Correction: Sustainable polymeric adsorbents for adsorption-based water remediation and pathogen deactivation: a review.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D4RA05269B.].

Sustainable polymeric adsorbents for adsorption-based water remediation and pathogen deactivation: a review.

Water is a fundamental resource, yet various contaminants increasingly threaten its quality, necessitating effective remediation strategies. Sustainable polymeric adsorbents have emerged as promising materials in adsorption-based water remediation technologies, particularly for the removal of contaminants and deactivation of water-borne pathogens. Pathogenetic water contamination, which involves the presence of harmful bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms, poses a significant threat to public health. This review aims to analyze the unique properties of various polymeric materials, including porous aromatic frameworks, biopolymers, and molecularly imprinted polymers, and their effectiveness in water remediation applications. Key findings reveal that these adsorbents demonstrate high surface areas, tunable surface chemistries, and mechanical stability, which enhance their performance in removing contaminants such as heavy metals, organic pollutants, and emerging contaminants from water sources. Furthermore, the review identifies gaps in current research and suggests future directions, including developing multifunctional polymeric materials and integrating adsorption techniques with advanced remediation technologies. This comprehensive analysis aims to contribute to advancing next-generation water purification technologies, ensuring access to clean and safe water for future generations.

Green synthesis of polyethylene glycol coated, ciprofloxacin loaded CuO nanoparticles and its antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

Antibacterial resistance requires an advanced strategy to increase the efficacy of current therapeutics in addition to the synthesis of new generations of antibiotics. In this study, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) were green synthesized using Moringa oleifera root extract. CuO-NPs fabricated into a form of aspartic acid-ciprofloxacin-polyethylene glycol coated copper oxide-nanotherapeutics (CIP-PEG-CuO) to improve the antibacterial activity of NPs and the efficacy of the drug with controlled cytotoxicity. These NPs were charachterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-rays diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Antibacterial screening and bacterial chemotaxis investigations demonstrated that CIP-PEG-CuO NPs show enhanced antibacterial potential against Gram-positive and Gram-negative clinically isolated pathogenic bacterial strains as compared to CuO-NPs. In ex-vivo cytotoxicity CIP-PEG-CuO-nano-formulates revealed 88% viability of Baby Hamster Kidney 21 cell lines and 90% RBCs remained intact with nano-formulations during hemolysis assay. An in-vivo studies on animal models show that Staphylococcus aureus were eradicated by this newly developed formulate from the infected skin and showed wound-healing properties. By using specially designed nanoparticles that are engineered to precisely transport antimicrobial agents, these efficient nano-drug delivery systems can target localized infections, ensure targeted delivery, enhance efficacy through increased drug penetration through physical barriers, and reduce systemic side effects for more effective treatment.

Development and Validation of Novel HPLC Methods for Quantitative Determination of Vitamin D3 in Tablet Dosage Form.

In the present work, an efficient isocratic HPLC method was developed for the precise and accurate estimation of vitamin D3 in tablet form. The chromatographic conditions comprised an L3 silica column (5 µm in particle size, 4.6 mm × 250 mm) with a mobile phase n-hexane/ethyl acetate (85:15 v/v) with a flow rate of 2.0 mL/min and a detection wavelength of 292 nm. The new methodology was validated for accuracy, precision, specificity, robustness, and quantification limits according to an official monograph of USP/BP and ICH guidelines. The peak areas of the six replicates of the homogeneous sample were recorded. The mean value obtained was 67,301, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 0.1741. The linearity and range were in the acceptable bounds, i.e., 0.999, which was calculated using regression line analysis. The results show that the method is truly acceptable as the RSD, as the flow rate was 0.81%, while for the mobile phase composition, it was 0.72%, which lies in the acceptable range. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) values were 0.0539 µg/mL and 0.1633 µg/mL, respectively. The % RSD of the intra and inter-day precision of the method was deemed acceptable according to the international commission for harmonization guidelines. The developed method has potential to be used for the detection and quantification of vitamin D3 during routine analysis for tablets in dosage form.

Synergistic redox enhancement: silver phosphate augmentation for optimizing magnesium copper phosphate in efficient energy storage devices and oxygen evolution reaction.

