Pharmacological Potential of Kaempferol, a Flavonoid in the Management of Pathogenesis via Modulation of Inflammation and Other Biological Activities

Natural products and their bioactive compounds have been used for centuries to prevent and treat numerous diseases. Kaempferol, a flavonoid found in vegetables, fruits, and spices, is recognized for its various beneficial properties, including its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential. This molecule has been identified as a potential means of managing different pathogenesis due to its capability to manage various biological activities. Moreover, this compound has a wide range of health-promoting benefits, such as cardioprotective, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, and anti-diabetic, and has a role in maintaining eye, skin, and respiratory system health. Furthermore, it can also inhibit tumor growth and modulate various cell-signaling pathways. In vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated that this compound has been shown to increase efficacy when combined with other natural products or drugs. In addition, kaempferol-based nano-formulations are more effective than kaempferol treatment alone. This review aims to provide detailed information about the sources of this compound, its bioavailability, and its role in various pathogenesis. Although there is promising evidence for its ability to manage diseases, it is crucial to conduct further investigations to know its toxicity, safety aspects, and mechanism of action in health management.

How Synthesis of Algal Nanoparticles Affects Cancer Therapy? - A Complete Review of the Literature

The necessity to engineer sustainable nanomaterials for the environment and human health has recently increased. Due to their abundance, fast growth, easy cultivation, biocompatibility and richness of secondary metabolites, algae are valuable biological source for the green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs). The aim of this review is to demonstrate the feasibility of using algal-based NPs for cancer treatment. Blue-green, brown, red and green micro- and macro-algae are the most commonly participating algae in the green synthesis of NPs. In this process, many algal bioactive compounds, such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, alkaloids, flavonoids and phenols, can catalyze the reduction of metal ions to NPs. In addition, many driving factors, including pH, temperature, duration, static conditions and substrate concentration, are involved to facilitate the green synthesis of algal-based NPs. Here, the biosynthesis, mechanisms and applications of algal-synthesized NPs in cancer therapy have been critically discussed. We also reviewed the effective role of algal synthesized NPs as anticancer treatment against human breast, colon and lung cancers and carcinoma.

The Use of Medicinal Plant-Derived Metallic Nanoparticles in Theranostics

In the quest to effectively diagnose and treat the diseases that afflict mankind, the development of a tool capable of simultaneous detection and treatment would provide a significant cornerstone for the survival and control of these diseases. Theranostics denotes a portmanteau of therapeutics and diagnostics which simultaneously detect and treat ailments. Research advances have initiated the advent of theranostics in modern medicine. Overall, theranostics are drug delivery systems with molecular or targeted imaging agents integrated into their structure. The application of theranostics is rising exponentially due to the urgent need for treatments that can be utilized for diagnostic imaging as an aid in precision and personalised medicine. Subsequently, the emergence of nanobiotechnology and the green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) has provided one such avenue for nanoscale development and research. Of interest is the drastic rise in the use of medicinal plants in the synthesis of MNPs which have been reported to be potentially effective in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. At present, medicinal plant-derived MNPs have been cited to have broad pharmacological applications and have been studied for their potential use in the treatment and management of cancer, malaria, microbial and cardiovascular diseases. The subject of this article regards the role of medicinal plants in the synthesis of MNPs and the potential role of MNPs in the field of theranostics.

Retrospective analysis of the key molecules involved in the green synthesis of nanoparticles

Emerging nanotechnology leads to success in synthesizing and applying nanoparticles (NPs) using the green-chemistry approach. NPs synthesized using naturally derived materials are a potential alternative to chemical and physical methods because they are simple, cost-effective, eco-friendly, and lower the possibility of hazardous residues being released into the environment. Furthermore, NPs synthesized using the green synthesis approach are stable and biocompatible. However, because natural extracts contain a diverse spectrum of bioactive components, it is difficult to pinpoint the specific component involved in NP formation. Furthermore, the bioactive component contained in the extract changes based on a number of environmental factors; therefore, several studies began with the synthesis of NPs using a pure compound isolated from diverse natural sources. Hence, the present review paper makes an effort to retrospectively analyze the key compounds of the extracts which are responsible for the synthesis of the NPs. The analysis was carried out based on the physicochemical characteristics and biological activities of NPs synthesized from either the extract or the pure compounds. These pure-compound-based NPs were studied for their antimicrobial, antibiofilm, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. In addition, the present review also describes progress in the study of pure compound-based numerous biological activities and the underlying mechanisms of action.

