Papers by Muhammad Kashif Zahoor
Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Oct 4, 2016
Keeping in view the havoc situation of dengue fever in Pakistan, the current study was designed t... more Keeping in view the havoc situation of dengue fever in Pakistan, the current study was designed to demonstrate the genetic variations, gene flow and rate of migration from Lahore and Faisalabad. The larvae were collected from both natural and artificial breeding places from each collection site. The adult mosquitoes were collected by means of sweep net and battery-operated aspirator. DNA extraction was performed using TNE buffer method. Ten GeneLink-A series RAPD primers were used for PCR amplification and the data was analyzed through POPGENE. The number of amplification products produced per primer varied from 8-12, ranging from 200 to 2000 bp with an average of 10.0 bands per primer. The percentage of polymorphic loci amplified by each primer varied from 22.5 to 51%. The UPGMA dendrogram demonstrates two distinct groups from Faisalabad and Lahore populations. The genetic diversity ranged from 0.260 in Faisalabad to 0.294 in Lahore with a total heterozygosity of 0.379. The GST val...
Measles is a highly infectious and contagious disease of the respiratory system caused by Morbili... more Measles is a highly infectious and contagious disease of the respiratory system caused by Morbilivirus which belongs to family Paramyxoviridae (Hashiguchi et al., 2011). The disease is a common cause of childhood morbidity and mortality across the globe, particularly in developing countries and has been characterized by high fever, cough, conjunctivitis, coryza, malaise and maculopapular rash along with erythematous patches throughout the body (Ellison, 1931; Yanagi et al., 2006; Fazlalipour et al., 2008). Measles infection has been controlled by introduction of live attenuated measles vaccine in United States and Europe (Gindler et al., 2004). However, measles is still affecting the developing countries due to insufficient coverage and improper handling of vaccines (Poland and Jocobson, 1994; Muscat et al., 2009). Historically, immunization against vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) in children has been started by WHO in 1974, and it was initiated in Pakistan during 1978 (Ali, 2000; Bugvi et al., 2014). In general the vaccine coverage against VPDs in Pakistan ranged between 56 to 88 % which significantly varied among various Provinces (Sheikh et al., 2011). Recently, increased number of measles outbreaks with high morbidity and mortality has been observed in various regions of Pakistan during recent years (Khan and Khan, 2012; Khan and Qazi, 2014). These particular episodes of higher incidence of measles were started in Thatta, Mirpurkhas and Jacobabad Districts of Sindh Province by the end of 2012, which later on spread towards Punjab Province (Khan and Khan, 2012; Khan and Qazi, 2014). The spread of measles was reported to be higher in both rural as well as developed cities of Pakistan along with high incidence of mortality and morbidity (Khan and Qazi, 2014). The important factors considered for these outbreaks were associated with vaccination failure due to several reasons i.e. low vaccination coverage, malnutrition and vitamin-A deficiencies, poor vaccination facilities in remote and rural areas, mishandling of vaccines and lack of immunization awareness among parents due to lower levels of education in various areas of country (Cohen et al., 2009; Khan and Khan, 2012; Khan and Qazi, 2014). To combat the situation extensive supplementary immunization activities have been initiated which targets the chil
Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2019
The efficacy of Chrozophora plicata and Trianthema portuclacastrum extracts was investigated agai... more The efficacy of Chrozophora plicata and Trianthema portuclacastrum extracts was investigated against Trogoderma granarium at 10%, 20% and 30% concentrations and 2, 4 and 6 days of exposure periods. It was found that T. portuclacastrum extract caused significantly higher larval mortality (37.47%) than C. plicata (27.03%). Maximum number of T. granarium larvae (91.11% and 82.22%) was repelled when exposed to 30% concentration. A significant reduction in percentage larval emergence was also found in F1 generation. A decrease in the activity of Acetylcholine Esterase (AChE), Acid Phosphatase (ACP), Alkaline Phosphatase (AKP), α-Carboxyl and β-Carboxyl was also found. The FTIR analysis showed the presence of polyphenolic compounds in T. portuclacastrum extract. The overall results revealed that T. portuclacastrum extract was very effective against T. granarium than C. plicata.
CRISPR/Cas-Based Insect Resistance in Crops
CRISPR Crops
Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2015
Mosquito and mosquito borne diseases are often discussed, as a major concern for climate change r... more Mosquito and mosquito borne diseases are often discussed, as a major concern for climate change resulting due to global warming and rise in sea level (Scott et al., 2000). The greatest concern is that when temperature increases then the geographic range of the pest and vector species will increase automatically and with it the risk of human diseases also raises particularly for tropical diseases like Malaria, West Nile Virus, Yellow Fever, Filariasis and Dengue fever (Silva et al., 2008). However, there are many factors besides temperature including the availability of suitable habitats and short term changes in rainfall and tidal heights as well as urbanization and mosquito control programs (Nasir et al., 2015) that influence the distribution and abundance of mosquitoes as well as the incidence of human disease. Two mosquito species Aedesalbopictus and Aedesaegyptiplay very important role in spreading different diseases like Yellow fever, West Nile virus and is a primary vector of ...