The implementation of battery-like electrode materials with complicated hollow structures, large surface areas, and excellent redox properties is an attractive strategy to improve the performance of hybrid supercapacitors. The efficiency of a supercapattery is determined by its energy density, rate capabilities, and electrode reliability. In this study, a magnesium copper phosphate nanocomposite (MgCuPO4) was synthesized using a hydrothermal technique, and silver phosphate (Ag3PO4) was decorated on its surface using a sonochemical technique. Morphological analyses demonstrated that Ag3PO4 was closely bound to the surface of amorphous MgCuPO4. The MgCuPO4 nanocomposite electrode showed a 1138 C g-1 capacity at 2 A g-1 with considerably improved capacity retention of 59% at 3.2 A g-1. The increased capacity retention was due to the fast movement of electrons and the presence of an excess of active sites for the diffusion of ions from the porous Ag3PO4 surface. The MgCuPO4-Ag3PO4//AC supercapattery showed 49.4 W h kg-1 energy density at 550 W kg-1 power density and outstanding capacity retention (92% after 5000 cycles). The experimental findings for the oxygen evolution reaction reveal that the initial increase in potential required for MgCuPO4-Ag3PO4 is 142 mV, indicating a clear Tafel slope of 49 mV dec-1.

Efficient Removal of Hexavalent Chromium (Cr(VI)) from Wastewater Using Amide-Modified Biochar.

The utilization of biochar, derived from agricultural waste, has garnered attention as a valuable material for enhancing soil properties and serving as a substitute adsorbent for the elimination of hazardous heavy metals and organic contaminants from wastewater. In the present investigation, amide-modified biochar was synthesized via low-temperature pyrolysis of rice husk and was harnessed for the removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater. The resultant biochar was treated with 1-[3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl] urea to incorporate an amide group. The amide-modified biochar was characterized by employing Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. During batch experiments, the effect of various parameters, such as adsorbent dosage, metal concentration, time duration, and pH, on Cr(VI) removal was investigated. The optimal conditions for achieving maximum adsorption of Cr(VI) were observed at a pH 2, an adsorbent time of 60 min, an adsorbent dosage of 2 g/L, and a metal concentration of 100 mg/L. The percent removal efficiency of 97% was recorded for the removal of Cr(VI) under optimal conditions using amide-modified biochar. Freundlich, Langmuir, and Temkin isotherm models were utilized to calculate the adsorption data and determine the optimal fitting model. It was found that the adsorption data fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model. A kinetics study revealed that the Cr(VI) adsorption onto ABC followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The findings of this study indicate that amide-functionalized biochar has the potential to serve as an economically viable substitute adsorbent for the efficient removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater.

Mirtazapine attenuated cadmium-induced neuronal intoxication by regulating Nrf2 and NF-κB/TLR4 signals.

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most hazardous metals to the environment and human health. Neurotoxicity is of the most serious hazards caused by Cd. Mirtazapine (MZP) is a central presynaptic α2 receptor antagonist used effectively in treating several neurological disorders. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of MZP against Cd-induced neurotoxicity. In this study, rats were randomly divided into five groups: control, MZP (30 mg/kg), Cd (6.5 mg/kg/day; i.p), Cd + MZP (15 mg/kg), and Cd + MZP (30 mg/kg). Histopathological examination, oxidative stress biomarkers, inflammatory cytokines, and the impact of Nrf2 and NF-κB/TLR4 signals were assessed in our study. Compared to Cd control rats, MZP attenuated histological abrasions in the cerebral cortex and CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus as well as the dentate gyrus. MZP attenuated oxidative injury by upregulating Nrf2. In addition, MZP suppressed the inflammatory response by decreasing TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 mediated by downregulating TLR4 and NF-κB. It is noteworthy that MZP's neuroprotective actions were dose-dependent. Collectively, MZP is a promising therapeutic strategy for attenuating Cd-induced neurotoxicity by regulating Nrf2, and NF-κB/TLR4 signals, pending further study in clinical settings.

Improving the Energy Storage of Supercapattery Devices through Electrolyte Optimization for Mg(NbAgS)x(SO4)y Electrode Materials.

