Ammodaucus Leucotrichus Seed Extract as a Potential Therapy in Animal Models of Rheumatoid Arthritis Induced by Complete Freund Adjuvant and Chicken Cartilage Collagen.

This study assessed the efficacy of an Ammodaucus leucotrichus seed extract to treat rheumatoid arthritis in rat models of this disease. Rheumatoid arthritis was induced in rats using two methods: immunization with 100 µL of Complete Freund Adjuvant (CFA) and immunization with 100 µL of a 3 mg/ml solution of type II collagen (CII) from chicken cartilage. The therapeutic potential of the extract was assessed at different doses (150, 300, and 600 mg/kg/day for 21 days in the CII-induced arthritis model and for 14 days in the CFA-induced arthritis model) and compared with methotrexate (MTX; 0.2 mg/kg for the same periods), a commonly used drug for rheumatoid arthritis treatment in humans. In both models (CII-induced arthritis and CFA-induced arthritis), walking distance, step length, intra-step distance and footprint area were improved following treatment with the A. leucotrichus seed extract (all concentrations) and MTX compared with untreated animals. Both treatments increased the serum concentration of glutathione and reduced that of complement C3, malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase. Radiographic data and histological analysis indicated that cartilage destruction was reduced already with the lowest dose of the extract (100 mg/kg/dose) in both models. These results show the substantial antiarthritic potential of the A. leucotrichus seed extract, even at the lowest dose, suggesting that it may be a promising alternative therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and joint inflammation. They also emphasize its efficacy at various doses, providing impetus for more research on this extract as a potential therapeutic agent for arthritis.

Exploring the potential of a Ephedra alata leaf extract: Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant activity, antibacterial properties, and green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue.

Ephedra alata leaf extracts have therapeutic properties and contain various natural compounds known as phytochemicals. This study assessed the phytochemical content and antioxidant effects of a Ephedra alata leaf extract, as well as zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle production. The extract contained phenolic acids, including vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, p-coumaric acid, vanillin and rutin. Its total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were 48.7 ± 0.9 mg.g-1 and 1.7 ± 0.4 mg.g-1, respectively. The extract displayed a DPPH inhibition rate of 70.5%, total antioxidant activity of 49.5 ± 3.4 mg.g-1, and significant antimicrobial activity toward Gram-positive and negative bacteria. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles had spherical shape, crystallite size of 25 nm, particle size between 5 and 30 nm, and bandgap energy of 3.3 eV. In specific conditions (90 min contact time, pH 7, and 25°C), these nanoparticles efficiently photodegraded 87% of methylene blue, suggesting potential applications for sustainable water treatment and pollution control.

Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Ammodaucus leucotrichus Seed Extracts: A Multi-Faceted Analysis of Phytochemical Composition, Anti-Inflammatory Efficacy, Predictive Anti-Arthritic Properties, and Molecular Docking Insights.

Ammodaucus leucotrichus exhibits promising pharmacological activity, hinting at anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects. This study investigated seed extracts from Ammodaucus leucotrichus using methanol and n-hexane, focusing on anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties. The methanol extract outperformed the n-hexane extract and diclofenac, a reference anti-inflammatory drug, in trypsin inhibition (85% vs. 30% and 64.67% at 125 µg/mL). For trypsin inhibition, the IC50 values were 82.97 µg/mL (methanol), 202.70 µg/mL (n-hexane), and 97.04 µg/mL (diclofenac). Additionally, the n-hexane extract surpassed the methanol extract and diclofenac in BSA (bovine serum albumin) denaturation inhibition (90.4% vs. 22.0% and 51.4% at 62.5 µg/mL). The BSA denaturation IC50 values were 14.30 µg/mL (n-hexane), 5408 µg/mL (methanol), and 42.30 µg/mL (diclofenac). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed 59 and 58 secondary metabolites in the methanol and n-hexane extracts, respectively. The higher therapeutic activity of the methanol extract was attributed to hydroxyacetic acid hydrazide, absent in the n-hexane extract. In silico docking studies identified 28 compounds with negative binding energies, indicating potential trypsin inhibition. The 2-hydroxyacetohydrazide displayed superior inhibitory effects compared to diclofenac. Further mechanistic studies are crucial to validate 2-hydroxyacetohydrazide as a potential drug candidate for rheumatoid arthritis treatment.

