Ethnopharmacological relevance of Garcinia mangostana is a member of the Clusiaceae family distributed in the tropical rainforest of Southeast Asian countries like India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Thailand and also known as "the queen of fruits" due to its extensive treatment ability for abdominal pain, diarrhea, wound infection, chronic ulcer. Parts of the pericarp are extracted with ethanol and fractionated using chromatography for future characterization investigations. For both fractions, phytochemical screening, antioxidant assay, antibacterial assay, and TLC were conducted. The extraction procedure was adjusted by RSM-CCD, and the outcomes were assessed through an antioxidant estimate. DPPH radical scavenging activity was used to determine whether or not both fractions contain antioxidant capabilities. In 89.1 g/ml, the rind extraction was determined to be 69.54 percent. MTT test was used to examine the anticancer activities of HeLa cell lines. The cytotoxicity against normal cells was insignificant since the IC50 values were 207.07 g/m. The bioactive compounds were evaluated by GC-MS and further used for molecular docking against CDK1- member of the family of cell cycle regulatory proteins involved in the cell cycle maintenance and over-expression of shows association with cancer. The intention of performing docking with the compounds present in the plant extract in silico was to establish inhibition of CDK1, which shows the inhibition of cancer.

Lung cancer is the major type of cancer and produces a high prevalence rate worldwide. The scientific communities have attempted to find natural remedies for cancer treatment because synthetic medicines produce numerous side effects. Medicinal plants used in the Ayurvedic system and other natural medicines are increasingly studied for their effectiveness and lower side effects. This study aimed to isolate the leaves of Hygrophila Schulli from the molecule and evaluate their antioxidant and antiproliferative effects. Total phenolic, flavonoid, and alkaloid contents were determined in organic solvent extracts of H. schulli leaves. Antioxidant and antiproliferative effects against synthetic free radicals and human lung cancer cell line (A549) were determined using suitable In vitro methods, respectively. Effective extracts of H. Schulli were used to isolate the active molecule by column chromatography, followed by UV-Vis, FT-IR, NMR, and GC-MS spectral studies were performed in order to predict the structural elucidation of isolated compounds. Molecular docking was employed to examine the binding efficacy of the phytoconstituents on the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). The methanolic and chloroform extracts exhibited diverse phytochemicals with considerable antioxidant and antiproliferative effects. A novel pentaene type molecule as (5E,9Z,13Z)-2, 6, 10, 14, 18-pentamethylnonadeca-1, 5, 9, 13, 17-pentaene from chloroform extract showed good antioxidant and antiproliferative effects as well as high binding properties with EGFR. Also, the pentaene compound induced cell cycle arrest in A549 cell lines at the G2/M phase by Flow cytometric analysis. Chloroform extract exerted evident antiproliferative effects attributed to the presence of a novel pentane compound. These findings provide a lead molecule from H. schulli leaves, a candidate drug for the invention of anticancer drugs.

Nanocellulose has recently gained a foothold of significance among nanomaterials due to its unique properties, including renewability and sustainability. In this study, two promising methods, steam explosion and alkali-acid hydrolysis, were evaluated for the cellulose extraction from coconut husk fiber. Between the two methods, alkali-acid hydrolysis yielded 1.8 times higher cellulose content than the other. Hence, cellulose was obtained through the alkali-acid hydrolysis method to synthesize Nano-Crystalline Cellulose (NCC). In order to maximize cellulose content in nanocellulose synthesis, acid concentration, reaction temperature, and hydrolysis time were optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The optimum reaction condition for the synthesis of NCC was 50 °C with 45 wt% acid concentration for 60 minutes due to its high cellulose content (85.6 %). Synthesized NCC was spherical in shape with a diameter below 40 nm. NCC had better crystallinity (80.05 %) with a high zeta potential of -72.2 mV. NCC was evaluated for its adsorption capacity for different dyes at varying pH levels. Among the dyes, the removal efficiency of NCC was higher for methylene blue (90.89 %) and congo red (89.96 %) at all pH levels. But adsorption of crystal violet dye by NCC was higher in alkaline pH (9) and methyl red in acidic pH (5). As a result, synthesized nano cellulose could be used in the removal of synthetic dyes from textile effluents.

Combining anticancer drugs enhances treatment outcomes and achieves superior therapeutic effects in cancer treatment. The present study aimed to assess the anticancer effect of melatonin (MEL) and ascorbyl palmitate-loaded pluronic nanoparticles (APnp) combination on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC)-bearing mice. Tumor volume, viability, and evaluation of histopathological, ultrastructural, and immunohistochemical studies were investigated. Furthermore, cell cycle and western blotting analysis were also carried out to explore the anticancer action of the MEL and APnp combination. The present study shows for the first time that a combination of MEL and APnp can synergistically reduce tumor growth accompanied by increased antioxidant profiles and decreased levels of oxidative stress. It also induced apoptosis and DNA damage. Besides, mediated cell cycle arrest. Moreover, the IL-6/STAT3 pathway was inactivated to a greater extent after our combination treatment. The results of the immunohistochemical examination demonstrated the antiproliferative effect of MEL and APnp via decreased expression of Ki-67. Our combination of MEL and APnp was able to inhibit cancer cell invasion and metastasis by decreasing the protein expression of MMP-9. Finally, we conclude that the combination of MEL and APnp is considered a novel therapeutical strategy for cancer treatment as it shows superiority over MEL alone.

