The Effects of Acyl Chain Length on Antioxidant Efficacy of Mono- and Multi-Acylated Resveratrol: A Comparative Assessment.

Acylated derivatives of the dietary phenolic, resveratrol, were prepared via enzymatic and chemical transesterification modification with selected vinyl fatty acids to expand the potential application of resveratrol and its acylated derivatives in functional supplement, cosmetic/skincare, and pharmaceutical fields. The acylation was implemented using eight vinyl fatty acids with varying chain lengths (C2:0-C18:0). Eight monoesters enzymatically prepared, eight diesters and four triesters, chemically prepared, were isolated and purified and identified via MS (mass spectra) or/and NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance). The lipophilicity of resveratrol and its acylated derivatives was calculated using ALOGPS 2.1. Compared with related acylated products, resveratrol itself rendered higher antioxidant efficacy in all the antioxidant assays, namely DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and ferrous chelation tests. Within various ester derivatives of resveratrol, short-chain fatty acid mono- and di-substituted resveratrols, especially the resveratrol monoacetate/diacetate, exhibited higher antioxidant efficacy in DPPH and ABTS assays than the rest of resveratrol derivatives, but the medium-chain monoesters of resveratrol, including caproate, caprylate, caprate, and laurate, showed a higher metal ion chelation ability compared to other acylated resveratrols. These results imply that resveratrol derivatives may be used in lipidic media as health-beneficial antioxidants.

Assessment of Chemopreventive Potential of the Plant Extracts against Liver Cancer Using HepG2 Cell Line.

The edible parts of the plants Camellia sinensis, Vitis vinifera and Withania somnifera were extensively used in ancient practices such as Ayurveda, owing to their potent biomedical significance. They are very rich in secondary metabolites such as polyphenols, which are very good antioxidants and exhibit anti-carcinogenic properties. This study aims to evaluate the anti-cancerous properties of these plant crude extracts on human liver cancer HepG2 cells. The leaves of Camellia sinensis, Withania somnifera and the seeds of Vitis vinifera were collected and methanolic extracts were prepared. Then, these extracts were subjected to DPPH, α- amylase assays to determine the antioxidant properties. A MTT assay was performed to investigate the viability of the extracts of HepG2 cells, and the mode of cell death was detected by Ao/EtBr staining and flow cytometry with PI Annexin- V FITC dual staining. Then, the protein expression of BAX and BCl2 was studied using fluorescent dye to determine the regulation of the BAX and BCl2 genes. We observed that all the three extracts showed the presence of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols or phytochemicals. The W. somnifera bioactive compounds were found to have the highest anti-proliferative activity on human liver cancer cells.

O-prenylated carbostyrils as a novel class of 15-lipoxygenase inhibitors: Synthesis, characterization, and inhibitory assessment.

Catalyzed peroxidation of unsaturated lipid in animals and plants intimately is linked to the activity of 15-Lipoxygenase enzymes. Lipoxygenases (LOXs) are well known to play an important role in many acute and chronic syndromes such as inflammation, asthma, cancer, and allergy. In this study, a series of mono prenyloxycarbostyrils were synthesized and evaluated as potential inhibitors of soybean 15-Lipoxygenase (SLO) and their inhibitory potencies were compared to mono prenyloxycoumarins which had been reported in the previous works. The synthetic compounds inhibit lipoxygenase enzyme by competitive mechanism like the prenyloxy coumarins. The results showed that position and length of the prenyl moiety play the important role in lipoxygenase inhibitory activity. Among all of the synthetic compounds (coumarin and carbostyril derivatives), 5-farnesyloxycoumarin and 8-farnesyloxycarbostyril demonstrated the best inhibitory activity by IC50  values of 1.1 µM and 0.53 µM, respectively.

Spent Grain from Malt Whisky: Assessment of the Phenolic Compounds.

