Phytochemical screening and in vitro antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and wound healing attributes of Senna auriculata (L.) Roxb. leaves

Exploring the underlying pharmacological, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of phytochemicals against wounds: a molecular insight

BACKGROUND

Numerous cellular, humoral, and molecular processes are involved in the intricate process of wound healing.

PHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Numerous bioactive substances, such as ß-sitosterol, tannic acid, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, quercetin, ellagic acid, and pyrogallol, along with their pharmacokinetics and bioavailability, have been reviewed. These phytochemicals work together to promote angiogenesis, granulation, collagen synthesis, oxidative balance, extracellular matrix (ECM) formation, cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, and re-epithelialization during wound healing.

FINDINGS AND NOVELTY

To improve wound contraction, this review delves into how the application of each bioactive molecule mediates with the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases of wound healing to speed up the process. This review also reveals the underlying mechanisms of the phytochemicals against different stages of wound healing along with the differentiation of the in vitro evidence from the in vivo evidence There is growing interest in phytochemicals, or plant-derived compounds, due their potential health benefits. This calls for more scientific analysis and mechanistic research. The various pathways that these phytochemicals control/modulate to improve skin regeneration and wound healing are also briefly reviewed. The current review also elaborates the immunomodulatory modes of action of different phytochemicals during wound repair.

Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities Evaluation, Phytochemical Characterisation of Rhizome from Angiopteris helferiana and Barks from Saurauia fasciculata in Nepal

Ethnomedicinally, more than 2000 plants were found to be used in Nepal. Among them, the red colored rhizome of Angiopteris helferiana and the bark of Saurauia fasciculata have been used widely to treat muscle fatigue, bone pain, fever, postpartum hemorrhage, and thirst by healers in Kaski and Tanahun districts, Nepal. However, scientific evidence towards their traditional uses is lacking till December, 2023. Therefore, we report the phytochemicals, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total carbohydrate content (TCC), antioxidant and antibacterial activities of A. helferiana and S. fasciculata extracts. Phytochemical analysis indicated that A. helferiana and S. fasciculata extracts were potential sources of chemicals such as phenols, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, saponins, and carbohydrates. The TPC, TFC, and TCC of extracts were determined by using an ultraviolet visible spectrophotometer. Among the extracts tested, A. helferiana extracts showed the highest phenolic and carbohydrate contents of 208.33 ± 12.96 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g and 564.16 ± 2.92 mg of D-glucose equivalent/g of dry extract, respectively. Similarly, S. fasciculata revealed the highest flavonoid content of 30.35 ± 0.1 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dry extract. The extract of A. helferiana and S. fasciculata exhibited potent antioxidant activity by scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals with an IC50 of 25.9 µg/ml and 31.07 µg/ml, respectively. The antibacterial activity of the A. helferiana and S. fasciculata extract against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli was determined using an agar-well diffusion protocol that revealed the potential antibacterial activity of A. helferiana against E. coli. The present study will help validate the traditional uses of A. helferiana rhizomes and S. fasciculata barks as a healing medicine and inspire the researcher towards further research, development, and formulation.

Antimicrobial Activity and Biological Compatibility Study of Methanolic Crude Extract of Senna auriculata (Flower)

Senna auriculata is a little flowering tree or shrub that is indigenous to India and Sri Lanka. It is also known by the names Tanner's Cassia and Avarampoo. It is a member of the Fabaceae family and is popular for its therapeutic and beautifying effects. S. auriculata is used in traditional medicine to treat a wide range of conditions, including diabetes, fever, inflammation, skin problems, and liver issues. However, the antimicrobial activity of different species of S. auriculata from Tamil Nadu is still not fully explored. In this present study, the antimicrobial activity of S. auriculata (Flower) was obtained and shade dried and extracted the crude metabolites the, extracted metabolites was screened for it's antimicrobial properties and biological compatibility. The antimicrobial activity of crude metabolites shows 14 mm zone of inhibition (ZOI) for S. aureus at 2 mg/well, whereas the P. aeruginosa and C. albicans show 12 mm ZOI for at 2 mg/well concentration. The minimum inhibitory concentration also shows the 128 μg/mL for S. aureus and 256 μg/mL P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis. The biological compatibility of crude metabolites shows 5% of hemolytic activity at higher concentrations the compound the metabolites having S. auriculata (Flower) may be biologically compatible.

