Promising applications of phyto-fabricated silver nanoparticles: Recent trends in biomedicine

The prospective contribution of phyto-nanotechnology to the synthesis of silver nanomaterials for biomedical purposes is attracting increasing interest across the world. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) through plants has been extensively examined recently, and it is now seen to be a green and efficient path for future exploitation and development of practical nano-factories. Fabrication of Ag-NPs is the process involves use of plant extracts/phyto-compounds (e.g.alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds) to synthesise nanoparticles in more economical and feasible. Several findings concluded that in the field of medicine, Ag-NPs play a major role in pharmacotherapy (infection and cancer). Indeed, they exhibits novel properties but the reason is unclear (except some theoretical interpretation e.g. size, shape and morphology). But recent technological advancements help to address these questions by predicting the unique properties (composition and origin) by characterizing physical, chemical and biological properties. Due to increased list of publications and their application in the field of agriculture, industries and pharmaceuticals, issues relating to toxicity are unavoidable and question of debate. The present reviews aim to find out the role of plant extracts to synthesise Ag-NPs. It provides an overview of various phytocompounds and their role in the field of biomedicine (antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory etc.). In addition, this review also especially focused on various applications such as role in infection, oxidative stress, application in medical engineering, diagnosis and therapy, medical devices, orthopedics, wound healing and dressings. Additionally, the toxic effects of Ag-NPs in cell culture, tissue of different model organism, type of toxic reactions and regulation implemented to reduce associated risk are discussed critically. Addressing all above explanations, this review focus on the detailed properties of plant mediated Ag-NPs, its impact on biology, medicine and their commercial properties as well as toxicity.

Potential use of the Asteraceae family as a cure for diabetes: A review of ethnopharmacology to modern day drug and nutraceuticals developments

The diabetes-associated mortality rate is increasing annually, along with the severity of its accompanying disorders that impair human health. Worldwide, several medicinal plants are frequently urged for the management of diabetes. Reports are available on the use of medicinal plants by traditional healers for their blood-sugar-lowering effects, along with scientific evidence to support such claims. The Asteraceae family is one of the most diverse flowering plants, with about 1,690 genera and 32,000 species. Since ancient times, people have consumed various herbs of the Asteraceae family as food and employed them as medicine. Despite the wide variety of members within the family, most of them are rich in naturally occurring polysaccharides that possess potent prebiotic effects, which trigger their use as potential nutraceuticals. This review provides detailed information on the reported Asteraceae plants traditionally used as antidiabetic agents, with a major focus on the plants of this family that are known to exert antioxidant, hepatoprotective, vasodilation, and wound healing effects, which further action for the prevention of major diseases like cardiovascular disease (CVD), liver cirrhosis, and diabetes mellitus (DM). Moreover, this review highlights the potential of Asteraceae plants to counteract diabetic conditions when used as food and nutraceuticals. The information documented in this review article can serve as a pioneer for developing research initiatives directed at the exploration of Asteraceae and, at the forefront, the development of a botanical drug for the treatment of DM.

Exploring Edible Mushrooms for Diabetes: Unveiling Their Role in Prevention and Treatment

Diabetes mellitus is a complex illness in which the body does not create enough insulin to control blood glucose levels. Worldwide, this disease is life-threatening and requires low-cost, side-effect-free medicine. Due to adverse effects, many synthetic hypoglycemic medications for diabetes fail. Mushrooms are known to contain natural bioactive components that may be anti-diabetic; thus, scientists are now targeting them. Mushroom extracts, which improve immune function and fight cancer, are becoming more popular. Mushroom-derived functional foods and dietary supplements can delay the onset of potentially fatal diseases and help treat pre-existing conditions, which leads to the successful prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes, which is restricted to the breakdown of complex polysaccharides by pancreatic-amylase and the suppression of intestinal-glucosidase. Many mushroom species are particularly helpful in lowering blood glucose levels and alleviating diabetes symptoms. Hypoglycaemic effects have been observed in investigations on Agaricussu brufescens, Agaricus bisporus, Cordyceps sinensis, Inonotus obliqus, Coprinus comatus, Ganoderma lucidum, Phellinus linteus, Pleurotus spp., Poria cocos, and Sparassis crispa. For diabetics, edible mushrooms are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals and low in fat and cholesterol. The study found that bioactive metabolites isolated from mushrooms, such as polysaccharides, proteins, dietary fibers, and many pharmacologically active compounds, as well as solvent extracts of mushrooms with unknown metabolites, have anti-diabetic potential in vivo and in vitro, though few are in clinical trials.

