Hepatitis E associated determinants and diagnostic biomarkers during pregnancy and its prenatal consequences in Multan, Punjab tertiary care setting (Pakistan).

OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis in the world. Hepatitis E infection is commonly widespread by the fecal oral routes and contaminated water. This study was designed to explore the prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis E infection in pregnant women of the Multan district, Pakistan. METHODS: The study comprised of a total of 500 enrolled patients, among which, 105 pregnant females with hepatitis E infection fulfilled the criteria for anti-HEV antibodies. Pregnant women without significant complications and without hepatitis E infection were excluded from this study. Hepatic profile, complete blood count, coagulation markers, and standard protocol were also assessed for fetal maternal hemorrhage. RESULTS: Our results showed that 105 patients (66.66%, CI 95%) had HEV infection with mean age 25±5 years. Serum bilirubin levels were increased in 74 patients (70.47%), aspartate transaminase was elevated > 200 IU/L in 71 patients (67.61%), alanine transaminase was above the 100 IU/L in 65 patients (245 IU/L), and low platelet counts were found in 45 patients (42.85%). Moreover, fetal distress cases were 9 (10.84%) and maternal distress cases were about 11 (13.25%). Fetal mortality cases were 39 (37.14%), and maternal mortality cases were about 22 (20.95%) due to hepatic comma, intravascular coagulation, and hepatic failure. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the prevalence of Hepatitis E during pregnancy is associated with high risk factors of unhygienic practices, blood transfusion, and noncompliance with universal infection control techniques. Maternal fatalities and fetal consequences were exacerbated by HEV infection.

Metallic CoSb and Janus Co2AsSb monolayers as promising anode materials for metal-ion batteries.

Structural symmetry breaking plays a pivotal role in fine-tuning the properties of nano-layered materials. Here, based on the first-principles approaches we propose a Janus monolayer of metallic CoSb by breaking the out-of-plane structural symmetry. Specifically, within the CoSb monolayer by replacing the top-layer 'Sb' with 'As' atoms entirely, the Janus Co2AsSb monolayer can be formed, whose structure is confirmed via structural optimization and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Notably, the Janus Co2AsSb monolayer demonstrates stability at an elevated temperature of 1200 K, surpassing the stability of the CoSb monolayer, which remains stable only up to 900 K. We propose that both the CoSb and Janus Co2AsSb monolayers could serve as capable anode materials for power-driven metal-ion batteries, owing to their substantial theoretical capacity and robust binding strength. The theoretical specific capacities for Li/Na reach up to 1038.28/1186.60 mA h g-1 for CoSb, while Janus Co2AsSb demonstrates a marked improvement in electrochemical storage capacity of 3578.69/2215.38 mA h g-1 for Li/Na, representing a significant leap forward in this domain. The symmetry-breaking effect upgrades the CoSb monolayer, as a more viable contender for power-driven metal-ion batteries. Furthermore, electronic structure calculations indicate a notable charge transfer that augments the metallic nature, which would boost electrical conductivity. These simulations demonstrate that the CoSb and Janus Co2AsSb monolayers have immense potential for application in the design of metal-ion battery technologies.

Comparison of deep eutectic solvent-based ultrasound- and heat-assisted extraction of bioactive compounds from Withania somnifera and process optimization using response surface methodology.

Extraction of bioactive compounds from Withania somnifera roots was studied using sodium acetate-glycerol deep eutectic solvent (DES) and two techniques ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and heat-assisted extraction (HAE) under response surface methodology (RSM). For UAE and HAE, total phenolic content (TPC, mg gallic acid equivalents per g dry weight (mg GAE g-1 DW)), total flavonoid content (TFC, mg rutin equivalents g-1 DW (mg RE g-1 DW)), radical scavenging activity (RSA, mg AAE (ascorbic acid equivalents) g-1 DW), and iron chelating activity (ICA, mg EDTAE (ethylenediaminetetraacetate equivalents) g-1 DW%) were 6.51, 6.08, 12.56, and 3.57, respectively, and 3.33, 3.98. 6.57 and 2.48, respectively. For UAE, the optimal conditions were a DES concentration of 50 %, temperature of 60 °C, and time of 20 min, and for HAE, a DES concentration of 60 %, temperature of 60 °C, and time of 75 min. The discovered models were strongly supported by the validation experiments. UAE was more efficient and less time-consuming for extracting phytoconstituents of the W. somnifera than HAE.