Fabrication of cellulose nanocrystals/carboxymethyl cellulose/zeolite membranes for methylene blue dye removal: understanding factors, adsorption kinetics, and thermodynamic isotherms.

This study introduces environmentally-friendly nanocellulose-based membranes for AZO dye (methylene blue, MB) removal from wastewater. These membranes, made of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), zeolite, and citric acid, aim to offer eco-friendly water treatment solutions. CNCs, obtained from sugarcane bagasse, act as the foundational material for the membranes. The study aims to investigate both the composition of the membranes (CMC/CNC/zeolite/citric acid) and the critical adsorption factors (initial MB concentration, contact time, temperature, and pH) that impact the removal of the dye. After systematic experimentation, the optimal membrane composition is identified as 60% CNC, 15% CMC, 20% zeolites, and 5% citric acid. This composition achieved a 79.9% dye removal efficiency and a 38.3 mg/g adsorption capacity at pH 7. The optimized membrane exhibited enhanced MB dye removal under specific conditions, including a 50 mg adsorbent mass, 50 ppm dye concentration, 50 mL solution volume, 120-min contact time, and a temperature of 25°C. Increasing pH from neutral to alkaline enhances MB dye removal efficiency from 79.9% to 94.5%, with the adsorption capacity rising from 38.3 mg/g to 76.5 mg/g. The study extended to study the MB adsorption mechanisms, revealing the chemisorption of MB dye with pseudo-second-order kinetics. Chemical thermodynamic experiments determine the Freundlich isotherm as the apt model for MB dye adsorption on the membrane surface. In conclusion, this study successfully develops nanocellulose-based membranes for efficient AZO dye removal, contributing to sustainable water treatment technologies and environmental preservation efforts.

Use of Insect-Derived Chitosan for the Removal of Methylene Blue Dye from Wastewater: Process Optimization Using a Central Composite Design.

Insects are a readily available source of chitosan due to their high reproductive rates, ease of breeding, and resistance to changes in their ecosystem. This study aimed to extract chitosan from several widespread insects: Blaps lethifera (CS-BL), Pimelia fernandezlopezi (CS-PF), and Musca domestica (CS-MD). The study was also extended to using the obtained chitosans in removing methylene blue dye (MB) from wastewater. The source of the chitosan, the initial concentration of MB dye, and the reaction time were chosen as the working parameters. The experiments were designed using a central composite design (CCD) based on the dye removal efficiency as the response variable. The experimental work and statistical calculation of the CCD showed that the dye removal efficiency ranged from 35.9% to 88.7% for CS-BL, from 18.8% to 47.1% for CS-PF, and from 10.3% to 29.0% for CS-MD at an initial MB concentration of 12.79 mg/L. The highest methylene blue dye removal efficiency was 88.7% for CS-BL at a reaction time of 120 min. This indicates that the extraction of chitosan from insects (Blaps lethifera) and its application in dye removal is a promising, environmentally friendly, economical, biodegradable, and cost-effective process. Furthermore, the CCD is a statistical experimental design technique that can be used to optimize process variables for removing other organic pollutants using chitosan.

Nanocelluloses as sustainable membrane materials for separation and filtration technologies: Principles, opportunities, and challenges.

Membrane technology is of great interest in various environmental and industrial applications, where membranes are used to separate different mixtures of gas, solid-gas, liquid-gas, liquid-liquid, or liquid-solid. In this context, nanocellulose (NC) membranes can be produced with predefined properties for specific separation and filtration technologies. This review explains the use of nanocellulose membranes as a direct, effective, and sustainable way to solve environmental and industrial problems. The different types of nanocellulose (i.e., nanoparticles, nanocrystals, nanofibers) and their fabrication methods (i.e., mechanical, physical, chemical, mechanochemical, physicochemical, and biological) are discussed. In particular, the structural properties of nanocellulose membranes (i.e., mechanical strength, interactions with various fluids, biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, and biodegradability) are reviewed in relation to membrane performances. Advanced applications of nanocellulose membranes in reverse osmosis (RO), microfiltration (MF), nanofiltration (NF), and ultrafiltration (UF) are highlighted. The applications of nanocellulose membranes offer significant advantages as a key technology for air purification, gas separation, and water treatment, including suspended or soluble solids removal, desalination, or liquid removal using pervaporation membranes or electrically driven membranes. This review will cover the current state of research, future prospects, and challenges in commercializing nanocellulose membranes with respect to membrane applications.