The human-animal interaction had long been established and currently emerged in multiple aspects ... more The human-animal interaction had long been established and currently emerged in multiple aspects including housing of animals for food and as pets. The “pet birds” are the wild or exotic birds having high genetic value and are housed under captivity as companions or for ornamental purposes. The commonly housed pet birds are either passeriformes or psittaciformes. These birds are housed under conditions to meet standard requirements for welfare of pet birds. Besides the pet birds and human relationship, these birds are potential carriers or transmitters of several pathogens considered responsible for zoonotic diseases. The range of the zoonotic diseases consisted of bacterial, viral, parasitic and fungal diseases. The mode of transmission is also an important entity for understanding the spread mechanism of zoonotic diseases. The transmission and spread is predominantly through the direct contact and in the few conditions through the vectors; termed as vector-borne transmission. Alto...
CRISPR/Cas-Based Insect Resistance in Crops
Hepatitis C is the most common health problem worldwide and is major cause of death due to prolif... more Hepatitis C is the most common health problem worldwide and is major cause of death due to proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma. The medicines available for HCV treatment overcome up-to 95% complications of HCV. However, liver cancer needs some additional care. Normally Sorafenib tosylate 200 mg is recommended for liver cancer. There is no such trial in which this drug could effectively be used in combination of direct acting antivirals for HCV. The study was conducted for HCV patients (n=30) with liver cancer having decompensated stage. Combination of Sorafenib tosylate, Ribavirn and Sofosbuvir were used for the pharmacokinetics of these medicines. Child pugh score less then 7 (CP A) in adults during treatment phase (received 12 weeks of Sorafenib tosylate 200 mg, Ribavirn and Sofosbuvir 400 mg once daily) have no side effect while child pugh score 7-9 (CP B) have evidence of hypertension. The main efficiency end point sustained virology response with overcoming liver cancer a...
Biochanin A and biochanin B
A Centum of Valuable Plant Bioactives
Mosquito-borne diseases continue to pose a serious health concern in the rural areas. The current... more Mosquito-borne diseases continue to pose a serious health concern in the rural areas. The current research study was designed to focus on the diversity, species richness, abundance and the population dynamics of mosquitoes in rural areas of Faisalabad. Eleven species of mosquitoes were collected, of which 6 species belonged to the genus Culex, 3 species to Anopheles and 2 species to the genus Aedes. Maximum species richness was observed in Irrigated fields. Aedes albopictus and A. aegypti were collected where fresh water body existed but with an abundance of A. albopictus. A. albopictus was dominant in Rain catch basin, petrol pump and Rice field. The C. quinquefaciatus was abundantly found in all the collection sites. The data for plants, animals and birds were also recorded and no huge was observed in all the collection sites. The quantitative parameters dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, temperature and relative humidity (RH) we...
Mosquito-borne diseases continue to pose a serious health concern in the rural areas. The current... more Mosquito-borne diseases continue to pose a serious health concern in the rural areas. The current research study was designed to focus on the diversity, species richness, abundance and the population dynamics of mosquitoes in rural areas of Faisalabad. Eleven species of mosquitoes were collected, of which 6 species belonged to the genus Culex, 3 species to Anopheles and 2 species to the genus Aedes. Maximum species richness was observed in Irrigated fields. Aedes albopictus and A. aegypti were collected where fresh water body existed but with an abundance of A. albopictus. A. albopictus was dominant in Rain catch basin, petrol pump and Rice field. The C. quinquefaciatus was abundantly found in all the collection sites. The data for plants, animals and birds were also recorded and no huge was observed in all the collection sites. The quantitative parameters dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, temperature and relative humidity (RH) we...
Dengue Fever - a Resilient Threat in the Face of Innovation, Jan 30, 2019
Dengue Fever or commonly known as Dengue, a mosquito-borne arboviral infection has emerged as hav... more Dengue Fever or commonly known as Dengue, a mosquito-borne arboviral infection has emerged as havoc around the globe. Annually, about 50 million infections are reported, resulting in 22,000 deaths and almost 2.5 billion people are reported living at risk. Dengue infection is caused by Dengue Virus (DENV), which is a member of genus Flavivirus and comprised of ten proteins; three proteins, capsid (C), membrane (M), and envelope (E), play structural role and seven are identified as non-structural that direct DENV replication. Four distinct serotypes: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4 are transmitted via Aedes mosquitoes. Clinically, Dengue patients can be categorized into three groups according to WHO 2009 revised classification. Typical symptoms of dengue include: extreme fatigue; sudden fever (from 3-7 days), headache, joint, muscle, and back pain; vomiting and diarrhea, appetite loss; skin rash along minor bleeding. Aedes aegypti is geographically distributed in tropical areas and breeds in artificially filled water containers i.e. drums, tyres, flower vases plastic food containers, tin cans, etc. Due to four viral serotypes and non-availability of the model animal for dengue, producing vaccines is a challenging task. Thus, Dengue can be managed using various vector control strategies through physical, chemical and biological means.
