Cardiotoxicity Induced by Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin in Gastric Cancer Treatment: A Rare Case of Cardiac Arrest and Cardiogenic Shock.

Introduction: Combination-based adjuvant chemotherapy utilising capecitabine and oxaliplatin is widely used in gastric cancer treatment. Rare but severe cardiac events such as prolonged QT, cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock can result from their use. Case description: A 45-year-old female with gastric adenocarcinoma was started on capecitabine-oxaliplatin chemotherapy one week before presenting to the emergency department with weakness. Blood pressure was 78/56 mmHg, heart rate 140 bpm and oxygen saturation 85%. She became unresponsive with pulseless ventricular fibrillation; CPR was initiated with immediate intubation. She received two shocks with a return of spontaneous circulation. Laboratory tests revealed serum potassium (3.1 mmol/l), magnesium (1.1 mg/dl) and troponin (0.46 ng/ml). An EKG revealed sinus tachycardia with a prolonged QT interval (556 ms). The combined effects of capecitabine, oxaliplatin and electrolyte abnormalities likely contributed to the QT prolongation. An echocardiogram demonstrated an ejection fraction of 10%-15%. An emergent right-heart catheterisation showed right atrial pressure of 10 mmHg and pulmonary artery pressure of 30/18 mmHg; cardiac output and index were not recorded. An intra-aortic balloon pump was placed, and she was admitted to the ICU for cardiogenic shock requiring norepinephrine, vasopressin and dobutamine. A repeat echocardiogram showed a significantly improved ejection fraction of 65%, and she was discharged. Discussion: Capecitabine and oxaliplatin cardiotoxicity is an exceedingly rare occurrence, with both drugs reported to cause QT prolongation. Conclusion: Healthcare providers must recognise the QT prolongation effects of capecitabine and oxaliplatin, leading to life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. LEARNING POINTS: Recognise the QT-prolonging effects of capecitabine and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.Recognise that cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest with capecitabine and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy can occur in individuals with benign cardiac history, especially early in treatment.

Support Materials of Organic and Inorganic Origin as Platforms for Horseradish Peroxidase Immobilization: Comparison Study for High Stability and Activity Recovery.

In the presented study, a variety of hybrid and single nanomaterials of various origins were tested as novel platforms for horseradish peroxidase immobilization. A thorough characterization was performed to establish the suitability of the support materials for immobilization, as well as the activity and stability retention of the biocatalysts, which were analyzed and discussed. The physicochemical characterization of the obtained systems proved successful enzyme deposition on all the presented materials. The immobilization of horseradish peroxidase on all the tested supports occurred with an efficiency above 70%. However, for multi-walled carbon nanotubes and hybrids made of chitosan, magnetic nanoparticles, and selenium ions, it reached up to 90%. For these materials, the immobilization yield exceeded 80%, resulting in high amounts of immobilized enzymes. The produced system showed the same optimal pH and temperature conditions as free enzymes; however, over a wider range of conditions, the immobilized enzymes showed activity of over 50%. Finally, a reusability study and storage stability tests showed that horseradish peroxidase immobilized on a hybrid made of chitosan, magnetic nanoparticles, and selenium ions retained around 80% of its initial activity after 10 repeated catalytic cycles and after 20 days of storage. Of all the tested materials, the most favorable for immobilization was the above-mentioned chitosan-based hybrid material. The selenium additive present in the discussed material gives it supplementary properties that increase the immobilization yield of the enzyme and improve enzyme stability. The obtained results confirm the applicability of these nanomaterials as useful platforms for enzyme immobilization in the contemplation of the structural stability of an enzyme and the high catalytic activity of fabricated biocatalysts.

Sodium alginate coating of Ginkgo biloba leaves extract containing phenylpropanoids as an ecofriendly preserving agent to maintain the quality of peach fruit.

Plant constituents are of great interest in the food processing industry as potential natural preservative agents for controlling foodborne pathogens. In this study, the 95% EtOH/H2 O extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves was separated using polarity extraction solvents with petroleum ether (PE), ethyl acetate (EA), n-butanol (nB), and water (W) by the principle of similarity and compatibility. Through TLC and NMR analysis of these extracts, it can be concluded that the main component of PE extract were organic acids, for EA extract were flavonoids, for nB extract were phenylpropanoids, and water extract were oligosaccharides. Twelve monomer compounds were separated from the extracts to verify the composition of each extraction stage. Results of morphological and molecular identification revealed that Monilinia fructicola and Rhizopus stolonifer were the main fungi causing peach rot. After evaluating the antifungal activity and peach quality of the four extract/sodium alginate coatings, it was found that the n-butanol extract/sodium alginate coating containing phenylpropanoids had the lowest decay index and the best preservation effect, providing a sustainable alternative to reduce the harm to the environment of synthetic preservatives. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The abuse of synthetic preservatives poses a threat to the ecological environment and physical health. Therefore, this study developed sodium alginate coating of Ginkgo biloba leaves extract containing phenylpropanoids, which has good effects on the preservation of peaches. The agent is a promising environmentally friendly alternative for synthetic preservatives.

