MnO2/TiO2-Catalyzed ozonolysis: enhancing Pentachlorophenol degradation and understanding intermediates.

Pentachlorophenol is a pesticide widely known for its harmful effects on sewage, causing harm to the environment. In previous studies, our group identified adsorption as a crucial factor in catalytic ozonation processes, and subsequent observations revealed the catalyst's role in reducing toxicity during degradation. In this research, we quantified organochlorine intermediates and low molecular weight organic acids generated under optimal pH conditions (pH 9), with and without the catalyst. Additionally, we assessed the reactivity of these intermediates through theoretical calculations. Our findings indicate that the catalyst reduces the duration of intermediates. Additionally, the presence of CO2 suggests enhanced mineralization of pentachlorophenol, a process notably facilitated by the catalyst. Theoretical calculations, such as Fukui analysis, offer insights into potential pathways for the dechlorination of aromatic molecules by radicals like OH, indicating the significance of this pathway.

Santalum Genus: phytochemical constituents, biological activities and health promoting-effects.

Santalum genus belongs to the family of Santalaceae, widespread in India, Australia, Hawaii, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, and valued as traditional medicine, rituals and modern bioactivities. Sandalwood is reported to possess a plethora of bioactive compounds such as essential oil and its components (α-santalol and ß-santalol), phenolic compounds and fatty acids. These bioactives play important role in contributing towards biological activities and health-promoting effects in humans. Pre-clinical and clinical studies have shown the role of sandalwood extract as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, neuroleptic, antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, and anticancer activities. Safety studies on sandalwood essential oil (EO) and its extracts have proven them as a safe ingredient to be utilized in health promotion. Phytoconstituents, bioactivities and traditional uses established sandalwood as one of the innovative materials for application in the pharma, food, and biomedical industry.

Pharmacological effects and therapeutic potential of natural compounds in neuropsychiatric disorders: An update.

Neuropsychiatric diseases are a group of disorders that cause significant morbidity and disability. The symptoms of psychiatric disorders include anxiety, depression, eating disorders, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and conduct disorder. Various medicinal plants are frequently used as therapeutics in traditional medicine in different parts of the world. Nowadays, using medicinal plants as an alternative medication has been considered due to their biological safety. Despite the wide range of medications, many patients are unable to tolerate the side effects and eventually lose their response. By considering the therapeutic advantages of medicinal plants in the case of side effects, patients may prefer to use them instead of chemical drugs. Today, the use of medicinal plants in traditional medicine is diverse and increasing, and these plants are a precious heritage for humanity. Investigation about traditional medicine continues, and several studies have indicated the basic pharmacology and clinical efficacy of herbal medicine. In this article, we discuss five of the most important and common psychiatric illnesses investigated in various studies along with conventional therapies and their pharmacological therapies. For this comprehensive review, data were obtained from electronic databases such as MedLine/PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, EMBASE, DynaMed Plus, ScienceDirect, and TRIP database. Preclinical pharmacology studies have confirmed that some bioactive compounds may have beneficial therapeutic effects in some common psychiatric disorders. The mechanisms of action of the analyzed biocompounds are presented in detail. The bioactive compounds analyzed in this review are promising phytochemicals for adjuvant and complementary drug candidates in the pharmacotherapy of neuropsychiatric diseases. Although comparative studies have been carefully reviewed in the preclinical pharmacology field, no clinical studies have been found to confirm the efficacy of herbal medicines compared to FDA-approved medicines for the treatment of mental disorders. Therefore, future clinical studies are needed to accelerate the potential use of natural compounds in the management of these diseases.

Naturally-Occurring Bioactives in Oral Cancer: Preclinical and Clinical Studies, Bottlenecks and Future Directions.

