Perturbations in Microbiota Composition as a Novel Mediator in Neuropsychiatric, Neurological and Mental Disorders: Preventive and Therapeutic Complementary Therapies to Balance the Change.

Although microbiology and neurology are separate disciplines, they are linked to some infectious and neurological diseases. Today, microbiome is considered as one of the biomarkers of health by many researchers. This has led to the association of microbiome changes with many neurological diseases. The natural microbiota has many beneficial properties. If disrupted and altered, it can lead to irreversible complications and many neurological diseases. Therefore, according to previous studies, some preventive and therapeutic complementary therapies can prevent or restore microbiome dysbiosis and inflammation in the nervous system. With our current perception of the microbiological basis for different neurological disorders, both aspects of drug treatment and control of perturbations of the microbiome should be considered, and targeting them simultaneously will likely help to attain favorable results.

Leishmanicidal activities of biosynthesized BaCO3 (witherite) nanoparticles and their biocompatibility with macrophages.

The aim of this study was cost-effective and greener synthesis of barium carbonate (BaCO3 or witherite) nanoparticles with economic importance, and to evaluate their therapeutic potentials and biocompatibility with immune cells. Barium carbonate nanoparticles were biosynthesized using black elderberry extract in one step with non-toxic precursors and simple laboratory conditions; their morphologies and specific structures were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FESEM-EDX). The therapeutic capabilities of these nanoparticles on the immune cells of murine macrophages J774 and promastigotes Leishmania tropica were evaluated. BaCO3 nanoparticles with IC50 = 46.6 µg/mL were more effective than negative control and glucantium (positive control) in reducing promastigotes (P < 0.01). Additionally, these nanoparticles with a high value of cytotoxicity concentration 50% (CC50) were less toxic to macrophage cells than glucantime; however, they were significantly different at high concentrations compared to the negative control.

Calcium carbonate nanowires: greener biosynthesis and their leishmanicidal activity.

The synthesis of inorganic rod shape nanostructures is important in chromatography, dentistry, and medical applications such as bone implants, and drug and gene delivery systems. Herein, calcium carbonate (CaCO3) nanowires were synthesized using a plant extract and the ensuing nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, FESEM, and HR-TEM. Then, the leishmanicidal effects of biogenic calcium carbonate nanowires were investigated against Leishmania major including the toxicity of varying concentrations of nanoparticles, and the percentage of viable and apoptotic cells based on flow cytometry analysis. Based on the results, the IC50 of these polymorphs were calculated to be 800 µg mL-1. An ecofriendly, inexpensive, and novel biogenic method for the production of a new advanced inorganic nanostructure, CaCO3 nanowires, is described without using hazardous chemicals; calcium carbonate nanowires maybe used as a smart drug carrier.