Neuroprotective effect of herbal extracts inhibiting soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) and cyclooxygenase (COX) against chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment in mice.

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) is a novel clinical condition characterized by memory, learning, and motor function deficits. Oxidative stress and inflammation are potential factors contributing to chemotherapy's adverse effects on the brain. Inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) has been proven effective in neuroinflammation and reversal of memory impairment. The research aims to evaluate the memory protective effect of sEH inhibitor and dual inhibitor of sEH and COX and compare its impact with herbal extracts with known nootropic activity in an animal model of CICI. In vitro sEH, the inhibitory activity of hydroalcoholic extracts of Sizygium aromaticum, Nigella sativa, and Mesua ferrea was tested on murine and human sEH enzyme as per the protocol, and IC50 was determined. Cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg), methotrexate (5 mg/kg), and fluorouracil (5 mg/kg) combination (CMF) were administered intraperitoneally to induce CICI. The known herbal sEH inhibitor, Lepidium meyenii and the dual inhibitor of COX and sEH (PTUPB) were tested for their protective effect in the CICI model. The herbal formulation with known nootropic activity viz Bacopa monnieri and commercial formulation (Mentat) were also used to compare the efficacy in the CICI model. Behavioral parameter such as cognitive function was assessed by Morris Water Maze besides investigating oxidative stress (GSH and LPO) and inflammatory (TNFα, IL-6, BDNF and COX-2) markers in the brain. CMF-induced CICI, which was associated with increased oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain. However, treatment with PTUPB or herbal extracts inhibiting sEH preserved spatial memory via ameliorating oxidative stress and inflammation. S. aromaticum and N. sativa inhibited COX2, but M. Ferrea did not affect COX2 activity. Lepidium meyenii was the least effective, and mentat showed superior activity over Bacopa monnieri in preserving memory. Compared to untreated animals, the mice treated with PTUPB or hydroalcoholic extracts showed a discernible improvement in cognitive function in CICI.

Recent advance of herbal medicines in cancer- a molecular approach.

Bioactive compounds are crucial for an extensive range of therapeutic uses, and some exhibit anticancer activity. Scientists advocate that phytochemicals modulate autophagy and apoptosis, involved in the underlying pathobiology of cancer development and regulation. The pharmacological aiming of the autophagy-apoptosis signaling pathway using phytocompounds hence offers an auspicious method that is complementary to conventional cancer chemotherapy. The current review aims to explore the molecular level of the autophagic-apoptotic pathway to know its implication in the pathobiology of cancer and explore the essential cellular process as a druggable anticancer target and therapeutic emergence of naturally derived phytocompound-based anticancer agents. The data in the review were collected from scientific databases such as Google search, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Medline, and Clinical Trials. With a broad outlook, we investigated their cutting-edge scientifically revealed and/or searched pharmacologic effects, a novel mechanism of action, and molecular signaling pathway of phytochemicals in cancer therapy. In this review, the evidence is focused on molecular pharmacology, specifically caspase, Nrf2, NF-kB, autophagic-apoptotic pathway, and several mechanisms to understand their role in cancer biology.

Low temperature-synthesized MgAl2 O4 :Eu3+ nanophosphors and their structural validations using density functional theory: photoluminescence, photocatalytic, and electrochemical properties for multifunctional applications.

A low temperature-assisted and oxalyl dihydrazide fuel-induced combustion synthesized series of uncalcined MgAl2 O4 :Eu3+ nanophosphors showed an average crystallite size of ~20 nm, and bandgap energy (Eg ) of 4.50-5.15 eV, and were validated using density functional theory and found to match closely with the experimental values. The photoluminescence characteristic emission peaks of Eu3+ ions were recorded between 480 and 680 nm. The nanophosphors excited at 392 nm showed f-f transitions assigned as 5 D0 →7 FJ (J = 0, 1, 2, and 3). The optimized MgAl2 O4 phosphors had Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage coordinates in the red region, a correlated colour temperature of 2060 K, and a colour purity of 98.83%. The estimated luminescence quantum efficiency ( η ) was observed to be ~63% using Judd-Ofelt analysis. Electrochemical and photocatalytic performance were explored and indicated its multifunctional applications. Therefore, MgAl2 O4 :Eu3+ nanophosphors could be used for the fabrication of light-emitting diodes, industrial dye degradation, and as electrodes for supercapacitor applications.