α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity and Cytotoxicity of CeO2 Nanoparticles Fabricated Using a Mixture of Different Cerium Precursors.

A mixture of three distinct cerium precursors (Ce(NO3)3·6H2O, CeCl3·7H2O, and Ce(CH3COO)3·H2O) was used to prepare cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) in a polyol-mediated synthesis. Different ratios of diethylene glycol (DEG) and H2O were utilized in the synthesis. The properties of the synthesized CeO2 NPs, such as structural and morphological properties, were investigated to observe the effect of the mixed cerium precursors. Crystallite sizes of 7-8 nm were obtained for all samples, and all synthesized samples were confirmed to be in the cubic phase. The average particle sizes of the spherical CeO2 were between 9 and 13 nm. The successful synthesis of CeO2 can also be confirmed via the vibrational band of Ce-O from the FTIR. Antidiabetic properties of the synthesized CeO2 NPs were investigated using α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition assay, and the concentration of the synthesized CeO2 NPs was varied in the study. The biocompatibility properties of the synthesized CeO2 NPs were investigated via cytotoxicity tests, and it was found that all synthesized materials showed no cytotoxic properties at lower concentrations (62.5-125 µg/mL).

A literature review of bioactive substances for the treatment of periodontitis: In vitro, in vivo and clinical studies.

Periodontitis is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the tooth that involves a complex interaction of microorganisms and various cell lines around the infected site. To prevent and treat this disease, several options are available, such as scaling, root planning, antibiotic treatment, and dental surgeries, depending on the stage of the disease. However, these treatments can have various side effects, including additional inflammatory responses, chronic wounds, and the need for secondary surgery. Consequently, numerous studies have focused on developing new therapeutic agents for more effective periodontitis treatment. This review explores the latest trends in bioactive substances with therapeutic effects for periodontitis using various search engines. Therefore, this study aimed to suggest effective directions for therapeutic approaches. Additionally, we provide a summary of the current applications and underlying mechanisms of bioactive substances, which can serve as a reference for the development of periodontitis treatments.

Effects of NO3-, Cl-, and CH3COO- anions and diethylene glycol on the morphological, structural, antidiabetic, and cell viability properties of CeO2 nanoparticles.

Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using a modified conventional polyol method. The ratio of diethylene glycol (DEG) and water in the synthesis was varied, and three different cerium precursor salts (Ce(NO3)3, CeCl3, and Ce(CH3COO)3) were used. The structure, size, and morphology of the synthesized CeO2 NPs were studied. An average crystallite size of 13 to 33 nm was obtained from the XRD analysis. Spherical and elongated morphologies of the synthesized CeO2 NPs were acquired. Average particle sizes in the range of 16-36 nm were obtained by varying different ratios of DEG and water. The presence of DEG molecules on the surface of CeO2 NPs was confirmed using FTIR. Synthesized CeO2 NPs were used to study the antidiabetic and cell viability (cell cytotoxicity) properties. Antidiabetic studies were carried out using α-glucosidase enzymes inhibition activity. CeO2 synthesized using Ce(NO3)3 and CeCl3 precursors showed approximately 40.0% α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition activity, while CeO2 synthesized using Ce(CH3COO)3 showed the lowest α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition activity. Cell viability properties of CeO2 NPs were investigated using an in vitro cytotoxicity test. CeO2 NPs prepared using Ce(NO3)3 and CeCl3 were non-toxic at lower concentrations, while CeO2 NPs prepared using Ce(CH3COO)3 were non-toxic at all concentrations. Therefore, polyol-mediated synthesized CeO2 NPs showed quite good α-glucosidase inhibition activity and biocompatibility.

Marine-derived biopolymers as potential bioplastics, an eco-friendly alternative.

The manufacturing and consumption of plastic products have steadily increased over the past decades due to rising global demand, resulting not only in the depletion of petroleum resources but also increased environmental pollution due to the non-biodegradable nature of conventional plastics. Moreover, despite being introduced into the market as an alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics, biobased plastics are mainly manufactured from agricultural crop-based sources, which has negative impacts on the environment and the livelihoods of people. Marine-derived bioplastics are becoming a promising and cost-effective solution to the rising demand for plastic products. The physicochemical, biological, and degradation properties of marine-derived bioplastics have made them promising substances for many applications. However, more research is required for their large-scale implementation. Therefore, this review summarizes the raw materials of marine-derived bioplastics such as algae, animals, and microorganisms, as well as their extraction processes and properties. These insights could thus accelerate the production of marine-derived bioplastics as a novel alternative to prevailing bioplastics by taking advantage of marine biomass.