Pharmacophore-Based Virtual Screening and In-Silico Explorations of Biomolecules (Curcumin Derivatives) of Curcuma longa as Potential Lead Inhibitors of ERBB and VEGFR-2 for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer.

The newly FDA-approved drug, Axitinib, is an effective therapy against RTKs, but it possesses severe adverse effects like hypertension, stomatitis, and dose-dependent toxicity. In order to ameliorate Axitinib's downsides, the current study is expedited to search for energetically stable and optimized pharmacophore features of 14 curcumin (1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione) derivatives. The rationale behind the selection of curcumin derivatives is their reported anti-angiogenic and anti-cancer properties. Furthermore, they possessed a low molecular weight and a low toxicity profile. In the current investigation, the pharmacophore model-based drug design, facilitates the filtering of curcumin derivatives as VEGFR2 interfacial inhibitors. Initially, the Axitinib scaffold was used to build a pharmacophore query model against which curcumin derivatives were screened. Then, top hits from pharmacophore virtual screening were subjected to in-depth computational studies such as molecular docking, density functional theory (DFT) studies, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and ADMET property prediction. The findings of the current investigation revealed the substantial chemical reactivity of the compounds. Specifically, compounds S8, S11, and S14 produced potential molecular interactions against all four selected protein kinases. Docking scores of -41.48 and -29.88 kJ/mol for compounds S8 against VEGFR1 and VEGFR3, respectively, were excellent. Whereas compounds S11 and S14 demonstrated the highest inhibitory potential against ERBB and VEGFR2, with docking scores of -37.92 and -38.5 kJ/mol against ERBB and -41.2 and -46.5 kJ/mol against VEGFR-2, respectively. The results of the molecular docking studies were further correlated with the molecular dynamics simulation studies. Moreover, HYDE energy was calculated through SeeSAR analysis, and the safety profile of the compounds was predicted through ADME studies.

Immobilization of lipase on hydrophobic MOF synthesized simultaneously with oleic acid and application in hydrolysis of natural oils for improving unsaturated fatty acid production.

The hydrolysis of natural oils (vegetable oils and fats) by lipase has significant applications in food and medicine. However, free lipases are usually sensitive to temperature, pH and chemical reagents in aqueous solutions, which hinders their widespread industrial application. Excitingly, immobilized lipases have been widely reported to overcome these problems. Herein, inspired by lipase interface activation, a hydrophobic Zr-MOF (UiO-66-NH2-OA) with oleic acid was synthesized for the first time in an emulsion consisting of oleic acid and water, and the Aspergillus oryzae lipase (AOL) was immobilized onto the UiO-66-NH2-OA through hydrophobic interaction and electrostatic interaction to obtain immobilized lipase (AOL/UiO-66-NH2-OA). 1H NMR and FT-IR data indicated that oleic acid was conjugated with the 2-amino-1,4-benzene dicarboxylate (BDC-NH2) by amidation reaction. As a result, the Vmax and Kcat values of AOL/UiO-66-NH2-OA were 179.61 µM﹒min-1 and 8.27 s-1, which were 8.56 and 12.92 times higher than those of the free enzyme, respectively, due to the interfacial activation. After treated at 70 °C for 120 min, the immobilized lipase maintained 52 % of its original activity, but free AOL only retained 15 %. Significantly, the yield of fatty acids by the immobilized lipase reached 98.3 % and still exceeded 82 % after seven times of recycling.

Development of the Systems Thinking for Health Actions framework: a literature review and a case study.

