Examining the Triple Burden of Malnutrition: Insights from a Community-Based Comprehensive Nutrition Survey among Indigenous Tribal Children (0-19 Years) in the Western Ghats Hills of India.

This article presents findings from a community-based cross-sectional study conducted in Attappadi, Kerala, India, aimed at assessing the prevalence of the triple burden of malnutrition among indigenous children aged 0-19 years. Historically, the indigenous population in Attappadi has faced significant developmental challenges, including high rates of malnutrition, infant mortality, and neonatal mortality. This study revealed alarming rates of undernutrition among children aged 0-59 months, with 40.9% experiencing stunting, 27.4% wasting, and 48.3% being underweight. Adolescent girls also suffered from undernutrition, with 21% classified as underweight and 43.3% experiencing stunting. Surprisingly, overweight or obesity was identified as a nutritional problem, affecting 1.4% of children aged 0-59 months, 4.2% of children aged 5-9 years, and 10.5% of adolescent girls. Additionally, a distressing proportion of young children aged 12-59 months (91.2%) were anaemic, with 50% diagnosed specifically with iron deficiency anaemia (IDA). Nearly all adolescent girls (96.6%) were reportedly suffering from anaemia. Deficiencies in vitamin B12, vitamin D, folate, and vitamin-A were prevalent among 35%, 20%, 16%, and 12% of children aged 12-59 months, respectively. The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive interventions to address this triple burden of malnutrition. Recommendations include promoting culturally appropriate local food-based solutions, establishing participatory and community-led systems for health and nutrition information dissemination, and strengthening the nutrition surveillance system through village-level health and nutrition workers. By adopting a holistic approach, these interventions can help improve the nutritional status and well-being of the indigenous tribal children in Attappadi.

Kisspeptin promotes follicular development through its effects on modulation of P450 aromatase expression and steroidogenesis in sheep ovarian follicles.

The present study was conducted to ascertain whether the role of kisspeptin in promoting in vitro development of preantral follicles was through the regulation of P450 aromatase gene expression and steroidogenesis in sheep. Accordingly, the cumulus cells and oocytes were collected from different development stages of preantral follicles grown in vivo and cultured in vitro in TCM199B (Group I), TCM199B + KP (10 µg/mL) (Group II) and Standard medium + KP (10 µg/mL). To measure the steroid (Estradiol-17ß; E2 and Progesterone; P4 ) synthesis through ELISA, spent culture medium was collected separately from the same in vitro groups. E2 synthesis in the spent medium collected from all the three groups showed an increasing trend from PFs' exposed to respective culture media for 3 min to 2-day culture stage but decreased thereafter till 6-day culture stage. This is followed by a sharp increase in E2 concentration in the spent medium collected after in vitro maturation. However, P4 synthesis in group III followed increased pattern as the development progressed from PFs' exposed to culture medium for 3 min to in vitro maturation stage. The steroid production was observed at all stages of in vitro development in altered supplemented conditions. The steroid synthesis in the spent medium was highest in the 6 day cultured PFs' in Standard medium + KP matured in vitro for 24 h. Therefore, supplementation of kisspeptin along with other growth factors promoted steroid production in cultured preantral follicles far better than in other media.

Computational analysis of the phytocompounds of Mimusops elengi against spike protein of SARS CoV2 - An Insilico model.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a global health crisis for over three years now, with the virus causing widespread illness and death. The urgent need for safe and effective therapeutic drugs has prompted the exploration of alternative medicine systems such as Ayurveda and Siddha. This study focuses on the potential therapeutic properties of the Ayurvedic plant, Mimusops elengi. In silico techniques were employed to analyze the bioactivity of the plant, including target prediction, gene ontology analysis, OMIM analysis, and molecular docking analysis. The results revealed 36 phytocompounds that interacted with 1431 receptors in the human body, and two compounds - hederagenin and quercetin - showed exceptionally high binding affinities toward their corresponding receptors, IL6 and MMP9. These results provide important insight into the potential therapeutic activity of M. elengi and its compounds in combating COVID-19. However, further research and clinical trials are necessary to validate these findings and develop safe and effective drugs. The study highlights the importance of combining traditional medicine with modern scientific methods to find effective treatments for global health challenges.

