Green Synthesis of Ciprofloxacin-Loaded Cerium Oxide/Chitosan Nanocarrier and its Activity Against MRSA-Induced Mastitis

Biosynthesis and biological activities of magnesium hydroxide nanoparticles using Tinospora cordifolia leaf extract

The synthesis of magnesium hydroxide nanoparticles (Mg(OH)2 NPs) using plant extracts are known to be a practical, economical, and an environmentally friendly approach. In this work, Mg(OH)2 NPs were synthesized using aqueous leaf extract of Tinospora cordifolia, a medicinal plant commonly found in India. The synthesized Mg(OH)2 NPs were characterized using various spectroscopic techniques. The ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption peak of the Mg(OH)2 NPs was detected at 289 nm, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis confirmed the presence of various functional groups, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns revealed the well-crystallized structure of the Mg(OH)2 NPs. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses depicted spherical morphology and an average particle size (PS) of 27.71 nm. The energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis confirmed the presence of C, O, and Mg elements, and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) survey spectrum confirmed the elements for the Su 1 s peak at 280.2 eV. The dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis displayed an average PS of 54.3 nm, and the Zeta potential (ZP) was of 9.89 mV. The fabricated Mg(OH)2 NPs displayed notable antibacterial activity against S. epidermidis, E. coli, and S. aureus. In addition, these NPs exhibited strong antioxidant properties (> 75%) based on DPPH, ABTS, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) assays. Further, the same NPs exerted a potent anti-inflammatory activity (> 65%) based on COX-1 and COX-2 evaluations. The anti-Alzheimer' disease (AD) potential of Mg(OH)2 NPs was assessed through effective inhibition (> 70%) of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activities. Molecular docking (MD) studies confirmed that caryophyllene has higher binding affinity with AChE (-5.3 kcal/mol) and BuChE (-6.4 kcal/mol) enzymes. This study emphasizes the green synthesis of Mg(OH)2 NPs using T. cordifolia as a plant source and highlights their potential for biomedical applications.

Deciphering the Drug Delivery Potential of Milk Exosome Nanovesicles for Aminobenzylpenicillin Therapeutic Efficacy against Contagious Staphylococcus Aureus in Bovine Mastitis

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance and failure of antibiotic treatment are challenging tasks for managing bovine mastitis, which is mainly caused by the contagious Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).To overcome these difficulties, there is an urgent need for a novel drug system. In the present study, the aim is to develop next-generation therapeutics against S. aureus by harnessing the drug delivery potential of milk nanovesicles called milk exosomes (mENs). In the present work, a drug system is developed by encapsulating aminobenzylpenicillin (AMP) in mENs (mENs-AMP). Electron microscopy and zeta-sizer results indicate that the size of mENs-AMP ranged from 55.79 ± 2.8 to 85.53 ± 7.4 nm. The AMP loading efficiency in mENs is 88.61% with its sustained release. Fluorescence spectroscopy results indicated that mENs are biocompatible with mammary epithelial cells. In vitro studies show that the antibacterial activity and the minimum inhibitory concentrations of mENs-AMP are eleven times greater and four times lower than that of unencapsulated AMP, respectively. The mENs-AMP exhibit significantly higher therapeutic efficacy than AMP at the same dosage and treatment frequency. Validation of this approach is demonstrated in mastitis-affected animals through an observation in the reduction of somatic cell counts and bacterial loads in the milk of treated animals.

Chitosan-Aloe Vera Composition Loaded with Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Wound Healing: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluations

