Potential nanomedicinal applications and physicochemical nature of Hyphaene thebaica-reduced nano-samaria.

Herein we described the biofabrication of samarium oxide nanoparticles (HT-Sm2O3 NPs) by applying the aqueous fruit extract of Hyphaene thebaica was utilized as an eco-friendly chelating agent. The prepared NPs were subjected to various physicochemical properties and potential in biomedical applications. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed sharp peaks that corroborated with the Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards (JCPDS) card no. 00-042-1464. Crystallite size obtained from Debye-Scherrer approximation and Williamson-Hall (W-H) plot was 28.73 and 69.3 nm, respectively. Optical bandgap was calculated by employing Kubelka-Munk (K-M) function and was found to be ~4.58 eV. Raman shift was observed at 121, 351, 424-, and 561 cm-1. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra revealed two major peaks positioned at 360 and 540 nm. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) analysis of HT-Sm2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) showed that they predominantly have spherical to cuboidal shapes. Additionally, the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern presented spotty rings, indicating a high level of crystallinity in these NPs. The potential nanomedicine applications were studied using diverse bioassays using different treatments. The antioxidant activity demonstrated 45.71% ± 1.13% inhibition at 1000 µg/mL. Brine shrimp lethality assay revealed the highest cytotoxicity of 46.67% ± 3.33% at 1000 µg/mL and LC50 value of 1081 µg/mL. HT-Sm2O3 NPs exhibited inhibition of angiogenesis (20.41% ± 1.18%) at of 1000 µg/mL. MTT assay results indicated that HT-Sm2O3 NPs exhibit inhibitory effects on cell lines. Specifically, these NPs showed an IC50 value of 104.6 µg/mL against 3T3 cells. Against MCF-7 cells, the NPs demonstrated an IC50 value of 413.25 µg/mL. Additionally, in the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the newly synthesized NPs showed an IC50 value of 320 µg/mL. The antidiabetic assessment through α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition assays revealed, an IC50 value of 380 µg/mL for α-glucosidase and 952 µg/mL for α-amylase was calculated. Overall, our study suggested that the Sm2O3 NPs possess moderate anticancer, cholinesterase inhibition, and antidiabetic potential, however, needs further assessment. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: In this work, nano-samaria is synthesized using an eco-friendly and green approach. The nanoparticles were characterized using techniques such as Raman, HR-TEM, FTIR, DRS, XRD, and so on, and the applications were studied using multiple in vitro bioassays for Diabetes, Alzheimer, and Cancer. The nano-samaria revealed good potential for potential biomedical applications.

Clinico-genomic findings, molecular docking, and mutational spectrum in an understudied population with breast cancer patients from KP, Pakistan.

In this study, we report the mutational profiles, pathogenicity, and their association with different clinicopathologic and sociogenetic factors in patients with Pashtun ethnicity for the first time. A total of 19 FFPE blocks of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) from the Breast Cancer (BC) tissue and 6 normal FFPE blocks were analyzed by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Various somatic and germline mutations were identified in cancer-related genes, i.e., ATM, CHEK2, PALB2, and XRCC2. Among a total of 18 mutations, 14 mutations were somatic and 4 were germline. The ATM gene exhibited the maximum number of mutations (11/18), followed by CHEK2 (3/18), PALB2 (3/18), and XRCC2 (1/18). Except one frameshift deletion, all other 17 mutations were nonsynonymous single-nucleotide variants (SNVs). SIFT prediction revealed 7/18 (38.8%) mutations as deleterious. PolyPhen-2 and MutationTaster identified 5/18 (27.7%) mutations as probably damaging and 10/18 (55.5%) mutations as disease-causing, respectively. Mutations like PALB2 p.Q559R (6/19; 31.5%), XRCC2 p.R188H (5/19; 26.31%), and ATM p.D1853N (4/19; 21.05%) were recurrent mutations and proposed to have a biomarker potential. The protein network prediction was performed using GeneMANIA and STRING. ISPRED-SEQ indicated three interaction site mutations which were further used for molecular dynamic simulation. An average increase in the radius of gyration was observed in all three mutated proteins revealing their perturbed folding behavior. Obtained SNVs were further correlated with various parameters related to the clinicopathological status of the tumors. Three mutation positions (ATM p. D1853N, CHEK2 p.M314I, and PALB2 p.T1029S) were found to be highly conserved. Finally, the wild- and mutant-type proteins were screened for two drugs: elagolix (DrugBank ID: DB11979) and LTS0102038 (a triterpenoid, isolated from the anticancer medicinal plant Fagonia indica). Comparatively, a higher number of interactions were noted for normal ATM with both compounds, as compared to mutants.

