Potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action of Hypericum hookerianum extracts in a liposome system evaluated with zebrafish embryos.

The purpose of this study was to assess the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of liposomal formulations enriched with Hypericum hookerianum (Hyp) aqueous extracts. Cotyledon segments derived from protocorms of H. hookerianum were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with Kinetin (KN, 1 mgl-1) and Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA, 0.1 mgl-1) to induce hypericin-rich red shoots (HypR, 0.87 mg/G DW). Highly stable liposomes (-29.4 mV) were successfully developed which encapsulated 63 ± 0.8% Hyp extracts, respectively. MTT assay subsequently confirmed the biocompatibility of liposome compositions using fibroblast cell lines. This work also evaluated acute toxicity of L-HypR and L-HypG formulations using Danio rerio (Zebrafish) embryos for 96 hpf. The expression of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory genes were found to be upregulated for L-HypR than L-HypG (green shoots without hypericin) formulations. These properties of L-HypR may be extremely useful for incorporating lipophilic substances into the food or pharmaceutical industry.

William James Morton [1845-1920]: like father, like son (?).

William Thomas Green Morton, the man most commonly associated with the introduction of anesthesia in 1846, fathered William James Morton. William James Morton's contributions to society were substantial. He conducted pioneering work in radiology, radiation oncology, and therapeutic electricity. He authored numerous textbooks and articles, and he was an editor of a journal on human behavior. His expertise on diamond mining led to an error in judgment that resulted in a felony conviction. We examine his career and contributions to society, and consider his career in light of his father, William Thomas Green Morton.