Virtual screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics and quantum chemical studies on (2-methoxy-4-prop-2-enylphenyl) N-(2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl) carbamate: a novel inhibitor of hepatocellular carcinoma.

HDAC protein is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. Different medicinal plants were selected for this study to analyze the inhibitory efficacy against the target protein, HDAC. Using virtual screening, we filtered out the best compounds, and molecular docking (XP) was carried out for the top compounds which filtered out. The molecular docking results showed that the title compound (2-methoxy-4-prop-2-enylphenyl) N-(2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl) carbamate (MEMNC) has the highest docking score of about -7.7 kcal/mol against the targeted protein histone deacetylase (HDAC) compared with the other selected phytocompounds. From the molecular dynamics analysis, the RMSD and RMSF plots depicted the overall stability of the protein-ligand complex. Toxicity properties show the acceptable range of various kinds of toxicity that were predicted using the ProTox-II server. In addition, DFT quantum chemical and physicochemical properties of the MEMNC molecule were reported. Initially, the molecular structure of the MEMNC molecule was optimized and harmonic vibrational frequencies were calculated using DFT/B3LYP method with a cc-pVTZ basis set using Gaussian 09 program. The calculated vibrational wavenumber values were assigned based on Potential Energy Distribution calculations using the VEDA 4.0 program and correlated well with the previous literature values. The molecule has bioactivity as a result of intramolecular charge transfer interactions, as demonstrated by frontier molecular orbital analysis. Molecular electrostatic potential surface and Mulliken atomic charge distribution analyses validate the reactive sites of the molecule. Thus, the title compound can be used as a potential inhibitor of HDAC protein, which paves the way for designing novel drugs to treat Hepatocellular carcinoma.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Happiness and its determinants among nursing students.

Background: Being happy in life is very essential to be healthy, which is important for nursing students to grow and adapt well in their professional life. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the level of happiness and identify the determinants of happiness among nursing students. Materials and Methods: Three hundred and forty-two undergraduate nursing students College of Nursing, All India Institutes of Medicals Sciences, New Delhi, India, enrolled in the study by convenience sampling. Data were collected through demographic information sheets and oxford happiness questionnaires. Frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation, Chi-square test, and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean happiness score of nursing students was 3.96 ± 0.59 on a scale of 6. The percentage distribution showed that 43.2% of the students responded "not particularly happy," and 42.1% were "rather happy." The current year of study, the number of close friends, stress experienced in the past 6 months, and engagement in physical activities contributed 53% of the variance in the happiness score of nursing students (P < 0.001). Further, monthly family income (P = 0.018) and choice of course (P = 0.003) had a significant association with their happiness score. Conclusion: Nursing students had a moderate level of happiness. The study suggests that there is a need to develop strategies to enhance happiness among nursing students in alignment with the identified factors. Educators need to develop a holistic curriculum giving equal importance to academic competencies and personal flourishment.

Moxifloxacin-Mediated Killing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Involves Respiratory Downshift, Reductive Stress, and Accumulation of Reactive Oxygen Species.