In Vitro Induction of Apoptosis in Isolated Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells: The Role of Anastatica hierochuntica Methanolic Extract

Anastatica hierochuntica L. (Cruciferae) has been known in Egyptian folk medicine as a remedy for gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes and heart diseases. Despite the wide usage, A. hierochuntica research provides insufficient data to support its traditional practice. The cytotoxicity of A. hierochuntica methanolic extract was investigated on acute myeloid leukemia blasts (AML) and normal human peripheral leucocytes (NHPL). The phytochemical identification of bioactive compounds using ¹H-NMR and LC-ESI-MS was also performed. A. hierochuntica extract caused non-significant cytotoxicity on NHPL, while the cytotoxicity on AML was significant (IC₅₀: 0.38 ± 0.02 μg/mL). The negative expression of p53, upregulation of Caspase-3 and increase in the BAX/BCL-2 ratio were reported at the protein and mRNA levels. The results suggest that A. hierochuntica extract induced AML cell death via the p53-independent mitochondrial intrinsic pathway and further attention should be paid to this plant as a promising natural anticancer agent.

Metallic Nanoparticles: A New Frontier in the Fight Against Leishmaniasis

Abstract:

Leishmaniasis is a cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or visceral parasitic disease caused by protozoa of the Leishmania genus. According to the World Health Organization, Leishmaniasis causes approximately 20–40 thousand deaths annually, and Brazil, India, and some countries in Africa are the most affected by this neglected disease. In addition to parasite’s ability to evade the host’s immune system, the incidence of vectors, the genetics of different hosts, and the large number of deaths are mainly due to failures in conventional treatments that have high toxicity, low effectiveness, and prolonged therapeutic regimens. Thus, the development of new alternative therapeutics with more effective and safer actions has become one of the main challenges for researchers studying leishmaniasis. Among the many research and tested options, metallic nanoparticles, such as gold, silver, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide, have been shown to be one of the most promising therapeutic tool because they are easily prepared and chemically modified, have a broad spectrum of action, low toxicity, and can generate reactive oxygen species and other immune responses that favor their use against different species of Leishmania. This review explores the progress of the use of metallic nanoparticles as a new tool in the treatment of leishmaniasis, as well as discusses the gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed to consolidate a safe, effective, and definitive therapeutic intervention against these infections.

Critical Antileishmanial in vitro Effects of Highly Examined Gold Nanoparticles

Introduction

The current therapeutic armory for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania donovani complex is inadequate, coupled with serious limitations. Combination therapy has proved ineffective due to mounting resistance; however, the search for safe and effective drugs is desirable, in the absence of any vaccine. There is a growing interest in the application of nanoparticles for the therapeutic effectiveness of leishmaniasis. Aimed in this direction, we assessed the antileishmanial effect of gold nanoparticles (GNP) against L. donovani in vitro.

Methods

GNP were synthesized and characterized for particle size by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and for optical properties by UV-visible spectroscopy. Cytotoxicity of GNP was measured by the MTT proliferation assay. The antileishmanial activity of the nanoparticles was evaluated against L. donovani promastigotes and macrophage-infected amastigotes in vitro.

Results

GNP showed a strong SPR peak at 520 nm and mean particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential of 56.0 ± 10 nm, 0.3 ± 0.1 and −27.0 ± 3 mV, respectively. The GNPs were smooth and spherical with a mean particle diameter of 20 ± 5 nm. Nanoparticles [1.2–100 µM] did not reveal any cytotoxicity on RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cell line, but exerted significant activity against both promastigotes and amastigote stages of L. donovani with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) of 18.4 ± 0.4 µM and 5.0 ± 0.3 µM, respectively. GNP showed significant antileishmanial activity with deformed morphology of parasites and the least number of surviving promastigotes after growth reversibility analysis.

Conclusion

GNP may provide a platform to conjugate antileishmanial drugs onto the surface of nanoparticles to enhance their therapeutic effectiveness against VL. Further work is warranted, involving more in-depth mechanistic studies and in vivo investigations.

