Comprehensive in vitro evaluation of Indigofera hochstetteri Baker extract: Effect of chemicals in antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic activities.

The study aimed to analyze the pharmacological properties of medicinal plant Indigofera hochstetteri Baker extracts. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed a diverse range of secondary metabolites present in it. TLC analysis detected numerous phytochemicals with varying Rf values, aiding in different solvent systems. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 29 bioactive compounds with diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic and antimicrobial properties. Antimicrobial effect of I. hochstetteri Baker methanolic extract showed significant inhibitory effects against E. coli, E. aerogenes, S. flexneri, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, E. faecalis, B. cereus, and fungal strain C. albicans. The methanol extract also showed significant antifungal activity by inhibiting the growth of Sclerotium rolfsii in food poisoning method. MTT assays revealed significant cytotoxic activity of methanolic extract against human leukemia HL-60 cancer cells with IC50 of 116.01 µg/mL. In apoptotic study, I. hochstetteri Baker methanolic extract showed 28.84% viable cells, 30.2% early apoptosis, 35.54% late apoptosis, and 5.86% necrosis comparatively similar with standard used. The extract showed significant anti-inflammatory effect on HRBC stabilization, and protein denaturation of BSA and egg albumin denaturation with IC50 of 193.62 µg/mL, 113.94 µg/mL respectively. In anti-diabetic assays like α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and Glucose uptake assay, I. hochstetteri extract showed good anti-diabetic effect with IC50 of 60.64 µg/mL, 169.34 µg/mL, and 205.63 µg/mL respectively. In conclusion I. hochstetteri Baker have promising bioactive metabolites with significant biological activities, it can be good substitute for the chemical drugs after successful clinical studies.

Bioproduction, purification, partial characterization and phenol removal efficacy of tyrosinase enzyme from Streptomyces sp. strain MR28.

The study focused on the production of the tyrosinase enzyme from Streptomyces sp. MR28 and its potency in removal of phenol content from water using free and immobilized tyrosinase enzyme. The tyrosinase was produced by Streptomyces sp. MR28 in liquid tyrosine broth medium, and it was further purified to near its homogeneity by employing, precipitation, dialysis, and column chromatography. After the purification, 44.49% yield with a 4 fold purification was achieved. The characterization of the purified enzyme showed a single major peak on HPLC and a solitary band on SDS-PAGE. The purified tyrosinase enzyme was active at a pH of 7.0 and a temperature of 30 °C. Further immobilization of purified tyrosinase was performed using the sodium alginate entrapment method. The capacity of the purified tyrosinase to remove phenol in water was evaluated by spectrophotometric method. The free tyrosinase enzyme-treated solutions showed a gradual decrease in the concentration of phenol with increased incubation time at 30 °C and 40 °C, at 90 min of the incubation time, it showed maximum efficacy in removing phenol from the solution. At 50 °C and 60 °C, the free tyrosinase enzyme exhibited very less capacity to remove the phenol. The immobilized enzyme showed good capacity for the removal of phenol from the solutions; the concentration of phenol in the solution decreased with an increase in the incubation time. At temperatures of 40 °C and 50 °C, the immobilized tyrosinase enzyme beads showed significant removal of phenol from the solution, and at temperatures of 30 °C and 60 °C, they also exhibited good capacity for the removal of phenol. At the end of the 90 min incubation period, it exhibited good capability. The current study suggests using immobilized microbial tyrosinase enzyme can be used for the removal of phenol from the contaminated water in a greener manner.

In-vitro investigation on the biological activities of squalene derived from the soil fungus Talaromyces pinophilus.

The consistent increase in multidrug resistance among pathogens and increased cancer incidence are serious public health concerns and threaten humans by killing countless lives. In the present study, Talaromyces pinophilus CJ15 was characterized and evaluated for its antibacterial, candidicidal and cytotoxic activities. The selected isolate Talaromyces pinophilus CJ15 with 18S rRNA gene sequence of 1021 base pairs exhibited antifungal activity on plant pathogens via dual culture. The GC-MS profiling of crude extract illustrated the existence of many bioactive macromolecules which include squalene belonging to the terpenoids family. The biological macromolecules in the bioactive fraction of CJ15 exhibited increasing antibacterial activity with an increase in concentration such that the highest activity was recorded against Shigella flexneri with 15, 18, 20, and 24 mm inhibition zones at 25, 50, 75 and 100 µl concentrations, respectively. The squalene, having a molecular weight of 410.718 g/mol, displayed candidicidal activity with a right-side shifted log phase in the growth curve of all the treated Candida species, indicating delayed exponential growth. In cytotoxic activity, the extracted squalene exhibited an IC50 concentration of 26.22 µg/ml against JURKAT cells and induced apoptosis-induced cell death. This study's outcomes encourage the researchers to explore further the development of new and improved bioactive macromolecules that could help to prevent infections and human blood cancer.

