New Perspective for Macroalgae-Based Animal Feeding in the Context of Challenging Sustainable Food Production.

Food production is facing challenging times due to the pandemic, and climate change. With production expected to double by 2050, there is a need for a new paradigm in sustainable animal feed supply. Seaweeds offer a highly valuable opportunity in this regard. Seaweeds are classified into three categories: brown (Phaeophyceae), red (Rhodophyceae), and green (Chlorophyceae). While they have traditionally been used in aquafeed, their demand in the feed market is growing, parallelly increasing according to the food demand. Additionally, seaweeds are being promoted for their nutritional benefits, which contribute to the health, growth, and performance of animals intended for human consumption. Moreover, seaweeds contain biologically active compounds such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants (polyphenols), and pigments (chlorophylls and carotenoids), which possess beneficial properties, including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects and act as prebiotics. This review offers a new perspective on the valorization of macroalgae biomass due to their nutritional profile and bioactive components, which have the potential to play a crucial role in animal growth and making possible new sources of healthy food ingredients.

Cytotoxic, Anti-Hemolytic, and Antioxidant Activities of Ruta chalepensis L. (Rutaceae) Extract, Fractions, and Isolated Compounds.

Ruta chalepensis is an herb used to treat various ailments, and its potential cytotoxic effects on different tumor cell lines have been extensively studied. The present study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of R. chalepensis methanol extract (RCME), sub-partitions obtained from solvents of increasing polarity, and major compounds, as well as their hemolytic, anti-hemolytic, and antioxidant potential. The in vitro cytotoxic activity against the human hepatocarcinoma (HEP-G2) and the murine lymphoma cell line (L5178Y-R) was evaluated using the colorimetric 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay, whereas selectivity indices (SIs) were determined by comparing cytotoxicity against normal African green monkey kidney cells (VERO) and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Hemolytic and anti-hemolytic activities were evaluated on human erythrocytes. The most effective cytotoxic treatment was evaluated for nitric oxide release by J774A.1 macrophages. Antioxidant activity of R. chalepensis material was also determined. Results showed that RCME produced significant (p < 0.05) cytotoxicity in HEP-G2 (IC50 = 1.79 µg/mL) and L5178Y-R (IC50 = 1.60 µg/mL) cells and exhibited high SIs (291.50 and 114.80, respectively). In addition, the n-hexane fraction (RCHF) showed an IC50 of 18.31 µg/mL in HEP-G2 cells and an SI of 9.48 in VERO cells, whereas the chloroform fraction (RCCF) evidenced an IC50 of 1.60 µg/mL in L5178Y-R cells and an SI of 34.27 in PBMC cells. Chalepensin (CHL), rutamarin (RTM), and graveolin (GRV), which are major components of R. chalepensis, showed high activity against L5178Y-R cells, with IC50 of 9.15, 15.13 and SI of 45.08 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, CHL, RTM, and GRV showed SIs of 24.76, 9.98, and 3.52, respectively, when compared with PBMC cells. RCME at concentrations of 125 µg/mL and 250 µg/mL, significantly (p < 0.05) decreased nitrite production in J774A.1 cells, when exposed to lipopolysaccharide. This study demonstrated that RCME showed significant cytotoxic activity against HEP-G2 and L5178Y-R cells, without affecting normal VERO, PBMC, and J774A.1 cells.

In Vitro Biological Activity and Lymphoma Cell Growth Inhibition by Selected Mexican Medicinal Plants.

Cancer is a major health problem with significant morbidity and mortality. In addition, plants are a source of metabolites with diverse biological properties, including antitumor potential. In this study, we investigated the in vitro murine lymphoma L5178Y-R cell growth inhibition, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) toxicity and proliferation, and antioxidant, hemolytic, and anti-hemolytic activities of methanol extracts from 15 plants of traditional use in Mexico. Justicia spicigera caused the highest tumor cell growth inhibition with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 29.10 µg/mL and a selectivity index >34.36 compared with those of PBMC, whereas Mimosa tenuiflora showed the highest lymphoproliferative activity from 200 µg/mL compared with that induced by concanavalin A. In addition, M. tenuiflora showed an antioxidant effect (IC50 = 2.86 µg/mL) higher than that of ascorbic acid. Regarding the hemolytic and anti-hemolytic activity, all extracts presented significant anti-hemolytic activity. The extract of J. spicigera is emerging as a possible source of effective antineoplastic compounds.