Black phosphorene/SnSe van der Waals heterostructure as a promising anchoring anode material for metal-ion batteries.

Black phosphorene (BP) is a glowing two-dimensional semiconducting layer material for cutting-edge microelectronics, with high carrier mobility and thickness-dependent band gap. Here, based on van der Waals (vdW)-corrected first-principles approaches, we investigated stacked BP/tin selenide (BP/SnSe) vdW heterostructure as an anode material for metal ion batteries, which exhibits a significant theoretical capacity, along with relatively durable binding strength compared to the constituent BP and SnSe monolayers. Our calculations demonstrated that the Li/Na adatom favors insertion into the interlayer region of BP/SnSe vdW heterostructure owing to synergistic interfacial effect, resulting in comparable diffusivity to the BP and SnSe monolayers. Subsequently, the theoretical specific capacities for Li/Na are found to be as high as 956.30 mAhg-1and 828.79 mAhg-1, respectively, which could be attributed to the much higher storage capacity of Li/Na adatoms in the BP/SnSe vdW heterostructure. Moreover, the electronic structure calculations reveal that a large amount of charge transfer assists in semiconductor-to-metallic transition upon lithiation/sodiation, ensuring good electrical conductivity. These simulations verify that the BP/SnSe vdW heterostructure has immense potential for application in the design of metal-ion battery technologies.

Modelling and optimization of polyphenol and antioxidant extraction from Rumex hastatus by green glycerol-water solvent according to response surface methodology.

Rumex hastatus (RH) is an edible wild herb abundantly distributed in many parts of the world. With the increasing realization of the environmental threats corresponding to the use of conventional organic solvents, the realization to explore efficient green solvents for the extraction of valuable natural products from plants is increasing. The present project, therefore, aimed to discover an optimized efficient and green process for obtaining antioxidant phytochemicals from R. hastatus using aqueous glycerol as a green and low-cost extraction medium. For modelling and optimization according to RSM (response surface methodology), the independent factors were glycerol concentration, temperature and time, and the responses included TPC (total phenolic content), TFC (total flavonoid content), and anti-radical activity (ARA) and iron chelating activity (ICA). The predicted optimum conditions were 52.155% glycerol concentration, 41.303 min extraction time and 50 °C extraction temperature with the predicted values for TPC, TFC, ARA and ICA as 21.65 mg GA/g DW, 95.78 mg RE/g DW, 84.93% and 46.47%, respectively. For responses, well-fitted quadratic models were suggested. Thus, aqueous glycerol is an efficient, green, and cost-effective solvent and its around 50% solution can effectively be used as an extracting medium for antioxidants from R. hastatus. The discovered model should be viable for large scale extraction of bioactive compounds from this plant.

Deep Eutectic Liquids as Tailorable Extraction Solvents: A Review of Opportunities and Challenges.

Deep Eutectic Liquids (DELs) fall among the rapidly evolving discoveries of the 21st century, and these liquids are considered as alternative solvents to toxic and volatile organic liquids. Nevertheless, the emerging trend regarding the use of DELs in every field of physical and biological sciences, a lot of ambiguities and misconceptions exist about their formation, mechanism, and efficiencies observed or projected. A review of available technical data makes it obvious that these liquids have the potential to revolutionize the underdeveloped areas of analytical chemistry particularly the extraction/enrichment of analytes. To ensure the green and sustainable use of DELs, the researchers need to have a thorough understanding of DELs, their classification, chemistry, the nature and strength of molecular entanglements, and their tailorable features. Many researchers have declared these liquids recyclable but more attentive trials are needed to develop an authentic and straightforward DELs recycling methodology. The present review covers sound background knowledge and expert opinions about the technical definition of DELs, their classification, formation, recyclability, and tailorable features for their application as extraction solvent/sorbent in analytical chemistry.

Surfactant-mediated extraction of capsaicin from Capsicum annuum L. fruit in various solvents.