Moxifloxacin is central to treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Effects of moxifloxacin on the Mycobacterium tuberculosis redox state were explored to identify strategies for increasing lethality and reducing the prevalence of extensively resistant tuberculosis. A noninvasive redox biosensor and a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive dye revealed that moxifloxacin induces oxidative stress correlated with M. tuberculosis death. Moxifloxacin lethality was mitigated by supplementing bacterial cultures with an ROS scavenger (thiourea), an iron chelator (bipyridyl), and, after drug removal, an antioxidant enzyme (catalase). Lethality was also reduced by hypoxia and nutrient starvation. Moxifloxacin increased the expression of genes involved in the oxidative stress response, iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis, and DNA repair. Surprisingly, and in contrast with Escherichia coli studies, moxifloxacin decreased expression of genes involved in respiration, suppressed oxygen consumption, increased the NADH/NAD+ ratio, and increased the labile iron pool in M. tuberculosis. Lowering the NADH/NAD+ ratio in M. tuberculosis revealed that NADH-reductive stress facilitates an iron-mediated ROS surge and moxifloxacin lethality. Treatment with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) accelerated respiration and ROS production, increased moxifloxacin lethality, and lowered the mutant prevention concentration. Moxifloxacin induced redox stress in M. tuberculosis inside macrophages, and cotreatment with NAC potentiated the antimycobacterial efficacy of moxifloxacin during nutrient starvation, inside macrophages, and in mice, where NAC restricted the emergence of resistance. Thus, NADH-reductive stress contributes to moxifloxacin-mediated killing of M. tuberculosis, and the respiration stimulator (NAC) enhances lethality and suppresses the emergence of drug resistance.

Chemical Profiling and In Vitro Antiurolithiatic Activity of Pleurolobus gangeticus (L.) J. St.- Hil. ex H. Ohashi & K. Ohashi Along with Its Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties.

Pleurolobus gangeticus (L.) J. St.- Hil. ex H. Ohashi & K. Ohashi (Fabaceae) is an important medicinal plant used to treat various ailments. In this study, we report the antiurolithiatic, antioxidant, and antibacterial potential of chloroform fraction (CF) from P. gangeticus roots. For the chemical profiling, HPTLC, FT-IR, and GC-MS techniques of the CF were carried out, and phytochemical investigation was revealed that stigmasterol (45.06%) is one of the major components present in the fraction. The nucleation and aggregation assays were used to evaluate the in vitro antiurolithiatic activity at various concentration (2-10 mg/mL) of the CF. The results showed that the chloroform fraction had dose-dependent effects on Calcium Oxalate (CaOx) crystal formation. In both the assays, the maximum concentration of 10 mg/mL has shown better results. This concentration resulted significant increase in CaOx crystal nucleation along with the reduction of crystal size and the inhibition of crystal aggregation. Further, the CF showed stronger antioxidant (DPPH, NO, SOD, TRC) potential with an IC50 values of 415.9327, 391.729, 275.971, and 419.14 µg/mL, respectively. The antibacterial evaluation displayed effective results in the Agar well diffusion assay against selective urinary tract infection (UTI) pathogens (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Staphylococcus aureus). A maximum zone of inhibition (ZOI) 12.33 ± 1.05 mm for K pneumonia and minimum ZOI of 8.46 ± 0.27 mm for S. aureus were obtained. Further, the ADME-PK property of the stigmasterol was investigated, and it was found to pass the Lipinski and Ghose rules, supporting the drug-likeliness. This is the first record of the antiurolithiatic potential of P. gangeticus along with antioxidant and antibacterial activities. These findings give an insight into the effective drug development and treatment for kidney stones in future.

Pharmaco-chemical profiling of Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC. with special reference to soil chemistry.

