Genotoxic and antiproliferative properties of Endopleura uchi bark aqueous extract.

The bark extract from Endopleura uchi has been widely used in traditional medicine to treat gynecological-related disorders, diabetes, and dyslipidemias albeit without scientific proof. In addition, E. uchi bark extract safety, especially regarding mutagenic activities, is not known. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition, antitumor, and toxicological parameters attributed to an E. uchi bark aqueous extract. The phytochemical constitution was assessed by colorimetric and chromatographic analyzes. The antiproliferative effect was determined using sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay using 4 cancer cell lines. Cytotoxic and genotoxic activities were assessed utilizing MTT and comet assays, respectively, while mutagenicity was determined through micronucleus and Salmonella/microsome assays. The chromatographic analysis detected predominantly the presence of gallic acid and isoquercitrin. The antiproliferative effect was more pronounced in human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) and human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. In the MTT assay, the extract presented an IC50 = 39.1 µg/ml and exhibited genotoxic (comet assay) and mutagenic (micronucleus test) activities at 20 and 40 µg/ml in mouse fibroblast cell line (L929) and mutagenicity in the TA102 and TA97a strains in the absence of S9 mix. Data demonstrated that E. uchi bark possesses bioactive compounds which exert cytotoxic and genotoxic effects that might be associated with its antitumor potential. Therefore, E. uchi bark aqueous extract consumption needs to be approached with caution in therapeutic applications.

Potential of Pinus eldarica Medw. tree bark for biomonitoring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air.

Urban trees' biomonitoring of pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) yields pertinent and useful data for air pollution management. The aim of this study was to biomonitor PAHs in pine (Pinus eldarica Medw.) trees in the city of Isfahan and identify their sources. In total, 34 samples of outer bark of the trees were collected and their contents of 16 EPA PAHs were analyzed. With a median value of 136.3 ng/g, the total PAH contents in tree barks varied from 53.4 to 705.2 ng/g. The average values of the diagnostic ratios for Ant/(Ant + Phe), Flu/(Flu + Py), BaA/(BaA + Chr) and IP/(IP + BP) were 0.19, 0.49, 0.45 and 0.49, respectively, revealing the PAHs majority source of pyrogenic. Meanwhile, principal component analysis showed two major types of PAHs sources including pyrogenic (fossil fuel combustion and industrial activities) and petrogenic (uncombusted) sources. The average ratio An/(An + Phe) and Flu/(Flu + Py) in bark samples was close to their relevant ratios in ambient air which demonstrated the potential use of this approach for biomonitoring of PAHs.

Drought increases Norway spruce susceptibility to the Eurasian spruce bark beetle and its associated fungi.

Drought affects the complex interactions between Norway spruce, the bark beetle Ips typographus and associated microorganisms. We investigated the interplay of tree water status, defense and carbohydrate reserves with the incidence of bark beetle attack and infection of associated fungi in mature spruce trees. We installed roofs to induce a 2-yr moderate drought in a managed spruce stand to examine a maximum of 10 roof and 10 control trees for resin flow (RF), predawn twig water potentials, terpene, phenolic and carbohydrate bark concentrations, and bark beetle borings in field bioassays before and after inoculation with Endoconidiophora polonica and Grosmannia penicillata. Drought-stressed trees showed more attacks and significantly longer fungal lesions than controls, but maintained terpene resin defenses at predrought levels. Reduced RF and lower mono- and diterpene, but not phenolic concentrations were linked with increased host selection. Bark beetle attack and fungi stimulated chemical defenses, yet G. penicillata reduced phenolic and carbohydrate contents. Chemical defenses did not decrease under mild, prolonged drought in our simulated small-scale biotic infestations. However, during natural mass attacks, reductions in carbon fixation under drought, in combination with fungal consumption of carbohydrates, may deplete tree defenses and facilitate colonization by I. typographus.

Paraxylines A-G: Highly oxygenated preurianin-type limonoids with immunomodulatory TLR4 and cytotoxic activities from the stem bark of Dysoxylum parasiticum.