Preliminary insights on the mutational spectrum of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in Pakhtun ethnicity breast cancer patients from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan.

Gene mutations are a source of genetic instability which fuels the progression of cancer. Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 are considered as major drivers in the progression of breast cancer and their detection indispensable for devising therapeutic and management approaches. The current study aims to identify novel pathogenic and recurrent mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 in Pakhtun population from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. To determine the BRCA1 and BRCA2 pathogenic mutation prevalence in Pakhtun population from KP, whole exome sequencing of 19 patients along with 6 normal FFPE embedded blocks were performed. The pathogenicity of the mutations were determined and they were further correlated with different hormonal, sociogenetic and clinicopathological features. We obtained a total of 10 mutations (5 somatic and 5 germline) in BRCA1 while 27 mutations (24 somatic and 3 germline) for BRCA2. Five and seventeen pathogenic or deleterious mutations were identified in BRCA1 and BRCA2 respectively by examining the mutational spectrum through SIFT, PolyPhen-2 and Mutation Taster. Among the SNVs, BRCA1 p.P824L, BRCA2 p. P153Q, p.I180F, p.D559Y, p.G1529R, p.L1576F, p.E2229K were identified as mutations of the interaction sites as predicted by the deep algorithm based ISPRED-SEQ prediction tool. SAAFEQ-SEQ web-based algorithm was used to calculate the changes in free energy and effect of SNVs on protein stability. All SNVs were found to have a destabilizing effect on the protein. ConSurf database was used to determine the evolutionary conservation scores and nature of the mutated residues. Gromacs 4.5 was used for the molecular simulations. Ramachandran plots were generated using procheck server. STRING and GeneMania was used for prediction of the gene interactions. The highest number of mutations (BRCA1 7/10, 70 %) were on exon 9 and (BRCA2, 11/27; 40 %) were on exon 11. 40 % and 60 % of the BRCA2 mutations were associated Grade 2 and Grade 3 tumors respectively. The present study reveals unique BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in Pakhtun population. We further suggest sequencing of the large cohorts for further characterizing the pathogenic mutations.

Insight into the molecular mechanism, cytotoxic, and anticancer activities of phyto-reduced silver nanoparticles in MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines.