Electrolytes are one of the most influential aspects determining the efficiency of electrochemical supercapacitors. Therefore, in this paper, we investigate the effect of introducing co-solvents of ester into ethylene carbonate (EC). The use of ester co-solvents in ethylene carbonate (EC) as an electrolyte for supercapacitors improves conductivity, electrochemical properties, and stability, allowing greater energy storage capacity and increased device durability. We synthesized extremely thin nanosheets of niobium silver sulfide using a hydrothermal process and mixed them with magnesium sulfate in different wt% ratios to produce Mg(NbAgS)x)(SO4)y. The synergistic effect of MgSO4 and NbS2 increased the storage capacity and energy density of the supercapattery. Multivalent ion storage in Mg(NbAgS)x(SO4)y enables the storage of a number of ions. The Mg(NbAgS)x)(SO4)y was directly deposited on a nickel foam substrate using a simple and innovative electrodeposition approach. The synthesized silver Mg(NbAgS)x)(SO4)y provided a maximum specific capacity of 2087 C/g at 2.0 A/g current density because of its substantial electrochemically active surface area and linked nanosheet channels which aid in ion transportation. The supercapattery was designed with Mg(NbAgS)x)(SO4)y and activated carbon (AC) achieved a high energy density of 79 Wh/kg in addition to its high power density of 420 W/kg. The supercapattery (Mg(NbAgS)x)(SO4)y//AC) was subjected to 15,000 consecutive cycles. The Coulombic efficiency of the device was 81% after 15,000 consecutive cycles while retaining a 78% capacity retention. This study reveals that the use of this novel electrode material (Mg(NbAgS)x(SO4)y) in ester-based electrolytes has great potential in supercapattery applications.

Effect of Cr-Doping on the Structural and Magnetic Properties of Mechanically Alloyed FeCoNiAlMn1-xCrx High-Entropy Alloy Powder.

In this work, the new compositions of FeCoNiAlMn1-xCrx, (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0), a high-entropy alloy powder (HEAP), are prepared by mechanical alloying (MA). The influence of Cr doping on the phase structure, microstructure, and magnetic properties is thoroughly investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and vibrating sample magnetometry. It is found that this alloy has formed a simple body-centered cubic structure with a minute face-centered cubic structure for Mn to Cr replacement with heat treatment. The lattice parameter, average crystallite size, and grain size decrease by replacing Cr with Mn. The SEM analysis of FeCoNiAlMn showed no grain boundary formation, depicting a single-phase microstructure after MA, similar to XRD. The saturation magnetization first increases (68 emu/g) up to x = 0.6 and then decreases with complete substitution of Cr. Magnetic properties are related to crystallite size. FeCoNiAlMn0.4Cr0.6 HEAP has shown optimum results with better saturation magnetization and coercivity as a soft magnet.

Application of ZnO-NRs@Ni-foam substrate for electrochemical fingerprint of arsenic detection in water.

Arsenic (As3+) is the most carcinogenic and abundantly available heavy metal present in the environment. Vertically aligned ZnO nanorod (ZnO-NR) growth was achieved on metallic nickel foam substrate via a wet chemical route and it was used as an electrochemical sensor towards As(iii) detection in polluted water. Crystal structure confirmation, surface morphology observation and elemental analysis of ZnO-NRs were conducted using X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, respectively. Electrochemical sensing performance of ZnO-NRs@Ni-foam electrode/substrate was investigated via linear sweep voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in a carbonate buffer solution of pH = 9 and at different As(iii) molar concentrations in solution. Under optimum conditions, the anodic peak current was found proportional to the arsenite concentration from 0.1 µM to 1.0 µM. The achieved values for limit of detection and limit of quantification were 0.046 ppm and 0.14 ppm, respectively, which are far lower than the recommended limits for As(iii) detection in drinking water as suggested by the World Health Organization. This suggests that ZnO-NRs@Ni-foam electrode/substrate can be effectively utilized in terms of its electrocatalytic activity towards As3+ detection in drinking water.

Investigating the Physical Properties of Thallium-Based Ternary TlXF3 (X = Be, Sr) Fluoroperovskite Compounds for Prospective Applications.