BACKGROUND: Systems thinking is an approach that views systems with a holistic lens, focusing on how components of systems are interconnected. Specifically, the application of systems thinking has proven to be beneficial when applied to health systems. Although there is plenty of theory surrounding systems thinking, there is a gap between the theoretical use of systems thinking and its actual application to tackle health challenges. This study aimed to create a framework to expose systems thinking characteristics in the design and implementation of actions to improve health. METHODS: A systematised literature review was conducted and a Taxonomy of Systems Thinking Objectives was adapted to develop the new 'Systems Thinking for Health Actions' (STHA) framework. The applicability of the framework was tested using the COVID-19 response in Pakistan as a case study. RESULTS: The framework identifies six key characteristics of systems thinking: (1) recognising and understanding interconnections and system structure, (2) identifying and understanding feedback, (3) identifying leverage points, (4) understanding dynamic behaviour, (5) using mental models to suggest possible solutions to a problem and (6) creating simulation models to test policies. The STHA framework proved beneficial in identifying systems thinking characteristics in the COVID-19 national health response in Pakistan. CONCLUSION: The proposed framework can provide support for those aiming to applying systems thinking while developing and implementing health actions. We also envision this framework as a retrospective tool that can help assess if systems thinking was applied in health actions.

Assessment of Iris albicans lange as potential antimicrobial and analgesic agent.

Objective of the present work was to evaluate the presence of phytochemical constituents and pharmacological activities (antimicrobial and anti-nociceptive) of crude extract isolated from Iris albicans and its corresponding fractions. Extraction was made with methanol and extract was evaluated for the presence of different bioactive constituents, as per standard protocols. Extract and its corresponding fractions were evaluated for their antimicrobial and anti-nociceptive potential. Well diffusion method was used to evaluate the antibacterial effects while anti-nociceptive effect was studied using in-vivo models (acetic acid induced writhing, hotplate and tail immersion tests) at different dose level (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg of body weight) and compared with diclofenac sodium (dose = 10 mg/kg body weight). Results showed that the I. albicans extracts contained secondary metabolites including alkaloids, phytosterols, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, tannins, phenols, steroids, fixed oil, glycosides and carbohydrates. Furthermore, it was observed that different fractions in decreasing polarity order such as chloroform >n-Hexane > Ethyl acetate > Crude Methanol > Aqueous extract exhibited effective antimicrobial response against all test organisms. Results of the study showed that the extracts have significant antimicrobial and analgesic activity, providing evidence for its folklore use.

Novel strategies for extraction, purification, processing, and stability improvement of bioactive molecules.

Bioactive molecules gain significance in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries for showcasing various beneficial biological properties including but not limited to anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and antidiabetic. However, the practice of using traditional approaches to produce bioactive molecules is gradually declining due to various limitations such as low product quality, high toxicity, low product yield, low efficiency, and product degradation. Thus, with the escalating demand for these bioactive molecules and active agents in food and other food-related industries, it has become a dire need for the scientific world to come up with novel approaches and strategies that cannot just improve the quality of these bioactives but also prepare them in a comparatively shorter time span. This review includes the latest approaches and techniques used either independently or in combinations for the extraction, purification, processing, and stability improvement of general bioactive molecules. Different parameters of these versatile techniques have been discussed with their effectiveness and work principles.

Cottonseed oil: A review of extraction techniques, physicochemical, functional, and nutritional properties.

Seed oils are the richest source of vitamin-E-active compounds, which contribute significantly to antioxidant activities. Cottonseed oil (CS-O) is attaining more consideration owing to its high fiber content and stability against auto-oxidation. CS-O has gained a good reputation in the global edible oil market due to its distinctive fatty acid profile, anti-inflammatory, and cardio-protective properties. CS-O can be extracted from cottonseed (CS) by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), aqueous/solvent extraction (A/SE), aqueous ethanol extraction (A-EE), subcritical water extraction, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SC-CO2), and enzyme-assisted extraction (E-AE). In this review, the importance, byproducts, physicochemical characteristics, and nutritional profile of CS-O have been explained in detail. This paper also provides a summary of scientific studies existing on functional and phytochemical characteristics of CS-O. Its consumption and health benefits are also deliberated to discover its profitability and applications. CS-O contains 26-35% saturated, 42-52% polyunsaturated, and 18-24% monounsaturated FA. There is approximately 1000 ppm of tocopherols in unprocessed CS-O, but up to one-third is lost during processing. Moreover, besides being consumed as cooking oil, CS-O discovers applications in many fields such as biofuel, livestock, cosmetics, agriculture, and chemicals. This paper provides a comprehensive review of CS-O, its positive benefits, fatty acid profile, extraction techniques, and health applications.HighlightsCS-O is a rich source of exceptional fatty acids.Various techniques to extract the CS-O are discussed.Numerous physicochemical properties of CS-O for the potential market are assessed.It has a wide range of functional properties.Nutritional quality and health benefits are also evaluated.

