Effect of tannic acid binding on the thermal degradation behavior and product toxicity of boscalid

The effect of tannic acid (TA) binding on the thermal degradation of boscalid was studied in this work. The results revealed that TA binding has a significant impact on boscalid degradation. The degradation rate constant of bound boscalid was reduced, and its corresponding half-life was significantly prolonged compared to the free state. Four identical degradation products were detected in both states through UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS, indicating that degradation products were not affected by TA binding. Based on DFT and MS analysis, the degradation pathways of boscalid included hydroxyl substitution of chlorine atoms and cleavage of CN and CC bonds. The toxicity of B2 and B3 exceeded that of boscalid. In summary, the binding of TA and boscalid significantly affected the thermal degradation rate of boscalid while preserving the types of degradation products. This study contributed to a fundamental understanding of the degradation process of bound pesticide residues in complex food matrices.

Design of three-component essential oil extract mixture from Cymbopogon flexuosus, Carum carvi, and Acorus calamus with enhanced antioxidant activity

The development of novel antioxidant compounds with high efficacy and low toxicity is of utmost importance in the medicine and food industries. Moreover, with increasing concerns about the safety of synthetic components, scientists are beginning to search for natural sources of antioxidants, especially essential oils (EOs). The combination of EOs may produce a higher scavenging profile than a single oil due to better chemical diversity in the mixture. Therefore, this exploratory study aims to assess the antioxidant activity of three EOs extracted from Cymbopogon flexuosus, Carum carvi, and Acorus calamus in individual and combined forms using the augmented-simplex design methodology. The in vitro antioxidant assays were performed using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging approaches. The results of the Chromatography Gas-Mass spectrometry (CG-MS) characterization showed that citral (29.62%) and niral (27.32%) are the main components for C. flexuosus, while D-carvone (62.09%) and D-limonene (29.58%) are the most dominant substances in C. carvi. By contrast, β-asarone (69.11%) was identified as the principal component of A. calamus (30.2%). The individual EO exhibits variable scavenging activities against ABTS and DPPH radicals. These effects were enhanced through the mixture of the three EOs. The optimal antioxidant formulation consisted of 20% C. flexuosus, 53% C. carvi, and 27% A. calamus for DPPHIC50. Whereas 17% C. flexuosus, 43% C. carvi, and 40% A. calamus is the best combination leading to the highest scavenging activity against ABTS radical. These findings suggest a new research avenue for EOs combinations to be developed as novel natural formulations useful in food and biopharmaceutical products.

Production of Antioxidant, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitory and Osteogenic Gelatin Hydrolysate from Labeo rohita Swim Bladder

Optimization of antioxidants and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory potential gelatin hydrolysate production from Labeo rohita (rohu) swim bladder (SBGH) by alcalase using central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM) was investigated. The maximum degree of hydrolysis (DH), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), total antioxidants (TAO), and ACE inhibitory activity were achieved at 0.1:1.0 (w/w) enzyme to substrate ratio, 61 °C hydrolysis temperature, and 94-min hydrolysis time. The resulting SBGH obtained at 19.92% DH exhibited the DPPH (24.28 µM TE/mg protein), ABTS (34.47 µM TE/mg protein), TAO (12.01 µg AAE/mg protein), and ACE inhibitory (4.91 µg/mg protein) activity. Furthermore, SBGH at 100 µg/ml displayed osteogenic property without any toxic effects on MC3T3-E1 cells. Besides, the protein content of rohu swim bladder gelatin (SBG) and SBGH was 93.68% and 94.98%, respectively. Both SBG and SBGH were rich in glycine, proline, glutamic acid, alanine, arginine, and hydroxyproline amino acids. Therefore, SBGH could be an effective nutraceutical in functional food development.

Discovery of Orally Bioavailable FmlH Lectin Antagonists as Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections

FmlH, a bacterial adhesin of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), has been shown to provide a fitness advantage in colonizing the bladder during chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs). Previously reported ortho-biphenyl glycosides based on βGal and βGalNAc have excellent binding affinity to FmlH and potently block binding to its natural carbohydrate receptor, but they lack oral bioavailability. In this paper, we outline studies where we have optimized compounds for improved pharmacokinetics, leading to the discovery of novel analogues with good oral bioavailability. We synthesized galactosides with the anomeric O-linker replaced with more stable S- and C-linked linkers. We also investigated modifications to the GalNAc sugar and modifications to the biphenyl aglycone. We identified GalNAc 69 with an IC50 of 0.19 μM against FmlH and 53% oral bioavailability in mice. We also obtained a FimlH-bound X-ray structure of lead compound 69 (AM4085) which has potential as a new antivirulence therapeutic for UTIs.

Identification and Validation of Magnolol Biosynthesis Genes in Magnolia officinalis

Bacterial infections pose a significant risk to human health. Magnolol, derived from Magnolia officinalis, exhibits potent antibacterial properties. Synthetic biology offers a promising approach to manufacture such natural compounds. However, the plant-based biosynthesis of magnolol remains obscure, and the lack of identification of critical genes hampers its synthetic production. In this study, we have proposed a one-step conversion of magnolol from chavicol using laccase. After leveraging 20 transcriptomes from diverse parts of M. officinalis, transcripts were assembled, enriching genome annotation. Upon integrating this dataset with current genomic information, we could identify 30 laccase enzymes. From two potential gene clusters associated with magnolol production, highly expressed genes were subjected to functional analysis. In vitro experiments confirmed MoLAC14 as a pivotal enzyme in magnolol synthesis. Improvements in the thermal stability of MoLAC14 were achieved through selective mutations, where E345P, G377P, H347F, E346C, and E346F notably enhanced stability. By conducting alanine scanning, the essential residues in MoLAC14 were identified, and the L532A mutation further boosted magnolol production to an unprecedented level of 148.83 mg/L. Our findings not only elucidated the key enzymes for chavicol to magnolol conversion, but also laid the groundwork for synthetic biology-driven magnolol production, thereby providing valuable insights into M. officinalis biology and comparative plant science.

Mechanistic insights of magnolol antimicrobial activity against Mycoplasma using untargeted metabolomic analyses

The unreasonable use of antibiotics is one of the important causes of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that poses a huge public health threat. Magnolol is a traditional Chinese medicine exhibiting antibacterial-, antifungal-, anti-inflammatory-, and antioxidant activities. However, it is unclear whether magnolol has an inhibitory effect on mycoplasma. This study found that magnolol showed excellent inhibitory activity against various mycoplasmas. Magnolol showed dose-dependent inhibition of Mycoplasma synoviae growth and biofilm formation in vitro. Magnolol caused severely sunken and wrinkled M. synoviae cell membranes at the minimum inhibitory concentration, and an enlarged cell diameter. The chicken embryo infection model showed that magnolol significantly reduced M. synoviae pathogenicity in vivo. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed that the citrate cycle, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and pyruvate metabolism were significantly disturbed at the minimum inhibitory concentration of magnolol. Interestingly, 41% of differential metabolites were in the categories of lipids and lipid-like molecules. Protegenin A was up-regulated 58752-fold after magnolol treatment. It belongs to fatty acyls, and destroys cell membrane integrity and cell activity. Ghosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, and phosphatidylserine related to membrane maintenance and stress response were widely down-regulated. Collectively, our results illustrate the feasibility of magnolol as a phytochemical compound to treat mycoplasma infection.

Harnessing Liquid Crystal Sensors for High-Throughput Real-Time Detection of Structural Changes in Lysozyme during Refolding Processes

Despite the rapid advances in process analytical technology, the assessment of protein refolding efficiency has largely relied on off-line protein-specific assays and/or chromatographic procedures such as reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and size exclusion chromatography. Due to the inherent time gap pertaining to traditional methods, exploring optimum refolding conditions for many recombinant proteins, often expressed as insoluble inclusion bodies, has proven challenging. The present study describes a novel protein refolding sensor that utilizes liquid crystals (LCs) to discriminate varying protein structures during unfolding and refolding. An LC layer containing 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) intercalated with 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) is used as a sensing platform, and its proof-of-concept performance is demonstrated using lysozyme as a model protein. As proteins unfold or refold, a local charge fluctuation at their surfaces modulates their interaction with zwitterionic phospholipid DOPE. This alters the alignment of DOPE molecules at the aqueous/LC interface, affecting the orientational ordering of bulk LC (i.e., homeotropic to planar for refolding and planar to homeotropic for unfolding). Differential polarized optical microscope images of the LC layer are subsequently generated, whose brightness directly linked to conformational changes of lysozyme molecules is quantified by gray scale analysis. Importantly, our LC-based refolding sensor is compatible with diverse refolding milieus for real-time analysis of lysozyme refolding and thus likely to facilitate the refolding studies of many proteins, especially those lacking a method to determine structure-dependent biological activity.