In the present work, several properties of fluoroperovskites are computed and examined through the approximations of trans- and blaha-modified Becke-Johnson (TB-mBJ) and generalized gradient approximation of Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (GGA-PBE) integrated within density functional theory (DFT). The lattice parameters for cubic TlXF3 (X = Be, Sr) ternary fluoroperovskite compounds at an optimized state are examined and their values are used to calculate the fundamental physical properties. TlXF3 (X = Be and Sr) cubic fluoroperovskite compounds contain no inversion symmetry and are thus a non-centrosymmetric system. The phonon dispersion spectra confirm the thermodynamic stability of these compounds. The results of electronic properties clarify that both the compounds possess a 4.3 eV of indirect band gap from M-X for TlBeF3 and a direct band gap of 6.03 eV from X-X for TlSrF3, which display that both compounds are insulators. Furthermore, the dielectric function is considered to explore optical properties like reflectivity, refractive index, absorption coefficient, etc., and the different types of transitions between the bands were investigated by using the imaginary part of the dielectric function. Mechanically, the compounds of interest are computed to be stable and possess high bulk modulus values, and the ratio of "G/B" is higher than "1", which indicates the strong and ductile nature of the compound. Based on our computations for the selected materials, we deem an efficient application of these compounds in an industrial application, which will provide a reference for future work.

Juglans regia Linn.: A Natural Repository of Vital Phytochemical and Pharmacological Compounds.

Juglans regia Linn. is a valuable medicinal plant that possesses the therapeutic potential to treat a wide range of diseases in humans. It has been known to have significant nutritional and curative properties since ancient times, and almost all parts of this plant have been utilized to cure numerous fungal and bacterial disorders. The separation and identification of the active ingredients in J. regia as well as the testing of those active compounds for pharmacological properties are currently of great interest. Recently, the naphthoquinones extracted from walnut have been observed to inhibit the enzymes essential for viral protein synthesis in the SARS-CoV-2. Anticancer characteristics have been observed in the synthetic triazole analogue derivatives of juglone, and the unique modifications in the parent derivative of juglone have paved the way for further synthetic research in this area. Though there are some research articles available on the pharmacological importance of J. regia, a comprehensive review article to summarize these findings is still required. The current review, therefore, abridges the most recent scientific findings about antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-fungal, and anticancer properties of various discovered and separated chemical compounds from different solvents and different parts of J. regia.

Nano-liquid chromatography with monolithic stationary phase based on naphthyl monomer for proteomics analysis.

Monolithic poly(2-vinylnaphthalene-co-divinylbenzene) columns were introduced, for the first time, and were evaluated as the separation media for nano-liquid chromatography (nano-LC). These columns were prepared by in-situ polymerization of 2-vinylnaphthalene (2-VNA) as the functional monomer and divinylbenzene (DVB) as the crosslinker in a fused silica capillary column of 50 µm i.d. Various porogenic solvents, including tetrahydrofuran (THF), dodecanol and toluene were used for morphology optimization. Final monolithic column (referred to as VNA column) was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and chromatographic analyses. Alkylbenzenes (ABs), and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were separated using the VNA column while the column offered excellent hydrophobic and π-π interactions under reversed-phase conditions. Theoretical plates number up to 41,200 plates/m in isocratic mode for ethylbenzene could be achieved. The potential of the final VNA column was demonstrated with a gradient elution in the  separation of six intact proteins, including ribonuclease A (RNase A), cytochrome C (Cyt C), lysozyme (Lys), ß-lactoglobulin (ß-lac), myoglobin (My) and α-chymotrypsinogen (α-chym) in nano LC system. The column was then applied to the peptide analysis of trypsin digested cytochrome C, allowing a high peak capacity up to 1440 and the further proteomics analysis of COS-7 cell line was attempted applying the final monolithic column in nano-LC UV system.

Identification and environment-friendly biocontrol potential of five different bacteria against Aphis punicae and Aphis illinoisensis (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

The current work is aimed at isolating and identifying new Entomopathogenic bacterium (EPB) strains associated with Steinernema feltiae and assessing the EPB's biocontrol potential on Aphis punicae and Aphis illinoisensis adults in the laboratory. From S. feltiae, five bacterial isolates were isolated and molecularly characterized. Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus strain TU-2, Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus strain BN-13, Serratia liquefaciens strain TU-6, Stenotrophomonas tumulicola strain T5916-2-1b, and Pseudochrobactrum saccharolyticum strain CCUG are the strains. Pathogenicity tests demonstrated that bacterial cells were more toxic against the two aphid species than bacterial cell-free supernatants. S. tumulicola strain T5916-2-1b cells and filtrate were reported to have the strongest potential to kill A. punicae and A. illinoisensis individuals within 6 h after treatment, with 100% mortality of both insects 24 and 48 h after treatment. Based on the results of the study, it looked like endogenous Steinernema-associated EPB could be used directly as a biocontrol agent for A. punicae and A. illinoisensis.

