Investigating the Potential Impact of Air Pollution on Alzheimer's Disease and the Utility of Multidimensional Imaging for Early Detection.

Pollution is ubiquitous, and much of it is anthropogenic in nature, which is a severe risk factor not only for respiratory infections or asthma sufferers but also for Alzheimer's disease, which has received a lot of attention recently. This Review aims to investigate the primary environmental risk factors and their profound impact on Alzheimer's disease. It underscores the pivotal role of multidimensional imaging in early disease identification and prevention. Conducting a comprehensive review, we delved into a plethora of literature sources available through esteemed databases, including Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane, and PubMed. Our search strategy incorporated keywords such as "Alzheimer Disease", "Alzheimer's", "Dementia", "Oxidative Stress", and "Phytotherapy" in conjunction with "Criteria Pollutants", "Imaging", "Pathology", and "Particulate Matter". Alzheimer's disease is not only a result of complex biological factors but is exacerbated by the infiltration of airborne particles and gases that surreptitiously breach the nasal defenses to traverse the brain, akin to a Trojan horse. Various imaging modalities and noninvasive techniques have been harnessed to identify disease progression in its incipient stages. However, each imaging approach possesses inherent limitations, prompting exploration of a unified technique under a single umbrella. Multidimensional imaging stands as the linchpin for detecting and forestalling the relentless march of Alzheimer's disease. Given the intricate etiology of the condition, identifying a prospective candidate for Alzheimer's disease may take decades, rendering the development of a multimodal imaging technique an imperative. This research underscores the pressing need to recognize the chronic ramifications of invisible particulate matter and to advance our understanding of the insidious environmental factors that contribute to Alzheimer's disease.

Sub-chronic oral toxicity study of the alkaloid rich fraction from Luffa cylindrica fruit in Sprague-Dawley rats.

The loofah/sponge gourd Luffa cylindrica (L.), a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is one of the neglected medicinal plants. Traditionally, Luffa cylindrica is prescribed for inducing labor. It has a long history of use in China for the treatment of fever, diabetes, dyspnea, and dysentery. This study investigated the toxicity profile of the alkaloid-rich fraction of Luffa cylindrica (ARF-LC) for the first time in Sprague Dawley rats. A total of 80 rats (40 male and 40 female rats) aged 13 weeks old and weighing 200-220 g were selected for this study. In SD rats, sub-chronic oral toxicity was investigated at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/d for a total of 90 days, followed by a 30-day recovery period. The results showed no variation in body weight among the three dose groups compared to the control group. Treatment-related adverse events, such as alterations in hematology and serum biochemistry parameters and the histology of the liver were sporadic in the high-dose rats but within the reference range. However, these changes disappeared after the doses were withdrawn during the recovery period. In conclusion, the "no observed adverse effect level" (NOAEL) of oral administration of ARF-LC in SD rats was considered 400 mg/kg/d and can be studied for its potential in further in vivo chronic investigations.

GC-MS based metabolite profiling, antioxidant and antiurolithiatic properties of apple cider vinegar.

Aim: To perform in vitro analysis of antioxidant and antiurolithiasis to carry out GC-MS-based metabolite profile. Materials & methods: The effect of apple cider vinegar (ACV) in vitro, antioxidant and GC-MS analysis was evaluated. The antioxidant studies were performed. In vitro techniques included nucleation, aggregation and growth assay. Results & conclusion: The presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids and carbohydrates was shown. Concentrations from 5-30 µg/ml could dissolve calcium oxalate (p < 0.05) in vitro. The IC50 value of ACV in DPPH was found to be around 7 µg/ml and the IC50 value of the ACV in ABTS assay was around 9 µg/ml. Different phytocompounds were obtained from GC-MS analysis. ACV can be consumed to prevent kidney stones which seems helpful to the current therapy.

Due to the modern lifestyle, urolithiasis continues to be a global medical burden and is getting worse every day and seems to have a very high recurrence rate. Urolithiasis can be managed with the pharmacotherapy of drugs and the usage of medicinal plants and nutraceuticals. The effect of apple juice products on urine physiology has been studied profoundly. The product thus obtained was examined for antioxidant assay using DPPH and in vitro antiurolithiasis activity. Apple cider vinegar (ACV) exhibited dose-dependent radical scavenging activity against free radicals. The ACV demonstrated a substantial suppression of the DPPH radical in the DPPH assay. ACV could be a potential source of a natural antioxidant drink based on in vitro, phytochemical and GC­MS analysis which was noteworthy and thus can be used as a therapeutic agent against bladder stones.