Honokiol and its analogues as anticancer compounds: Current mechanistic insights and structure-activity relationship

Lignans are plant-derived polyphenolic compounds with a plethora of biological applications. Also, regarded as phytoestrogens, the lignans offer a variety of health benefits of which the anti-cancer effects are the most attractive. Honokiol is a lignan isolated from various parts of trees belonging to the genus Magnolia. The bioactivity of honokiol is attributed to its characteristic physical properties, which include small size and the presence of two phenolic groups that may interact with proteins in cell membranes via hydrophobic interactions, aromatic pi orbital co-valency, and hydrogen bonding. The hydrophobicity of honokiol enables its rapid dissolution in lipids and the crossing of physiological barriers, including the blood-brain barrier and cerebrospinal fluid. These factors contribute towards the high bioavailability of honokiol which further support its candidature in medicinal research. Therefore, the anticancer properties of honokiol are of particular interest as many of the contemporary anticancer drugs suffer from bioavailability drawbacks, which necessitates the identification and development of novel candidate molecules directed as anticancer chemotherapeutics. The antioncogenic profile of honokiol also arises from the regulation of various signalling pathways associated with oncogenesis, arresting of the cell cycle by regulation of cyclic proteins, upregulation of epithelial markers and downregulation of mesenchymal markers leading to the inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and preventing the metastasis by restricting cell migration and invasion due to the downregulation of matrix-metalloproteinases. In this review, we discuss the anticancer properties of honokiol.

Formanilides from the culture broth of Perenniporia fraxinea

A new formanilide dimer, fraxinin (1), and three known formanilides (2‒4) were isolated from the culture broth of Perenniporia fraxinea using silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies, medium-pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC), and preparative HPLC. The structures of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods, such as NMR and mass analysis, and by comparison of the spectra with previously reported data. The free radical scavenging activities of the isolated compounds were assessed using 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. Compounds 1‒3 exhibited ABTS radical scavenging activity with IC50 values in the range of 57.2-250.2 μM. Compounds 2 and 4 marginally reduced disease incidence of powdery mildew with a control value of 42% at 1.0 mg ml-1 in cucumber leaf disk assay.

Affinity character analysis of magnolol and honokiol based on stepwise frontal analysis coupled with cell membrane chromatography

Magnolol and honokiol have been reported to exhibit anti-cancer activity. However, few studies are in relation to the interaction of magnolol/honokiol with vascular endothelial growth factor 2 (VEGFR2). In this study, a membrane chromatography method based on VEGFR2 was established for the interaction characteristic analysis between drug and receptor. The selectivity, repeatability and stability of the chromatographic model were evaluated using drugs acting on different receptors. The affinity between VEGFR2 and magnolol/honokiol was verified by cell membrane chromatography. The binding sites of magnolol/honokiol and VEGFR2 were analyzed by zonal elution. Especially, the dissociation equilibrium constants (Kd) of magnolol/honokiol and VEGFR2 were measured by zonal elution and stepwise frontal analysis respectively. In addition, the actions of magnolol/honokiol on VEGFR2 were analyzed by stepwise frontal analysis at different temperatures. The results showed that the binding sites of magnolol and honokiol on VEGFR2 were different from sorafenib, indicating that magnolol and honokiol could be used as competitive agents for self-competitive displacement experiment. The Kd values (order of magnitude) of magnolol/honokiol with VEGFR2 measured by stepwise frontal analysis were consistent with the zonal elution results. Honokiol binds VEGFR2 with higher affinity than magnolol. The main forces that stabilize the interactions of honokiol with VEGFR2 are hydrogen bonds and van der Waal's forces, and the main force of magnolol is electrostatic forces. These discoveries could assist in the prediction of drug activity and understanding for the underlying mechanism.

Research Progress on the Structural Modification of Magnolol and Honokiol and the Biological Activities of Their Derivatives

Magnolol and Honokiol are the primary active components that have been identified and extracted from Magnolia officinalis, and several investigations have demonstrated that they have significant pharmacological effects. Despite their therapeutic benefits for a wide range of illnesses, research on and the implementation of these compounds have been hindered by their poor water solubility and low bioavailability. Researchers are continually using chemical methods to alter their structures to make them more effective in treating and preventing diseases. Researchers are also continuously developing derivative drugs with high efficacy and few adverse effects. This article summarizes and analyzes derivatives with significant biological activities reported in recent research obtained by structural modification. The modification sites have mainly focused on the phenolic hydroxy groups, benzene rings, and diene bonds. Changes to the allyl bisphenol structure will result in unexpected benefits, including high activity, low toxicity, and good bioavailability. Furthermore, alongside earlier experimental research in our laboratory, the structure-activity relationships of magnolol and honokiol were preliminarily summarized, providing experimental evidence for improving their development and utilization.

[Processing Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex with ginger juice: process optimization based on AHP-CRITIC weighting method and composition changes after processing]

The weight coefficients of appearance traits, extract yield of standard decoction, and total content of honokiol and magnolol were determined by analytic hierarchy process(AHP), criteria importance though intercrieria correlation(CRITIC), and AHP-CRITIC weighting method, and the comprehensive scores were calculated. The effects of ginger juice dosage, moistening time, proces-sing temperature, and processing time on the quality of Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex(MOC) were investigated, and Box-Behnken design was employed to optimize the process parameters. To reveal the processing mechanism, MOC, ginger juice-processed Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex(GMOC), and water-processed Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex(WMOC) were compared. The results showed that the weight coefficients of the appearance traits, extract yield of standard decoction, and total content of honokiol and magnolol determined by AHP-CRITIC weighting method were 0.134, 0.287, and 0.579, respectively. The optimal processing parameters of GMOC were ginger juice dosage of 8%, moistening time of 120 min, and processing at 100 ℃ for 7 min. The content of syringoside and magnolflorine in MOC decreased after processing, and the content of honokiol and magnolol followed the trend of GMOC>MOC>WMOC, which suggested that the change in clinical efficacy of MOC after processing was associated with the changes of chemical composition. The optimized processing technology is stable and feasible and provides references for the modern production and processing of MOC.

Unsaturated bond recognition leads to biased signal in a fatty acid receptor

Individual free fatty acids (FAs) play important roles in metabolic homeostasis, many through engagement with more than 40G protein-coupled receptors. Searching for receptors to sense beneficial omega-3 FAs of fish oil enabled the identification of GPR120, which is involved in a spectrum of metabolic diseases. Here, we report six cryo-electron microscopy structures of GPR120 in complex with FA hormones or TUG891 and Gi or Giq trimers. Aromatic residues inside the GPR120 ligand pocket were responsible for recognizing different double-bond positions of these FAs and connect ligand recognition to distinct effector coupling. We also investigated synthetic ligand selectivity and the structural basis of missense single-nucleotide polymorphisms. We reveal how GPR120 differentiates rigid double bonds and flexible single bonds. The knowledge gleaned here may facilitate rational drug design targeting to GPR120.

Reaction with ROO• and HOO• Radicals of Honokiol-Related Neolignan Antioxidants

Honokiol is a natural bisphenol neolignan present in the bark of Magnolia officinalis, whose extracts have been employed in oriental medicine to treat several disorders, showing a variety of biological properties, including antitumor activity, potentially related to radical scavenging. Six bisphenol neolignans with structural motifs related to the natural bioactive honokiol were synthesized. Their chain-breaking antioxidant activity was evaluated in the presence of peroxyl (ROO•) and hydroperoxyl (HOO•) radicals by both experimental and computational methods. Depending on the number and position of the hydroxyl and alkyl groups present on the molecules, these derivatives are more or less effective than the reference natural compound. The rate constant of the reaction with ROO• radicals for compound 7 is two orders of magnitude greater than that of honokiol. Moreover, for compounds displaying quinonic oxidized forms, we demonstrate that the addition of 1,4 cyclohexadiene, able to generate HOO• radicals, restores their antioxidant activity, because of the reducing capability of the HOO• radicals. The antioxidant activity of the oxidized compounds in combination with 1,4-cyclohexadiene is, in some cases, greater than that found for the starting compounds towards the peroxyl radicals. This synergy can be applied to maximize the performances of these new bisphenol neolignans.