BACKGROUND: Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC. (Fabaceae) (DG) is a perennial non-climbing herb or shrub and folklore medicine, widely shows a large number of medicinal properties, as well as contains divergent bioactive compounds. Many of the herbal formulations contain this medicinal plant, which is considered as master of medicinal plant in Ayurveda. This study is an attempt to establish this plant material based on its pharmaco-chemical profiles with special reference to soil chemistry. The pharmaco-chemical features such as organoleptic, DNA sequence, physicochemical, proximate, phytochemical, UV, and FTIR profiling were carried out using standard techniques. Moreover, the ADME-PK properties of the selected molecules were established. RESULTS: The pharmaco-chemical features like organoleptic, DNA sequence, physicochemical, proximate, phytochemical, UV, and FTIR profiling, ADME-PK properties, and soil chemistry of D. gangeticum revealed its unique and diagnostic peculiarities. DNA barcoding showed that the sequence was 99.77% similar to D. gangeticum (KP094638) having 100% query coverage. The soil analysis revealed the presence of moderately high content of NPK and sufficient amount of all essential macro- and micronutrients (S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and B). The phytochemical profiling showed that the ethanolic extract of the aerial part contained glycoside, amino acid, phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, and coumarins, while the ethanolic root extract of the plant revealed the presence of glycoside, amino acid, phenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, and triterpenoids. FTIR results indicated that the plant extracts are mainly rich in phenolic derivatives. ADME-PK properties of pterocarpan such as gangetin (1a), gangetinin (1b), desmocarpin (1c), and desmodin (1d) were found to pass the Lipinski, Ghose, Veber, and Egan rules, supporting the drug-likeliness. CONCLUSION: This is the first record of pharmaco-chemical profiling of D. gangeticum along with soil chemistry, and this information helps in the proper identification and future studies on this species.

Supplementation of the diets with hydroponic maize fodder affects digestibility, puberty, sexual behavior, and semen characteristics in buck kids.

Hydroponics is one of the widely adopted technologies for fodder production in arid and semi-arid regions. In addition to the benefits such as shorter growth period and minimal water and land use, it also produces nutritious fodder that contains essential nutrients required for the growth and reproduction of livestock. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding hydroponic maize fodder on the reproductive performance of buck kids. Twenty-four Tellicherry buck kids aged around 3 months were randomly selected and allocated into three treatment groups, namely, control, treatment 1 (T1), and treatment 2 (T2). Experimental diets were formulated by replacing the concentrate with hydroponic maize fodder at 0% (control), 25% (T1), and 50% (T2) level. The buck kids supplemented with hydroponic maize fodder attained puberty earlier (T1, 246.50 ± 2.61 days; T2, 241.00 ± 2.06 days) (P < 0.05); had higher (P < 0.05) scrotal circumference, testicular volume, and fresh semen characteristics; and exhibited intense sexual behaviors than the non-supplemented kids. Furthermore, hydroponic maize fodder supplementation improved the digestibility of dry matter (DM) (P < 0.01), organic matter (OM) (P < 0.01), crude fiber (CF) (P < 0.05), ether extract (EE) (P < 0.01), and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) (P < 0.01) in the kids. In conclusion, hydroponic maize fodder feeding did not have any negative impact on the reproductive performance of kids. Furthermore, the hydroponic maize fodder supplementation enhanced the kids' nutrient digestibility and reproductive performance.

Chemical profiling and in-vitro anti-inflammatory activity of bioactive fraction(s) from Trichodesma indicum (L.) R.Br. against LPS induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Trichodesma indicum (L.) R. Br. (family: Boraginaceae) is a medicinal herb largely used to treat arthralgia, rheumatoid arthritis, wound healing, dysentery, etc. It's mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity has not been systematically analyzed yet. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study was undertaken to examine the anti-inflammatory effects of successive solvent extracts (n-hexane extract (HE), ethyl acetate extract (EA), ethanol extract (EE), aqueous extract (AE) and fractions of HE) from the aerial parts of Trichodesma indicum (TI) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated inflammatory reaction using mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cytotoxic effects of the extracts and fractions of TI were assessed by MTT assay. The effect of extracts and fractions on the production of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 macrophages were measured using the Griess reagent method. IL - 6, IL - 1ß, TNF-α, iNOS and COX-2 gene expressions were examined by a qRT-PCR method. RESULTS: RAW 264.7 macrophages pretreated with HE, EA, EE and AE of TI showed a significant decrease in the production of proinflammatory cytokines and NO without exhibiting cytotoxicity. The potent HE was fractionated using flash chromatography into FA, FB, FC, FD and FE. Among the five fractions, FE displayed a stronger ability to reduce IL - 1ß, TNF-α, iNOS, COX2 and NO importantly no cytotoxicity was observed. The phytochemical compounds present in FE were further screened by Gas chromatography - Mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). GC-MS analysis revealed that 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid diisooctyl ester is the major compound in FE. Molecular docking analysis showed good inhibition of 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid diisooctyl ester against TLR-4, NIK and TACE. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid diisooctyl ester could be a potential candidate in alleviating inflammatory reactions in TI.

