Development and evaluation of a pH-responsive Mimosa pudica seed mucilage/ß- cyclodextrin-co-poly(methacrylate) hydrogel for controlled drug delivery: In vitro and in vivo assessment.

In this comprehensive investigation, a novel pH-responsive hydrogel system comprising mimosa seed mucilage (MSM), ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD), and methacrylic acid (MAA) was developed via free radical polymerization technique to promote controlled drug delivery. The hydrogel synthesis involved strategic variations in polymer, monomer, and crosslinker content in fine-tuning its drug-release properties. The resultant hydrogel exhibited remarkable pH sensitivity, selectively liberating the model drug (Capecitabine = CAP) under basic conditions while significantly reducing release in an acidic environment. Morphological, thermal, and structural analyses proved that CAP has a porous texture, high stability, and an amorphous nature. In vitro drug release experiments showcased a sustained and controlled release profile. Optimum release (85.33 %) results were recorded over 24 h at pH 7.4 in the case of MMB9. Pharmacokinetic evaluation in healthy male rabbits confirmed bioavailability enhancement and sustained release capabilities. Furthermore, rigorous toxicity evaluations and histopathological analyses ensured the safety and biocompatibility of the hydrogel. This pH-triggered drug delivery system can be a promising carrier system for drugs involving frequent administrations.

Chronic cypermethrin induced toxicity and molecular fate assessment within common carp (Cyprinus carpio) using multiple biomarkers approach and its novel therapeutic detoxification.

Cypermethrin (CYP) is a chemical of emerging concern which has persistent and bioaccumulating impacts as it can be found extensively in freshwater ecosystem and agricultural products. It has exposure risk and toxic effects over human edible fish, as common carp. Four groups were designed for toxicity assessment and detoxification approach: control group (CL), CYP exposure group (CYP), CYP + 10% M. oleifera leaves and 10% M. oleifera seeds (CMO group), 10% M. oleifera leaves and 10% M. oleifera seeds (MO group). Trial period was forty days during which cohort of 240 fish in CYP and CMO group was exposed to 1/5 of 96h LC50 of CYP (0.1612 µg/L). CYP-exposed carp exhibited lower growth parameters, but carp fed with 10% M. oleifera seeds and leaves showed significant improvement in growth rate (SGR, RGR) and weight gain (WG) as compared to the control group. CYP exposure negatively affected haemato-biochemical parameters. Moreover, CYP exposure also led to oxidative stress, damaged immunological parameters, genotoxicity and histopathological damage in liver and intestinal cells. Whereas, M. oleifera supplementation has ameliorated these conditions. Thereby, supplementation with M. oleifera is potential and novel therapeutic detoxication approach for common carp and human health against persistent and bioaccumulating emerging chemicals.

Different divergence processes of isoglosses of folk nomenclature between wild trees and rice landraces imply the need for different conservation planning based on the type of plant resources.

BACKGROUND: The intensification of production and socio-economic changes have accelerated the loss of local traditional knowledge and plant resources. Understanding the distribution and determinants of such biocultural diversity is essential in planning efficient surveys and conservation efforts. Because the concept of biocultural diversity in socio-ecological adaptive systems comprises biological, cultural, and linguistic diversity, linguistic information should serve as a surrogate for the distribution of local biological and cultural diversity. In this study, we spatio-linguistically evaluated the names of local trees and rice landraces recorded in Ehime Prefecture, southwestern Japan. METHODS: Hierarchical clustering was performed separately for the names of local trees and rice landraces. By considering innate flora differences and species having multiple local names, a novel distance index was adopted for local tree names. For the names of rice landraces, Jaccard distance was adopted. V-measure and factor detector analysis were used to evaluate the spatial association between the isogloss maps of the folk nomenclature derived from the clustering and multiple thematic maps. RESULTS: Local tree names showed stronger spatial association with geographical factors than rice landrace names. One folk nomenclature group of trees overlapped well with the slash-and-burn cultivation area, suggesting a link between the naming of trees and the traditional production system. In contrast, rice landraces exhibited stronger associations with folklore practices. Moreover, influences of road networks and pilgrimages on rice landraces indicated the importance of human mobility and traditional rituals on rice seed transfer. High homogeneity and low completeness in the V-measure analysis indicated that the names of local trees and rice landraces were mostly homogenous within current municipalities and were shared with a couple of adjacent municipalities. The isogloss maps help to illustrate how the biological and cultural diversity of wild trees and rice landraces are distributed. They also help to identify units for inter-municipal collaboration for effective conservation of traditional knowledge related to those plant resources and traditional rice varieties themselves. CONCLUSIONS: Our spatio-linguistic evaluation indicated that complex geographical and sociological processes influence the formation of plant folk nomenclature groups and implies a promising approach using quantitative lexico-statistical analysis to help to identify areas for biocultural diversity conservation.