Global concerns due to the negative impacts of untreatable wounds, as well as the growing population of these patients, emphasize the critical need for advancements in the wound healing materials and techniques. Nanotechnology offers encouraging avenues for improving wound healing process. In this context, nanoparticles (NPs) and certain natural materials, including chitosan (CS) and aloe vera (AV), have demonstrated the potential to promote healing effects. The objective of this investigation is to assess the effect of novel fabricated nanocomposite gel containing CS, AV, and zinc oxide NPs (ZnO NPs) on the wound healing process. The ZnO NPs were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Then, CS/AV gel with different ratios was prepared and loaded with ZnO NPs. The obtained formulations were characterized in vitro based on an antimicrobial study, and the best formulations were used for the animal study to assess their wound healing effects in 21 days. The ZnO NPs were produced with an average 33 nm particle size and exhibited rod shape morphology. Prepared gels were homogenous with good spreadability, and CS/AV/ZnO NPs formulations showed higher antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The wound healing findings showed significant wound area reduction in the CS/AV/ZnO NPs group compared to negative control at day 21. Histopathological assessment revealed the advantageous impact of this formulation across various stages of the wound healing process, including collagen deposition (CS/AV/ZnO NPs (2 : 1), 76.6 ± 3.3 compared to negative control, 46.2 ± 3.7) and epitheliogenesis (CS/AV/ZnO NPs (2 : 1), 3 ± 0.9 compared to negative control, 0.8 ± 0.8). CS/AV gel-loaded ZnO NPs showed significant effectiveness in wound healing and would be suggested as a promising formulation in the wound healing process. Further assessments are warranted to ensure the robustness of our findings.

Multifaceted chemical and bioactive features of Ag@TiO2 and Ag@SeO2 core/shell nanoparticles biosynthesized using Beta vulgaris L. extract

Due to increasing concerns about environmental impact and toxicity, developing green and sustainable methods for nanoparticle synthesis is attracting significant interest. This work reports the successful green synthesis of silver (Ag), silver-titanium dioxide (Ag@TiO2), and silver-selenium dioxide (Ag@SeO2) nanoparticles (NPs) using Beta vulgaris L. extract. Characterization by XRD, SEM, TEM, and EDX confirmed the successful formation of uniformly distributed spherical NPs with controlled size (25 ± 4.9 nm) and desired elemental composition. All synthesized NPs and the B. vulgaris extract exhibited potent free radical scavenging activity, indicating significant antioxidant potential. However, Ag@SeO2 displayed lower hemocompatibility compared to other NPs, while Ag@SeO2 and the extract demonstrated reduced inflammation in a carrageenan-induced paw edema animal model. Interestingly, Ag@TiO2 and Ag@SeO2 exhibited strong antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotia sclerotium, as evidenced by TEM and FTIR analyses. Generally, the findings suggest that B. vulgaris-derived NPs possess diverse biological activities with potential applications in various fields such as medicine and agriculture. Ag@TiO2 and Ag@SeO2, in particular, warrant further investigation for their potential as novel bioactive agents.

Phytogenic nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, and their roles in physiology and biochemistry of plants

Researchers are swarming to nanotechnology because of its potentially game-changing applications in medicine, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture. This fast-growing, cutting-edge technology is trying different approaches for synthesizing nanoparticles of specific sizes and shapes. Nanoparticles (NPs) have been successfully synthesized using physical and chemical processes; there is an urgent demand to establish environmentally acceptable and sustainable ways for their synthesis. The green approach of nanoparticle synthesis has emerged as a simple, economical, sustainable, and eco-friendly method. In particular, phytoassisted plant extract synthesis is easy, reliable, and expeditious. Diverse phytochemicals present in the extract of various plant organs such as root, leaf, and flower are used as a source of reducing as well as stabilizing agents during production. Green synthesis is based on principles like prevention/minimization of waste, reduction of derivatives/pollution, and the use of safer (or non-toxic) solvent/auxiliaries as well as renewable feedstock. Being free of harsh operating conditions (high temperature and pressure), hazardous chemicals and the addition of external stabilizing or capping agents makes the nanoparticles produced using green synthesis methods particularly desirable. Different metallic nanomaterials are produced using phytoassisted synthesis methods, such as silver, zinc, gold, copper, titanium, magnesium, and silicon. Due to significant differences in physical and chemical properties between nanoparticles and their micro/macro counterparts, their characterization becomes essential. Various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques have been employed for conformational details of nanoparticles, like shape, size, dispersity, homogeneity, surface structure, and inter-particle interactions. UV-visible spectroscopy is used to examine the optical properties of NPs in solution. XRD analysis confirms the purity and phase of NPs and provides information about crystal size and symmetry. AFM, SEM, and TEM are employed for analyzing the morphological structure and particle size of NPs. The nature and kind of functional groups or bioactive compounds that might account for the reduction and stabilization of NPs are detected by FTIR analysis. The elemental composition of synthesized NPs is determined using EDS analysis. Nanoparticles synthesized by green methods have broad applications and serve as antibacterial and antifungal agents. Various metal and metal oxide NPs such as Silver (Ag), copper (Cu), gold (Au), silicon dioxide (SiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO2), copper oxide (CuO), etc. have been proven to have a positive effect on plant growth and development. They play a potentially important role in the germination of seeds, plant growth, flowering, photosynthesis, and plant yield. The present review highlights the pathways of phytosynthesis of nanoparticles, various techniques used for their characterization, and their possible roles in the physiology of plants.