In Vitro Cytotoxic Activity of Methanol Extracts of Selected Medicinal Plants Traditionally Used in Mexico against Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Medicinal plants are traditionally used in Mexico to treat diseases such as cancer. The present study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic, antioxidant, and anti-hemolytic activity of 15 plants of ethnopharmacological use in Mexico. For this, plant methanol extracts were prepared by the Soxhlet method, after which their cytotoxic activity was evaluated against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HEP-G2) and monkey kidney epithelial (Vero) cells by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction colorimetric assay. The selectivity index (SI) of each extract was then determined by the IC50 ratio of normal to tumor cells. We showed that Ruta chalepensis extract possessed an IC50 of 1.79 µg/mL and 522.08 µg/mL against HEP-G2 and Vero cells, respectively, resulting in an SI of 291.50. Furthermore, antioxidant activity was evaluated by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging technique, where the best antioxidant potential was shown by the Heterotheca inuloides extract (IC50 = 19.24 µg/mL). Furthermore, the hemolytic potential was determined against human erythrocytes, which showed that the extracts with the highest anti-hemolytic activity were Smilax aspera (IC50 = 4.41 µg/mL) and Amphipterygium adstringens (IC50 = 5.35 µg/mL). In conclusion, we observed that R. chalepensis methanol extract possesses cytotoxic activity against HEP-G2 cells, without affecting non-tumorigenic Vero cells. Our results indicated the antitumor potential of medicinal plants used in Mexico.

Preliminary Study of the Antimicrobial, Anticoagulant, Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Five Selected Plants with Therapeutic Application in Dentistry.

The usefulness of traditional plants in Mexico to treat human ailments has been known since ancient times. This work evaluated the antimicrobial, anticoagulant, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory potential of ethanolic extracts of Aloe vera, Equisetum arvense, Mimosa tenuiflora, Lippia graveolens, and Syzygium aromaticum. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sorbinus; a significant inhibitory effect of the L. graveolens extract on both bacteria was observed at concentration levels of 250 µg/mL and greater. The anticoagulant activity was evaluated in terms of prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), A. vera and M. tenuiflora extracts showed no significant difference (p ˂ 0.05) in PT compared with the control, and for APTT the extracts of A. vera, L. graveolens, and S. aromaticum decreased the APTT significantly (p ˂ 0.05) compared with the control. The antioxidant potential by DPPH assay indicated that the E. arvense extract behaved statistically the same as the control. The cytotoxic activity was evaluated in HGF-1 cells using the fluorometric microculture cytotoxicity assay technique, and none of the extracts was toxic at 125 and 250 µg/mL concentrations. Finally, the anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using ELISA, where the A. vera extract showed the best anti-inflammatory capacity. Further research on the search for bioactive metabolites and elucidation of action mechanisms of the most promising extracts will be carried out.

In-Vitro Effect of Kalanchoe daigremontiana and Its Main Component, Quercetin against Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis.

BACKGROUND: Parasitic infections represent one of the main public health problems in humans according to the WHO. Therefore, the need has arisen to find new treatments that can be used as an alternative cure to parasitosis. We aimed to investigate the in-vitro effects of the methanolic extract of Kalanchoe daigremontiana as well as its main component, quercetin against Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis. METHODS: For this purpose, the in-vitro activity of the methanol extract of K. daigremontiana also its main component, quercetin, against trophozoites of E. histolytica and T. vaginalis was evaluated, using the microassay technique. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity was determined. Finally, the cytotoxic and cytoprotective capacity was determined using the hemolysis technique. RESULTS: The IC50 indicated that quercetin significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited the growth rate of the trophozoite stage of E. histolytica and T. vaginalis in comparison to the methanolic extract of K. daigremontiana (KalL). Also, quercetin significantly (P < 0.05) was a better antioxidant as compared with the positive control. In the evaluation of cytotoxicity effects, it could be observed that KalL as compared with quercetin exhibited more cytotoxicity against human erythrocytes. Quercetin significantly (P < 0.001) exhibited better cytoprotective activity compared to KalL. CONCLUSION: Both K. daigremontiana methanolic extract and quercetin alone demonstrated high antiparasitic activity against E. histolytica and T. vaginalis. However, the in-vivo efficacy of K. daigremontiana and quercetin also requires to be evaluated using an animal model.

Benefits of Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton) and Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) Extracts for Their Applications as Natural Anti-Inflammatory Adjuvants.