Assessment of Blood and Semen Detection and DNA Collection from Swabs up to Three Months after Deposition on Five Different Cloth Materials.

Body fluid identification plays a crucial role in criminal investigations. Because of their presence in many cases, blood and semen are the most relevant body fluids in forensic sciences. Based on antigen-antibody reactions binding unique proteins for each body fluid, serological assays represent one of the most rapid and highly specific tests for blood and semen. Currently, few studies have assessed the factors affecting body fluid identification by applying these assays. This work aimed to study the effect of different fabrics from clothes and time since deposition on identification through immunochromatographic tests for blood and semen, DNA isolation, and STR profiling from these samples. Body fluids were deposited on black- and white-dyed denim and cotton fabrics, and on leather. Afterward, blood and semen were sampled at 1 day, 30 days, and 90 days after deposition and identified by using the SERATEC® HemDirect Hemoglobin Test and the PSA Semiquant and SERATEC® BLOOD CS and SEMEN CS tests, respectively. Laboratory and crime scene tests presented similar performances for the detection of blood and semen stains on every tested fabric. No differences were found on band intensities between timepoints for all fabrics. It was possible to recover and identify blood and semen samples up to three months after deposition and to obtain full STR profiles from all the tested fabrics. Both body fluid STR profiles showed differences in their quality between 1 and 90 days after deposition for all fabrics except for black cotton for semen samples. Future research will expand the results, assessing body fluid identification on other substrates and under different environmental conditions.

Biosynthesis and assessment of antibacterial and antioxidant activities of silver nanoparticles utilizing Cassia occidentalis L. seed.

This research explores the eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Cassia occidentalis L. seed extract. Various analytical techniques, including UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), were employed for comprehensive characterization. The UV-visible spectra revealed a distinct peak at 425 nm, while the seed extract exhibited peaks at 220 and 248 nm, indicating the presence of polyphenols and phytochemicals. High-resolution TEM unveiled spherical and oval-shaped AgNPs with diameters ranging from 6.44 to 28.50 nm. The SEM exhibiting a spherical shape and a polydisperse nature, thus providing insights into the morphology of the AgNPs. EDX analysis confirmed the presence of silver atoms at 10.01% in the sample. XRD results unequivocally confirm the crystalline nature of the AgNPs suspension, thereby providing valuable insights into their structural characteristics and purity. The antioxidant properties of AgNPs, C. occidentalis seed extract, and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) were assessed, revealing IC50 values of 345, 500, and 434 µg/mL, respectively. Antibacterial evaluation against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli demonstrated heightened sensitivity of bacteria to AgNPs compared to AgNO3. Standard antibiotics, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin, acting as positive controls, exhibited substantial antibacterial efficacy. The green-synthesized AgNPs displayed potent antibacterial activity, suggesting their potential as a viable alternative to conventional antibiotics for combating pathogenic bacterial infections. Furthermore, potential biomedical applications of AgNPs were thoroughly discussed.

Genotoxicity Assessment of Quinoin, a Ribosome Inactivating Protein from Quinoa Seeds, in the Teleost Danio rerio.