As one of the novel antimalarial targets, the Plasmodium falciparum dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (PfDHODH), which catalyzed the production of orotic acids, needs to be inhibited using natural compounds as an alternative. The development of new drugs needs to be predicted through in silico methods to save costs and time through computational means. This study aims to perform virtual screening, through molecular docking simulation, of compounds from sunflower (Helianthus annuus), in inhibiting the PfDHODH based on predictions of pharmacokinetics and toxicity. We have virtually screened 155 compounds, and the result showed that the flavonoid hispidulin has the best binding pose and energy of -8.03 kcal/mol and was predicted to be a potential antimalarial candidate based on the parameters of affinity energy, binding site likeness to F1T, as well as pharmacokinetic and toxicity prediction. It also showed that strigolactones and flavonoids dominated ligands with the best affinity energy and the benzopyrans class, which showed a similar structure pattern with F1T.

Increasing attention is now being paid to applying green chemistry compounds, i.e., compounds that cause minimum environmental damage. Biopolymers have a leading place in this issue, and chitosan and its derivatives are leading among them. The unique structure of chitosan allows it to exhibit a set of properties such as biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, and others, due to which it has found wide application in various fields. Modifications of its structure by alkylation, esterification, graft copolymerization, acylation, and other types of modification and new technologies have greatly expanded the possible applications of chitosan and its derivatives. The important aspect is also that the technologies used for modification can be attributed to green chemistry, and the modification products are eco-friendly. This article provides an overview of recent trends in preparing chitosan derivatives and their use in light of environmentally friendly technologies.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an emergent opportunistic pathogen whose presence in curative mineral waters may become significant in certain scenarios which require health promotion measures; this study aimed the evaluation the degree of contamination of the mineral waters used for therapeutic purposes with P.aeruginosa by monitoring this omnipresent bacterial species in aquatic environments in underground hydromineral sources (springs, wells or boreholes) or above-ground hydromineral sources (natural lakes and bathing ponds) using the culture-dependent method. The results show that the curative waters contaminated with P.aeruginosa were characterized by a different mineralization and specific chemical profiles, in which the predominant ions (>20% mEq) were Na+, Cl-, S2-, HCO32- or Br-; statistical observations showed an interdependence between the level of populations of P.aeruginosa and HPC (370C) or HPC (220C), unlike the magnitude of abiotic factors, that are dynamic and may change at any point along the exploitation chain of these waters. The physicochemical profile of the hydromineral source contaminated with P.aeruginosa, regardless of its origin, appears to include a medium mineralization (1-15 g·dm-3), a chemical structure with dominant ions Na+/Cl-, an optimal temperature <20°C and a basic pH.

Amikacin is one of the aminoglycoside antibiotics widely used in intensive care units for pediatric and adult patients, especially for serious infections such as life-threatening Gram-negative infections. This study investigated whether misoprostol, which has antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties, had a beneficial effect on liver damage caused by amikacin administration in rats. Misoprostol treatment increased serum high-density lipoprotein levels and significantly decreased alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, and triglyceride levels. Cytochrome P450 2B1 and Cytochrome P450 2B2 gene expressions induced by amikacin treatment were ameliorated by misoprostol. Liver weights increased by the phospholipidosis effect of amikacin were improved by misoprostol treatment. A decrease in malondialdehyde levels and an increase in glutathione activities were detected in the amikacin+misoprostol group compared to the amikacin group. Oxidative damage caused by amikacin was ameliorated by misoprostol treatment due to its antiapoptotic and antioxidative effects. Treatment with misoprostol significantly reduced Caspase 3 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha levels compared to amikacin. Our results showed that misoprostol could serve as a new therapeutic target to prevent amikacin-induced hepatotoxicity by inhibiting reactive oxygen species generation and modulating apoptosis.

Phenolic compounds have been introduced to be toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic, and they have adverse effects on the nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. This research aimed to scrutinize the efficiency of Fe3O4 nanoparticles modified with sodium dodecyl sulfate (Fe3O4/SDS) to remove p-cresol and pyrocatechol from an aqueous environment. The maximum elimination efficiencies at neutral pH were 98.9% for pyrocatechol and 91.2% for p-cresol. This percentage was obtained at a pH equal to 7, contact time of 60 min, p-cresol and pyrocatechol concentration of 50 mg/L, and Fe3O4/SDS dose of 0.4 g/L and at a temperature of 30 ℃. Equilibrium data were analyzed with four linear and nonlinear isotherm and kinetic models and four error coefficient models. The results showed the compliance of the data with the Langmuir isotherm for both the samples and with both linear and nonlinear models. Furthermore, thermodynamic studies ascertained that the p-cresol and pyrocatechol adsorption on the adsorbent is spontaneous and endothermic. Adsorption tests in three consecutive cycles showed a 4% reduction in removing p-cresol and pyrocatechol. Finally, it can be said that Fe3O4/SDS has high efficiency in removing phenolic compounds from aqueous environments, and it can be easily collected from the system by a magnetic adsorbent.

Herein, using first-principles density functional theory, we explored the applicability of cellulose as a functional material of carbon nanotubes and as an adsorbent material for heavy metals (As, Hg, and Pb). The calculations revealed that cellulose is suitable for the non-covalent functionalization of SWCNT. The interaction of SWCNT with cellulose is mainly classified as physical interaction. This claim is supported by the results of binding energy, equilibrium distances, and charge transfer analysis of the SWCNT and cellulose. The electronic structure of the prototype SWCNT in the cellulose nanocomposite is well maintained, where no visible hybridization of the orbital characters is observed. The calculations explain experimental observations that cellulose is suitable for the non-covalent functionalization of SWCNT. Further calculations show that As and Pb can be trapped by cellulose biopolymer, while Hg indicates weak interaction. A significant reduction of the bandgap of cellulose is observed upon adsorption of As and Pb. These findings show cellulose can be used as an adsorbent sensing material for As and Pb. Overall, the results of this study confirm that cellulose is a promising functional material for SWCNT and a renewable adsorbent material for heavy metals.