Semisynthesis, biological activities, and mechanism studies of Mannich base analogues of magnolol/honokiol as potential α-glucosidase inhibitors

Magnolol and honokiol, derived from a Magnolia officinalis Rehd. et Wils, are a class of natural biphenolic lignans. Currently, the discovery of new α-glucosidase inhibitors from natural analogues is of interest. Here, four series of thirty new Mannich base analogues of magnolol/honokiol were prepared and evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Among these Mannich base analogues of magnolol/honokiol, 3k and 3l exhibited more potent inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase than the reference drug acarbose, and their IC50 values were 14.94 ± 0.17 µM and 13.78 ± 1.42 µM, respectively. Some interesting structure-activity relationships (SARs) were also analyzed. The enzyme inhibition kinetics indicated that 3k and 3l were noncompetitive inhibitors. This result was in agreement with molecular docking studies, where the binding sites of 3k and 3l to α-glucosidase were different from that of the competitive inhibitor acarbose to α-glucosidase. Moverover, compounds 3k and 3l exhibited low toxicity to normal cells (LO2). Thus, analogues 3k and 3l could be deeply developed for the discovery of natural products based antidiabetic candidates.

Synthesis and characterization of a fluorescent steroid dimer linked through C-19 by a 1,4-Bis(phenylethynyl)phenylene fragment

The synthesis and characterization of a dimer in which two nuclei of 3β-acetoxy-19-hydroxyandrost-5-en-17-one are linked by the fluorescent 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)phenylene bridge attached to the oxygenated functions at positions C-19 of each steroid fragment is described. The compound was obtained in five steps and 23 % overall yield and showed a strong blue emission with a quantum yield of 0.66.

Evaluation of the Preservation and Digestion of Seal Meat Processed with Heating and Antioxidant Seal Meat Hydrolysates

Seal meat is of high nutritive value but is not highly exploited for human food due to ethical issues, undesirable flavors, and loss of nutrients during the processing/cooking step. In this work, commercially available processed seal meat was treated with its hydrolysates as preservatives with the aim of improving nutrient bioavailability. The contents of the nutrients were analyzed after digestion using a simulated dynamic digestion model, and the effects of different processing conditions, i.e., low-temperature processing and storage (25 °C) and high-temperature cooking (100 °C), of seal meat were investigated. Hydrolysates with antioxidant activity decreased the amounts of the less desirable Fe³⁺ ions in the seal meat digests. After treatment with hydrolysates at room temperature, a much higher total Fe content of 781.99 mg/kg was observed compared to other treatment conditions. The release of amino acids increased with temperature and was 520.54 mg/g for the hydrolysate-treated sample versus 413.12 mg/g for the control seal meat sample treated in buffer. Overall, this study provides useful data on the potential use of seal meat as a food product with high nutritive value and seal meat hydrolysates with antioxidant activity as preservatives to control oxidation in food.

The Biochemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Fucus vesiculosus from the Arctic Region

Fucus vesiculosus is one of the most prominent brown algae in the shallow waters of the seas of the Arctic region (Barents (BS), White (WS), Norwegian (NS), and Irminger (IS)). The aim of this study was to determine the biochemical composition of F. vesiculosus from the Arctic at different reproductive phases, and to evaluate the antioxidant properties of F. vesiculosus extracts. The amounts of monosaccharides, phlorotannins, flavonoids, and ash and the mineral composition significantly varied in the algae. A strong correlation was established between monosaccharide, phlorotannin, and flavonoid accumulation and water salinity (Pearson’s correlation coefficients r = −0.58, 0.83, and 0.44, respectively; p < 0.05). We noted a negative correlation between the antioxidant activity and the amount of the structural monosaccharides of fucoidan (r = −0.64). A positive correlation of phlorotannins and flavonoids with antioxidant power was confirmed for all samples. The ash accumulation was relatively lower in the sterile phase for the algae from the BS and WS. The correlation between the Metal Pollution Index (MPI) and the reproductive phases was medium with high fluctuation. Meanwhile, the MPI strongly correlated with the salinity and sampling site. The gradient of the MPI values across the sea was in the following ranking order: BS < WS < NS < IS. Taken together, and based on our data on the elemental contents of F. vesiculosus, we believe that this alga does not accumulate toxic doses of elements. Therefore, the Arctic F. vesiculosus could be safely used in food and drug development as a source of active biochemical compounds and as a source of dietary elements to cover the daily nutritional requirements of humans.

Chemical Composition and In Vitro Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of the Marine Cyanolichen Lichina pygmaea Volatile Compounds

Volatile compounds from the marine cyanolichen Lichina pygmaea, collected from the Moroccan Atlantic coast, were extracted by hydrodistillation and their putative chemical composition was investigated by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Based on the obtained results, Lichina pygmaea volatile compounds (LPVCs) were mainly dominated by sesquiterpenes compounds, where γ-himachalene, β-himachalene, (2E,4E)-2,4 decadienal and α-himachalene were assumed to be the most abundant constituents, with percentage of 37.51%, 11.71%, 8.59% and 7.62%, respectively. LPVCs depicted significant antimicrobial activity against all tested strains (Staphylococcus aureus CCMM B3, Pseudomonas aeruginosa DSM 50090, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 and Candida albicans CCMM-L4) with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values within the range of 1.69–13.5 mg/mL. Moreover, this LPVC showed interesting scavenging effects on the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical with an IC₅₀ of 0.21 mg/mL. LPVCs could be an approving resource with moderate antimicrobial potential and interesting antioxidant activity for cosmetics and pharmaceutical applications.

Comprehensive profiling of bioactive compounds in germinated black soybeans via UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and their anti-Alzheimer's activity

Black soybeans contain several bioactive compounds and commonly consumed due to their health-related activities but rarely cultivated as edible sprouts. The present study investigated the changes that occurred during germination in two new genotypes black soybeans. Raw and germinated seeds were tested against in vitro Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers, including oxidative stress, inflammatory factors and cholinesterase enzymes as well as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels. Sprouts significantly inhibited the cholinesterase enzymes and inflammatory factors (protein denaturation, proteinase and lipoxygenase) than seeds. An increase in phenolic, flavonoid and GABA (10-folds) content and antioxidant capacity (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP) was observed in germinated seeds. However, anthocyanin content was decreased in sprouts. UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS2 metabolites profiling approach identified 22 compounds including amino acids, peptides, fatty acids, and polyphenols. Among identified compounds, daidzein, genistein, gallic acid, spermidine, L-asparagine, and L-lysine exhibited the highest increase after germination. The current study reveals that germination of black soybeans have promising potential to inhibit/prevent AD and can be used to develop functional foods.

Natural Small Molecules Enabled Efficient Immunotherapy through Supramolecular Self-Assembly in P53-Mutated Colorectal Cancer

Nanomedicine, constructed from therapeutics, presents an advantage in drug delivery for cancer therapies. However, nanocarrier-based treatment systems have problems such as interbatch variability, multicomponent complexity, poor drug delivery, and carrier-related toxicity. To solve these issues, the natural molecule honokiol (HK), an anticancer agent in a phase I clinical trial (CTR20170822), was used to form a self-assembly nanoparticle (SA) through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobicity. The preparation of SA needs no molecular precursors or excipients in aqueous solution, and 100% drug-loaded SA exhibited superior tumor-targeting ability due to the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Moreover, SA significantly enhanced the antitumor immunity relative to free HK, and the mechanism has notable selectivity to the p53 pathway. Furthermore, SA exhibited excellent physiological stability and inappreciable toxicity. Taken together, this supramolecular self-assembly strategy provides a safe and "molecular economy" model for rational design of clinical therapies and is expected to promote targeted therapy of HK, especially in colorectal cancer patients with obvious p53 status.