BACKGROUND: Ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) are N-glycosylases found in various plants that are able to specifically and irreversibly inhibit protein translation, thereby leading to cell death. Their cytotoxic properties have attracted attention in the medical field in the context of developing new anticancer therapies. Quinoin is a novel toxic enzyme obtained from quinoa seeds and classified as a type 1 RIP (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). Recently, quinoin was found to be cytotoxic to normal fibroblasts and keratinocytes in vitro, as well as to several tumor cell lines. METHODS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity of quinoin in a zebrafish model. We evaluated its ability to induce DNA fragmentation, genomic instability, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by means of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) reaction, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique, and dichlorofluorescine (DCF) assay, respectively. RESULTS: Quinoin was found to cause genomic damage in zebrafish, as shown by DNA fragmentation, polymorphic variations leading to genomic instability, and oxidative stress. Interestingly, longer quinoin treatment caused less damage than shorter treatments. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated ROS-mediated genotoxicity of quinoin toward the zebrafish genome. The reduced damage observed after longer quinoin treatment could indicate the activation of detoxification mechanisms, activation of repair mechanisms, or the loss of protein activity due to enzymatic digestion. In order to clarify the genotoxic actions of quinoin, further investigations of the response pathways to DNA damage are needed. Overall, the ability of quinoin to cause breaks and instability in DNA, together with its clear cytotoxicity, make it an interesting candidate for the development of new drugs for cancer treatment.

Non-destructive environmental safety assessment of threatened and endangered plants in weed biological control.

Assessing the risk of nontarget attack (NTA) for federally listed threatened and endangered (T&E) plant species confamilial to invasive plants targeted for classical biological control, is one of the most important objectives of pre-release environmental safety assessments in the United States. However, evaluating potential NTA on T&E species is often complicated by restrictive agency requirements for obtaining propagules, or the ability to propagate plants and rear agents to the appropriate phenostages synchronously for testing, or both. Here, we assessed whether plant cues associated with a host recognition can be used for testing the attractiveness of four T&E and one rare single population plant species non-destructively for a candidate biocontrol agent. We used the seed-feeding weevil, Mogulones borraginis, a candidate for the biological control of the invasive plant, Cynoglossum officinale (Boraginaceae) as the study system. We collected olfactory and visual cues in the form of flowering sprigs from T&E plant species confamilial to the invasive plant in a non-destructive manner and used them to measure behavioral responses and searching time of weevils. Female weevils preferred C. officinale to all tested plant species in dual-choice bioassays using either olfactory or visual cues in a modified y-tube device. Furthermore, female weevils were repelled by the combined olfactory and visual cues from all tested T&E plant species in a dual-choice test against controls (e.g., purified air in an empty arm), indicating that it would be extremely unlikely for the weevil to attack any of these species upon release in the United States. Principal component analysis based on 61 volatile organic compounds effectively separated the five confamilial plant species and C. officinale, corroborating the results of behavioral bioassays. We conclude that studies on pre-alighting host selection behavior and the underlying physiological mechanisms of how organisms select host plants they exploit can aid in environmental safety testing of weed biological control agents.

The contribution of carbon budget to masting intervals in Veratrum album populations inhabiting different elevations.

PREMISE: Mast flowering/seeding is often more extreme in lower-resource environments, such as alpine compared to lowland habitats. We studied a masting herb that had less extreme masting at higher elevations, and tested if this difference could be explained by higher photosynthetic productivity and/or lower reproductive investment at the higher-elevation sites. METHODS: We examined the relationship between flowering intervals and carbon budget (i.e., the balance between reproductive investment and annual carbon fixation) in a masting herb, Veratrum album subsp. oxysepalum, across five lowland and six alpine populations in northern Japan. We evaluated the previous flowering histories of individual plants based on rhizome morphology and analyzed the masting patterns of individual populations. Total mass of the reproductive organs, as a proxy of reproductive investment, was compared between the lowland and alpine populations. Annual carbon fixation was estimated on the basis of photosynthetic capacity, total leaf area per plant, and seasonal transition of light availability. RESULTS: Interval between high-flowering years was shorter and total reproductive investment was smaller in the alpine than in the lowland populations. Owing to its high photosynthetic capacity and continuous bright conditions, annual carbon fixation per plant was 1.5 times greater in alpine habitat than in lowland habitat. These results suggest that V. album alpine populations have shorter flowering intervals than lowland populations due to faster recovery from energy loss after reproduction. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that masting intervals in V. album populations can be explained by habitat-specific carbon budget balances.

Elemental sulfur concentration can be used as a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective predictor of sulfur amino acid content of soybean seeds.