Seven previously undescribed preurianin-type limonoids, namely paraxylines A-G, and three known analogs were isolated from stem bark of Dysoxylum parasiticum. The structures, including absolute configurations, were established through spectroscopic analyses, quantum chemical calculations using the density functional theory method, as well as the DP4+ algorithm. Paraxylines A-G were identified as the first preurianin-type with full substitution at C, D-rings, leading to the highly oxygenated seco-limonoids skeleton. The secreted alkaline phosphate assay against an engineered human and murine TLR4 of HEK-Blue cells was performed to evaluate the immune regulating effects. Among them, paraxyline B was found to be a remarkable TLR4 agonist whereas two analogs (toonapubesins A and B) were found to antagonise lipopolysaccharide stimulation of the TLR4 pathway. Paraxylines A and C-E acted either as agonists or antagonists depending on the origin of the TLR4 receptor (human or mouse). The effect of these selected compounds on the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 of the NF-κB signaling pathway were examined in macrophage cell lines, revealing dose-dependent effects. Additionally, paraxylines A, C, D, and G also presented modest cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and HeLa cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 23.1 to 43.5 µM.

Characterization, multivariate analysis and bioactivity evaluation of coumarins in the bark of Fraxinus mandshurica.

The bark of Fraxinus mandshurica is a traditional folk herb used to clear heat and dry dampness. To investigate the differences in coumarins content in the bark of F. mandshurica, 24 batches of samples from four origins were collected and analyzed. Eight coumarins were obtained by traditional natural product extraction, isolation and identification techniques and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (HPLC-DAD). The quantitative results showed that the overall content of compound 30 (Fraxinol) was higher at 100.23 mg/g, while the overall content of compound 23 (Cichoriin) was lower, which may be related to environmental factors in different regions. The method validation showed that the linear range of the eight standards was between 10 and 2500 µg/mL with correlation coefficient (R2) values >0.9991; the relative standard deviation (RSD, %) values of intra-day precision were between 0.35 and 1.38, while the RSD values of inter-day precision were between 0. 29-1.78; the RSD (%) values for the reproducibility experiments ranged from 0.29 to 1.87, while the RSD (%) values for the stability experiments ranged from 0.22 to 2.33; the spiked recovery of the samples ranged from 98.65 to 101.34%, and the RSD (%) values ranged from 0.22 to 1.96. The method validation results showed that the instrument used for the analysis had good precision, the reproducibility and stability of the samples were good, and the accuracy of the experimental method was high. In addition, a total of 54 chemical components were identified from F. mandshurica bark by ultra performance liquid chromatography-electrospray quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS). Based on this, fingerprinting, heatmap and multivariate analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), were established for 24 batches of samples, and four marker compounds that could be used to distinguish different origins of F. mandshurica were screened. To further investigate the bioactivities of the eight coumarins, in vitro enzyme activity inhibition studies were performed, and the results showed that they all exhibited different degrees of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, tyrosinase and α-glucosidase, thus having potential applications in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, blemish whitening and anti-diabetes, and becoming a new source of natural enzyme activity inhibitors. This study established an identification and evaluation method applicable to plants of different origins, which provides a strong reference for quality control, origin evaluation and clinical application of traditional medicinal plants.

Vortex-blending matrix solid-phase dispersion and UPLC-Q-TOF/MS were proposed to extract and examine the urushiols from Toxicodendron vernicifluum bark.

Toxicodendron vernicifluum bark has been used for many years as a component in foods and as a traditional herbal medication. Unfortunately, the presence of urushiols, which induce allergies, limits its application. This study used a vortex-blending matrix solid-phase dispersion microextraction technique to extract urushiols from Toxicodendron vernicifluum bark. HPLC was used to evaluate the amounts of the extracted urushiols (15:0, 15:1, 15:2, and 15:3). The modified magnetic adsorbent was prepared through an in situ coprecipitation method and characterized using a variety of techniques. The optimized extraction conditions are as follows: using magnetic Zeolite Socony Mobil-Five as an adsorbent, a 1:2 sample/adsorbent ratio, 2.5 min of vortex-blending time, 4 mL of 0.1% (V/V) trifluoroacetic acid-methanol as the elution solvent and 8 min of ultrasound time. There was good linearity and high repeatability in the method. Furthermore, the limits of detection for the urushiols ranged from 0.20 to 0.50 µg/mL. Under the optimized conditions, 50 compounds were identified by ultra high performance liquid chromatography and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. These compounds included 8 phenolic acids, 9 monomeric urushiols, 11 urushiol dimers, 10 other components, and 11 flavonoids. The suggested approach, which has the advantages of few stages and high extraction efficiency over existing extraction procedures, is a potentially useful method for obtaining and evaluating urushiols in raw materials or extracts.

