Synthesis of carboxylated cellulose nanocrystal/ZnO nanohybrids using Oxytenanthera abyssinica cellulose and zinc nitrate hexahydrate for radical scavenging, photocatalytic, and antibacterial activities

The extremely low antioxidant, photocatalytic, and antibacterial properties of cellulose limit its application in the biomedical and environmental sectors. To improve these properties, nanohybrides were prepared by mixing carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals (CCNCs) and zinc nitrate hexahydrate. Data from FTIR, XRD, DLS, and SEM spectra showed that, ZnO nanoparticles, with a size ranging from 94 to 351 nm and the smallest nanoparticle size of 164.18 nm, were loaded onto CCNCs. CCNCs/ZnO1 nanohybrids demonstrated superior antibacterial, photocatalytic, and antioxidant performance. More considerable antibacterial activity was shown with a zone of inhibition ranging from 26.00 ± 1.00 to 40.33 ± 2.08 mm and from 31.66 ± 3.51 to 41.33 ± 1.15 mm against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively. Regarding photodegradation properties, the maximum value (∼91.52 %) of photocatalytic methylene blue degradation was observed after 75 min exposure to a UV lamp. At a concentration of 125.00 μm/ml of the CCNC/ZnO1 nanohybrids sample, 53.15 ± 1.03 % DPPH scavenging activity was obtained with an IC50 value of 117.66 μm/ml. A facile, cost-effective, one-step synthesis technique was applied to fabricate CCNCs/ZnO nanohybrids at mild temperature using Oxytenanthera abyssinica carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals as biotemplate. The result showed that CCNCs/ZnO nanohybrids possess potential applications in developing advanced functional materials for dye removal and antibacterial and antioxidant applications.

In silico Molecular Docking Approach to Identify Potential Antihypertensive Compounds from Ajuga integrifolia Buch.-Ham. Ex D. Don (Armagusa)

Background

Ajuga integrifolia (Armagusa) is used as a decoction to treat high blood pressure and diabetes, widely in Ethiopia. Specific compounds for anti-hypertension activity were not identified so far. This study aims to provide a scientific basis for the therapeutic use of A. integrifolia as an antihypertension agent.

Methods

In silico studies were used to evaluate the antihypertensive components of A. integrifolia. Flavonoids identified using HPLC analysis and iridoid glycosides isolated from A. integrifolia in this study and those isolated from synonyms (A. remota and A. bractosa) were considered in the molecular docking study. Interactions were studied by using Autodock vina (1.2) on PyRx 0.8 and visualizing in 2D and 3D using ligPlot+ and Discovery studio software. Activities like vasoprotection and druglikeness properties were predicted using online servers.

Results

Flavonoids such as quercetin, myricetin, and rutin were identified and quantified by HPLC analysis from different extracts of A. integrifolia. Reptoside and 8-O-acetylharpgide isolated from the aerial part of A. integrifolia. The binding energies of all 17 candidates considered in this study range from -10.2 kcal/mol to -7.5 kcal/mol and are lower than enalapril (reference drug: -5.9 kcal/mol). The binding energies, in most case, constitute hydrogen bonding. Biological activity predicted using PASS test also showed that the flavonoids have more probability of activity than the iridoid glycosides. Druglikeness properties of the candidate molecules showed that most follow the Lipinski rule of five with few violations.

Conclusion

Lower binding energies involving hydrogen bonding and predicted activities concerning hypertension confirm the traditional use of the aerial part of the medicinal plant concerned. Flavonoids: rutin, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol take the leading role in the antihypertensive activity of the aerial part of A. integrifolia. The iridoid glycosides studied are almost similar in their effect on their antihypertensive activity and still better than the reference drug.

Experimental investigations on PVA/chitosan and PVA/chitin films for active food packaging using Oxytenanthera abyssinica lignin nanoparticles and its UV-shielding, antimicrobial, and antiradical effects

This study investigated the effect of adding lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) derived from Oxytenanthera abyssinica via alkali-acid nanoprecipitation method to polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan (PVA/CI) and polyvinyl alcohol/chitin (PVA/CH) films for the active food packaging applications. Adding LNPs at concentrations of 1 % and 3 % improved the films' thermal stability and mechanical properties. The lowest water solubility and moisture content were observed in PVA/CI/LNPs films. LNPs exhibited effective 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities, with the highest values observed in PVA/CH/LNPS and PVA/CI/LNPS films with values of 87.47 and 88.74 % respectively. The addition of LNPs also improved the UV-blocking abilities of the films. PVA/CH/LNP3 and PVA/CI/LNP3 have the smallest percentage transmission values of 3.34 % and 0.86 % in the UV range. The overall migration of dietary stimulants was lower in PVA/CI/LNPS and PVA/CH/LNPS films compared to PVA film. Antibacterial tests demonstrated the inhibitory capacity of the synthesized biofilms against both gram-positive and negative bacterial species, with the highest inhibitory value of 26 mm. The study suggests that PVA/CH/LNPS and PVA/CI/LNPS films have potential applications as active food packaging materials and can be explored in other potential applications such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, wound healing, and slow-release urea fertilizer development.