In this study, we have examined the feasibility of using elemental sulfur content of soybean seeds as a proxy for the overall sulfur amino acid content of soybean seeds. Earlier, we have identified by high throughput ionomic phenotyping several high and low sulfur containing soybean lines from the USDA Soybean Germplasm Collection. Here, we measured the cysteine and methionine content of select soybean lines by high-performance liquid chromatography. Our results demonstrate that those soybean lines which had high elemental sulfur content also had a higher cysteine and methionine content when compared to soybean lines with low elemental sulfur. SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analysis revealed that the accumulation of Bowman Birk protease inhibitor and lunasin in soybean seeds may only be marginally correlated with the elemental sulfur levels. However, we found a positive correlation between the levels of trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor activities and elemental sulfur and sulfur amino acid content of the seeds. Thus, elemental sulfur content and/or protease inhibitor activity measurement can be utilized as a rapid and cost-effective method to predict the overall sulfur amino acid content of soybean seeds. Our findings will benefit breeders in their endeavors to develop soybean cultivars with enhanced sulfur amino acid content.

Current perspectives on fenugreek bioactive compounds and their potential impact on human health: A review of recent insights into functional foods and other high value applications.

Despite long-standing uses in several food and medicine traditions, the full potential of the leguminous crop fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) remains to be realized in the modern diet. Not only its seeds, which are highly prized for their culinary and medicinal properties, but also its leaves and stems abound in phytochemicals with high nutritional and health promoting attributes. Fenugreek dual food-medicine applications and reported metabolic activities include hypoglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic, antihypertensive, anticarcinogenic, immunomodulatory, and antinociceptive effects, with potential organ-protective effects at the cardiovascular, digestive, hepatic, endocrine, and central nervous system levels. Effectiveness in alleviating certain inflammatory skin conditions and dysfunctions of the reproductive system was also suggested. As a food ingredient, fenugreek can enhance the sensory, nutritional, and nutraceutical qualities of a wide variety of foods. Its high nutritive density can assist with the design of dietary items that meet the demand for novelty, variety, and healthier foods. Its seeds provide essential protective nutrients and other bioactive compounds, notably galactomannans, flavonoids, coumarins, saponins, alkaloids, and essential oils, whose health benefits, alone or in conjunction with other bioactives, are only beginning to be tapped into in the food industries. This review summarizes the current state of evidence on fenugreek potential for functional food development, focusing on the nutrients and non-nutrient bioactive components of interest from a dietary perspective, and their applications for enhancing the functional and nutraceutical value of foods and beverages. New developments, safety, clinical evidence, presumed mechanisms of action, and future perspectives are discussed. HIGHLIGHTS: Fenugreek seeds and leaves have long-standing uses in the food-medicine continuum. Fenugreek phytochemicals exert broad-spectrum biological and pharmacological activities. They show high preventive and nutraceutical potential against common chronic diseases. Current evidence supports multiple mechanisms of action mediated by distinct bioactives. Opportunities for fenugreek-based functional foods and nutraceuticals are expanding.

Quality assessment of flax advanced breeding lines varying in seed coat color and their potential use in the food and industrial applications.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing consumer awareness of the strong relationship between food and health, flax became a promising functional food due to its bioactive nutraceutical composition. Intra-specific crosses of eight contrasting flax genotypes were performed previously, and within segregating F6 progeny families, we investigated a close-up composition of phytochemicals derived from whole seeds. RESULTS: The considerable genetic variation among the flax F6 families suggested that intra-specific hybridization is essential in flax breeding to obtain and broaden genetic variability and largely affirmed the opportunity for selecting promising lines. Also, significant variations in the targeted metabolite contents and antioxidant properties were observed among brown and yellow-seeded families. Notably, brown-seeded families expressed the highest average values of saturated fatty acids, protein, fiber, tocopherol, phenolics, SDG, and SECO lignans. Yellow-seeded families represented the highest average content of unsaturated fatty acids and mucilage. The cultivation year significantly affects flaxseed's composition and functional properties, presumably due to temperature, humidity, and sunshine time differences. Interestingly, the seeds obtained in warmer conditions were more potent and had more chemical constituents. The favorable genetic correlations among all evaluated traits suggest the possibility of joint genetic selection for several nutritional and phytochemical characteristics in flax. The current study highlights the importance and utilization of 19 top families as their seeds and oil play imperative roles in the pharmaceuticals and food industries. The antioxidant capacity of the seeds showed that families 84B, 23B, 35Y, 95Y, 30B, 88B, and 78B serve as a natural source of dietary antioxidants beneficial to human health. To increase the oxidative stability of the flaxseed oil, the quality evaluation identified some families with low levels of linolenic acid. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are essential to improving flaxseed's nutritional quality and therapeutic properties through a bulk breeding program.