Wound healing mechanisms of Couroupita guianensis fruit pulp: An ethnomedicine used by traditional healers in India

In connection to search for safe and alternative plant-based drugs, the wound healing mechanisms of an Indian ethnomedicine Couroupita guianensis fruit pulp was analyzed in this project work. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis revealed the existence of phytochemicals such as 2-furoic acid, 2,4-heptadienal, pyrazole and 8-hydroxyquinoline in the methanol extract. Methanol extract of C. guianensis exhibited remarkable radical scavenging activity against 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (89.88%), superoxide (91.51%), hydrogen peroxide (24.25%) and hydroxyl radicals (73.62%). Further, it showed remarkable anti-inflammatory (24.09-62.16%) and anti-bacterial activity (zone of inhibition, ZOI: 13.00 mm, minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC: 6.25 mg/mL and minimum bactericidal concentration, MBC: 12.51 mg/mL) and also controlled the growth rate of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) within 30 min of treatment. The angiogenic potential of C. guianensis was proved in chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model and it does not exhibit any toxicity in peripheral blood monocyte cells (PBMC) model.

Pharmacophore-Based Screening, Molecular Docking, and Dynamic Simulation of Fungal Metabolites as Inhibitors of Multi-Targets in Neurodegenerative Disorders

Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), negatively affect the economic and psychological system. For AD, there is still a lack of disease-altering treatments and promising cures due to its complex pathophysiology. In this study, we computationally screened the natural database of fungal metabolites against three known therapeutic target proteins of AD. Initially, a pharmacophore-based, drug-likeness category was employed for screening, and it filtered the 14 (A-N) best hits out of 17,544 fungal metabolites. The 14 best hits were docked individually against GSK-3β, the NMDA receptor, and BACE-1 to investigate the potential of finding a multitarget inhibitor. We found that compounds B, F, and L were immuno-toxic, whereas E, H, I, and J had a higher LD50 dose (5000 mg/kg). Among the examined metabolites, the Bisacremine-C (compound I) was found to be the most active molecule against GSK-3β (ΔG: -8.7 ± 0.2 Kcal/mol, Ki: 2.4 × 106 M-1), NMDA (ΔG: -9.5 ± 0.1 Kcal/mol, Ki: 9.2 × 106 M-1), and BACE-1 (ΔG: -9.1 ± 0.2 Kcal/mol, Ki: 4.7 × 106 M-1). It showed a 25-fold higher affinity with GSK-3β, 6.3-fold higher affinity with NMDA, and 9.04-fold higher affinity with BACE-1 than their native ligands, respectively. Molecular dynamic simulation parameters, such as RMSD, RMSF, Rg, and SASA, all confirmed that the overall structures of the targeted enzymes did not change significantly after binding with Bisacremine-C, and the ligand remained inside the binding cavity in a stable conformation for most of the simulation time. The most significant hydrophobic contacts for the GSK-3β-Bisacremine-C complex are with ILE62, VAL70, ALA83, and LEU188, whereas GLN185 is significant for H-bonds. In terms of hydrophobic contacts, TYR184 and PHE246 are the most important, while SER180 is vital for H-bonds in NMDA-Bisacremine-C. THR232 is the most crucial for H-bonds in BACE-1-Bisacremine-C and ILE110-produced hydrophobic contacts. This study laid a foundation for further experimental validation and clinical trials regarding the biopotency of Bisacremine-C.

Inhibitory Effects of Vernonia amygdalina Leaf Extracts on Free Radical Scavenging, Tyrosinase, and Amylase Activities