A honokiol-mediated robust coating for blood-contacting devices with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antithrombotic properties

Thrombus, bacterial infections, and severe inflammation are still serious problems that have to be faced with blood-contacting materials. However, it is a great challenge to simultaneously meet the above functional requirements in a simple, economical and efficient method. As such, we put forward a robust and versatile coating strategy by covalently modifying the multi-pharmacological drug honokiol (HK) with an amine-rich polydopamine/polyethyleneimine coating, through which anticoagulant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties were obtained (DPHc) simultaneously. The amine content in the DPHc coating was lower than the detection limit, while it contained abundant phenolic hydroxyl groups (49 μmol cm-2). Meanwhile, the 30 day drug release test confirmed that the drug was firmly modified on the surface of the coating without release. A systematic in vitro and ex vivo evaluation confirmed that the coating had significant anti-thrombotic properties. The antibacterial rates of the DPHc coating against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli reached 99.98% and 99.99%, respectively. In addition, subcutaneous implantation indicated that the DPHc coating also has excellent histocompatibility. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using HK as a coating material that can not only combat thrombosis and infection but also significantly inhibit inflammation associated with the use of blood-contacting materials, thus expanding the application of HK in the field of biomaterials.

Exploring the Potential of Nannochloropsis sp. Extract for Cosmeceutical Applications

Recently, there has been emerging interest in various natural products with skin protective effects as they are recognized as safe and efficient. Microalgae have developed chemical defense systems to protect themselves against oxidative stress caused by UV radiation by producing various bioactive compounds including a number of secondary metabolites, which have potential for cosmeceutical applications. In addition, microalgae have various advantages as a sustainable source for bioactive compounds with diverse functions due to their rapid growth rate, high productivity, and use of non-arable land. In this study, we aimed to investigate the cosmeceutical potential of ethanol extract from Nannochloropsis sp. G1-5 (NG15) isolated from the southern West Sea of the Republic of Korea. It contained PUFAs (including EPA), carotenoids (astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin), and phenolic compounds, which are known to have various skin protective functions. We confirmed that the NG15 extract showed various skin protective functions with low cytotoxicity, specifically anti-melanogenic, antioxidant, skin-moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, anti-wrinkling, and UV protective function, by measuring tyrosinase inhibition activity; melanin content; DPPH radical scavenging activity; expression of HAS-2, MMP-1, and Col1A1 genes; and elastase inhibition activity as well as cell viability after UV exposure. Our results indicated that the NG15 extract has the potential to be used for the development of natural cosmetics with a broad range of skin protective functions.

Isolation, Chemical Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Pectic Polysaccharides of Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium L.)

The aim of this study was to isolate pectins with antioxidant activity from the leaves of Epilobium angustifolium L. Two pectins, EA-4.0 and EA-0.8, with galacturonic acid contents of 88 and 91% were isolated from the leaves of E. angustifolium L. by the treatment of plant raw materials with aqueous hydrochloric acid at pH 4.0 and 0.8, respectively. EA-4.0 and EA-0.8 were found to scavenge the DPPH radical in a concentration-dependent manner at 17–133 μg/mL, whereas commercial apple pectin scavenged at 0.5–2 mg/mL. The antioxidant activity of EA-4.0 was the highest and exceeded the activity of EA-0.8 and a commercial apple pectin by 2 and 39 times (IC₅₀—0.050, 0.109 and 1.961 mg/mL), respectively. Pectins EA-4.0 and EA-0.8 were found to possess superoxide radical scavenging activity, with IC₅₀s equal to 0.27 and 0.97 mg/mL, respectively. Correlation analysis of the composition and activity of 32 polysaccharide fractions obtained by enzyme hydrolysis and anionic exchange chromatography revealed that the antioxidant capacity of fireweed pectins is mainly due to phenolics and is partially associated with xylogalacturonan chains. The data obtained demonstrate that pectic polysaccharides appeared to be bioactive components of fireweed leaves with high antioxidant activity, which depend on pH at their extraction.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties of Carvacrol and Magnolol, in Periodontal Disease and Diabetes Mellitus

Periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus are two pathologies that are extremely widespread worldwide and share the feature of chronic inflammation. Carvacrol is a phenolic monoterpenoid, produced by a variety of herbs, the most well-known of which is Origanum vulgare. Magnolol is a traditional polyphenolic compound isolated from the stem bark of Magnolia officinalis, mainly used in Chinese medicine. The purpose of this paper is to review the therapeutic properties of these bioactive compounds, in the treatment of periodontitis and diabetes. Based on our search strategy we conducted a literature search in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases to identify studies. A total of one hundred eighty-four papers were included in the current review. The results show that carvacrol and magnolol have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-osteoclastic, and anti-diabetic properties that benefit both pathologies. Knowledge of the multiple activities of carvacrol and magnolol can assist with the development of new treatment strategies, and the design of clinical animal and human trials will maximize the potential benefits of these extracts in subjects suffering from periodontitis or diabetes.

O-prenylated carbostyrils as a novel class of 15-lipoxygenase inhibitors: Synthesis, characterization, and inhibitory assessment

Catalyzed peroxidation of unsaturated lipid in animals and plants intimately is linked to the activity of 15-Lipoxygenase enzymes. Lipoxygenases (LOXs) are well known to play an important role in many acute and chronic syndromes such as inflammation, asthma, cancer, and allergy. In this study, a series of mono prenyloxycarbostyrils were synthesized and evaluated as potential inhibitors of soybean 15-Lipoxygenase (SLO) and their inhibitory potencies were compared to mono prenyloxycoumarins which had been reported in the previous works. The synthetic compounds inhibit lipoxygenase enzyme by competitive mechanism like the prenyloxy coumarins. The results showed that position and length of the prenyl moiety play the important role in lipoxygenase inhibitory activity. Among all of the synthetic compounds (coumarin and carbostyril derivatives), 5-farnesyloxycoumarin and 8-farnesyloxycarbostyril demonstrated the best inhibitory activity by IC50  values of 1.1 µM and 0.53 µM, respectively.

Understanding the relationship between the structural properties of lignin and their biological activities

Due to the antioxidant properties of lignin, it has been demonstrated as an active substance for treating oxidation-related and inflammatory diseases. However, how the structural properties of lignin affect its biological activities is still ambiguous. In this study, Kraft lignin from wheat straw (KL-A) was used as the raw material to fractionate into three fractions (e.g., KL-B, KL-C, and KL-D) with different molecular weight by ultrafiltration, which possessed different physicochemical properties. The biocompatibility, in vivo and in vitro scavenging abilities for reactive oxygen species (ROS), and anti-apoptotic abilities of the lignin fractions were evaluated using SW1353 chondrocyte cell lines and were quantitatively fitted to their physicochemical properties. The results showed that lignin fractions with lower molecular weights, lower G/S ratios, and higher non-condensed phenolic OH contents endowed lignin with stronger ROS scavenging ability in vivo and in vitro, but was accompanied by increased cytotoxicity to cells. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of KL-A, KL-B, KL-C, and KL-D were separately determined as 44.02, 33.43, 32.41, and 18.40 μg/mL. Furthermore, KL-D, with the lowest molecular weight and highest number of functional groups, showed the best antioxidant ability, while it performed poorly in inhibiting cellular apoptosis of chondrocytes. Compared to KL-D, KL-C with inverse structural properties, performed better in anti-apoptosis of SW1353 cells, which is the optimum lignin as promising active substances to be applied in the treatment of osteoarthritis in biomedical engineering.

Phytochemical and GCMS approaches to identify active constituents in Erythrina suberosa bark extract and evaluation of its therapeutic potency

Humans rely on plants as a necessitous source of their food, energy, cosmetics and medicines, as medicinal plants are rich source of new therapeutically active compounds from decades. Current study was designed to separate and identify active constituents of Erythrina suberosa bark extract using phytochemical screening and gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy, respectively and evaluated their therapeutic activities. E. suberosa bark extract contained saponins, glycosides, alkaloids, tannins, terpenoids, phenols and 44 active compounds identified by phytochemical and gas chromatography and mass spectroscopic analysis. Therapeutic potentials of E. suberosa bark extract was evaluated by such as cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant assay. Surprisingly, bark extract shows the concentration dependent cytotoxicity against human fibroblast malignant melanoma-144 cell lines and remarkably inhibited (15.18(plusmn;1.13%, at 400mg/ml) growth of cancer cells after 24 hours treatment. In addition, the E. suberosa bark extract also exhibited anti-inflammatory effect at higher doses (400mg/kg) and moderate antioxidant activity is also noticed through (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical) assay. These findings indicate that E. suberosa bark extract exhibited prominent anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities and might be serve as a potent therapeutic agent in future.

