be more effective followed by A. sativum (9.20%), C. limon (8.39%) and A. indica (7.48%).Repellent action confirmed E. globule (76.29%) to be more potent and A. indica (63.08%), A. sativum (59.62%) and C. limon (50.12%) were least effective, respectively. Results reflected a positive potential of plant extracts as suitable substitute of conventional synthetic insecticides for the management of insect pest attacking stored commodities.

The objective of this study was to produce a Carbopol 940 based gel formula containing an Azadirachta indica leaf extract and evaluate its wound healing potential. The ethanolic extract was derived from the dried leaves of Azadirachta indica and was subjected to a phytochemical evaluation. Three gel formulations of Carbopol 940 containing an Azadirachta indica extract in three different concentrations, i.e., 1, 2, and 3% w/w were prepared. These gels were evaluated for their physical appearance, stability, antimicrobial activity, extrudability, skin irritability, pH, spreadability, and viscosity. The prepared formulas were stable, greenish and homogeneous. None of them showed irritation to the skin. The spreadability (g.cm/sec), viscosity (cps), and pH of all three formulations was 34.68, 53 270–65 400, and 6–7, respectively. Gel-III exhibited the highest antimicrobial potential against E. coli and P. aeruginosa with a zone of inhibition of 16.2 ± 0.6 mm and 15.6 ± 0.6 mm, respectively. It was revealed from the wound healing studies that the epithelialisation time for the Albino rabbits treated with Gel-III was 23 days. The Albino rabbits treated with Gel-I, Gel-II, a standard gel, and those with the untreated one (control), epithelialised in 27, 25, 26, and 34 days, respectively. A formulation containing 3% w/w extract showed better antimicrobial activity, physicochemical characteristics, and pharmacological parameters than the other formulations. It can be concluded that the wound healing process was faster with the gel formulation containing 3% w/w of the Azadirachta indica extract, proposing that this formulation is a promising candidate for wound healing.

Plant based insecticides are effective control agents against the stored grain insect pests especially for Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) is one of the severe pests of stored grain commodities The botanicals are have no toxic effects on our surrounding but the bioactivities of these plant extracts may induce certain detrimental effects on the biology of the certain insects causing infestation in stored grains The toxic and growth disruptive effects extracts from five medicinal plants viz; Azadirachta indica, Murraya exotica, Eucalyptus comeldulensis, Trachspermum ammi and Teminalia chebula were evaluated at a rate of 5, 10 and 15 % concentrations against the Tribolium castaneum. Highest larval inhibition was observed in case of E. comeldulensis (72.32%), followed by A. indica (63.96%), T. ammi (62.90%), M. exotica (58.93%) and T. chebula (54.96%). Maximum pupal inhibition was observed in case of E. comeldulensis (70.21%), followed by A. indica (62.26%), M. exotica (55.19%), T. ammi and T. chebula were both equally effective (54.82%). Highest adults' inhibition was observed in case of E. comeldulensis (66.67%), followed by A. indica (58.82%), M. exotica (54.90%), T. ammi (52.08%) and T. chebula (50.00%). These experiments will lead to the development of effective and natural growth regulators for control of insect pests attacking stored commodities.