Efficient Zinc Vanadate Homojunction with Cadmium Nanostructures for Photocatalytic Water Splitting and Hydrogen Evolution.

Construction of a homojunction is an effective strategy for effective charge transfer to suppress charge carrier recombination in augmented photocatalysis. The present work reveals the synthesis of homojunction formation through the reinforcement of Cd nanostructures into a solid lattice of zinc vanadate (Zn3V2O8, ZnV) using the hydrothermal method. The formation of a homojunction between cadmium vanadate (CdV, Cd3V2O8) and ZnV was confirmed by various spectroscopic and electron microscopic techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) associated with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis). The synthesized material was explored for photocatalytic hydrogen (PC H2) production using the water splitting process under visible-light illumination. The spectroscopic and experimental results revealed that the formation of a CdV/ZnV homojunction significantly improved the transport of photogenerated charge carriers (electron-hole pairs) and thus resulted in enhanced H2 production efficiency (366.34 µmol g-1 h-1) as compared to pristine ZnV (229.09 µmol g-1 h-1) and CdV (274.91 µmol g-1 h-1) using methanol as a sacrificial reagent (SR) with water under visible-light illumination. The synergistic effect of Cd on ZnV NPs resulted in band gap reduction and broadened visible light absorption which was attributed to enhanced H2 production. The current study explains how a homojunction affects various features of important factors behind photocatalytic activity, which supports significant insights into the advancement of materials in the future.

Efficient treatment of oily wastewater, antibacterial activity, and photodegradation of organic dyes using biosynthesized Ag@Fe3O4 nanocomposite.

A significant waste (e.g., high oil content and pollutants such as heavy metals, dyes, and microbial contaminants) in water is generated during crude oil extraction and industrial processes, which poses environmental challenges. This study explores the potential of Ag@Fe3O4 nanocomposite (NC) biosynthesized using the aqueous leaf extract of Laurus nobilis for the treatment of oily wastewater. The NC was characterized using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) spectroscopies. The crystalline structure of the NC was determined to be face-centered cubic with an average size of 42 nm. Ag@Fe3O4 NC exhibited significant degradation (96.8%, 90.1%, and 93.8%) of Rose Bengal (RB), Methylene Blue (MB), and Toluidine Blue (TB), respectively, through a reduction reaction lasting 120 min at a dye concentration of 10 mg/L. The observed reaction kinetics followed a pseudo-first-order model, with rate constants (k-values) of 0.0284 min-1, 0.0189 min-1, and 0.0212 min-1 for RB, MB, and TB, respectively. The fast degradation rate can be attributed to the low band gap (1.9 eV) of Ag@Fe3O4 NC. The NC elicited an impressive effectiveness (99-100%, 98.0%, and 91.8% within 30 min) in removing, under sunlight irradiation, several heavy metals, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and total suspended solids (TSS) from the oily water samples. Furthermore, Ag@Fe3O4 NC displayed potent antibacterial properties and a good biocompatibility. These findings contribute to the development of efficient and cost-effective methods for wastewater treatment and environmental remediation.

One-Step Solution Deposition of Tin-Perovskite onto a Self-Assembled Monolayer with a DMSO-Free Solvent System.

We show for the first time DMSO-free tin-based perovskite solar cells with a self-assembled hole selective contact (MeO-2PACz). Our method provides reproducible and hysteresis-free devices with MeO-2PACz, having the best device PCE of 5.8 % with a VOC of 638 mV.

Comparison of Knowledge of Lactose Intolerance and Cow's Milk Allergy Among the Medical Students at Two Universities in Saudi Arabia.

Lactose intolerance is a condition causing an inability to absorb and digest lactose leading to gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and flatulence. Because of the similarities between lactose intolerance and cow's milk allergy, it is becoming necessary to increase physicians' understanding of these two diseases. Consequently, we aimed to determine the level of knowledge of lactose intolerance and cow's milk allergy among medical students. An electronic survey was distributed to 399 medical students at two universities in Saudi Arabia from October to November 2022. The majority of the respondents had an inadequate knowledge of both lactose intolerance and cow's milk allergy (99.75% and 97.99%, respectively). According to the study's results that showed a lack of awareness among health-related students, further studies and awareness programs are highly recommended.

