Oxygenated Cyclohexene Derivatives from the Stem and Root Barks of Uvaria pandensis

Ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of Uvaria chamae P. Beauv.: A comprehensive review

The use of medicinal plants as food and medicine has been a common practice in the world, especially in tropical African countries. One such plant in West Africa is Uvaria chamae, also known as Bush banana, renowned for its diverse ethnomedicinal applications and, more recently, for its pharmacological activities attributed to a rich array of phytochemical constituents. Various parts of the plant have been traditionally employed for the treatment of diverse health issues such as digestive disorders, fever, dysmenorrhea, cancer, wound healing, and many more. To unravel the bioactive compounds responsible for these medicinal properties, a comprehensive phytochemical analysis has been undertaken. Notable isolates include chamanetin, dichamanetin, uvaretin, and uvarinol from different parts of the plant. The pharmacological evaluation of these compounds has revealed significant anticancer and antimicrobial properties. Therefore, this review provides a thorough examination of the phytochemicals derived from Uvaria chamae, detailing their associated pharmacological activities both in vitro and in vivo. The review emphasizes the potential of Uvaria chamae as a valuable source of lead compounds for cancer chemotherapy and antimicrobial drug discovery.

Isolation and characterization of plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles from Carica papaya L. fruit and their potential as anti-inflammatory agent

Inflammation is an immune system response that identifies and eliminates foreign material. However, excessive and persistent inflammation could disrupt the healing process. Plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PDENs) are a promising candidate for therapeutic application because they are safe, biodegradable and biocompatible. In this study, papaya PDENs were isolated by a PEG6000-based method and characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay method, GC-MS analysis, total phenolic content (TPC) analysis, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. For the in vitro test, we conducted internalization analysis, toxicity assessment, determination of nitrite concentration, and assessed the expression of inflammatory cytokine genes using qRT-PCR in RAW 264.7 cells. For the in vivo test, inflammation was induced by caudal fin amputation followed by analysis of macrophage and neutrophil migration in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae. The result showed that papaya PDENs can be well isolated using the optimized differential centrifugation method with the addition of 30 ppm pectolyase, 15% PEG, and 0.2 M NaCl, which exhibited cup-shaped and spherical morphological structure with an average diameter of 168.8±9.62 nm. The papaya PDENs storage is stable in aquabidest and 25 mM trehalose solution at -20˚C until the fourth week. TPC estimation of all papaya PDENs ages did not show a significant change, while the DPPH test exhibited a significant change in the second week. The major compounds contained in Papaya PDENs is 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one (DDMP). Papaya PDENs can be internalized and is non-cytotoxic to RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells treated with papaya PDENs showed a decrease in NO production and downregulation mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes (IL-1B and IL-6) and an upregulation in mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine gene (IL-10). In addition, in vivo tests conducted on zebrafish treated with PDENs papaya showed inhibition of macrophage and neutrophil cell migration. These findings suggest that PDENs papaya possesses anti-inflammatory properties.

Sesquiterpenes from the Fungus Antrodiella albocinnamomea with Cytotoxicity and Antibacterial Activity

Eight new sesquiterpenes, namely, albocinnamins A-H (1-8), along with two known ones (9 and 10), have been isolated from the fungus Antrodiella albocinnamomea. Compound 1 possesses a new backbone that might be derived from cadinane-type sesquiterpene. Structures of the new compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic data analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and ECD calculations. Compounds 1a and 1b showed cytotoxicity against SW480 and MCF-7 cells, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 19.3 to 33.3 μM, while compound 2 displayed cytotoxicity against the HL-60 cell with an IC₅₀ value of 12.3 μM. In addition, compounds 5 and 6 exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with MIC values of 64 and 64 µg/mL, respectively.

Development of Dicationic Bisguanidine-Arylfuran Derivatives as Potent Agents against Gram-Negative Bacteria

Antibiotic resistance among bacteria is a growing global challenge. A major reason for this is the limited progress in developing new classes of antibiotics active against Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we investigate the antibacterial activity of a dicationic bisguanidine-arylfuran, originally developed as an antitrypanosomal agent, and new derivatives thereof. The compounds showed good activity (EC₅₀ 2–20 µM) against antibiotic-resistant isolates of the Gram-negative members of the ESKAPE group (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp.) and Escherichia coli with different antibiotic susceptibility patterns, including ESBL isolates. Cytotoxicity was moderate, and several of the new derivatives were less cytotoxic than the lead molecule, offering better selectivity indices (40–80 for several ESKAPE isolates). The molecular mechanism for the antibacterial activity of these molecules is unknown, but sensitivity profiling against human ESKAPE isolates and E. coli collections with known susceptibility patterns against established antibiotics indicates that it is distinct from lactam and quinolone antibiotics.