Synergistic Effects of AgNPs and Biochar: A Potential Combination for Combating Lung Cancer and Pathogenic Bacteria.

The synthesis of reliable biological nanomaterials is a crucial area of study in nanotechnology. In this study, Emericella dentata was employed for the biosynthesis of AgNPs, which were then combined with synthesized biochar, a porous structure created through biomass pyrolysis. The synergistic effects of AgNPs and biochar were evaluated through the assessment of pro-inflammatory cytokines, anti-apoptotic gene expression, and antibacterial activity. Solid biosynthesized AgNPs were evaluated by XRD and SEM, with SEM images revealing that most of the AgNPs ranged from 10 to 80 nm, with over 70% being less than 40 nm. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of stabilizing and reducing functional groups in the AgNPs. The nanoemulsion's zeta potential, hydrodynamic diameter, and particle distribution index were found to be -19.6 mV, 37.62 nm, and 0.231, respectively. Biochar, on the other hand, did not have any antibacterial effects on the tested bacterial species. However, when combined with AgNPs, its antibacterial efficacy against all bacterial species was significantly enhanced. Furthermore, the combined material significantly reduced the expression of anti-apoptotic genes and pro-inflammatory cytokines compared to individual treatments. This study suggests that low-dose AgNPs coupled with biochar could be a more effective method to combat lung cancer epithelial cells and pathogenic bacteria compared to either substance alone.

Rosmarinus officinalis and Mentha piperita Oils Supplementation Enhances Memory in a Rat Model of Scopolamine-Induced Alzheimer's Disease-like Condition.

Alzheimer's disease is regarded as a common neurodegenerative disease that may lead to dementia and the loss of memory. We report here the nootropic and anti-amnesic effects of both peppermint and rosemary oils using a rat model of scopolamine-induced amnesia-like AD. Rats were administered orally with two doses (50 and 100 mg/kg) of each single oil and combined oils. The positive group used donepezil (1 mg/kg). In the therapeutic phase, rats were administered scopolamine (1 mg/kg) through the oral administration of oils. During the nootropic phase, both oils showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in radial arm maze latency times, working memory, and reference memory errors compared with the normal group, along with significant (p < 0.05) enhancements of long-term memory during the passive avoidance test. Therapeutic phase results revealed significant enhancements of memory processing compared with the positive groups. In the hippocampus, oils exhibited an elevation of BDNF levels in a dose-dependent manner. Immunohistochemistry findings showed increased hippocampal neurogenesis suppressed by scopolamine in the sub-granular zone, and the anti-amnesic activity of single oil was enhanced when the two oils combined. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) of the two oils revealed sufficient compounds (1,8-Cineole, α-Pinene, menthol and menthone) with potential efficacy in the memory process and cognitive defects. Our work suggests that both oils could enhance the performance of working and spatial memory, and when combined, more anti-amnesic activity was produced. A potential enhancement of hippocampal growth and neural plasticity was apparent with possible therapeutic activity to boost memory in AD patients.

Globularia arabica Methanolic Leaf Extract Has Higher Efficacy on Burn Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats Compared to Malva slyvestries Methanolic Leaf Extract.

This study aimed to see how effective Globularia arabica and Malva slyvestries-based cream formulations were at healing scald burn wounds in rats. Depending on ointment, preparations of 1%, 5%, and 10% w/w were created. For comparison, an ointment base and a regular burn cream composed soframycine were utilized. Rats introduced a burn by solidifying equipment at 100°C on a 14-mm2 shaved dorsal region. A deep second-degree burn was created, and the percentage of wound contraction was measured over the next 15 days. The rats were euthanized on days 8 and 15, and histological slides were prepared using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Compared to the control group, there was a substantial increase in wound contraction and a significant decrease in the duration of epithelialization in the based ointment-treated groups. However, as paralleled to Globularia arabica, significant (P < .05) results were observed with 10% Globularia arabica cream, whereas Malva slyverstries indicate minimal healing. Soframycine causes a substantial increase in wound contraction (P < .05). Soframycine cream with 10% Globularia arabica therapy resulted in practically complete re-epithelialization and re-structuring of wound tissue on histological examination, whereas Malva slyversries treatment resulted in low epithelization during treatment days. The findings suggest that Globularia arabica-based cream has the wound-healing capability.

In Vivo Therapeutic Effect of Some Medicinal Plants' Methanolic Extracts on the Growth and Development of Secondary Hydatid Cyst Infection.

PURPOSE: The current study aimed to explore the in vivo therapeutic effects of the methanolic extracts of Citrullus colocynthis, Ruta graveolens, and Peganum harmala against hydatid cyst secondary infection. METHODS: Aerial parts of P. harmala and R. graveolens, including leaves and stems, and seeds of C. colocynthis were collected and extracted using absolute methanol. Rats that are infected with secondary infection of hydatid cysts were treated orally and intraperitoneally according to the determined lethal doses for 30 days. Histological, hematological, and biochemical investigations were done 8 months after the infection. RESULTS: Compared to Albendazole drug, C. colocynthis, and P. harmala, the methanol extract of R. graveolens showed higher and significant (P < 0.05) therapeutic effects on the secondary hydatid cysts growth. Those effects were represented by the reduction in the cysts' number, size, and weight; as well as the significant changes (P < 0.05) in values of hematological and biochemical parameters, the elevation of IFN-γ levels, and the decline of IL-10 and IL-4 cytokines, compared to the negative control group in both routes of treatment (oral and IP). Moreover, the histological sections showed that R. graveolens has a clear damaging effect on the hydatid cysts GL in the infected rats represented by the detachment of GL from LL and AL. CONCLUSION: This study can open an avenue to find new therapeutics for secondary hydatid cyst infections using the studied plant extracts, especially the extract of R. graveolens.