In order to extract antioxidant phenolic compounds from spent grain (SG) two extraction methods were studied: the ultrasound-assisted method (US) and the Ultra-Turrax method (high stirring rate) (UT). Liquid to solid ratios, solvent concentration, time, and temperature/stirring rate were optimized. Spent grain extracts were analyzed for their total phenol content (TPC) (0.62 to 1.76 mg GAE/g SG DW for Ultra-Turrax pretreatment, and 0.57 to 2.11 mg GAE/g SG DW for ultrasound-assisted pretreatment), total flavonoid content (TFC) (0.6 to 1.67 mg QE/g SG DW for UT, and 0.5 to 1.63 mg QE/g SG DW for US), and antioxidant activity was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical (25.88% to 79.58% for UT, and 27.49% to 78.30% for UT). TPC was greater at a high stirring rate and high exposure time up to a certain extent for the Ultra-Turrax method, and at a high temperature for the ultrasound-assisted method. P-coumaric acid (20.4 ± 1.72 mg/100 SG DW for UT, and 14.0 ± 1.14 mg/100 SG DW for US) accounted for the majority of the phenolic found compounds, followed by rosmarinic (6.5 ± 0.96 mg/100 SG DW for UT, and 4.0 ± 0.76 mg/100 SG DW for US), chlorogenic (5.4 ± 1.1 mg/100 SG DW for UT, and non-detectable for US), and vanillic acids (3.1 ± 0.8 mg/100 SG DW for UT, and 10.0 ± 1.03 mg/100 SG DW for US) were found in lower quantities. Protocatechuic (0.7 ± 0.05 mg/100 SG DW for UT, and non-detectable for US), 4-hydroxy benzoic (1.1 ± 0.06 mg/100 SG DW for UT, and non-detectable for US), and caffeic acids (0.7 ± 0.03 mg/100 SG DW for UT, and non-detectable for US) were present in very small amounts. Ultrasound-assisted and Ultra-Turrax pretreatments were demonstrated to be efficient methods to recover these value-added compounds.

Formulation of Novel Liquid Crystal (LC) Formulations with Skin-Permeation-Enhancing Abilities of Plantago lanceolata (PL) Extract and Their Assessment on HaCaT Cells.

Exposure to reactive oxygen species can easily result in serious diseases, such as hyperproliferative skin disorders or skin cancer. Herbal extracts are widely used as antioxidant sources in different compositions. The importance of antioxidant therapy in inflammatory conditions has increased. Innovative formulations can be used to improve the effects of these phytopharmacons. The bioactive compounds of Plantago lanceolata (PL) possess different effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and bactericidal pharmacological effects. The objective of this study was to formulate novel liquid crystal (LC) compositions to protect Plantago lanceolata extract from hydrolysis and to improve its effect. Since safety is an important aspect of pharmaceutical formulations, the biological properties of applied excipients and blends were evaluated using assorted in vitro methods on HaCaT cells. According to the antecedent toxicity screening evaluation, three surfactants were selected (Gelucire 44/14, Labrasol, and Lauroglycol 90) for the formulation. The dissolution rate of PL from the PL-LC systems was evaluated using a Franz diffusion chamber apparatus. The antioxidant properties of the PL-LC systems were evaluated with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) assessments. Our results suggest that these compositions use a nontraditional, rapid-permeation pathway for the delivery of drugs, as the applied penetration enhancers reversibly alter the barrier properties of the outer stratum corneum. These excipients can be safe and highly tolerable thus, they could improve the patient's experience and promote adherence.

Flavonoids composition and antioxidant potential assessment of extracts from Gannanzao Navel Orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck Cv. Gannanzao) peel.