Therapeutic approaches for chronic hepatitis C: a concise review.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant global health concern, prompting the need for effective treatment strategies. This in-depth review critically assesses the landscape of HCV treatment, drawing parallels between traditional interferon/ribavirin therapy historically pivotal in HCV management and herbal approaches rooted in traditional and complementary medicine. Advancements in therapeutic development and enhanced clinical outcomes axis on a comprehensive understanding of the diverse HCV genome, its natural variations, pathogenesis, and the impact of dietary, social, environmental, and economic factors. A thorough analysis was conducted through reputable sources such as Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, books, and dissertations. This review primarily focuses on the intricate nature of HCV genomes and explores the potential of botanical drugs in both preventing and treating HCV infections.

Neurotoxic effects of environmental contaminants-measurements, mechanistic insight, and environmental relevance.

Pollution is a significant and growing concern for any population regardless of age because these environmental contaminants exhibit different neurodegenerative effects on persons of different ages. These environmental contaminants are the products of human welfare projects like industry, automobile exhaust, clinical and research laboratory extrudes, and agricultural chemicals. These contaminants are found in various forms in environmental matrices like nanoparticles, particulate matter, lipophilic vaporized toxicants, and ultrafine particulate matter. Because of their small size, they can easily cross blood-brain barriers or use different cellular mechanisms for assistance. Other than this, these contaminants cause an innate immune response in different cells of the central nervous system and cause neurotoxicity. Considering the above critiques and current needs, this review summarizes different protective strategies based on bioactive compounds present in plants. Various bioactive compounds from medicinal plants with neuroprotective capacities are discussed with relevant examples. Many in vitro studies on clinical trials have shown promising outcomes using plant-based bioactive compounds against neurological disorders.

Microbial degradation and transformation of benzo[a]pyrene by using a white-rot fungus Pleurotus eryngii F032.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmentally recalcitrant contaminants formed from naturally or incomplete combustion of organic materials and some of them are difficult to degrade due to their hydrophobicity and persistency. Benzo [a]pyrene (BaP), is one of PAHs that having five fused benzene and reported as mutagenic, carcinogenic and teratogenic compounds. Biodegradation is one of promising techniques due to its relatively low economic cost and microorganism is a natural capacity to consume hydrocarbons. In this investigation, Pleurotus eryngii F032 was grown in 20 mL of modified mineral salt broth (MSB) supplemented with BaP under static and agitated culture. Within 20 days, static culture removed 59% of BaP, whereas agitated culture removed the highest amount (73%). To expedite BaP elimination, the mechanism and behavior of BaP biosorption and biotransformation by Pleurotus eryngii F032 were additionally examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The optimal conditions for P. eryngii F032 to eliminate BaP were 25 °C, a C/N ratio of 8, pH 3 and 0.2% inoculum concentration. At an initial BaP content of 10 mg/L, more than 50% was effectively eliminated within 20 days under these conditions. Salinity, glucose, and rhamnolipids were the most important factors impacting BaP biodegradation. GC-MS found degradation products such as BaP-3,6-quinone, indicating plausible metabolic routes. Finally, it may be assumed that the primary mechanism by which white-rot fungi eliminate BaP is by the utilization of biotransformation enzymes such as laccase to mineralize the PAHs. Hence, Pleurotus eryngii F032 could be an ideal candidate to treat PAHs contaminated soils.

Promising Low-Cost Adsorbent from Waste Green Tea Leaves for Phenol Removal in Aqueous Solution.

Phenol is the most common organic pollutant in many industrial wastewaters that may pose a health risk to humans due to its widespread application as industrial ingredients and additives. In this study, waste green tea leaves (WGTLs) were modified through chemical activation/carbonization and used as an adsorbent in the presence of ultrasound (cavitation) to eliminate phenol in the aqueous solution. Different treatments, such as cavitation, adsorption, and sono-adsorption were investigated to remove the phenol. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) morphology of the adsorbent revealed that the structure of WGTLs was porous before phenol was adsorbed. A Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis showed an open chain of carboxylic acids after the sono-adsorption process. The results revealed that the sono-adsorption process is more efficient with enhanced removal percentages than individual processes. A maximum phenol removal of 92% was obtained using the sono-adsorption process under an optimal set of operating parameters, such as pH 3.5, 25 mg L-1 phenol concentration, 800 mg L-1 adsorbent dosage, 60 min time interval, 30 ± 2 °C temperature, and 80 W cavitation power. Removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC) reached 85% and 53%. The Freundlich isotherm model with a larger correlation coefficient (R2, 0.972) was better fitted for nonlinear regression than the Langmuir model, and the sono-adsorption process confirmed the pseudo-second-order reaction kinetics. The findings indicated that WGTLs in the presence of a cavitation effect prove to be a promising candidate for reducing phenol from the aqueous environment.