The genus Zingiberaceae has been widely used for phytotherapeutic purposes in traditional medicine throughout the world for its anti-inflammatory activity. Experimental studies have established that inflammation caused by chronic infections represents a risk factor for different forms of cancer. The objective of this study was focused on determining the anti-inflammatory capacity and cytotoxic activity of aqueous extracts of Elettaria cardamomum (cardamom) and Curcuma Longa (turmeric). The extracts were obtained by maceration and, through GC-MS/MS, a total of 11 different chemical components were determined in the aqueous extract of cardamom and 7 in the extract of turmeric. The main compounds found in cardamom and turmeric were α-terpinyl acetate (54.46%) and ß-turmerone (33.45%), respectively. RT-qPCR results showed significantly lower gene expression levels of innate inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) compared to the control (LPS). Also, it was observed that the extracts do not possess cytotoxic activity against different cell lines, where E. cardamomum showed EC50 (µg/mL) of 473.84 (HeLa cells), 237.36 (J774A.1 cells), 257.51 (Vero E6 cells), and 431.16 (Balb/C peritoneal cells) and C. longa showed EC50 (µg/mL) of 351.17 (HeLa cells), 430.96 (J774A.1 cells), 396.24 (Vero E6 cells), and 362.86 (Balb/C peritoneal cells). The results of this research suggest that natural extracts of E. cardamomum and C. longa possess anti-inflammatory effects and no cytotoxic activity against HeLa, J774A.1, Vero E6, and Balb/C peritoneal cell lines. Finally, it was observed that the extracts also decreased nitric oxide (NO) production in peritoneal macrophages.

In Vitro Antischistosomal Activity of the Argemone mexicana Methanolic Extract and Its Main Component Berberine.

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis has been identified as a major public health problem in tropical countries. The present study aimed to investigate the schistosomicidal effects of the methanolic extract of Argemone mexicana L. and its active component, berberine against Schistosoma mansoni on in-vitro experiments. METHODS: S. mansoni adults were used. Various concentrations of the methanolic extract (10 - 200 µg/ml) and berberine (2.5 - 50 µM) were tested from 24 to 72 h. The viability of S. mansoni was confirmed with an invertoscope-microscope. Furthermore, cytotoxic (Hemolysis test), and antioxidant (DPPH radical scavenging assay) capacities were determined. RESULTS: The viability tests on S. mansoni showed that A. mexicana at 50 µg/mL is lethal at 48 h and berberine at 10 µM is lethal at 24 h. The hemolytic activity at 1,000 µg/mL was 2.9% for A. mexicana and 90.2% for berberine. The antioxidant capacities shown by A. mexicana and berberine, were EC50 156.3 and 84.1 µg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSION: The extract of A. mexicana and berberine demonstrated high antischistosomal activities in low concentration and short exposure time on the in-vitro model.

Berberine: A nematocidal alkaloid from Argemone mexicana against Strongyloides venezuelensis.

Strongyloidiasis is a parasitosis that represents a public health problem, in tropical regions. The present study aimed to investigate the anthelmintic effects of several extracts of Argemone mexicana, as well as its main component berberine (Ber) against the third-stage larvae (L3) of Strongyloides venezuelensis in-vitro experiments. Also, the anti-hemolytic activity of the extract, fractions, and Ber were tested in human erythrocytes. A dose-response anthelminthic bioassay demonstrated Ber as the most effective component, followed by methanolic subfraction (Fr3) and finally the crude extract of A. mexicana (Am) showing LC50 response values of 1.6, 19.5, and 92.1 µg/mL, at 96 h respectively. Also, Am, Fr3, and Ber did not produce significant hemolysis against human erythrocytes (p ≤ 0.05). Am and Fr3 showed erythrocyte protection effect capacity at the membrane level (p ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, Ber was found to have an antioxidant activity of 168.18 µg/mL. According to the results, the Fr3 of A. mexicana, and particularly Ber, exhibited potent in-vitro effects against L3 of S. venezuelensis, without hemolytic activity against human erythrocytes and presented good antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, the extracts of A. mexicana and the main component have activity against S. venezuelensis, nevertheless, further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism of action.

Berberina, curcumina y quercetina como potenciales agentes con capacidad antiparasitaria

