Phytochemical Screening and Antidiabetic Efficacy of Balanites aegyptiaca Seed Extract and Their Silver Nanoparticles on Muscle and Pancreatic Cell Lines.

Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, a member of the Zygophyllaceae family, is commonly known as the desert date. This tree is famous for yielding edible fruits and is esteemed for its nutritional richness and diverse health advantages. The primary aim of this research was to assess the potential antidiabetic and cytotoxic effects of seed extracts from B. aegyptiaca and its AgNPs for the first time on C2C12 and MIN6 cells, focusing on glucose uptake and insulin secretion, respectively. Additionally, the seed extracts underwent column chromatography through different solvent systems, resulting in the isolation of five distinct fractions with a mixture of methanol and water as an eluting solvent in different ratios. Comprehensive characterization of the aqueous seed extract was carried out using GC-MS and UPLC-MS. The study determined that the aqueous seed extract exhibited no toxicity at any tested concentration (6.25-100 µg/mL) on both cell types. The calculated IC50 values were 206.00 and 140.44 µg/mL for C2C12 and MIN6 cells, respectively, for seeds of AgNPs. Additionally, the aqueous seed extract and their AgNPs significantly increased glucose uptake by 150.45% and 156.00% of the control in C2C12 cells at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. Insulin secretion was also notably enhanced by 3.47- and 3.92-fold of the control after administering seed extracts and AgNPs, respectively, at 100 µg/mL. GC-MS and UPLC-MS analyses identified various compounds across different categories. Notably, the F2 fraction (methanol and water in ratio of 80:20 as eluting solvent) exhibited the highest glucose uptake activity (156.81% of control), while the F3 fraction (methanol and water in ratio of 70:30 as eluting solvent) fraction demonstrated the highest insulin secretion activity (3.70 folds of the control) among all fractions at 100 µg/mL. GC-MS analysis was employed to characterize both fractions, aiming to identify the compounds contributing to their antidiabetic potential. The study's findings concluded that both seed extracts and their AgNPs possess significant antidiabetic properties, with elevated activity observed in the case of AgNPs in both assays. Various compounds, including diosgenin, oleic acid, linoleic acid and palmitic acid esters were detected in the seed extracts, known for their reported antidiabetic and hypoglycemic effects.

Urease Inhibitory Kinetic Studies of Various Extracts and Pure Compounds from Cinnamomum Genus.

Urease is an enzyme that plays a significant role in the hydrolysis of urea into carbonic acid and ammonia via the carbamic acid formation. The resultant increase in pH leads to the onset of various pathologies such as gastric cancer, urolithiasis, hepatic coma, hepatic encephalopathy, duodenal ulcers and peptic ulcers. Urease inhibitors can reduce the urea hydrolysis rate and development of various diseases. The Cinnamomum genus is used in a large number of traditional medicines. It is well established that stem bark of Cinnamomum cassia exhibits antiulcerogenic potential. The present study evaluated the inhibitory effect of seven extracts of Cinnamomum camphora, Cinnamomum verum and two pure compounds Camphene and Cuminaldehyde on urease enzyme. Kinetic studies of potential inhibitors were carried out. Methanol extract (IC50 980 µg/mL) of C. camphora and a monoterpene Camphene (IC50 0.147 µg/mL) possess significant inhibitory activity. The Lineweaver Burk plot analysis suggested the competitive inhibition by methanol extract, hexane fraction and Camphene. The Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis of hexane fraction revealed the contribution of various terpenes. The present study targets terpenes as a new class of inhibitors that have potential therapeutic value for further development as novel drugs.

A Review on Obesity Management through Natural Compounds and a Green Nanomedicine-Based Approach.

Obesity is a serious health complication in almost every corner of the world. Excessive weight gain results in the onset of several other health issues such as type II diabetes, cancer, respiratory diseases, musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis), and cardiovascular diseases. As allopathic medications and derived pharmaceuticals are partially successful in overcoming this health complication, there is an incessant need to develop new alternative anti-obesity strategies with long term efficacy and less side effects. Plants harbor secondary metabolites such as phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids and other specific compounds that have been shown to have effective anti-obesity properties. Nanoencapsulation of these secondary metabolites enhances the anti-obesity efficacy of these natural compounds due to their speculated property of target specificity and enhanced efficiency. These nanoencapsulated and naive secondary metabolites show anti-obesity properties mainly by inhibiting the lipid and carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes, suppression of adipogenesis and appetite, and enhancing energy metabolism. This review focuses on the plants and their secondary metabolites, along with their nanoencapsulation, that have anti-obesity effects, with their possible acting mechanisms, for better human health.

Partial purification of bacterial cellulo-xylanolytic enzymes and their application in deinking of photocopier waste paper.