Biological Characterization of Cleome felina L.f. Extracts for Phytochemical, Antimicrobial, and Hepatoprotective Activities in Wister Albino Rats.

The present study aims to explore the phytochemical constitution and biological activities of Cleome felina L.f. (Cleomaceae). C. felina (leaves, stem, and root) extracts (acetone, methanol, and water) were qualitatively assessed for phytochemical presence. Methanolic leaves extract revealed more positive phyto-compounds among all the extracts; further, methanolic leaves extract was evaluated for FTIR, EDX, GCMS, antimicrobial assay, acute toxicity, and paracetamol-induced hepatoprotective activity in Wister albino rats. FTIR and EDX analysis unveiled important functional groups and elements in the leaves. GCMS analysis of methanolic leaves extract exposed 12 active phyto-compounds: major constituents detected were 1-Butanol, 3-methyl-, formate-48.79%; 1-Decanol, 2-ethyl-13.40%; 1,6-Anhydro-ß-d-talopyranose-12.49%; Ethene, 1,2-bis(methylthio)-7.22%; Decane-4.02%; 3-Methylene-7, 11-dimethyl-1-dodecene-3.085%; Amlexanox-2.50%; 1,2,3,4-Cyclopentanetetrol, (1α,2ß,3ß,4α)-2.07%; L-Cysteine S-sulfate-1.84%; n-Hexadecanoic acid-1.70%; and Flucarbazone-1.55%. The antimicrobial assay showed a moderate zone of inhibition against S. aureus, B. cereus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, C. albicans, and C. glabrata at 100 µL/mL concentration. Additionally, acute toxicity revealed no behavioral sign of the toxic effect. The significant results were obtained for methanolic leaves extract (low-50 and high-100 mg/kg b.wt. dose) for hepatoprotective activity, where it dramatically reduced serum blood biochemical markers (AST, ALT, ALP, Total bilirubin, and cholesterol) and exhibited elevated hepatic antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GSH) concentration with lipid peroxidation retardation. To conclude, C. felina methanolic leaves extract ameliorated important phytochemical compounds and showed significant antimicrobial and hepatoprotective efficacy; therefore, utilization of C. felina leaves suggested in pharmacological applications, and in numerous cosmetics, herbicides, and food industries, would be a great scope for future hepatoprotective drug designing.

Efficacy of Penicillium limosum Strain AK-7 Derived Bioactive Metabolites on Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anticancer Activity against Human Ovarian Teratocarcinoma (PA-1) Cell Line.

Natural metabolites from beneficial fungi were recognized for their potential to inhibit multidrug-resistant human and plant fungal pathogens. The present study describes the isolation, metabolite profiling, antibacterial, and antifungal, antioxidant, and anticancer activities of soil fungi. Among the 17 isolates, the AK-7 isolate was selected based on the primary screening. Further, the identification of isolate AK-7 was performed by 18S rRNA sequencing and identified as Penicillium limosum (with 99.90% similarity). Additionally, the ethyl acetate extract of the Penicillium limosum strain AK-7 (AK-7 extract) was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and a Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis, and the results showed different functional groups and bioactive metabolites. Consequently, a secondary screening of antibacterial activity by the agar well diffusion method showed significant antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. The AK-7 extract exhibited notable antifungal activity by a food poisoning method and showed maximum inhibition of 77.84 ± 1.62%, 56.42 ± 1.27%, and 37.96 ± 1.84% against Cercospora canescens, Fusarium sambucinum and Sclerotium rolfsii phytopathogens. Consequently, the AK-7 extract showed significant antioxidant activity against DPPH and ABTS•+ free radicals with IC50 values of 59.084 µg/mL and 73.36 µg/mL. Further, the anticancer activity of the AK-7 extract against the human ovarian teratocarcinoma (PA-1) cell line was tested by MTT and Annexin V flow cytometry. The results showed a dose-dependent reduction in cell viability and exhibited apoptosis with an IC50 value of 82.04 µg/mL. The study highlights the potential of the Penicillium limosum strain AK-7 as a source of active metabolites and natural antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and anticancer agent, and it could be an excellent alternative for pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors.