Stimuli-bioresponsive hydrogels as new generation materials for implantable, wearable, and disposable biosensors for medical diagnostics: Principles, opportunities, and challenges.

Hydrogels are excellent water-swollen polymeric materials for use in wearable, implantable, and disposable biosensors. Hydrogels have unique properties such as low cost, ease of preparation, transparency, rapid response to external conditions, biocompatibility and self-adhesion to the skin, flexibility, and strain sensitivity, making them ideal for use in biosensor platforms. This review provides a detailed overview of advanced applications of stimuli-responsive hydrogels in biosensor platforms, from hydrogel synthesis and functionalization for bioreceptor immobilization to several important diagnostic applications. Emphasis is placed on recent advances in the fabrication of ultrasensitive fluorescent and electrically conductive hydrogels and their applications in wearable, implantable, and disposable biosensors for quantitative measurements. Design, modification, and assembly techniques of fluorescent, ionically conductive, and electrically conductive hydrogels to improve performance will be addressed. The advantages and performance improvements of immobilizing bioreceptors (e.g., antibodies, enzymes, and aptamers), and incorporating fluorescent and electrically conductive nanomaterials are described, as are their limitations. Potential applications of hydrogels in implantable, wearable, disposable portable biosensors for quantitative detection of the various bioanalytes (ions, molecules, drugs, proteins, and biomarkers) are discussed. Finally, the global market for hydrogel-based biosensors and future challenges and prospects are discussed in detail.

Development of Janus Particles as Potential Drug Delivery Systems for Diabetes Treatment and Antimicrobial Applications.

Janus particles have emerged as a novel and smart material that could improve pharmaceutical formulation, drug delivery, and theranostics. Janus particles have two distinct compartments that differ in functionality, physicochemical properties, and morphological characteristics, among other conventional particles. Recently, Janus particles have attracted considerable attention as effective particulate drug delivery systems as they can accommodate two opposing pharmaceutical agents that can be engineered at the molecular level to achieve better target affinity, lower drug dosage to achieve a therapeutic effect, and controlled drug release with improved pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. This article discusses the development of Janus particles for tailored and improved delivery of pharmaceutical agents for diabetes treatment and antimicrobial applications. It provides an account of advances in the synthesis of Janus particles from various materials using different approaches. It appraises Janus particles as a promising particulate system with the potential to improve conventional delivery systems, providing a better loading capacity and targeting specificity whilst promoting multi-drugs loading and single-dose-drug administration.

A Review of 3D Polymeric Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering: Principles, Fabrication Techniques, Immunomodulatory Roles, and Challenges.

Over the last few years, biopolymers have attracted great interest in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine due to the great diversity of their chemical, mechanical, and physical properties for the fabrication of 3D scaffolds. This review is devoted to recent advances in synthetic and natural polymeric 3D scaffolds for bone tissue engineering (BTE) and regenerative therapies. The review comprehensively discusses the implications of biological macromolecules, structure, and composition of polymeric scaffolds used in BTE. Various approaches to fabricating 3D BTE scaffolds are discussed, including solvent casting and particle leaching, freeze-drying, thermally induced phase separation, gas foaming, electrospinning, and sol-gel techniques. Rapid prototyping technologies such as stereolithography, fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, and 3D bioprinting are also covered. The immunomodulatory roles of polymeric scaffolds utilized for BTE applications are discussed. In addition, the features and challenges of 3D polymer scaffolds fabricated using advanced additive manufacturing technologies (rapid prototyping) are addressed and compared to conventional subtractive manufacturing techniques. Finally, the challenges of applying scaffold-based BTE treatments in practice are discussed in-depth.

Opportunities for bacterial nanocellulose in biomedical applications: Review on biosynthesis, modification and challenges.