Targeted Drug Administration onto Cancer Cells Using Hyaluronic Acid-Quercetin-Conjugated Silver Nanoparticles

Quercetin (QtN) displays low systemic bioavailability caused by poor water solubility and instability. Consequently, it exerts limited anticancer action in vivo. One solution to increase the anticancer efficacy of QtN is the use of appropriate functionalized nanocarriers that preferentially target and deliver the drug to the tumor location. Herein, a direct advanced method was designed to develop water-soluble hyaluronic acid (HA)-QtN-conjugated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). HA-QtN reduced silver nitrate (AgNO₃) while acting as a stabilizing agent to produce AgNPs. Further, HA-QtN#AgNPs served as an anchor for folate/folic acid (FA) conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG). The resulting PEG-FA-HA-QtN#AgNPs (further abbreviated as PF/HA-QtN#AgNPs) were characterized both in vitro and ex vivo. Physical characterizations included UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size (PS) and zeta potential (ZP) measurements, and biopharmaceutical evaluations. The biopharmaceutical evaluations included analyses of the cytotoxic effects on the HeLa and Caco-2 cancer cell lines using the MTT assay; cellular drug intake into cancer cells using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy; and blood compatibility using an automatic hematology analyzer, a diode array spectrophotometer, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The prepared hybrid delivery nanosystem was hemocompatible and more oncocytotoxic than the free, pure QtN. Therefore, PF/HA-QtN#AgNPs represent a smart nano-based drug delivery system (NDDS) and could be a promising oncotherapeutic option if the data are validated in vivo.

Moringa concanensis-Mediated Synthesis and Characterizations of Ciprofloxacin Encapsulated into Ag/TiO2/Fe2O3/CS Nanocomposite: A Therapeutic Solution against Multidrug Resistant E. coli Strains of Livestock Infectious Diseases

