https://ojs.prjn.org/index.php/prjn <p><strong>Welcome to </strong><strong>Phytopharmacology Research Journal (PRJ)</strong></p> <p>Phytopharmacology Research Journal (PRJ) is an international open-access peer-review journal committed to publishing review articles, editorial letters, full-length research papers, short communications, and mini-reviews thrice a year.</p> <p><strong>Article processing changes</strong></p> <p>Phytopharmacology Research Journal (PRJ), is an international open-access peer-review journal committed to publishing high quality articles which provide free access to readers. In order to cover the charges of editing, typesetting, formatting, review process, management of journal, and an article processing charge (APC) 300 dollars applies to MS consider for publication.</p> <p><strong>Publishing address</strong></p> <p>Phytopharmacology Research Journal (PRJ), a publication office of Advance Research and Education Center (SMC-PRIVATE) Limited, Rashid Abad, Madina Colony, Street # 7, Office No. 1 Near Dispensary Canal Road, Peshawar, KP, Pakistan. is an international open-access peer-review journal committed to publishing review articles, editorial letters, full-length research papers, short communications, and mini-reviews thrice a year. </p> ADVANCE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER (SMC-PRIVATE) LIMITED en-US Phytopharmacology Research Journal https://ojs.prjn.org/index.php/prjn/article/view/138 Cannabis is the most frequently used drug of abuse not only in Pakistan as well as the rest of the globe. Its use is increasing drastically every year. Every year, its use rises dramatically. Cannabis sativa can be analyzed using GC-MS to reveal the variations in the components of this plant harvested from Tirah valley. Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the biologically active substances found in naturally occurring cannabinoids, was found in significant concentrations in both ethanolic and n-hexane extracts in addition to other cannabinoids. Understanding the plant's components will help determine its prevalence. When comparing the components of this drug of abuse, GC-MS is a helpful technique that can help the investigator determine the plant's origin. Comparison of both extracts also aids in the understanding and acquaintance of similarities of different cannabinoids. The main objective of the study was to investigate medicinally active compounds of C. sativa. Results from the study proved that Cannabis is not meant only for its recreational purposes but the presence of these medicinal compounds in high concentrations make it a valuable source to be used in herbal medicine for different ailments. Key words: Cannabis sativa, Cannabinoids, GC-MS Kishwar Sultana Sohail Ameer Marwat Sarwat Ismail Muhammad Akram Farina Kanwal Mushtaq Ahmad Abdur Rafay Saadia Mahmood Aaliya Saleem Ziaf -ur-Rahman Danish Iqbal Copyright (c) 2026 Phytopharmacology Research Journal 2026-01-21 2026-01-21 5 1 1 16 https://ojs.prjn.org/index.php/prjn/article/view/140 Despite being used as a cured for a number of medical issues, Medical Cannabis (Marijuana) has long been listed as an unlawful medication. However, there is no firm scientific backing for its use; it has only been based on personal experiences. Its widespread recreational use has largely eclipsed its beneficial aspects. Due to numerous studies demonstrating its function in numerous medical conditions, particularly neurological illnesses, it has recently become a contentious topic of discussion. An electronic database search was catalogued using PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar were done to find articles on Neurological disorders of medicinal Cannabis published between 1995 to 2023. The globe is still split over the legalization of these new results for therapeutic use. It has lately been legalized in a number of nations and jurisdictions, several scholars have voiced care about its potential misuse and the long-term effects on the law, ethics, finances, and health that have not yet been addressed. Pakistan is regarded as the major Cannabis producing country. We need to reach an agreement on this issue, considering legal, health and ethical viewpoints related to its medical usage in our society, given the growing body of data suggesting possible medicinal advantages. KEY WORDS: Marijuana, Cannabinoids, Epilepsy, Legalization. Kishwar Sultana Sohail Ameer Marwat Uzma Ameer Marwat Mehnaz Liaquat Waheed Alam Durdana Ghaffar Aftab Hussain Mushahid Hussain Copyright (c) 2026 Phytopharmacology Research Journal 2026-01-21 2026-01-21 5 1 17 38 https://ojs.prjn.org/index.php/prjn/article/view/147 The rising problem of antibiotic resistance and oxidative stress–related disorders has increased the need for natural sources of therapeutic agents. Habenaria plantaginea Lindl., a medicinally important orchid, is known to contain bioactive phytochemicals with potential pharmacological effects. This study evaluated the antibacterial, in-vitro COX-2 inhibitory, and antioxidant activities of the crude root extract of H. plantaginea. Antibacterial activity was assessed against five clinically significant bacterial strains (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis) using the disc diffusion method, with streptomycin as a standard. The crude extract exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, showing the highest inhibition against B. subtilis (26.89 ± 1.00 mm) and E. coli (24.50 ± 1.29 mm). In the COX-2 inhibitory assay, the extract demonstrated moderate, concentration-dependent inhibition with a maximum of 42.36 ± 1.18% at 250 µg/mL (IC₅₀ = 190.2 ± 2.5 µg/mL), whereas the standard drug celecoxib achieved 94.21 ± 1.10% inhibition. Similarly, the extract showed moderate antioxidant activity in the H₂O₂ scavenging assay, with a maximum inhibition of 46.38 ± 1.30% at 250 µg/mL (IC₅₀ = 205.4 ± 3.1 µg/mL), compared to 91.45 ± 1.12% for ascorbic acid. These results suggest that the crude extract of H. plantaginea possesses significant antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant potential, supporting its traditional use and highlighting its promise as a source of bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical applications. Fida Hussain Kainat Noor Hina Gul Muhammad Saeed Jan Nasruddin Copyright (c) 2026 Phytopharmacology Research Journal 2026-01-25 2026-01-25 5 1 39 44 https://ojs.prjn.org/index.php/prjn/article/view/150 Conyza canadensis (Canadian horseweed) has long been recognized for its therapeutic applications and could provide naturally occurring compounds with urease inhibitory effects. This paper discusses the urease inhibition properties of various solvent fractions of C. canadensis (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and butanol) and compares its actions with thiourea, which is a standard urease inhibitor. The results indicated that the butanol fraction exhibited the most potent urease (85.98%), followed by methanol (78.02% and ethyl acetate (67.09%). The IC50 values indicated that butanol and methanol fractions had a stronger inhibitory effect on the urease activity compared to ethyl acetate fraction. The findings are indicative of the fact that C. canadensis can serve as a source of natural urease inhibitors, which can potentially be used as an alternative treatment of urease-based gastrointestinal disorders such as Helicobacter pylori infections. Further studies are necessary to determine which specific bioactive compounds can have the desired effect and determine their therapeutic effectiveness. Fazli Hadi Zuneera Akram Nasruddin Saima Naz Copyright (c) 2026 Phytopharmacology Research Journal 2026-01-25 2026-01-25 5 1 45 49 https://ojs.prjn.org/index.php/prjn/article/view/148 Cancer remains a leading cause of global mortality, and angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in tumor growth and progression. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-cancer potential of solvent extracts and saponin fractions of Polygonatum verticillatum (L.) using phytochemical screening and an in vivo anti-angiogenic model. The whole plant was extracted with 80% methanol, followed by sequential fractionation using solvents of increasing polarity. Crude saponins were also isolated using a modified ethanol extraction method. Qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, anthraquinones, and saponins in the crude extract. The anti-angiogenic activity of the extracts and fractions was evaluated using the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The chloroform fraction, saponin fraction, ethyl acetate fraction, and crude extract exhibited significant inhibition of angiogenesis in a concentration-dependent manner. Among all samples, the saponin fraction showed the highest potency with the lowest IC₅₀ value, while dexamethasone was used as a positive control. The findings of this study suggest that Polygonatum verticillatum possesses notable anti-angiogenic activity, which may be attributed to its rich phytochemical composition, particularly saponins. These results provide scientific evidence supporting the traditional use of the plant and highlight its potential as a promising source of natural anti-cancer agents. Further investigations are required to isolate active constituents and elucidate their underlying mechanisms of action. Fida Hussain Kainat Noor Hina Gul Zarafshan Muska mahabat Khan Ibrar Muhammad Saeed Jan Copyright (c) 2026 Phytopharmacology Research Journal 2026-01-17 2026-01-17 5 1 50 54 https://ojs.prjn.org/index.php/prjn/article/view/153 Oxidative stress is one of the major etiologic factors that form the basis of wide range of chronic and degenerative diseases. The antioxidant compounds found in medicinal plants have, therefore, gained an extensive academic interest because of their potential therapeutic value. In the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), assay, the radical-scavenging activity of the crude methanolic extract and solvent-partitioned extracts of the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L. were examined. The crude extract was then subjected to consecutive liquid liquid partitioning using n- hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and n-butanol to give separate fractions. Antioxidant activity was assessed at concentrations ranging from 10 to 100 µg/mL. All the fractions had concentration-dependent radical-scavenging