Cytotoxic and apoptotic activities of extract of Amaranthus spinosus L. in Allium cepa and human erythrocytes

Regulating Enzyme Catalysis by Tailored Silver Nanocrystals Fabricated with Holigarna arnottiana-Synthesis, Characterization, and Performance Optimization

Modification of catalytic expression of enzymes and regulating their in vivo activity are the goals of novel treatment strategies. A green synthetic nanostructured silver with potent trypsin inhibitory properties has not yet been developed, despite the fact that silver nanoparticles possess unique properties that allow them to efficiently block enzymes. The present study demonstrates for the first time a facile, safe, economic, and eco-friendly synthetic route for silver nanoparticles using an aqueous extract of Holigarna arnottiana bark engineered to interact with trypsin and hinder its activity effectively. The studies carried out to examine the interaction between these biofabricated AgNPs (HaAgNPs) and trypsin by UV-visible spectrophotometry and FTIR spectroscopy suggest that the formation of trypsin-HaAgNP complex is responsible for diminishing the catalytic efficiency of trypsin. In vivo studies on Aedes aegypti larval serum support these instrumental results of HaAgNP-induced trypsin inhibition and proves its application as a biopesticide. It is noteworthy that the bioengineered HaAgNPs were also found to have good inhibition potential against pepsin and urease as well. A variety of methods have been employed to characterize the synthesized biocompatible HaAgNPs and it possesses a characteristic absorption maximum of 420 nm. Their shelf life of above 7 years is noticeable, since none of the reported green synthesized AgNPs possess a shelf life of more than 1 year. Altogether, this work demonstrates that biofabricated HaAgNPs are multifunctional and cost-resilient biological tools that can be used as enzyme regulators possessing antioxidant, antimicrobial, and insecticidal features.

Genotoxic effects induced by iprodione and tebuconazole in meristematic cells of Allium cepa: responses dependent on concentration and exposure time

The present work explores the genotoxicity of the fungicides iprodione (IP) and tebuconazole (TB) using the Allium cepa assay as an in vivo biological model. Both short-term and long-term exposures were studied, revealing concentration- and time-dependent cytological and genotoxic effects. IP exhibited genotoxicity over a wider concentration range (5-50 µg/ml) and required 30 h of exposure, while TB showed genotoxicity at higher concentrations (10 and 30 µg/ml) within a 4-h exposure period. The study highlights the importance of assessing potential risks associated with fungicide exposure, including handling, disposal practices, and concerns regarding food residue. Moreover, the research underscores the genotoxic effects of IP and TB on plant cells and provides valuable insights into their concentration and time-response patterns.

Spring water quality monitoring using multiple bioindicators from multiple collection sites

The aim of this study was to examine the water quality of the Extrema River spring in a Brazilian Cerrado area. Three collection sites (P1 - P3) were sampled in the dry and rainy seasons, which are close to industries from different sectors. In the physicochemical analysis, a decrease in dissolved oxygen levels (<5 mg/L) and pH (< 6) at P3 was detected. An increase in heterotrophic bacteria count was recorded at all sites (> 500 colonies/ml). In ecotoxicological analyses, P2 and P3 exhibited toxicity using Vibrio fischeri (> 20%). In evaluating toxicity, the reduction in seed germination was significant utilizing Lactuca sativa at all locations and with Allium cepa only at P2; rootlet length was decreased at P3 on L. sativa and at all sites with A. cepa. In contrast, loss of membrane integrity and mitochondrial function of meristems was adversely affected at all locations using both L. sativa and A. cepa assays. Principal components analysis (PCA) approach indicated that seasonality apparently did not markedly interfere with the obtained data, but it is important to include more collection locations to be evaluated with multiple bioindicators in the spring region. Our data indicate the urgent need for more rigorous programs to monitor the discharge of effluents into water springs.

Salinity Stress Ameliorates Pigments, Minerals, Polyphenolic Profiles, and Antiradical Capacity in Lalshak