Isolation, Characterization and Anticancer Activity of Two Bioactive Compounds from Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) Schott.

Medicinal plants play important role in the public health sector worldwide. Natural products from medicinal plants are sources of unlimited opportunities for new drug leads because of their unique chemical diversity. Researchers have focused on exploring herbal products as potential sources for the treatment of cancer, cardiac and infectious diseases. Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) is an important medicinal plant found in the northwest Himalayan regions of Pakistan. It is a poisonous plant and is used as a remedy against snake bites and scorpion stings. In this study, two bioactive compounds were isolated from Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) and their anticancer activity was evaluated against human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 using an MTT assay. The crude extract of Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) was subjected to fractionation using different organic solvents in increasing order of polarity. The fraction indicating maximum activity was then taken for isolation of bioactive compounds using various chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques such as column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Crude extract of Arisaema flavum (Forssk.), as well as various fractions extracted in different solvents such as n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate, were tested against human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 using an MTT assay. The crude extract exhibited significant dose-dependent anticancer activity with a maximum activity of 78.6% at 500 µg/mL concentration. Two compounds, hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester with molecular formula C18H36O7 and molar mass 284 and 5-Oxo-19 propyl-docosanoic acid methyl ester with molecular formula C26H50O3 and molecular mass 410, were isolated from chloroform fraction. These compounds were tested against the MCF-7cell line for cytotoxic activity and exhibited a significant (p < 0.00l) decrease in cell numbers for MCF-7 cells with IC50 of 25 µM after 48 h of treatment. Results indicated that Arisaema flavum (Forssk.) possesses compounds with cytotoxic activity that can further be exploited to develop anticancer formulations.

Synthesis and characterization of new 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives: study of their antibacterial activity and CT-DNA binding.

1,3,4-Thiadiazole molecules (1-4) were synthesized by the reaction of phenylthiosemicarbazide and methoxy cinnamic acid molecules in the presence of phosphorus oxychloride, and characterized with UV, FT-IR, 13C-NMR, and 1H-NMR methods. DFT calculations (b3lyp/6-311++G(d,p)) were performed to investigate the structures' geometry and physiochemical properties. Their antibacterial activity was screened for various bacteria strains such as Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli ATCC 13048, Salmonella kentucky, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus and Gram positive such as Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus durans, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC, Serratia marcescens, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, alfa Streptococcus haemolyticus, Enterococcus faecium and found to have an inhibitory effect on Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus hominis, while molecules 1, 3 and 4 had an inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus epidermidis and alpha Streptococcus haemolyticus. The experimental results were supported by the docking study using the Kinase ThiM from Klebsiella pneumoniae. All the investigated compounds showed an inhibitory effect for the Staphylococcus epidermidis protein. In addition, the mechanism of the 1-4 molecule interaction with calf thymus-DNA (CT-DNA) was investigated by UV-vis spectroscopic methods.

Evaluation of the Anti-Cancer Potential of Rosa damascena Mill. Callus Extracts against the Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Cell Line.

Chemotherapy is an aggressive form of chemical drug therapy aiming to destroy cancer cells. Adjuvant therapy may reduce hazards of chemotherapy and help in destroying these cells when obtained from natural products, such as medical plants. In this study, the potential therapeutic effect of Rosa damascena callus crude extract produced in vitamin-enhanced media is investigated on colorectal cancer cell line Caco-2. Two elicitors, i.e., L-ascorbic acid and citric acid at a concentration of 0.5 g/L were added to the callus induction medium. Callus extraction and the GC-MS analysis of methanolic crude extracts were also determined. Cytotoxicity, clonogenicity, proliferation and migration of Caco-2 colorectal cancer cells were investigated using MTT cytotoxicity, colony-forming, Ki-67 flow cytometry proliferation and Migration Scratch assays, respectively. Our results indicated that L-ascorbic acid treatment enhanced callus growth parameters and improved secondary metabolite contents. It showed the least IC50 value of 137 ug/mL compared to 237 ug/mL and 180 ug/mL in the citric acid-treated and control group. We can conclude that R. damascena callus elicited by L-ascorbic acid improved growth and secondary metabolite contents as well as having an efficient antiproliferative, anti-clonogenic and anti-migratory effect on Caco-2 cancer cells, thus, can be used as an adjuvant anti-cancer therapy.