Efficacy of methanolic extracts of some medicinal plants on wound healing in diabetic rats.

Background: One of the primary health concerns for diabetes individuals is wounds. The used drugs have several side effects, urging the need for new natural sources for therapeutics. Materials and methods: This study was designed to estimate the wound healing potential of the methanolic extract of Globularia arabica and Malva sylvestris leaves and Rhus coriaria fruits. plant extracts were orally administered to the rats to determine their effect on the wound-healing process. Results: Plant extracts significantly increased the contraction of the wound in non-diabetic and diabetic rats (P < 0.05) and increased the fibroblast's proliferation and migration resulting in a faster healing process. The plant extracts have no cytotoxic effects. The proliferation assay exhibited the lowest cell mortality after treatment with plant extract. Conclusion: These findings may indicate that the methanolic leaf extract of the above plants can be used as new therapeutics for wound healing in diabetic patients.

Antioxidant and Antihyperglycemic Effects of Ephedra foeminea Aqueous Extract in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

BACKGROUND: Ephedra foeminea is known in Jordan as Alanda and traditionally. It is used to treat respiratory symptoms such as asthma and skin rashes as an infusion in boiling water. The purpose of this study was to determine the antidiabetic property of Ephedra foeminea aqueous extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. METHODS: The aqueous extract of Ephedra foeminea plant was used to determine the potential of its efficacy in the treatment of diabetes, and this extract was tested on diabetic rats as a model. The chemical composition of Ephedra foeminea aqueous extract was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Antioxidant activity was assessed using two classical assays (ABTS and DPPH). RESULTS: The most abundant compounds in the Ephedra foeminea extract were limonene (6.3%), kaempferol (6.2%), stearic acid (5.9%), ß-sitosterol (5.5%), thiamine (4.1%), riboflavin (3.1%), naringenin (2.8%), kaempferol-3-rhamnoside (2.3%), quercetin (2.2%), and ferulic acid (2.0%). The antioxidant activity of Ephedra foeminea aqueous extract was remarkable, as evidenced by radical scavenging capacities of 12.28 mg Trolox/g in ABTS and 72.8 mg GAE/g in DPPH. In comparison to control, induced diabetic rats treated with Ephedra foeminea extract showed significant improvement in blood glucose levels, lipid profile, liver, and kidney functions. Interleukin 1 and glutathione peroxidase levels in the spleen, pancreas, kidney, and liver of induced diabetic rats treated with Ephedra foeminea extract were significantly lower than in untreated diabetic rats. CONCLUSIONS: Ephedra foeminea aqueous extract appears to protect diabetic rats against oxidative stress and improve blood parameters. In addition, it has antioxidant properties that might be very beneficial medicinally.

Ruta graveolens, Peganum harmala, and Citrullus colocynthis methanolic extracts have in vitro protoscolocidal effects and act against bacteria isolated from echinococcal hydatid cyst fluid.

Echinococcosis is a common and endemic disease that affects both humans and animals. In this study, the in vitro activities of methanolic extracts of Ruta graveolens, Peganum harmala aerial parts, and Citrullus colocynthis seeds against protoscolosis and isolated bacterial strains from hydatid cysts were assessed using disc diffusion methods and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). The chemical composition of three methanolic extracts was studied using LC-MS. After 3 h of exposure to 40 mg/mL R. graveolens extract, a tenfold protoscolocidal effect was seen when compared to the convintional medication (ABZ) for the same duration (P < 0.05). The bacteria listed below were isolated from hydatid cyst fluid collected from a variety of sick locations, including the lung and liver. Micrococcus spp., E. coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter amnigenus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus xylosus, and Achromobacter xylosoxidans are among the bacteria that have been identified. The most effective extract was R. graveolens, followed by P. harmala and C. colocynthis, according to the results of antibacterial activity using the disc diffusion method. R. graveolens extract had the lowest MIC values (less than 2 mg/mL) against all microorganisms tested. This shows that the R. graveolens extract has additional properties, such as the ability to be both scolocidal and bactericidal. Because these bacteria are among the most prevalent pathogenic bacteria that increase the risk of secondary infection during hydatid cysts, the results of inhibitory zones and MICs of the R. graveolens methanol extract are considered highly promising.

Antibacterial activity in vitro of Thymus capitatus from Jordan.

This study was carried out to evaluate the antibacterial activity of aqueous and organic extracts of Thymus capitatus L. (Lamiaceae) leaves and stems. Dried ground powder leaves and stems were extracted with water (aqueous extracts), ethanol, dichloromethane and hexane (Soxhlet extracts). The antibacterial activity of these extracts was evaluated against bacteria using disc diffusion method. The result obtained showed that the leaves had stronger antibacterial activity than the stems extracts. The ethanolic extract had the highest yield products and the high antibacterial activity than all other solvents. The results suggest that essential oil as non-polar organic compounds could be the main active compounds in this plant. Therefore the antibacterial activity of leaves ethanol extracts (LEE) was compared with essential oils leaves extracts (LEO) of T. capitatus. The LEO showed greater antibacterial activity than LEE. The LEO showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity and the Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most sensitive bacteria.

Reproductive toxicity and infertility effect of Ferula hornonis extracts in mice.

The anti-fertility, anti-implantation, and ovarian histological alterations of the ethanolic extract of Ferula hormonis have been investigated in female mice. The intragastric application of 3 mg/kg per day of such extract for 6 weeks resulted in a significant reduction in female mice fertility. Furthermore, it caused a decrease in the number of mated females, the total number of implantations, and the number of viable fetuses. These changes were also associated with ovarian atrophy and a concomitant increase in the connective tissue. The ova showed degeneration while most of the ovarian follicles suffered follicular atresia.