Structure and spectroscopic studies of homo-and heterometallic complexes of adipic acid dihydrazide

Bletilla striata carbon dots with alleviating effect of DSS-induced ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that significantly affected quality of life for patients. In this study, carbon dots based on Bletilla striata (BS-CDs) were synthesized by hydrothermal method and characterized by optical property analysis. In addition, the study measured the potential effect of BS-CDs on colonic histopathology and inflammation in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis. The results suggested that BS-CDs significantly increased colon length, improved colonic histopathology, and reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in colitis mice. Taken together, BS-CDs alleviate clinical inflammation by blocking pro-inflammatory cytokines which were expected to be a potential agent for the treatment of colitis.

ROS-triggered self-disintegrating and pH-responsive astaxanthin nanoparticles for regulating the intestinal barrier and colitis

Smart delivery systems with stimuli-responsive capability are able to improve the bioaccessibility through increasing the solubility, physicochemical stability and biocompatibility of bioactive compounds. In this study, the astaxanthin nanoparticles with reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pH dual-response function were design and constructed using poly (propylene sulfide) covalently modified sodium alginate as carriers based on ultrasonic assisted self-assembly strategy. Atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscope analysis showed that the nanoparticles were spherical in shape with a size of around 260 nm. Meanwhile, the astaxanthin nanoparticles showed both pH and ROS stimuli-responsive release characteristics. In vitro cell experiments showed that astaxanthin nanoparticles significantly inhibited the production of ROS and mitochondrial depolarization induced by oxidative stress. In vivo colitis experiment of mice revealed that astaxanthin nanoparticles could significantly relieve colitis, protect the integrity of colon tissue and restore the expression of tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin. The abundance of Lactobacillus and Lachnospiraceae, and the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota of gut microbiota were significantly improved after intervention of the stimuli-responsive astaxanthin nanoparticles. This work provided a simple strategy for constructing ROS/pH dual response delivery system, which provided an experimental basis for improving the oral bioavailability of hydrophobic active compounds.

Adsorption of copper ions in water by adipic dihydrazide-modified kapok fibers

Kapok fibers (Ceiba pentandra) were modified for the removal of copper ions from aqueous solutions through adsorption. In this fast and facile method, the polysaccharide-like groups of kapok were oxidized with potassium periodate. The novel modification is the loading of the fibers with adipic dihydrazide (ADH) which contain nitrogen and oxygen atoms for heavy metal ion binding. Adsorption experiments have been carried out and analyzed via atom absorption spectroscopy and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy. In preliminary adsorption experiments, different kapok-based materials have been analyzed on their adsorption capacity and removal efficiency via atom absorption spectroscopy. ADH-modified fibers showed the best results and an increase of copper removal efficiency by 30% in comparison to untreated kapok fibers and superior adsorption capacity compared to kapok fibers loaded with oxalic dihydrazide (ODH). Moreover, the impact of initial concentration and contact time on the adsorption capacity and on the removal efficiency values of the ADH-modified kapok fibers has been studied. Another comparison of the ADH-modified fibers with raw kapok which was cleaned with Milli-Q water, dichloromethane and ethylene glycol showed that the new adsorbents are best suited for copper solutions with concentration values of under 10 mg/L. The heavy metal adsorption experiments were analyzed through both isotherm models Langmuir and Freundlich. The Langmuir model is found to be a suitable model for copper ions. The value of the maximum adsorption capacity is 4.120 mg/g. The ADH-modified kapok fibers were characterized with attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy, magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Hyaluronic Acid Derivative Molecular Weight-Dependent Synthesis and Antimicrobial Effect of Hybrid Silver Nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) appeared as promising antimicrobial candidates to face the development of antibiotic resistance. Although reported as toxic towards mammalian cells, their combination with biomolecules have shown reduced toxicity, while maintaining the antimicrobial function. Herein, hyaluronic acid (HA) with low (40 kDa), medium (200 and 600 kDa) and high (2 MDa) molecular weight (Mw) was modified with adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH) and used as reducing and capping agents to synthesise antimicrobial hybrid Ag NPs. The Mw of the polymer played a crucial role in the morphology, size and antibacterial activity of the Ag NPs. The 600 and 200 kDa HA-ADH-Ag NPs were able to reduce the Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus concentration by more than 3 logs, while the 40 kDa NPs reached ~2 logs reduction. The 2 MDa HA-ADH failed to form homogenous NPs with strong bactericidal activity. A mechanistic study of the interaction with a model bacterial membrane using Langmuir isotherms confirmed the greater interaction between bacteria and higher Mw polymers and the effect of the NP’s morphology. The nanocomposites low toxicity to human skin cells was demonstrated in vitro, showing more than 90% cell viability after incubation with the NPs.

