STAFF REPORT KHI:The first science symposium was organized by Department of Biochemistry, FUUAST university at Karachi, where a number of renowned scientists and young researchers presented many exciting pieces of work by.
According to details, a second best poster prize was given to Microbiology Department whose two students Ajmal Shah and Kanwal presented their work on Berberis lycium: Solution to fight against urolithiasis and worms infestation in humans completed under the guidance of publicly renowned microbiologist Sikandar K. Sherwani (Supervisor of the project).
On the occasion, Sherwani said that this plant has also gained wide acceptance for its medicinal value in traditional system of medicines. In the present study root bark of Berberis lycium has been authenticated for its traditional anthelmintic and antiurolithiatic use.
Ajmal Shah pointed out that during this study, in vitro anthelmintic as well as antiurolithiatic effects were assessed in both aqueous Berberis lycium root bark extracts i.e. decoction and infusion.
Three concentrations (25, 50 and 100 mg/ml) of each aqueous extract were studied in anthelmintic bioassay, which involved the determination of time of paralysis and time of death of the worm i.e. Pheretima posthuma.
Results showed that both decoction and infusion gave 92.4 per cent and 80.2 per cent inhibition of calcium oxalate crystallization at the concentration of 100 per cent. The various parts of the plant like root, bark, stem, leaves and fruits are used by the people as a medicine or food.