Background: Multidrug resistant MDR bacterial strains are causing fatal infections, such as mastitis. Thus, there is a need for the development of new target-oriented antimicrobials. Nanomaterials have many advantages over traditional antibiotics, including improved stability, controlled antibiotic release, targeted administration, enhanced bioavailability, and the use of antibiotic-loaded nanomaterials, such as the one herein reported for the first time, appear to be a promising strategy to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The use of rationally designed metallic nanocomposites, rather than the use of single metallic nanoparticles (NPs), should further minimize the bacterial resistance. Aim: Green synthesis of a multimetallic/ternary nanocomposite formed of silver (Ag), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3), conjugated to chitosan (CS), in which the large spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) has been encapsulated. Methods: The metallic nanoparticles (NPs) Ag NPs, TiO2 NPs, and Fe2O3 NPs were synthesized by reduction of Moringa concanensis leaf aqueous extract. The ternary junction was obtained by wet chemical impregnation technique. CIP was encapsulated into the ternary nanocomposite Ag/TiO2/Fe2O3, followed by chitosan (CS) conjugation using the ionic gelation method. The resulting CS-based nanoparticulate drug delivery system (NDDS), i.e., CIP-Ag/TiO2/Fe2O3/CS, was characterized in vitro by gold standard physical techniques such as X-ray diffractometry (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Pharmacological analyses (i.e., LC, EE, ex-vivo drug release behavior) were also assessed. Further, biological studies were carried out both ex vivo (i.e., by disk diffusion method (DDM), fluorescence-activated single cell sorting (FACS), MTT assay) and in vivo (i.e., antibacterial activity in a rabbit model, colony-forming unit (CFU) on blood agar, histopathological analysis using H&E staining). Results: The encapsulation efficiency (EE) and the loading capacity (LC) of the NDDS were as high as 94% ± 1.26 and 57% ± 3.5, respectively. XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of the prepared formulation. FESEM revealed nanorods with an average diameter of 50−70 ± 12 nm. FTIR confirmed the Fe-O-Ti-CS linkages as well as the successful encapsulation of CIP into the NDDS. The zeta potential (ZP) of the NDDS was determined as 85.26 ± 0.12 mV. The antimicrobial potential of the NDDS was elicited by prominent ZIs against MDR E. coli (33 ± 1.40 mm) at the low MIC of 0.112 μg/mL. Morphological alterations (e.g., deformed shape and structural damages) of MDR pathogens were clearly visible overtime by FESEM after treatment with the NDDS at MIC value, which led to the cytolysis ultimately. FACS analysis confirmed late apoptotic of the MDR E. coli (80.85%) after 6 h incubation of the NDDS at MIC (p < 0.05 compared to untreated MDR E. coli used as negative control). The highest drug release (89% ± 0.57) was observed after 8 h using PBS medium at pH 7.4. The viability of bovine mammary gland epithelial cells (BMGE) treated with the NDDS remained superior to 90%, indicating a negligible cytotoxicity (p < 0.05). In the rabbit model, in which infection was caused by injecting MDR E. coli intraperitoneally (IP), no colonies were detected after 72 h of treatment. Importantly, the histopathological analysis showed no changes in the vital rabbit organs in the treated group compared to the untreated group. Conclusions: Taken together, the newly prepared CIP-Ag/TiO2/Fe2O3/CS nanoformulation appears safe, biocompatible, and therapeutically active to fight MDR E. coli strains-causing mastitis.

Cerium oxide decorated 5-fluorouracil loaded chitosan nanoparticles for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a crucial role in the mammalian system in both normal and pathological conditions. Hence, this work prepared and characterized the ROS responsive cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂ NPs) decorated 5-fluorouracil (5FU) loaded chitosan (CS) nanoparticles (CS-5FU NPs) for enhanced anticancer activity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2 cells). CeO₂ NPs decorated CS-5FU NPs were found to be spherical in shape and black dense aggregated particles sized 200 nm. The functional properties and cubic crystalline structure of CeO₂ NPs were studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, respectively. Further, CS-5FU-CeO₂ NPs attenuated the 2,2'-Azobis (2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH) induced ROS formation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH3T3 cells) while enhancing apoptotic cell death in HepG2 cells by controlled delivery of 5FU. Furthermore, CS-5FU-CeO₂ NPs have not exhibited toxicity to red blood cells (RBCs) and chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). Hence, this work concluded that CeO₂ NPs decorated CS-5FU NPs synergistically enhanced anticancer activity in HepG2 cells through the regulation of ROS.

Efficacy of Green Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles for Potential Therapeutic Applications: Circumstantial Insight on Mechanistic Aspects

Green synthesized cerium oxide nanoparticles (GS-CeO₂ NPs) have a unique size, shape, and biofunctional properties and are decorated with potential biocompatible agents to perform various therapeutic actions, such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antidiabetic, and antioxidant effects and drug delivery, by acquiring various mechanistic approaches at the molecular level. In this review article, we provide a detailed overview of some of these critical mechanisms, including DNA fragmentation, disruption of the electron transport chain, degradation of chromosomal assemblage, mitochondrial damage, inhibition of ATP synthase activity, inhibition of enzyme catalytic sites, disorganization, disruption, and lipid peroxidation of the cell membrane, and inhibition of various cellular pathways. This review article also provides up-to-date information about the future applications of GS-CeONPs to make breakthroughs in medical sectors for the advancement and precision of medicine and to effectively inform the disease diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Synthesis and In Vitro/Ex Vivo Characterizations of Ceftriazone-Loaded Sodium Alginate/Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Clay Reinforced Nanocomposites: Possible Applications in Wound Healing

