Fabrication of polydopamine decorated carbon cloth as support material to anchor CeO2 nanoparticles for electrochemical detection of ethanol.

A flexible CeO2 nanostructured polydopamine-modified carbon cloth (CeO2/PDA/CC) interface was fabricated via electrodeposition for ethanol detection. The fabrication method involved two consecutive electrochemical steps in which dopamine was firstly electrodeposited on carbon fibers, followed by the electrochemical growth of CeO2 nanoparticles. The CeO2/PDA-based electroactive interface exerts an impressive electrochemical performance on the flexible sensor due to strong synergistic effect of the PDA functionalization with more active sites. Moreover, catalytic activity of CeO2 nanostructures anchored on highly conductive CC incorporate superior electrocatalytic performance of the fabricated interface. The designed electrochemical sensor showed a wide response to ethanol in the linear range 1 to 25 mM with a detection limit of 0.22 mM. The CeO2/PDA/CC flexible sensor showed good anti-interference ability and excellent repeatability and reproducibility (RSD = 1.67%). The fabricated interface performed well in saliva samples with satisfactory recoveries, corroborating the viability of CeO2/PDA/CC integrated interface for practical implementation.

Synthesis of 2-nitro aniline derivative of 3, 4, 5-trihydroxybenzoic acid, its metal complexes, characterization and bioassay.

Present research work discloses new and novel synthesis of metal complexes (Fe, Cu, Zn, Sb and Sn) of 3, 4, 5-trihydroxybenzoic acid derivative containing aniline moiety with substitution at C-7 position of 3, 4, 5-trihydroxybenzoic acid in order to enhance its biological activities by coupling therapeutic values of transition metals as well. In vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of these compounds has been performed by using agar diffusion method against different bacterial and fungal strains. The free radical scavenging assay was performed by using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH). Cytotoxic action of compounds was assessed by utilizing the standard MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) colorimetric assay. The structure of newly synthesized complexes were confirmed by using IR and 1HNMR spectral analysis.

A Rare Presentation of Chronic Vulval Sinus: A Case Report.

We report an unusual case of the vulval sinus with persistent seroanguinous discharge in a 59-year-old postmenopausal woman. Examination revealed a 9-cm isolated sinus tract in the right labiocrural fold. This sinus tract was excised under anesthesia. Histological analysis showed skin with a deep dermal sinus tract showing edematous and heavily inflamed granulation tissue. There was no evidence of malignancy or dysplasia. Hidradenitis was ruled out on histology. This case report summarizes the importance of early diagnosis and prompt treatment involving complete excision of the vulval sinus to reduce long-term morbidity and consequences of this rare entity.

Microscopic characterization of petiole anatomy of Asteraceous taxa of Western Himalaya-Pakistan.

Petiole anatomy of 15 species of family Asteraceae was examined which aimed to investigate petiolar anatomical structures for species level identification. Shandon Microtome was used for petiole histological preparations. Both qualitative and quantitative features were studied under microscope which showed significant variation in petiole, collenchyma, parenchyma shape/size, vascular bundles arrangement/size, and vessel elements quantity. Artemisia japonica Thunb., Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten., Myriactis nepalensis Less., Seriphidium brevifolium Ling & Y.R.Ling, Taraxacum officinale (L.) Weber ex F.H.Wigg., and Xanthium strumarium L. showed winged petioles. Maximum length and width of upper and lower epidermis was found in Tagetes erecta L. which is 23.05 ± 0.89 µm, 24.9 ± 1.257 µm length and 21.75 ± 1.38067 µm, 22.75 ± 0.467 µm width, respectively. Petioles of Parthenium hysterophorus L. was longest one with 9.85 ± 10.45 µm while A. japonica Thunb. showed highest number of vessel elements. Maximum size of vascular bundles was found in T. erecta L. with 5.05 ± 14.25 µm. Artemisia annua L., C. vulgare (Savi) Ten, Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H.Rob., Helianthus annus L., M. nepalensis Less., P. hysterophorus L., Senecio chrysanthemoides DC. have trichomes while Tussilago farfara L. has highest number of vascular bundles. All species have angular collenchyma type except M. nepalensis Less., P. hysterophorus L., S. brevifolium Ling & Y.R.Ling, Tagetes minuta L., T. officinale L., S. chrysanthemoides DC., and T. farfara L. Cluster analysis implemented that distinct plant species in cluster. Petiolar anatomical structures and taxonomic key will helpful for distinguishing Asteraceous taxa at genus and species level. This taxonomic significant investigation will also provide baseline to taxonomists for other Asteraceae studies and phylogenetic research.