Capsaicin is a valuable compound found in Capsicum annuum. The present study aimed to explore the efficiency of different solvents and surfactants on its extraction by maceration. Ethyl acetate was found to be the best solvent followed by dichloromethane and acetone, respectively. Overall order of efficiency of the solvents used was this: ethyl acetate > dichloromethane > acetone > glycerol > acetonitrile > methanol > acetic acid > toluene. Extractability of ethyl acetate for capsaicin remained unaffected by the surfactants. Tween-80 had very positive effect on the extraction efficiency of dichloromethane (DCM) and acetone. Kinetics of the extraction with the most efficient solvent ethyl acetate showed extraction of capsaicin to follow a pseudo-second order kinetic model. In conclusion, for extraction of capsaicin from green chili, ethyl acetate was the most powerful amongst the solvents used in the present work and tween-80 had a notable positive effect on the efficiency of DCM and acetone.

Grevillea robusta Delayed the Progression of Experimentally Induced Hepatic Fibrosis and Cirrhosis in Wistar Rats by Attenuating the Expression of Smooth Muscle Actin, Collagen, and TGF-ß.

The chronic damage to the liver causes fibrosis, especially when different proteins are accumulated in the liver, which is the basic characteristic of chronic liver damage. The excessive accumulation of the matrix protein such as collagen causes liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis leads to cirrhosis, liver failure, and portal vein hypertension. Plants having antioxidants, free radical scavenging activities, and anti-inflammatory constituents are believed to be hepatoprotective in nature. Grevillea robusta (GR) is native to the subtropical environment. Its in vitro antioxidant, cytotoxic, and free radical scavenging activities are known, while the effect on liver fibrosis and cirrhosis remains elusive. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective and antifibrotic effects of Grevillea robusta plant. GR leaf extract (GREE) was prepared from the hydroethanolic extract (70%). Polyphenol and flavonoid contents and the in vitro antioxidant activity of the extract were determined. In vivo hepatitis was induced in Wistar rats by continual IP injections of CCl4. GREE was administered by oral gavage at a dose of 100, 300, and 500 mg/kg of body weight once daily for 4 weeks. Variations in rat's body weight, liver-to-body weight ratio, serum alanine aminotransferases, gamma-glutamyltransferase, liver histology, and cellular markers of liver fibrosis were evaluated. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (p < 0.05) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) (p < 0.001) were decreased in the treatment group compared with the disease control group. RBC count was increased (p < 0.001) in the treatment group compared with the disease control group. The expression of alpha-SMA was downregulated to 40% (p < 0.05) and that of collagen was decreased by 9% (p < 0.05) compared with the disease control group. Extracellular matrix deposition and necrotic areas were also decreased as compared to the disease control group. It can be concluded that GR possesses hepatoprotective action by virtue of antioxidant constituents and delays the progression of liver cirrhosis by suppressing the activation of extracellular matrix-producing cells in the liver.

Extraction and Characterization of Microcrystalline Cellulose from Lagenaria siceraria Fruit Pedicles.

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is a versatile polymer commonly employed in food, chemical, and biomedical formulations. Lagenaria siceraria (bottle gourd) fruit is consumed in many parts of the world, and its pedicle is discarded as waste. In the quest for a novel renewable source of the MCC, the present study investigates the extraction and characterization of MCC from the pedicle of Lagenaria siceraria fruits. The MCC was extracted by sequentially treating pedicles with water, alkali, bleaching (sodium chlorite), and dilute sulfuric acid (acid hydrolysis). The removal of associated impurities from pedicle fibers was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared analyses. The extracted MCC exhibited a characteristic crystalline structure of cellulose in X-ray diffraction with a 64.53% crystallinity index. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the variation in the morphology of the fibers and the formation of MCC of approximately 100 µm. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated higher thermal stability of MCC. MCC production from biowaste (pedicle) holds potential for application as an emulsifier, stabilizer, and thickener in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and food industries.