Computational prediction and analysis of targeting 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17-beta-HSD1) with natural products for colorectal cancer treatment

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a type of cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum and kills millions of people each year. Steroid hormones are interconverted between their potent, high-affinity forms by using 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase for their respective receptors in these tissues, with a high probability of random genetic errors. Currently, 17-beta-HSD1 studies have revealed the role of steroid metabolism in the development and proliferation of colorectal cancer. However, there is little information on how to target this enzyme with either modern medicine or natural products. In this study, we looked at 17-beta-HSD1 as a target for treating CRC development and proliferation using selected plant metabolites from previous studies. Plants are used to produce medicinal and novel bioactive compounds that are used to treat different infection. They primarily demonstrated anti-cancer effects through the regulation of cancer-related proteins, epigenetic factors and reactive oxygenase species. The study utilized Avogadro, ADMET lab 2.0, SWISS-MODEL, AutoDock, and Gromacs. Five lead molecules were chosen from a pool of plant metabolites based on their affinity for the 17-beta-HSD1 enzyme. Furthermore, two bind with high affinity are resveratrol (DG 11.29 kcal/mol) and folate (DG 12.23 kcal/mol) with low Ki values, while the rest binds with moderate affinity. Molecular dynamic simulation results also revealed that the folate-17-beta-HSD complex and reserverol- 17-beta-HSD1 complex maintained a stable conformation until the end of 100 ns. As a result, reserverol and folate could be used as lead molecules to target 17-beta-HSD1 and provide a promising starting point for further in vivo research.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Analyses of Elaeocarpus sphaericus Extract for Antioxidant, Antiproliferative and Gene Repression Activities against HIF-1α and VEGF

The study presents antioxidant, phytochemical, anti-proliferative, and gene repression activities against Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1) alpha and Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of Elaeocarpus sphaericus extract. Elaeocarpus sphaericus dried and crushed plant leaves were extracted using water and methanol by ASE (Accelerated Solvent Extraction) method. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were used to measure the extracts' phytochemical activity (TFC). Antioxidant potential of the extracts was measured through DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and TRP. Methanolic extract of the leaves of E. sphaericus has shown a higher amount of TPC (94.666±4.040 mg/gm GAE) and TFC value (172.33±3.21 mg/gm RE). The antioxidant properties of extracts in the yeast model (Drug Rescue assay) showed promising results. Ascorbic acid, gallic acid, hesperidin, and quercetin were found in the aqueous and methanolic extracts of E. sphaericus at varying amounts, according to a densiometric chromatogram generated by HPTLC analysis. Methanolic extract of E. sphaericus (10 mg/ml) has shown good antimicrobial potential against all bacterial strains used in the study except E. coli. The anticancer activity of the extract in HeLa cell lines ranged from 77.94±1.03 % to 66.85±1.95 %, while it ranged from 52.83±2.57 % to 5.44 % in Vero cell lines at varying concentration (1000 μg/ml-31.2 μg/ml). A promising effect of extract was observed on the expression activity of HIF-1 and VEGF gene through RT-PCR assay.

Plants and Plant-Derived Molecules as Natural Immunomodulators

Background. Nowadays, the immunomodulatory properties of plants have been studied extensively with greater interest due to increasing awareness and combating the severity of immunomodulatory diseases. Scope and Approach. This paper highlights the efficacy of the available literature evidence on natural immunomodulators of plant origin and synthetic ones. In addition, several aspects of plants and their phytoconstituents responsible for immunomodulation have been discussed. Moreover, this review also discusses the mechanism involved in immunomodulation. Key Findings. One hundred fifty medicinal immunomodulatory plants are currently identified to find novel immunomodulatory drugs. Of these plants, the plant family Asteraceae also takes the first rank by offering 18 plant species (12%). Similarly of the plants studied so far, 40% belong to the Asteraceae family. Echinacea purpurea of this family is most known for its immunostimulating activity. The most prominent immune-active bioactive molecules are polyphenols, terpenoids, and alkaloids. Also, eight plant bioactive immunomodulators were checked for clinical trials and found in the market. These are six immunosuppressants, resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, quercetin, colchicine, capsaicin, and andrographolide, and two immunostimulants, curcumin and genistein. Nowadays, there are a lot of polyherbal traditional medicinal products sold in the market and claimed to their immunomodulators. However, much work is still needed to find more active immunomodulatory agents. The mechanism by which immunomodulatory medicinal plant exert their effect is through the induction of cytokines and phagocyte cells and the inhibition of iNOS, PGE, and COX-2 synthesis.