Chicoric acid enhances the antioxidative defense system and protects against inflammation and apoptosis associated with the colitis model induced by dextran sulfate sodium in rats.

Although several anticolitic drugs are available, their application is associated with numerous side effects. Chicoric acid (CA) is a hydroxycinnamic acid found naturally in chicory (Cichorium intybus), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), and basil with numerous health benefits, such as antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. Here, the potential anticolitic efficiency of CA against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in rats was examined in rats. Animals were randomly assigned to the following five groups: control, CA (100 mg/kg body weight), DSS [(DSS); 4% w/v], CA + DSS (100 mg/kg), and the 5-aminosalicylic acid (100 mg/kg) + DSS group. The obtained data revealed that CA significantly prevented the shortening of colon length. Meanwhile, the oxidative stress-related enzymes were increased, while malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, were markedly decreased significantly by CA. The results also indicated that CA administration decreased significantly the pro-apoptogenic indices (Bax and caspase-3) and enhanced significantly Bcl-2, the anti-apoptogenic protein. Moreover, DSS caused a significant elevation of pro-inflammatory mediators, including interleukin-1ß, tumor necrosis factor-α, myeloperoxidase, cyclooxygenase II, prostaglandin E2, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma. Interestingly, these changes were significantly decreased following the CA administration. At the molecular level, CA supplementation has increased significantly the expression level of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) and decreased the expressions of nitric oxide synthase and mitogen-activated protein kinase 14. CA has been determined to significantly lessen DSS-induced colitis by activating Nrf2 and its derived antioxidant molecules and suppressing inflammation and apoptosis cascades associated with the development of colitis; suggesting that CA could be used as an alternative naturally-derived anticolitic agent.

Modulation of inflammatory, oxidative, and apoptotic stresses mediates the renoprotective effect of daidzein against glycerol-induced acute kidney injury in rats.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a life-threatening complication that accompanies rhabdomyolysis. Daidzein is a dietary isoflavone that has various biological activities. This study examined the therapeutic potential of daidzein and the underlying mechanisms against AKI induced by glycerol in male rats. Animals were injected once with glycerol (50%, 10 ml/kg, intramuscular) for induction of AKI and pre-treated orally with daidzein (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) for 2 weeks. Biochemical, histopathological, immunohistopathological, and molecular parameters were assessed to evaluate the effect of daidzein. The results revealed that the model group displayed remarkable functional, molecular, and structural changes in the kidney. However, pre-administration of daidzein markedly decreased the kidney relative weight as well as the levels of urea, creatinine, K, P, kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and cystatin C. Further, daidzein lessened the rhabdomyolysis-related markers [lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK)]. Notably, the enhancement of the antioxidant biomarkers [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and reduced glutathione (GSH) is accompanied by a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels. Moreover, upregulated gene expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nfe212) and hemeoxygenase-1 (Hmox1) were exerted by daidzein administration. Rats who received daidzein displayed markedly lower interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), tumor nuclear factor-α (TNF-α), myleoperoxidase (MPO), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) levels together with higher interleukin-10 (IL-10) related to the model group. Remarkably, significant declines were noticed in the pro-apoptotic (Bax and caspase-3) and rises in antiapoptotic (Bcl-2) levels in the group that received daidzein. The renal histological screening validated the aforementioned biochemical and molecular alterations. Our findings support daidzein as a potential therapeutic approach against AKI-induced renal injury via suppression of muscle degradation, oxidative damage, cytokine release, and apoptosis.

Hydrothermal Synthesis of a Magnesium Vanadate-Functionalized Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite for an Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.

