Antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of four different extracts derived from the roots of Nicotiana tabacum L

Morphological Characterization of Nicotiana tabacum Inflorescences and Chemical-Functional Analysis of Extracts Obtained from Its Powder by Using Green Solvents (NaDESs)

The production of smokeable tobacco for use in cigarettes is characterized by the production of pre-harvest and post-harvest waste, with ensuing undesirable effects on the environment. The inflorescences of tobacco after blunting, deflowering, or topping are considered pre-harvest waste and left in the field. Using green and ecofriendly solvents such as Natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs), these wastes could be used to obtain antioxidant molecules of interest in cosmetics. Taking into account its potential as plant matrix to obtain metabolites of commercial interest, tobacco inflorescences and inflorescence powders of different particle sizes were characterized by optic and electronic microscopy. Thus, the powdered inflorescences were extracted with four conventional solvents, i.e., distilled water (DW), acetone: distilled water (AW), ethanol 70° (EW), methanol (Me), and five NaDESs, i.e., lactic acid: sucrose (LAS), lactic acid: sucrose: distilled water (SALA), fructose: glucose: sucrose: distilled water (FGS), choline chloride: urea: distilled water (CU), and citric acid: propylene glycol (CAP). Among the tested NADESs, SALA was the most promising solvent; higher extraction yields of total phenolic compound (3420.0 ± 9.4 µg GAE/mL) than conventional solvents were attained and it was the only selective solvent to phenolics. CU was the best solvent for flavonoids and alkaloids extraction (215.3 ± 3.2 µg QE/mL and 392.3 ± 8.0 µg ACE/mL, respectively). All extracts showed antioxidant activity. A heatmap with dendrogram and main component analysis showed that acid-based NaDESs are grouped together, this group being the one with the best performance in H₂O₂ scavenging. The extracts obtained with green solvents could be used directly in cosmetic formulations as antioxidant ingredients because both tobacco flower oil and flower extracts are listed in the cosmetic ingredients database as non-toxic products. Additionally, the demand for sustainable ecological cosmetics is growing. In this sense, NaDESs represent an opportunity to develop innovative extracts with unique phytochemical fingerprints and biological activities.

Pattern Recognition of Phytoconstituents and Bioactivities of Date Pit Extracts from Different Cultivars Grown in the Qassim Area

A huge number of date varieties grow annually throughout the world. The genetic variation between different date varieties is reflected in their variable sensory characters and phytochemical contents. Date pits are considered a waste product of the date industry, despite their rich metabolic content. The present study attempts to generate visual clustering to clarify the diversity among fourteen date cultivars growing in the Qassim region, according to the phytochemical contents and biological potentials of their pits. The results indicated a wide variation in the total phenolic content (11.4–29.7 mg GAE/g), flavonoids content (21.9–37.1 mg RE/g), proanthocyanidine content (12.0–207.0 mg CE/g), and antioxidant potential (10.3–25.5 mg AEAC/g) among the tested cultivars. Screening the antimicrobial activity of extracts from the 14 tested cultivars indicated different activities against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, and Candida albicans. Multivariate analysis of phytochemical content and biological activity, using different analytical models, allowed the classification of the 14 cultivars into four classes, Class-1: Barhi, Safawi, and Sukkari; Class-2: Khodry and Nabtat Ali; Class-3: Ruthana, Segae, Shaqra, and Sheishee; and Class-4: Hulwa Aljouf, Mabroom, Meneifi, Rushodia, and Wannana. These findings provide a scientific basis for the classification of date pits which facilitates the future selection of promising candidates for more phytochemical and biological exploration.

Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antihyaluronidase, Antityrosinase, and Antimicrobial Properties of Nicotiana tabacum L. Leaf Extracts

Nicotiana tabacum L. (tobacco) is an important and valuable crop for the cigarette industry. However, cigarette cessation has been encouraged worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential of N. tabacum leaf extract use in other industries besides cigarette production, especially cosmeceutical industries, which are of interest for increasing the value and widening the applications of N. tabacum. The leaves of N. tabacum var. Virginia and Turkish were extracted by maceration using 95% v/v ethanol or petroleum ether. The extracts were evaluated for their phytochemical compositions, antioxidant capacity, and anti-aging, antimelanogenic, and antimicrobial activities. The phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed terpenoids, steroids, alkaloids, tannins, and carbohydrates in all of the N. tabacum leaf extracts. The total phenolic content was detected to be the highest in the ethanolic extract of Virginia tobacco leaf, which had the most significantly potent antioxidant and antihyaluronidase activity (P < 0.05). On the contrary, the extracts from the Turkish variety demonstrated the most powerful antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, ethanolic extracts of N. tabacum var. Virginia are suggested as good natural anti-aging ingredients with potent antioxidant and antihyaluronidase effects, whereas the leaf of N. tabacum var. Turkish is suggested as a good source of natural antimicrobial components, particularly for S. aureus inhibition. In summary, in addition to the cigarette industry, N. tabacum leaf could be a source of pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical compounds, particularly natural anti-aging and antimicrobial ingredients.