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is a natural polysaccharide produced as extracellular material by bacterial strains and has favorable intrinsic properties for primary use in biomedical applications. In this review, an update on state-of-the art and challenges in BNC production, surface modification and biomedical application is given. Recent insights in biosynthesis allowed for better understanding of governing parameters improving production efficiency. In particular, introduction of different carbon/nitrogen sources from alternative feedstock and industrial upscaling of various production methods is challenging. It is important to have control on the morphology, porosity and forms of BNC depending on biosynthesis conditions, depending on selection of bacterial strains, reactor design, additives and culture conditions. The BNC is intrinsically characterized by high water absorption capacity, good thermal and mechanical stability, biocompatibility and biodegradability to certain extent. However, additional chemical and/or physical surface modifications are required to improve cell compatibility, protein interaction and antimicrobial properties. The novel trends in synthesis include the in-situ culturing of hybrid BNC nanocomposites in combination with organic material, inorganic material or extracellular components. In parallel with toxicity studies, the applications of BNC in wound care, tissue engineering, medical implants, drug delivery systems or carriers for bioactive compounds, and platforms for biosensors are highlighted.

Plant mediated synthesis of flower-like Cu2O microbeads from Artimisia campestris L. extract for the catalyzed synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives.

This study presents a novel method for synthesizing 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives through a one-pot, multi-component addition reaction using flower-like Cu2O microbeads as a catalyst. The flower-like Cu2O microbeads were synthesized using an aqueous extract of Artimisia Campestris L. This extract demonstrated the capability to reduce and stabilize Cu2O particles during their initial formation, resulting in the formation of a porous flower-like morphology. These Cu2O microbeads exhibit distinctive features, including a cubic close-packed (ccp) crystal structure with an average crystallite size of 22.8 nm, bandgap energy of 2.7 eV and a particle size of 6 µm. Their catalytic activity in synthesizing 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives was investigated through systematic exploration of key parameters such as catalyst quantity (1, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 mg/mL), solvent type (dimethylformamide/H2O, ethanol/H2O, dichloromethane/H2O, chloroform, acetone, and dimethyl sulfoxide), and catalyst reusability (four cycles). The Cu2O microbeads significantly increased the product yield from 20% to 85.3%. The green synthesis and outstanding catalytic attributes make these flower-like Cu2O microbeads promising, efficient, and recyclable catalysts for sustainable and effective chemical transformations.

Role of ZnO Nanoparticles Loading in Modifying the Morphological, Optical, and Thermal Properties of Immiscible Polymer (PMMA/PEG) Blends.

High-performance hybrid polymer blends can be prepared by blending different types of polymers to improve their properties. However, most polymer blends exhibit phase separation after blending. In this study, polymethylmethacrylate/polyethylene glycol (PMMA/PEG) polymer blends (70/30 and 30/70 w/w) were prepared by solution casting with and without ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) loading. The effect of loading ZnO nanoparticles on blend morphology, UV blocking, glass transition, melting, and crystallization were investigated. Without loading ZnO NP, the PMMA/PEG blends showed phase separation, especially the PEG-rich blend. Loading PMMA/PEG blend with ZnO NPs increased the miscibility of the blend and most of the ZnO NPs dispersed in the PEG phase. The interaction of the ZnO NPs with the blend polymers slightly decreased the intensity of infrared absorption of the functional groups. The UV-blocking properties of the blends increased by 15% and 20%, and the band gap energy values were 4.1 eV and 3.8 eV for the blends loaded with ZnO NPs with a PMMA/PEG ratio of 70/30 and 30/70, respectively. In addition, the glass transition temperature (Tg) increased by 14 °C, the crystallinity rate increased by 15%, the melting (Tm) and crystallization(Tc) temperatures increased by 2 °C and 14 °C, respectively, and the thermal stability increased by 25 °C compared to the PMMA/PEG blends without ZnO NP loading.

Biosynthesis MgO and ZnO nanoparticles using chitosan extracted from Pimelia Payraudi Latreille for antibacterial applications.

Chitosan (CS) is one of the most abundant biopolymers in nature with superior properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, lack of toxicity, antimicrobial activity, acceleration of wound healing, and stimulation of the immune system. In this study, chitosan was extracted from the exoskeletons of beetles (Pimelia payraudi latreille) and then used for the biosynthesis of highly pure MgO NPs and ZnO NPs by a facile greener route. The extracted chitosan exhibited excellent physicochemical properties, including high extraction yield (39%), high degree of deacetylation (90%), low ash content (1%), high fat-binding capacity (366%), and unusual crystallinity index (51%). The MgO NPs and ZnO NPs exhibited a spherical morphology with crystallite sizes of 17 nm and 29 nm, particle sizes of about 20-70 nm and 30-60 nm, and band gap energies of 4.43 and 3.34 eV, respectively. Antibacterial assays showed that the extracted chitosan exhibited high antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, while ZnO NPs showed much stronger antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria than against Gram-negative bacteria. For MgO NPs, the antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria was lower than against Gram-negative bacteria. The results suggest that the synthesized MgO NPs and ZnO NPs are excellent antibacterial agents for therapeutic applications.