Herein, we reported the fabrication of a magnesium vanadate-reduced graphene oxide (Mg3V2O8-rGO) composite. Further, the structural morphology of the as-prepared Mg3V2O8-rGO composite was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Powder X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques were also adopted to check the phase purity and elemental composition of the prepared Mg3V2O8-rGO composite. Mg3V2O8-rGO possesses a band gap of 2.98 eV, which prompted us to explore its photocatalytic activity for hydrogen (H2) evolution reaction. The Mg3V2O8-rGO composite demonstrated the generation of a reasonable amount of H2 evolution (97.45 µmol g-1), which is relatively higher than that of pristine Mg3V2O8 (17.45 µmol g-1). This may be attributed to the presence of synergism between Mg3V2O8 and rGO. In addition, Mg3V2O8-rGO also showed good stability and suggested its potential application for photocatalytic H2 evolution applications. So far, no report is available on the use of Mg3V2O8-rGO as a photocatalyst for H2 evolution. We propose the potential role of the Mg3V2O8-rGO composite for photocatalytic H2 evolution applications.

Efficient light-driven hydrogen evolution and azo dye degradation over the GdVO4@g-C3N4 heterostructure.

A straightforward hydrothermal technique was used for the synthesis of a g-C3N4/GdVO4 (CN/GdV) heterostructure as an alternate material for energy and environmental applications. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the synthesized g-C3N4 (CN), GdVO4 (GdV), and the CN/GdV heterostructure. The characterization results revealed the distribution of GdV over CN sheets. The as-fabricated materials were tested for their capacity to evolve hydrogen gas and degrade two azo dyes (Amaranth; AMR and Reactive Red2; RR2) in the presence of visible light. When compared to pure CN and GdV, the efficiency of CN/GdV toward hydrogen evolution was high, with H2 evolution of 8234, 10 838, and 16 234 µmol g-1 in 4 h, respectively. The CN/GdV heterostructure was able to degrade 96% and 93% of AMR (60 min) and RR2 (80 min), respectively. The enhanced activity with CN/GdV could be attributed to the type-II heterostructure and decreased recombination of charge carriers. The intermediate analysis of AMR and RR2 degradation was conducted using mass spectrometry (MS). The mechanism of photocatalysis was investigated and is discussed based on the optical and electrochemical characterizations. The efficient photocatalytic characteristics of CN/GdV could promote further research on metal vanadate nanocomposite materials.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity and antiviral evaluation of CuO@Fe2O3NC for amoxicillin degradation and SARS-CoV-2 treatment.

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) and CuO NPs decorated with hematite (Fe2O3) nanocomposites (CuO@Fe2O3NC) were biosynthesized by a green method usingPortulaca oleracealeaves extract. The NC were characterized using various techniques, including x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The results showed that the synthesized CuO and CuO@Fe2O3NC were crystalline with a monoclinic crystal structure and contained functional groups responsible for catalytic activity. The size of the nanocomposites ranged from 39.5 to 45.9 nm, and they exhibited a variety of agglomerated or aggregated shapes. The CuO@Fe2O3NC showed improved photocatalytic activity for the degradation of antibiotics in water and wastewater and promising antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, indicating its potential for use in disinfection applications. The study investigated the impact of irradiation time on the photocatalytic degradation of Amoxicillin and found that increasing the irradiation time led to a higher degradation rate. The band gap energy (Eg) for pure CuO NPs was around 2.4 eV and dropped to 1.6 eV with CuO@Fe2O3NC. In summary, the CuO@Fe2O3NC has the potential to be an efficient photocatalyst and promising antiviral agent for environmental remediation. The CuO@Fe2O3nanocomposites have been found to possess a high degree of efficacy in inactivating SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. The results of the study indicate that the nanocomposites exhibit potent anti-viral properties and hold significant potential for use in mitigating the spread of the virus.

Synthesis of Xanthan Gum Anchored α-Fe2O3 Bionanocomposite Material for Remediation of Pb (II) Contaminated Aquatic System.