Identification and functional characterisation of Esculentin-2 HYba peptides and their C-terminally amidated analogs from the skin secretion of an endemic frog.

Here, we report the identification, functional characterisation, and the effect of C-terminal amidation on the activity profile of two novel Esculentin-2 peptides (Esculentin-2 HYba1 and Esculentin-2 HYba2). The parent peptides and their analogs exhibited potent activity against the tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The effect of amidation was evident in the activity profile of fish pathogens and killing kinetics. The analogs showed a 10-fold decrease in MIC, and the killing time was reduced to 10-15 minutes. The hemolytic potential was unaltered upon amidation. The selectivity index revealed that these peptides are more selective to bacteria than mammalian cells. Cytotoxicity against Hep3B cells reveals their potential to destroy cancer cells; they showed potential inhibition compared to anticancer drug silymarin. The study also highlights the need for further truncations and modifications of esculentin peptides for developing them as lead drug molecules.

In silico evaluation of drugs used in treatment of oral lichen planus.

BACKGROUND: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic T cell-mediated, immunological, mucocutaneous disease with a number of genes and inflammatory mediators implicated in its pathogenesis. Heart shock protein 70 and the proinflammatory mediator TNFα have been predominantly involved in the etiopathogenesis of oral lichen planus. METHODS: In this study, the action of 27 commonly used drugs for treating OLP at HSP70 and TNFα were evaluated by molecular docking using Maestro Schrodinger version 10.1. X-ray crystallographic structures of the target proteins, that is, Heat Shock Protein 70 (PDB Code: 6FDT) and tumor necrosis factor alpha-1 (PDB Code: 1TNF) were obtained from Protein Data Bank (PDB). The structures of the ligands (27 drugs) were obtained from PubChem in.sdf format. Using Ligprep, pre-processing of the ligands was done. Extra-precision docking was performed with the prepared protein and the ligands. RESULTS: With respect to HSP70, the highest dock score (-4.768) and glide score (-4.818) were seen with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), followed by epigallocatechin gallate (green tea), methotrexate, and curcumin. The highest dock (-9.525) and glide score (-9.584) in TNFα were seen in with epigallocatechin gallate, followed by HCQ, dapsone, and methotrexate. CONCLUSION: The results of the study tend to explain the clinical use of HCQ in recalcitrant and severe cases, as well as the anti-inflammatory property of epigallocatechin gallate. The results of the study open ventures for exploring the in silico behavior of drugs for effective pathological management.

Update on Management of Morphea (Localized Scleroderma) in Children.

Juvenile localized scleroderma (morphea) is the predominant scleroderma in childhood which affects the skin and may extend to the underlying fascia, muscle, joints and bone. The assessment of activity and damage can be done with a validated instrument like LoSCAT. Disease classified as "low severity" which includes superficial plaque morphea can be treated with topical mid potent- potent steroids, tacrolimus, calcipotriol or imiquimod in combination with phototherapy. Methotrexate is recommended for linear, deep and generalized morphea. Steroids are effective in the early inflammatory stage and used in combination with methotrexate. Methotrexate is continued for at least 12 months after adequate response is achieved. Mycophenolate mofetil is given in cases where methotrexate is contraindicated or for those who do not respond to methotrexate. There are also reports of improvement of disease with ciclosporine and hydroxychloroquine. In severe cases, recalcitrant to standard therapy there may be a role for biologics, JAK inhibitors, and IVIG. Supportive measures like physiotherapy and psychiatric counseling are also important in the management of morphea. Orthopedic surgery and other measures like autologous fat transfer may be advocated once the disease is inactive.