Coelomic fluid of Echinometra mathaei: The new prospects for medicinal antioxidants

Echinoid pigments have various biological properties such as antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antibacterial activities. We aimed to evaluate the extraction of cell-free coelomic fluid (CFCF) and coelomocyte lysate (CL) as well as qualitatively and quantitatively identify the coelomic fluid of Echinometra mathaei as a new source of polyhydroxylatednaphthoquinone (PHNQ) antioxidant pigments. Based on the High Performance liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis in negative mode, the main quinonoid (PHNQ) pigments were identified and quantified. This study also illustrated the total ion current chromatograms and related mass spectra of Spinochrome A, Spinochrome B, Spinochrome C, and Echinochrome A in CL and SpinochromeC in CFCF samples. The ions at 221, 279, 265 and 263 m/z correspond to the pseudo-molecular [M - H] ions of Spinochrome B, Spinochrome C, Echinochrome A, and Spinochrome A, respectively. These components have previously been noted from the shells and spines of sea urchins but identification of PHNQs pigments in CL and CFCF of E. mathaei using LC-MS was introduced for the first time. The results also showed that, the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity of CFCF (88.12 DPPH% scavenging at 70 μg/mL, IC₅₀ = <10 μg/mL). The findings clearly suggest that the coelomic fluid of E. mathaei could be served as the promising as well as potential natural antioxidants in the medical and pharmaceutical industries and could replace the increasing prices of the commercial antioxidants products.

Anticancer, Enhanced Antibacterial, and Free Radical Scavenging Potential of Fucoidan- (Fucus vesiculosus Source) Mediated Silver Nanoparticles

The present research displays the green synthesis of stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The aqueous solution of Fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus source (brown marine algae) is used as a reducing and capping agent. UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD, FT-IR, SEM, EDX, and TEM with selected area electron diffraction are used to characterize the synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The synthesized AgNPs exhibit a surface plasmon resonance at 430 nm after 24 h. The characterization results showed that AgNPs are crystalline in nature and exhibit mostly spherical shapes with an average diameter of 4-45 nm. Silver nanoparticles showed effective antibacterial activity against representative pathogens of bacteria. The activities of commercial antibiotics were enhanced by impregnation with the synthesized AgNPs. It also shows good fungicidal and anticancer activity against liver and lung cell lines and shows significant antioxidant efficacy (84%) at 10 μg/ml AgNP concentration against DPPH. The utilization of environmentally synthesized AgNPs offers numerous benefits of ecofriendliness and compatibility for biomedical applications.

The Activity of Chosen Antioxidant Enzymes in Ostrich Meat in Relation to the Type of Packaging and Storage Time in Refrigeration

The aim of the study was to investigate the changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity in ostrich meat, as influenced by various packaging systems and storage time under refrigeration. Three packaging methods were used: vacuum packaging (VP) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in two combinations of gases, MAP1 (40% O₂/40% CO₂/20% N₂) and MAP2 (60% O₂/30% CO₂/10% N₂). Meat samples were taken from the M. ilifibularis (IF) muscles of eight ostriches in each treatment group. The meat samples were stored in a refrigerator in 2 °C and analyzed at days 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16. The lowest level of SOD activity during storage was observed in ostrich muscles packed in vacuum, as compared to MAP1 and MAP2. In turn, the highest increase in GPx activity was recorded in VP, especially up to day 8 of storage, when this parameter reached maximum value (54.37). GR increased up to the eighth day of storage in MAP1 and VP. Between the 12th and 16th days of storage, stabilization of the GR activity level was observed only in VP, while under MAP1, it further decreased. DPPH remained relatively stable until the eighth day of storage and after this period, a decrease in this parameter was recorded, reaching the lowest value on day 12 for all types of packaging systems.

Effect of steaming process on the structural characteristics and antioxidant activities of polysaccharides from Polygonatum sibiricum rhizomes

Polygonatum sibiricum (P. sibiricum) rhizomes are widely used as a tonic and functional food, and are often processed to enhance their tonic function by repeated steaming and drying. As the most important constituent, the polysaccharide from P. sibiricum rhizomes (PSP) has demonstrated various activities, but the alteration of structural characteristics and activities of the purified PSPs during steaming process was rarely investigated. To well understand the effect of steaming process on the polysaccharides of P. sibiricum, neutral polysaccharides from P. sibiricum rhizomes (PSP0 ~ PSP9) after steaming were first isolated and purified, and then the chemical properties and antioxidant activities were determined. The results showed that the molar ratios of monosaccharides in PSPs were different. The molecular weights of PSPs were increased significantly after the fourth steaming. Morphological studies showed that the surface of PSPs became much tighter during the steaming process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra displayed the polysaccharides had similar backbones and chemical groups. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of PSPs was measured through radical scavenging tests. It was found that the radical scavenging activity of PSPs was elevated strikingly after steaming, and increased gradually with numbers of steaming process. The biological and chemical variance of PSPs revealed considerable segregation of PSP0, PSP1 ~ PSP4 and PSP5 ~ PSP9. In conclusion, our results proposed the fourth time as the optimal number of steaming to extract functional polysaccharide from P. sibiricum rhizomes.

Nephroprotective Effect of Costus (Saussurea costus) Ethanolic Extract on Oxaliplatin®-induced Nephrotoxicity in Adult Male Wistar Rats

&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Oxaliplatin&lt;sup&gt;®&lt;/sup&gt; is an antineoplastic platinum-based compound; nephrotoxicity is one of its most serious side effects. This study aimed to explore the nephroprotective potential of Costus Ethanolic Extract (CEE) against Oxaliplatin&lt;sup&gt;®&lt;/sup&gt;-induced nephrotoxicity. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Adult male Wistar rats, weighting 140-160 g, were randomly divided into four groups: (1) Normal rats, (2) Rats ingested with CEE (67.08 mg kg&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; day&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;), (3) Rats injected (ip) with Oxaliplatin&lt;sup&gt;®&lt;/sup&gt; (10 mg kg&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; week&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;) and (4) rats treated with CEE in combination Oxaliplatin&lt;sup&gt;®&lt;/sup&gt; injection. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; After six weeks of treatments, the results revealed that CEE ingestion along with Oxaliplatin&lt;sup&gt;®&lt;/sup&gt; injection markedly minimized the Oxaliplatin&lt;sup&gt;®&lt;/sup&gt;-induced renal deterioration; this was evidenced by the significant reduction in serum urea, creatinine, uric acid, Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin 1Beta (IL&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;β) and Sodium ion (Na&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;) levels as well as kidney Malondialdehyde (MDA), Nitric Oxide (NO) and DNA fragmentation values. Controversially, a marked rise in serum Calcium, Potassium Ion (K&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;) and Cluster of Differentiation 4 (CD4) levels besides renal Glutathione (GSH), Catalase (CAT) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) values. Similarly, the histopathological findings confirmed the biochemical ones as the CEE restored the Oxaliplatin&lt;sup&gt;®&lt;/sup&gt;-induced histological degenerations. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; In conclusion, CEE exhibited nephron-protection efficiency against Oxaliplatin&lt;sup&gt;®&lt;/sup&gt;-induced nephrotoxicity; this promising effect may be achieved through the antioxidant and radical scavenging activities of its constituents.

Impact of High-Pressure Processing on Antioxidant Activity during Storage of Fruits and Fruit Products: A Review

Fruits and fruit products are an essential part of the human diet. Their health benefits are directly related to their content of valuable bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, anthocyanins, or vitamins. Heat treatments allow the production of stable and safe products; however, their sensory quality and chemical composition are subject to significant negative changes. The use of emerging non-thermal technologies, such as HPP (High Pressure Processing), has the potential to inactivate the microbial load while exerting minimal effects on the nutritional and organoleptic properties of food products. HPP is an adequate alternative to heat treatments and simultaneously achieves the purposes of preservation and maintenance of freshness characteristics and health benefits of the final products. However, compounds responsible for antioxidant activity can be significantly affected during treatment and storage of HPP-processed products. Therefore, this article reviews the effect of HPP treatment and subsequent storage on the antioxidant activity (oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacity assay or Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay), and on the total phenolic, flavonoid, carotenoid, anthocyanin and vitamin contents of fruits and different processed fruit-based products.