Study of anti-diabetic, beta-carotene-bleaching inhibiting and iron chelating properties of Carissa opaca root extracts

Abstract Degenerative diseases diabetes and oxidative stress constitute a major health concern worldwide. Medicinal plants are expected to provide effective and affordable remedies. The present research explored antidiabetic and antioxidant potential of extracts of Carissa opaca roots. Methanolic extract (ME) was prepared through maceration. Its fractions were obtained, sequentially, in hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. An aqueous decoction (AD) of the finely ground roots was obtained by boiling in distilled water. The leftover biomass with methanol was boiled in water to obtain biomass aqueous decoction (BAD). The extracts and fractions showed considerable porcine pancreatic α-amylase inhibitory activity with IC50 in the range of 5.38-7.12 mg/mL while acarbose had 0.31 mg/mL. The iron chelating activity in terms of EC50 was 0.2939, 0.3429, 0.1876, and 0.1099 mg/mL for AD, BAD, ME, and EDTA, respectively. The EC50 of beta-carotene bleaching activity for AD, BAD, ME, and standard BHA were 4.10, 4.71, 3.48, and 2.79 mg/mL, respectively. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of AD and BAD were also considerable. In general, ethyl acetate fraction proved to be the most potent. Thus, the C. opaca roots had excellent antioxidant activity while having moderate α-amylase inhibitory potentia

The Impact of Predialysis Patient Education Counseling on Relative Frequencies of Renal Replacement Modalities.

Background and objective The predialysis education program (PDEP) is an integral part of the management of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the distribution of renal replacement therapy (RRT) among patients with ESRD who received PDEP counseling at a single tertiary care center in Khamis Mushait, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methodology In this study, we included 177 patients with ESRD who received a series of structured PDEP counseling sessions between March 2018 and February 2019 at the Armed Forces Hospital, Southern Region, Khamis Mushait, KSA. All patients were offered available RRT options, which included hemodialysis (HD), continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), or renal transplantation. Patients' opted RRT modality was recorded and managed as per the international guidelines and institutional protocols. Results Out of 177 patients, 58.8% (104) were males, with a mean age of 59 ± 13.7 years. The most common comorbid condition as the primary diagnosis was diabetic nephropathy in 49.7% (88), followed by hypertension in 30.5% (54), bilateral small kidney in 15.3% (27), and renal stone in 5.1% (nine) of the patients. Among the available RRTs, 51.4% (91) chose HD, 5.1% (nine) decided on CAPD, four patients (2.3%) opted for renal transplantation, while the remaining 41.2% (73) had yet to choose one, out of which 83.6% (61/73) had stage-IV chronic kidney disease (CKD) while the remaining 16.4% (12/73) had stage-V CKD. Conclusions In conclusion, a series of structured PDEP sessions for the patients progressing to ESRD can facilitate their selection of RRT. In a resource-limited setting, such as ours, where the number of patients who seek treatment for ESRD is rising, PDEP can provide patients with adequate information and knowledge to equip them with the ability regarding the selection of a self-care RRT modality.

Raisins: A kitchen cabinet item can restores the liver function and structure.

The aqueous methanol extract of raisins (Vitis vinifera) was investigated in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxic rats model. Where it was found to revert the alteration induced by CCl4 in liver structure and function by improving the body weights, liver index, liver and bile duct specific enzymes, liver conjugative and synthetic markers, reduced glutathione and the total bilirubin/ albumin ratio while increasing the percent inhibition of lipid peroxidation in test groups treated with extract in doses of 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight as compared to negative control group only treated with CCl4 3mL/kg that showed entirely opposite picture of all these parameters. Silymarin 100 mg/kg was used as reference hepatoprotective medicine in present study. In addition, histopathological studies of liver tissues of test groups displayed the restoration of liver anatomy. Therefore, raisins' extract proved to have liver protective, regenerative and antioxidant properties. These might reside in total phenolic content particularly in gallic acid and rutin in extract estimated and detected by spectrophotometric and high performance liquid chromatographic methods.

In Vitro Antidiabetic, Anti-Obesity and Antioxidant Analysis of Ocimum basilicum Aerial Biomass and in Silico Molecular Docking Simulations with Alpha-Amylase and Lipase Enzymes.

