Wound Restorative Power of Halimeda macroloba/ Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Immunocompromised Rats via Downregulating Inflammatory/Immune Cross Talk.

Impaired skin wound healing is still a major challenge, especially with immunocompromised patients who express delayed healing and are susceptible to infections. Injection of rat-derived bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) via the tail vein accelerates cutaneous wound healing via their paracrine activity. The present work aimed to investigate the combined wound-healing potential of BMMSCs and Halimeda macroloba algae extract in immunocompromised rats. High-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HR-LC-MS) investigation of the extract revealed the presence of variant phytochemicals, mostly phenolics, and terpenoids, known for their angiogenic, collagen-stimulating, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The BMMSCs were isolated and characterized for CD markers, where they showed a positive expression of CD90 by 98.21% and CD105 by 97.1%. Twelve days after inducing immunocompromise (40 mg/kg hydrocortisone daily), a circular excision was created in the dorsal skin of rats and the treatments were continued for 16 days. The studied groups were sampled on days 4, 8, 12, and 16 after wounding. The gross/histopathological results revealed that the wound closure (99%), thickness, density of new epidermis and dermis, and skin elasticity in the healed wounds were considerably higher in the BMMSCs/Halimeda group than the control group (p < 0.05). RT-PCR gene expression analysis revealed that the BMMSCs/Halimeda extract combination had perfectly attenuated oxidative stress, proinflammatory cytokines, and NF-KB activation at day 16 of wounding. The combination holds promise for regenerative medicine, representing a revolutionary step in the wound healing of immunocompromised patients, with still a need for safety assessments and further clinical trials.

GC-MS analysis, phytochemical composition of Hertia cheirifolia L. essential oil with pharmacological assessments: antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activities.

The genus Hertia, which belongs to the Asteraceae family, is a flowering genus with 12 species found in Africa, North and South. Among the species present in Algeria, Hertia cheirifolia L. is distributed in the eastern regions of Algeria. The aim of this study is to evaluate its phytochemical composition with following pharmacological assessments: the antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activities of Hertia cheirifolia L. essential oil (EO). GC-MS analysis was used to analyze the chemical constituents of H. cheirifolia essential oil. The antioxidant capacity was assessed using DPPH, FRAP, and H2O2 tests. The EO was also tested for its ability to inhibit six strains of microorganisms, including two Gram (+) and four Gram (-) strains. The antifungal activity was tested by analyzing the effect of the EO on the mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (FOL) fungi. Results showed that primary volatile components were α-pinene (32.59%), 2-(1-cyclopent-1-enyl-1-methylethyl) cyclopentanone (14.62%), (-)-germacrene D (11.37%), and bakkenolide A (9.57%). H. cheirifolia EO showed inhibitory effects against DPPH, H2O2, and FRAP (IC50 = 0.34 ± 0.1, 0.053 ± 0.1, and 0.047 ± 0.01 mg mL-1, respectively). The EO also exhibited moderate antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (S. aureus), Streptococcus pneumoniae ATCC 49619 (S. pneumoniae), and Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 13048 (E. aerogenes), as well as significant antioxidant potential and varied antifungal activity based on dosage and fungal strain. To our knowledge, no previous research has examined the antifungal capacity of H. cheirifolia oil and oil-mycelial development of the FOL relationship. To fully explore the benefits of H. cheirifolia EO, more in vivo research is necessary, along with more testing on other bacterial and fungal strains.

Extracellular vesicles as tools and targets in therapy for diseases.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized, membranous structures secreted into the extracellular space. They exhibit diverse sizes, contents, and surface markers and are ubiquitously released from cells under normal and pathological conditions. Human serum is a rich source of these EVs, though their isolation from serum proteins and non-EV lipid particles poses challenges. These vesicles transport various cellular components such as proteins, mRNAs, miRNAs, DNA, and lipids across distances, influencing numerous physiological and pathological events, including those within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Their pivotal roles in cellular communication make EVs promising candidates for therapeutic agents, drug delivery systems, and disease biomarkers. Especially in cancer diagnostics, EV detection can pave the way for early identification and offers potential as diagnostic biomarkers. Moreover, various EV subtypes are emerging as targeted drug delivery tools, highlighting their potential clinical significance. The need for non-invasive biomarkers to monitor biological processes for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes remains unfulfilled. Tapping into the unique composition of EVs could unlock advanced diagnostic and therapeutic avenues in the future. In this review, we discuss in detail the roles of EVs across various conditions, including cancers (encompassing head and neck, lung, gastric, breast, and hepatocellular carcinoma), neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, viral infections, autoimmune and renal diseases, emphasizing the potential advancements in molecular diagnostics and drug delivery.

Anti-Alzheimer Potential of a New (+)-Pinitol Glycoside Isolated from Tamarindus indica Pulp: In Vivo and In Silico Evaluations.

Tamarindus indica Linn (tamarind, F. Leguminosae) is one of the most widely consumed edible fruits in the world. Phytochemical investigation of tamarind pulp n-butanol fraction yielded one new (+)-pinitol glycoside compound 1 (25% w/w), and 1D, 2D NMR, and HRESIMS investigation were used to confirm the new compound's structure. (+)-Pinitol glycoside showed anti-Alzheimer potential that was confirmed in prophylactic and treatment groups by decreasing time for the T-maze test; decreased TAO, brain and serum AChE, MDA, tau protein levels, and ß amyloid peptide protein levels; and increasing GPX, SOD levels, and in vivo regression of the neurodegenerative features of Alzheimer's dementia in an aluminum-intoxicated rat model. The reported molecular targets for human Alzheimer's disease were then used in a network pharmacology investigation to examine their complex interactions and identify the key targets in the disease pathogenesis. An in silico-based analysis (molecular docking, binding free energy calculation (ΔGBinding), and molecular dynamics simulation) was performed to identify the potential targets for compound 1. The findings of this study may lead to the development of dietary supplements for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Nutritional Composition and Anti-Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Potential of Femur Bone Extracts from Bovine, Chicken, Sheep, and Goat: Phytochemical and In Vivo Studies.

Nutritional deficits in one's diet have been established as the key risk factor for T2DM in recent years. Nutritional therapy has been demonstrated to be useful in treating T2DM. The current study was carried out to assess the nutritional composition of bovine (12 months), chicken (4 months), sheep (13 months), and goat (9 months) femur bone extracts, as well as their potential therapeutic effects on T2DM regression in a Wistar albino rat model (500 mg/kg b.wt.). The proximate composition of the different extracts, their fatty acid composition, their amino acids, and their mineral contents were identified. In vivo data indicated considerably improved T2DM rats, as seen by lower serum levels of TL, TG, TC, ALT, AST, ALP, bilirubin, creatinine, urea, IL-6, TNF-α, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and MDA. Low levels of HDL-C, GSH, and total proteins were restored during this study. Histological investigations of liver and pancreatic tissue revealed that the distribution of collagen fibers was nearly normal. The bovine extract, on the other hand, was the most active, followed by the sheep, goat, and finally chicken extract. This research could result in the creation of a simple, noninvasive, low-cost, and reliable method for T2DM control, paving the way for potential early therapeutic applications in T2DM control.