The antioxidant effect of 95% ethanol extract and its three subfractions, PE (petroleum ether), EtOAc (ethyl acetate), and water extracts, from Gannanzao navel orange peel, were evaluated by ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)), DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric reducing/antioxidant potential) methods for the first time. Furthermore, the TPC (total polyphenol content), TFC (total flavonoid content), and primary individual flavonoids of the four extracts were analyzed and compared. The results indicated that: (1) the EtOAc extract exhibited the best antioxidant potential among these four extracts in all three antioxidant bioassay platforms; (2) Corresponding to the antioxidant potential, the EtOAc extract contained the highest contents of both TPC and TFC; (3) Compared with other extracts, the EtOAc extract was significantly (p < 0.01) rich in the contents of narirutin, sinensetin, nobiletin, 4',5,6,7-tetramethoxyflavone, and 3,3',4',5,6,7-hexamethoxyflavone, which might be the main bioactive compounds responsible for the excellent antioxidant potential of EtOAc extract.

Toxicity, mutagenicity and stability assessment of simply produced electrolyzed water as a wound healing agent in vitro.

Over the last decade, electrolyzed water (EW) produced by salt and tap water has gained importance due to its antimicrobial effects. Regarding to chlorine-based compounds, EW also used in post-harvest safety of food processing and sterilization of surfaces. The latest studies suggested that EW might act as wound healing agent due to anti-infective and cell proliferative properties. In this study, we evaluated acute contact cytotoxicity in L929 mice fibroblast cells and wound healing activity of EWs in vitro. In addition, mutagenic activity was evaluated by Ames test with and without metabolic activation by S9 fraction and the stability profile of freshly prepared EWs has been followed up. According to the results, strong acid (StAEW) and mixed EW (MEW) showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity due to possible high HOCl concentration, while slightly acidic and catholyte EW (CEW) were not cytotoxic even applied directly for 30 sec. Further, StAEW and CEW showed a significant increase in L929 cell migration in scratch assay. Likewise, with/ without metabolic activation, neither of EWs had shown mutagenic profile in TA 98 and TA100 strains of Salmonella typhimurium. Follow-up of ORP (oxidation-reduction potential), pH and FCC (free chlorine concentration) showed that temperature and light were important storage conditions to maintain a stable profile particularly for ORP and FCC, which are the most important indicators for biological activity of EW. According to the present findings, it can be suggested that particularly StAEW, may represent a valuable wound healing agent with an achievable, economical and easy production system when stored under proper conditions.

Synthesis, Characterization and Assessment of the Antioxidant Activity of Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) Complexes Derived from Scorpionate Ligands.

Seeking to enrich the yet less explored field of scorpionate complexes bearing antioxidant properties, we, here, report on the synthesis, characterization and assessment of the antioxidant activity of new complexes derived from three scorpionate ligands. The interaction between the scorpionate ligands thallium(I) hydrotris(5-methyl-indazolyl)borate (TlTp4Bo,5Me), thallium(I) hydrotris(4,5-dihydro-2H-benzo[g]indazolyl)borate (TlTpa) and potassium hydrotris(3-tert-butyl- pyrazolyl)borate (KTptBu), and metal(II) chlorides, in dichloromethane at room temperature, produced a new family of complexes having the stoichiometric formula [M(Tp4Bo,5Me)2] (M = Cu, 1; Zn, 4; Cd, 7), [M(Tpa)2] (M = Cu, 2; Zn, 5; Cd, 8), [Cu(HpztBu)3Cl2] (3), [Zn(TptBu)Cl] (6) and [Cd(BptBu)(HpztBu)Cl] (9). The obtained metal complexes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance and elemental analysis, highlighting the total and partial hydrolysis of the scorpionate ligand TptBu during the synthesis of the Cu(II) complex 3 and the Cd(II) complex 9, respectively. An assessment of the antioxidant activity of the obtained metal complexes was performed through both enzymatic and non-enzymatic assays against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl- hydrazyl (DPPH·), 2,2'-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+·), hydroxyl (HO·), nitric oxide (NO·), superoxide (O2-) and peroxide (OOH·) radicals. In particular, the complex [Cu(Tpa)2]⋅0.5H2O (2) exhibited significant antioxidant activity, as good and specific activity against superoxide (O2-·), (IC50 values equal to 5.6 ± 0.2 µM) and might be identified as auspicious SOD-mimics (SOD = superoxide dismutase).