Isolation, Characterization of Pyraclostrobin Derived from Soil Actinomycete Streptomyces sp. HSN-01 and Its Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activity.

The present study demonstrated the isolation, characterization, and antimicrobial and anticancer activity of active metabolite produced from mining-soil-derived actinomycetes. Among the 21 actinomycete isolates, the isolate HSN-01 exhibited significant antimicrobial activity in primary screening and was identified as Streptomyces sp. through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The active metabolite was separated, purified, and confirmed through UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, HR-ESI-MS, and NMR analysis and identified as pyraclostrobin. Further, the active metabolite pyraclostrobin was tested for antimicrobial and anticancer activity against the hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell line. The metabolite exhibited maximum antimicrobial potential with 17.0, 13.33, 17.66, 15.66, 14.66, and 14.0 mm of inhibition against B. cereus, S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. flexneri, and C. glabrata. The active metabolite exhibited dose-dependent anticancer potential against the hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell line with the IC50 56.76 µg/mL. This study suggests that Streptomyces sp. HSN-01 is an excellent source of active secondary metabolites with various biological activities.

Exploring the Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and Apoptosis Inducing Ability of Biofabricated Silver Nanoparticles Using Lagerstroemia speciosa Flower Buds against the Human Osteosarcoma (MG-63) Cell Line via Flow Cytometry.

Biosynthesized nano-composites, such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), can be engineered to function as smart nano-biomedicine platforms for the detection and management of diverse ailments, such as infectious diseases and cancer. This study determined the eco-friendly fabrication of silver nanoparticles using Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers. flower buds and their efficacy against antimicrobial and anticancer activities. The UV-Visible spectrum was found at 413 nm showing a typical resonance spectrum for L. speciosa flower bud extract-assisted silver nanoparticles (Ls-AgNPs). Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed the presence of amines, halides, and halogen compounds, which were involved in the reduction and capping agent of AgNP formation. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the face-centered cubic crystals of NPs. Energy dispersive X-ray verified the weight of 39.80% of silver (Ag), TEM analysis revealed the particles were spherical with a 10.27 to 62.5 nm range, and dynamic light scattering recorded the average particle size around 58.5 nm. Zeta potential showed a significant value at -39.4 mV, and finally, thermo-gravimetric analysis reported higher thermal stability of Ls-AgNPs. Further, the obtained Ls-AgNPs displayed good antimicrobial activity against clinical pathogens. In addition, a dose-dependent decrease in the anticancer activity by MTT assay on the osteosarcoma (MG-63) cell line showed a decrease in the cell viability with increasing in the concentration of Ls-AgNPs with an IC50 value of 37.57 µg/mL. Subsequently, an apoptotic/necrosis study was conducted with the help of Annexin-V/PI assay, and the results indicated a significant rise in early and late apoptosis cell populations. Therefore, green synthesized Ls-AgNPs were found to have potent antimicrobial and anticancer properties making them fascinating choices for future bio-medical implementations.

Penicillium citrinum NP4 mediated production, extraction, physicochemical characterization of the melanin, and its anticancer, apoptotic, photoprotection properties.

