Facile process ofHibiscusmucilage polymer formulation usingHibiscus rosa-sinensisleaves to treat second-degree burn and excision wounds.

Mucilage is a sticky substance found in various plants and microorganisms and is made up of proteins and polysaccharides. Mucilage fromHibiscus rosa sinensisisis a complex polysaccharide traditionally used to treat different skin diseases. In our study, we fabricated mucilage polymer fromHibiscus rosa sinensisleaves and evaluated its potential application in second-degree burns and excision wounds. The physical properties of Hibiscus mucilage (HM) polymer were demonstrated by using Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, Scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Tellerand, Swelling ratio. The human cell lines WI-38, and HaCaT have been used forin-vitroexperiments like MTT, scratch wound, BrdU, ROS scavenging assays, and western blot analysis. The results of the MTT, scratch-wound, and BrdU assay indicated that the HM polymer is nontoxic in nature and also enhances both the properties of cellular migration and proliferation, respectively. On the other hand, the result of the ROS scavenging assay suggested that HM polymer enhances the antioxidant activity of cells while the western blot analysis designated that the HM polymer treatment caused downregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IFN-γand upregulation of the pAkt (Serine 473) protein, and TGF-ß1 signaling pathway. Therefore, allin-vitroexperimental studies recommended that HM polymer is biocompatible and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In thein vivoexperiment, second-degree burns and excision wounds were created on the dorsal surface of male BALB/c mice. After the sixth day of HM polymer treatment have developed new tissue, hair follicles, blood vessels,α-SMA, and Collagen type-1 fiber on the burn and excision wound area while the 11th day of HM polymer treatment cured the wound area significantly. Therefore, it could be contemplated that HM polymer is a potential agent for treating different wounds in the near future.

Nano-Antibacterials Using Medicinal Plant Components: An Overview.

Gradual emergence of new bacterial strains, resistant to one or more antibiotics, necessitates development of new antibacterials to prevent us from newly evolved disease-causing, drug-resistant, pathogenic bacteria. Different inorganic and organic compounds have been synthesized as antibacterials, but with the problem of toxicity. Other alternatives of using green products, i.e., the medicinal plant extracts with biocompatible and potent antibacterial characteristics, also had limitation because of their low aqueous solubility and therefore less bioavailability. Use of nanotechnological strategy appears to be a savior, where phytochemicals are nanonized through encapsulation or entrapment within inorganic or organic hydrophilic capping agents. Nanonization of such products not only makes them water soluble but also helps to attain high surface to volume ratio and therefore high reaction area of the nanonized products with better therapeutic potential, over that of the equivalent amount of raw bulk products. Medicinal plant extracts, whose prime components are flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, polyphenolic compounds, and essential oils, are in one hand nanonized (capped and stabilized) by polymers, lipids, or clay materials for developing nanodrugs; on the other hand, high antioxidant activity of those plant extracts is also used to reduce various metal salts to produce metallic nanoparticles. In this review, five medicinal plants, viz., tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), turmeric (Curcuma longa), aloe vera (Aloe vera), oregano (Oregano vulgare), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), with promising antibacterial potential and the nanoformulations associated with the plants' crude extracts and their respective major components (eugenol, curcumin, anthraquinone, carvacrol, eucalyptus oil) have been discussed with respect to their antibacterial potency.

Green synthesized cerium oxide nanoparticle: A prospective drug against oxidative harm.

Cerium oxide nanoparticle (CeONP) of size 2-3nm was synthesized by a new, simple and green method at ambient temperature, using cerium nitrate as prime precursor and Aloe vera leaf extract as stabilizing agent. Of the two oxidation states (+3) and (+4) of cerium, it was dominantly present in (+3) state in CeONP and cyclic conversion of Ce(III)O→Ce(IV)O→Ce(III)O by reaction with H2O2 implied uninterrupted antioxidant property of CeONP. Moreover, the higher oxygen defect in the crystal lattice produced particles with higher antioxidant activity. CeONP was found to neutralize the deleterious effects of H2O2 viz., cell death, generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species and loss of connectivity in mouse neural cells. Therefore, CeONP might have potential use in future as an anti-oxidant drug.