Non-Enzymatic Phenylboronic Acid-Based Optode Membrane for Glucose Monitoring in Serums of Diabetic Patients and in the Culture Medium of Human Embryos.

Monitoring glucose levels is important not only for diabetics, but also for tracking embryonic development in human embryo culture media. In this study, an optochemical sensor (glucose-selective polymer membrane) was fabricated for the determination of glucose in serum from diabetic patients and the culture media of human embryos. The optode membranes were formulated using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as the polymer matrix and 4',5'-dibromofluorescein octadecyl ester (ETH 7075) as the chromoionophore. The sensitivity of the optode membranes was optimized using two different plasticizers (tricresyl phosphate-TCP and nitrophenyloctyl ether-NOPE) and three ionophores (nitrophenylboronic acid-NPBA, trifluorophenyboronic acid-TFPBA, 4'-nitrobenzo-15-crown-5) and tested for glucose detection. The best optode membrane was formulated from 49.5% PVC, 49.5% TCP, 1% NPBA, and 1% ETH 7075. It showed a linear dynamic range of 10-3 M to 10-1 M, with a detection limit of 9 × 10-4 M and a response time of 2 min. The detection mechanism involves H-bonding between NPBA and glucose, which was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The reaction also involves the formation of boronate esters in basic media with deprotonation of the chromoionophore (ETH 7075), leading to a decrease in UV-Vis absorbance at λmax = 530 nm. The membrane optode was used for glucose determination in synthetic culture medium, commercial embryo culture medium (GLOBAL® TOTAL® W/HEPES), and serum from normal and diabetic patients, showing good accuracy and precision of the optode.

Nanoparticle and Nanostructure Synthesis and Controlled Growth Methods.

Nanomaterials are materials with one or more nanoscale dimensions (internal or external) (i.e., 1 to 100 nm). The nanomaterial shape, size, porosity, surface chemistry, and composition are controlled at the nanoscale, and this offers interesting properties compared with bulk materials. This review describes how nanomaterials are classified, their fabrication, functionalization techniques, and growth-controlled mechanisms. First, the history of nanomaterials is summarized and then the different classification methods, based on their dimensionality (0-3D), composition (carbon, inorganic, organic, and hybrids), origin (natural, incidental, engineered, bioinspired), crystal phase (single phase, multiphase), and dispersion state (dispersed or aggregated), are presented. Then, the synthesis methods are discussed and classified in function of the starting material (bottom-up and top-down), reaction phase (gas, plasma, liquid, and solid), and nature of the dispersing forces (mechanical, physical, chemical, physicochemical, and biological). Finally, the challenges in synthesizing nanomaterials for research and commercial use are highlighted.

Current trends in COVID-19 diagnosis and its new variants in physiological fluids: Surface antigens, antibodies, nucleic acids, and RNA sequencing.

Rapid, highly sensitive, and accurate virus circulation monitoring techniques are critical to limit the spread of the virus and reduce the social and economic burden. Therefore, point-of-use diagnostic devices have played a critical role in addressing the outbreak of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) viruses. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current techniques developed for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in various body fluids (e.g., blood, urine, feces, saliva, tears, and semen) and considers the mutations (i.e., Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Omicron). We classify and comprehensively discuss the detection methods depending on the biomarker measured (i.e., surface antigen, antibody, and nucleic acid) and the measurement techniques such as lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), microarray analysis, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and biosensors. Finally, we addressed the challenges of rapidly identifying emerging variants, detecting the virus in the early stages of infection, the detection sensitivity, selectivity, and specificity, and commented on how these challenges can be overcome in the future.

Label-free electrochemical immunosensor for picomolar detection of the cervical cancer biomarker MCM5.