Marine Biological Macromolecules and Chemically Modified Macromolecules; Potential Anticoagulants.

Coagulation is a potential defense mechanism that involves activating a series of zymogens to convert soluble fibrinogen to insoluble fibrin clots to prevent bleeding and hemorrhagic complications. To prevent the extra formation and diffusion of clots, the counterbalance inhibitory mechanism is activated at levels of the coagulation pathway. Contrariwise, this system can evade normal control due to either inherited or acquired defects or aging which leads to unusual clots formation. The abnormal formations and deposition of excess fibrin trigger serious arterial and cardiovascular diseases. Although heparin and heparin-based anticoagulants are a widely prescribed class of anticoagulants, the clinical use of heparin has limitations due to the unpredictable anticoagulation, risk of bleeding, and other complications. Hence, significant interest has been established over the years to investigate alternative therapeutic anticoagulants from natural sources, especially from marine sources with good safety and potency due to their unique chemical structure and biological activity. This review summarizes the coagulation cascade and potential macromolecular anticoagulants derived from marine flora and fauna.

Multifunctional dual cross-linked poly (vinyl alcohol)/methacrylate hyaluronic acid/chitooligosaccharide-sinapic acid wound dressing hydrogel.

Wound dressing hydrogel with multifunctional properties, including antioxidant and antimicrobial properties and appropriate mechanical, biological, and physical properties is of great interest in wound healing application and it is still a challenge. In the present study, chitooligosaccharides (COS)/ sinapic acid (SA) conjugate (COS-SA) was synthesized using H2O2-induced grafting polymerization, and photo cross-linkable hyaluronic acid was synthesized using methacrilation (HAMA). The synthesis of COS-SA and HAMA was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy, and polyphenol assay. Subsequently, we developed duel cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/HAMA composite hydrogel encapsulated with COS-SA as an antioxidant and antimicrobial dressing for full-thickness wound healing application. The chemical, physical, mechanical, antioxidant, antimicrobial, in vitro biocompatibility, and in vivo wound healing properties of hydrogels were subsequently investigated. The results showed that the fabricated composite hydrogel had a uniform porous architecture, excellent fluid absorbability, and appropriate mechanical stability. The introduction of COSs-SA conjugate remarkably enhanced the in vitro biocompatibility, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of the hydrogel, leading to the significant promotion of in vivo full-thickness wound closure, re-epithelization, granulation tissue formation, and collagen deposition indicating that COSs-SA incorporated PVA/HAMA hydrogel wound dressing has significant potential for chronic wound healing application.

Enhanced wound-healing capability with inherent antimicrobial activities of usnic acid incorporated poly(ε-caprolactone)/decellularized extracellular matrix nanofibrous scaffold.

An extracellular matrix-mimicking, biodegradable tissue-engineered skin substitute with improved antibacterial, antibiofilm, and wound healing capabilities is essential in skin tissue regeneration applications. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel biodegradable composite nanofibrous poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) scaffolds loaded with usnic acid (UA); (PEU), where UA is employed as an antibacterial agent as well as a wound-healing accelerator. The architecture and fiber structure of the scaffolds were examined using scanning electron microscopy, and the results revealed that the average diameters decreased as the dECM content increased. The chemical composition, changes in the crystalline structure, homogeneity, and thermal stability of the nanofiber scaffolds with different material compositions were determined using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. The composite nanofibrous scaffolds exhibited strong antibacterial activity against various bacterial species, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mutans, and Cutibactrium acnes, and fungal pathogens (such as Candida albicans). Additionally, the composite nanofibrous scaffolds exhibited biofilm inhibition properties against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. An evaluation of the appearance of in vivo full-thickness excisional wounds treated with the composite nanofiber scaffolds, as well as a histological analysis of the wounds 21 days after surgery, revealed that treatment with nanofibrous PEU scaffolds enhanced wound healing. This study reveals that the proposed composite nanofibrous PEU scaffold has substantial potential for treating infectious full-thickness wounds.

Inhibitory activities of phloroglucinol-chitosan nanoparticles on mono- and dual-species biofilms of Candida albicans and bacteria.

Phloroglucinol (PG) was encapsulated into chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) using a simple ionic gelification technique, and the inhibitory activity of the resulting nanoparticles on microbial mono- and dual-species biofilms was investigated. PG-CSNPs were determined to be spherical with a rough surface, and had an average diameter and zeta potential of 414.0 ± 48.5 nm and 21.1 ± 1.2 mV, respectively. The rate of PG release from the loaded CSNPs was found to increase in acidic environment. The loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency of PG to CSNPs were determined to be 18.74% and 22.4%, respectively. The prepared PG-CSNPs exhibited inhibitory effects on mono-species biofilms such as Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus mutans, and dual-species such as C. albicans-K. pneumoniae/S. aureus/S. mutans. The PG-CSNPs were found to be more effective in inhibiting and eradicating mono- and dual-species biofilms than pure PG. In addition, PG-CSNPs were found to enhance the efficacy of several antimicrobial drugs against mature mono- and dual-species biofilms. This work demonstrates that PG-CSNPs may provide an alternative method for treating infections caused by biofilm-forming pathogens.

