Encapsulation of Bunium persicum essential oil using chitosan nanopolymer: Preparation, characterization, antifungal assessment, and thermal stability.

The present study reports the antifungal, aflatoxin B1 inhibitory, and free radical scavenging activity of chitosan-based nanoencapsulatedBunium persicum Boiss. essential oil (Ne-BPEO). The chemical profile ofBPEO was identified through Gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis where cuminaldehyde (21.23%), sabinene (14.66%), and γ-terpinen (12.49%) were identified as the major compounds. Ne-BPEO was prepared using chitosan and characterised by Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Atomic force microscope (AFM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) assay. Ne-BPEO completely inhibited the growth and aflatoxin B1 production at a concentration of 0.3 µL/mL. The antifungal and aflatoxin B1 inhibitory effects were related to decreasing in ergosterol content, leakage of membrane ions (Ca2+, K+, and Mg2+), impairment in carbohydrate catabolism, and functioning of ver-1 gene of A. flavus exposed to Ne-BPEO over the control. In addition, Ne-BPEO exhibited promising free radical scavenging activity through DPPH assay (IC50 12.64 µL/mL) with high thermo-stability. Therefore, chitosan could be used as a carrier agent of plant-based preservative to enhance the shelf-life of food products against A. flavus and aflatoxin B1 contamination.

Clinical implications and treatment of dengue.

Dengue is a common pathogenic disease often proving fatal, more commonly affecting the tropics. Aedes mosquito is the vector for this disease, and outbreaks of dengue often cause mass damage to life. The current review is an effort to present an insight into the causes, etiology, symptoms, transmission, diagnosis, major organs affected, mitigation and line of treatment of this disease with special emphasis on drugs of natural origin. The disease has a potential to spread as an endemic, often claiming several lives and thus requires concerted efforts to work out better treatment options. Traditional medicine offers an alternative solution and could be explored as a safer treatment option. Development of a successful vaccine and immunization technique largely remains a challenge and a better antiviral approach needs to be worked out to complement the supportive therapy. No single synthetic molecule has found to be wholly effective enough to offer curative control and the line of treatment mostly utilizes a combination of fluid replacement and antipyretics-analgesics like molecules to provide symptomatic relief.