Synthesis, crystal structure, characterization and biological activity of 2,5-hexanedione bis(isonicotinylhydrazone) and N-(2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)isonicotinamide complexes

The reaction between 2,5-hexanedione and isonicotinic acid hydrazide in EtOH gave two products. The ethanol insoluble product was identified as 2,5-hexanedione bis(isonicotinylhydrazone) [HINH] and the soluble ethanol product as N-(2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)isonicotinamide [DINA]. A series of Cr(3+), Fe(3+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+), Hg(2+) and Pd(2+) complexes of HINH and Co(2+), Cu(2+), Zn(2+) and Hg(2+) complexes of DINA have been synthesized and structurally characterized. Based on the elemental analysis, mass spectra and molar conductance, the complexes have assigned the proposed imperical formulae. The crystal structures of N-(2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)isonicotinamide and its Zn(2+) and Hg(2+) complexes have been solved by X-ray diffraction having [Zn(DINA)2Cl2] and [Hg(DINA)2Cl2] in a tetrahedral structure. In the DINH complexes, the ligand coordinates as a monodentate through the pyridine nitrogen. On the other hand, HINH behaves as a tetradentate (neutral or binegative) manner with the two metal ions. The magnetic moments and electronic spectra of all complexes provide tetrahedral, square-planar, trigonal biyramid and/or octahedral structure. The thermal decomposition of the complexes revealed the outer and inner solvents as well as the end product. The steady part of [Zn(DINA)2Cl2] and [Hg(DINA)2Cl2] thermograms till 303 and 286 °C indicates the absence of any outside solvents. All compounds have activity against bacteria more than fungi. [Cd4(HINH)Cl8]·3H2O has the highest values.

Coordination of Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Hg(II), Pd(II) and Pt(II) with 2,5-hexanedione bis(thiosemicarbazone), HBTS: crystal structure of cis-[Pd(HBTS)]Cl2 and 1-(2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-yl)-thiourea

Metal complexes of Fe3+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Hg2+, Pd2+ or Pt2+ with 2,5-hexanedione bis(thiosemicarbazone), HBTS; have been prepared and spectroscopically investigated. The empirical formulae of the complexes were suggested based on the elemental analysis. Single crystal of Pd(II) has been solved to be cis-form of square-planar geometry by the X-ray crystallography. 1H and 13C NMR spectra have been recorded for HBTS, Zn(II), Cd(II), Hg(II), Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes, in DMSO-d6, showing the mode of chelation. The ligand acts as a neutral or a binegative tetradentate (N2S2) or neutral bidentate on the basis of FT-IR. The magnetic moments and electronic spectra provide information about the geometry of the complexes which supported by calculating the ligand field parameters for the Co(II) and Fe(III) complexes. The Ni(II) complex has subnormal magnetic moment (0.71 BM) indicative of a mixed stereochemistry of square-planar and tetrahedral structure. [Cu(HBTS-2H)] measured 0.93 BM indicating high interaction between the copper centers. The ligand may be ordered at the top of the spectrochemical series which giving high ligand field splitting energy (10 Dq=17,900 cm(-1) for Co2+ complex). The mass spectra of some complexes proved their stable chemical formulae while the TGA depicts the degradation steps and the final residue. In evaporating the mother liquor during the preparation of HBTS, new compound is obtained naming 1-(2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-yl)thiourea and its crystal was solved.