An immunosensor for label-free electrochemical detection of MiniChromosome Maintenance Protein 5, MCM5, a protein overexpressed in cervical cancer, based on a gold electrode is reported. The electrode was first modified with a submonolayer (capture layer) of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (11-MUA) and then activated with N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) to immobilize the capture antibody. The change in electrode surface properties (wettability) during the formation of the 11-MUA layers was determined using the static water contact angle (WCA). The binding of MCM5 antigens to the capture antibody was monitored by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using 5 mM [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- in 0.1 M LiClO4(aq) as an electroactive probe. AC Impedance was used to measure charge transfer resistance (Rct), which reflects impeded electron transfer when the antigen is bound to the antibody functionalized surface. After exposing the antibody-functionalized surface to MCM5 antigens, Rct increases linearly with the logarithmic value of MCM5 antigen concentration, with a linear dynamic range of 10-6 to 10-11 g/mL, a correlation coefficient of 0.99, and a detection limit of 2.9 pM (10-11 g/mL). This excellent sensitivity was achieved with simple preparation steps and minimal reagent consumption, without the need for complicated procedures such as enzymatic amplification, fluorescent labeling, or nanoparticle modification.

Review on Nanoparticles and Nanostructured Materials: Bioimaging, Biosensing, Drug Delivery, Tissue Engineering, Antimicrobial, and Agro-Food Applications.

In the last few decades, the vast potential of nanomaterials for biomedical and healthcare applications has been extensively investigated. Several case studies demonstrated that nanomaterials can offer solutions to the current challenges of raw materials in the biomedical and healthcare fields. This review describes the different nanoparticles and nanostructured material synthesis approaches and presents some emerging biomedical, healthcare, and agro-food applications. This review focuses on various nanomaterial types (e.g., spherical, nanorods, nanotubes, nanosheets, nanofibers, core-shell, and mesoporous) that can be synthesized from different raw materials and their emerging applications in bioimaging, biosensing, drug delivery, tissue engineering, antimicrobial, and agro-foods. Depending on their morphology (e.g., size, aspect ratio, geometry, porosity), nanomaterials can be used as formulation modifiers, moisturizers, nanofillers, additives, membranes, and films. As toxicological assessment depends on sizes and morphologies, stringent regulation is needed from the testing of efficient nanomaterials dosages. The challenges and perspectives for an industrial breakthrough of nanomaterials are related to the optimization of production and processing conditions.

Green approaches for the synthesis of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles using microbial and plant extracts.

Green synthesis approaches are gaining significance as promising routes for the sustainable preparation of nanoparticles, offering reduced toxicity towards living organisms and the environment. Nanomaterials produced by green synthesis approaches can offer additional benefits, including reduced energy inputs and lower production costs than traditional synthesis, which bodes well for commercial-scale production. The biomolecules and phytochemicals extracted from microbes and plants, respectively, are active compounds that function as reducing and stabilizing agents for the green synthesis of nanoparticles. Microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and algae, have been used in nanomaterials' biological synthesis for some time. Furthermore, the use of plants or plant extracts for metal and metal-based hybrid nanoparticle synthesis represents a novel green synthesis approach that has attracted significant research interest. This review discusses various biosynthesis approaches via microbes and plants for the green preparation of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles and provides insights into the molecular aspects of the synthesis mechanisms and biomedical applications. The use of agriculture waste as a potential bioresource for nanoparticle synthesis and biomedical applications of biosynthesized nanoparticles is also discussed.

Nanocelluloses as skin biocompatible materials for skincare, cosmetics, and healthcare: Formulations, regulations, and emerging applications.

Nowadays, skin biocompatible products are fast-growing markets for nanocelluloses with increasing number of patents published in last decade. This review highlights recent developments, market trends, safety assessments, and regulations for different nanocellulose types (i.e. nanoparticles, nanocrystals, nanofibers, nanoyarns, bacterial nanocellulose) used in skincare, cosmetics, and healthcare. The specific properties of nanocelluloses for skincare include high viscosity and shear thinning properties, surface functionality, dispersion stability, water-holding capacity, purity, and biocompatibility. Depending on their morphology (e.g. size, aspect ratio, geometry, porosity), nanocelluloses can be used as formulation modifiers, moisturizers, nanofillers, additives, membranes, and films. Nanocellulose composite particles were recently developed as carriers for bioactive compounds or UV-blockers and platforms for wound healing and skin sensors. As toxicological assessment depends on morphologies and intrinsic properties, stringent regulation is needed from the testing of efficient nanocellulose dosages. The challenges and perspectives for an industrial breakthrough are related to optimization of production and processing conditions.