The study of wound healing activity of Thespesia populnea L. bark, an approach for accelerating healing through nanoparticles and isolation of main active constituents.

The present study provides an evaluation for the wound healing activity of the ethanolic extract of Thespesia populnea L. bark (EBE) and its successive fractions in two doses level (1&2%), designed for determining the most bioactive fraction and the suitable dose. Furthermore, development of the most convenient formulation for these bioactive fractions through either their direct incorporation into hydrogel formulations or incorporation of chitosan-loaded nanoparticles with these bioactive fractions into hydrogel formulations. The highest excision wound healing activity was observed in petroleum ether (Pet-B) followed by ethyl acetate (Etac-B) fractions at the high dose (2%). The most suitable formulation designed for the Etac-B fraction was found to be the chitosan-loaded nanoparticles incorporated in the hydrogel formulation, while the conventional hydrogel formulation was observed to be the highly acceptable formulation for Pet-B fraction. Further phytochemical studies of the bioactive fractions led to the isolation of many compounds of different chemical classes viz; beta-sitosterol and lupeol acetate isolated from the Pet-B, in addition to cyanidin and delphinidin from the Etac-B. Our results revealed that EBE and its bioactive fractions (Pet-B & Etac-B) could be considered as strong wound healers through their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, in addition to stimulating collagen synthesis.

New ring-A modified cycloartane triterpenoids from Dysoxylum malabaricum bark: Isolation, structure elucidation and their cytotoxicity.

The Genus Dysoxylum (Meliaceae) consists of approximately 80 species that are abundant in structurally diverse triterpenoids. The present study focused on isolating new triterpenoids from the bark of Dysoxylum malabaricum, one of the predominant species of Dysoxylum present in India. The methanol-dichloromethane bark extract was subjected to LCMS profiling followed by silica gel column chromatography and HPLC analysis to target new compounds. Two new ring A-modified cycloartane-type triterpenoids (1 and 2) were isolated from the bark extract. Spectroscopic methods like NMR, HRESIMS data, and electronic circular dichroism calculations elucidated the structuresandabsolute configurations of the isolated compounds. These compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic potential against breast cancer cells and displayed notable cytotoxicity. Compound 1 exhibited the highest cytotoxicity against the MDA-MB-231 cells and induced apoptotic cell death. Also, it was able to inhibit glucose uptake and increase nitric oxide production in breast cancer cells.

Phytochemicals from the Stem Bark of Calophyllum havilandii P.†F. Stevens and their Biological Activities.

The genus Calophyllum from the family Calophyllaceae has been extensively investigated in the past due to its rich source of bioactive phenolics such as coumarins, chromanones, and xanthones. In this study, phytochemical investigation on the stem bark of Calophyllum havilandii has afforded a new 4-propyldihydrocoumarin derivative, havilarin (1) together with calolongic acid (2), caloteysmannic acid (3), isocalolongic acid (4), euxanthone (5), and ß-sitosterol (6). The chemical structure of compound 1 was elucidated and established based on detailed spectroscopic techniques, including MS, IR, UV, 1D and 2D NMR. The results of anti-bacillus study indicated that the chloroform extract showed promising activities with MIC value ranging between 0.5 to 1 µg/mL on selected bacillus strains. Besides, the plant extracts and compounds 1-4 were assessed for their cytotoxicity potential on HL-7702 cell line. All the tested plant extracts and respective chemical constituents displayed non-cytotoxic activity on HL-7702 cell line.

In-vitro Antioxidant Activity and Flow Cytometric Analysis of Simarouba glauca DC Bark Extract Induced Apoptosis in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells.