This contribution insight on the cytotoxic and anticancer activities and molecular mechanism of phyto-reduced silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. A simple, entirely green synthesis process was optimized for the phyto-reduction of AgNP (~12.7 nm) using aqueous leaf extracts of Indigofera heterantha. The structural and vibrational properties of biosynthesized AgNPs were extensively characterized using UV-Vis spectrophotometer, x-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), while their shape and morphology was studied through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell viability assay indicates concentration dependent inhibition with IC50, 27.93 ± 2.10 µg/mL against MCF-7 cells and 294.38 ± 3.87 µg/mL against L929 cells. The manifested anticancer mechanism in MCF-7 cells was extensively studied using Acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB), 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and Annexin-V/propedium iodide fluorescence microscopic assays. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured using DCFH-DA fluorescent spectroscopy. Overall, the results show that AgNPs exhibit cytotoxic and apoptotic effect on breast cancer MCF-7 cells by damaging membrane integrity and nuclear fragmentation due to oxidative stress generated by elevated level of ROS. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Biomimetic synthesis of nano dimension size silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Characterization of AgNPs through UV-Vis, DLS, XRD, FTIR, and SEM. Cytotoxic and anticancer effects of the biosynthesized AgNPs in L929 fibroblast cells and MCF7 breast cancer respectively. Determination of morphological, and nuclear changes triggered by AgNPs in MCF 7 breast cancer cells using fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. Apoptosis induction by AgNPs in cancer cells through oxidative stress generated by reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Mutational Landscape and In-Silico Analysis of TP53, PIK3CA, and PTEN in Patients with Breast Cancer from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Herein, we report the mutational spectrum of three breast cancer candidate genes (TP53, PIK3CA, and PTEN) using WES for identifying potential biomarkers. The WES data were thoroughly analyzed using SAMtools for variant calling and identification of the mutations. Various bioinformatic tools (SIFT, PolyPhen-2, Mutation Taster, ISPRED-SEQ, SAAFEQ-SEQ, ConSurf, PROCHECK etc.) were used to determine the pathogenicity and nature of the SNVs. Selected interaction site (IS) mutations were visualized in PyMOL after building 3D structures in Swiss-Model. Ramachandran plots were generated by using the PROCHECK server. The selected IS mutations were subjected to molecular dynamic simulation (MDS) studies using Gromacs 4.5. STRING and GeneMANIA were used for the prediction of gene-gene interactions and pathways. Our results revealed that the luminal A molecular subtype of the breast cancer was most common, whereas a high percentage of was Her2 negatives. Moreover, the somatic mutations were more common as compared to the germline mutations in TP53, PIK3CA, and PTEN. 20% of the identified mutations are reported for the first time from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In the enrolled cohort, 23 mutations were nonsynonymous SNVs. The frequency of mutations was the highest in PIK3CA, followed by TP53 and PTEN. A total of 13 mutations were found to be highly pathogenic. Four novel mutations were identified on PIK3CA and one each on PTEN and TP53. SAAFEQ-SEQ predicted the destabilizing effect for all mutations. ISPRED-SEQ predicted 9 IS mutations (6 on TP53 and 3 on PIK3CA), whereas no IS mutation was predicted on PTEN. The TP53 IS mutations were TP53R43H, TP53Y73X, TP53K93Q, TP53K93R, TP53D149E, and TP53Q199X; whereas for PIK3CA, the IS mutations were PIK3CAL156V, PIK3CAM610K, and PIK3CAH1047R. Analysis from the ConSurf Web server revealed five SNVs with a highly conserved status (conservation score 9) across TP53 and PTEN. TP53P33R was found predominant in the grade 3 tumors, whereas PTENp.C65S was distributed on ER+, ER-, PR+, PR-, Her2+, and Her2- patients. TP53p.P33R mutation was found to be recurring in the 14/19 (73.6%) patients and, therefore, can be considered as a potential biomarker. Finally, these mutations were studied in the context of their potential association with different hormonal and social factors.

Phyto-fabrication of ultrafine nanoscale holmium oxide HT-Ho2O3 NPs and their biomedical potential.

In this study holmium oxide nanoparticles (Ho2O3 NPs) are fabricated using Hyphaene thebaica extracts as a bioreductant. The XRD pattern of HT-Ho2O3 NPs (product from phyto-reduction) suggested that the nanoparticles are crystalline with no impurities. Scherrer approximation revealed grain sizes of ∼10 nm. The HR-TEM revealed HT-Ho2O3 NPs possessed a quasi-spherical morphology complemented by SEM and the particle sizes were in the range of 6-12 nm. The infrared spectra revealed characteristic Ho-O bonding at ∼603 cm-1. Raman spectra indicated five main peaks positioned at 156 cm-1, 214 cm-1, 328 cm-1, 379 cm-1 and 607 cm-1. Eg (optical bandgap) was found to be 5.1 eV. PL spectra indicated two major peaks at 415 nm and 607 nm. EDS spectra confirmed the elemental presence of holmium (Ho). Spotty rings were obtained during the SAED measurement which indicated crystallinity of HT-Ho2O3 NPs. The HT-Ho2O3 NPs were further analyzed for their antioxidant, anti-angiogenic and cytotoxic properties. The antioxidant potential was moderate i.e., 43.40 ± 0.96% at 1000 µg mL-1 which decreased in a dose dependent manner. Brine shrimp lethality was highest at 1000 µg mL-1 with the LC50 320.4 µg mL-1. Moderate anti-angiogenic potential was observed using in ova CAM assay. MTT bioassay revealed that the HT-Ho2O3 NPs inhibited the 3T3 cells (IC50 67.9 µg mL-1), however, no significant inhibition was observed against MCF-7 cells. α-Amylase and ß-glucosidase inhibition revealed that the HT-Ho2O3 NPs can be of use in controlling blood glucose levels. Overall, it can be concluded that biosynthesis using aqueous extracts can be a suitable alternative in finding ecofriendly paradigms for the synthesis of nanoparticles. We suggest extended research into the bioreduced Ho2O3 NPs for establishing their biomedical potential and toxicity.