(1) Background: Nanocomposite films are widely applied in the pharmaceutical industry (e.g., nanodrug delivery systems—NDDS). Indeed, these nanomaterials can be produced at a large industrial scale and display valuable properties (e.g., antibacterial, renewability, biodegradability, bioavailability, safety, tissue-specific targeting, and biocompatibility), which can enhance the activity of conventional marketed drugs. (2) Aim: To fabricate and investigate the in vitro properties of the antibiotic ceftriaxone sodium (CTX) once encapsulated into sodium alginate (SA)/poly(vinyl alcohol)PVA-clay reinforced nanocomposite films. (3) Methods: Different ratios of the polymers (i.e., SA, PVA) and CTX drug were used for the synthesis of nanocomposite films by solvent casting technique. Montmorillonite (MMT), modified organically, was added as a nanofiller to increase their thermal and mechanical strength. The prepared samples were physically characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The physicochemical behavior (i.e., swelling, erosion, dissolution/drug release behavior and rat skin permeation) was also assessed. Comparisons were made with the currently marketed free CTX dosage form. (4) Results: TGA of the nanoformulation showed increased thermostability. XRD revealed its semi-crystalline nature. SEM depicted a homogeneous drug-loaded SA/PVA nanocomposite with an average size ranging between 300 and 500 nm. EDX confirmed the elemental composition and uniform distribution of mixing components. The water entrapment efficiency study showed that the highest swelling and erosion ratio is encountered with the nanoformulations S100(3) and S100D15(3). Ex vivo permeation revealed a bi-step discharge mode with an early burst liberation chased by continued drug discharge of devised nanoparticles (NPs). The dissolution studies of the drug-loaded polymer nanocomposites elicited sustained pH-dependent drug release. The cumulative drug release was the highest (90.93%) with S100D15(3). (5) Conclusion: S100D15(3) was the finest formulation. To the best of our knowledge, we also pioneered the use of solvent casting for the preparation of such nanoformulations. Polymers and reinforcing agent, concentrations and pH were rate-deterring features for the preparation of the optimized formulation. Thus, CTX-loaded SA/PVA-MMT reinforced nanocomposite appeared as a promising nanodrug delivery system (NDDS) based on its in vitro physicochemical properties.

Advances in Nanostructures for Antimicrobial Therapy

Microbial infections caused by a variety of drug-resistant microorganisms are more common, but there are fewer and fewer approved new antimicrobial chemotherapeutics for systemic administration capable of acting against these resistant infectious pathogens. Formulation innovations of existing drugs are gaining prominence, while the application of nanotechnologies is a useful alternative for improving/increasing the effect of existing antimicrobial drugs. Nanomaterials represent one of the possible strategies to address this unfortunate situation. This review aims to summarize the most current results of nanoformulations of antibiotics and antibacterial active nanomaterials. Nanoformulations of antimicrobial peptides, synergistic combinations of antimicrobial-active agents with nitric oxide donors or combinations of small organic molecules or polymers with metals, metal oxides or metalloids are discussed as well. The mechanisms of actions of selected nanoformulations, including systems with magnetic, photothermal or photodynamic effects, are briefly described.

Obtention of biochar-Fe/Ce using Punica granatum with high adsorption of ampicillin capacity

This research presents the obtaining of a biochar (CB) from the use of pomegranate peel (Punica granatum) conditioned with iron and cerium nanoparticles (C-Fe/Ce), as well as its characterization by SEM (Scanning Electronic Microscopy), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry), TGA (Thermogravimetric analysis), EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy), XPS (X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) and evaluation of the adsorption capacity of ampicillin (AMP) in aqueous phase at 20, 30 and 40 °C. The maximum adsorption capacity for CB was 18.97 mg g-1 and for C-Fe/Ce, 27.61 mg g-1 at pH of 7, observing that with increasing temperature, the sorption capacity decreases in both materials, the experimental data was fitted to various mathematical models and the best fit was the pseudo-second order model for the kinetics, whilst for the adsorption isotherms the best fit was with the Langmuir model, indicating that the adsorption process is carried out in a monolayer on a homogeneous surface, through a chemisorption process. According to the thermodynamic parameters this process is carried out through an exothermic reaction. The results obtained indicate that both materials are suitable for the removal of AMP in the aqueous phase and that they can be reused up to 5 times.