Insight into soil nitrogen and phosphorus availability and agricultural sustainability by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria.

Nitrogen and phosphorus are critical for the vegetation ecosystem and two of the most insufficient nutrients in the soil. In agriculture practice, many chemical fertilizers are being applied to soil to improve soil nutrients and yield. This farming procedure poses considerable environmental risks which affect agricultural sustainability. As robust soil microorganisms, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have emerged as an environmentally friendly way of maintaining and improving the soil's available nitrogen and phosphorus. As a special PGPR, rhizospheric diazotrophs can fix nitrogen in the rhizosphere and promote plant growth. However, the mechanisms and influences of rhizospheric nitrogen fixation (NF) are not well researched as symbiotic NF lacks summarizing. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are important members of PGPR. They can dissolve both insoluble mineral and organic phosphate in soil and enhance the phosphorus uptake of plants. The application of PSB can significantly increase plant biomass and yield. Co-inoculating PSB with other PGPR shows better performance in plant growth promotion, and the mechanisms are more complicated. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of rhizospheric NF and phosphate solubilization by PGPR. Deeper genetic insights would provide a better understanding of the NF mechanisms of PGPR, and co-inoculation with rhizospheric diazotrophs and PSB strains would be a strategy in enhancing the sustainability of soil nutrients.

Recent advances of biosurfactant for waste and pollution bioremediation: Substitutions of petroleum-based surfactants.

Biosurfactant is one of the emerging compounds in the industrial sector that behaves similarly with their synthetic counterparts, as they can reduce surface and interfacial tension between two fluids. Their unique properties also enable biosurfactant molecules to be able to clump together to form micelles that can capture targeted molecules within a solution. Biosurfactants are compared with synthetic surfactants on various applications for which the results shows that biosurfactants are fully capable of replacing synthetic surfactants in applications including enhanced oil recovery and wastewater treatment applications. Biosurfactants are able to be used in different applications as well since they are less toxic than synthetic surfactants. These applications include bioremediation on oil spills in the marine environment and bioremediation for contaminated soil and water, as well as a different approach on the pharmaceutical applications. The future of biosurfactants in the pharmaceutical industry and petroleum industry as well as challenges faced for implementing biosurfactants into large-scale applications are also discussed at the end of this review.

Phytochemistry and Diverse Pharmacology of Genus Mimosa: A Review.

The genus Mimosa belongs to the Fabaceae family and comprises almost 400 species of herbs, shrubs and ornamental trees. The genus Mimosa is found all over the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Africa, South America, North America and Australia. Traditionally, this genus has been popular for the treatment of jaundice, diarrhea, fever, toothache, wound healing, asthma, leprosy, vaginal and urinary complaints, skin diseases, piles, gastrointestinal disorders, small pox, hepatitis, tumor, HIV, ulcers and ringworm. The review covered literature available from 1959 to 2020 collected from books, scientific journals and electronic searches, such as Science Direct, Web of Science and Google scholar. Various keywords, such as Mimosa, secondary metabolites, medicines, phytochemicals and pharmacological values, were used for the data search. The Mimosa species are acknowledged to be an essential source of secondary metabolites with a wide-ranging biological functions, and up until now, 145 compounds have been isolated from this genus. Pharmacological studies showed that isolated compounds possess significant potential, such as antiprotozoal, antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, and antiproliferative as well as cytotoxic activities. Alkaloids, chalcones, flavonoids, indoles, terpenes, terpenoids, saponins, steroids, amino acids, glycosides, flavanols, phenols, lignoids, polysaccharides, lignins, salts and fatty esters have been isolated from this genus. This review focused on the medicinal aspects of the Mimosa species and may provide a comprehensive understanding of the prospective of this genus as a foundation of medicine, supplement and nourishment. The plants of this genus could be a potential source of medicines in the near future.

Robust bioinspired surfaces and their exploitation for petroleum hydrocarbon remediation.