Nano Based Approach for the Treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) afflict more than one billion peoples in the world’s poorest countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded seventeen NTDs in its portfolio, mainly caused by bacterial, protozoal, parasitic, and viral infections. Each of the NTDs has its unique challenges on human health such as interventions for control, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Research for the development of new drug molecules against NTDs has not been undertaken by pharmaceutical industries due to high investment and low-returns, which results in limited chemotherapeutics in the market. In addition, conventional chemotherapies for the treatment of NTDs are unsatisfactory due to its low efficacy, increased drug resistance, short half-life, potential or harmful fatal toxic side effects, and drug incompetence to reach the site of parasite infection. In this context, active chemotherapies are considered to be re-formulated by overcoming these toxic side effects via a tissue-specific targeted drug delivery system. This review mainly emphasizes the recent developments of nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems for the effective treatment of NTDs especially sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, chagas disease, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, african trypanosomiasis and dengue. Nanomaterials based drug delivery systems offer enhanced and effective alternative therapy through the re-formulation approach of conventional drugs into site-specific targeted delivery of drugs.

Gold-Silver Bimetallic Nanoparticles Reduced with Herbal Leaf Extracts Induce ROS-Mediated Death in Both Promastigote and Amastigote Stages of Leishmania donovani

Resistance to antileishmanial drugs such as sodium stibogluconate (SSG), amphotericin B (Amp-B), and miltefosine is on the rise, and alternate strategies for effective treatment have gained importance in recent years. Although nanoparticle (NP)-based composite drugs that have emerged recently have been found to be effective, the associated toxicity limits their usage. Bimetallic NPs produced through reduction with medicinal plant extracts are proposed to overcome the toxicity of the NPs. In the present study, three types of gold-silver bimetallic nanoparticles (Au-Ag BNPs) were synthesized through a single-step reduction process using fenugreek, coriander, and soybean leaf extracts. All of the three types of BNPs exhibited high antileishmanial effects against promastigotes with half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) values in the range of 0.03-0.035 μg/mL. The IC50 values of the BNPs are much lower compared to those of miltefosine (IC50 = 10 μg/mL). The synthesized BNPs induced the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated apoptosis-like death in the promastigotes and could potentiate the antileishmanial activity of macrophages. The intracellular amastigotes were reduced by 31-46% in macrophages. The biogenic BNPs synthesized in this study and their potent antileishmanial activity provide further impetus to the ongoing quest for novel drugs to effectively manage leishmaniasis.

Silver Nanoparticles Ecofriendly Synthesized by Achyranthes aspera and Scoparia dulcis Leaf Broth as an Effective Fungicide

This study describes an inexpensive, simple and green method to form silver nanoparticles from different leaf extracts of Achyranthes aspera and Scoparia dulcis plants. The silver nitrate is reduced by Achyranthes aspera and Scoparia dulcis leaf extracts respectively to generate two silver nanoparticle types symbolized as AA.AgNPs and SD.AgNPs. The optical absorption, size and morphology of silver nanoparticles are significantly impacted by extract types. The ultraviolet visible spectrum of AA.AgNPs shows a 433-nm peak being more broadened than that of SD.AgNPs. The Fourier infrared transform spectra of two of these silver nanoparticles revealed that their surface is modified by organic constituents from extracts, and thus they are stabilized in solution without any additional reaction. Images from transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscope indicate that AA.AgNPs are in clusters with the size of 8–52 nm almost possessing oval shape, while SD.AgNPs are smaller size of 5-45 nm separated well in diversified shapes (spherical, triangle, quadrilateral and hexagonal). Moreover, both AA.AgNPs and SD.AgNPs exhibit the highly antifungal effect against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and the most strong impact on Fusarium oxysporum. For these obtained results, two new silver nanoparticles are promising fungicides for various applications of medical and agricultural fields.