Fermented formulation of Silybum marianum seeds: Optimization, heavy metal analysis, and hepatoprotective assessment.

BACKGROUND: Fermented formulations are extensively used in Ayurveda due to several benefits like improved palatability, bioavailability, pharmacological potential, and shelf life. These formulations can also quench the heavy metals from the plant material and thus reduce the toxicity. Seeds of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. are widely used for the management of many liver diseases. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In the present study, we developed a novel fermented formulation of S. marianum seeds and evaluated parameters like safety (heavy metal analysis) and effectiveness (hepatoprotective). As the developed formulation's validation is crucial, the critical process variables (time, pH, and sugar concentration) are optimized for alcohol and silybin content using the Box-Behnken design (BBD). RESULTS: The response surface methodology coupled with BBD predicted the optimized conditions (fermentation time (28 days), pH 5.6, and sugar concentration (22.04%)) for the development of a fermented formulation of the selected herb. Moreover, the alcohol content (6.5 ± 0.9%) and silybin concentration (26.1 ± 2.1%) were confirmed in optimized formulation by GC-MS and HPTLC analysis. The optimized formulation was also analyzed for heavy metals (Pb, As, Hg, and Cd); their concentration is significantly less than the decoction of herbs. Further, the comparative evaluation of the developed formulation with the marketed formulation also confirmed that the fermented formulation's silybin concentration and percentage release were significantly enhanced. In addition, the developed fermented formulation's percentage recovery of HepG2 cell lines after treatment with CCl4 was significantly improved compared with the marketed formulation. CONCLUSION: It can be summarized that the developed fermented formulation improves safety and effectiveness compared to other market formulations. Finally, it can be concluded that the developed fermented formulation could be further explored as a better alternative for developing Silybum marianum preparation.

Assessment of seed- and seedling-related traits in Santalum album (Indian sandalwood) reveals high adaptive potential.

Seed and seedling traits govern plant fitness and persistence and are influenced by the interaction between the plant and its environment. Changing climatic and edaphic conditions will drastically affect early fitnessrelated traits and can alter the demography and species distribution range. It is widely documented that trait variation among populations may increase resilience of tree communities and reduce the risk of extinction under future climates. In the present study, variation in seed and seedling traits were documented from seven populations of Santalum album representing the natural distribution range of the species in the Indian subcontinent. Significant intra-specific variation was documented in seed and seedling traits, indicating high adaptive potential of the species. Further, the measured traits were correlated with climatic variables. No significant correlation was predicted for seed-related traits, while seedling-related traits like shoot and root weight, photochemical reflectance index, relative water content, and root-shoot ratio correlated with different climatic parameters. Variance partitioning revealed predominant combined effect of environment and genotype on seed traits except seed weight, which was governed by genotypic effect. The dominance of genotypic effect was documented for all seed leachate parameters, while seedling-related traits were predominantly affected by the environment. Conservation of sandalwood genetic resources will benefit from the insights gained from the variability recorded in these fitness-related traits, which are likely to affect the adaptive potential of the species.

Coordination of leaf, root, and seed traits shows the importance of whole plant economics in two semiarid grasslands.

Uncertainty persists within trait-based ecology, partly because few studies assess multiple axes of functional variation and their effect on plant performance. For 55 species from two semiarid grasslands, we quantified: (1) covariation between economic traits of leaves and absorptive roots, (2) covariation among economic traits, plant height, leaf size, and seed mass, and (3) relationships between these traits and species' abundance. Pairs of analogous leaf and root traits were at least weakly positively correlated (e.g. specific leaf area (SLA) and specific root length (SRL)). Two pairs of such traits, N content and DMC of leaves and roots, were at least moderately correlated (r > 0.5) whether species were grouped by site, taxonomic group and growth form, or life history. Root diameter was positively correlated with seed mass for all groups of species except annuals and monocots. Species with higher leaf dry matter content (LDMC) tended to be more abundant (r = 0.63). Annuals with larger seeds were more abundant (r = 0.69). Compared with global-scale syntheses with many observations from mesic ecosystems, we observed stronger correlations between analogous leaf and root traits, weaker correlations between SLA and leaf N, and stronger correlations between SRL and root N. In dry grasslands, plant persistence may require coordination of above- and belowground traits, and dense tissues may facilitate dominance.