Assessment of DNA Topoisomerase I Unwinding Activity, Radical Scavenging Capacity, and Inhibition of Breast Cancer Cell Viability of N-alkyl-acridones and N,N'-dialkyl-9,9'-biacridylidenes.

The anticancer activity of acridone derivatives has attracted increasing interest, therefore, a variety of substituted analogs belonging to this family have been developed and evaluated for their anti-cancer properties. A series of N-alkyl-acridones 1-6 and N,N'-dialkyl-9,9'-biacridylidenes 7-12 with variable alkyl chains were examined for their topoisomerase I activity at neutral and acidic conditions as well as for their binding capacity to calf thymus and possible radical trapping antioxidant activity. It was found that at a neutral pH, topoisomerase I activity of both classes of compounds was similar, while under acidic conditions, enhanced intercalation was observed. N-alkyl-acridone derivatives 1-6 exhibited stronger, dose-dependent, cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 human breast epithelial cancer cells than N,N'-dialkyl-9,9'-biacridylidenes 7-12, revealing that conjugation of the heteroaromatic system plays a significant role on the effective distribution of the compound in the intracellular environment. Cellular investigation of long alkyl derivatives against cell migration exhibited 40-50% wound healing effects and cytoplasm diffusion, while compounds with shorter alkyl chains were accumulated both in the nucleus and cytoplasm. All N,N'-dialkyl-9,9'-biacridylidenes showed unexpected high scavenging activity towards DPPH or ABTS radicals which may be explained by higher stabilization of radical cations by the extended conjugation of heteroaromatic ring system.

Characterization and assessment of antioxidant and antibacterial activities of sulfated polysaccharides extracted from cuttlefish skin and muscle.

In this study, novel polysaccharides extracted from cuttlefish skin (CSP) and muscle (CMP), by precipitation with cetylpyridinium, were characterized and their antioxidant and antibacterial activities were investigated. CMP showed the highest amounts of sulfated groups (6.6%), uronic acids (9.2%) and proteins (3.7%). Infrared spectroscopic analysis indicated the presence of sulfonyl (OSO) and acetyl (CH3CO-) groups for both CSP and CMP. In addition, CSP showed the presence of glucuronic acid (GlcA) and galacturonic acid (GalA) as major components, while CMP showed highest amount of GalA in its monosaccharide composition. Sulfated polysaccharides were found to display important antibacterial activity against several Gram+ and Gram- bacteria. In addition, they exhibited strong antioxidant activities as showed by various in vitro tests. Fractionation of cuttlefish polysaccharides, by DEAE-cellulose column showed one peak during the buffer elution phase and three major fractions for CMP and two peaks for CSP during the linear gradient of NaCl. The last eluting sulfated fraction from each sample, characterized by the highest negative charge, was found to exhibit the best antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The obtained results demonstrated that cuttlefish polysaccharides and their fractions could serve as natural antioxidant and antibacterial agents.

Skin and Eye Irritation Assessment of Oil Palm ( Elaeis guineensis) Leaf Extract for Topical Application.

Many types of phytochemicals have been found to be present in oil palm leaf and could potentially be used as functional ingredients for skincare product. However, as of today, there is no published report on hazard identification and safety assessment of oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis) leaf extract (OPLE), particularly on skin and eye irritation. In this study, potential hazard of OPLE on skin and eye irritation was evaluated as an initial step to the safety assessment of OPLE. In vitro cell viability study of OPLE on normal human dermal fibroblasts showed that OPLE was nontoxic to the cells with percentage viability more than 90% after 24 and 48 hours of incubation. Skin irritation potential of OPLE was evaluated using in vitro SkinEthic reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) model (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] Test Guideline 439, 2015), while eye irritation potential was evaluated using in vitro SkinEthic Human corneal epithelium (HCE) model (OECD test guideline 492, 2017). Hazard identification results showed that OPLE at 1%, 5%, and 10% (wt/wt) was classified as nonirritant to the skin and eye where mean tissue viabilities of SkinEthic RHE and SkinEthic HCE were more than 50% and 60%, respectively. Therefore, we recommend a further safety assessment, such as human patch testing, to confirm the nonirritant of OPLE.