OBJECTIVE: Ethnomedicinally Simarouba glauca DC is an important plant containing major class of phenols and terpenoids as bioactive compounds. The present study focuses on the evaluation of the anticancer effects of S. glauca bark UAE-EA (Ultrasonicator Assisted Extraction - Ethyl Acetate) fraction (SG-Fraction) against MDA-MB-231 triple negative breast cancer cell lines. METHODS: UAE-EA technique was used for the extraction of phytochemicals from S. glauca bark. Fractionation method was carried out to obtain Ethyl acetate fraction and PPS, TPC, and DPPH assays were performed to characterize the extract. MTT assay was then applied to analyse the viability of cells and MMP assay to confirm the initiation of drug induced apoptosis. Apoptotic morphology and quantification were assessed by DAPI and Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining. RESULTS: UAE yielded 53g of crude extract in methanol. 16g Ethyl acetate fraction was obtained from fractionation. Phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, and triterpenoids were detected. The TPC was 278.65 mg GAE/100ml. The SG-Fraction showed maximum 66.38% RSA at 200 µg/ml and IC50 value was 101.72 µg/ml. MMP confirmed the induction of apoptosis. DAPI showed the reduction of nuclei with bright chromatin condensation, blebbing, nuclear fragmentation and apoptotic bodies. Annexin-V FITC/PI study showed 59.48% apoptosis induction. This fraction showed a similar trend of antioxidant effect as compared to ascorbic acid but, prominently lower cell viability than Camptothecin (P<0.005). In line with higher TPC in the SG-fraction, free radical scavenging activity was increased (r = 0.098**, p=0.002) and cell viability was reduced significantly (r = -0.097*** p<0.01). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that UAE-EA fraction of S. glauca bark inhibits the growth of MDA-MB-231 cells and can be considered for further neo-adjuvant chemotherapy drug research.

A pilot study of radiocesium activity concentration in the stemflow of deciduous broad-leaved trees: Its relationship with leaves and outer bark as of 2022-2023.

The radiocesium (137Cs) activity concentration in stemflow, which is an element of the 137Cs cycle in the forest, is determined by the supply of 137Cs from the outer bark and leaves. Long-term monitoring data of deciduous broad-leaved trees since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident have shown the 137Cs activity concentration in the outer bark decreasing exponentially, while that in the leaves has remained nearly constant. Therefore, it is expected that the contribution of the outer bark to 137Cs in stemflow eventually becomes smaller than that of leaves over time. We hypothesized that as of 2022-2023 (i.e., more than 10 years after the FDNPP accident), the main source of 137Cs in the stemflow of deciduous broad-leaved trees is mainly leaching from leaves. We tested this hypothesis by conducting two surveys in the autumn of 2022 (September-October) and early summer of 2023 (May-June) in Kawauchi Village, Fukushima Prefecture. Samples consisted of stemflow, leaves, and outer bark from a total of 10 deciduous broad-leaved trees (three konara oaks, three mizunara oaks, two Japanese chestnuts, and two cherry blossoms). Our statistical analyses (correlation, linear and multilinear regression analyses) showed that the 137Cs activity concentrations in stemflow were significantly positively correlated to those in leaves, with no positive correlation detected with the outer bark, suggesting that at the time of the survey, the 137Cs activity concentration in stemflow was mainly influenced by the 137Cs activity concentration in leaves. In addition, we propose a method for estimating the stemflow 137Cs activity concentration in konara oak using data from leaves. Although the method's prediction accuracy is low from 2011 to 2013, it is able to estimate the stemflow 137Cs activity concentration in konara oak. Thus, it can help determine one of the model parameters of 137Cs dynamics within deciduous broad-leaved forests.

Tree barks for retrospective measurement and source appointment of airborne perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Tree bark is a useful bioindicator of atmospheric pollution. It is specially suitable for airborne perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) investigation due to persistence of ionic PFASs. The present work firstly systematically studied tree barks as a bioindicator of airborne PFASs. Comparison with the regular active and passive samplers found barks could produce long-term measurement of airborne PFASs, and could record the historical emission of PFASs with retrospective time frame as long as decades. Factors, e.g. tree type, trunk diameter, and sampling depth, can affect PFAS accumulation in barks, and these factors should be kept consistent during sampling. In a study area spatial distribution of airborne PFASs can be obtained by interpolation of bark results, and the concerned region can be located. Properties of the emission sources can be characterized, and the potential sources can be tracked based on the bark results. Their contributions can be further estimated by the source appointment strategies. In the economically and industrially developed study area of the present study, eight cities of southern Jiangsu Province of China, total ionic PFAS concentration of camphor bark samples collected in 34 sites was 0.44-359 ng/g dw (dry weight), dominated by perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs). Two types of possible sources were characterized as with long-chained PFCAs and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) as the main components respectively. The sources were appointed as fluoropolymer manufacturing and textile industries, the important PFAS application fields, and their relative contribution was estimated as 32.5% and 67.5% respectively. The present study can provide useful advice to the method framework of using barks for long-term occurrence investigation, concerned region location, and emission source appointment of airborne PFASs in a study area. Based on the bark results, effective strategies can be further made for PFAS pollution elimination and risk control.