Oral cancer (OC) is the eighth most common cancer, particularly prevalent in developing countries. Current treatment includes a multidisciplinary approach, involving chemo, radio, and immunotherapy and surgery, which depends on cancer stage and location. As a result of the side effects of currently available drugs, there has been an increasing interest in the search for naturally-occurring bioactives for treating all types of cancer, including OC. Thus, this comprehensive review aims to give a holistic view on OC incidence and impact, while highlights the preclinical and clinical studies related to the use of medicinal plants for OC prevention and the recent developments in bioactive synthetic analogs towards OC management. Chemoprophylactic therapies connect the use of natural and/or synthetic molecules to suppress, inhibit or revert the transformation of oral epithelial dysplasia (DOK) into oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Novel searches have underlined the promising role of plant extracts and phytochemical compounds, such as curcumin, green tea extract, resveratrol, isothiocyanates, lycopene or genistein against this malignancy. However, poor bioavailability and lack of in vivo and clinical studies and complex pharmacokinetic profiles limit their huge potential of application. However, recent nanotechnological and related advances have shown to be promising in improving the bioavailability, absorption and efficacy of such compounds.

Propolis: An update on its chemistry and pharmacological applications.

Propolis, a resinous substance produced by honeybees from various plant sources, has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine for several purposes all over the world. The precise composition of propolis varies according to plant source, seasons harvesting, geography, type of bee flora, climate changes, and honeybee species at the site of collection. This apiary product has broad clinical applications such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, analgesic, antidepressant, and anxiolytic as well asimmunomodulatory effects. It is also well known from traditional uses in treating purulent disorders, improving the wound healing, and alleviating many of the related discomforts. Even if its use was already widespread since ancient times, after the First and Second World War, it has grown even more as well as the studies to identify its chemical and pharmacological features, allowing to discriminate the qualities of propolis in terms of the chemical profile and relative biological activity based on the geographic place of origin. Recently, several in vitro and in vivo studies have been carried out and new insights into the pharmaceutical prospects of this bee product in the management of different disorders, have been highlighted. Specifically, the available literature confirms the efficacy of propolis and its bioactive compounds in the reduction of cancer progression, inhibition of bacterial and viral infections as well as mitigation of parasitic-related symptoms, paving the way to the use of propolis as an alternative approach to improve the human health. However, a more conscious use of propolis in terms of standardized extracts as well as new clinical studies are needed to substantiate these health claims.

Antioxidant, Antiproliferative and Anti-Enzymatic Capacities, Nutritional Analysis and UHPLC-PDA-MS Characterization of Ungurahui Palm Fruits (Oenocarpus bataua Mart) from the Peruvian Amazon.

Ungurahui, or Patawa, fruits are a popular fruit and medicinal food used in the Amazon. Here, we have studied nine natural populations of ungurahui from the Peruvian Amazon regarding their nutritional and biological activities, including metal composition, proximal analyses, cytotoxic, antioxidant and cholinesterase inhibition activities. Twenty-four compounds have been detected in these Peruvian natural populations by UHPLC-MS, including nine phenolic acids (peaks 1-6, 8, 9 and 11), four C-glycosyl flavonoids (peaks 12, 16, 17 and 18), two flavonols (peaks 7 and 10), one flavanol (peak 15), three anthocyanins (peaks 13, 14 and 22) and five resveratrol derivatives (peaks 19-21, 23 and 24). Sample 9, Tunaants, showed the highest DPPH clearing capacity regarding the content of Trolox equivalents (2208.79 µmol Trolox/g), but an ORAC test of the sample collected in San Lorenzo showed the highest clearing activity (1222.28 µmol Trolox/g) and the sample collected in Allpahuayo Mishana showed the most powerful ABTS (1803.72 µmol Trolox/g). The sample from Jenaro Herrera was the most powerful in AChe inhibition (IC50 2.05 ± 0.03 µg/mL), followed by the sample from Contamana (IC50 2.43 ± 0.12 µg/mL). In BChE inhibition, the sample from Palestina was the most active (4.42 ± 0.06 µg/mL), followed by samples from Tunaants and San Lorenzo. The differences among bioactivities can be related to the different growing conditions of the populations of ungurahui. The palm tree fruit proved to be a good source of natural antioxidants and dietary fatty acids, and their consumption represents an alternative for the prevention of neurodegenerative or related non-chronic transmittable diseases.