activity. The polar fractions including the n-butanol and methanol fractions showed the greatest percentage scavenging of up to 91.35%. Conversely, the non-polar fractions had relatively low activity. These results highlight the central role of solvent polarity in the effectiveness of bioactive compound extraction. The strong antioxidant activity of the polar fractions of saffron is an indicator of the potential of the fractions as natural sources of antioxidants with possible uses in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries. Fazli Hadi Zuneera Akram Nasruddin Saima Naz Copyright (c) 2026 Phytopharmacology Research Journal 2026-01-30 2026-01-30 5 1 55 60 https://ojs.prjn.org/index.php/prjn/article/view/152 Soil salinity is a widespread production constraint for wheat in Pakistan. The feasible options to overcome soil salinity are salt tolerant varieties and treatment of seed with various priming agents. Concern for sustainable production of wheat crop led to renewed interest in management of soil salinity through salt tolerant varieties and seed priming. In order to address the problem the current study was carried out to investigate about the role seed priming (30 mM NaCl) in comparison with dry seed in ameliorating the impact of various levels of salt stress (control, 4, 6 and 8 dSm-1) on growth and physiological traits of two wheat varieties (Bakhtawar and Auqab). Results of the study confirmed significant influence of salt stress and varieties on all the studied traits. Gradual increase of salt stress reduced all the traits gradually. Salinity level of 8 dSm-1 decreased spikes plant-1 by 38%, grains spike-1 by 37%, hundred grains by 24%, grain yield plant-1 by 68%, biological yield plant-1 by 56%, harvest index by 29%, and shoot K+/Na+ ratio by 60%. The impact of seed priming (30 mM NaCl) was only non-significant on grains spike-1 and it had positively influenced spikes plant-1, grains spike-1, 100-grain weight, plant grain yield, biological yield, harvest index, and shoot K+/Na+ ratio by 8.52%, 0.97%, 4.245, 12.17%, 24%, 11.68%, and 12.28% respectively with highest influence on Bakhtawar. Bakhtawar performed better than Auqab and maximum spikes plant-1 (3.18), grains spike-1 (36.17), hundred grains weight (2.94 g), grain yield plant-1 (3.66 g), biological yield plant-1 (10.54 g), harvest index plant-1 (34.33 %), and shoot K+/Na+ ratio (1.44) were confirmed for it. In conclusion it is stated that salinity stress had adversely influenced the yield and physiological traits of wheat varieties. However, seed treatment with NaCl had alleviated the negative effects of salt stress up to great extent. Yousaf Jamal Hamza Zaman Kamran Khan Muhammad Amjed Kashif Ahmad Abdullah Shahid Muhammad Yahya Muhammad Romman Bushra Waheed Muhammad Faheem Muhammad Adnan Copyright (c) 2026 Phytopharmacology Research Journal 2026-01-28 2026-01-28 5 1 61 66 https://ojs.prjn.org/index.php/prjn/article/view/156 Cellulitis, a common skin and soft tissue infection, poses significant health risks if not properly managed. This study aimed to investigate the bacteriological profile and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of pathogens isolated from cellulitis patients in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, and evaluate the antibacterial potential of Bacillus-derived secondary metabolites against Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 25 pus swab samples were collected from patients admitted to Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, and Bacha Khan Medical Complex, Swabi. Of these, 21 showed positive bacterial growth upon primary culturing. The isolated bacteria were identified using standard morphological and biochemical tests, revealing Escherichia coli (9.5%), Streptococcus spp. (33.3%) and Staphylococcus aureus (57.1%) as the most prevalent pathogen. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was conducted using the disc diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton Agar. Results indicated that S. aureus isolates were most susceptible to Gentamicin, Fosfomycin, and Nalidixic Acid, while showing resistance to Ciprofloxacin and Amikacin. Streptococcus spp. demonstrated sensitivity to Ciprofloxacin, Nalidixic Acid, and Fosfomycin, whereas E. coli was sensitive to all tested antibiotics. The antibacterial activity of secondary metabolites extracted from Bacillus species was assessed using the agar well diffusion method. The highest activity was observed in the 15 mL chloroform extract, followed closely by the pure extract with DMSO. Lower activity was noted in aqueous and diluted chloroform extracts, while Ciprofloxacin served as a positive control and DMSO showed no activity. These findings underscore the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in cellulitis and highlight the moderate antibacterial potential of Bacillus-derived metabolites, suggesting their possible role in future therapeutic development. KEYWORDS Cellulitis; Bacillus specie; Staphylococcus aures Isha Noor Muhammad idrees Muhammad Hajrah Abid Siddiq Hifsa Aziz Maria Jamshaid Laiba Gul Muhammad Yousaf Copyright (c) 2026 Phytopharmacology Research Journal 2026-01-30 2026-01-30 5 1 67 82