The biopolymer melanin is reported for many biological processes to secure biological entities over unfavorable environmental factors. The present study aimed to isolate soil fungi and screen for melanin production. The potent fungus was identified as Penicillium citrinum NP4 based on morphological and molecular characterization with accession number OP070954. Using standardized tyrosine broth conditions melanin was produced by NP4 and extracted by acidification. Extracted melanin exhibited maximum UV-visible absorption at 223 nm; FTIR peaks validate the occurrence of CO, CN, CH, and CC functional groups present in the indole/pyrrole structure. TLC analysis exhibited a prominent single band with a Retardation factor (Rf) of 0.68, resonance peaks at 6.621, 7.061, and 7.185 ppm exhibited aromatic hydrogen in the indole/pyrole system in 1H NMR. The EDX peaks confirm the presence of carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen elements which are the key factors in melanin structure, and TGA reports the thermal stability of the melanin. An in silico molecular docking approach on lung cancer causing proteins EGFR (3g5z), KRAS (6vc8), and TP53 (8 dc4) were conducted to determine the active binding sites of the melanin, and proteins exhibited binding affinity of -8.0 for 3g5z, -9.8 for 6vc8, and - 10.1 kcal/mol for TP53 protein with melanin. Anticancer activity of the melanin showed significant inhibition of A549 cells in dose-dependent mode with significant IC50 of 65.49 µg/mL; apoptotic examination reveals 46.14 % apoptosis for melanin and 46.36 % apoptosis for standard drug (cisplatin). Melanin exhibited good photoprotection capacity at 1 µg/mL. In conclusion, the extracted melanin exhibited significant results on many biological applications and it can be used in the pharmaceutical field to avoid chemical-based drugs.

GC-MS Based Characterization, Antibacterial, Antifungal and Anti-Oncogenic Activity of Ethyl Acetate Extract of Aspergillus niger Strain AK-6 Isolated from Rhizospheric Soil.

Rhizospheric soil is the richest niche of different microbes that produce biologically active metabolites. The current study investigated the antimicrobial, antifungal and anticancer activities of ethyl acetate extract of the potent rhizospheric fungus Aspergillus niger AK6 (AK-6). A total of six fungal isolates were isolated, and isolate AK-6 was selected based on primary screening. Further, it exhibited moderate antimicrobial activity against pathogens such as Klebsiella pneumonia, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. The morphological and molecular characterization (18S rRNA) confirmed that the isolate AK-6 belonged to Aspergillus niger. Further, AK-6 showed potent antifungal activity with 47.2%, 59.4% and 64.1% of inhibition against Sclerotium rolfsii, Cercospora canescens and Fusarium sambucinum phytopathogens. FT-IR analysis displayed different biological functional groups. Consequently, the GC-MS analysis displayed bioactive compounds, namely, n-didehydrohexacarboxyl-2,4,5-trimethylpiperazine (23.82%), dibutyl phthalate (14.65%), e-5-heptadecanol (8.98%), and 2,4-ditert-butylphenol (8.60%), among the total of 15 compounds isolated. Further, the anticancer activity of AK-6 was exhibited against the MCF-7 cell line of human breast adenocarcinoma with an IC50 value of 102.01 µg/mL. Furthermore, flow cytometry depicted 17.3%, 26.43%, and 3.16% of early and late apoptosis and necrosis in the AK-6 extarct treated MCF-7 cell line, respectively. The results of the present analysis suggest that the isolated Aspergillus niger strain AK-6 extract has the potential to be explored as a promising antimicrobial, antifungal and anticancer drug for medical and agricultural applications.

Myco-Nanofabrication of Silver Nanoparticles by Penicillium brasilianum NP5 and Their Antimicrobial, Photoprotective and Anticancer Effect on MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cell Line.

Currently, the exploration of fungal organisms for novel metabolite production and its pharmacological applications is much appreciated in the biomedical field. In the present study, the fungal strains were isolated from soil of unexplored Yellapura regions. The potent isolate NP5 was selected based on preliminary screening and identified as Penicillium brasilianum NP5 through morphological, microscopic, and molecular characterizations. Synthesis of silver nanoparticles from P. brasilianum was confirmed by the color change of the reaction mixture and UV-visible surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectra of 420 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis revealed the functional groups involved in synthesis. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis showed aggregation of the NPs, with sizes ranged from 10 to 60 nm, an average particle size of 25.32 nm, and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.40. The crystalline nature and silver as the major element in NP5-AgNPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The negative value -15.3 mV in Zeta potential exhibited good stability, and thermostability was recorded by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). NP5-AgNPs showed good antimicrobial activity on selected human pathogens in a concentration-dependent manner. The MTT assay showed concentration-dependent anticancer activity with an IC50 of 41.93 µg/mL on the MDA-MB-231 cell line. Further, apoptotic study was carried out by flow cytometry to observe the rate of apoptosis. The calculated sun protection factor (SPF) value confirms good photoprotection capacity. From the results obtained, NP5-AgNPs can be used in the pharmaceutical field after successful in vitro clinical studies.

