Macroalgae Bioplastics: A Sustainable Shift to Mitigate the Ecological Impact of Petroleum-Based Plastics.

The surge in global utilization of petroleum-based plastics, which notably heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic, has substantially increased its harm to ecosystems. Considering the escalating environmental impact, a pivotal shift towards bioplastics usage is imperative. Exploring and implementing bioplastics as a viable alternative could mitigate the ecological burden posed by traditional plastics. Macroalgae is a potential feedstock for the production of bioplastics due to its abundance, fast growth, and high cellulose and sugar content. Researchers have recently explored various methods for extracting and converting macroalgae into bioplastic. Some of the key challenges in the production of macroalgae bioplastics are the high costs of large-scale production and the need to optimize the extraction and conversion processes to obtain high-quality bioplastics. However, the potential benefits of using macroalgae for bioplastic production include reducing plastic waste and greenhouse gas emissions, using healthier materials in various life practices, and developing a promising area for future research and development. Also, bioplastic provides job opportunities in free enterprise and contributes to various applications such as packaging, medical devices, electronics, textiles, and cosmetics. The presented review aims to discuss the problem of petroleum-based plastic, bioplastic extraction from macroalgae, bioplastic properties, biodegradability, its various applications, and its production challenges.

Antitumor and Phytochemical Properties of Ferula assa-foetida L. Oleo-Gum-Resin against HT-29 Colorectal Cancer Cells In Vitro and in a Xenograft Mouse Model.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently occurring tumors. Ferula assa-foetida oleo-gum-resin (OGR) extract is a traditional cooking spice known for its broad spectrum of biological activities such as antifungal, antiparasitic, and anti-inflammatory activities. This study evaluated the antitumor effect of OGR extract against HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. The OGR chemical composition was analyzed using LC-ESI-MS/MS; MTT, clonogenic assays, and a xenograft model were used to measure cytotoxicity, while apoptotic proteins were detected using Western blotting. Phytochemical analysis revealed that the extract was a rich source of isoflavones, xanthones, and other derivatives. In a dose-dependent manner, the OGR extract significantly inhibited colony formation ability and HT-29 cell growth (IC50 was 3.60 ± 0.02 and 10.5 ± 0.1 mg/mL, respectively). On the other hand, the OGR extract significantly induced apoptosis and increased the expression of some pro-death proteins involved in cellular apoptosis including PUMA, BIM, BIK, and BAK. Moreover, in a subcutaneous HT-29 xenograft model, the tumor volume and burden decreased after treatment with the OGR extract (550 ± 32 mm3 and 16.3 ± 3.6, respectively) This study demonstrated that Ferula assa-foetida OGR ethanolic extract has potential antitumor effects against HT-29 CRC cell lines by reducing cell viability and the function of apoptosis. More studies are needed to reveal the underlying mechanisms related to cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction.

Accumulation of Microcystin from Oscillatoria limnetica Lemmermann and Microcystis aeruginosa (Kützing) in Two Leafy Green Vegetable Crop Plants Lactuca sativa L. and Eruca sativa.

The use of contaminated water to irrigate crop plants poses a risk to human health from the bioaccumulation potential of microcystins (MCs) in the edible tissues of vegetable plants. The main objective of this study is to determine the concentration of total microcystins (MC-LR and MC-RR) in leafy green plants (Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia and Eruca sativa) that have previously been irrigated with polluted water. Integrated water samples were collected by cleaned plastic bottles at a depth of about 30 cm from one of the sources of water used to irrigate agricultural lands for crop plants. At the same time, samples from plants were also collected because this water from the lake farm is used for the irrigation of surrounding vegetable plants such as Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia and Eruca sativa. The dominant species of cyanobacteria in water samples are Microcystis aeruginosa (Kützing) and Oscillatoria limnetica Lemmermann, which were detected with an average cell count 2,300,000 and 450,000 cells/mL, respectively. These two dominant species in water produced two MCs variants (MC-LR, -RR) that were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Dissolve and particulate MCs were detected in the irrigation waters by HPLC with concentrations of 45.04-600 µg/L. MCs in the water samples exceeded the WHO safety limit (1 µg/L) of MC in drinking water. In addition, the total concentration of Microcystin in Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia and Eruca sativa were 1044 and 1089 ng/g tissues, respectively. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of microcystins by a person (60 kg) consuming 300 g of fresh plants exceeded the total daily intake guidelines (0.04 µg kg-1 body weight) for human food consumption. According to the findings of this study, irrigation water and plants used for human consumption should be tested for the presence of MCs regularly through critical and regularly monitored programs to prevent the accumulation and transfer of such toxins through the food web.