Microbes-mediated synthesis strategies of metal nanoparticles and their potential role in cancer therapeutics.

Past few years have seen a paradigm shift towards ecofriendly, green and biological fabrication of metal nanoparticles (MNPs) for diverse nanomedicinal applications especially in cancer nanotheranostics. Besides, the well-known green synthesis methods of plant materials, the potential of the microbial world (bacteria, fungi, alga, etc.) in biofabrication is equally realized. Biomolecules and enzymes in the microbial cells are capable of catalyzing the biosynthesis process. These microbial derived inorganic nanoparticles have been frequently evaluated as potential agents in cancer therapies revealing exciting results. Through, cellular and molecular pathways, these microbial derived nanoparticles are capable of killing the cancer cells. Considering the recent developments in the anticancer applications of microbial derived inorganic MNPs, a dire need was felt to bring the available information to a single document. This manuscript reviews not only the mechanistic aspects of the microbial derived MNPs but also include the diverse mechanisms that governs their anticancer potential. Besides, an updated literature review is presented that includes studies of 2019-onwards.

Extraction optimization, Total Phenolic-Flavonoids content, HPLC-DAD finger printing, antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic potentials of Chinese folklore Ephedra intermedia Schrenk & C. A. Mey

Abstract Plants from genus Ephedra are commonly used by the Chinese people as folk medicine for treatment of various diseases. The current study was designed to explore the ethno-pharmacological based pharmacological potentials of Ephedra intermedia Schrenk & C.A. Mey. (E. intermedia). Plant aerial parts were extracted using ten solvent systems with increasing order of polarity. Samples were analyzed for total phenolic and flavonoid contents, HPLC-DAD analysis, antibacterial, antifungal, HepG2 cell line cytotoxicity, hemolysis and antioxidant potentials following standard procedures. Highest percent extract recovery was observed in Eth+WT (25.55 % w/w) solvent system. Flavonoid and phenolic contents were higher in chloroform and Met+WT fractions respectively. Considerable antibacterial activity was shown by Eth+Met extract against B. subtilis and K. pneumonia (MIC of 11.1μg/mL for each). Eth extract exhibited high antifungal activity against A. fumigates (15±0.31 mm DIZ). Met+WT extract showed significant cytotoxicity against HepG2 cell lines with IC50 of 13.51+0.69 μg/mL. Substantial free radical scavenging activity (74.9%) was observed for Met+Eth extract. In the current study, several solvent systems were used for more effective extraction of fractions and can be useful in the isolation of phytochemicals. Various fractions exhibited considerable antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic potentials. Biological potentials of E. intermedia signify its potential uses in microbial, cancer and degenerative disorders and thus warrant further detailed studies.

Genus Viburnum: Therapeutic Potentialities and Agro-Food-Pharma Applications.

The genus Viburnum (Adoxaceae, Dipsacales) is of scientific interest due to the chemical components and diverse biological activities found across species of the genus, which includes more than 230 species of evergreen, semievergreen, or deciduous shrubs and small trees. Although frequently used as an ornament, the Viburnum species show biological properties with health-promoting effects. Fruits, flowers, and barks of certain species are used for pharmaceutical purposes or as cooking ingredients, hence containing biochemical compounds with health-promoting activity such are carotenoids, polyphenols, and flavonoids. However, its taxonomical determination is difficult, due to its wide distribution and frequent hybridizations; therefore, an objective classification would allow us to understand its biological activity based on its phytochemical components. More than sixty phytochemical compounds have been reported, where vibsanin-type diterpenes and their derivatives are the most prevalent. Leaves and twigs of V. dilatatum contain the largest number of phytochemicals among the genus. Through preclinical evidence, this study provides insight regarding antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, and anticancer activities of genus Viburnum.