Cytotoxicity and instability are the limitations when using bioactive compounds in cosmetic and pharmacology products. This study assesses Vernonia amygdalina leaf extracts for their antityrosinase, antiamylase, and antioxidant activities. Group A extracts were obtained using an aqueous solvent system [70% (v/v) of methanol (BTL70ME), ethanol (BTL70ET), and acetone (BTL70AC)]. Group B extracts were obtained using organic solvents of varying polarities. The results displayed that all extracts exhibited antityrosinase, antiamylase, and antioxidant activities in vitro. The most potent antityrosinase activity was observed in BTL70AC, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 20 μg/mL. BTL_Ethyl acetate and BTL70AC showed potential antiamylase activity. BTL_Isopropanol and BTL_Ethanol exhibited potential antioxidant activity, with IC50 values of 4.0 μg/mL. The total phenolic content of BTL70ME, BTL70ET, and BTL70AC was 72.29±14.14, 65.98±11.91, and 69.37±7.72 mg gallic acid/g extract, respectively. The total flavonoid content was 53.04±5.22, 44.35±13.17, and 61.74±13.17 mg quercetin/g extract, respectively. Group A extracts contained polyphenols, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, steroids, and cardiac glycosides. These biological properties can potentially be attributed to the types and quantities of phytochemicals present. Bioactive compounds in the extracts may exert synergistic effects in vitro by interfering with the conformational changes of tyrosinase during substrate binding. Both groups of extracts have the potential to suppress biomolecule degradation, promote antiaging and antimelasma effects, and their phytochemicals can help lower blood glucose levels in diabetes.

In-vitro antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and In-silico ADMET, molecular docking study on Hardwickia binata phytocompunds with potential inhibitor of skin cancer protein

The new sources of antimicrobial and antioxidant agents for methanol extracts of Hardwickia binata Roxb were evaluated systematically. The present investigation is antibacterial, antioxidant, ADMET and molecular docking studies. Our results show the good polyphenol content (total phenol, total flavonoid) and antioxidant capacity of methanol extracts. The free radical scavenging activities of the methanol extracts also were highest, with the antioxidant activity becoming significantly greater. Furthermore, in-vitro antibacterial experiments against phytopathogens, Enterococcus faecalis have a high zone of inhibition (14 ± 0.54) compared with other pathogens. The functional groups of methanol extract were identified using FTIR. The active molecules from GCMS involved in ADMET and docking study for skin cancer proteins (1P7K and 5OTE) among the phytocompounds, Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (- 6.2; - 6.6 kcal/mol) and 5-Phenyl-2,4-pyrimidinediamine, 2TMS derivative (- 7.50; - 8.11 kcal/mol) is the best compound for the human skin cancer possessed higher binding energy. Our results indicate that the plants can provide sources of natural compounds used for moderate good anticancer drug.

New Insights into the Latest Advancement in α-Amylase Inhibitors of Plant Origin with Anti-Diabetic Effects

The rising predominance of type 2 diabetes, combined with the poor medical effects seen with commercially available anti-diabetic medications, has motivated the development of innovative treatment approaches for regulating postprandial glucose levels. Natural carbohydrate digestion enzyme inhibitors might be a viable option for blocking dietary carbohydrate absorption with fewer side effects than manufactured medicines. Alpha-amylase is a metalloenzyme that facilitates digestion by breaking down polysaccharides into smaller molecules such as maltose and maltotriose. It also contributes to elevated blood glucose levels and postprandial hyperglycemia. As a result, scientists are being urged to target α-amylase and create inhibitors that can slow down the release of glucose from carbohydrate chains and prolong its absorption, thereby resulting in lower postprandial plasma glucose levels. Natural α-amylase inhibitors derived from plants have gained popularity as safe and cost-effective alternatives. The bioactive components responsible for the inhibitory actions of various plant extracts have been identified through phytochemical research, paving the way for further development and application. The majority of the findings, however, are based on in vitro investigations. Only a few animal experiments and very few human investigations have confirmed these findings. Despite some promising results, additional investigation is needed to develop feasible anti-diabetic drugs based on plant-derived pancreatic α-amylase inhibitors. This review summarizes the most recent findings from research on plant-derived pancreatic α-amylase inhibitors, including plant extracts and plant-derived bioactive compounds. Furthermore, it offers insights into the structural aspects of the crucial therapeutic target, α-amylases, in addition to their interactions with inhibitors.