Phloroglucinol-Gold and -Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: Antibiofilm and Antivirulence Activities towards Pseudomonasaeruginosa PAO1.

With the advancement of nanotechnology, several nanoparticles have been synthesized as antimicrobial agents by utilizing biologically derived materials. In most cases, the materials used for the synthesis of nanoparticles from natural sources are extracts. Natural extracts contain a wide range of bioactive components, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact component responsible for nanoparticle synthesis. Furthermore, the bioactive component present in the extract changes according to numerous environmental factors. As a result, the current work intended to synthesize gold (AuNPs) and zinc oxide (ZnONPs) nanoparticles using pure phloroglucinol (PG). The synthesized PG-AuNPs and PG-ZnONPs were characterized using a UV-Vis absorption spectrophotometer, FTIR, DLS, FE-TEM, zeta potential, EDS, and energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction. The characterized PG-AuNPs and PG-ZnONPs have been employed to combat the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. P. aeruginosa is recognized as one of the most prevalent pathogens responsible for the common cause of nosocomial infection in humans. Antimicrobial resistance in P. aeruginosa has been linked to the development of recalcitrant phenotypic characteristics, such as biofilm, which has been identified as one of the major obstacles to antimicrobial therapy. Furthermore, P. aeruginosa generates various virulence factors that are a major cause of chronic infection. These PG-AuNPs and PG-ZnONPs significantly inhibit early stage biofilm and eradicate mature biofilm. Furthermore, these NPs reduce P. aeruginosa virulence factors such as pyoverdine, pyocyanin, protease, rhamnolipid, and hemolytic capabilities. In addition, these NPs significantly reduce P. aeruginosa swarming, swimming, and twitching motility. PG-AuNPs and PG-ZnONPs can be used as control agents for infections caused by the biofilm-forming human pathogenic bacterium P. aeruginosa.

Wound healing properties of triple cross-linked poly (vinyl alcohol)/methacrylate kappa-carrageenan/chitooligosaccharide hydrogel.

To develop an effective and mechanically robust wound dressing, a poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/methacrylate kappa-carrageenan (κ-CaMA) composite hydrogel encapsulated with a chitooligosaccharide (COS) was prepared in a cassette via repeated freeze/thaw cycles, photo-crosslinking, and chemical cross-linking. The chemical, physical, mechanical, in vitro biocompatibility, in vivo wound-healing properties, and antibacterial activity of triple-crosslinked hydrogel were subsequently characterized. The results showed that the PVA/κ-CaMA/COS (Pκ-CaC) hydrogel had a uniformly thick, highly porous three-dimensional architecture with uniformly distributed pores, a high fluid absorption, and retention capacity without disturbing its mechanical stability, and good in vitro biocompatibility. Macroscopic images from the full-thickness skin wound model revealed that the wounds dressed with the proposed Pκ-CaC hydrogel were completely healed by day 14, while the histomorphological results confirmed full re-epithelization and rapid skin-tissue remodeling. This study thus indicates that the composite Pκ-CaC hydrogel has significant potential for use as a wound dressing.

Electrospun porous bilayer nano-fibrous fish collagen/PCL bio-composite scaffolds with covalently cross-linked chitooligosaccharides for full-thickness wound-healing applications.

The development of tissue-engineered biodegradable artificial tissue substitutes with extracellular matrix-mimicking properties that govern the interaction between the material and biological environment is of great interest in wound-healing applications. In the present study, novel bilayer nanofibrous scaffolds composed of fish collagen (FC) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) were fabricated using electrospinning, with the covalent attachment of chitooligosaccharides (COS) via carbodiimide chemistry. The architecture and fiber diameter of the non-cross-linked nanofibrous scaffolds remained consistent irrespective of the polymer ratio under different electrospinning conditions, but the fiber diameter changed after cross-linking in association with the FC content. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated that the blend of biomaterials was homogenous, with an increase in COS levels with increasing FC content in the nanofibrous scaffolds. Based on cytocompatibility analysis (i.e., the cellular response to the nanofibrous scaffolds and their interaction), the nanofibrous scaffolds with high FC content were functionally active in response to normal human dermal fibroblast­neonatal (NHDF-neo) and HaCaT keratinocyte cells, leading to the generation of a very effective tissue-engineered implant for full-thickness wound-healing applications. In addition to these empirical results, an assessment of the hydrophilicity, swelling, and mechanical integrity of the proposed COS-containing FC-rich FC/PCL (FCP) nanofibrous scaffolds confirmed that they have significant potential for use as tissue-engineered skin implants for rapid skin regeneration.