Silver nanoparticles biosynthesized from secondary metabolite producing marine actinobacteria and evaluation of their biomedical potential.

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from marine actinobacteria offers a promising avenue for exploring bacterial extracts as reducing and stabilizing agents. We report extracellular extracts of Rhodococcus rhodochrous (MOSEL-ME29) and Streptomyces sp. (MOSEL-ME28), identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing for synthesis of AgNPs. Ultrafine silver nanoparticles were biosynthesized using the extracts of R. rhodochrous and Streptomyces sp. and their possible therapeutic applications were studied. The physicochemical properties of nanoparticles were established by HR-SEM/TEM, SAED, UV-Vis, EDS, XRD, and FTIR. UV-Vis spectra displayed characteristic absorption at 430 nm and 412 nm for AgNPs from Streptomyces sp. (S-AgNPs) and Rhodococcus sp. (R-AgNPs), respectively. HR-SEM/TEM, XRD, EDS analysis confirmed the spherical shape, crystalline nature, and elemental formation of silver. Crystallite or grain size was deduced as 5.52 nm for R-AgNPs and 35 nm for S-AgNPs. Zeta-potential indicated electrostatic negative charge for AgNPs, while FTIR revealed the presence of diverse functional groups. Disc diffusion assay indicated the broad-spectrum antibacterial potential of S-AgNPs with the maximum inhibition of B. subtilis while R-AgNPs revealed potency against P. aeruginosa at 10 µg/mL concentration. Biogenic AgNPs revealed antileishmanial activity and the IC50 was calculated as 164 µg/mL and 184 µg/mL for R-AgNPs and S-AgNPs respectively. Similarly, the R-AgNPs and S-AgNPs revealed anti-cancer potential against HepG2 and the IC50 was calculated as 49 µg/mL and 69 µg/mL for R-AgNPs and S-AgNPs, respectively. Moreover, the antioxidant activity showed significant results. MTT assay on RD cells, L20B cells, and Hep-2C indicated intensification in viability by reducing the concentration of R-AgNPs and S-AgNPs. The R-AgNPs and S-AgNPs inhibited sabin-like poliovirus (1TCID50 infection in RD cells). Furthermore, hemocompatibility at low concentrations has been confirmed. Hence, it is concluded that biogenic-AgNPs has the potential to be used in diverse biological applications and that the marine actinobacteria are an excellent resource for fabrication of AgNPs.

Floral extracts-mediated green synthesis of NiO nanoparticles and their diverse pharmacological evaluations.

Biosynthesis has emerged as an exciting interface for assembling multifunctional metal oxide nanoparticles for diverse medicinal applications. Herein, biogenic nickel oxide (NiO-NPs) is synthesized by using floral extracts of Callistemon viminalis (C. viminalis) as a low cost, ecofriendly reducing and stabilizing agent. NiO-NPs were annealed at 300 °C, 400 °C and 500 °C while their physiochemical properties were established by HR-SEM/TEM, UV, XRD, FTIR, EDS, SAED and SQUID techniques. Particle size of NiO-NPs decreased with increase in annealing temperatures. Magnetization curves indicated superparamagnetic behavior of the biogenic NiO-NPs at 300 K. Highly crystalline NiO-NPs obtained after annealing at 500 °C were used for biomedical applications. The anti-leishmanial activity on Leishmania tropica promastigotes (KMH-23) and anticancer activity on HepG2 (RCB1648) revealed excellent inhibition potential with IC50 of 37.21 µg/mL and 47 µg/mL, respectively. Significant antibacterial effect was observed against Klebsiella pneumonia and Proteus vulgaris with MIC's of 12.5 µg/mL each. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and α-glucosidase inhibitory potential were comparable with positive control drugs. Moderate antioxidant activities were observed. NiO-NPs were observed to be hemolytic (30%) at higher dose (1000 µg/mL). Overall, NiO-NPs revealed a multifunctional nature that can be explored for diverse biomedical applications.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Green-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles Induced Apoptotic Cell Death in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells by Generating Reactive Oxygen Species and Activating Caspase 3 and 9 Enzyme Activities.