Phytochemical Studies, Antioxidant Potential, and Identification of Bioactive Compounds Using GC-MS of the Ethanolic Extract of Luffa cylindrica (L.) Fruit.

Luffa cylindrica (L.) is a medicinal plant associated with Cucurbitaceae family which is also known as loofah/sponge gourd, comprising a series of phytochemicals such as chlorophylls, carotenoids, oleanolic acid, saponin, and triterpenoids. The study was carried out to investigate and characterize the bioactive components of ethanolic extract of L. cylindrica. Whole fruit of L. cylindrica was collected, shade dried, pulverized, and extracted successively with ethanol by Soxhlet percolation technique. The crude extracts were later exposed to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The profile of the extracts was analyzed for a wide range of secondary metabolites and characterized spectroscopically. A total of 18 components were identified in the ethanolic extract respectively. Prevailing pharmacologically active compounds benzaldehyde, 2-hydroxy-4-methyl-, 4-acetoxy-2-azetidinone, N-decanoic acid, oxirane,2-butyl-3-methyl-, cis, and 3,4-furandiol, tetrahydro-, cis- were present. The extracted compounds were articulated by comparing their retention time and peak area besides the interpretation of mass spectra. Thus, the current study reveals the presence of promising, bioactive components which in turn provides a strength to explore biological activity. In silico molecular docking could be performed for Alzheimer receptors and studied for its activity. Nevertheless, additional studies are required to carry out its bioactivity exploration and toxicity profile.

Un-riped fruit pods of Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce ameliorates Cisplatin therapy-induced partial testicular atrophy in male Wistar rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce is a plant that is widely found in dry parts of India. The unripe fruit pod has a very specific traditional claim of treating male infertility and increasing sperm volume and count. AIM: The present work was endeavored to investigate the long-standing traditional claim of P. cineraria on meliorating male fertility. The study focussed on cancer therapy-induced male infertility and curative effect of the extract with an appraisal on any possible revitalizing effects on sperm count, morphology, motility, and viability combined with hormonal and histopathological investigations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats were used for the study. Two different doses of 400 mg/kg/d and 800 mg/kg/d (both p.o.) of the Hydroalcoholic extract were chosen as test dose while Clomiphene (25 mg/kg/d; p.o.) treatment served as standard treatment. Animals were initially injected with cisplatin (1 mg/kg/d; i.p.) for 15 days and the drug treatment was begun at the 16th day and continued till 43rd day (28 days treatment). Later all male animals got cohabited with female animals in the ratio 1:3. On confirmation of mating, female animals were isolated. Male animals were euthanized on batches. Testis and epididymis were weighed and homogenized. Sperm count, motility, morphology, viability, and headcount. The serum collected was evaluated for serum FSH, LH, and testosterone levels. On day Gestational day 15, gravid uterus observations were calculated to evaluate male and female fertility parameters. RESULTS: There were statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001) in sperm motility, sperm count, sperm viability, and improved morphological features. The same pace was also noticed in testosterone, FSH and LH levels in serum and LPO, CAT, GSH, GPx and SOD in testicular tissues. The extract treated male animals produced better and healthy litter compared to cisplatin-treated animals with less pre- and post-implantation loss. CONCLUSION: Consolidating the results seen, the extract ameliorated the testicular toxicity caused by cisplatin in a dose-dependent manner. Further insight and evaluation of the phytochemicals of the pods should be performed to bring up commercial viability.

A Comparative Study of Actinidia deliciosa and Garcinia mangostana in Ovariectomy-Induced Osteoporosis in Female Wistar Rats.

The present study was designed to evaluate antiosteoporotic activity of the fresh juice mixtures obtained from Actinidia deliciosa and Garcinia mangostana as well as the pericarp extract of Garcinia mangostana on postmenopausal osteoporosis. 3-month-old female Wistar rats were ovariectiomized and the treatment began 14 days after ovariectomy and continued for 40 days. Statistically significant changes were noticed in body weight, ash weight, bone mineral content, and femur length and weight followed by serum evaluation and histopathology of femur bone. Administration of the fresh juice mixtures of the fruits of Actinidia deliciosa and Garcinia mangostana prevented ovariectomy-induced bone loss. The administration of the fresh juice mixtures resulted in an increase in the femur length and weight, followed by an increase in the body weight as well as the calcium content obtained from the ash of the femur bone. It is evident that the fresh juice mixtures can be used as a remedy as well as a prophylactic for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. The present study showed that the combined effect of the fruit juice mixtures of Actinidia deliciosa and Garcinia mangostana was found to be a better treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis when compared to the pericarp extract of Garcinia mangostana.