Benzenepropanoic Acid Research Articles

Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Costus speciosus rhizome Bioactive Phytochemicals: A Combined GC-MS and Computational Approach Targeting TLR-4 Signaling.

Plants represent a rich reservoir of bioactive compounds with established therapeutic value in diverse diseases. Notably, the Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in inflammation. Upon engagement with pro-inflammatory ligands like lipopolysaccharide, TLR-4 triggers downstream cascades involving nuclear factor ĸappa B and mitogen- activated protein kinases. This signaling cascade ultimately dictates the onset and progression of inflammatory diseases. Therefore, targeting TLR-4 signaling offers a promising therapeutic approach for managing inflammatory disorders. This study investigated the potential of Costus speciosus rhizome phytocompounds, a traditional medicinal plant, as novel as modulators of TLR-4 signaling, highlighting their mechanisms of action and potential clinical applications. In the present study, 18 phytocompounds isolated from the rhizome of Costus speciosus, were studied against TLR-4/AP-1 signaling, which is implicated in the inflammatory process using a computational approach. The compounds exhibited binding affinities ranging from -4.087 to -8.93 kcal/mol with the TLR-4 protein due to the formation of multiple intermolecular interactions. Benzenepropanoic acid, 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxy-, methyl ester (compound 7) exhibited exceptional binding energy (-8.93 kcal/mol), indicating strong affinity for the TLR-4 protein. Additionally, compound 7 displayed favorable ADMET properties, suggesting promising drug development potential. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the stability of the compound 7-TLR4 complex, further supporting its ability to modulate TLR-4 signaling. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of Costus speciosus phytocompounds, particularly compound 7, as potent anti-inflammatory modulators. Further research is warranted to validate their anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in pre-clinical models, paving the way for their development as novel therapeutic agents for inflammatory diseases.

GC-MS analysis of an ethanolic extract of Ocimum species: anetwork pharmacology analysis insight towards obesity.

Aim: In this study, we have selected two different Ocimum tenuiflorum plants, Ocimum tenuiflorum (Rama tulsi) (OTRT) and Ocimum tenuiflorum (Krishna tulsi) (OTKT). Materials & methods: In the present investigation, ethanol was used as a solvent to estimate the bioactive compounds present in it through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results: Based on the GC-MS data benzenepropanoic acid, 3-methoxy-alpha,4-bis[(trimethylsilyl)oxy was found to be the potent compound in OTRT (MW: 428.74g/mol) and methyl 3-(4-benzyloxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanoate in OTKT (MW: 342.39g/mol). To estimate its pharmacological application, an integrated Network Pharmacology approach is performed toward the disease target obesity. Conclusion: From the protein-protein interaction from the string database, SRC, BCL2, EGFR, MTOR, CDK1, ERBB2, MAPK1, FYN, AR and MAPK14 are the top-ranked targets.

INHIBITION OF AFLATOXIGENIC FUNGI BY LACTIC ACID BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM FERMENTED MAIZE SLURRY

Toxigenic fungi are persistent contaminants of food and food products. This study aims at the biocontrol of toxigenic fungi. The inhibitory activity of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from fermented cereal slurry against toxigenic Aspergillus isolated from maize was investigated. The antagonistic compounds produced by LAB were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). Toxigenic Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus were isolated from maize after screening with an ammonium hydroxide test, and their aflatoxin levels were quantified to be 877 and 797 ng g-1 respectively. Lactobacillus fermentum and Lactobacillus paraplantarum were isolated and their culture-free supernatants (CFS) had a mean inhibitory zone of 15 ± 0.4 to 18 ± 0.6 mm. They were sensitive to pH but slight loss of inhibitory activity when treated with proteolytic enzymes. The inhibitory CFS was subjected to GC-MS. Among the compounds detected, lactic acid, benzenepropanoic acid, 4-hydroxy, pyrrolo [1, 2a] pyrazine 1,4 dione and fatty acids especially hexadecanoic acid, were the main compounds with potential antifungal activity identified. Lactic acid bacteria inhibited the growth of aflatoxigenic Aspergilli, hereby reducing food intoxication.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory potential and GC-MS profiling of leaf extracts from Clerodendrum infortunatum L.

Ethnopharmacological relevanceClerodendrum infortunatum L. is commonly distributed in tropical and subtropical countries and is widely used in the indigenous systems of medicine including Ayurveda, Unani, and Homeopathy. The plant has important uses in the treatment of various inflammatory disorders which includes asthma, cough, chest complaints, pain, rheumatism, osteoarthritis, gastric ulcer, cancer, diabetes, skin diseases etc. Aim of the studyRegarding the extensive healing properties of C. infortunatum in folk medicine, we aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory activity of the plant and analyze its bioactive components. Materials and methodsSequential extracts were prepared from C. infortunatum leaves using n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methanol, ethanol and water. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity of these extracts were evaluated using membrane stabilization and protein anti-denaturation assays. Toxicity of the extracts was tested using brine shrimp lethality assay. GC-MS analysis has been carried out to analyze and characterize various bioactive constituents present in the plant. ResultsEach of the tested extracts showed significant (p < 0.05) in vitro anti-inflammatory activity. Sequential ethyl acetate extract demonstrated the strongest membrane stabilization and protein anti-denaturation activities with IC50 values of 331.3, 308.3 and 279.2 μg/mL for heat and hypotonicity induced membrane stabilization and protein anti-denaturation assays, respectively. Sequential methanol extract also exhibited strong activity in heat and hypotonicity induced membrane stabilization and protein anti-denaturation assays with IC50 values of 371.5, 331.6 and 284.6 μg/mL, respectively. The extracts demonstrated a range of toxicity in the brine shrimp lethality assay with LC50 values of 51.4, 59.7, 47.3, 37.1, 68.1 and 77.3 μg/mL for n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methanol, ethanol and water extracts respectively. The GC-MS analysis of direct n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts detected 32 different compounds. The major compounds (> 5%) were phenol, 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-, hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, estragole, methyl stearate, lanosterol, 9-methoxybicyclo[6.1.0]nona-2,4,6-triene, benzenepropanoic acid, 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl) 4 hydroxy methyl ester, 22,23-dibromostigmasterol acetate, 3-methyl-4-(phenylthio)-2-prop-2-enyl-2,5-dihydrothiophene 1,1-dioxide, benzenemethanol, α-methyl-α-propyl- and 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)- methyl ester. ConclusionsThe findings of our study revealed that C. infortunatum is rich with diverse bioactive phytoconstituents and the scientific evidences support the anti-inflammatory potential of the plant.