Silver nanoparticles are among the most significant diagnostic and therapeutic agents in the field of nanomedicines. In the current study, the green chemistry approach was made to optimize a cost-effective synthesis protocol for silver nanoparticles from the aqueous extract of the important anticancer plant Fagonia indica. We investigated the anticancer potential and possible involvement of AgNPs in apoptosis. The biosynthesized AgNPs are stable (zeta potential, -16.3 mV) and spherical with a crystal size range from 10 to 60 nm. The MTT cell viability assay shows concentration-dependent inhibition of the growth of Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) cells (IC50, 12.35 µg/mL). In addition, the fluorescent microscopic analysis shows activation of caspases 3 and 9 by AgNPs that cause morphological changes (AO/EB assay) in the cell membrane and cause nuclear condensation (DAPI assay) that eventually lead to apoptotic cell death (Annexin V/PI assay). It was also observed that AgNPs generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that modulate oxidative stress in MCF-7 cells. This is the first study that reports the synthesis of a silver nanoparticle mediated by Fagonia indica extract and evaluation of the cellular and molecular mechanism of apoptosis.

Bio-redox potential of Hyphaene thebaica in bio-fabrication of ultrafine maghemite phase iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) for therapeutic applications.

Maghemite (Fe2O3-NPs) nanoparticles were synthesized by a convenient, green and cost effective method using aqueous fruit extracts of Hyphaene thebaica. Different techniques like FTIR, XRD, UV-Vis, Raman, HR-TEM, EDS. SAED, Zeta potential were used to establish the nature of Fe2O3-NPs, while the therapeutic properties were studied using different biological assays including antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and enzyme inhibition assays. XRD pattern revealed sharp peaks and a crystalline nature of Fe2O3-NPs. HR-TEM revealed quasi-spherical and cuboidal morphologies, while the particle size in ~10 nm. FTIR indicated a sharp peak centered at ~444 cm-1 which is the characteristic FeO band vibration. SAED pattern indicated the crystalline nature while EDS also confirmed the synthesis of Fe2O3 NPs. Zeta potential was obtained in different solvents and physiological buffers indicating highest value in water (-26.5 mV) and lowest in DMSO (-15.8 mV). Tested bacterial strains, Bacillus subtilis was found to be inhibited significantly. Aspergillus flavus appeared to be susceptible to all of the tested concentration of Fe2O3 NPs. Maximum 40.78% FRSA was obtained at 400 µg/mL. Cell culture based studies on RD cells and L20B cells indicated reduction in viability of cells with increase concentration of Fe2O3 NPs. Moderate inhibition of polio virus-1 and polio virus-2 was observed, after culturing the virus in the L20B cells. Excellent Protein Kinase (PK) inhibition was revealed. Hemolytic potential and cytotoxic potential was indicated to be dose dependent. In conclusion, the present report for the first time reports the synthesis of Fe2O3 NPs from H. thebaica fruits and reveals their biomedical potential including antiviral potential.

Phytosynthesis of BiVO4 nanorods using Hyphaene thebaica for diverse biomedical applications.

Biosynthesis of bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) nanorods was performed using dried fruit extracts of Hyphaene thebaica as a cost effective reducing and stabilizing agent. XRD, DRS, FTIR, zeta potential, Raman, HR-SEM, HR-TEM, EDS and SAED were used to study the main physical properties while the biological properties were established by performing diverse assays. The zeta potential is reported as - 5.21 mV. FTIR indicated Bi-O and V-O vibrations at 640 cm-1 and 700 cm-1/1120 cm-1. Characteristic Raman modes were observed at 166 cm-1, 325 cm-1 and 787 cm-1. High resolution scanning and transmission electron micrographs revealed a rod like morphology of the BiVO4. Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Fusarium solani indicated highest susceptibility to the different doses of BiVO4 nanorods. Significant protein kinase inhibition is reported for BiVO4 nanorods which suggests their potential anticancer properties. The nanorods revealed good DPPH free radical scavenging potential (48%) at 400 µg/mL while total antioxidant capacity of 59.8 µg AAE/mg was revealed at 400 µg/mL. No antiviral activity is reported on sabin like polio virus. Overall excellent biological properties are reported. We have shown that green synthesis can replace well established processes for synthesizing BiVO4 nanorods.