The present study explored phytochemicals, porcine pancreatic α-amylase (PPA) and lipase (PPL) inhibitory activities and antioxidant potential of polar and nonpolar extracts of the leaves and flowers of Ocimum basilicum and the in-silico mode of interaction between these enzymes and the major chemical constituents of the herb. The hexane extract (HE) and hydro-ethanolic extract (EE) obtained sequentially were used to estimate PPA and PPL inhibitory and antioxidant activities, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). Chemical constituents of the essential oils and HE were determined by GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry). For PPA inhibition, IC50 (µg/mL) of the extracts were 0.27-0.37, which were close to 0.24 of acarbose, while for PPL inhibition, IC50 (µg/mL) of the extracts were 278.40-399.65, and that of Orlistat 145.72. The flowers EE was most potent antioxidant followed by leaves EE. The leaves EE had highest TPC and TFC followed of flowers EE. The essential oil of flowers had higher estragole (55%) than linalool (37%), while the essential oil of the leaves had higher linalool (42%) than estragole (38%). The HE of the flowers contained higher estragole (42%) than linalool (23%), while of the HE of the leaves too had higher estragole (65%) than linalool (18%). The in-silico molecular docking study showed linalool and estragole to have considerable PPA and PPL binding potential, which were further investigated through molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations. The PPA and PPL inhibitory activities of O. basilicum extracts and their notable antioxidant potential propose the herb as a multi-target complimentary medicine for diabetes, obesity and oxidative stress.

The first report on the in vitro antimicrobial activities of extracts of leaves of Ehretia serrata.

The increasing resistance of infectious microbial organisms to the existing arsenal of antibiotic drugs is on the rise. There is a growing demand for the new antibiotics that are cost effective and easily available to the common people. In search of new antimicrobial entities, this report deals with the in vitro antimicrobial activities of the crude extracts of leaves of Ehretia Serrata. The methanolic extract and its sub-fractions namely n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and residual water fraction were screened against a range of 30 different bacterial strains and their zones of inhibition (ZI) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were subsequently evaluated. Methanolic extract has shown activity against all the tested microorganisms such as Azospirillum lipoferum, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Enterococcus sp. with ZOI ranged from 10.3 to 29.0 mm. Moreover, the MIC values of methanolic extract and its sub-fractions against the tested bacteria ranged from 0.8 to 5.1 mg/mL. GC-MS analysis of sub-fractions revealed the presence of mono (2-ethylexyl) 1,2-benzenedicarboxylate, diisooctyl-1,2-benzenedicarboxylate, 3,5-dehydro-6-methoxypivalate-cholest-22-ene-21-ol, and 3,5-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxybenzene-propanoic acid. This is the first report on the in vitro antimicrobial activities of leaves of E. Serrata.

Synthesis, crystal structures, Hirshfeld surface analysis and spectroscopic studies of two Schiff bases of anisaldehyde and their urease and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant properties.

The growing demand of pharmaceutical industry for more effective drugs requires new molecules with promising medicinal activities. In the present work, a natural product anisaldehyde was treated with hydrazine and 3,5-dichloroaniline to synthesize their Schiff bases, ASB1 and ASB2, which were assessed for various bioactivities. ASB1 was synthesized by conventional reflux method while ASB2 was synthesized by reflux as well as by mechanochemical grinding method which gave higher yield. The bases were recrystalised, and their structures were elucidated based on XRD and spectroscopic studies. Hirshfeld surface analysis was also carried out. They showed considerable urease inhibitory activity, almost comparable with the standard thiourea. The activity of ASB1 was much higher than ASB2. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of ASB1 was also higher than that of ASB2. The antioxidant activities were determined using DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assays. The bases were very poor scavengers of DPPH radical. However, they showed considerable anti-radical activity against ABTS radical, ASB2 being more active than ASB1, while ASB1 showed higher TAC than ASB2. In conclusion, the bases appeared to have good drugability as inhibitors of urease and acetylcholinesterase enzymes. They can be easily synthesized for possible large-scale applications. The grinding method proved to be more efficient than the reflux method.

Presence of gallic acid and rutin improve the hepatoprotective strength of Withania coagulans.