Antioxidant Activity of Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids from Dodonaea angustifolia Flower: HPLC Profile and PASS Prediction

Background. Dodonaea angustifolia is a known medicinal plant across East Arica. The flower of D. angustifolia is not well investigated in terms of phytochemistry and biological activities. This study aims to investigate the presence of flavonoids and phenolic acids in the flower of D. angustifolia and its antioxidant activity. Methods. Preliminary phytochemical screening was carried out using the standard protocols. Antioxidant activity evaluation using DPPH assay and total phenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) determinations in the flower extract were compared with the values of the leaf extract. UHPLC-DAD analysis was managed to develop the profile of the flower extract. Prediction of biological activity spectra for substances (PASS) was done using an online server for antioxidant and related activities. Results. Preliminary phytochemical screening and TPC and TFC values confirmed the presence of flavonoids and phenolic acids. From the HPLC analysis of flavonoids, quercetin, myricetin, rutin, and phenolic acids such as chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, and syringic acid were detected and quantified. The biological activity spectrum was predicted for the detected and quantified polyphenols. Conclusions. D. angustifolia flower is a rich source of flavonoids and phenolic acids, which are extractable and can be checked for further biological activity. It was possible to identify and quantify phenolic compounds through HPLC analysis in the methanol extract of D. angustifolia flower. The PASS biological activity prediction results showed that there were stronger antioxidant activities for the identified flavonoids. Future work will emphasize the isolation and characterization of active principles responsible for bioactivity.

Targeted HPTLC Profile, Quantification of Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids, and Antimicrobial Activity of Dodonaea angustifolia (L.f.) Leaves and Flowers

In East Africa, Dodonaea angustifolia (L.f.) is a well-known medicinal herb. Its leaf is primarily studied in light of its ethnobotanical use. In terms of phytochemistry and biological activity, its flower is not studied. In a prior study, our team looked into phytochemical screening, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic levels. This study aims to compare the profiles and biological activities of the leaf and flower samples of D. angustifolia and to present therapeutic alternatives. The leaf and flower sample powders were extracted with methanol using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). HPTLC profile was obtained using CAMAG-HPTLC equipped with VisionCATS software. Antimicrobial agar well diffusion assay and minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) were determined. The leaf and flower extracts of D. angustifolia showed antibacterial activity with a MIC value of 20 µg/mL against Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria monocytogenes. Similarly, 40 µg/mL was found to be effective against Aspergillus flavus. D. angustifolia flower is a rich source of flavonoids and phenolic acids. Because of its antibacterial properties and profile, which are almost the same, the flower is emerging as a viable option for medicinal alternatives.

Agricultural Residues as Raw Materials for Pulp and Paper Production: Overview and Applications on Membrane Fabrication

The need for pulp and paper has risen significantly due to exponential population growth, industrialization, and urbanization. Most paper manufacturing industries use wood fibers to meet pulp and paper requirements. The shortage of fibrous wood resources and increased deforestation are linked to the excessive dependence on wood for pulp and paper production. Therefore, non-wood substitutes, including corn stalks, sugarcane bagasse, wheat, and rice straw, cotton stalks, and others, may greatly alleviate the shortage of raw materials used to make pulp and paper. Non-woody raw materials can be pulped easily using soda/soda-AQ (anthraquinone), organosolv, and bio-pulping. The use of agricultural residues can also play a pivotal role in the development of polymeric membranes separating different molecular weight cut-off molecules from a variety of feedstocks in industries. These membranes range in applications from water purification to medicinal uses. Considering that some farmers still burn agricultural residues on the fields, resulting in significant air pollution and health issues, the use of agricultural residues in paper manufacturing can eventually help these producers to get better financial outcomes from the grown crop. This paper reviews the current trends in the technological pitch of pulp and paper production from agricultural residues using different pulping methods, with an insight into the application of membranes developed from lignocellulosic materials.

Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids from Aerial Part of Ajuga integrifolia (Buch.-Ham. Ex D. Don): Anti-Shigellosis Activity and In Silico Molecular Docking Studies

Shigellosis is one of the major causes of death in children worldwide. Flavonoids and phenolic acids are expected to demonstrate anti-shigellosis activity and anti-diarrheal properties. The aerial part of A. integrifolia is commonly used against diarrhea. This study aimed to identify flavonoids and phenolic acids responsible for this therapeutic purpose. Antioxidant activity, total phenol content, and total flavonoid content were determined. The antibacterial activity of the aerial part against Shigella spp. was also tested using the agar well diffusion method. HPLC analysis was performed using UHPLC-DAD for different extracts of the aerial part. Autodock Vina in the PyRx platform was used to screen responsible components. Ciprofloxacin was used as a reference drug. An enzyme taking part in pyrimidine biosynthesis was used as a target protein. Molecular docking results were visualized using Discovery Studio and LigPlot1.4.5 software. Antioxidant activity, total phenol content, and total flavonoid content are more significant for the aerial part of A. integrifolia. From HPLC analysis, the presence of the flavonoids, quercetin, myricetin, and rutin and the phenolic acids gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and syringic acid were identified from the aerial part of A. integrifolia. Regarding the antibacterial activity, the aerial part shows considerable activity against Shigella spp. Binding energies, RMSD and Ki values, interaction type, and distance are considered to identify the components most likely responsible for the therapeutic effects and observed activity. Antioxidant activity, total phenol content, and total flavonoid content of the aerial part are in line with anti-shigellosis activity. The top five components that are most likely potentially responsible for therapeutic purposes and anti-shigellosis activity are chlorogenic acid, rutin, dihydroquercetin, dihydromyricetin, and kaempferol.

Ethnomedicinal Use, Phytochemistry, and Other Potential Application of Aquatic and Semiaquatic Medicinal Plants

Medicinal plants have been treating various ailments and diseases since ancient times. Aquatic and semiaquatic medicinal plants play an essential role in human welfare to fulfill their daily needs. They have shown biological, pharmacological, nutraceutical, and commercial applications. This review aims to collect and update all recent information on ethnomedicinal, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and nanoparticle synthesis and their uses in aquatic and semiaquatic medicinal plants. Original research papers, review papers, short communications, and book chapters on aquatic and semiaquatic plants have been retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Keywords, ethnomedicinal studies, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and nanoparticle synthesis from aquatic and semiaquatic medicinal plants are used for the search. Different aquatic and semiaquatic medicinal plants belonging to the families Acanthaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Apiaceae, Araceae, Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Ceratophyllaceae, Cyperaceae, Fabaceae, Hydrocharitaceae, Lythraceae, Marsileaceae, Menyanthaceae, Nelumbonaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Onagraceae, Plantaginaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Pontederiaceae, Primulaceae, Scrophulariaceae, and Zingiberaceae have been studied. They are rich in alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolics, saponins, tannins, dietary fiber, glycosidic derivatives, carbohydrates, and proteins. These phytochemicals have been used for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, sedative, anticonvulsant, cytotoxic, antiparasitic, and antidiabetic activities. Besides this, various parts of the plants are used as dietary supplements and green nanoparticle synthesis. These plants are also known for their commercial value and are used as an ingredient in some pharmaceutical industries.

Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases with Plant Phytochemicals: A Review

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the world's leading killers, accounting for 30% deaths. According to the WHO report, CVDs kill 17.9 million people per year, and there will be 22.2 million deaths from CVD in 2030. The death rates rise as people get older. Regarding gender, the death rate of women by CVD (51%) is higher than that of men (42%). To decrease and prevent CVD, most people rely on traditional medicine originating from the plant (phytochemicals) in addition to or in preference to commercially available drugs to recover from their illness. The CVD therapy efficacy of 92 plants, including 15 terrestrial plants, is examined. Some medicinal plants well known to treat CVD are, Daucus carota, Nerium oleander, Amaranthus Viridis, Ginkgo biloba, Terminalia arjuna, Picrorhiza kurroa, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Tinospora cordifolia, Mucuna pruriens, Hydrocotyle asiatica, Bombax ceiba, and Andrographis paniculate. The active phytochemicals found in these plants are flavonoids, polyphenols, plant sterol, plant sulphur compounds, and terpenoids. A general flavonoid mechanism of action is to prevent low-density lipoprotein oxidation, which promotes vasodilatation. Plant sterols prevent CVD by decreasing cholesterol absorption in the blood. Plant sulphur compound also prevent CVD by activation of nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and inhibition of cholesterol synthesis. Quinone decreases the risk of CVD by increasing ATP production in mitochondria while terpenoids by decreasing atherosclerotic lesion in the aortic valve. Although several physiologically active compounds with recognized biological effects have been found in various plants because of the increased prevalence of CVD, appropriate CVD prevention and treatment measures are required. More research is needed to understand the mechanism and specific plants' phytochemicals responsible for treating CVD.