Proteases Production and Chitin Preparation from the Liquid Fermentation of Chitinous Fishery By-Products by Paenibacillus elgii

Chitinous fishery by-products have great application in the production of various bioactive compounds. In this study, Paenibacillus elgii TKU051, a protease-producing bacterial strain, was isolated using a medium containing 1% squid pens powder (SPP) as the sole carbon/nitrogen (C/N) source. P. elgii TKU051 was found to produce at least four proteases with molecular weights of 100 kDa, 57 kDa, 43 kDa, and 34 kDa (determined by the gelatin zymography method). A P. elgii TkU051 crude enzyme cocktail was optimally active at pH 6-7 and 60 °C. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the hydrolysates obtained from the hydrolysis of shrimp shell powder, shrimp head powder, shrimp meat powder, fish head powder and soya bean powder catalyzed by the P. elgii TkU051 crude enzyme cocktail were also evaluated. P. elgii TKU051 exhibited a high deproteinization capacity (over 94%) on different kinds of shrimp waste (shrimp heads and shells; fresh and cooked shrimp waste; shrimp waste dried by oven and lyophilizer), and the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy profile of the chitin obtained from the deproteinization process displayed the characteristic of chitin. Finally, the obtained chitin exhibited an effect comparable to commercial chitin in terms of adsorption against Congo Red (90.48% and 90.91%, respectively). Thus, P. elgii TKU051 showed potential in the reclamation of chitinous fishery by-products for proteases production and chitin extraction.

1H-NMR Metabolic Profiling and Antioxidant Activity of Saffron (Crocus sativus) Cultivated in Lebanon

Despite the beneficial health properties shown by Lebanese saffron, its qualitative and quantitative composition has never been investigated before. In the present study, NMR spectroscopy, together with antioxidant activity assays, were applied to evaluate the chemical composition of saffron samples of different geographical origins (Lebanon, Italy, Iran, and India) and to categorize the Lebanese saffron for the first time. The distinction between Lebanese saffron and that produced in other countries was attributed to its higher linolenic and linoleic fatty acids, glucose and picrocrocin contents. Moreover, spices produced in three different regions of the Lebanese territory have been clearly differentiated. Saffron cultivated in the Qaa region displayed a high glucose, fatty acids and polyphenols content, whereas Hermel saffron exhibited the largest rate of picrocrocin and glycosylated carotenoids. Finally, samples from Baalbeck showed lower rates for the majority of metabolites. Moreover, Lebanese saffron showed a high antioxidant activity in ABTS and DPPH assays. A low dose of saffron extract (10 µg/mL) inhibited the growth of human lung adenocarcinoma cells, probably due to the high polyphenolic content. This study highlights the quality and peculiarity of Lebanese saffron cultivated in Northern Beqaa district and allows for a good discrimination between spices produced in relatively close territory.

Polyphenol Rich Ajuga bracteosa Transgenic Regenerants Display Better Pharmacological Potential

Ajuga bracteosa Wall. ex Benth. is an endangered medicinal herb traditionally used against different ailments. The present study aimed to create new insight into the fundamental mechanisms of genetic transformation and the biological activities of this plant. We transformed the A. bracteosa plant with rol genes of Agrobacterium rhizogenes and raised the regenerants from the hairy roots. These transgenic regenerants were screened for in vitro antioxidant activities, a range of in vivo assays, elemental analysis, polyphenol content, and different phytochemicals found through HPLC. Among 18 polyphenolic standards, kaempferol was most abundant in all transgenic lines. Furthermore, transgenic line 3 (ABRL3) showed maximum phenolics and flavonoids content among all tested plant extracts. ABRL3 also demonstrated the highest total antioxidant capacity (8.16 ± 1 μg AAE/mg), total reducing power, (6.60 ± 1.17 μg AAE/mg), DPPH activity (IC50 = 59.5 ± 0.8 μg/mL), hydroxyl ion scavenging (IC50 = 122.5 ± 0.90 μg/mL), and iron-chelating power (IC50 = 154.8 ± 2 μg/mL). Moreover, transformed plant extracts produced significant analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, and antidepressant activities in BALB/c mice models. In conclusion, transgenic regenerants of A. bracteosa pose better antioxidant and pharmacological properties under the effect of rol genes as compared to wild-type plants.

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity of Curcumin-Loaded Electrospun Nanofibers for the Prevention of the Biofilm-Associated Infections

Curcumin extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma Longa has been used in therapeutic preparations for centuries in different parts of the world. However, its bioactivity is limited by chemical instability, water insolubility, low bioavailability, and extensive metabolism. In this study, the coaxial electrospinning technique was used to produce both poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-curcumin and core-shell nanofibers composed of PCL and curcumin in the core and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) in the shell. Morphology and physical properties, as well as the release of curcumin were studied and compared with neat PCL, showing the formation of randomly oriented, defect-free cylindrical fibers with a narrow distribution of the dimensions. The antibacterial and antibiofilm potential, including the capacity to interfere with the quorum-sensing mechanism, was evaluated on Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, and Streptococcus mutans, two opportunistic pathogenic bacteria frequently associated with infections. The reported results demonstrated the ability of the Curcumin-loading membranes to inhibit both PAO1 and S. mutans biofilm growth and activity, thus representing a promising solution for the prevention of biofilm-associated infections. Moreover, the high biocompatibility and the ability to control the oxidative stress of damaged tissue, make the synthesized membranes useful as scaffolds in tissue engineering regeneration, helping to accelerate the healing process.

Biological Actions and Molecular Mechanisms of Sambucus nigra L. in Neurodegeneration: A Cell Culture Approach

Sambucus nigra flowers (elderflower) have been widely used in traditional medicine for the relief of early symptoms of common cold. Its chemical composition mainly consists of polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids, hydroxycinnamic acids, and triterpenes. Although the antioxidant properties of polyphenols are well known, the aim of this study is to assess the antioxidant and protective potentials of Sambucus nigra flowers in the human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cell line using different in vitro approaches. The antioxidant capacity is first evaluated by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and the free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) methods. Cell viability is assessed by the crystal violet method; furthermore, the intracellular ROS formation (DCFH-DA method) is determined, together with the effect on the cell antioxidant defenses: reduced glutathione (GSH) and antioxidant enzyme activities (GPx, GR). On the other hand, mTORC1 hyperactivation and autophagy blockage have been associated with an increase in the formation of protein aggregates, this promoting the transference and expansion of neurodegenerative diseases. Then, the ability of Sambucus nigra flowers in the regulation of mTORC1 signaling activity and the reduction in oxidative stress through the activation of autophagy/mitophagy flux is also examined. In this regard, search for different molecules with a potential inhibitory effect on mTORC1 activation could have multiple positive effects either in the molecular pathogenic events and/or in the progression of several diseases including neurodegenerative ones.

Multidirectional anti-melanoma effect of galactolipids (MGDG-1 and DGDG-1) from Impatiens parviflora DC. and their synergy with doxorubicin

The anti-melanoma potential of galactolipids: MGDG-1 and DGDG-1, isolated from Impatiens parviflora, and their synergistic effect with anticancer drug - doxorubicin (DOX) was investigated. Both compounds demonstrated time- and dose-dependent cytotoxicity against human melanoma cells of different metastatic potential. MGDG-1 was more effective than DGDG-1, with the highest activity against A375 cell line (IC₅₀ = 15.14 μg/mL). Both compounds acted selectively, were devoid of hepatotoxicity or mutagenicity. Additionally, MGDG-1 proved to be a tyrosinase inhibitor. Co-administration of MGDG-1 and DGDG-1 with DOX revealed a synergistic cytotoxic effect on melanoma cells. The cytotoxicity of all tested MGDG-1/DOX and DGDG-1/DOX cocktails was considerably higher than that of each agent administered alone. MGDG-1/DOX (Mix3) reduced the viability of A375 melanoma cells almost totally and this effect was 2-fold more potent as compared to DOX alone. Our study indicates that the overall effect is enhanced with the increasing concentration of MGDG-1 in the cocktail. These results open up a possibility for lowering therapeutic doses of chemotherapeutics such as doxorubicin when co-administrated with galactolipids. Thus, MGDG-1 can be prospectively considered as multidirectional anti-melanoma agent and can be recommended for further in vitro and in vivo studies, especially in search for effective combined therapy.