Technoeconomic and carbon footprint analysis of simulated industrial scale biodiesel production process from mixed macroalgal and non-edible seed oil using sulphonated zinc doped recyclable biochar catalyst.

The present research explored the sustainable production of biodiesel from mixed oils of marine macroalgae and non-edible seeds using a sulphonated Zinc doped recyclable biochar catalyst derived from coconut husk. The maximum biodiesel conversion of 94.8 % was yielded with optimized conditions of 10:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, 4.8 % biochar catalyst concentration, 54.5 ℃ temperature and 87.4 min reaction time. A techno-economic assessment provided a favourable return on investment (ROI) of 21.59 % and 4.63 years of reimbursement period, with a calculated minimum selling price of 0.81 $/kg of produced biodiesel. The carbon footprint analysis results estimated an annual emission of 752.07 t CO2 which corresponds to 0.088 kg CO2 emission per kg of biodiesel produced from the simulated process. The study on economic viability and environmental consciousness of biodiesel production not only paves the way for a greener and sustainable future while also contributing to low carbon footprint.

Decline of pesticide residue on treated crop seeds: An analysis of comprehensive industry data and implications of the current risk assessment scheme for plant protection products.

For plant protection products applied as seed treatments, the risk to birds and mammals possibly feeding on treated seeds must be addressed in the EU to register products for commercial use. One assumption of the Tier 1 long-term risk assessment of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is that residues of pesticides on treated seeds do not decline over time after seeding. Consequently, a time-weighted average factor (fTWA ) of 1 (i.e., no dissipation) is used to calculate residue concentrations on seeds. In contrast, for spray applications, a default dissipation half-life (DT50 ) of 10 days is considered corresponding to an fTWA of 0.53. The aim of this study was to establish a default fTWA for treated seeds based on 29 industry-conducted seed dissipation studies, providing 240 datasets covering different active substances, crops, and regions. For fTWA calculation, two approaches were used: (i) kinetic fitting and (ii) using measured data without kinetic fitting. From kinetic fitting, 145 reliable DT50 values were obtained. Because there were no significant differences in DT50 values between crops and between the central and southern EU, the DT50 data from all studies were pooled. The geometric mean DT50 was 3.8 days and the 90th percentile was 13.0 days, corresponding to 21-day fTWA values of 0.27 and 0.59, respectively. Twenty-one-day fTWA values could be calculated directly from measured residues for 204 datasets. The resulting 21-day fTWA values were comparable with those from kinetic fitting (geometric mean: 0.29, 90th percentile: 0.59). The results demonstrate that residue decline on seeds is comparable with foliar dissipation after spray applications. Therefore, the risk assessment scheme by EFSA should implement a default fTWA < 1.0 in the Tier 1 risk assessment for treated seeds (e.g., either 0.53 as for foliage or 0.59, the 90th percentile fTWA in seeds reported in this study). Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:239-247. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Critical assessment of the endocrine potential of Linalool and Linalyl acetate: proactive testing strategy assessing estrogenic and androgenic activity of Lavender oil main components.

The acyclic linear monoterpenes Linalool (Lin) and Linalyl acetate (LinAc) occur in nature as major constituents of various essential oils such as lavender oils. A potential endocrine activity of these compounds was discussed in literature including premature thelarche and prepubertal gynecomastia due to lavender product use. This study aims to follow-up on these critical findings reported by testing Lin and LinAc in several studies in line with current guidance and regulatory framework. No relevant anti-/ER and AR-mediated activity was observed in recombinant yeast cell-based screening tests and guideline reporter gene in vitro assays in mammalian cells. Findings in the screening test suggested an anti-androgenic activity, which could not be confirmed in the respective mammalian cell guideline assay. Mechanistic guideline in vivo studies (Uterotrophic and Hershberger assays) with Lin did not show significant dose related changes in estrogen or androgen sensitive organ weights and a guideline reproductive toxicity screening study did not reveal evident effects on sex steroid hormone sensitive organ weights, associated histopathological findings and altered sperm parameters. Estrous cycling and mating/fertility indices were not affected and no evident Lin-related steroid hormone dependent effects were found in the offspring. Overall, the initial concerns from literature were not confirmed. Findings in the yeast screening test were aberrant from follow-up guideline in vitro and in vivo studies, which underlines the need to apply careful interpretation of single in vitro test results to support a respective line of evidence and to establish a biologically plausible link to an adverse outcome.