Ethnobotanical, phytochemical and antimicrobial activity of Halexylon salicornicum (Ramth) as a graze and promising shrub against selected animal microbes.

Folk medicine, including plants, has been utilized for humans and animals since the dawn of civilization. Because of the widespread problem of antimicrobial resistance around the world, one of the mainly significant challenges in microbiological research is to achieve a replacement antibiotic with the fewest adverse effects. Camel and ruminant grazing were provided by the wild shrub Halexylon salicornicum (Ramth). However, despite prior research demonstrating its antimicrobial action against human diseases, no investigations on its antimicrobial activity against animal pathogens have been conducted to far. The goal of this study is to investigate whether Halexylon salicornicum aqueous and solvent extracts have antimicrobial activity on a variety of animal pathogens isolated from cattle and poultry using the agar well diffusion method (Enterococcus faecium, Shigella flexneri, Bacillus Cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogens, Pseudomonas aerogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, and Candida albicans) moreover it's ethnobotanical and phytochemical. All of the extracts tested had antimicrobial efficacy against tested strains and included bioactive chemicals, particularly the acetone extract, had the highest antibacterial activity. As a result, it can be stated that Halexylon salicornicum is a promising important shrub that might be used as a natural antimicrobial alternative for animals or as a food additive.

Effect of Pb-Contaminated Water on Ludwigia stolonifera (Guill. & Perr.) P.H. Raven Physiology and Phytoremediation Performance.

A laboratory experiment was led to examine the lead bioaccumulation capacity of Ludwigia stolonifera (Guill. & Perr.) exposed to various Pb concentrations (0, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/L) for 1, 3, 5, and 7 days. The lead accumulation increased as the metal concentrations in the solution increased and over time, to an extreme accretion of 6840 mg/kg DW(dry weight) at 100 mg/L of lead on the 10 days exposure. The proportion removal efficiency, translocation factor, and bioconcentration factor of the plant were assessed. The maximum bioconcentration factor values (1981.13) indicate that the plant was a Pb hyperaccumulator, and translocation factor values (1.85), which are >1, indicate fit of L. stolonifera for eliminating Pb in Pb-contaminated water. Photosynthetic pigments were decreased with increase of Pb concentration and time exposure. Total chlorophyll content and Chl a/b ratio lowered to between 46 and 62% at 100 mg/L Pb after 10 days exposure. Protein content and soluble carbohydrate indicated a similar trend, which showed the highest decrease (7.26 and 36.2 mg/g FW(fresh weight), respectively) at 100 mg/L of Pb after 10 days. The activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, ascorbate, and peroxidase was increased significantly in comparison to the control. The results indicate that L. stolonifera is a newly recognized Pb hyperaccumulator (6840 mg/kg DW), but physiological status indicates that the plant is not tolerant to high Pb concentrations.

Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties of Total Polyphenols of Anchusa italica Retz.

Anchusa italica Retz has been used for a long time in phytotherapy. The aim of the present study was to determine the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of extracts from the leaves and roots of Anchusa italica Retz. We first determined the content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids using Folin-Ciocalteu reagents and aluminum chloride (AlCl3). The antioxidant activity was determined using three methods: reducing power (FRAP), 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC). The antimicrobial activity was investigated against four strains of Escherichia coli, two strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, and one fungal strain of Candida albicans. The results showed that the root extract was rich in polyphenols (43.29 mg GAE/g extract), while the leave extract was rich in flavonoids (28.88 mg QE/g extract). The FRAP assay showed a strong iron reduction capacity for the root extract (IC50 of 0.11 µg/mL) in comparison to ascorbic acid (IC50 of 0.121 µg/mL). The DPPH test determined an IC50 of 0.11 µg/mL for the root extract and an IC50 of 0.14 µg/mL for the leaf extract. These values are low compared to those for ascorbic acid (IC50 of 0.16 µg/mL) and BHT (IC50 0.20 µg/mL). The TAC values of the leaf and root extracts were 0.51 and 0.98 mg AAE/g extract, respectively. In vitro, the extract showed inhibitory activity against all strains studied, with diameters of zones of inhibition in the range of 11.00-16.00 mm for the root extract and 11.67-14.33 mm for the leaf extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration was recorded for the leaf extract against E. coli (ATB:57), corresponding to 5 mg/mL. Overall, this research indicates that the extracts of Anchusa italica Retz roots and leaves exert significant antioxidant and antibacterial activities, probably because of the high content of flavonoids and polyphenols.