Previous studies have shown that salinity eustress enhances the nutritional and bioactive compounds and antiradical capacity (ARC) of vegetables and increases the food values for nourishing human diets. Amaranth is a salinity-resistant, rapidly grown C4 leafy vegetable with diverse variability and usage. It has a high possibility to enhance nutritional and bioactive compounds and ARC by the application of salinity eustress. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of sodium chloride stress response in a selected Lalshak (A. gangeticus) genotype on minerals, ascorbic acid (AsA), Folin−Ciocalteu reducing capacity, beta-carotene (BC), total flavonoids (TF), pigments, polyphenolic profiles, and ARC. A high-yield, high-ARC genotype (LS6) was grown under conditions of 0, 25, 50, and 100 mM sodium chloride in four replicates following a block design with complete randomization. We recognized nine copious polyphenolic compounds in this accession for the first time. Minerals, Folin−Ciocalteu reducing capacity, AsA, BC, pigments, polyphenolic profiles, and ARC of Lalshak were augmented progressively in the order: 0 < 25 < 50 < 100 mM sodium chloride. At 50 mM and 100 mM salt concentrations, minerals, AsA, Folin−Ciocalteu reducing capacity, BC, TF, pigments, polyphenolic profiles, and ARC of Lalshak were much greater than those of the control. Lalshak could be used as valuable food for human diets as a potent antioxidant. Sodium chloride-enriched Lalshak provided outstanding quality to the final product in terms of minerals, AsA, Folin−Ciocalteu reducing capacity, BC, TF, pigments, polyphenolic profiles, and ARC. We can cultivate it as a promising alternative crop in salinity-prone areas of the world.

Colorant Pigments, Nutrients, Bioactive Components, and Antiradical Potential of Danta Leaves (Amaranthus lividus)

In the Indian subcontinent, danta (stems) of underutilized amaranth are used as vegetables in different culinary dishes. At the edible stage of the danta, leaves are discarded as waste in the dustbin because they are overaged. For the first time, we assessed the colorant pigments, bioactive components, nutrients, and antiradical potential (AP) of the leaves of danta to valorize the by-product (leaf) for antioxidant, nutritional, and pharmacological uses. Leaves of danta were analyzed for proximate and element compositions, colorant pigments, bioactive constituents, AP (DPPH), and AP (ABTS⁺). Danta leaves had satisfactory moisture, protein, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. The chosen danta leaves contained satisfactory magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, copper, and zinc; adequate bioactive pigments, such as betacyanins, carotenoids, betalains, β-carotene, chlorophylls, and betaxanthins; and copious bioactive ascorbic acid, polyphenols, flavonoids, and AP. The correlation coefficient indicated that bioactive phytochemicals and colorant pigments of the selected danta leaves had good AP as assessed via ABTS⁺ and DPPH assays. The selected danta leaves had good ROS-scavenging potential that could indicate massive possibilities for promoting the health of the nutraceutical- and antioxidant-deficit public. The findings showed that danta leaves are a beautiful by-product for contributing as an alternate origin of antioxidants, nutrients, and bioactive compounds with pharmacological use.

Phytonutrients, Colorant Pigments, Phytochemicals, and Antioxidant Potential of Orphan Leafy Amaranthus Species

The underutilized Amaranthus leafy vegetables are a unique basis of pigments such as β-cyanins, β-xanthins, and betalains with radical scavenging capacity (RSC). They have abundant phytonutrients and antioxidant components, such as pigments, vitamins, phenolics, and flavonoids. Eight selected genotypes (four genotypes from each species) of underutilized Amaranthus leafy vegetables were evaluated for phytonutrients, pigments, vitamins, phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidants in a randomized complete block design under ambient field conditions with three replicates. The studied traits showed a wide range of variations across eight genotypes of two species of Amaranthus leafy vegetables. The highest fat, β-xanthins, K, dietary fiber, Mg, β-cyanins, Mn, chlorophyll ab, Zn, TP, TF, betalains, chlorophyll a content, and (RSC) (DPPH) and RSC (ABTS+) were obtained from A. tricolor accessions. Conversely, the highest protein, Cu, carbohydrates, Ca, and chlorophyll b content were obtained from A. lividus accessions. The highest dry matter, carotenoids, Fe, energy, and ash were obtained from A. tricolor and A. lividus. The accession AT2 confirmed the highest vit. C and RSC (DPPH) and RSC (ABTS+); AT5 had the highest TP content; and AT12 had the highest TF content. A. tricolor accessions had high phytochemicals across the two species, such as phytopigments, vitamins, phenolics, antioxidants, and flavonoids, with considerable nutrients and protein. Hence, A. tricolor accessions can be used as high-yielding cultivars comprising ample antioxidants. The correlation study revealed that vitamin C, pigments, flavonoids, β-carotene, and phenolics demonstrated a strong RSC, and showed a substantial contribution to the antioxidant potential (AP) of A. tricolor. The investigation exposed that the accessions displayed a plentiful origin of nutritional values, phytochemicals, and AP with good quenching ability of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that provide enormous prospects for nourishing the mineral-, antioxidant-, and vitamin-threatened community.