Increases in community and industrial activities have led to disturbances of the environmental balance and the contamination of water systems through the introduction of organic and inorganic pollutants. Among the various inorganic pollutants, Pb (II) is one of the heavy metals possessing non-biodegradable and the most toxic characteristics towards human health and the environment. The present study is focussed on the synthesis of efficient and eco-friendly adsorbent material that can remove Pb (II) from wastewater. A green functional nanocomposite material based on the immobilization of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with xanthan gum (XG) biopolymer has been synthesized in this study to be applied as an adsorbent (XGFO) for sequestration of Pb (II). Spectroscopic techniques such as scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were adopted for characterizing the solid powder material. The synthesized material was found to be rich in key functional groups such as -COOH and -OH playing important roles in binding the adsorbate particles through ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT). Based on the preliminary results, adsorption experiments were conducted, and the data obtained were applied to four different adsorption isotherm models, viz the Langmuir, Temkin, Freundlich and D-R models. Based on the high values of R2 and low values of χ2, the Langmuir isotherm model was found to be the best model for simulation of data for Pb (II) adsorption by XGFO. The value of maximum monolayer adsorption capacity (Qm) was found to be 117.45 mg g-1 at 303 K, 126.23 mg g-1 at 313 K, 145.12 mg g-1 at 323 K and 191.27 mg g-1 at 323 K. The kinetics of the adsorption process of Pb (II) by XGFO was best defined by the pseudo-second-order model. The thermodynamic aspect of the reaction suggested that the reaction is endothermic and spontaneous. The outcomes proved that XGFO can be utilized as an efficient adsorbent material for the treatment of contaminated wastewater.

Unexpected Diastereomer Formation and Interconversions in Cyclohexane-1,2-diacetal Derivatization of a Glucuronic Acid Thioglycoside.

Reactions of a glucuronic acid (GlcA) ß-thioglycoside with cyclohexadione show initial formation of the two anticipated all-trans decalin-type O2,O3 and O3,O4 cyclohexane-1,2-diacetals (CDAs) along with an epimer of the main O2,O3 acetal. This trans-cis isomer is then interconverted leading to higher amounts of the two all-trans products. Isomerization studies indicate slow interconversion between the all-trans CDA acetals, with only one undergoing significant interconversion with the minor 2,3-diastereomer. Crystal structures of all three isomers are included. These findings are relevant to other uses of CDA protections where occurrence of apparently disfavored isomers may be occurring, along with interconversions between CDA isomers.

In Situ Hydrothermal Synthesis of Ni1-xMnxWO4 Nanoheterostructure for Enhanced Photodegradation of Methyl Orange.

The monoclinic nanocrystalline Ni1-xMnxWO4 heterostructure has been successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal technique for achieving better sensitive and photocatalytic performances. Different characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy have been employed to investigate their structural, microstructural, and optical properties. Mn-ion incorporation in the NiWO4 lattice reduces the particle size of the sample compared with the pure undoped NiWO4 sample, which has been confirmed from the transmission electron microscope image. The Tauc plot of the Ni1-xMnxWO4 sample exhibits a significant decrease in bandgap energy compared with the pure undoped NiWO4 sample due to the quantum confinement effect. Finally, the material was explored as a photocatalyst for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye from wastewater under visible light irradiation. Various reaction parameters such as pH, catalyst dose, reaction time, and kinetics of the photodegradation were studied using the batch method. The results showed that the Ni1-xMnxWO4 is highly efficient (94.51%) compared with undoped NiWO4 (65.45%). The rate of photodegradation by Ni1-xMnxWO4 (0.067) was found to be 1.06 times higher than the undoped NiWO4 (0.062).

Zinc Vanadate (Zn3V2O8) Immobilized Multiwall Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT) Heterojunction as an Efficient Photocatalyst for Visible Light Driven Hydrogen Production.