Evaluation of effect of two different functionalized nanoparticle photodynamic therapy on nanohardness of root dentin-An in vitro study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of functionalized nanoparticle photodynamic therapy on Nano hardness of root dentin METHODOLOGY: Fifty single rooted lower premolars were decoronated and sectioned into two halves. Then the samples were embedded horizontally in to the acrylic resin to expose the dentin surface. Baseline nanohardness was done at midroot level using a Nanohardness tester. Exposed dentin surfaces were immersed in the following irrigating solutions Post treatment nanohardness testing was done and results were analyzed statistically RESULTS: In general, all the samples in their respective groups had significant change in nanohardness following immersion in irrigant solutions except in NaOCl + EDTA and saline group. CSRB-np and PLGA-MBnp showed increased nanohardness (P = 0.005 and P = 0.007 respectively). Whereas NaOCl + EDTA + CHX showed decrease in nanohardness (P = 0.04). With regards to Modulus of elasticity (MOE), CSRB-np showed significant difference (P = 0.002) compared to the other groups. MOE increased in CSRB-np and PLGA-MBnp while it decreased in all the other groups. CONCLUSION: In this study, the improvement of nanohardness and modulus of elasticity following the immersion of root dentin in CSRB-np solution was demonstrated.

Untargeted metabolomics reveals alterations in metabolites of lipid metabolism and immune pathways in the serum of rats after long-term oral administration of Amalaki rasayana.

Amalaki rasayana, a traditional preparation, is widely used by Ayurvedic physicians for the treatment of inflammatory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Metabolic alterations induced by Amalaki rasayana intervention are unknown. We investigated the modulations in serum metabolomic profiles in Wistar rats following long-term oral administration of Amalaki rasayana. Global metabolic profiling was performed of the serum of rats administered with either Amalaki rasayana (AR) or ghee + honey (GH) for 18 months and control animals which were left untreated. Amalaki rasayana components were confirmed from AR extract using HR-LCMS analysis. Significant reductions in prostaglandin J2, 11-dehydrothromboxane B2, and higher levels of reduced glutathione and glycitein metabolites were observed in the serum of AR administered rats compared to the control groups. Eleven different metabolites classified as phospholipids, glycerophospholipids, glucoside derivatives, organic acids, and glycosphingolipid were exclusively observed in the AR administered rats. Pathway analysis suggests that altered metabolites in AR administered rats are those associated with different biochemical pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, leukotriene metabolism, G-protein mediated events, phospholipid metabolism, and the immune system. Targeted metabolomics confirmed the presence of gallic acid, ellagic acid, and arachidonic acid components in the AR extract. The known activities of these components can be correlated with the altered metabolic profile following long-term AR administration. AR also activates IGF1R-Akt-Foxo3 signaling axis in heart tissues of rats administered with AR. Our study identifies AR components that induce alterations in lipid metabolism and immune pathways in animals which consume AR for an extended period.