Synthesis and Spectroscopic Studies of Phenanthroimidazole-Imine Derivatives and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant Activity.

The phenanthroimidazole derivatives are used in the drug industry in large scale. In this study four new phenanthroimidazole-imine derivatives were synthesized and their spectroscopic studies as well as their antioxidant behaviors were examined. Structural analyses were made by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, LC-MS spectroscopy techniques. UV-vis absorption and emission spectroscopy techniques have been used to determine the photophysical characteristics of four newly synthesized phenanthroimidazoles. The maximum absorption and emission wavelengths, molar extinction coefficients (ε), singlet energy levels (Es), Stokes' shift values (Δλ) of phenanthroimidazole-imine derivatives are given. Additionally, the antioxidant behavior of all compounds were investigated which the ascorbic acid used as standard molecule in present study.

Assessment of the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of different olive processing wastewaters.

Olive processing wastewaters (OPW), namely olive mill wastewater (OMW) and table-olive wastewaters (TOW) were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against five Gram-positive and two Gram-negative bacteria using the standard disc diffusion and thin layer chromatography (TLC)-bioautography assays. Disc diffusion screening and bioautography of OMW were compared to the phenolic extracts of table-olive brines. Positive activity against S. aureus was demonstrated. The optimization of chromatographic separation revealed that hexane/acetone in the ratio of 4:6 was the most effective for phenolic compounds separation. A HPLC-MS analysis was performed showing that only two compounds, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, were the predominant phenolic compounds in all OPW. The phenolic extract of OMW generated by a semi-modern process showed the highest free radical-scavenging activity (DPPH assay) compared to the other phenolic extracts. It is apparent from the present study that OPW are a rich source of antioxidants suitable for use in food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical applications.

Assessment of the antioxidant, cytotoxic, and genotoxic potential of the Annona muricata leaves and their influence on genomic stability.

The popular use of Annona muricata L. is based upon a range of medicinal purposes, and the plant exhibits biological activities including antihyperglycemic, antiparasitic, and antitumor activities. The objectives of this study were to examine the antioxidant, cytotoxic, and genotoxic potential of the hydroalcoholic extract of A. muricata leaves (AMEs), as well as its effects on genotoxicity induced by methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The results using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay showed that AME was able to scavenge 44.71% of free radicals. The extract significantly reduced the viability of V79 cells in the clonogenic assay at concentrations ≥8 µg/ml. No significant differences in micronucleus (MN) frequency were observed between V79 cell cultures treated with different concentrations of the extract (0.125, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 µg/ml) and negative control. When AME concentrations were combined with MMS, data revealed no marked differences from mutagen alone. In contrast, significant reductions in the frequencies of MN were noted in cultures treated with AME combined with H2O2 compared to H2O2 alone. In vivo studies found no significant differences in the frequencies of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCEs) between animals treated with different AME doses compared to control. Animals treated with AME doses of 125 and 250 mg/kg and MMS exhibited significantly higher frequencies of MNPCE compared to mutagen alone. In conclusion, under current experimental conditions, AME was not genotoxic and exerted a modulatory effect on DNA damage depending upon the experimental conditions. The extract did not influence markedly MMS-induced genotoxicity in in vitro test system. However, the extract increased DNA damage induced by mutagen in mice. In V79 cells, AME reduced the genotoxicity produced by H2O2, and this protective effect was attributed in part to the antioxidant activity of AME.

Subcritical Water Technology for Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Chlorella sp. Microalgae and Assessment on Its Antioxidant Activity.