Phytochemical Analysis, Ephedra Procera C. A. Mey. Mediated Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles, Their Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Potentials.

Background and Objectives: The current study focuses on an eco-friendly and cost-effective method of Ephedra procera C. A. Mey. mediated green synthesis of silver nanoparticles as potential cytotoxic, antimicrobial and anti-oxidant agents. Materials and Methods: Plant aqueous extracts were screened for Total Phenolic (TPC), Total Flavonoid contents (TFC), Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging potentials. Total reducing power estimated by potassium ferricyanide colorimetric assay. The biosynthesized E. procera nanoparticles (EpNPs) were characterized by UV-spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction and Scanning electron microscopy. EpNPs were evaluated for their antimicrobial, bio-compatibility and cytotoxic potentials. Results: Initial phytocheimcal analysis of plant aqueous extract revealed TFC of 20.7 ± 0.21 µg/mg extract and TPC of 117.01 ± 0.78 µg/mg extract. TAC, DPPH free radical scavenging and reducing power were 73.8 ± 0.32 µg/mg extract, 71.8 ± 0.73% and 105.4 ± 0.65 µg/mg extract respectively. The synthesized EpNPs were observed to possess high cytotoxicity against HepG2 cancer cell lines with IC50 (61.3 µg/mL) as compared aqueous extract with IC50 of (247 µg/mL). EpNPs were found to be biocompatible and have less effect on human erythrocytes. EpNPs exhibited significant antioxidant potentials and exhibited considerable activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MICs) of 11.12 µg/mL and 11.33 µg/mL respectively. Fungal species Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus were found susceptible to EpNPs. Conclusions: Results of the current study revealed that EpNPs exhibited considerable antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic potentials. Aqueous extract possesses significant anti-radical properties and thus can be useful in free radicals induced degenerative disorders.

Endophyte-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their biological applications.

Biosynthesis has emerged as a frontier technology for fabrication of functionally diverse nanoparticles that possess tremendous therapeutic implications. Various biological resources have already demonstrated their potential to produce nanoparticles with interesting features. Endophytic microbes live in a symbiotic relationship with plants possessing a unique and versatile reservoir of potentially therapeutic secondary metabolites having the tendency to reduce metallic ions into nanoparticles. Successful biosynthesis of AgNPs using endophytic organisms has already been reported; however, the overall picture about its synthesis and applications is still not clear. In the current article, a comprehensive review of literature was performed for comparing different physical and biological properties of endophytic microbe-derived AgNPs. In addition, the present paper mechanistically explains the synthesis of AgNPs and their diverse pharmacognostic properties. Further studies are encouraged to understand the mechanism of biopharmaceutical effects of these endophyte-mediated NPs.

Bio-guided profiling and HPLC-DAD finger printing of Atriplex lasiantha Boiss.