Antithrombin III-mediated blood coagulation inhibitory activity of chitosan sulfate derivatized with different functional groups.

Acylated chitosan sulfate (ChS1), a sulfated polysaccharide with high anticoagulant activity, was chemically synthesized and structurally characterized using FT-IR analysis. The beneficial structural properties and high availability of the sulfate group in ChS1 led to greater anticoagulant activity through both the intrinsic and common pathways with antithrombin III (AT III)-mediated inhibition, particularly involving coagulation factors FXa and FIIa. The analysis of the binding affinities using surface plasma resonance found that the equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) of ChS1 for FXa and FIIa in the presence of AT III was 67.4 nM and 112.6 nM, respectively, indicating the stronger interaction of the AT III/ChS1 complex with the ligands and the inhibition of activated FX and FII. The results of amidolytic assays further demonstrated the stronger inhibition of the proteolytic conversion of factor X by the intrinsic FXase complex and of FII by the prothrombinase complex. Molecular docking analysis further validated the protein-ligand interactions of ChS1 with AT III and their binding affinity.

Recent advances in biological macromolecule based tissue-engineered composite scaffolds for cardiac tissue regeneration applications.

Tissue engineering has become a primary research topic for the treatment of diseased or damaged cardiac tissue, which is a global healthcare concern. Current tissue engineering strategies utilise biomimetic scaffolds and cells that promote healthy growth and regeneration of cardiac tissue. Successful cardiac tissue engineering (CTE) requires scaffolds that mimic the natural anisotropy and microstructure of native tissues, while simultaneously supporting proliferation and differentiation and acting as a natural extracellular matrix (ECM) substitute until it is replaced by the body's residing cells. Among the various types of scaffolding materials, naturally occurred biological macromolecules, synthetic polymers, electroconductive polymers and electroconductive nanoparticles are utilised due to their unique biological and physicochemical properties. In this context, naturally occurred biological macromolecules has gained significant attention in designing tissue engineered composite scaffolds for cardiac tissue regeneration applications due to their excellent biocompatibility, cytocompatibility, biodegradability, and low immunogenicity. The objective of this review is to summarize the micro and macro architecture of the heart and its functional properties and provides a firm summarization of recent progress in biological macromolecules based composites scaffolds with innovative fabrication techniques so that it may help the design of novel substitutes for cardiac tissue regeneration application.

Fish collagen/alginate/chitooligosaccharides integrated scaffold for skin tissue regeneration application.

An emerging paradigm in wound healing techniques is that a tissue-engineered skin substitute offers an alternative approach to create functional skin tissue. Here we developed a fish collagen/alginate (FCA) sponge scaffold that was functionalized by different molecular weights of chitooligosaccharides (COSs) with the use of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride as a cross-linking agent. The effects of cross-linking were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results indicate that the homogeneous materials blending and cross-linking intensity were dependent on the molecular weights of COSs. The highly interconnected porous architecture with 160-260µm pore size and over 90% porosity and COS's MW driven swelling and retention capacity, tensile property and in vitro biodegradation behavior guaranteed the FCA/COS scaffolds for skin tissue engineering application. Further improvement of these properties enhanced the cytocompatibility of all the scaffolds, especially the scaffolds containing COSs with MW in the range of 1-3kDa (FCA/COS1) showed the best cytocompatibility. These physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties suggest that the FCA/COS1 scaffold is a superior candidate that can be used for skin tissue regeneration.

Marine-derived biological macromolecule-based biomaterials for wound healing and skin tissue regeneration.

Wound healing is a complex biological process that depends on the wound condition, the patient's health, and the physicochemical support given through external materials. The development of bioactive molecules and engineered tissue substitutes to provide physiochemical support to enhance the wound healing process plays a key role in advancing wound-care management. Thus, identification of ideal molecules in wound treatment is still in progress. The discovery of natural products that contain ideal molecules for skin tissue regeneration has been greatly advanced by exploration of the marine bioenvironment. Consequently, tremendously diverse marine organisms have become a great source of numerous biological macromolecules that can be used to develop tissue-engineered substitutes with wound healing properties. This review summarizes the wound healing process, the properties of macromolecules from marine organisms, and the involvement of these molecules in skin tissue regeneration applications.