Evaluating Biofilm Inhibitory Potential in Fish Pathogen, Aeromonas hydrophila by Agricultural Waste Extracts and Assessment of Aerolysin Inhibitors Using In Silico Approach

Aeromonas hydrophila, an opportunistic bacteria, causes several devastating diseases in humans and animals, particularly aquatic species. Antibiotics have been constrained by the rise of antibiotic resistance caused by drug overuse. Therefore, new strategies are required to prevent appropriate antibiotic inability from antibiotic-resistant strains. Aerolysin is essential for A. hydrophila pathogenesis and has been proposed as a potential target for inventing drugs with anti-virulence properties. It is a unique method of disease prevention in fish to block the quorum-sensing mechanism of A. hydrophila. In SEM analysis, the crude solvent extracts of both groundnut shells and black gram pods exhibited a reduction of aerolysin formation and biofilm matrix formation by blocking the QS in A. hydrophila. Morphological changes were identified in the extracts treated bacterial cells. Furthermore, in previous studies, 34 ligands were identified with potential antibacterial metabolites from agricultural wastes, groundnut shells, and black gram pods using a literature survey. Twelve potent metabolites showed interactions between aerolysin and metabolites during molecular docking analysis, in that H-Pyran-4-one-2,3 dihydro-3,5 dihydroxy-6-methyl (-5.3 kcal/mol) and 2-Hexyldecanoic acid (-5.2 kcal/mol) showed promising results with potential hydrogen bond interactions with aerolysin. These metabolites showed a better binding affinity with aerolysin for 100 ns in molecular simulation dynamics. These findings point to a novel strategy for developing drugs using metabolites from agricultural wastes that may be feasible pharmacological solutions for treating A. hydrophila infections for the betterment of aquaculture.

Wound Healing Properties of Natural Products: Mechanisms of Action

A wound is the loss of the normal integrity, structure, and functions of the skin due to a physical, chemical, or mechanical agent. Wound repair consists of an orderly and complex process divided into four phases: coagulation, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. The potential of natural products in the treatment of wounds has been reported in numerous studies, emphasizing those with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, e.g., alkaloids, saponins, terpenes, essential oils, and polyphenols from different plant sources, since these compounds can interact in the various stages of the wound healing process. This review addresses the most current in vitro and in vivo studies on the wound healing potential of natural products, as well as the main mechanisms involved in this activity. We observed sufficient evidence of the activity of these compounds in the treatment of wounds; however, we also found that there is no consensus on the effective concentrations in which the natural products exert this activity. For this reason, it is important to work on establishing optimal treatment doses, as well as an appropriate route of administration. In addition, more research should be carried out to discover the possible side effects and the behavior of natural products in clinical trials.

Evaluation of In Vivo Wound-Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Solvent Fractions of Fruits of Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae)

INTRODUCTION

The solvent fractions of the fruits of Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae) have not yet been explored scientifically for in vivo wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities. The objective of this study was, therefore, to evaluate in vivo wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities of the solvent fractions of the fruit of Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae) in rats.

METHOD

The crude extract of Argemone mexicana was fractionated with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and distilled water. Wound healing activity was evaluated using excision and incision wound models while anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using carrageenan-induced rat paw and cotton pellet-induced granuloma models. The fractions were evaluated at 5 and 10% ointments using moist-exposed burn ointment as the standard drug, and 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg test doses using aspirin, and dexamethasone as standard drugs for wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities, respectively. All treatment administrations were made orally for anti-inflammatory activity and applied topically for wound healing activity.

RESULT

The 10% w/w ethyl acetate fraction ointment showed a significant percentage of wound contraction, reduced period of epithelialization, increased amount of fibrosis, neovascularization, and collagen tissue formation (p < 0.01). The ethyl acetate fraction also showed a significant increase in tensile strength (55%; p < 0.01) and (81.10%; p < 0.01) at the tested doses of 5 and 10% w/w ointments, which was comparable to moist-exposed burn ointment. The ethyl acetate fraction also revealed a significant percent edema inhibition (61.41%; p < 0.01), suppression of the exudate (38.09% p < 0.01), and granuloma mass formations (53.47% p < 0.01) at the tested dose of 400 mg/kg.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study showed that the Ethyl acetate fraction of Argemone mexicana fruit has significant wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities which support the traditional claims of the experimental plant.