The potential of alkaline cellulo-xylanolytic enzymes from non-pathogenic Bacillus subtilis strain was tested for deinking of photocopier waste paper. Cellulase and xylanase play a crucial role in deinking of different types of waste paper. Partial purification of cellulo-xylanolytic enzymes was carried out using ultrafiltration followed by ammonium sulfate precipitation. The ultrafiltered enzyme was used for deinking the photocopier waste paper along with chemical deinking. An enzyme dose of 0.6 IU/g and reaction time of 60 min for ultrafiltered cellulo-xylanolytic enzyme significantly increased deinking efficiency, tear index (9.52%) and folding endurance (5±2%) as compared to chemical deinking. There was improvement in strength properties such as tear index and double-fold along with freeness of pulp (18%). There was slight decrease in tensile index (0.6%) and burst index (16%) while ISO brightness remained unaffected. Enzymatic deinking (74.3%) by ultrafiltered cellulo-xylanolytic from Bacillus subtilis was found significant over conventional chemical deinking.

A review on ameliorative green nanotechnological approaches in diabetes management.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder which results in increase of blood glucose level mainly due to insufficient insulin secretion or body fails to respond to secreted insulin from pancreatic cells. Diabetes is mainly the third cause of death worldwide after cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Nanotechnology is an emerging area in pharmaceutical sciences as nanoparticles are reported to increase the efficacy of drugs derived from plant resources by their target specific activity. The nanomaterials synthesized from plant resources have regulatory potential in control of certain diseases with minimum or no side effects. The review focuses on the reported antidiabetic potential of different metallic and other nanoparticles mainly silver, zinc oxide, gold, copper, selenium, chitosan and iron oxide, synthesized using different plant resources as various secondary metabolites like saponins, flavonoids, steroids, alkaloids, tannins. The green nanotechnological approach reported their antibiabetic potential as magic molecules in understanding various therapeutic processes and manipulated significantly regulatory mechanism/s pertaining to management of diabetes through pancreatic α-amylase, intestinal α-glucosidase, insulin action, glucose uptake in different in vivo and in vitro systems. The additional inputs of nanotechnological approaches regarding further exploration of herbal chemical potential may lead to consideration of certain novel magic drug molecules and may act as an advantage in management of diabetes for betterment of mankind.

Proteomics and Visual Health Research: Proteome of the Human Sclera Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Eye disorders and resulting visual loss are major public health problems affecting millions of people worldwide. In this context, the sclera is an opaque, thick outer coat covering more than 80% of the eye, and essential in maintaining the shape of the eye and protecting the intraocular contents against infection and the external environment. Despite efforts undertaken to decipher the scleral proteome, the functional and structural picture of the sclera still remain elusive. Recently, proteomics has arisen as a powerful tool that enables identification of proteins playing a critical role in health and disease. Therefore, we carried out an in-depth proteomic analysis of the human scleral tissue using a high-resolution Orbitrap Fusion Tribrid mass spectrometer. We identified 4493 proteins using SequestHT and Mascot as search algorithms in Proteome Discoverer 2.1. Importantly, the proteins, including radixin, synaptopodin, paladin, netrin 1, and kelch-like family member 41, were identified for the first time in human sclera. Gene ontology analysis unveiled that the majority of proteins were localized to the cytoplasm and involved in cell communication and metabolism. In sum, this study offers the largest catalog of proteins identified in sclera with the aim of facilitating their contribution to diagnostics and therapeutics innovation in visual health and autoimmune disorders. This study also provides a valuable baseline for future investigations so as to map the dynamic changes that occur in sclera in various pathological conditions.

In vitro screening and evaluation of some Indian medicinal plants for their potential to inhibit Jack bean and bacterial ureases causing urinary infections.

CONTEXT: Bacterial ureases play an important role in pathogenesis of urinary infections. Selection of plants was done on the basis of their uses by the local people for the treatment of various bacterial and urinary infections. OBJECTIVE: Our investigation screens and evaluates 15 Indian medicinal plants for their possible urease inhibitory activity as well as their ability to inhibit bacteria causing urinary infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plant extracts in three different solvents (methanol, aqueous, and cow urine) were screened for their effect on Jack-bean urease using the phenol-hypochlorite method. Subsequently, seven bacterial strains were screened for their ability to release urease and further antimicrobial-linked urease inhibition activity and minimum inhibitory concentration of the tested extracts were evaluated by the agar well diffusion and microdilution method, respectively. RESULTS: Five plants out of 15 crude extracts revealed good urease inhibitory activity (≥ 20% at 1 mg/ml conc.) and IC50 values for these extracts ranged from 2.77 to 0.70 mg/ml. Further testing of these extracts on urease-producing bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus NCDC 109, S. aureus MTCC 3160, Proteus vulgaris MTCC 426, Klebsiella pneumoniae MTCC 4030, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 7453) showed good anti-urease potency with an MIC ranging from 500 to 7.3 µg/ml. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results of screening as well as susceptibility assay clearly revealed a strong urease inhibitory effect of Acacia nilotica L. (Fabaceae), Emblica officinalis Gaertn. (Phyllanthaceae), Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae), Rosa indica L. (Rosaceae), and Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae). Our findings may help to explain the beneficial effect of these plants against infections associated with the urease enzyme.