Biosynthesis and characterization of polysaccharide-capped silver nanoparticles from Acalypha indica L. and evaluation of their biological activities.

Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are gaining popularity due to their distinctive biological applications. In this research work, an eco-friendly method of synthesizing AgNPs from the leaf polysaccharide (PS) of Acalypha indica L. ( A. indica) was carried out. Synthesis of polysaccharide-AgNPs (PS-AgNPs) was indicated by visual detection of colour change from pale yellow to light brown. The PS-AgNPs were characterized with different techniques and further evaluated for biological activities. The Ultra violet-visible (UV-Vis.) spectroscopy expressed a sharp absorption peak at 415 nm confirmed the synthesis. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis revealed the size range of particles from 14 nm to 85 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis detected the presence of various functional groups. The cubic crystalline structure of PS-AgNPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the particles were found to be oval to polymorphic shaped through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with sizes from 7.25 nm to 92.51 nm. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) determined the presence of silver in PS-AgNPs. The zeta potential was -28.0 mV, which confirmed the stability and an average particle size of 62.2 nm was calculated through dynamic light scattering (DLS). Lastly, the thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) showed the PS-AgNPs were resistant to high temperature. The PS-AgNPs exhibited significant free radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 112.91 µg/ml. They were highly capable of inhibiting the growth of different bacterial and plant fungal pathogens and also active to reduce the cell viability of prostate cancer (PC-3) cell line. The IC50 value was 101.43 µg/ml. The flow cytometric apoptosis analysis revealed the percentage of viable, apoptotic and necrotic cells of PC-3 cell line. According to this evaluation, it can be concluded that these biosynthesized and environmentally friendly PS-AgNPs are helpful to improve therapeutics because of significant antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties to open up new possibilities for euthenics.

In Silico Molecular Docking Approach of Melanin Against Melanoma Causing MITF Proteins and Anticancer, Oxidation-Reduction, Photoprotection, and Drug-Binding Affinity Properties of Extracted Melanin from Streptomyces sp. strain MR28.

Melanin is a biopolymer reported for diverse biological actions to secure organisms over adverse environmental factors. In the last decade, melanin attributed considerable attention for its use in bioelectronics, photoprotection, environmental bioremediation, and drug discovery. Molecular docking study is the emerging trend in drug discovery for drug designing by targeting proteins. Considering the therapeutic nature of the melanin, we extracted melanin from Streptomyces sp. strain MR28, and it was tested for various biological activities, viz., DPPH free radical scavenging potency, sun protection factor (SPF), drug likeness by SwissADME, molecular docking of melanin on melanocyte-inducing transcription factor (MITF) proteins, cytotoxic activity on A375 malignant melanoma with induction of apoptosis study by flow cytometry, and adsorption study of melanin on doxorubicin and camptothecin drug for drug uptake by melanin. The melanin showed good scavenging potency of DPPH free radicals in a concentration-dependent manner. SPF of 38.64 ± 0.63, 55.53 ± 0.53, and 67.07 ± 0.82 were recorded at 0.06, 0.08, and 0.1 µg/mL, concentrations, respectively. SwissADME screening confirms the drug likeness of melanin. Docking of melanin with MITF proteins exhibited a maximum of - 9.2 kcal/mol binding affinity for 4ATK protein. Cytotoxicity of the melanin drug exhibited good inhibition of melanoma cells in dose-dependent way with significant IC50 of 65.61 µg/mL; apoptotic study reveals melanin showed 64.02% apoptosis for melanin and 33.8% apoptosis for standard drug (doxorubicin). The maximum adsorptions for selected drugs camptothecin and doxorubicin to melanin were recorded at 90 min. In conclusion, the extracted melanin showed significant results over many biological applications and it can be used in the pharmaceutical field to avoid chemical-based drugs.

Bioproduction, purification and physicochemical characterization of melanin from Streptomyces sp. strain MR28.