Ecological niche modeling for reintroduction and conservation of Aristolochia cathcartii Hook.f. & Thomson (Aristolochiaceae), a threatened endemic plant in Assam, India

Aristolochia cathcartii Hook.f. & Thomson is a medicinal plant species native to Assam (India). Karbi people have traditionally used the plant to treat a variety of ailments. The population stock of this species has been rapidly depleting in its natural habitats due to over-utilization, habitat fragmentation, and other anthropogenic activities. Extensive field surveys were carried out to investigate the population status of A. cathcartii in various forest areas of Assam’s Karbi Anglong district. In 20 km of transects, a total of 36 quadrats were observed. A. cathcartii density, frequency of occurrence, and abundance were recorded to be 0.65, 17.8, and 3.81, respectively. Ecological niche modelling was used to identify suitable habitat for the reintroduction and conservation of this plant in Assam in order to prevent its extinction in the future. The maximum entropy distribution modelling algorithm was used to identify suitable areas and habitat for the species’ reintroduction and conservation. Primary data on the occurrence of A. cathcartii was gathered from the natural habitat of Karbi Anglong district, Assam, for modelling. The model identified various forest areas in northeastern India that have suitable climatic conditions for plant reinforcement. 

Intensive Cavity-Magnomechanical Cooling of a Levitated Macromagnet

We describe microwave cavity-magnomechanical center-of-mass cooling of a levitated magnetic sphere. The standing magnetic component of the electromagnetic wave within a microwave cavity exerts a dynamical force on a magnonic crystalline sphere and dissipates the mechanical energy through scattering into the magnon mode. The coupling is established by the magnetic dipole interaction and enriched by the collective spin motion. We find that the final cooled phonon occupation achieved is an intensive property independent of the mass and size of the sphere, in contrast to standard optomechanical couplings. This is of particular importance for testing quantum mechanics with macroscopic objects.

Adcitmer® , a new CD56-targeting monomethyl auristatin E-conjugated antibody, is a potential therapeutic approach in Merkel cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive skin cancer, whose tumour cells often express CD56. While immune checkpoint inhibitors constitute a major advance for treating patients with MCC with advanced disease, new therapeutic options are still urgently required.

OBJECTIVES

To produce and evaluate the therapeutic performance of a new antibody-drug conjugate (Adcitmer^® ) targeting CD56 in preclinical models of MCC.

METHODS

CD56 expression was evaluated in a MCC cohort (immunohistochemistry on a tissue microarray of 90 tumour samples) and MCC cell lines. Interaction of an unconjugated CD56-targeting antibody with CD56⁺ MCC cell lines was investigated by immunohistochemistry and imaging flow cytometry. Adcitmer^® product was generated by the bioconjugation of CD56-targeting antibody to a cytotoxic drug (monomethyl auristatin E) using the McSAF Inside^® bioconjugation process. The chemical properties and homogeneity of Adcitmer^® were characterized by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Adcitmer^® cytotoxicity was evaluated in vitro and in an MCC xenograft mice model.