Z-scheme photocatalytic reaction is considered an effective strategy to promote the photogenerated electron-hole separation for significantly improving the efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen precipitation from splitting water. In this study, a heterojunction nanocomposite material based on Zn3V2O8 (ZV) with MWCNT was prepared by a hydrothermal process. The photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to understand crystal structure, morphology, and optical properties. The efficiency of the samples was evaluated for the photocatalytic H2 production under visible solar radiation using water glycerol as a sacrificial reagent. The obtained results suggest that, between ZV and ZV@MWCNT, the latter shows higher efficiency for H2 production. The maximum H2 production efficiency was found to be 26.87 µmol g-1 h-1 for ZV and 99.55 µmol g-1 h-1 for ZV@MWCNT. The synergistic effect of MWCNT to ZV resulted in improving the efficiency of charges and light-absorbing capacity, resulting in enhanced H2 production in the heterojunction nanocomposite material. The nanocomposite was stable and highly efficient for H2 production of six or more cycles. Based on the outcomes of this study, it can be observed that forming the heterojunction of individual nano systems could result in more efficient material for H2 production under visible solar energy.

CuO Nanorods Immobilized Agar-Alginate Biopolymer: A Green Functional Material for Photocatalytic Degradation of Amaranth Dye.

The contamination of water is increasing day by day due to the increase of urbanization and population. Textile industries contribute to this by discarding their waste directly into water streams without proper treatment. A recent study explores the treatment potential of copper oxide nanorods (CuO NRs) synthesized on a green basis in the presence of a biopolymer matrix of agar (AA) and alginate (Alg), in terms of cost effectiveness and environmental impact. The synthesized bio nanocomposite (BNC) was characterized by using different instrumental techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultra-violet spectroscopy (UV-Vis), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray-elemental analysis (SEM-EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area diffraction pattern (SAED) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The optical studies revealed that immobilization of CuO NRs with Alg-Agar biopolymer blend resulted in an increase in light absorption capacity by decreasing the energy bandgap from 2.53 eV to 2.37 eV. The bio nanocomposite was utilized as a photocatalyst for the degradation of amaranth (AN) dye from an aquatic environment under visible light irradiation. A statistical tool known as central composite design (CCD) associated with response surface methodology (RSM) was taken into consideration to evaluate the optimized values of process variables and their synergistic effect on photocatalytic efficiency. The optimized values of process variables were found to be irradiation time (45 min), AN concentration (80 ppm), catalyst dose (20 mg), and pH (4), resulting in 95.69% of dye degradation at 95% confidence level with desirability level 1. The rate of AN degradation was best defined by pseudo-first-order reaction based on the correlation coefficient value (R2 = 0.99) suggesting the establishment of adsorption-desorption equilibrium initially at the catalyst surface then photogenerated •O2- radicals interacting with AN molecule to mineralize them into small non-toxic entities like CO2, H2O. The material used has high efficiency and stability in photocatalytic degradation experiments up to four cycles of reusability.

Fluorometric Sensing and Detection of p-Nitroaniline by Mixed Metal (Zn, Ni) Tungstate Nanocomposite.

Aromatic amines are important chemical intermediates that hold an irreplaceable significance for synthesizing many chemical products. However, they may react with substances excreted from human bodies to generate blood poisoning, skin eczema, and dermatitis disease and even induce cancer-causing high risks to human health and the environment. Metal tungstates have been proven to be highly efficient materials for developing various toxic gases or chemical detection sensor systems. However, the major factors of the sensors, such as sensitivity, selectivity, stability, response, and recovery times, still need to be optimized for practical technological applications. In this work, Ni-doped ZnWO4 mixed metal tungstate nanocomposite material was synthesized by the hydrothermal method and explored as a sensor for the fluorometric determination of p-nitroaniline (p-NA). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used for the elucidation of the optimized particle diameter. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to observe the surface morphological changes in the material during the solid-state reactions. The vibration modes of as-prepared samples were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The chemical bonding and oxidation states of individual elements involved in material synthesis were observed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The PL activities of the metal tungstate nanoparticles were investigated for the sensing of p-nitroaniline (p-NA). The obtained results demonstrated that ZnNiWO4 was more effective in sensing p-NA than the other precursors were by using the quenching effect. The material showed remarkably high sensitivity towards p-NA in a concentration range of 25-1000 µM, and the limit of detection (LOD) value was found to be 1.93 × 10-8 M for ZnWO4, 2.17 × 10-8 M for NiWO4, and 2.98 × 10-8 M for ZnNiWO4, respectively.