A Systematic Review on Amaranthus-Related Research

Leafy vegetables promote reparation of energy loss due to oxidative stress, and they have the potential to alleviate hunger and malnutrition as well as other forms of metabolic imbalance ravaging the world. However, these vegetables are underutilized, despite the fact that they harbor essential minerals needed for critical cellular activities. As amaranth is one of the earliest vegetables reputed for its high nutraceutical and therapeutic value, in this study, we explored research on the Amaranthus species, and identified areas with knowledge gaps, to harness the various biological and economic potentials of the species. Relevant published documents on the plant were retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded accessed through the Web of Science from 2011 to 2020; while RStudio and VOSviewer were used for data analysis and visualization, respectively. Publications over the past decade (dominated by researchers from the USA, India, and China, with a collaboration index of 3.22) showed that Amaranthus research experienced steady growth. Findings from the study revealed the importance of the research and knowledge gaps in the underutilization of the vegetable. This could be helpful in identifying prominent researchers who can be supported by government funds, to address the malnutrition problem in developing countries throughout the world.

Removal of tramadol from water using Typha angustifolia and Hordeum vulgare as biological models: Possible interaction with other pollutants in short-term uptake experiments

Tramadol (TRD) is widely detected in aquatic ecosystems as a result of massive abuse and insufficient removal from wastewater facilities. As a result, TRD can contaminate groundwater sources and/or agricultural soils. While TRD toxicity has been reported from aquatic biota, data about TRD detection in plants are scarce. Moreover, information regarding plant capability for TRD removal is lacking. To understand the fate of this opioid, we have investigated the uptake, translocation and removal capacity of TRD by plants, addressing short-term and long-term uptake. The uptake rates of TRD, in excised barley and cattail roots, were 5.18 and 5.79 μg g^-1 root fresh weight day^-1, respectively. However, TRD uptake was strongly inhibited after co-exposing these roots either with the drug venlafaxine (similar molecular structure as TRD) or with quinidine (an inhibitor of cellular organic cation transporters). When barley seedlings were exposed to TRD in a hydroponic experiment a removal efficiency up to 90% (within 15 days) was obtained, with bioconcentration and translocation factors close to 9 and 1, respectively. The combination of results from both plants and the inhibition observed after treatment with quinidine revealed that organic cation transporters may be involved in the uptake of TRD by plants.

Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects induced by associated commercial glyphosate and 2,4-D formulations using the Allium cepa bioassay

Studies assessing the toxicity of glyphosate and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid mixture are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the mixture of these herbicides using Allium cepa. Roots were exposed to glyphosate (1.56 and 11.66 mg mL-1), 2,4-D (0.28 and 17.5 mg mL-1) and mixture for 24 h, based on the average concentration applied in the field and the acute reference dose (ARfD) established in Brazil. Both isolated and associated herbicides induced a significative decrease in mitotic index (MI) (P < 0.0001) in all tested concentrations. Regarding the genotoxicity results, 2,4-D and the mixture showed, at concentrations applied in the field, a significative increase of chromosomal anomalies (CA) index compared to control (P < 0.0001) and glyphosate (P = 0.024 and P = 0.0002, respectively). All tested groups from the ARfD showed a significative difference compared to the control group (P < 0.0001), as well as glyphosate and 2,4-D isolated compared to the mixture (P = 0.0005 and P < 0.0001, respectively). The most observed CA were apoptotic bodies, giant cells, and nuclear erosions. We emphasize the need for further studies assessing the toxicity of these herbicides' mixture due to the distinct effects caused in different organisms.

Decolourisation of textile dye by laccase: Process evaluation and assessment of its degradation bioproducts

Biodegradation of environmentally hazardous synthetic dyes by enzymes has been achieved the highest interest in recent years. In this work, we optimized Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) dye biodegradation by Arthrographis kalrae derived laccase via the Box-Behnken design (BBD) approach of the surface response methodology (RSM). Optimization of dye decolourisation by one variable at a time (OVAT) approach resulted in optimal dye decolourisation at laccase dose (2 IU mL^-1), pH (7.0), temperature (35 °C), incubation time (240 min), and initial dye concentration (100 mg L^-1). The optimized process through BBD enhanced dye decolourisation (97.18%). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and UV-Visible Spectrophotometry have proven biodegradation. In addition, in comparison to untreated samples, the laccase-treated dye sample showed relatively less phyto- and cytotoxic effect on Allium cepa L. Extra Precision Glide docking exhibited the binding affinity score of -5.355 kcal mol^-1, between laccase-RBBR complex.