Phytochemical investigation and potential pharmacologically active compounds of Rumex nepalensis: an appraisal

Background

Rumex nepalensis, a widely known traditional medicinal plant and is used as the source of medicines and human diet in various communities. Currently, the phytochemical investigation and pharmacological studies of R. nepalensis are of significant research interest. Therefore, the current review is mainly focused on the phytochemical investigation and pharmacological applications of R. nepalensis

Main body

Various secondary metabolites like emodin, endocrocin, chrysophanol, neopodin, physcion, torachrysone, aloesin, catechin, quercetin, resveratrol, and their derivatives were isolated from root and aerial parts of the plant. Both isolated compounds and extracts from R. nepalensis are reported to have pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, wound healing, and anti-plasmodial activities

Conclusions

Different parts of R. nepalensis have ethnomedicinal importance. R. nepalensis is one of the potential sources of pharmacologically active extracts and isolated compounds. In future R. nepalensis can play a vital role for the preparation of modern drugs.

Graphical abstract

Biogenic fabrication of nanomaterials from flower-based chemical compounds, characterization and their various applications: A review

Nanotechnology is evolving as a significant discipline of research with various applications. It includes the materials and their applications having one dimension in the range of 1-100 nm. Many chemical and physical protocol have been utilized for the nanoparticles (NPs) fabrication. These protocols are costly, hazardous and consumes high energy. Thus, researchers are inclined towards biological synthesis of NPs using plant and or herbal extract as these methods are simple, sustainable, ecofriendly and cost-effective. Flower is an important part of plants, and contained several phytochemicals such as flavonoids, terpenoids, coumarins, sterol and xanthones which acts as an important precursor for NPs synthesis. These compounds acted as reducing as well as stablishing agent during fabrication processes. They have been thoroughly characterized by various techniques. The fabricated NPs have shown potential antimicrobial activity against bacterial and fungal infections. They have been also used as potential therapeutic agent for human breast cancer, gastric adenocarcinoma cell, colorectal adenocarcinoma cell and pancreas ductal adenocarcinoma cells. Overall, the aim of this review article to facilitates the recent understanding of flower-mediated NPs fabrication (a sustainable and ecofriendly resource), their application in different disciplines and challenges.

β-Selinene-Rich Essential Oils from the Parts of Callicarpa macrophylla and Their Antioxidant and Pharmacological Activities

Background:Callicarpa macrophylla (Varbenaceae) is a medicinal shrub and is traditionally used in India, China, and South Asia. Methods: The plant material was collected from lower Himalayan region of Uttarakhand in India. The essential oils from three different aerial parts were analyzed by GC-MS. Antioxidant activity, phenolic assay, and various pharmacological activities were determined by using existing methods which are generally practiced widely. Results: Over 51, 53, and 40 compounds were identified in C. macrophylla leaves essential oil (CMLEO), C. macrophylla pre mature seeds and fruits essential oil (CMEO-I) and C.macrophylla mature seeds and fruits essential oil (CMEO-II), respectively. These oils differ in relative contents of major compounds viz; β-selinene (37.51% in CMLEO, 44.66% in CMEO-I and 57.01% in CMEO-II), phyllocladene (9.76% in CMLEO, 5.80% in CMEO-I and 12.38% in CMEO-II), caryophelline oxide (7.34% in CMLEO, 8.74% in CMEO-I and 5.0% in CMEO-II), 9E-epi-caryophelline (6.23% in CMLEO, 1.27% in CMEO-I and 3.43% in CMEO-II), longipinocarvone (4.96% in CMLEO, 1.17% in CMEO-I and 2.0% in CMEO-II), and 1,8-cineole (2.23% in CMLEO, 3.10% in CMEO-I and 1.62% in CMEO-II). The oils exhibited good in vitro antioxidant activity. The maximum activity was found in CMEO-II with IC₅₀ values 7.37 ± 0.11, 11.49 ± 0.87, 14.59 ± 0.18, 15.66 ± 0.03, and 17.49 ± 0.13 µL/mL. The essential oils showed qualitative and quantitative diversity in the makeup of essential oils constituents. The oils were found to exhibit anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activity on swiss albino mice compared to the standard drugs, viz; ibuprofen, paracetamol and indomethacin. Conclusion: It is inferred from the study that the plant parts can be used scientifically in traditional systems as folk herbal medicine. Furthermore, we have generated a database for future reference and judicious exploitation of these oils from their natural setting.