Phytochemical analysis, radical scavenging and glioblastoma U87 cells toxicity studies of stem bark of buckthorn (Rhamnus pentapomica R. Parker).

BACKGROUND: During the past two decades, the correlation between oxidative stress and a variety of serious illnesses such as atherosclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Alzheimer disease (AD) and cancer has been established. Medicinal plants and their derived phytochemicals have proven efficacy against free radicals and their associated diseases. The current work was aimed to evaluate the phytochemical constituents of Rhamnus pentapomica R. Parker via Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and its antioxidant and anti-glioblastoma potentials. METHODS: The bioactive compounds were analysed in Rhamnus pentapomica R. Parker stem bark extracts by GC-MS analysis, and to evaluate their antioxidant and anti-glioblastoma effects following standard procedures. The stem bark was extracted with 80% methanol for 14 days to get crude methanolic extract (Rp.Cme) followed by polarity directed fractionation using solvents including ethyl acetate, chloroform, butanol to get ethyl acetate fraction (Rp.EtAc), chloroform fraction (Rp.Chf) and butanol fraction (Rp.Bt) respectively. Antioxidant assay was performed using DPPH free radicals and cell viability assay against U87 glioblastoma cancer cell lines was performed via MTT assay. RESULTS: In GC-MS analysis, thirty-one compounds were detected in Rp.Cme, 22 in Rp.Chf, 24 in Rp.EtAc and 18 compounds were detected in Rp.Bt. Among the identified compounds in Rp.Cme, 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-methyl ester (7.73%), Octasiloxane (5.13%) and Heptasiloxane (5.13%), Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (3.76%) and Pentadecanoic acid, 14-methyl-, methyl Ester (3.76%) were highly abundant.. In Rp.Chf, Benzene, 1,3-dimethyl- (3.24%) and in Rp.EtAc Benzene, 1,3-dimethyl-(11.29%) were highly abundant compounds. Antioxidant studies revealed that Rp.Cme and Rp.EtAc exhibit considerable antioxidant potentials with IC50 values of 153.53 µg/ml and 169.62 µg/ml respectively. Both fractions were also highly effective against glioblastoma cells with IC50 of 147.64 µg/ml and 76.41ug/ml respectively. CONCLUSION: Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of important metabolites which might be active against free radicals and glioblastoma cells. Various samples of the plant exhibited considerable antioxidant and anti-glioblastoma potentials warranting further detailed studies.

Non-targeted chemical analysis of consumer botanical products labeled as blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), or yohimbe bark (Pausinystalia yohimbe) by NMR and MS.

Consumers have unprecedented access to botanical dietary supplements through online retailers, making it difficult to ensure product quality and authenticity. Therefore, methods to survey and compare chemical compositions across botanical products are needed. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and non-targeted mass spectrometry (MS) were used to chemically analyze commercial products labeled as containing one of three botanicals: blue cohosh, goldenseal, and yohimbe bark. Aqueous and organic phase extracts were prepared and analyzed in tandem with NMR followed by MS. We processed the non-targeted data using multivariate statistics to analyze the compositional similarity across extracts. In each case, there were several product outliers that were identified using principal component analysis (PCA). Evaluation of select known constituents proved useful to contextualize PCA subgroups, which in some cases supported or refuted product authenticity. The NMR and MS data reached similar conclusions independently but were also complementary.

Picomolar level sensorial dual colorimetric gold nanoparticle sensor for Zn2+ and Hg2+ ions synthesized from bark extract of Lannea Grandis Coromandelica and its wide range applications in real sample analysis.

In this work a facile, rapid, reproducible and non-toxic approach has been demonstrated for synthesis of most stable AuNPs from bark extract of Lannea Grandis Coromandelica. UV-Visible spectroscopy, FTIR, TEM, SAED, EDX, XRD, DLS, Zeta Potential, FE-SEM, AFM and XPS techniques were employed for the characterization of synthesized LGC-AuNPs. The UV-Vis spectra of LGC-AuNPs gave SPR peak at 536 nm while the TEM analysis revealed LGC-AuNPs have 20.75 nm size with spherical in shape. DLS study showed the AuNPs have average diameter 50.18 nm. The synthesized AuNPs exhibited very high selectivity, rapid response in recognition towards Zn2+ and Hg2+ ions by changing its color within 20 sec. This proposed sensor can detect very low picomolar level of Zn2+ and Hg2+ ions (LOD value for Zn2+ and Hg2+ were found 1.36 pM and 24.60 pM respectively). Here we also studied effect of several factors such as variation of conc of gold, temperature, incubation time, pH, salt, solvent (polar protic and polar aprotic) to know in which condition AuNPs have high stability and sensitivity. The data revealed that synthesized AuNPs was stable up to two years at pH 6.5 at room temperature in water media and under this condition, it shows maximum sensitivity and reactivity. Moreover, here interference study was carried out to identify high selectivity of synthesized LGC-AuNPs probe in presence of different metal ions. The real sample analyses also revealed the great applicability of this probe. Therefore, this simple, rapid, low-cost, sensing activity appeared to hold great sensibleness for detection of heavy metal ions in real sample.