Melanin has been produced and extracted from various microorganisms because of its therapeutic nature and diverse applications in various fields. Hence we isolated actinomycetes from soil which is capable of producing melanin pigment from L-tyrosine and it was identified as Streptomyces sp. strain MR28 on the basis of biochemical, morphological characterization, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Production of melanin pigment was achieved by using standardized tyrosine broth. The melanin pigment was purified, and characterized by using various techniques such as Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), 1H NMR spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Elemental analysis (EDX), and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The pigment exhibit maximum UV-Vis absorption spectrum at 299 nm, FTIR peaks confirm the occurrence of C-H, C-N, C-O, and CC functional groups which are key functional groups in indole/pyrrole structure. TLC analysis showed a single band with a significant Retardation factor (Rf) of 0.68, Resonance peaks at 6.66, 7.18, and 7.28 ppm exhibit aromatic hydrogen in the indole/pyrole system in 1H NMR. The EDX reports the presence of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur which are key elements in melanin structure, and TGA exhibits the thermal stability of the melanin. Overall, the successful production and extraction of melanin was achieved by using soil actinomycetes Streptomyces sp. strain MR28, and its characterization confirms the nature of the melanin pigment which has significant value in the industrial and biomedical field.

Plumeria alba-Mediated Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Exhibits Antimicrobial Effect and Anti-Oncogenic Activity against Glioblastoma U118 MG Cancer Cell Line.

Plumeria alba (P. alba) is a small laticiferous tree with promising medicinal properties. Green synthesis of nanoparticles is eco-friendly, cost-effective, and non-hazardous compared to chemical and physical synthesis methods. Current research aiming to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from the leaf extract of P. alba (P- AgNPs) has described its physiochemical and pharmacological properties in recognition of its therapeutic potential as an anticancer and antimicrobial agent. These biogenic synthesized P-AgNPs were physiochemically characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and zeta potential analysis. Antimicrobial activity was investigated against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Candida albicans, and Candida glabrata. Anticancer activity against glioblastoma U118 MG cancer lines was investigated using an MTT assay, and apoptosis activity was determined by flow cytometry. UV-visible spectroscopic analysis portrayed surface plasmon resonance at 403 nm of synthesized P-AgNPs, and FTIR suggested the presence of amines, alkanes, and phenol molecules that could be involved in reduction and capping processes during AgNPs formation. Synthesized particles were spherical in shape and poly-dispersed with an average particle size of 26.43 nm and a poly-dispersity index (PDI) of 0.25 with a zeta potential value of -24.6 mV, ensuring their stability. The lattice plane values confirm the crystalline nature as identified by XRD. These P-AgNPs exhibited potential antimicrobial activity against selected human pathogenic microbes. Additionally, the in vitro MTT assay results showed its effective anticancer activity against the glioma U118 MG cancer cell line with an IC50 value of 9.77 µg/mL AgNPs by initiating apoptosis as identified by a staining study with flow cytometric Annexin V-Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (FITC) and Propidium Iodide (PI). Thus, P. alba AgNPs can be recommended for further pharmacological and other biological research. To conclude, the current investigation developed an eco-friendly AgNPs synthesis using P. alba leaf extract with potential cytotoxic and antibacterial capacity, which can therefore be recommended as a new strategy to treat different human diseases.

Saussurea lappa Exhibits Anti-Oncogenic Effect in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, HepG2 Cancer Cell Line by Bcl-2 Mediated Apoptotic Pathway and Mitochondrial Cytochrome C Release.

Background and Objectives: Saussurea lappa (S. lappa) is an important species of the Asteraceae family with several purposes in traditional medicine. This study intended to explore the cytotoxic effect of S. lappa on HepG2 cancer cell proliferation. Materials and Methods: The effects of an S. lappa n-butanol extract on the induction of apoptosis were investigated by flow cytometry and mitochondrial cytochrome C-releasing apoptosis assay. Additionally, real-time PCR was employed to confirm apoptosis initiation. Further, qualitative estimation of the active constituent of S. lappa was done by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Results: The cell viability study revealed that the n-butanol extract of S. lappa demonstrated potent cytotoxicity against HepG2 cancer cells, with an IC50 value of 56.76 µg/mL. Cell morphology with dual staining of acridine orange (AO)-ethidium bromide (EB) showed an increase in orange/red nuclei due to cell death by S. lappa n-butanol extract compared to control cells. Apoptosis, as the mode of cell death, was also confirmed by the higher release of cytochrome C from mitochondria, the increased expression of caspase-3 and bax, along with down regulation of Bcl-2. Conclusion: These findings conclude that S. lappa is a cause of hepatic cancer cell death through apoptosis and a potential natural source suggesting furthermore investigation of its active compounds that are responsible for these observed activities.