Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles for Targeted Cancer Therapy and Enhancing Photodynamic Therapy.

Different conventional therapeutic procedures are utilized globally to manage cancer cases, yet the mortality rate in patients with cancer remains considerably high. Developments in the field of nanotechnology have included novel therapeutic strategies to deal with cancer. Biogenic (green) metallic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) obtained using plant-mediated protocols are attractive to researchers exploring cancer treatment. Biogenic AgNPs present advantages, since they are cost-effective, easy to obtain, energy efficient, and less toxic compared to chemically and physically obtained AgNPs. Also, they present excellent anticancer abilities thanks to their unique sizes, shapes, and optical properties. This review provides recent advancements in exploring biogenic AgNPs as a drug or agent for cancer treatment. Thus, great attention was paid to the anticancer efficacy of biogenic AgNPs, their anticancer mechanisms, their efficacy in cancer photodynamic therapy (PDT), their efficacy in targeted cancer therapy, and their toxicity.

Seasonal and Geographical Impact on the Mycotoxigenicity of Aspergillus and Fusarium Species Isolated from Smallholder Dairy Cattle Feeds and Feedstuffs in Free State and Limpopo Provinces of South Africa.

This study evaluated the impact of seasonal and geographical variations on the toxigenicity of Aspergillus and Fusarium strains previously isolated from smallholder dairy cattle feeds and feedstuffs sampled during summer and winter in the Free State and Limpopo provinces of South Africa (SA). In total, 112 potential toxigenic fungal species were obtained and determined for their capability to produce mycotoxins on solid Czapek Yeast Extract Agar (CYA); followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Our result revealed that 41.96% of the fungal species produced their respective mycotoxins, including aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), and zearalenone (ZEN), with higher levels of AFB1 (0.22 to 1045.80 µg/kg) and AFB2 (0.11 to 3.44 µg/kg) produced by fungal species isolated from summer samples than those in winter [(0.69 to 14.44 µg/kg) and (0.21 to 2.26 µg/kg), respectively]. The same pattern was also observed for AFB1 and AFB2 in Limpopo (0.43 to 1045.80 µg/kg and 0.13 to 3.44 µg/kg) and Free State (0.22 to 576.14 µg/kg and 0.11 to 2.82 µg/kg), respectively. More so, ZEN concentrations in summer (7.75 to 97.18 µg/kg) were higher than in winter (5.20 to 15.90 µg/kg). A similar observation was also noted for ZEN in Limpopo (7.80 to 97.18 µg/kg) and Free State (5.20 to 15.90 µg/kg). These findings were confirmed via Welch and Brown-Forsythe tests with significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher mycotoxin levels produced by fungal strains obtained in samples during summer than those in winter. In contrast, the concentrations of mycotoxins produced by the fungal species from both provinces were not significantly (p > 0.05) different.

Curcumin a Natural Phenol and Its Therapeutic Role in Cancer and Photodynamic Therapy: A Review.

Cancer continues to cause an alarming number of deaths globally, and its burden on the health system is significant. Though different conventional therapeutic procedures are exploited for cancer treatment, the prevalence and death rates remain elevated. These, therefore, insinuate that novel and more efficient treatment procedures are needed for cancer. Curcumin, a bioactive, natural, phenolic compound isolated from the rhizome of the herbaceous plant turmeric, is receiving great interest for its exciting and broad pharmacological properties. Curcumin presents anticancer therapeutic capacities and can be utilized as a photosensitizing drug in cancer photodynamic therapy (PDT). Nonetheless, curcumin's poor bioavailability and related pharmacokinetics limit its clinical utility in cancer treatment. This review looks at the physical and chemical properties, bioavailability, and safety of curcumin, while focusing on curcumin as an agent in cancer therapy and as a photosensitizer in cancer PDT. The possible mechanisms and cellular targets of curcumin in cancer therapy and PDT are highlighted. Furthermore, recent improvements in curcumin's bioavailability in cancer therapy using nanoformulations and delivery systems are presented.

Variability in metabolites produced by Talaromyces pinophilus SPJ22 cultured on different substrates.

BACKGROUND: Several metabolites released by fungal species are an essential source of biologically active natural substances. Gas chromatography high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-HRTOF-MS) is one of the techniques used in profiling the metabolites produced by microorganisms, including Talaromyces pinophilus. However, there is limited information regarding differential substrates' impacts on this fungal strain's metabolite profiling. This study examined the metabolite profile of T. pinophilus strain SPJ22 cultured on three different media, including solid czapek yeast extract agar (CYA), malt extract agar (MEA) and potato dextrose agar (PDA) using GC-HRTOF-MS. The mycelia including the media were plugged and dissolved in 5 different organic solvents with varying polarities viz.: acetonitrile, dichloromethane, hexane, 80% methanol and water, and extracts analysed on GC-HRTOF-MS. RESULTS: The study revealed the presence of different classes of metabolites, such as fatty acids (2.13%), amides (4.26%), alkanes (34.04%), furan (2.13%), ketones (4.26%), alcohols (14.89%), aromatic compounds (6.38%), and other miscellaneous compounds (17.02%). Significant metabolites such as acetic acid, 9-octadecenamide, undecanoic acid methyl ester, hydrazine, hexadecane, nonadecane, eicosane, and other compounds reported in this study have been widely documented to have plant growth promoting, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and biofuel properties. Furthermore, T. pinophilus grown on PDA and MEA produced more than twice as many compounds as that grown on CYA. CONCLUSION: Thus, our result showed that the production of essential metabolites from T. pinophilus is substrate dependent, with many of these metabolites known to have beneficial characteristics, and as such, this organism can be utilised as a sustainable and natural source for these useful organic molecules.