Extraction and characterization of a novel cellulosic fiber derived from the bark of Rosa hybrida plant.

The current investigation aims to choose an alternate potential replacement for the nonbiodegradable synthetic fibers used in polymer composites. This goal motivated the thorough characterization of Rosa hybrida bark (RHB) fibers. The research explored fiber characterization such as morphological, mechanical, thermal, and physical properties. The suggested fiber features a percentage of cellulose, hemicellulose molecules, and lignin of 52.99 wt%, 18.49 wt%, and 17.34 wt%, respectively according to chemical composition studies, which improves its mechanical properties. It is suitable for lightweight applications due to its decreased density (1.194 gcm-3). The purpose of the Fourier transform infrared spectroscope was to observe and record how various chemical groups were distributed throughout the surface of the fiber. The presence of 1.41 nm-sized crystalline cellulose and further XRD analysis showed a crystallinity index of 75.48 %. Scanning electron microscope studies revealed that RHB fibers have a rough surface. According to a single fiber tensile test, for gauge length (GL) 40 mm, Young's modulus and tensile strength of RHB fibers were 6.57 GPa and 352.01 MPa, respectively, and for GL 50 mm, 9.02 GPa and 311 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, thermo-gravimetric examination revealed that the isolated fibers were thermally stable up to 290 °C and the kinetic activation energy was found to be 75.32 kJ/mol. The fibers taken from the Rosa hybrida flower plants' bark exhibit qualities similar to those of currently used natural fibers, making them a highly promising replacement for synthetic fibers in polymer matrix composites.

Chemical composition, antifungal, and anti-virulence action of the stem bark of Hancornia speciosa Gomes (Apocynaceae) against Candida spp.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Hancornia speciosa Gomes is a fruit and medicinal species used for treating infectious diseases of the genitourinary system. However, its mechanism of action against microbes is still not fully understood. Infections in the genitourinary system caused by Candida spp. are associated with its fungal resistance and pathogenicity. New plant-derived compounds are an alternative to fight these Candida infections. AIM OF THE STUDY: The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-Candida effects of extracts of the stem bark of H. speciosa. This research investigated the chemical composition of sulfuric ether (EEHS) and methanolic (MEHS) extracts, their drug-modifying action on fluconazole, and their anti-virulence action on the morphological transition of Candida species. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The extracts (EEHS and MEHS) of the stem bark of H. speciosa were chemically characterized via qualitative phytochemical screening and by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS-ESI-QTOF). The extracts were evaluated regarding their antifungal effects and fluconazole-modifying activity against Candida albicans, Candida krusei, and Candida tropicalis using the broth microdilution method. Additionally, the study evaluated the inhibition of fungal virulence in Candida species through morphological transition assays. RESULTS: The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of anthocyanidins, anthocyanins, aurones, catechins, chalcones, flavones, flavonols, flavanones, leucoanthocyanidins, tannins (condensed and pyrogallic), and xanthones in both extracts of the stem bark of H. speciosa. The UPLC-MS-ESI-QTOF analysis identified the same compounds in both extracts, predominating phenolic compounds. Some compounds were first time recorded in this species: gluconic acid, cinchonain IIb, cinchonain Ib isomer, and lariciresinol hexoside isomers. Most of the intrinsic antifungal activity was observed for the MEHS against C. krusei (IC50: 58.41 µg/mL). At subinhibitory concentrations (MC/8), the EEHS enhanced the action of fluconazole against all Candida strains. The MEHS exhibited greater efficacy than fluconazole inhibiting C. krusei growth. The EEHS completely inhibited hyphae appearance and reduced pseudohyphae formation in C. albicans. CONCLUSION: The stem bark of H. speciosa is a rich source of bioactive compounds, especially phenolic. Phenolic compounds can have important roles in fighting infectious diseases of the genitourinary system, such as candidiasis. The extracts of H. speciosa improved the action of the drug fluconazole against Candida species, inhibited hyphae appearance, and reduced pseudohyphae formation. The results of this study can support the development of new therapeutics against resistant strains of Candida.