Chromatographic assessment of biodiesel production from Peganum harmala seed oil using environmentally benign nano-catalysts.

This work gives a comprehensive chromatographic assessment of biodiesel generation from plant seed oil using ecologically friendly nano-catalysts. Researchers all over the world are actively looking for new ways to satisfy the urgent need for clean and renewable energy sources. The resultant biodiesel was fully characterized utilizing modern techniques like scanning electron microscopy, energy diffraction X-ray and X-ray diffraction. The biodiesel gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis revealed four significant peaks of fatty acid methyl esters, indicating high-quality biodiesel production. Furthermore, the biodiesel fuel qualities were discovered to be comparable with international standards such as ASTM D-6571 and EN-14214. This indicates that the iron-modified clay nano-catalyst can be used as a catalyst for large-scale biodiesel production. This work is important because it could lead to the large-scale production of a novel, non-food feedstock. We may lessen our reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to a more sustainable and ecologically friendly energy future by leveraging the usage of biodiesel produced in this way. The chromatographic assessment of biodiesel production from non-edible seed oil using environmentally benign nano-catalysts holds significant promise in advancing sustainable and eco-friendly biodiesel production methods, contributing to a cleaner and more environmentally responsible energy sector.

The ontogeny of disparity in Cupressaceae seed cones.

Ontogenetic shape change has long been recognized to be important in generating patterns of morphological diversity and may be especially important in plant reproductive structures. We explore how seed cone disparity in Cupressaceae changes over ontogeny by comparing pollination-stage and mature cones. We sampled cones at pollen and seed release and measured cone scales using basic morphometric shape variables. We used multivariate statistical methods, particularly hypervolume overlap calculations, to measure morphospace occupation and disparity. Cone scales at both pollination and maturity exhibit substantial variability, although the disparity is greater at maturity. Mature cone scales are also more clustered in trait space, showing less overlap with other taxa than at pollination. These patterns reflect two growth strategies that generate closed cones over maturation, either through thin laminar scales or relatively thick, peltate scales, resulting in two distinct regions of morphospace occupation. Disparity patterns in Cupressaceae seed cones change over ontogeny, reflecting shifting functional demands that require specific patterns of cone scale growth. The evolution of Cupressaceae reproductive disparity therefore represents selection for trajectories of ontogenetic shape change, a phenomenon that should be widespread across seed plants.

In Vitro Assessment of Anti-Adipogenic and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) Seeds Extract on 3T3-L1 Adipocytes and Raw264.7 Macrophages.

Background and Objectives: This study evaluated the in vitro anti-adipogenic and anti-inflammatory properties of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) seed extract (BCS extract) as a potential candidate for developing herbal formulations targeting metabolic disorders. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the BCS extract by assessing its 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrohydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and nitric oxide (NO), and mRNA expression levels of key pro-inflammatory mediators. We also quantified the phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling molecules. To assess anti-adipogenic effects, we used differentiated 3T3-L1 cells and BCS extract in doses from 10 to 100 µg/mL. We also determined mRNA levels of key adipogenic genes, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/BEPα), adipocyte protein 2 (aP2), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and sterol-regulated element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results: This study showed a concentration-dependent DPPH radical scavenging activity and no toxicity at concentrations up to 30 µg/mL in Raw264.7 cells. BCS extract showed an IC50 of 328.77 ± 20.52 µg/mL. Notably, pre-treatment with BCS extract (30 µg/mL) significantly enhanced cell viability in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated Raw264.7 cells. BCS extract treatment effectively inhibited LPS-induced production of PGE2 and NO, as well as the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6, possibly by limiting the phosphorylation of p38, p65, inhibitory κBα (I-κBα), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). It also significantly attenuated lipid accumulation and key adipogenic genes in 3T3-L1 cells. Conclusions: This study highlights the in vitro anti-adipogenic and anti-inflammatory potential of BCS extract, underscoring its potential as a promising candidate for managing metabolic disorders.