Bioactive Effects of Curcumin in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Along with the Most Effective Isolation Techniques and Type of Nanoformulations.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with African countries being the worst affected by this deadly virus. Curcumin (CUR) is a Curcuma longa-derived polyphenol that has attracted the attention of researchers due to its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory and antiviral effects. CUR also demonstrates anti-HIV effects by acting as a possible inhibitor of gp120 binding, integrase, protease, and topoisomerase II activities, besides also exerting a protective action against HIV-associated diseases. However, its effectiveness is limited due to its poor water solubility, rapid metabolism, and systemic elimination. Nanoformulations have been shown to be useful to enhance curcumin's bioavailability and its effectiveness as an anti-HIV agent. In this sense, bioactive effects of CUR in HIV infection are carefully reviewed, along with the most effective isolation techniques and type of nanoformulations available.

Therapeutic applications of curcumin nanomedicine formulations in cystic fibrosis.

Medicinal applications of turmeric-derived curcumin have been known to mankind for long ages. Its potential in managing "cystic fibrosis" has also been evaluated. This autosomal recessive genetic disease is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) which involves an impaired secretion of chloride ions and leads to hypersecretion of thick and sticky mucus and serious complications including airway obstruction, chronic lung infection, and inflammatory reactions. This narrative review aims to highlight the available evidence for the efficacy of curcumin nanoformulations in its potential treatment of cystic fibrosis. Recent research has shown that curcumin acts on the localized mutant CFTR ion channel at the plasma membrane. Preclinical studies have also shown that curcumin nanoformulations have promising effects in the treatment of cystic fibrosis. In this context, the purpose of this narrative review is to highlight the general bioactivity of curcumin, the types of formulations and related studies, thus opening new therapeutic perspectives for CF.

The effects of thymoquinone on pancreatic cancer: Evidence from preclinical studies.

Thymoquinone (TQ) is a secondary metabolite found in abundance in very few plant species including Nigella sativa L., Monarda fistulosa L., Thymus vulgaris L. and Satureja montana L. Preclinical pharmacological studies have shown that TQ has many biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments have shown that TQ acts as an antitumor agent by altering cell cycle progression, inhibiting cell proliferation, stimulating apoptosis, inhibiting angiogenesis, reducing metastasis and affecting autophagy. In this comprehensive study, the evidence on the pharmacological potential of TQ on pancreatic cancer is reviewed. The positive results of preclinical studies support the view that TQ can be considered as an additional therapeutic agent against pancreatic cancer. The possibilities of success for this compound in human medicine should be further explored through clinical trials.

Anticancer potential of alkaloids: a key emphasis to colchicine, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine, vinorelbine and vincamine.

Cancer, one of the leading illnesses, accounts for about 10 million deaths worldwide. The treatment of cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and drug therapy, along with others, which not only put a tremendous economic effect on patients but also develop drug resistance in patients with time. A significant number of cancer cases can be prevented/treated by implementing evidence-based preventive strategies. Plant-based drugs have evolved as promising preventive chemo options both in developing and developed nations. The secondary plant metabolites such as alkaloids have proven efficacy and acceptability for cancer treatment. Apropos, this review deals with a spectrum of promising alkaloids such as colchicine, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine, vinorelbine, and vincamine within different domains of comprehensive information on these molecules such as their medical applications (contemporary/traditional), mechanism of antitumor action, and potential scale-up biotechnological studies on an in-vitro scale. The comprehensive information provided in the review will be a valuable resource to develop an effective, affordable, and cost effective cancer management program using these alkaloids.

The role of Tumour Necrosis Factor in neuroinflammation associated with Parkinson's disease and targeted therapies.

Neurodegenerative disorders Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with neuroinflammatory responses that lead to the neurodegeneration of the dopaminergic neurons. These neuroinflammatory mechanisms involve various cytokines produced by the activated glial cells. Tumour Necrosis factor α (TNF α) is one of the major mediators of the neuroinflammation associated with neurodegeneration. TNF α has a dual role of neuroprotection and neurotoxicity in the brain. The effective pathways of TNF involve various signalling pathways transduced by the receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2. Effective therapeutic strategies have been produced targeting the neurotoxic behaviour of the Tumour Necrosis Factor and the associated neurodegeneration which includes the use of Dominant Negative Tumour Necrosis Factor (DN-TNF) inhibitors like XENP 345 and XPro®1595 and peroxisome proliferator receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) agonists.