Cytotoxic effect of Vernonanthura polyanthes leaves aqueous extracts

Abstract Vernonanthura polyanthes, popularly known as assa-peixe, is a medicinal plant that has been widely used by Brazilian Cerrado population for treatment of diseases without a detailed evaluation of their effectiveness, toxicity, and proper dosage. Thus, more studies investigating the safety of V. polyanthes aqueous extract before the use are needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the toxicity, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of V. polyanthes leaves aqueous extract using the Artemia salina and Allium cepa assays. For the A. salina assay, three groups of 10 larvae were exposed to V. polyanthes leaves aqueous extract at the concentrations of 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg/ml. For the A. cepa assay, 5 onion bulbs were exposed to V. polyanthes leaves aqueous extract at 10, 20, and 40 mg/ml, and then submitted to macroscopic and microscopic analysis. As result it was identified a toxicity and cytotoxicity of V. polyanthes dependent on the extract concentration. The A. salina assay suggests that the concentration of 24 mg/ml of the V. polyanthes extract is able to kill 50% of naupllis; while the A. cepa assay suggests that V. polyanthes leaves aqueous extract is toxic at concentrations higher than 20 mg/ml; however the cytotoxic effect in A. cepa root cells was observed at 40 mg/ml of the extract. It is important to say that the V. polyanthes leaves aqueous extract concentration commonly used in popular medicine is 20 mg/ml. Thus, the popular concentration used is very close to toxicity limit in A. salina model (24 mg/ml) and is the concentration which showed toxic effect in A. cepa root cells (20 mg/ml). No genotoxic activity of V. polyantes leaves aqueous extract was observed in the conditions used in this study. Because of the antiproliferative action and no genotoxic activity, V. polyanthes leaves aqueous extract may present compounds with potential use for human medicine. However more detailed studies need to be performed to confirm this potential.

In vitro hematotoxicity of Vernonanthura polyanthes leaf aqueous extract and its fractions

Vernonanthura polyanthes, popularly known as 'assa-peixe', is widely used in Brazil for therapeutic purpose mainly to treat respiratory tract problems. However, few studies investigated its chemical safety. In this way, we first obtained the V. polyanthes leaf aqueous extract (VpLAE) and three fractions (aqueous; n-butanol, n-BF; and ethyl acetate), and we chemically characterized this material. Then, the cytogenotoxic potential of the VpLAE and its fractions was investigated against human erythrocytes and lymphocytes using Trypan blue exclusion test of cell viability and CometChip. The phytochemical screening of V. polyanthes leaf revealed the presence of total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, terpenic compounds, and cardioactive heterosides. n-BF presented the highest total phenolic, flavonoids, and tannins contents and, consequently, the highest antioxidant activity, according to the DPPH free radical scavenging method. Although the VpLAE and its fractions did not cause death of erythrocytes, the cells acquired an echinocytic form. Regarding lymphocytes, VpLAE and its fractions presented cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. When VpLAE or its fractions were co-treated with doxorubicin (DXR), a recognized cytotoxic drug, we observed an enhancement of DXR cytotoxicity against lymphocytes, but the DXR genotoxicity decreased around 15%. Since the VpLAE and its fractions increased the DXR cytotoxicity and decreased its genotoxicity, further studies should be conducted for the development of an adjuvant drug from this extract to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. Moreover, the indiscriminate use of 'assa-peixe' by local people should be discouraged.

Toxicological study of aqueous-methanol solvent fraction of methanol extract of Dacryodes edulis leaves

Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H.J. Lam) is the most popular species under the genus Dacryodes. It is well known for its nutritional and ethno-medicinal uses in South-eastern and South-western Nigeria. This study was aimed to evaluate the toxicity of the aqueous-methanol fraction of crude methanol extract of Dacryodes edulis leaves (AMDE). The test rats were randomized to groups of single oral treatment of AMDE (10-5000 mg/kgbw) for the acute toxicity study. They were monitored for obvious signs of behavioural change and mortality. For the subacute toxicity study, the rats were randomized to three daily treatment groups (of 200, 400 and 600 mg/kgbw of AMDE) for 28 days. The fourth group (control) received 2.5 %v/v DMSO. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected for hematology and clinical chemistry evaluation. The histopathology of the livers and kidneys were assessed using the excised organs. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of AMDE were also evaluated using Allium cepa model. The result showed that acute administration of AMDE, up to a dose of 5000 mg/kgbw did not result in mortality of the test rats. The observed median lethal dose (LD50) was greater than 5000 mg/kgbw. The subacute oral administration of AMDE for 28 days showed no significant (p > 0.05) effect on liver function, kidney function indices, organ - body weight ratio, but significantly (p < 0.05) decreased erythrocytic indices: red blood cells, haematocrit, and haemoglobin at 600 mg/kgbw. The Allium cepa assay revealed a non-significant reduction in mitotic index and low chromosomal aberrations of the treated groups. In conclusion, the aqueous-methanol solvent fraction of methanol extract of Dacryodes edulis leaves, AMDE is relatively safe. However, there are strong indications that it may contain compounds that are cytotoxic and reduces erythrocytic indices including red blood cells at high doses. Thus, adequate care should be taken in dosing and administering the extract to avert anaemic condition.