Introducción: El uso indiscriminado de agentes antiparasitarios ha resultado en el establecimiento de resistencia a ellos. Por lo cual es necesario el desarrollo de nuevas alternativas de tratamiento. Los productos naturales poseen diversas cualidades como posibles coadyuvantes en terapias contra distintos agentes etiológicos, entre los que destaca sus efectos antiparasitarios. Objetivo: Evaluar la actividad antiparasitaria, antioxidante, citotóxica y citoprotectora de Berberina (Ber), Curcumina (Cur) y Quercetina (Qr). Metodología: Se prepararon soluciones de Ber, Cur y Qr grado analítico y se realizaron alícuotas a diferentes concentraciones para su evaluación en contra de: Entamoeba histolytica, Trichomonas vaginalis y Strongyloides venezuelensis, paraello, se determinó la concentración inhibitoria media (IC50), además se determinó la capacidad antioxidante (CE50) mediante la prueba de DPPH, ambos por la prueba de Probit. Mediante la técnica de hemólisis se determinó la actividad citotóxica y citoprotectora, se aplicó Anova y la prueba de Tukey para determinar la diferencia de las medias en los tratamientos evaluados. Resultados: Ber, Cur y Qr, presentaron actividad en contra de E. histolytica, T. vaginalis y S. venezuelensis in-vitro. Ber presentó IC50 de 1.7, 1.2 y 1.9 μM respectivamente siendo más efectivo en comparación de Cur con IC50 de 55.3, 40.6 y 13.7 μM o Qr con IC50 de 147.2, 93.2 y 110.9 μM, sin embargo, la mejor actividad antioxidante (EC50 = 1.1 μg/ml), citoprotectora y menos hemolítica, fue presentada por Qr (P < 0.001) en comparación con el control evaluado. Conclusiones: Los metabolitos de origen natural berberina, curcumina y quercetina, poseen actividad en contra de trofozoítos de E. histolytica, T. vaginalisy larvas de S. venezuelensis en dosis bajas comparables con los fármacos de referencia para el caso de Ber. Además, estos productos de origen natural, no sintético podrían ser objeto de futuras investigaciones para coadyuvar al tratamiento de parasitosis, ya que, en dosis bajas, mostraron actividad antioxidante sin mostrar hemólisis considerable en eritrocitos humanos.

Introduction: The indiscriminate use of antiparasitic agents has resulted in the establishment of resistance to them. Therefore, the development of new treatment alternatives is necessary. Natural products have various qualities as possible adjuvants in therapies against different etiological agents, among which its antiparasitic effects stand out. Objective: To evaluate the antiparasitic, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and cytoprotective activity of Berberine (Ber), Curcumin (Cur), and Quercetin (Qr). Methods: Analytical grade Ber, Cur, and Qr solutions were prepared, and aliquots were made at different concentrations for their evaluation against Entamoeba histolytica, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Strongyloides venezuelensis. To do this, the mean inhibitory concentration (IC50) was determined, and the antioxidant capacity (EC50) was also determined by the DPPH assay, both using the Probit statistical test. The cytotoxic and cytoprotective activity was determined by the hemolysis technique, Anova and Tukey's test were applied to determine the difference in the means in the treatments evaluated. Results: Ber, Cur, and Qr, showed activity against E. histolytica, T. vaginalis, and S. venezuelensisin-vitro. Ber presented IC50 of 1.7, 1.2, and 1.9 μM respectively, being more effective compared to Cur with IC50 of 55.3, 40.6, and 13.7 μM, or Qr with IC50 of 147.2, 93.2, and 110.9 μM, however, the best antioxidant activity (EC50 = 1.1 μg/ml), cytoprotective and less hemolytic, was presented by Qr (P < 0.001) compared to the evaluated control. Conclusions: The metabolites of natural origin berberine, curcumin, and quercetin, have activity against trophozoites of E. histolytica, T. vaginalis and larvae of S. venezuelensis in low doses comparable to the reference drugs in the case of Ber. Furthermore, these non-synthetic products of natural origin could be the subject of future research to help treat parasitosis, since in low doses, they showed antioxidant activity without showing considerable cytotoxicity in human erythrocytes.

In Vitro Study of Antiamoebic Activity of Methanol Extracts of Argemone mexicana on Trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica HM1-IMSS.

Infections caused by parasites in humans represent one of the main public health concerns. Amoebiasis, a parasitic infection caused by Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica), is considered endemic in Mexico, where Argemone mexicana (A. mexicana) has been used in traditional medicine to treat intestinal parasitic diseases. The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential biological activity of A. mexicana on E. histolytica. For this purpose, a methanolic extract was prepared from A. mexicana leaves, and a differential fractionation was carried out with solvents of different polarities. The inhibitory capacities of the extract and its fractions were evaluated in vitro using HM1-IMSS, a strain of Entamoeba histolytica. A. mexicana extract was found to have a growth-inhibiting activity for E. histolytica, showing IC50 = 78.39 µg/mL. The extract was characterized phytochemically, and the methanolic extract fractions were analyzed by liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS). Berberine and jatrorrhizine were present in the active fractions, and these compounds may be responsible for the antiparasitic activity. The identification of amoebicidal activity of A. mexicana on E. histolytica gives support to the traditional use. Further studies with berberine and jatrorrhizine will be carried out to understand the mechanism involved.