A Review on Tradescantia: Phytochemical Constituents, Biological Activities and Health-Promoting Effects.

Tradescantia is a genus of herbaceous and perennial plants belonging to the Commelinaceae family and organized into three infrageneric classifications and 12 sections. More than 80 species within the genus have been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. Phytochemical compounds (from various species of the genus) such as coumarins, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, steroids and terpenoids have recently been characterized and described with antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer or antimicrobial properties. The objective of this review is to describe the different aspects of the genus Tradescantia, including its botanical characteristics, traditional uses, phytochemical composition, biological activities, and safety aspects.

An Updated Review on The Properties of Melissa officinalis L.: Not Exclusively Anti-anxiety.

Melissa officinalis L. is a plant of the Lamiaceae family known in numerous countries for its medicinal activities. This plant has been used since ancient times to treat different disorders, including gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neurological, psychological conditions. M. officinalis contains several phytochemicals such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and many others at the basis of its pharmacological activities. Indeed, the plant can have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, nephroprotective, antinociceptive effects. Given its consolidated use, M. officinalis has also been experimented with clinical settings, demonstrating interesting properties against different human diseases, such as anxiety, sleeping difficulties, palpitation, hypertension, depression, dementia, infantile colic, bruxism, metabolic problems, Alzheimer's disease, and sexual disorders. As for any natural compound, drug, or plant extract, also M. officinalis can have adverse effects, even though the reported events are very rare and the plant can be considered substantially safe. This review has been prepared with a specific research strategy, interrogating different databases with the keyword M. officinalis. Moreover, this work analyzes the properties of this plant updating currently available literature, with a special emphasis on human studies.

Pharmacological Properties of Bergapten: Mechanistic and Therapeutic Aspects.

Bergapten (BP) or 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MOP) is a furocoumarin compound mainly found in bergamot essential oil but also in other citrus essential oils and grapefruit juice. This compound presents antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, hypolipemic, and anticancer effects and is successfully used as a photosensitizing agent. The present review focuses on the research evidence related to the therapeutic properties of bergapten collected in recent years. Many preclinical and in vitro studies have been evidenced the therapeutic action of BP; however, few clinical trials have been carried out to evaluate its efficacy. These clinical trials with BP are mainly focused on patients suffering from skin disorders such as psoriasis or vitiligo. In these trials, the administration of BP (oral or topical) combined with UV irradiation induces relevant lesion clearance rates. In addition, beneficial effects of bergamot extract were also observed in patients with altered serum lipid profiles and in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver. On the contrary, there are no clinical trials that investigate the possible effects on cancer. Although the bioavailability of BP is lower than that of its 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) isomer, it has fewer side effects allowing higher concentrations to be administered. In conclusion, although the use of BP has therapeutic applications on skin disorders as a sensitizing agent and as components of bergamot extract as hypolipemic therapy, more trials are necessary to define the doses and treatment guidelines and its usefulness against other pathologies such as cancer or bacterial infections.

Activities and Molecular Mechanisms of Diterpenes, Diterpenoids, and Their Derivatives in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Diterpenes and their derivatives have many biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. To date, several diterpenes, diterpenoids, and their laboratory-derived products have been demonstrated for antiarthritic activities. This study summarizes the literature about diterpenes and their derivatives acting against rheumatoid arthritis (RA) depending on the database reports until 31 August 2021. For this, we have conducted an extensive search in databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrials.gov using specific relevant keywords. The search yielded 2708 published records, among which 48 have been included in this study. The findings offer several potential diterpenes and their derivatives as anti-RA in various test models. Among the diterpenes and their derivatives, andrographolide, triptolide, and tanshinone IIA have been found to exhibit anti-RA activity through diverse pathways. In addition, some important derivatives of triptolide and tanshinone IIA have also been shown to have anti-RA effects. Overall, findings suggest that these substances could reduce arthritis score, downregulate oxidative, proinflammatory, and inflammatory biomarkers, modulate various arthritis pathways, and improve joint destruction and clinical arthritic conditions, signs, symptoms, and physical functions in humans and numerous experimental animals, mainly through cytokine and chemokine as well as several physiological protein interaction pathways. Taken all together, diterpenes, diterpenoids, and their derivatives may be promising tools for RA management.