High or low temperature extraction, which is more conducive to Triphala against chronic pharyngitis?

OBJECTIVE

Explore the effects of high-temperature reflux extraction and low-temperature decompressing inner ebullition on Triphala's chemical composition and anti-chronic pharyngitis activity.

METHODS

The network pharmacology was used to analyze the material basis, targets and pathways of Triphala for chronic pharyngitis. HPLC were used to compare the fingerprint profile and content of components between the two extracts. The antioxidant and anti-chronic pharyngitis activities of the two extracts were compared by DPPH assay and ammonia induced chronic pharyngitis model in rats.

RESULTS

The network pharmacology results showed that the active ingredients of Triphala for chronic pharyngitis are epigallocatechin-3-gallate, (+)-catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, (+)-gallocatechin, quercetin, luteolin, leucodelphinidin and other flavonoids; phenolic acids such as gallic acid and ellagic acid; alkaloids such as ellipticine, cheilanthifoline; hydrolyzed tannins such as corilagin and chebulic acid. The high-temperature reflux extract and the low-temperature decompressing inner ebullition extract have extremely significant differences in the fingerprint profile. Among them, the content of gallic acid, ellagic acid, chebulic acid, catechin, epicatechin, corilagin, quercetin, and epicatechin gallate in the reflux extract is 1.1-5.3 times as much as decompressing inner ebullition extract. The free radical scavenging ability of reflux extract is significantly stronger than that of decompression extract (p < 0.01), and it has a repairing effect on pharyngeal mucosal damage (reducing keratinization or hyperplasia of mucosal epithelium, reducing inflammatory cell infiltration and bleeding), and reducing IL-1β (P＜0.05), IL-6 (p＜0.05), TNF-α overexpression ability is stronger than the decompressing inner ebullition extract.

CONCLUSIONS

gallic acid, ellagic acid, chebulic acid, catechin, epicatechin, corilagin and epicatechin gallate are the basic aglycones or oligomers of tannin. High temperature reflux extraction can significantly promote the occurrence of the hydrolysis of tannins and significantly increases the content of these components.Therefore, its anti-chronic pharyngitis activity is enhanced. It is suggested that high temperature reflux extraction should be used in the treatment of chronic pharyngitis.

Assessment of Chemopreventive Potential of the Plant Extracts against Liver Cancer Using HepG2 Cell Line

The edible parts of the plants Camellia sinensis, Vitis vinifera and Withania somnifera were extensively used in ancient practices such as Ayurveda, owing to their potent biomedical significance. They are very rich in secondary metabolites such as polyphenols, which are very good antioxidants and exhibit anti-carcinogenic properties. This study aims to evaluate the anti-cancerous properties of these plant crude extracts on human liver cancer HepG2 cells. The leaves of Camellia sinensis, Withania somnifera and the seeds of Vitis vinifera were collected and methanolic extracts were prepared. Then, these extracts were subjected to DPPH, α- amylase assays to determine the antioxidant properties. A MTT assay was performed to investigate the viability of the extracts of HepG2 cells, and the mode of cell death was detected by Ao/EtBr staining and flow cytometry with PI Annexin- V FITC dual staining. Then, the protein expression of BAX and BCl2 was studied using fluorescent dye to determine the regulation of the BAX and BCl2 genes. We observed that all the three extracts showed the presence of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols or phytochemicals. The W. somnifera bioactive compounds were found to have the highest anti-proliferative activity on human liver cancer cells.

Oral Core-Shell Nanoparticles Embedded in Hydrogel Microspheres for the Efficient Site-Specific Delivery of Magnolol and Enhanced Antiulcerative Colitis Therapy

Although magnolol (Mag), an anti-inflammatory natural compound, has been demonstrated to play protective effects on ulcerative colitis (UC), its application as an alternative therapeutic reagent for UC treatment is still greatly impeded due to its poor stability in the gastrointestinal tract and insufficient accumulation in the inflamed colon lesion. Nano-/microsized drug delivery systems can potentially overcome some challenges regarding the oral administration of phytochemicals, which still confront premature early drug release, degradation of NPs, or the sustained drug release of MPs. In this study, we primarily loaded Mag into the core-shell zein-based nanoparticles with chondroitin sulfate coating (Mag@CS-Zein NPs) with an average size of 142.27 ± 5.11 nm, showing significant macrophage-targeting and enhanced colon epithelial cellular uptake capacity. Then, we embedded Mag@CS-Zein NPs into hydrogel microspheres via an electrospraying technology. The Mag@CS-Zein NPsinMPs presented a uniform-sized sphere with an average size of 164.36 ± 6.29 μm and sustained drug-release profiles. Compared to CS-Zein NPs, the developed CS-Zein NPsinMPs exhibited prolonged colon retention on the inflammatory surface, as seen from ex vivo and in vivo imaging fluorescence adhesion experiments. Based on the advantage of the combination of hybrid nanoparticles-in-microparticles, oral administration of Mag@CS-Zein NPsinMPs significantly alleviated colitis symptoms in DSS-treated mice by regulating the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10) and factor accelerated colonic mucosal barrier repair via upregulating the expression of ZO-1 and occludin. This study provides great insights into the oral drug delivery of natural compounds for UC therapy.

Abrus precatorius Leaf Extract Reverses Alloxan/Nicotinamide-Induced Diabetes Mellitus in Rats through Hormonal (Insulin, GLP-1, and Glucagon) and Enzymatic (α-Amylase/α-Glucosidase) Modulation

BACKGROUND

Abrus precatorius is used in folk medicine across Afro-Asian regions of the world. Earlier, glucose lowering and pancreato-protective effects of Abrus precatorius leaf extract (APLE) was confirmed experimentally in STZ/nicotinamide-induced diabetic rats; however, the underlying mechanism of antidiabetic effect and pancreato-protection remained unknown.

OBJECTIVE

This study elucidated antidiabetic mechanisms and pancreato-protective effects of APLE in diabetic rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

APLE was prepared by ethanol/Soxhlet extraction method. Total phenols and flavonoids were quantified calorimetrically after initial phytochemical screening. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was established in adult Sprague-Dawley rats (weighing 120-180 g) of both sexes by daily sequential injection of nicotinamide (48 mg/kg; ip) and Alloxan (120 mg/kg; ip) over a period of 7 days. Except control rats which had fasting blood glucose (FBG) of 4.60 mmol/L, rats having stable FBG (16-21 mmol/L) 7 days post-nicotinamide/Alloxan injection were considered diabetic and were randomly reassigned to one of the following groups (model, APLE (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, respectively; po) and metformin (300 mg/kg; po)) and treated daily for 18 days. Bodyweight and FBG were measured every 72 hours for 18 days. On day 18, rats were sacrificed under deep anesthesia; organs (kidney, liver, pancreas, and spleen) were isolated and weighed. Blood was collected for estimation of serum insulin, glucagon, and GLP-1 using a rat-specific ELISA kit. The pancreas was processed, sectioned, and H&E-stained for histological examination. Effect of APLE on enzymatic activity of alpha (α)-amylase and α-glucosidase was assessed. Antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties of APLE were assessed using standard methods.

RESULTS

APLE dose-dependently decreased the initial FBG by 68.67%, 31.07%, and 4.39% compared to model (4.34%) and metformin (43.63%). APLE (100 mg/kg) treatment restored weight loss relative to model. APLE increased serum insulin and GLP-1 but decreased serum glucagon relative to model. APLE increased both the number and median crosssectional area (×106 μm2) of pancreatic islets compared to that of model. APLE produced concentration-dependent inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase relative to acarbose. APLE concentration dependently scavenged DPPH and nitric oxide (NO) radicals and demonstrated increased ferric reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAC) relative to standards.