Development of Kaempferol-Loaded Gelatin Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Corneal Neovascularization in Mice

Cornea is the transparent layer in front of the eye that does not contain blood vessels. Among eye diseases, corneal neovascularization (NV) is one of the major causes of vision loss, since it can also lead to blindness. An herbal extraction containing flavonoid, kaempferol (KA), with antiangiogenic effect was chosen as a candidate drug for inhibited vessel formation. The use of nanomedicine has led to higher drug bioavailability and slow release of the drug as an effective therapeutic formulation in ocular drug delivery. In this study, we prepared gelatin nanoparticles (GNP) with kaempferol encapsulation (GNP-KA) for corneal NV treatment by topical delivery, i.e., eye drops. We found that GNP with/without KA loading was in the size of 85-150 nm, and its zeta potential was around 22-26 mV. The KA entrapment rate of GNP-KA was around 90-98%, and the loading rate was about 4.6%. The TEM results clearly indicated the GNP-KA NPs to be round spheres. The in vitro test involved the adoption of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) for coculture with these nanoparticles. From WST-8 assay, and cell migration examinations, it was evident that GNP-KA had the capacity to inhibit the cell viability and function of HUVECs. The results from in vivo tests such as ocular vessels observation, hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) stain, and metalloproteinases (MMP)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) quantification revealed the mice's eyes with corneal NV treated by eye drops containing GNP-KA once daily for 7 days had better therapeutic effects with less vessels in-growths in the cornea, compared to the KA solution group by reducing the production of MMP and VEGF in the cornea. Therefore, we expected to achieve a comfortable treatment with a simple method using nanomedicine (GNP-KA) as ophthalmological agent delivered as eye drops.

Multifunctionality of gold nanoparticles: Plausible and convincing properties

In a couple of decades, nanotechnology has become a trending area in science due to it covers all subject that combines diverse range of fields including but not limited to chemistry, physics and medicine. Various metal and metal oxide nanomaterials have been developed for wide range applications. However, the application of gold nanostructures and nanoparticles has been received more attention in various biomedical applications. The unique property of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is surface plasmon resonance (SPR) that determine the size, shape and stability. The wide surface area of AuNPs eases the proteins, peptides, oligonucleotides, and many other compounds to tether and enhance the biological activity of AuNPs. AuNPs have multifunctionality including antimicrobial, anticancer, drug and gene delivery, sensing applications and imaging. This state-of-the-art review is focused on the role of unique properties of AuNPs in multifunctionality and its various applications.

Phloroglucinol-conjugated gold nanoparticles targeting mitochondrial membrane potential of human cervical (HeLa) cancer cell lines

In recent, targeting mitochondria in cancer is considered to be a challenging task. This report illustrates preliminary findings from an investigation of the conjugation of gold nanoparticles with a bioactive natural compound, phloroglucinol targeting mitochondrial transmembrane potential of HeLa cancer cells. We systematically investigated the formation of gold-nano conjugates over precisely controlled reaction conditions. Their sharp features enable superior surface plasmon resonance, morphology, surface charge, and stability. We show that gold-nano conjugates scavenging free radicals and persuade cell death in HeLa cancer cells. We also show that gold-nano conjugates induce apoptosis by promoting mitochondrial transmembrane permeation via fluorescent microscopic studies. This work gives new insights into bridging metabolomics and nanotechnology into developing novel lead therapeutic molecules.

Preparation of antimicrobial metallic nanoparticles with bioactive compounds

Despite the all recent advancements in medicine, infectious diseases continue to be major causes of death worldwide. Developing nanomaterials as preventive and therapeutic agents against infectious diseases has been one of the research priorities in medicine. However, the application of metal nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents is hampered due to environmental and safety concerns. Using green chemistry, researchers can produce biocompatible nanoparticles that have fewer detrimental effects on human health and the environment. Although chemical compounds have been considered as traditional sources for producing nanomaterials, a wide variety of biocompatible plant-derived secondary metabolites have recently been introduced that can be used to synthesize and stabilize metal nanoparticles. These metabolites have shown potent antibacterial effects making them suitable substitutes for the chemical agents in nanoparticle synthesis. This review has focused on the antimicrobial properties of metal nanoparticles synthesized using plant-derived secondary metabolites instead of crude extract. The mechanisms of metal nanoparticles synthesis and antimicrobial activity are also discussed for different phytochemicals and metal nanoparticles. Finally, the evaluation of the toxicity and safety of phytochemicals coated metal nanoparticles has been conducted. I believe that this is the first review on the antimicrobial and other biological properties of metal nanoparticles synthesized or coated utilizing specific plant-derived secondary metabolites.

