Pimpinella anisum Essential Oil Nanoemulsion Toxicity against Tribolium castaneum? Shedding Light on Its Interactions with Aspartate Aminotransferase and Alanine Aminotransferase by Molecular Docking.

The insecticidal activity is the result of a series of complex interactions between toxic substances as ligands and insect's enzymes as targets. Actually, synthetic insecticides used in pest control programs are harmful to the environment and may affect non-target organisms; thus, the use of natural products as pest control agents can be very attractive. In the present work, the toxic effect of aniseed (Pimpinella anisum L.) essential oil (EO) and its nanoemulsion (NE) against the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, has been evaluated. To assess the EO mode of action, the impact of sub-lethal concentrations of aniseed EO and NE was evaluated on enzymatic and macromolecular parameters of the beetles, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total protein, total lipids and glucose. Finally, a molecular docking study was conducted to predict the mode of action of the major EO and NE components namely E-anethole, Limonene, alpha-himalachalene, trans-Verbenol and Linalool at binding site of the enzymes AST and ALT. Herein, the binding location of the main compounds in both proteins are discussed suggesting the possible interactions between the considered enzymes and ligands. The obtained results open new horizons to understand the evolution and response of insect-plant compounds interactions and their effect predicted at the molecular levels and side effects of both animal and human.

Comparative study of selenium and selenium nanoparticles with reference to acute toxicity, biochemical attributes, and histopathological response in fish.

Recent studies have demonstrated that selenium (Se) and selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) exhibited toxicity at a higher concentration. The lethal concentration of Se and Se-NPs was estimated as 5.29 and 3.97 mg/L at 96 h in Pangasius hypophthalmus. However, the effect of different definite concentration of Se (4.5, 5.0, 5.5, and 6.0 mg/L) and Se-NPs (2.5, 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 mg/L) was decided for acute experiment. Selenium and Se-NPs alter the biochemical attributes such as anti-oxidative status [catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities], neurotransmitter enzyme, cellular metabolic enzymes, stress marker, and histopathology of P. hypophthalmus in a dose- and time-dependent manner. CAT, SOD, and GST were significantly elevated (p < 0.01) when exposed to Se and Se-NPs, and similarly, a neurotransmitter enzyme (acetylcholine esterase (AChE)) was significantly inhibited in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Further, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and malate hydrogenase were noticeably (p < 0.01) affected by Se and Se-NPs from higher concentration to lower concentration. Stress markers such as cortisol and HSP 70 were drastically enhanced by exposure to Se and Se-NPs. All the cellular metabolic and stress marker parameters were elevated which might be due to hyperaccumulation of Se and Se-NPs in the vital organ and target tissues. The histopathology of liver and gill was also altered such as large vacuole, cloudy swelling, focal necrosis, interstitial edema, necrosis in liver, and thickening of primary lamellae epithelium and curling of secondary lamellae due to Se and Se-NP exposure. The study suggested that essential trace element in both forms (inorganic and nano) at higher concentration in acute exposure of Se and Se-NPs led to pronounced deleterious alteration on histopathology and cellular and metabolic activities of P. hypophthalmus.

Efecto hepatoprotector inducido por el flavonoide Astilbina frente a un modelo animal tratado con tetracloruro de carbono / Astilbina flavonoid-induced hepatoprotective effect versus an animal model given carbon tetrachloride

En este estudio los niveles de Malonildialdehído, Transaminasa Glutámico Pirúvica y la Fosfolipasa A2 se determinaron en homogenato de hígado de ratas hembras para comprobar el posible efecto antilipoperoxidativo del flavonoide Astilbina (40 mg/g) frente al modelo de toxicidad de Tetracloruro de Carbono (0,001 ml/g), considerándose también el peso corporal y del hígado al sacrificar los animales. Los resultados preliminares obtenidos después de 18 h de cada tratamiento sugieren un efecto hepatoprotector del flavonoide, dado por la disminución de los niveles de lipoperóxidos, de la Transaminasa Glutámico Pirúvica y la Fosfolipasa A2 para a < 0,05 contra la toxina utilizada (AU)

Efecto hepatoprotector inducido por el flavonoide Astilbina frente a un modelo animal tratado con tetracloruro de carbono / Astilbina flavonoid-induced hepatoprotective effect versus an animal model given carbon tetrachloride

En este estudio los niveles de Malonildialdehído, Transaminasa Glutámico Pirúvica y la Fosfolipasa A2 se determinaron en homogenato de hígado de ratas hembras para comprobar el posible efecto antilipoperoxidativo del flavonoide Astilbina (40 mg/g) frente al modelo de toxicidad de Tetracloruro de Carbono (0,001 ml/g), considerándose también el peso corporal y del hígado al sacrificar los animales. Los resultados preliminares obtenidos después de 18 h de cada tratamiento sugieren un efecto hepatoprotector del flavonoide, dado por la disminución de los niveles de lipoperóxidos, de la Transaminasa Glutámico Pirúvica y la Fosfolipasa A2 para a < 0,05 contra la toxina utilizada