ABSTRACT
This study reports the green synthesis and urease inhibitory activities of Ag and Au nanoparticles (NPs) using Crataegus oxyacantha extract. The synthesized NPs were characterized by UV-visible, FT-IR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The obtained NPs were spherical in shape, and their size was around 85 nm. A strong correlation between the phytochemicals present in the extract and their capability for the synthesis of NPs was observed. Furthermore, the shape, size, stability, and bioactivity of the NPs were strongly influenced by the stabilizing phytochemicals. The experimental analysis suggested that these NPs have substantial stability in a diverse range of physiological conditions such as pH, salinity, and temperature. The NPs exhibited potent urease enzyme inhibitory activities with percent inhibition of 99.25 and IC50 value of 1.38 ± 0.3, comparable to the standard (thiourea percent inhibition, that is, 98.2% and IC50 value 5.3 ± 0.04). These results suggested that the proposed NPs could be used in the homeopathic and pharmaceutical industries for biomedical applications.
Subject(s)
Crataegus/chemistry , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Green Chemistry Technology , Phytochemicals/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Urease/antagonists & inhibitors , Canavalia/enzymology , Enzyme Inhibitors/chemistry , Enzyme Inhibitors/isolation & purification , Gold/chemistry , Gold/pharmacology , Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry , Particle Size , Phytochemicals/chemistry , Phytochemicals/isolation & purification , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Plant Extracts/isolation & purification , Silver/chemistry , Silver/pharmacology , Urease/metabolismABSTRACT
Extreme dilutions, especially homeopathic remedies of 30c, 200c, and higher potencies, are prepared by a process of serial dilution of 1:100 per step. As a result, dilution factors of 10(60), 10(400), or even greater are achieved. Therefore, both the presence of any active ingredient and the therapeutic efficacy of these medicines have been contentious because the existence of even traces of the starting raw materials in them is inconceivable. However, physicochemical studies of these solutions have unequivocally established the presence of the starting raw materials in nanoparticulate form even in these extreme (super-Avogadro, >10(23)) dilutions. In this article, we propose and validate a hypothesis to explain how nanoparticles are retained even at such enormous dilution levels. We show that once the bulk concentration is below a threshold level of a few nanograms/milliliter (ng/mL), at the end of each dilution step, all of the nanoparticles levitate to the surface and are accommodated as a monolayer at the top. This dominant population at the air-liquid interface is preserved and carried to the subsequent step, thereby forming an asymptotic concentration. Thus, all dilutions are only apparent and not real in terms of the concentrations of the starting raw materials.
Subject(s)
Gold/chemistry , Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry , Zinc/chemistry , Lactose/chemistry , Mass Spectrometry , Particle Size , Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared , Surface PropertiesABSTRACT
After the Anglo-Boer (South African) War (1899-1902), there was a shortage of unskilled labor on the South African gold mines. Chinese men were imported to make up for the deficit. This article reviews the records of indentured Chinese mine workers examined for repatriation in 1905. The records tell of high proportions of social disorders, respiratory diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, opium addiction, and injury. These reflect the social and physical conditions to which these men were exposed in the mines.
Subject(s)
Asian People , Mining , Musculoskeletal Diseases , Opioid-Related Disorders , Respiratory Tract Diseases , Social Behavior Disorders , Asian People/education , Asian People/ethnology , Asian People/history , Asian People/legislation & jurisprudence , Asian People/psychology , China/ethnology , Employment/economics , Employment/history , Gold/economics , Gold/history , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , Humans , Medical Records/economics , Mining/economics , Mining/education , Mining/history , Musculoskeletal Diseases/ethnology , Musculoskeletal Diseases/history , Opioid-Related Disorders/ethnology , Opioid-Related Disorders/history , Opium/history , Respiratory Tract Diseases/ethnology , Respiratory Tract Diseases/history , Social Behavior Disorders/ethnology , Social Behavior Disorders/history , South Africa/ethnology , Wounds and Injuries/ethnology , Wounds and Injuries/historyABSTRACT
El oro, metal precioso altamente codiciado, se emplea actualmente en medicina para suprimir la sintomatologia de algunos padecimientos sobre todo de tipo autoimune; sin embargo su uso esta limitado no solo por su costo, sino tambien por la severidad de sus efectos secundarios; en terapeutica homeopatica se utiliza para el tratamiento de un grupo un poco mas diverso de enfermedades, evitando los efectos secundarios y sobre todo tomando en cuenta al ser humano de uma manera mas integral. A continuacion hacemos una breve revision bibliografica de los aspectos mas importantes sobre el uso del oro en medicina, principalmente en homeopatia
Subject(s)
Aurum Metallicum/history , Gold/adverse effects , Gold/pharmacology , Gold/history , Gold/therapeutic use , Materia MedicaABSTRACT
El oro, metal precioso altamente codiciado, se emplea actualmente en medicina para suprimir la sintomatologia de algunos padecimientos sobre todo de tipo autoimune; sin embargo su uso esta limitado no solo por su costo, sino tambien por la severidad de sus efectos secundarios; en terapeutica homeopatica se utiliza para el tratamiento de un grupo un poco mas diverso de enfermedades, evitando los efectos secundarios y sobre todo tomando en cuenta al ser humano de uma manera mas integral. A continuacion hacemos una breve revision bibliografica de los aspectos mas importantes sobre el uso del oro en medicina, principalmente en homeopatia