RESULTS

Similar to previous reports, CD56 was expressed by 66% of MCC tumours in our cohort, confirming its relevance as a therapeutic target. Specific binding and internalization of the unconjugated CD56-targeting antibody was validated in MCC cell lines. The high homogeneity of the newly generated Adcitmer^® was confirmed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The CD56-mediated cytotoxicity of Adcitmer^® was demonstrated in vitro in MCC cell lines. Moreover, Adcitmer^® significantly reduced tumour growth in a MCC mouse model.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that Adcitmer^® should be further assessed as a therapeutic option in patients with MCC, as an alternative therapy or combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Habitat distribution modeling for reintroduction and conservation of Aristolochia indica L. - a threatened medicinal plant in Assam, India

A detailed study on the regeneration ecology of Aristolochia indica L. was carried out to prevent this threatened medicinal plant from its future extirpation in Assam, India. The population stock of the species has been depleting fast in its natural habitats as a consequence of certain factors such as habitat fragmentation, over-exploitation due to its high medicinal properties, and other anthropogenic activities. For improving the conservation status of the species, potential area and habitat for its reintroduction were predicted using Maximum Entropy distribution modelling algorithm. The model was developed using environmental parameters and locality data in the natural range of Karbi Anglong District of Assam, India. The model predicted that the suitable habitats for the reintroduction of A. indica L. were restricted to parts of Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh which have been identified to offer suitable environmental conditions for persistence of the species. Population status was positively correlated with higher model thresholds in the undisturbed habitats confirming the usefulness of the habitat model in population monitoring, particularly in predicting the successful establishment of the species.

The Importance of Flexion MRI in Hirayama Disease with Special Reference to Laminodural Space Measurements

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Hirayama disease is a benign focal amyotrophy of the distal upper limbs involving C7, C8, and T1 segmental myotomes with sparing of the brachioradialis and proximal muscles of the upper limb innervated by C5-6 myotomes. The objective of the present study was to study the utility of MR imaging in young patients presenting with weakness and wasting of the distal upper extremity and to evaluate the importance of the laminodural space during flexion cervical MR imaging.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted from January 2014 to July 2017 in a tertiary care center from Northeast India. Forty-five patients with clinically definite Hirayama disease underwent electrophysiologic evaluation followed by MR imaging of the cervical spine.

RESULTS

The mean age at recruitment was 22.8 ± 5.5 years. Forty patients (88.9%) had unilateral and 5 (11.1%) had bilateral upper extremity involvement. Cervical cord T2-weighted hyperintensities were demonstrated in 16 patients (35.6%), of which 15 (33.3%) had anterior horn cell hyperintensities. Flexion MR imaging showed loss of the posterior dural attachment, forward shifting of the posterior dural sac with postcontrast enhancement, and prominent posterior epidural venous plexus in all patients. The laminodural space at maximum forward shifting of the posterior dural sac ranged from 3 to 9.8 mm, with a mean distance of 5.99 mm (95% confidence interval, 5.42-6.57 mm).

CONCLUSIONS

Flexion cervical MR imaging is a very useful investigation in diagnosing Hirayama disease. The increase in the laminodural space and the presence of cervical cord flattening during flexion are essential for diagnosis.

Primary tuberculosis of tongue

Primary tuberculosis of tongue is very rare with unusual presentation creating a diagnostic dilemma. We report a case of primary tuberculosis of tongue in a 49-year-old female patient. Tuberculosis was not suspected clinically and there was no other focus elsewhere in the body. Fine needle aspiration cytology was attempted but was inconclusive. The diagnosis was made after histopathological examination.

Medetomidine a novel immobilizing agent for the elephant (Elephas maximus)

Medetomidine was injected by the intramuscular route at the rates of 3 and 5 microg/kg body weight into two groups of Indian elephants (Elephas maximus). Sedation was induced at 6.20 (0.81) and 5.90 (0.60) min respectively after injection. The duration of anaesthesia was 66.20 (10.4) and 134.20 (24.12) min, respectively and recovery occurred at 125.80 (25.23) and 205.89 (29.3) min. The notable signs of sedation exhibited by the elephants were protrusion of penis, complete relaxation of trunk, flaccidity of tail and drooping of the ears with a head down position. During sedation, physiological parameters recorded were bradycardia, decreased respiration and hypothermia.