Secondary Metabolites in the Green Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles

The ability of organisms and organic compounds to reduce metal ions and stabilize them into nanoparticles (NPs) forms the basis of green synthesis. To date, synthesis of NPs from various metal ions using a diverse array of plant extracts has been reported. However, a clear understanding of the mechanism of green synthesis of NPs is lacking. Although most studies have neglected to analyze the green-synthesized NPs (GNPs) for the presence of compounds derived from the extract, several studies have demonstrated the conjugation of sugars, secondary metabolites, and proteins in these biogenic NPs. Despite several reports on the bioactivities (antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, catalytic, etc.) of GNPs, only a handful of studies have compared these activities with their chemically synthesized counterparts. These comparisons have demonstrated that GNPs possess better bioactivities than NPs synthesized by other methods, which might be attributed to the presence of plant-derived compounds in these NPs. The ability of NPs to bind with organic compounds to form a stable complex has huge potential in the harvesting of precious molecules and for drug discovery, if harnessed meticulously. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms of green synthesis and high-throughput screening of stabilizing/capping agents on the physico-chemical properties of GNPs is warranted to realize the full potential of green nanotechnology.

Preparation and mechanistic aspect of natural xanthone functionalized gold nanoparticle

Herein, a facile scale up and shape variable synthesis of gold nanoparticle (AuNP) and reaction mechanism by natural xanthone derivative (mangiferin) has been reported. Mangiferin (C₁₉H₁₈O₁₁; 1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone-C2-β-d-glucoside), a xanthone derivative is isolated from Mangifera indica L. leaves which efficiently reduces Au³⁺ ions to Au⁰ and stabilizes the formed AuNP. The structural, optical and plasmonic properties of synthesized AuNP have been investigated through different instrumental techniques like UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopy, powder XRD, FESEM and TEM analysis. It is observed that variation of the concentration of Au³⁺ ions and mangiferin has a great effect on controlling size and shape of nanoparticles. The role of reaction temperature is also notable. An interesting observation is that with same concentration ratio of HAuCl₄/mangiferin (0.025 mM/0.002%) at the room temperature kidney shaped AuNP is produced, whereas it is spherical at boiling temperature. Moreover, mangiferin allows high scale synthesis of AuNPs (0.025 mM to 10 mM) without changing the particles size and shape. The mechanistic investigation through UV-Vis, FTIR and GCMS analyses reveal the cleavage of glucose unit and oxidation of phenolic OH groups during AuNP formation. Non-toxicity of mangiferin conjugated AuNP on normal human breast cell line (MCF-10A) suggesting its future application as a drug delivery system and other related medicinal purposes.

Biosynthesized colloidal silver and gold nanoparticles as emerging leishmanicidal agents: an insight

Many recent key innovations in nanotechnology have greatly fascinated scientists to explore new avenues in treatment and diagnosis of emerging diseases. Due to extensive utilization of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) in diverse biomedical applications, scientists are looking forward to green synthesis of NPs as safer, simple, fast, and low-cost method over chemical and physical methods. Due to enriched phytochemistry, no need for maintenance and ready availability, plants are preferred for green synthesis of silver (AgNPs) and gold NPs (AuNPs). Recently, several researchers have exploited these biogenic NPs as potential antileishmanial agents. The current article is focused to mechanistically explain the antileishmanial activity of biogenic AuNPs and AgNPs with a futuristic discussion on the faith of these particles as emerging antileishmanial agents.

Metal-Based Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases can be transmitted and they cause a significant burden on public health globally. They are the greatest world killers and it is estimated that they are responsible for the demise of over 17 million people annually. The impact of these diseases is greater in the developing countries. People with compromised immune systems and children are the most affected. Infectious diseases may be caused by bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. The treatment of infectious diseases is hampered by simultaneous resistance to multiple drugs, indicating that there is a serious and pressing need to develop new therapeutics that can overcome drug resistance. This review will focus on the recent reports of metal-based nanoparticles that are potential therapeutics for the treatment of infectious diseases and their biological efficacy (in vitro and in vivo).