Fatty acids-carotenoid complex: An effective anti-TB agent from the chlorella growth factor-extracted spent biomass of Chlorella vulgaris.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, still remains as one of the major threat to mankind, despite the availability of a live attenuated vaccine and effective antibiotics. Marine microalgae, at all times, act as a key resource for valuable therapeutic compounds with limited side effects. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present explorative attempt is to isolate the biomolecules of pharmacological importance from the marine microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris, and to evaluate its effect on the ever dreadful disease, Tuberculosis. The study is also aimed to develop an economically feasible methodology for by-products extraction from microalgae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fatty acids-carotenoid complexes (FACC), namely, FACC-1 (red oil) and FACC-2 (brown oil) were isolated, in addition to lipid and lutein from the Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF, a protein fraction enriched with vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates)-extracted spent biomass through column chromatography. RESULTS: FACC-1 is a complex of fatty acids such as oleic and linoleic acids, and carotenoids such as canthaxanthin and neoxanthin. FACC-2 is a complex of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids and carotenoids (cryptoxanthin and echinenone). Initial screening for evaluation of minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of FACC-1 and -2 was performed against Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains such as H37Rv, SHRE sensitive clinical isolate and SHRE resistant clinical isolate. MBC was noted at 10 µg/mL by FACC-1 and at 5 µg/mL by FACC-2, determined using colony forming and Lucipherase Reporter Mycobacteriophages (LRP) assay. Testing in the PAN sensitive isolates indicated that the MBC was noted at 5 µg/mL by FACC-1 and at 2.5 µg/mL by FACC-2. Complete inhibition (100%) was observed at 100 µg/mL by FACC-1 and at 50 µg/mL by FACC-2. Testing of FACC-1 and FACC-2 individually as well as in combination on two different types of MDR strains confirmed the efficacy of the algal oils, wherein in MDR-strain 1, FACC-1 revealed 50% inhibition at 10 µg/mL, while FACC-2 exhibited the same at 5 µg/mL. Conversely, in the case of MDR strain-2, MBC of FACC-1 was at 500 µg/mL and MBCof FACC-2 to be at 250 µg/mL. No significant synergistic effect was observed on combining both the oils. CONCLUSION: The study signifies the development of a potent therapeutic agent comprising of a complex of anti-TB agent (fatty acids) and antioxidants (carotenoids) from the CGF-extracted spent biomass of C. vulgaris.

Curcumin Releasing Eggshell Derived Carbonated Apatite Nanocarriers for Combined Anti-Cancer, Anti-Inflammatory and Bone Regenerative Therapy.

Bone cancer or osteosarcoma is an aggressive cancer affecting the long bones and is treated by a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Local drug delivery directly to the site of bone cancer and the use of plant-based drugs has been explored towards improving the efficacy and decreasing the toxicity of the anti-cancer drugs. Curcumin, derived from turmeric is highly effective against cancer cells and shows very low toxicity against normal cells. Bone repair is facilitated by use of bone substitutes such as bioceramics, amongst which the carbonated apatite (CA) nanocarriers closely mimic the natural bone mineral. In the current work, we have developed CA nanocarriers based local delivery of curcumin as an adjunct treatment for bone cancer. CA nanocarriers with 6 wt.% carbonate were prepared by wet chemical synthesis using synthetic derived (6SWCA) and eggshell derived (6EWCA) precursors along with hydroxyapatite (WHA) as a control. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed the CAs to be phase pure with a mean crystallite size of 17 nm. The Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of both CAs indicated the carbonate substitution as B-Type. The amount of carbonate substitution was observed to be around 6 wt.% using FTIR and CHNO elemental analyzer. The 6EWCA showed a greater loading (36%) and release (66%) of curcumin than 6SWCA and WHA nanocarriers. The bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein denaturation assay showed the curcumin loaded CAs to be highly anti-inflammatory while their anti-cancer activity was confirmed by the high cytotoxic activity against MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells. Conclusively, an eggshell derived apatite drug delivery system was found to be very suitable to cure osteosarcoma, prevent post-cancer inflammation and modulate bone repair and regeneration.

Novel flourescent spiroborate esters: potential therapeutic agents in in vitro cancer models.

The current treatment system in cancer therapy, which includes chemotherapy/radiotherapy is expensive and often deleterious to surrounding healthy tissue. Presently, several medicinal plants and their constituents are in use to manage the development and progression of these diseases.They have been found effective, safe, and less expensive. In the present study, we are proposing the utility of a new class of curcumin derivative, Rubrocurcumin, the spiroborate ester of curcumin with boric acid and oxalic acid (1:1:1), which have enhanced biostability for therapeutic applications. In vitro cytocompatibility of this drug complex was analysed using MTT assay, neutral red assay, lactate dehydrogenase assay in 3T3L1 adipocytes. Anti tumour activity of this drug complex on MCF7 and A431 human cancer cell line was studied by morphological analysis using phase contrast microscopy, Hoechst staining and cell cycle analysis by FACS. To explore the chemotherapeutic effect, the cytotoxic effect of this compound was also carried out. Rubrocurcumin is more biostable than natural curcumin in physiological medium. Our results prove that this curcumin derivative drug complex possess more efficacy and anti-cancer activity compared with curcumin. The findings out of this study suggests this novel compound as potential candidate for site targeted drug delivery.