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is one of the chemicals used in industry reported to accelerate the risk of liver diseases in workers especially in developing countries, if it is not handled carefully. Therefore, the present study conducted to evaluate the liver protective and oxidative stress reducing activities of methanolic (MFEt) and aqueous methanolic fruits (AqMFEt) extracts of Withania coagulans against CCl4-induced liver damage in rats. These fruits extracts in oral doses of 800 mg/kg were found effective in their respective test groups in decreasing weight loss, maintaining hepatic membrane integrity, biosynthetic and conjugative abilities by improving liver and bile duct specific enzymes (alanine and aspartate transferases, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyltranstransferase), total protein and bilirubin profiles, uric acid levels plus uplifting the efficacy of hepatic antioxidant enzymes and protein by minimizing lipid peroxidation. All these beneficial effects confirmed by observing normal anatomical features of liver tissues in test groups. Total phenolic compounds were found high in AqMFEt. Interestingly, for the first time, gallic acid and rutin are identified and quantified in these extracts and thought to improve hepatoprotective potential of W. coagulans.

In vitro analysis of anti-diabetic and anti-oxidative potential of pedicles of fruit-vegetable bottle gourd.

The fruit-vegetable Lagenaria siceraria is well known for its ethnomedicinal applications. While other parts of the plant have been studied for their medicinal properties, its fruit pedicles have not been yet explored. The present study therefore aimed to investigate their phenolics, flavonoids, antioxidant potential and alpha-amylase inhibitory properties. The bioactivities of this neglected part of the fruit were promising. Ethyl acetate fraction had the highest total phenolic content (TPC), 4.4µg/mL Gallic acid equivalent (GAE). The TPC of chloroform and n-butanolic fractions were 3.6 and 2.5 GAE, respectively. Chloroform fraction displayed the highest total flavonoid content (TFC, 295µg/mL Rutin equivalent). The trend of TFC among the fractions was chloroform > hexane > ethyl acetate > n-butanolic > aqueous. Ethyl acetate fraction was most potent as a DPPH radical scavenger, and showed notable activity even at very low concentration (IC50 2.65mg/mL). It was more potent than ascorbic acid (IC50 4.9mg/mL), the standard used in the study. The methanolic extract itself was more powerful than ascorbic acid. The residual aqueous fraction was the strongest inhibitor of alpha-amylase with IC50 1.35mg/mL, which was comparable to the antidiabetic drug Acarbose (IC50 1.26 mg/mL). The IC50 (mg/mL) of ethyl acetate, hexane and n-butanolic fractions were 2.16,2.05 and 2.44, respectively. The findings indicated that the pedicles of L. siceraria fruits have remarkable antioxidant and alpha-amylase inhibitory potential. Subject to verification by in vivo analysis and clinical trial, consumption of the pedicles of this fruit may be advised to diabetic people. As the aqueous fraction was the most potent inhibitor, a water decoction of the fruit part may safely be recommended for the purpose.

Toward Intrinsic Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism in Two-Dimensional Semiconductors.

Two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetic semiconductors have been recognized as the cornerstone for next-generation electric devices, but the development is highly limited by the weak ferromagnetic coupling and low Curie temperature ( TC). Here, we reported a general mechanism which can significantly enhance the ferromagnetic coupling in 2D semiconductors without introducing carriers. On the basis of a double-orbital model, we revealed that the superexchange-driven ferromagnetism is closely related to the virtual exchange gap, and lowering this gap by isovalent alloying can significantly enhance the ferromagnetic (FM) coupling. On the basis of the experimentally available two-dimensional CrI3 and CrGeTe3, the FM coupling in two semiconducting alloy compounds CrWI6 and CrWGe2Te6 monolayers are calculated to be enhanced by 3∼5 times without introducing any carriers. Furthermore, a room-temperature ferromagnetic semiconductor is achieved under a small in-plane strain (4%). Thus, our findings not only deepen the understanding of FM semiconductors but also open a new door for realistic spintronics.