CONCLUSION

Antidiabetic effect of APLE is mediated through modulation of insulin and GLP-1 inversely with glucagon, noncompetitive inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, free radical scavenging, and recovery of damaged/necro-apoptosized pancreatic β-cells.

Exploring cardioprotective potential of esculetin against isoproterenol induced myocardial toxicity in rats: in vivo and in vitro evidence

BACKGROUND

Esculetin is a natural coumarin derivative from various plants with multiple pharmacological effects. Hence, the present study was undertaken to explore the cardio protective potential of esculetin against isoproterenol induced myocardial toxicity in rats.

METHODS

The treatment schedule was fixed for 28 days and the rats were divided into five groups of six each. Rats of group I received the normal saline and served as normal control, group II was received ISO (100 mg/kg body weight) for last two consecutive days of the study and served as disease control. Groups III and IV received esculetin 10 and 20 mg/kg body weight respectively once a day per oral for 28 days along with ISO for last two consecutive days of the study. Cardiac biomarkers such as CK-MB and LDH, membrane bound Na+ /K+ ATPases activity, myocardial lysosomal enzymes activity and tissue antioxidants status were estimated in the heart tissue samples. The histopathological changes in the myocardium were also assessed. Further, DPPH assay was done to evaluate the free radicals scavenging potential of esculetin. Cytoxicity assay, intracellular ROS levels by DCFDA assay and m-RNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and NF-κB by quantitative RT-PCR in H9c2 cell lines.

RESULTS

The increased levels of CK-MB, LDH, LPO, myocardial lysosomal enzymes and membrane bound Na+ /K+ ATPase levels by ISO administration was significantly increased with concomitant decrease in tissue antioxidant enzymes such as GSH, Catalase, and SOD. Pre-treatment with esculetin for 28 days has significantly decreased the levels of cardiac bio-markers, lysosomal enzymes, membrane bound Na+ /K+ ATPase levels as well as Lipid peroxides which is in contrary to the ISO group. Amelioration of the antioxidant levels were also found in esculetin treated groups. Histopathological examination of heart reveals that myocardial degeneration, mononuclear cell infiltration was noticed in ISO treated rats, whereas the same was restored with esculetin treatment. In H9C2 cell lines esculetin could effectively reduced intracellular ROS inhibition and m-RNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-6 and NF-κB to prevent apoptosis or cell necrosis.

CONCLUSION

The study provides the evidence of cardioprotective potentials of esculetin against isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction by antioxidant and myocardial membrane stabilization along with in vitro protection from arsenic induced ROS cell necrosis or apoptosis in H9C2 cells.

Semi-Synthesis and In Vitro Anti-Cancer Evaluation of Magnolol Derivatives

Magnolol (MAG), a biphenolic neolignan, has various biological activities including antitumor effects. In this study, 15 MAG derivatives were semi-synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activities. From these derivatives, compound 6a exhibited the best cytotoxic activity against four human cancer cell lines, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 20.43 to 28.27 μM. Wound-healing and transwell assays showed that compound 6a significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, Western blotting experiments, performed using various concentrations of 6a, demonstrated that it downregulates the expression of HIF-1α, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in a concentration-dependent manner. Overall, these results suggest that substituting a benzyl group having F atoms substituted at the C2 position on MAG is a viable strategy for the structural optimization of MAG derivatives as anticancer agents.

Microfibrillated cellulose films containing chitosan and tannic acid for wound healing applications

The effectiveness of tannic acid as antimicrobial and wound healing for burns have been shown for a century; however, uncontrolled target dosage may result in undesirable side-effects. Remarkably, tannic acid polyphenols compounds crosslinked with polymeric materials produce a strong composite containing the beneficial properties of this tannin. However, investigation of the crosslink structure and its antibacterial and regenerative properties are still unknown when using nanocellulose by mechanical defibrillation; additionally, due to the potential crosslink structure with chitosan, its structure can be complex. Therefore, this work uses bleach kraft nanocellulose in order to investigate the effect on the physical and regenerative properties when incorporated with chitosan and tannic acid. This film results in increased rigidity with a lamellar structure when incorporated with tannic acid due to its strong hydrogen bonding. The release of tannic acid varied depending on the structure it was synthesised with, whereas with chitosan it presented good release model compared to pure cellulose. In addition, exhibiting similar thermal stability as pure cellulose films with antibacterial properties tested against S. aureus and E. coli with good metabolic cellular viability while also inhibiting NF-κB activity, a characteristic of tannic acid.

Evaluating the Antioxidants, Whitening and Antiaging Properties of Rice Protein Hydrolysates

Plant-derived protein hydrolysates have potential applications in nutrition. Rice protein hydrolysates (RPHs), an excellent source of proteins, have attracted attention for the development of cosmeceuticals. However, few studies have reported the potential application of RPH in analysis, and this study examined their antioxidant activities and the inhibitory activities of skin aging enzymes. The results indicated that the total phenolic and flavonoid concentrations were 2.06 ± 0.13 mg gallic acid equivalent/g RPHs and 25.96 ± 0.52 µg quercetin equivalent/g RPHs, respectively. RPHs demonstrated dose-dependent activity for scavenging free radicals from 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl [half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 42.58 ± 2.1 mg/g RPHs] and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (IC50 = 2.11 ± 0.88 mg/g RPHs), dose-dependent reduction capacity (6.95 ± 1.40 mg vitamin C equivalent/g RPHs) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (473 µmol Trolox equivalent/g RPHs). The concentrations of the RPH solution required to achieve 50% inhibition of hyaluronidase and tyrosinase activities were determined to be 8.91 and 107.6 mg/mL, respectively. This study demonstrated that RPHs have antioxidant, antihyaluronidase, and antityrosinase activities for future cosmetic applications.

Synthesis of Caffeoyl-Prolyl-Histidyl-Xaa Derivatives and Evaluation of Their Activities and Stability upon Long-Term Storage

Antioxidants play a critical role in the treatment of degenerative diseases and delaying the aging of dermal tissue. Caffeic acid (CA) is a representative example of the antioxidants found in plants. However, CA is unsuitable for long-term storage because of its poor stability under ambient conditions. Caffeoyl-Pro-His-NH₂ (CA-Pro-His-NH₂, CA-PH) exhibits the highest antioxidant activity, free radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibition activity among the histidine-containing CA-conjugated dipeptides reported to date. The addition of short peptides to CA, such as Pro-His, is assumed to synergistically enhance its antioxidative activity. In this study, several caffeoyl-prolyl-histidyl-Xaa-NH₂ derivatives were synthesized and their antioxidative activities evaluated. CA-Pro-His-Asn-NH₂ showed enhanced antioxidative activity and higher structural stability than CA-PH, even after long-term storage. CA-Pro-His-Asn-NH₂ was stable for 3 months, its stability being evaluated by observing the changes in its NMR spectra. Moreover, the solid-phase synthetic strategy used to prepare these CA-Pro-His-Xaa-NH₂ derivatives was optimized for large-scale production. We envision that CA-Pro-His-Xaa-NH₂ derivatives can be used as potent dermal therapeutic agents and useful cosmetic ingredients.

Epilobium angustifolium L. Extracts as Valuable Ingredients in Cosmetic and Dermatological Products

Epilobium angustifolium L. is a popular and well-known medicinal plant. In this study, an attempt to evaluate the possibility of using this plant in preparations for the care and treatment of skin diseases was made. The antioxidant, antiaging and anti-inflammatory properties of ethanolic extracts from Epilobium angustifolium (FEE) were assessed. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of extracts chemically composition was performed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The total polyphenol content (TPC) of biologically active compounds, such as the total content of polyphenols (TPC), flavonoids (TFC), and assimilation pigments, as well as selected phenolic acids, was assessed. FEE was evaluated for their anti-inflammatory and antiaging properties, achieving 68% inhibition of lipoxygenase activity, 60% of collagenase and 49% of elastase. FEE also showed high antioxidant activity, reaching to 87% of free radical scavenging using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 59% using 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS). Additionally, in vitro penetration studies were performed using two vehicles, i.e., a hydrogel and an emulsion containing FEE. These studies showed that the active ingredients contained in FEE penetrate through human skin and accumulate in it. The obtained results indicate that E. angustifolium may be an interesting plant material to be applied as a component of cosmetic and dermatological preparations with antiaging and anti-inflammatory properties.