Chlorella sp. microalgae is a potential source of antioxidants and natural bioactive compounds used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, a subcritical water (SW) technology was applied to determine the phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Chlorella sp. This study focused on maximizing the recovery of Chlorella sp. phenolic content and antioxidant activity measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay as a function of extraction temperature (100-250 °C), time (5-20 min) and microalgae concentration (5-20 wt. %) using response surface methodology. The optimal operating conditions for the extraction process were found to be 5 min at 163 °C with 20 wt. % microalgae concentration, which resulted in products with 58.73 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g phenolic content and 68.5% inhibition of the DPPH radical. Under optimized conditions, the experimental values were in close agreement with values predicted by the model. The phenolic content was highly correlated (R² = 0.935) with the antioxidant capacity. Results indicated that extraction by SW technology was effective and that Chlorella sp. could be a useful source of natural antioxidants.

Assessment of antioxidant activity in Victorian marine algal extracts using high performance thin-layer chromatography and multivariate analysis.

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a rapid and simple high performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method to screen for antioxidant activity in algal samples. 16 algal species were collected from local Victorian beaches. Fucoxanthin, one of the most abundant marine carotenoids was quantified directly from the HPTLC plates before derivatization, while derivatization either with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) or ferric chloride (FeCl3) was used to analyze antioxidants in marine algae, based on their ability to scavenge non biological stable free radical (DPPH) or to chelate iron ions. Principal component analysis of obtained HPTLC fingerprints has classified algae species into 5 groups according to their chemical/antioxidant profiles. The investigated brown algae samples were found to be rich in non-and moderate-polar compounds and phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity. Most of the phenolic iron chelators also have shown free radical scavenging activity. Strong positive and significant correlations between total phenolic content and DPPH radical scavenging activity showed that, phenolic compounds, including flavonoids are the main contributors of antioxidant activity in these species. The results suggest that certain brown algae possess significantly higher antioxidant potential when compared to red or green algae and could be considered for future applications in medicine, dietary supplements, cosmetics or food industries. Cystophora monilifera extract was found to have the highest antioxidant concentration, followed by Zonaria angustata, Cystophora pectinate, Codium fragile, and Cystophora pectinata. Fucoxanthin was found mainly in the brown algae species. The proposed methods provide an edge in terms of screening for antioxidants and quantification of antioxidant constituents in complex mixtures. The current application also demonstrates flexibility and versatility of a standard HPTLC system in the drug discovery. Proposed methods could be used for the bioassay-guided isolation of unknown natural antioxidants and subsequent identification if combined with spectroscopic identification.

1,2,4-Triazolo-quinazoline-thiones: Non-conventional synthetic approach, study of solvatochromism and antioxidant assessment.

A non-conventional methodology has been utilized for the synthesis of a series of 1,2,4-triazolo-quinazoline-thiones (2a-l). Here the reaction was carried out between 1,2,4-triazolo-quinazolinones (1a-l), in the presence of 1,4-dioxane. The mixture was irradiated under microwave (100W) for 7min to obtain targeted molecules (2a-l). All the synthesized molecules were confirmed by (1)H, (13)C NMR and HRMS. The solvatochromic property (absorption spectra) of compounds (2a-l) in solvents of different polarities was studied. The compounds (2a-l) were further subjected for their in vitro free radical screening using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and also screened for their in vitro anti-fungal property against Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) and Aspergillus niger (A. niger). The results from free radical scavenging assay showed promising activity for compounds 2a, e-i, whereas compound 2d showed significant antioxidant activity when compared to ascorbic acid. In vitro anti-fungal study showed that the 1,2,4-triazolo-quinazoline-thiones (2a-l) had significant activity against A. flavus and A. niger compared with widely used antifungal agent Fluconazole.

Assessment of total phenolic compounds and in vitro free radical scavenging potentials of water extracts of ten selected species of Zingiberaceae rhizomes use in folkloric medicine.