Biosynthesized composites of Au-Ag nanoparticles using Trapa peel extract induced ROS-mediated p53 independent apoptosis in cancer cells.

The current study highlights rapid, sustainable, and cost-effective biosynthesis of silver (Ag), gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs), and bimetallic Au-AgNPs composites using bio-waste extract of Trapa natans. Growth of the NPs was monitored spectrophotometrically and peak was observed at ∼525 nm, ∼450 nm, and ∼495 nm corresponding to Plasmon absorbance of AuNPs, AgNPs, and Au-AgNPs, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the size of AgNPs (∼15 nm), AuNPs (∼25 nm), and Au-AgNPs (∼26-90 nm). Synthesized NPs follow the Gaussian bell curve and its crystalline nature was identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, Au-AgNPs induced cytotoxicity in various cancer cells (HCT116, MDA-MB-231, and HeLa) effectively at 200 µg/mL. Au-AgNPs-exposed cancer cells exhibited apoptotic features such as nuclear condensation, mitochondrial membrane potential loss, and cleavage of casp-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP). Au-AgNPs exposure enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upon inhibition of ROS, apoptosis was reduced effectively. NPs treatment killed HCT116 WT and p53 knockout cells without any significant difference. Mechanistically, Au-AgNPs derived with Trapa peel extract significantly enhance ROS which trigger p53-independent apoptosis in various cancer cells effectively. Our study explores the use of bio-waste for the green synthesis of NPs, which can be attractive candidates for cancer therapy.

Phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants against selected pathogenic microorganisms.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the antimicrobial potency of leaves from various extracts of Capparis zeylanica, Streblus asper and Tribulus terrestris were evaluated. In addition, this is the first report on MIC, MBC/MFC antimicrobial activities of above mentioned plants and also identify the phytochemical, functional groups by GC-MS and FT-IR respectively. Soxhlet extraction method was used for preparation of different extracts viz., aqueous, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol. The extracts were examined against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecallis, Salmonella paratyphi, Shigella dysenteriae, Candida albicans and Mycobacterium tuberculosis by agar well diffusion method, and Minimum Inhibitory Concentratioon (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal/Fungicidal Concentration (MBC/MFC) values were determined through micro dilution method. Phytochemical analysis of compounds was carried out by GC-MS analysis and functional groups were identified by FT-IR. Based on the outcome of our results, Ethyl acetate extract Showed significant antimicrobial activity against the tested pathogens especially, for C. albicans (40 mm) followed by ethyl acetate of S. asper against S. paratyphi (38 mm). While, the least inhibition was observed with aqueous extract of T. terrestris against S. paratyphi (10 mm). The MIC ranged from 3.21 mg/ml to 50 mg/ml and MBC/MFC 6.25 mg/ml to 50 mg/ml was recorded. Ethyl acetate extracts of almost all samples showed better activity than other extracts in inhibition growth of pathogens. Phytochemical analysis exhibited the presence of Steroids, tannins and cardiac glycosides were found only in ethyl acetate extract of C. zeylanica. Functional group of leaf extract was confirmed by FT-IR spectrum and GC-MS analysis of the ethyl acetate extract revealed the presence of 20 compounds. The results revealed that ethyl acetate extract of C. zeylanica leaves has potential activity than the other extracts as well as standard drugs (Gentamycin and Ketocozole). Hence, this plant may be recommended for further studies in isolation of active compounds and related pharmacological activities.