Preparation of polar embedded C18 stationary phase for efficient separation of peptides and proteins in high performance liquid chromatography.

Peptides and proteins have great therapeutic potential, and owing to their unique biological properties, their separation is very challenging. A polar embedded C18 stationary phase was prepared by functionalization of porous silica monolith particles with N-3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl stearamide. The stationary phase was packed in narrow bore column (100 × 2.1 mm) and evaluated for the separation of peptides and proteins in HPLC. Number of theoretical plates (N) as high as 520,000 and 340,000 plates/meter were obtained for peptides and proteins respectively. The separation performance of C18-amide column was compared with four commercial amide columns i.e. Ascentis Express RP-Amide, Accucore 150 Amide, TSKgel Amide-80, and XBridge Amide column. The performance of C18-amide column was much better than these commercial amide columns in terms of efficiency and resolution. Owing to high efficiency and good resolution for peptides and proteins separation, C18-amide column could be used as alternative to expansive commercial columns.

Chemical Characterization of Taif Rose (Rosa damascena) Methanolic Extract and Its Physiological Effect on Liver Functions, Blood Indices, Antioxidant Capacity, and Heart Vitality against Cadmium Chloride Toxicity.

Exposure to cadmium chloride (CdCl2) causes an imbalance in the oxidant status of the body by triggering the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study investigated the effect of Rosa damascena (R. damascena) extract on oxidative stress, hepatotoxicity, and the injured cardiac tissue of male rats exposed to CdCl2. Forty male Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups: the vehicle control (1 mg/kg normal saline), the CdCl2-treated group (5 mg/kg), the R. damascena extract group (100 mg Kg), and the combination of CdCl2 and R. damascena extract group. Male rats exposed to CdCl2 showed multiple significant histopathological changes in the liver and heart, including inflammatory cell infiltration and degenerative alterations. Successive exposure to CdCl2 elevated the levels of hepatic and cardiac reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumour necrosis factor-alpha) (TNF-α) and interleukin -6 (IL-6) and decreased antioxidant defences. The extracts significantly increased the levels of glutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), whereas it dramatically decreased the levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and the mRNA of TNF-α and IL-6. R. damascena administration prevented liver and heart injury; suppressed excessive ROS generation, LPO, and inflammatory responses; and enhanced antioxidant defences. In addition, R. damascena upregulated the mRNA of TNF-α and IL-6 in CdCl2-administered male rats. In conclusion, R. damascena modulated the oxidative stress and inflammation induced by CdCl2. The hepatic and cardiac tissue damage and histopathological alterations resulting from the CdCl2-induced oxidative stress were counteracted by the administration of R. damascena extracts. R. damascena enhanced antioxidant defence enzymes in male rats.

Phenolic Characterization Using cLC-DAD Analysis and Evaluation of In Vitro and In Vivo Pharmacological Activities of Ruta tuberculata Forssk.

The perennial aromatic plant Ruta tuberculata Forssk (Rutaceae) has been traditionally used by Mediterranean peoples as folk medicine against several types of disease to treat diverse illness. The objective of this work is to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities of the aqueous (RAE) and methanolic (MeOH) 80% (RME) extracts of Algerian R. tuberculata aerial parts. Antioxidant potential, neuro-protective and anti-arthritic activities were investigated in vitro using six antioxidant approaches and by determining acetyl-cholinesterase and bovine albumin denaturation inhibitory capacities, respectively. Furthermore, in vivo anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated on EtOH-induced gastric mucosal damage and carrageenan-induced paw edema models in mice. Moreover, bio-compounds' contents were also quantified using spectrophotometric and cLC-DAD methods. Both in vivo and in vitro investigations showed remarkable antioxidant activity of Ruta tuberculata Forssk, while methanolic extract (RME) of Ruta tuberculata Forssk exhibited more significant neuro-protective and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the antiulcer activity was more pronounced with RAE of R. tuberculata, which suggests that this plant can be considered as a natural resource of potent bioactive compounds that may act as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents, which underlines the importance of incorporating them in therapies in order to treat various diseases linked to oxidative stress, and they may also provide crucial data for the development of new anticholinesterase drugs to improve neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's.