Furanodiene: A Novel, Potent, and Multitarget Cancer-fighting Terpenoid.

Natural products have served as a limitless reservoir of bioactive scaffolds for drug discovery against several disorders. Furanodiene is a bioactive natural product isolated from several plants of genus Curcuma. Its therapeutic potential against cancer, inflammation, and angiogenesis has been well-documented. The current review is an update about the natural sources and anti-cancer action mechanism of furanodiene. Furanodiene exerts its anti-cancer effects via induction of apoptosis in several cancer types by modulating MAPKs/ERK, NF-κB, and Akt pathways. Furanodiene has been systematically studied for its anti-cancer potential. However, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pre-clinical and clinical studies still needed to be conducted to completely validate the potential of furanodiene for the treatment of cancer.

Germacrone: A Potent Secondary Metabolite with Therapeutic Potential in Metabolic Diseases, Cancer and Viral Infections.

Natural products, an infinite reserve of bioactive molecules, will continue to serve humans as an important source of therapeutic agents. Germacrone is a bioactive natural compound found in the traditional medicinal plants of family Zingiberaceae. This multifaceted chemical entity has become a point of focus during recent years due to its numerous pharmacological applications, e.g., anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-adipogenic, anti-androgenic, antimicrobial, insecticidal, and neuroprotective. Germacrone is an effective inducer of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in various cancers (breast, brain, liver, skin, prostate, gastric, and esophageal) via modulation of different cell signaling molecules and pathways involved in cancer proliferation. This is the first report highlighting the wide spectrum of pharmacological activities exhibited by germacrone. The reported data collected from various shreds of evidences recommend that this multifaceted compound could serve as a potential drug candidate in the near future.

Oleandrin: A bioactive phytochemical and potential cancer killer via multiple cellular signaling pathways.

Nerium oleander, a member of family Apocynaceae, is commonly known as Kaner in various countries of Asia and Mediterranean region. This plant has been renowned to possess significant therapeutic potential due to its various bioactive compounds which have been isolated from this plant e.g., cardiac glycosides, oleandrin, α-tocopherol, digitoxingenin, urosolic acid, quercetin, odorosides, and adigoside. Oleandrin, a saponin glycoside is one of the most potent and pharmacologically active phytochemicals of N. oleander. Its remarkable pharmacotherapeutic potential have been interpreted as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-HIV, neuroprotective, antimicrobial and antioxidant. This particular bioactive entity is known to target the multiple deregulated signaling cascades of cancer such as NF-κB, MAPK, and PI3K/Akt. The main focus of the current study is to comprehend the action mechanisms of oleandrin against various pathological conditions. The current review is a comprehensive summary to facilitate the researchers to understand the pharmacological position of the oleandrin in the arena of drug discovery, representing this compound as a new drug candidate for further researches. Moreover, in vivo and in silico based studies are required to explore the mechanistic approaches regarding the pharmacokinetics and biosafety profiling of this compound to completely track its candidature status in natural drug discovery.

Potential Anticancer Properties and Mechanisms of Action of Formononetin.

Nature, a vast reservoir of pharmacologically active molecules, has been most promising source of drug leads for the cure of various pathological conditions. Formononetin is one of the bioactive isoflavones isolated from different plants mainly from Trifolium pratense, Glycine max, Sophora flavescens, Pycnanthus angolensis, and Astragalus membranaceus. Formononetin has been well-documented for its anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. Recently anticancer activity of formononetin is widely studied. This review aims to highlight the pharmacological potential of formononetin, thus providing an insight of its status in cancer therapeutics. Formononetin fights progression of cancer via inducing apoptosis, arresting cell cycle, and halting metastasis via targeting various pathways which are generally modulated in several cancers. Although reported data acclaims various biological properties of formononetin, further experimentation on mechanism of its action, medicinal chemistry studies, and preclinical investigations are surely needed to figure out full array of its pharmacological and biological potential.