Utilization of rice production residues as a reinforcing agent in bioadhesives based on polyphenols extracted from the bark of trees from the Brazilian Cerrado biome.

The scarcity of nonrenewable resources and the increase in environmental pollution have intensified the search for materials that exhibit specific characteristics and are nontoxic, renewable, and sustainable. Thus, the objective of this work was to produce natural polyphenol adhesives reinforced with rice husk and its ash to increase the mechanical resistance and moisture resistance of the glue line in wood bonded joints. Polyphenols were extracted from the bark of Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville (barbatimão). Adhesives were produced with a 50 % solid and 50 % liquid composition. Rice husk and husk ash underwent X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF). Adhesives and reinforcement material were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA). The adhesives were glued in a mechanical press in specimens made of Pinus elliottii, which were subjected to shear testing of the wet and dry glue line. As a result, the chemical components present in rice husk and its ash positively influenced the properties of the adhesives. The mechanical glue line shear test showed that the adhesive reinforced with rice husk ash did not show a statistically significant difference. However, natural adhesives based on polyphenols from barbatimão strengthened with rice husk and ash showed improved properties, demonstrating how much it pays to use the residue of rice production to reinforce the matrix of tannin adhesives. Thus, it can be determined that reinforcement with rice husk and ash is efficient in improving some properties of natural adhesives based on polyphenols.

In Silico Exploration of Potential Phytoconstituents from the Bark Extract of Boswellia serrata for Hemorrhoidal Disease: Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Analysis.

Boswellia serrata Roxb. Ex Colebr is a popular medicinal plant used traditionally in herbal medicinal preparations to treat a variety of diseases. The purpose of the present investigation was to investigate the anti-hemorrhoidal property of the bark extract of B. serrata (BS). For this, the sequential Soxhlet extraction method was carried out by using different solvents such as hexane, chloroform, and methanol. After the extraction, the obtained dry extracts were tested for quantitative determinations such as total alkaloid content (TAC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenol content (TPC), and total tannin content (TTC) for all the extracts. Moreover, in vitro antioxidant activity was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity and scavenging activity against 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS). Methanolic bark extract showed the highest TPC (67.10±1.83), TFC (372.73±4.45), TAC (9.732±1.06), and TTC (48.932±1.82), as well as the antioxidant assays DPPH (IC50=9.88 µg/ml) and ABTS (IC50=15.09 µg/ml). In this study, both LC-MS and GC-MS were performed to identify the chemical composition of all the extracts. Consequently, 19 compounds were identified by GC-MS and 27 compounds were identified by LC-MS analysis. The identified phytoconstituent(s) that could potentially interact with the target protein cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) (PDB: 4RRW) using molecular dynamics simulation and in silico docking were studied. Three compounds that have passed in drug-likeness and ADME-Tox properties are having more docking score than the standard. In this study, camptothecin, justicidin B, and taxiphyllin are identified as potential lead compounds with anti-hemorrhoidal properties and may be helpful in the process of drug development and discovery of novel drugs. Hence, these results demonstrate that BS is a good source of pharmacologically active components with potential applications against hemorrhoidal disease.

A facile-treated sago bark (Metroxylon sagu) as a biosorbent for Cd(II) ions removal in aqueous solution by using the batch method.

The performance of sago bark for Cd(II) ions removal in the aqueous solution has been investigated using the batch method. The sago bark was facile-treated using HNO3 0.01 M and its ability on Cd(II) removal was evaluated under specific parameters such as pH, contact time, agitation speed, temperature, initial concentration, and adsorbent mass. The adsorption capacity of sago bark was found to be 2.473 mg/g. The Langmuir isotherm model corresponding to the monolayer adsorption process described the adsorption data well. The kinetic and thermodynamic evaluation confirmed that the Cd(II) ion sorption followed a pseudo-second-order model and endothermic. The adsorption capacity decreased after three times adsorption-desorption cycles. This result showed that the treated sago bark could be a good candidate as an adsorbent for Cd(II) removal.