Tyrosinase Inhibitory Activities of Carissa opaca Stapf ex Haines Roots Extracts and Their Phytochemical Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Carissa opaca is a medicinal plant with rich folkloric applications. The present research was conducted to explore the tyrosinase inhibitory potential of aqueous decoction (AD) and methanolic extract (ME) of roots of C. opaca and its fractions in various solvents and their phytochemical analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: AD of the dried powdered roots of C. opaca was prepared by boiling in water. ME was prepared by cold maceration. Its fractions were obtained in solvents of increasing polarity, i.e., hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water. The biomass left after extraction with methanol was boiled in water to get its decoction Biomass aqueous decoction (BAD). Tyrosinase inhibitory activities of the samples were studied according to a reported method. Chemical compounds in the samples were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). RESULTS: The AD, BAD, and ME and its fractions displayed remarkable tyrosinase inhibitory activity. The IC50 of AD was 23.33 µg/mL as compared to 15.80 µg/mL of the standard arbutin and that of BAD was 21.24 µg/mL. The IC50 of ME was 34.76 µg/mL while that of hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanolic, and aqueous fractions was 21.0, 44.73, 43.40, 27.66, and 25.06 µg/mL, respectively. The hexane fraction was thus most potent followed by aqueous fraction. By phytochemical analysis, campesterol, stigmasterol, gamma-sitosterol, alpha-amyrin, 9,19-cyclolanostan-3-ol, 24-methylene-,(3 ß)-, lupeol, lup-20(29)-en-3-one, lup-20(29)-en-3-ol, acetate,(3 ß)-, 2(1H) naphthalenone, 3,5,6,7,8,8a-hexahydro-4,8a-dimethyl-6-(1-methylethenyl)-, and 2,3,3-trimethyl-2-(3-methylbuta-1,3-dienyl)-6-methylenecyclohexanone were identified in the extracts by GC-MS. Other compounds included fatty acids and their esters. Some of these compounds are being first time reported here from this plant. CONCLUSIONS: The roots extracts exhibited considerable tyrosinase inhibitory activities, alluding to a possible application of the plant in cosmetic as whitening agent subject to further pharmacological studies. SUMMARY: The present study aimed to explore the tyrosinase inhibitory potential of aqueous decoction and methanolic extract of roots of Carissa opaca and its fractions in various solvents and their phytochemical constituents. GCMS analysis was conducted to identify the phytochemicals. The extracts and fractions of C. opaca roots showed remarkable anti-tyrosinase activities alluding to their possible application to treat disorders related to overproduction of melanin. Abbreviations used: AD: Aqueous decoction; ME: Methanolic extract; BAD: Biomass aqueous decoction; GC-MS: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Evaluation of anti-oxidative, antimicrobial and anti-diabetic potential of Adiantum venustum and identification of its phytochemicals through GC-MS.

The present study aimed to explore antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-diabetic properties of the fern Adiantum venustum. The TPC (total phenolic content) of methanolic extract of the plant was 247.95±0.0007µg of Gallic acid equivalents per gram of dried extract (mg GAE/g). The highest TPC was in n-butanolic fraction, which was 981.45±0.1562mg GAE/g. Hexane fraction showed lowest TPC (256.95±0.0420mg GAE/g). Ethyl acetate fraction exhibited highest total flavonoid content (TFC), i.e., 62.0±0.050mg of Rutin equivalents per gram of sample. DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2- picryl hydrazyl) radical scavenging activity of the plant was significant. n-Butanolic fraction was most potent with IC50 being 1.06mg/mL. The IC50 of methanolic extract was 1.50mg/mL, that of aqueous fraction was 2.51 mg/mL, and that of chloroform fraction was 2.65mg/mL. Antibacterial potential of the fern was tested against two Gram-positive bacterial strains, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli and two Gram-negative bacterial strains, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. n-Butanolic fraction showed highest zone of inhibition (ZOI, 25.13±1.237 mm) against P. aeruginosa. Ethyl acetate fraction was most active (ZOI, 15.75±1.060 mm) against S. aureus. Against E. coli, aqueous and n-butanolic fractions were most active (ZOI, 14.75±0.353 and 14.50±0.707mm, respectively). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of methanolic extract against B. subtilis was as low as 1.98mg/mL. The hexane fraction was least toxic against all the fractions. The plant displayed significant alpha-amylase inhibitory activity. Chloroform fraction was most effective with lowest IC50 (1.10mg/mL) followed by ethyl acetate fraction (1.92mg/mL). A. venustum is rich in phenolics and has substantial antioxidant, antimicrobial and alpha-amylase inhibitory potential.