Cross antigenicity of immunodominant polypeptides of somatic antigen of Oesophagostomum columbianum with other helminths by western blotting.

AIM: Oesophagostomum columbianum in small ruminants in India is found as mixed infection commonly in sheep and goat. Haemonchus contortus, an abomasal nematode is found as concurrent infection with it. Eggs of Haemonchus and O. columbianum cannot be easily distinguished. Diagnosis of O. columbianum may only be possible if a non-cross antigenic polypeptide was available for immunodiagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Somatic antigen (SoAg) of O. columbianum was fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunodominant polypeptides were identified by western blotting with homologous hyperimmune serum (HIS) and experimental sera of sheep or goat infected with other helminths. RESULTS: SoAg of O. columbianum was immunoaffinity purified. Sharp polypeptide bands of 130, 72 and 68 KDa were observed along with several faint bands of lower molecular weight. Western blot of purified SoAg of O. columbianum with homologous HIS showed reaction with all the protein bands of 17, 28, 30, 32, 35, 38, 50, 68, 100, 130, 150, and 170 kDa. For identification of non-cross antigenic polypeptide, immunoaffinity purified SoAg of O. columbianum was reacted to heterologous HIS against H. contortus, Paramphistomum epiclitum, and Fasciola gigantica in western blotting utilizing completely dry method (i-blot). Among high molecular weight polypeptides 100 and 150 kDa were non-cross antigenic and among low molecular weight except 50 kDa polypeptide, 17, 30, 32, 35, and 38 kDa of O. columbianum were not cross antigenic with other helminths. CONCLUSIONS: Hence, polypeptides of 17, 30, 32, 35 and 38 kDa as well as 100 and 150 kDa polypeptides of O. columbianum may be exploited for immunodiagnosis of the infection in sheep and goat with extensive studies on cross antigenicity.

Suppressors of RNA silencing encoded by tomato leaf curl betasatellites.

Virus encoded RNA-silencing suppressors (RSSs) are the key components evolved by the viruses to counter RNA-silencing defense of plants. Whitefly-transmitted begomoviruses infecting tomato crop code for five different proteins, ORF AC4, ORF AC2 and ORF AV2 in DNA-A component, ORF BV1 in DNA-B and ORF beta C1 in satellite DNA beta which are predicted to function as silencing suppressors. In the present study suppressor function of ORF beta C1 of three betasatellites Tomato leaf curl Bangalore betasatellite ToLCBB-[IN:Hess:08], Cotton leaf curl Multan betasatellite CLCuMB-[IN:Sri:02] and Luffa leaf distortion betasatellite LuLDB-[IN:Lu:04] were examined. Agroinfiltration of GFP-silenced Nicotiana tabaccum cv. Xanthi with the cells expressing betaC1 protein resulted in reversal of silenced GFP expression. GFP-siRNA level was more than 50-fold lower compared to silenced plants in plants infiltrated with betaC1 gene from ToLCBB. However, in the case of 35S-beta C1 CLCuMB and 35S- beta C1 LuLDB construct, although GFP was expressed, siRNA level was not reduced, indicating that the step at which beta C1 interfere in RNA-silencing pathway is different.

Limitations, progress and prospects of application of biotechnological tools in improvement of bamboo-a plant with extraordinary qualities.

Bamboos (family Poaceae) are the most beautiful and useful plants on the Earth, mainly found in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Bamboos are fast growing and early maturing, but lack of proper management of bamboo resources is leading to rapid reduction of the existing bamboosetum. Bamboo propagation through seeds is limited due to long flowering cycle of upto 120 years, seed sterility and short seed viability. Infrequent and unpredictable flowering events coupled with peculiar monocarpic behaviour i.e. flowering once before culm death, and extensive genome polyploidization are additional challenges for this woody group. Similarly, vegetative propagation by cuttings, offsets and rhizomes are also inadequate to cope up with the demand of planting stock due to large propagule size, limited availability, seasonal dependence, low multiplication rate and rooting percentage. Therefore, attempts have been made to propagate bamboos through in vitro techniques. In vitro flowering has also been achieved successfully in some bamboo species. Classification systems proposed to date need further support, as taxonomic delineation at lower levels is still lacking sufficient resolution. Tremendous advancement in molecular markers holds the promise to address the needs of bamboo taxonomy (systematics and identification) and diversity studies. Successful application of molecular marker techniques has been achieved in several bamboo species although, more studies are required to understand the population structure and genetic diversity of bamboos in a better way. In addition, some efforts have also been made to clone important genes from bamboos and also for genetic transformation using Agrobacterium and particle bombardment methods. An overview of the recent developments made in improvement of bamboos through in vitro propagation, molecular marker technologies, cloning, and transformation and transgenics has been presented. The future potential of improvement of bamboos using modern biotechnological tools has also been discussed.