Royal-jelly-based apitherapy can attenuate damages to male reproductive parameter following nicotine administration

Background

Nicotine administration can generate severe oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Royal jelly, with its antioxidant properties, acts as a scavenger of reactive oxygen species. This study describes the apitherapy effects of royal jelly on testicular damage following nicotine administration.

Methods

Forty‐eight male BALB/c mice were divided into 8 groups (n = 6): saline, 3 different doses of royal jelly (100, 150, and 200 mg/kg body weight (BW) per day), nicotine (1.5 mg/kg), and 3 different groups of Nic + Roy (1.5 mg/kg of Nic + 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg BW per day of royal jelly). Nicotine was administrated intraperitoneally, and royal jelly was prescribed orally for 10 consecutive days. Serum levels of hormones (testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle‐stimulating hormone), total antioxidant capacity, nitric oxide (NO) status, malondialdehyde levels, sperm DNA fragmentation, sperm parameters, histopathological changes (H&E staining), immunohistochemistry against apoptotic proteins, and gene expression of Bcl‐2, p53, Caspase‐3, and Nrf2 (real‐time PCR) were assessed to evaluate the molecular and histological changes.

Results

Hormone levels, sperm parameters, and status of antioxidants were decreased significantly (p < .05) following nicotine administration. Moreover, royal jelly treatment normalized hormonal and antioxidant characteristics, decreased apoptotic gene expression, increased Nfr2 gene expression, and restored histopathological alteration to the physiological status significantly (p < .05).

Conclusion

Royal jelly upregulates the antioxidant status, inhibits the mitochondrial‐dependent apoptosis pathway, and increases the rate of proliferation. This therapeutic agent effectively protected the testis against nicotine‐associated damages by antioxidant and anti‐apoptotic effects.

Current advances of functional phytochemicals in Nicotiana plant and related potential value of tobacco processing waste: A review

Tobacco is grown in large quantities worldwide as a widely distributed commercial crop. From the harvest of the field to the process into the final product, a series of procedures generate enormous amount of waste materials that are rarely recycled. In recent years, numerous potential bioactive compounds have been isolated from tobacco, and the molecular regulatory mechanisms related to the performance of some functionalities have been identified. This review describes the source of tobacco waste and expounds a large amount of biomass during the tobacco processing, and the necessity of exploring the reuse of tobacco waste. In addition, the review summarizes the bioactive compounds from tobacco that have been discovered so far, and links them to various functions from tobacco extracts, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antibacterial, and antioxidant, thus proving the potential value from tobacco waste reuse. In this regard, nornicotine in tobacco is the culprit of many health issues, while the polyphenols and polysaccharides often contribute to the health benefits of tobacco extract. In addition, it is hard to ignore that realization of these functions of tobacco extracts require the involvement of intestinal flora metabolism, which should be considered in the development of new product dosage forms.

Emerging roles of NAC transcription factor in medicinal plants: progress and prospects

Transcriptional factors act as mediators in regulating stress response in plants from signal perception to processing the directed gene expression. WRKY, MYB, AP2/ERF, etc. are some of the major families of transcription factors known to mediate stress mechanisms in plants by regulating the production of secondary metabolites. NAC domain-containing proteins are among these large transcription factors families in plants. These proteins play impulsive roles in plant growth, development, and various abiotic as well as biotic stresses. They are involved in regulating the different signaling pathways of plant hormones that direct a plant's immunity against pathogens, thereby affecting their immune responses. However, their role in stress regulation or defence mechanism in plants through the secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathway is studied for very few cases. Emerging concern over the requirement of medicinal plants for the production of biocompatible drugs and antibiotics, the study of these vast, affecting proteins should be focused to improve their qualitative and quantitative production further. In medicinal plants, phytochemicals and secondary metabolites are the major biochemicals that impose antimicrobial and other medicinal properties in these plants. This review compiles the NAC transcription factors reported in selected medicinal plants and their possible roles in different mechanisms. Further, the comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanism, genetic engineering, and regulation responses of NAC TFs in medicinal plants, can lead to improvement in stress response, immunity, and production of usable secondary metabolites.

Individual differences in personality predict the use and perceived effectiveness of essential oils

Essential oil (EO) use is growing in popularity and ostensibly used for treating or preventing various ailments or conditions. Despite the increase in use, there is a paucity of research on psychosocial predictors of EO use and their perceived effectiveness. However, several psychosocial characteristics are associated with health-promoting behavior and a tendency to believe in homeopathic cures. In the current study, we examined a variety of individual differences in the use and perceived effectiveness of essential oils in a sample of 1,202 participants (Mage = 31.33, SD = 13.77; 61.7% women, 75.6% Caucasian). We found that receptivity to pseudo-profound fabricated statements and religiosity were the most consistent predictors of greater use of, perceived effectiveness of, and a willingness to spend more money on EOs.