Utilization of marine and agro-waste materials as an economical and active food packaging: Antimicrobial, mechanical and biodegradation studies of O-Carboxymethyl chitosan/pectin/neem composite films.

The present work deals with the eco-friendly preparation of highly degradable food packaging films consisting of O-CMC (O-Carboxymethyl Chitosan) and pectin, incorporated with neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves powder and extract. This study aimed to investigate the tensile properties, antimicrobial activity, biodegradability, and thermal behavior of the composite films. The results of tensile strength and elongation at break, showed that the incorporation of neem leaves powder improved the tensile properties (7.11 MPa) of the composite films compared to the neat O-CMC and pectin films (3.02 MPa). The antimicrobial activity of the films was evaluated against a panel of microorganisms including both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as fungi. The composite films exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity with a zone of inhibition (12-17.6 mm) against the tested microorganisms. The opacity of the composite films ranges from 1.14 to 4.40 mm-1 and the addition of fiber causes a decrease in opacity value. Biodegradability studies were conducted by Soil burial method and the films demonstrated complete biodegradability within 75 days. The results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of composite films show that they are thermally stable and might be used in food packaging.

Exploring the Multitarget Potential of Iridoids: Advances and Applications.

Iridoids are secondary plant metabolites that are multitarget compounds active against various diseases. Iridoids are structurally classified into iridoid glycosides and non-glycosidic iridoids according to the presence or absence of intramolecular glycosidic bonds; additionally, iridoid glycosides can be further subdivided into carbocyclic iridoids and secoiridoids. These monoterpenoids belong to the cyclopentan[c]-pyran system, which has a wide range of biological activities, including antiviral, anticancer, antiplasmodial, neuroprotective, anti-thrombolytic, antitrypanosomal, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-oxidant, antihyperlipidemic and anti-inflammatory properties. The basic chemical structure of iridoids in plants (the iridoid ring scaffold) is biosynthesized in plants by the enzyme iridoid synthase using 8-oxogeranial as a substrate. With advances in phytochemical research, many iridoid compounds with novel structure and outstanding activity have been identified in recent years. Biologically active iridoid derivatives have been found in a variety of plant families, including Plantaginaceae, Rubiaceae, Verbenaceae, and Scrophulariaceae. Iridoids have the potential of modulating many biological events in various diseases. This review highlights the multitarget potential of iridoids and includes a compilation of recent publications on the pharmacology of iridoids. Several in vitro and in vivo models used, along with the results, are also included in the paper. This paper's systematic summary was created by searching for relevant iridoid material on websites such as Google Scholar, PubMed, SciFinder Scholar, Science Direct, and others. The compilation will provide the researchers with a thorough understanding of iridoid and its congeners, which will further help in designing a large number of potential compounds with a strong impact on curing various diseases.