Polish Journal of Environmental Studies
The antibacterial and antioxidant activity of different parts of Tribulus terrestris, such as lea... more The antibacterial and antioxidant activity of different parts of Tribulus terrestris, such as leaves and roots, was carried out using methanol and n-hexane as solvents. The leaves of plant have greater extraction yield than roots. The antibacterial activity was checked against both gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli). Antibacterial activity was performed by disk inhibition method. Leaves show greater antibacterial activity (29 mm and 30 mm) against both S. aureus and E. coli, whereas roots show (16 mm and 21 mm) against both species respectively. Antioxidant activity was carried out by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging free-radical assay. Leaf extract showed greater antioxidant activity (73%) than that of roots (52%). Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were determined by spectrophotometer analysis. The results indicate that leaf extract contains higher phenolic and flavonoid contents (723 mg Gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g and 476 mg Quercetin equivalents (QE)/g as compared to roots extract (235mg GAE/g and 93 mg QE/g).
Furanodiene: A novel, potent and multitarget cancer-fighting terpenoid
Current Pharmaceutical Design
: Natural products have served as a limitless reservoir of bioactive scaffolds for drug discovery... more : Natural products have served as a limitless reservoir of bioactive scaffolds for drug discovery against several disorders. Furanodiene is a bioactive natural product which is isolated from several plants of genus Curcuma. Its therapeutic potential against cancer, inflammation and angiogenesis has been well-documented. The current review is an update about the natural sources and anti-cancer action mechanism of furanodiene. Furanodiene exerts its anti-cancer effects via induction of apoptosis in several cancer types by modulating MAPKs/ERK, NF-κB, and Akt pathways. Although furanodiene has been systematically studied for its anti-cancer potential, however, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pre-clinical and clinical studies still needed to be conducted to completely validate the potential of furanodiene for the treatment of cancer.
Polish Journal of Environmental Studies
Resistance development against some frequently used insecticides, i.e., deltamethrin (1.5% EC), c... more Resistance development against some frequently used insecticides, i.e., deltamethrin (1.5% EC), cypermethrin (10% SC), permethrin (0.5% WP) and DDVP (50% EC) was evaluated against Musca domestica L. Insecticide bioassays were carried out against susceptible and resistant strains at 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 40 µg/µl concentrations. Mortality data was recorded after 24, 48 and 72 hours. Resistance was monitored up to three generations and the flies with higher LD 50 values than the F1 generation were considered resistant. LD 50 values for Permethrin increased from 58.258 µg/µl to 85.1375 µg/µl with highest resistance ratio (RR) in F1 to F3. The lowest resistance ratio was observed with DDVP. Maximum inhibition in adult emergence was observed against DDVP. The inhibitory activity of Esterases; Acetylcholine and Phosphatases; ACP, AKP was recorded. Deltamethrin inhibited the maximum activity of AChE (50%), whereas, DDVP caused maximum inhibition of acid phosphatases. The results suggested that house fly populations are more resistant to pyrethroids compared to organophosphate insecticides.
Ginkgetin: A natural biflavone with versatile pharmacological activities
Food and Chemical Toxicology
Osthole: A Multifunctional Natural Compound with Potential Anticancer, Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activities
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry
: Nature has always proved to be a significant reservoir of bioactive scaffolds which have been u... more : Nature has always proved to be a significant reservoir of bioactive scaffolds which have been used for the discovery of drugs since times. Medicinal plants continue to be a solid niche for biologically active and therapeutically effective chemical entities, opening up new avenues for the successful treatment of several human diseases. Contribution of plant-derived compounds either in their original or semi-synthetic derivative forms extends far back in time in drug discovery. This review aims to focus on the sources, biological, and pharmacological profile of a pharmacologically active plant-derived coumarin, osthole, which is an important component of numerous remedial plants such as Cnidium monnieri. Several studies have revealed that osthole possess pharmacological properties such as anticancer, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, neuroprotective, and antiplatelet. Osthole has been reported to regulate various signaling pathways which in turn modulate several apoptosis related proteins, cell cycle regulators, protein kinases, transcriptional factors, cytokines, and growth receptors affiliated with inflammation, proliferation and several other ailments. Osthole is known to halt proliferation and metastasis of cancerous cells by arresting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis. The data in this review paper supports the pharmacological potential of osthole but further experimentation, biosafety profiling and synergistic effects of this compound need to be focused by the researchers to understand the full spectrum of pharmacological potential of this therapeutically potent compound.
Insecticidal, Biological and Biochemical Response of Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) to some indigenous weed plant extracts
Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences
Uploads
Papers by Muhammad Kashif Zahoor