Neuroprotective efficacy of the bacterial metabolite, prodigiosin, against aluminium chloride-induced neurochemical alternations associated with Alzheimer's disease murine model: Involvement of Nrf2/HO-1/NF-κB signaling.

Prodigiosin (PDG) is a bacterial metabolite with numerous biological and pharmaceutical properties. Exposure to aluminium is considered a root etiological factor in the pathological progress of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, in this investigation, we explored the neuroprotective potential of PDG against aluminium chloride (AlCl3 )-mediated AD-like neurological alterations in rats. For this purpose, rats were gavaged either AlCl3 (100 mg/kg), PDG (300 mg/kg), or both for 42 days. As a result of the analyzes performed on the hippocampal tissue, it was observed that AlCl3 induced biochemical, molecular, and histopathological changes like those related to AD. PDG pre-treatment significantly decreased acetylcholinesterase activity and restored the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, monoamines (dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin), and transmembrane protein (Na+ /K+ -ATPase). Furthermore, PDG boosted the hippocampal antioxidant capacity, as shown by the increased superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione contents. These findings were accompanied by decreases in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels. The antioxidant effect may promote the upregulation of the expression of antioxidant genes (Nrf2 and HO-1). Moreover, PDG exerted notable anti-inflammatory effects via the lessening of interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, cyclooxygenase-2, nuclear factor kappa B, and decreases in the gene expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase. In addition, noteworthy decreases in pro-apoptotic (Bax and caspase-3) levels and increases in anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) biomarkers suggested an anti-apoptotic effect of PDG. In support, the hippocampal histological examination validated the aforementioned changes. To summarize, the promising neuromodulatory, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities of PDG establish it as a potent therapeutic option for AD.

Apigenin protects from hepatorenal damage caused by lead acetate in rats.

Exposure to lead (Pb) is associated with serious health problems including hepatorenal toxicity. Apigenin is a natural-sourced flavonoid with promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In this research, we investigated the potential protective role of apigenin against lead acetate (PbAc)-induced hepatorenal damage. Thus, this experiment studied the exposure of male Wistar Albino rats to apigenin and/or PbAc and their effects in comparison to the control rats. Apigenin administration decreased the levels of Pb and prevented the histopathological deformations in liver and kidney tissues following PbAc exposure. This was confirmed by the normalized levels of liver and kidney function markers. Additionally, apigenin inhibited significantly oxidative reactions through upregulating Nrf2 and HO-1, and activating their downstreamed antioxidants accompanied by a marked depletion of pro-oxidants. Moreover, apigenin decreased the elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibited cell loss in liver and kidney tissues in response to PbAc intoxication in both tissues. The obtained results demonstrated that apigenin could be used to attenuate the molecular, biochemical, and histological alterations associated with Pb exposure due to its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects.