The current improvement in science and engineering, actively dealing with surfaces and interfaces, turns into a functioning control with a thriving advancement propensity. Superlyophobic/superlyophilic phenomena in surface sciences have pulled in broad considerations of researchers and specialists. Inspired by the natural and living organism, researchers have designed different biomimetic materials with exceptional surface wettability, such as the smart wetting of asymmetric spider silk surfaces. These smart materials with superlyophobic/superlyophilic wettability are generally utilized for water assortment, self-cleaning, fluid transportation and separation, and many researchers' domains. Among them, emulsion separation, including division of oil-water blend, mixtures of immiscible liquids and oil-water emulsions, is highlighted by an increasing number of researchers. Numerous materials with one- and two-dimensional morphology, smart surfaces, and super wettability have been effectively designed and utilized in various scientific research applications. We expect that these bioinspired materials with super wettability can have promising applications in practical for emulsion destabilization and liquid transportation.

Bioprospecting microalgae and cyanobacteria for biopharmaceutical applications.

Microalgae and cyanobacteria have sparked a lot of interest due to their potential in various industries like biorefineries, biopharmaceuticals, food supplements, nutraceuticals, and other high-value products. Polysaccharides, vitamins, proteins, enzymes, and steroids are valuable products isolated from microalgae and cyanobacteria and potentially used in health and biomedical applications. Bioactive compounds derived from microalgae and cyanobacteria exhibit various pharmaceutical properties like antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral, antialgal, and antioxidant. From the properties listed above, the research for novel antibiotics has become particularly appropriate. In addition, the possible emergence of resistance against pathogens, as well as the potential decline in antibiotic efficacy, has prompted researchers to look for a new source of antibiotics. Microalgae and cyanobacteria have indicated a great and unexplored potential among these sources. For this reason, microalgae and cyanobacteria have been highlighted for their efficiency in different industrial sectors, as well as for their potential uses in the betterment of human and environmental health. This review gives an overview of bioactive compounds and metabolites with several biological properties isolated from microalgae and cyanobacteria for treating different animal and human diseases.

Investigation the phytochemical profiling and therapeutic evaluation of ginger root powder against hypercholesterolemia and obesity.

Obesity is a metabolic disease that is characterized by increased caloric intake and decreased physical activity. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is used as a spice that has potential role as an alternative medicine in a range of many diseases. The current research was carried out to explore the anti-obesity potential of ginger root powder. For this, the chemical and phytochemical characterization of ginger root powder were analyzed. Results showed that it contains moisture, ash content, crude fat, crude protein, crude fiber and nitrogen free extract 6.22±0.35, 6.37±0.18, 5.31±0.46, 1.37±0.15, 10.48±0.67 and 64.78±11.33mg/dl, respectively. Furthermore, the ginger root powder was given in the form of capsules to obese patients for the already designed treatment groups. The experimental groups (G1 and G2) were given ginger root powder capsules (3g) to G1 group and (6g) was given to G2 group for the time of 60 days. Results unveiled that G2 group showed highly significant change on waist to hip ratio (WHR) and the other parameters like (BMI, Body weight) and cholesterol showed slightly - significant change on both groups G1 and G2. It can be considered as an arsenal for fight against the health problems that have been raised from the obesity.

Astaxanthin, a Marine Carotenoid, Maintains the Tolerance and Integrity of Adipose Tissue and Contributes to Its Healthy Functions.

Recently, obesity-induced insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease have become major social problems. We have previously shown that Astaxanthin (AX), which is a natural antioxidant, significantly ameliorates obesity-induced glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. It is well known that AX is a strong lipophilic antioxidant and has been shown to be beneficial for acute inflammation. However, the actual effects of AX on chronic inflammation in adipose tissue (AT) remain unclear. To observe the effects of AX on AT functions in obese mice, we fed six-week-old male C57BL/6J on high-fat-diet (HFD) supplemented with or without 0.02% of AX for 24 weeks. We determined the effect of AX at 10 and 24 weeks of HFD with or without AX on various parameters including insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, inflammation, and mitochondrial function in AT. We found that AX significantly reduced oxidative stress and macrophage infiltration into AT, as well as maintaining healthy AT function. Furthermore, AX prevented pathological AT remodeling probably caused by hypoxia in AT. Collectively, AX treatment exerted anti-inflammatory effects via its antioxidant activity in AT, maintained the vascular structure of AT and preserved the stem cells and progenitor's niche, and enhanced anti-inflammatory hypoxia induction factor-2α-dominant hypoxic response. Through these mechanisms of action, it prevented the pathological remodeling of AT and maintained its integrity.