Alkaline protease functionalized hydrothermal synthesis of novel gold nanoparticles (ALPs-AuNPs): A new entry in photocatalytic and biological applications.

Researchers are consistently investigating novel and distinctive methods and materials that are compatible for human life and environmental conditions This study aimed to synthesize gold nanoparticles (ALPs-AuNPs) using for the first time an alkaline protease (ALPs) derived from Phalaris minor seed extract. A series of physicochemical techniques were used to inquire the formation, size, shape and crystalline nature of ALPs-AuNPs. The nanoparticles' ability to degrade methylene blue (MB) through photocatalysis under visible light irradiation was assessed. The findings demonstrated that ALPs-AuNPs exhibited remarkable efficacy by destroying 100 % of MB within a mere 30-minute irradiation period. In addition, the ALPs-AuNPs demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of gram-positive (S. aureus) and gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria. The inhibition zones examined against the two bacterial strains were 23(±0.3) mm and 19(±0.4); 13(±0.3) mm and 11(±0.5) mm under light and dark conditions respectively. The ALPs-AuNPs exhibited significant antioxidant activity by effectively scavenging 88 % of stable and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. As a result, the findings demonstrated that the environmentally friendly ALPs-AuNPs showed a strong potential for MB degradation and bacterial pathogen treatment.

Effect of Achillea fragrantissima Extract on Excision Wound Biofilms of MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Diabetic Mice.

Achillea fragrantissima, a desert plant commonly known as yarrow, is traditionally used as an antimicrobial agent in folklore medicine in Saudi Arabia. The current study was undertaken to determine its antibiofilm activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multi-drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-P. aeruginosa) using in vitro and in vivo studies. A biofilm model induced through an excision wound in diabetic mice was used to evaluate its effect in vivo. The skin irritation and cytotoxic effects of the extract were determined using mice and HaCaT cell lines, respectively. The Achillea fragrantissima methanolic extract was analyzed with LC-MS to detect different phytoconstituents, which revealed the presence of 47 different phytoconstituents. The extract inhibited the growth of both tested pathogens in vitro. It also increased the healing of biofilm-formed excision wounds, demonstrating its antibiofilm, antimicrobial, and wound-healing action in vivo. The effect of the extract was concentration-dependent, and its activity was stronger against MRSA than MDR-P. aeruginosa. The extract formulation was devoid of a skin irritation effect in vivo and cytotoxic effect on HaCaT cell lines in vitro.

Acid protease functionalized novel silver nanoparticles (APTs-AgNPs): A new approach towards photocatalytic and biological applications.

Herein, we described for the first time, an efficient biogenic synthesis of APTs-AgNPs using acid protease from Melilotus indicus leaf extract. The acid protease (APTs) has an essential role in the stabilization, reduction, and capping of APTs-AgNPs. The crystalline nature, size, and surface morphology of APTs-AgNPs were examined using different techniques such as XRD, UV, FTIR, SEM, EDS, HRTEM, and DLS analysis. The generated APTs-AgNPs demonstrated notable performance as dual functionality (photocatalyst and antibacterial disinfection). By destroying 91 % of methylene blue (MB) in <90 min of exposure, APTs-AgNPs demonstrated remarkable photocatalytic activity. APTs-AgNPs also showed remarkable stability as a photocatalyst after five test cycles. Furthermore, the APTs-AgNPs was found to be a potent antibacterial agent with inhibition zones of 30(±0.5 mm), 27(±0.4 mm), 16(±0.1 mm), and 19(±0.7 mm) against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria, respectively, under both light and dark conditions. Furthermore, APTs-AgNPs effectively scavenged 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, demonstrating their potent antioxidant activity. The outcomes of this study thus demonstrates the dual functionality of APTs-AgNPs produced using the biogenic approach method as a photocatalyst and an antibacterial agent for effective microbial and environmental control.

Nephroprotective potential of Polyalthia longifolia roots against vancomycin-induced renal toxicity in experimental animals.

This study was done to investigate the possible nephroprotective effect of an ethanolic root extract of Polyalthia Longifolia (PL) on vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity using curative and protective models. Vancomycin (150 mg/kg, intravenous) was given to healthy Wistar albino rats in the curative model before the start of treatment, whereas the protective group received vancomycin at the conclusion of the 10-day treatment procedure. Animals were divided into six groups for both models; group I served as the normal control, while groups II, III, IV, V, and VI were kept as toxic control, standard (selenium, 6 mg/kg), LDPL (low dose of PL 200 mg/kg), HDPL (high dose of PL 400 mg/kg), and HDPL + selenium (interactive) groups, respectively. Renal biomarkers [(uric acid, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum proteins], and blood electrolyte levels were measured for all tested groups. When compared to the vancomycin group, the HDPL significantly (p < 0.01) showed greater effectiveness in lowering the BUN, potassium, and calcium levels. Additionally, in the curative model, there was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the blood levels of uric acid, creatinine, BUN, potassium, and calcium in the animals who received the combination of selenium and HDPL. Both LDPL and HDPL did not provide any distinguishable effect in the protective model, but groups that received HDPL with selenium did provide detectable protection by significantly lowering their levels of uric acid, BUN, serum potassium, and total serum protein in comparison to the vancomycin control group. These findings indicate that, whether administered before or after renal damage is induced, the Polyalthia longifolia root extract provided only modest protection to nephrons, which require selenium support to prevent vancomycin-induced kidney damage.

Rapid oral transmucosal delivery of zaleplon-lavender oil utilizing self-nanoemulsifying lyophilized tablets technology: development, optimization and pharmacokinetic evaluation.

Based on the administration convenience, transmucosal buccal drug delivery allows special strength points over peroral routes for systemic delivery. It could achieve local or systemic effect and boost drugs' bioavailability for agents with first pass metabolism. The current study aimed to manufacture and optimize a lavender oil-based nanoemulsion loaded with zaleplon and incorporate it into fast-disintegrating tablets to promote its dissolution and oral bioavailability via oral mucosa. Zaleplon-loaded nanoemulsions were devised with various levels of lavender oil (10% to 25%), the surfactant Sorbeth-20 (35% to 65%), and the co-surfactant HCO-60 (20% to 40%); the extreme vertices mixture statistical design was adopted. The droplet size and drug-loading efficiency were the evaluated. The optimal formulation was transformed into self-nanoemulsified lyophilized tablets (ZP-LV-SNELTs), which were tested for their uniformity of content, friability, and disintegration time with in-vitro release. Finally, the pharmacokinetic parameters of the ZP-LV-SNELTs were determined and compared with those of marketed formulations. The optimal nanoemulsion had a droplet size of 87 nm and drug-loading capacity of 185 mg/mL. ZP-LV-SNELTs exhibited acceptable friability and weight uniformity and a short disintegration time. The in-vitro release of ZP-LV-SNELTs was 17 times faster than that of the marketed tablet. Moreover, the optimal ZP-LV-SNELTs increased the bioavailability of zaleplon in rabbits by 1.6-fold compared with the commercial tablets. Hence, this investigation revealed that ZP-LV-SNELTs delivered zaleplon with enhanced solubility, a fast release, and boosted bioavailability thru oral mucosa which provided a favorable route for drug administration which is suggested to be clinically investigated in future studies.