Silver Nanoparticles Enhance Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis in Liver and Kidney Tissues: Potential Protective Role of Thymoquinone.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are the most common nanomaterials in consumer products. Therefore, it has been crucial to control AgNPs toxicological effects to improve their safety and increase the outcome of their applications. This work investigated the possible protective effect of thymoquinone (TQ) against AgNPs-induced hepatic and renal cytotoxicity in rats. Serum markers of liver and kidney functions as well as liver and kidney oxidative stress status, pro-inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis markers, and histopathology were assessed. TQ reversed AgNPs-induced elevation in serum liver and kidney function markers, including aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, urea, and creatinine. Moreover, TQ co-administration with AgNPs alleviates hepatic and renal oxidative insults by decreasing MDA and NO levels with a significant increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione recycling enzymes peroxidase and reductase) compared to AgNPs-treated rats. Besides, TQ upregulated hepatic and renal Nrf2 gene expression in AgNPs-intoxicated rats. Furthermore, TQ co-administration decreased the hepatic and renal pro-inflammatory mediators represented by IL-1ß, TNF-α, TGF-ß, and NF-κB levels. Besides, TQ co-administration decreased apoptotic protein (Bax) levels and increased the anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2) levels. These findings were confirmed by the histopathological examination of hepatic and renal tissues. Our data affirmed the protective effect of TQ against AgNPs cytotoxicity and proposed a possible mechanism of TQ antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects. Consequently, we could conclude that using TQ might control AgNPs toxicological effects, improve their safety, and increase the outcome of their applications.

Protective effect of quercetin against 5-fluorouracil-induced cardiac impairments through activating Nrf2 and inhibiting NF-κB and caspase-3 activities.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a chemotherapy used to treat many types of cancer. Cardiotoxicity is one of the common drawbacks of 5-FU therapy. Quercetin (Qu) is a bioflavonoid with striking biological activities. This research aimed to assess the ameliorative effect of Qu against 5-FU-mediated cardiotoxicity. Thirty-five rats were allocated into five groups: control group (normal saline), 5-FU group (30 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), Qu group (50 mg/kg, oral), 25 mg/kg Qu+5-FU group, and 50 mg/kg Qu+5-FU. The experimental animals were received the above-mentioned drugs for 21 days. Results showed that 5-FU significantly elevated creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, serum cholesterol and triglyceride, and upregulated troponin and renin mRNA expression. Additionally, cardiac oxidant/antioxidant imbalance was evident in elevated oxidants (malondialdehyde and nitric oxide) and depleted antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione). 5-FU also downregulated the gene expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2. Furthermore, 5-FU significantly increased cardiac pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta) and upregulated gene expression of nuclear factor kappa-B. 5-FU significantly enhanced cardiac apoptosis through upregulating caspase-3 expression and downregulating B-cell lymphoma 2. Immunohistochemical and histopathological examinations verified the above-mentioned findings. However, all these changes were significantly ameliorated in Qu pre-administered rats. Conclusively, Qu counteracted 5-FU-mediated cardiotoxicity through potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects.

Thymoquinone counteracts oxidative and inflammatory machinery in carrageenan-induced murine paw edema model.

Thymoquinone (TQ) is an active constituent in Nigella sativa (black cumin) and is extensively reported for its distinguished antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactivities. Despite the local protective response of acute inflammation, it contributes to the development of various disease conditions such as cell death, organ damage, or carcinogenesis. Hence, in this study, the effects of orally administered TQ (50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg) for 14 days against edema development, oxidative stress, and inflammation were investigated in paw edema induced by carrageenan in mice. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg) was used as a reference drug. The results revealed that TQ reduced the paw edema volume in a time-dependent manner, attenuated acetic acid-provoked writhing movements, and reduced xylene-triggered ear edema. Hematological findings revealed marked normalization of altered counts of WBCs, and platelets. Furthermore, paw tissue levels of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide showed marked decreases together with increases in nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase after TQ administration. Additionally, TQ decreased pro-inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, C-reactive protein, myeloperoxidase, and nuclear factor kappa-B in the inflamed paw tissue. Moreover, appreciable decreases were recorded in cyclooxygenase-2 and its product prostaglandin E2 and the immune reaction of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in TQ-treated mice. Histopathological findings further validated the potential antiedematous, anti-inflammatory power of TQ in inflamed tissues. Conclusively, the results encourage the potent application of TQ to subside acute inflammatory events because of its striking antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in inflamed paw tissue.