BACKGROUND: Plants represent an intricate and innovative source for the discovery of novel therapeutic remedies for the management of various ailments. The current study has been aimed to validate the therapeutic potential of ethnomedicinally significant plant Atriplex lasiantha Boiss. METHODS: The polarity based extraction process was carried out using fourteen solvents to figure out best extraction solvent and bioactive fractions. Total phenolic-flavonoids contents were quantified colorimetrically and polyphenolics were measured using HPLC-DAD analysis. Moreover, the test samples were tested against several diseases targets following various assays including free radicals scavenging, antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic and antileishmanial assay. RESULTS: Among the solvent fractions, maximum yield was obtained with methanol-water extract i.e., 11 ± 0.49%. Maximum quantity of gallic acid equivalent phenolic content and quercetin equivalent flavonoid content were quantified in methanol-ethyl acetate extract of A. lasiantha. Significant quantity of rutin i.e., 0.3 µg/mg was quantified by HPLC analysis. The methanol-ethyl acetate extract of A. lasiantha exhibited maximum total antioxidant and total reducing power with 64.8 ± 1.16 AAE/mg extract respectively, while showing 59.8 ± 1.07% free radical scavenging potential. A significant antibacterial potential was exhibited by acetone-distilled water extract of A. lasiantha with 11 ± 0.65 mm zone of inhibition against B. subtilis. Considerable antifungal activity was exhibited by ethyl acetate-n-hexane extract of aerial part of A. lasiantha with 14 ± 1.94 mm zone of inhibition against A. fumigatus. Highest percentage of α-amylase inhibition (41.8 ± 1.09%) was observed in ethyl acetate-n-hexane extract. Methanol-acetone extract of A. lasiantha demonstrated significant inhibition of hyphae formation with 11 ± 0.49 mm bald zone of inhibition. Significant in-vitro cytotoxicity against Hep G2 cell line has been exhibited by methanol-chloroforms extract of A. lasiantha. CONCLUSION: The current study reveals the prospective potential of Atriplex lasiantha Boiss. for the discovery of biologically active compounds through bioassay guided isolation against various diseases.

Extraction optimization, total phenolic, flavonoid contents, HPLC-DAD analysis and diverse pharmacological evaluations of Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants.

The present study aims to evaluate phytochemical and pharmacological potentials of Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants previously known as Chenopodium ambrosioides L. Extraction was carried out using 14 solvents with wide range of polarity to find out the best solvent system for each bioactivity. Total phenolic and flavonoids contents were measured colorimetrically and polyphenolics were quantified via HPLC-DAD analysis. The samples were screened for inhibitory potentials against free radicals, leishmania, cancer cell lines, protein kinase, α-Amylase enzymes and microbial strains. Among all solvents, maximum percentage of extract was recovered from methanol-water fraction of leaves. HPLC analysis exhibited the presence of rutin, myricetin and quercetin. In DPPH assay, methanolic leaf extract exhibited IC50 value of 130.7 ± 0.57 µg/mL. Considerable α-amylase inhibitory, cytotoxic, leishmanicidal and antimicrobial potentials were exhibited by plant samples. D. ambrosioides revealed significant antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial and anti-diabetic potentials and thus warrant further detailed studies to find novel drugs.

Potential phytochemicals in the fight against skin cancer: Current landscape and future perspectives.

Skin cancer is a life threatening disease and their prevalence and risk has been increasing over the past three decades causing significant loss to human health worldwide. Mostly skin cancer has developed resistance against chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Therefore, development of novel, cost effective and efficient treatment methods are needed. Phytochemicals extracted from medicinal plants and dietary sources are often biologically active and has attracted the attention of researchers and pharmaceutical industries around the world. Many in vitro and in vivo studies of these bioactive compounds have shown potential antioxidant, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic effects in the fight against skin cancer. These phytochemicals also regulate several other molecular processes such as angiogenesis, metastasis and cell cycle to combat skin cancer. The present review provides perspectives on the key phytochemicals, their therapeutic potentials, bioavailability and molecular mechanism of action in the cancer therapeutics. Current challenges and future directions for research are also critically discussed.

Biosynthesis of Metal Nanoparticles via Microbial Enzymes: A Mechanistic Approach.

During the last decade, metal nanoparticles (MtNPs) have gained immense popularity due to their characteristic physicochemical properties, as well as containing antimicrobial, anti-cancer, catalyzing, optical, electronic and magnetic properties. Primarily, these MtNPs have been synthesized through different physical and chemical methods. However, these conventional methods have various drawbacks, such as high energy consumption, high cost and the involvement of toxic chemical substances. Microbial flora has provided an alternative platform for the biological synthesis of MtNPs in an eco-friendly and cost effective way. In this article we have focused on various microorganisms used for the synthesis of different MtNPs. We also have elaborated on the intracellular and extracellular mechanisms of MtNP synthesis in microorganisms, and have highlighted their advantages along with their challenges. Moreover, due to several advantages over chemically synthesized nanoparticles, the microbial MtNPs, with their exclusive and dynamic characteristics, can be used in different sectors like the agriculture, medicine, cosmetics and biotechnology industries in the near future.