In silico investigations identified Butyl Xanalterate to competently target CK2α (CSNK2A1) for therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an incurable malignancy of B-cells. In this study, bioinformatics analyses were conducted to identify possible pathogenic roles of CK2α, which is a protein encoded by CSNK2A1, in the progression and aggressiveness of CLL. Furthermore, various computational tools were used to search for a competent inhibitor of CK2α from fungal metabolites that could be proposed for CLL therapy. In CLL patients, high-expression of CSNK2A1 was associated with early need for therapy (n = 130, p < 0.0001) and short overall survival (OS; n = 107, p = 0.005). Consistently, bioinformatics analyses showed CSNK2A1 to associate with/play roles in CLL proliferation and survival-dependent pathways. Furthermore, PPI network analysis identified interaction partners of CK2α (PPI enrichment p value = 1 × 10^-16) that associated with early need for therapy (n = 130, p < 0.003) and have been known to heavily impact on the progression of CLL. These findings constructed a rational for targeting CK2α for CLL therapy. Consequently, computational analyses reported 35 fungal metabolites out of 5820 (filtered from 19,967 metabolites) to have lower binding energy (ΔG: - 10.9 to - 11.7 kcal/mol) and better binding affinity (Kd: 9.77 × 10⁷ M^-1 to 3.77 × 10⁸ M^-1) compared with the native ligand (ΔG: - 10.8, Kd: 8.3 × 10⁷ M-^-1). Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulation study established that Butyl Xanalterate-CK2α complex continuously remained stable throughout the simulation time (100 ns). Moreover, Butyl Xanalterate interacted with most of the catalytic residues, where complex was stabilized by more than 65% hydrogen bond interactions, and a significant hydrophobic interaction with residue Phe113. Here, high-expression of CSNK2A1 was implicated in the progression and poor prognosis of CLL, making it a potential therapeutic target in the disease. Butyl Xanalterate showed stable and strong interactions with CK2α, thus we propose it as a competitive inhibitor of CK2α for CLL therapy.

Folecitin Isolated from Hypericum oblongifolium Exerts Neuroprotection against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Neuronal Synapse and Memory Dysfunction via p-AKT/Nrf-2/HO-1 Signalling Pathway

Neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer's disease (AD), are characterised with neuronal synapse and memory dysfunction, and thus, there is an urgent need to find novel therapeutic medicines that can target different pathways to restore the deficits. In this investigation, we assessed the medicinal potency of folecitin (a flavonoid isolated from Hypericum oblongifolium Wall.) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced amyloidogenic amyloid beta (Aβ) production pathway-mediated memory impairment in mice. The LPS was administered intraperitonially (i.p.) 250 μg/kg/day for 3 consecutive weeks, followed by the coadministration of folecitin (30 mg/kg/day) with LPS for the last two weeks (2^nd and 3^rd week). The expression of various proteins involved in synapse, neuronal death, and Aβ generation was evaluated using the Western blot approach. Results indicated that folecitin significantly decreased LPS-induced apoptotic proteins; expressed BAX, PARP-1, and caspase-3 proteins; and inhibited BACE1 that cleaves transmembrane amyloid precursor protein and the amyloidogenic Aβ production pathway. Folecitin restored both preneural and postneuronal synapse, accompanied by the improvement in memory impairment. Moreover, folecitin significantly activated endogenous antioxidant proteins Nrf-2 and HO-1 by stimulating the phosphorylation of Akt proteins. These findings indicate that folecitin might be a promising target for developing novel medication to treat neurodegenerative disorders caused by neurotoxins.

Green route synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Senna auriculata aqueous flower extract as reducing agent and evaluation of its antimicrobial, antidiabetic and cytotoxic activity

The nanoparticles have unique and superior properties which make them applicable in almost every field of human life. Among the various methods that exist for the synthesis of nanoparticles, green synthesis is one of the best economic and eco-friendly methods compared with other conventional chemical methods. The nanoparticles synthesized by this method are also free from toxicity properties. This paper describes one such green synthesis method for zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using the aqueous flower extract of Senna auriculata. The synthesized nanoparticles (SA-ZnO NPs) have been examined using UV-Vis spectrophotometer, photoluminescence spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the synthesized NPs were evaluated against gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus, B. subtilis), gram-negative bacteria (E. coli, S. typhi) and fungal organisms (C. albicans, A. nigar) using disc diffusion method. Furthermore, the antidiabetic and anticancer activities of the NPs were also been examined by α-amylase inhibition assay and MTT assay, respectively. These studies ensured that the SA-ZnO NPs have significant antimicrobial, antidiabetic and anticancer activities.