The use of herbal medicine and traditional healing practices for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of illness and ailment continue to have more awareness among the scientific community due to their safety and also as a source of alternatives to synthetic products. This research assessed the total phenolic compounds and in vitro total antioxidant potentials of water extracts in selected species of Zingiberaceae rhizomes use as spice, drinks and medicine. DPPH and FRAP were used to determine the antioxidant capacity, total flavonoid, phenolic acids and polyphenol contents assays to evaluate the quality of the antioxidant activity and the control was ascorbic acid. The results showed that all extracts contain significant antioxidant activity with Zingiber officinale having the highest activity in all assays. DPPH (222.30mg/TE/g DW), FRAP (98.04mg/TE/g DW), Flavonoid (38.58mg/NGN/g DW) phenolic acid (10.78mg/GAE/g DW) and polyphenols (22.84mg/GAE/g DW). Significant and positive linear correlation were found in DPPH, FRAP and total flavonoid, phenolic acids and polyphenol contents. This study reveals some phytochemicals present in Zingiberaceae species, which might be responsible for their biological activities and reason for it use in folkloric medicine in Southeast Asia.

Phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using Artemisia marschalliana Sprengel aerial part extract and assessment of their antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial properties.

A rapid phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using an extract from the aerial parts of Artemisia marschalliana Sprengel was investigated in this study. The synthesized AgNPs using A. marschalliana extract was analyzed by UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and further characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Characteristic absorption bands of AgNPs were found near 430 nm in the UV-vis spectrum. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis of AgNPs in the energy range 2-4 keV confirmed the silver signal due to surface plasmon resonance. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy results revealed that the AgNPs were mostly spherical with an average size ranging from 5 nm to 50 nm. The zeta potential value of -31 mV confirmed the stability of the AgNPs. AgNPs produced using the aqueous A. marschalliana extract might serve as a potent in vitro antioxidant, as revealed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl assay. The present study demonstrates the anticancer properties of phytosynthesized AgNPs against human gastric carcinoma AGS cells. AgNPs exerted a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the viability of cells. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for the investigation of Bax and Bcl-2 gene expression in cancer and normal cell lines. Our findings show that the mRNA levels of pro-apoptotic Bax gene expression were significantly upregulated, while the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 was declined in cells treated with AgNPs compared to normal cells. In addition, flow cytometric analysis showed that the number of early and late apoptotic AGS cells was significantly enhanced following treatment with AgNPs as compared to untreated cells. In addition, the AgNPs showed strong antibacterial properties against tested pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Based on the obtained data, we suggest that phytosynthesized AgNPs are good alternatives in the treatment of diseases because of the presence of bioactive agents.

Bio-therapeutic Potential and Cytotoxicity Assessment of Pectin-Mediated Synthesized Nanostructured Cerium Oxide.

In the present studies, renewable and nontoxic biopolymer, pectin, was extracted from Indian red pomelo fruit peels and used for the synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs) having bio-therapeutic potential. The structural information of extracted pectin was investigated by FTIR and NMR spectroscopic techniques. Physicochemical characteristics of this pectin suggested its application in the synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles. Using this pectin as a template, CeO2-NPs were synthesized by simple, one step and eco-friendly approach. The UV-Vis spectrum of synthesized CeO2-NPs exhibited a characteristic absorption peak at wavelength 345 nm, which can be assigned to its intrinsic band gap (3.59 eV) absorption. Photoluminescence measurements of CeO2-NPs revealed that the broad emission was composed of seven different bands. FTIR analysis ensured involvement of pectin in the formation and stabilization of CeO2-NPs. FT-Raman spectra showed a sharp Raman active mode peak at 461.8 cm-1 due to a symmetrical stretching mode of Ce-O vibration. DLS, FESEM, EDX, and XRD analysis showed that the CeO2-NPs prepared were polydispersed, spherical shaped with a cubic fluorite structure and average particle size ≤40 nm. These CeO2-NPs displayed broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, antioxidant potential, and non-cytotoxic nature.