Natural products and synthetic analogues against HIV: A perspective to develop new potential anti-HIV drugs.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is responsible for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), one of the major pandemic diseases. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is the standard HIV-treatment regimen that usually comprises a combination of three or more antiretroviral drugs. HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors are the main HAART target, which involves the use of both nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). However, compounds affecting other aspects of HIV replication, such as virus entry and fusion or important viral enzymes, such as integrases and proteases, have also been developed. Natural compounds from different sources, like plants, microbial and marine organisms, showed promising anti-HIV activities to the point of establishing the basis for developing new drugs. Indeed, natural compounds-based therapies have the potential to become more efficient than conventional HAART, with less or no side effects. This review aims to gather and discuss the current information about the anti-HIV activity of natural and synthetic compounds, their history and mechanism of action as well as the role of plants and their bioactive compounds as a source of new anti-HIV drugs.

Ellagic Acid: A Review on Its Natural Sources, Chemical Stability, and Therapeutic Potential.

Ellagic acid (EA) is a bioactive polyphenolic compound naturally occurring as secondary metabolite in many plant taxa. EA content is considerable in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and in wood and bark of some tree species. Structurally, EA is a dilactone of hexahydroxydiphenic acid (HHDP), a dimeric gallic acid derivative, produced mainly by hydrolysis of ellagitannins, a widely distributed group of secondary metabolites. EA is attracting attention due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, and antiproliferative properties. EA displayed pharmacological effects in various in vitro and in vivo model systems. Furthermore, EA has also been well documented for its antiallergic, antiatherosclerotic, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and neuroprotective properties. This review reports on the health-promoting effects of EA, along with possible mechanisms of its action in maintaining the health status, by summarizing the literature related to the therapeutic potential of this polyphenolic in the treatment of several human diseases.

Urtica dioica-Derived Phytochemicals for Pharmacological and Therapeutic Applications.

Urtica dioica belongs to the Urticaceae family and is found in many countries around the world. This plant contains a broad range of phytochemicals, such as phenolic compounds, sterols, fatty acids, alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, and lignans, that have been widely reported for their excellent pharmacological activities, including antiviral, antimicrobial, antihelmintic, anticancer, nephroprotective, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, antiarthritis, antidiabetic, antiendometriosis, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiaging effects. In this regard, this review highlights fresh insight into the medicinal use, chemical composition, pharmacological properties, and safety profile of U. dioica to guide future works to thoroughly estimate their clinical value.

Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Biological Activities, and Health-Promoting Effects of the Genus Bulbophyllum.

The genus Bulbophyllum is of scientific interest due to the phytochemical components and diverse biological activities found across species of the genus. Most Bulbophyllum species are epiphytic and located in habitats that range from subtropical dry forests to wet montane cloud forests. In many cultures, the genus Bulbophyllum has a religious, protective, ornamenting, cosmetic, and medicinal role. Detailed investigations into the molecular pharmacological mechanisms and numerous biological effects of Bulbophyllum spp. remain ambiguous. The review focuses on an in-depth discussion of studies containing data on phytochemistry and preclinical pharmacology. Thus, the purpose of this review was to summarize the therapeutic potential of Bulbophyllum spp. biocompounds. Data were collected from several scientific databases such as PubMed and ScienceDirect, other professional websites, and traditional medicine books to obtain the necessary information. Evidence from pharmacological studies has shown that various phytoconstituents in some Bulbophyllum species have different biological health-promoting activities such as antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective. No toxicological effects have been reported to date. Future clinical trials are needed for the clinical confirmation of biological activities proven in preclinical studies. Although orchid species are cultivated for ornamental purposes and have a wide traditional use, the novelty of this review is a summary of biological actions from preclinical studies, thus supporting ethnopharmacological data.