Green synthesised AuNps using Ajuga Bracteosa extract and AuNps-Free supernatant exhibited equivalent antibacterial and anticancerous efficacies.

The current study is designed to synthesize gold nanoparticles using Ajuga bracteosa extract, which is a highly known medicinal herb found in the northern Himalayas. The synthesized gold nanoparticles were initially characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometer, SEM, FTIR, pXRD, and, GC-MS. Antibacterial efficacy of A. bracteosa extract, AuNps, and AuNps-free supernatant activity was checked against highly pathogenic clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa via agar well diffusion method, assuming that supernatant might have active compounds. The Nps-free supernatant showed the maximum antibacterial activity against E. coli (20.8±0.3 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (16.5±0.5), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13±0.6). While green synthesized AuNps showed effective antibacterial activity (Escherichia coli (16.4±0.3mm), Staphylococcus aureus (15.05±0.5mm), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.07±0.6mm)) which was high compared to A. bracteosa extract. Anticancer activity was assessed by MTT assay on U87 and HEK293 cell lines. Aj-AuNps have an antigrowth effect on both the cell lines however Aj-AuNps-free supernatant which was also evaluated along with the Aj-AuNps, showed high toxicity toward HEK293 cell line compared to U87. Further, the GC-MS analysis of supernatant showed the presence of resultant toxic compounds after the reduction of gold salt, which include Trichloromethane, Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, methyl ester, Methyl isovalerate, Pentanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-4-methyl-, Benzene-propanoic acid, and alpha-hydroxy. Based on the observation small molecular weight ligands of Ajuga bracteosa were analyzed in-silico for their binding efficacy towards selected membrane proteins of our target pathogens. RMSD is also calculated for the best docked protein ligand pose. The results revealed that among all listed ligands, Ergosterol and Decacetylajugrin IV have high virtuous binding affinities towards the membrane proteins of targeted pathogens. The current findings revealed that the Aj-AuNps are good antibacterial as well as anticancerous agents while the Nps-free supernatant is also exceedingly effective against resistant pathogens and cancer cell lines.

In-silico Analysis of Phytocompounds Identified by GC-MS from Moringa oleifera Leaves of Kolli Hills at Namakkal Against Colorectal Cancer

Plants have been used for medicinal purposes long before the prehistoric period. The use of plants and natural substances to cure a wide range of human ailments has become increasingly popular due to the population explosion, insufficient drug supply, high cost of treatments, adverse effects of various synthetic medications, and the emergence of drug resistance. Because of its potent healing properties, India views Moringa oleifera as a "mystical plant." These phytochemicals made by plants have the potential to take the place of antibiotics, antihelminthicides, and antivirals in the fight against a range of pathogenic diseases. The aim of this current study is to evaluate the M. oleifera leaf aqueous extract compounds against Colorectal cancer through In-silico analysis. The objective of this research is to analysis the phytocompounds present in the extract of Moringa oleifera from the Kolli Hills region, identify the biologically active compounds through GC-MS, and determine whether In-silico analysis reveals anticancer activity. The GC-MS analysis, which indicates 10 peaks of biomolecules such as Hexatriacontane, 2- Hexadecen-1-Ol, 3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-, [R- [R*, R*-(E)], Neophytadiene, Docosane, Benzenepropanoic Acid, Alpha. -[(Trimethylsilyl)Oxy]-, Trimethylsilyl, Tetracosane, Succinic acid, epicotyl 3-methylbut-3-enyl ester , 2,3,4,5,6-Pentafluorobenzyl Crotonate , Acetic acid, 2-(9-phenylimino-10-acridanyl)- , ethyl ester , Butane, 1,1-diethoxy-3-methyl- . Docking studies with β-catenin revealed that Acetic acid, 2-(9-phenylimino-10-acridanyl)-ethyl ester, has minimum docking scores and high binding affinity against β-catenin of Human Colorectal cancer, indicating that M. oleifera from Kolli Hills region has a promising natural bioactive source and might be a valuable source for future anti-cancer therapy especially Colorectal cancer. The novelty of this study is that no report has yet been cited on the effectiveness of M. oleifera extracts obtained from the Kolli hills region as an anti-cancer agent against Colorectal cancer.

Computational Analysis of Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. Compounds for Drug Development against Neurodegenerative Disorders.

With several experimental studies establishing the role of Bacopa monnieri as an effective neurological medication, less focus has been employed to explore how effectively Bacopa monnieri brings about this property. The current work focuses on understanding the molecular interaction of the phytochemicals of the plant against different neurotrophic factors to explore their role and potential as potent anti-neurodegenerative drugs. Neurotrophins play a crucial role in the development and regulation of neurons. Alterations in the functioning of these Neurotrophins lead to several Neurodegenerative Disorders. Albeit engineered medications are accessible for the treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders, due to their numerous side effects, it becomes imperative to formulate and synthesize novel drug candidates. This study aims to investigate the potential of Bacopa monnieri phytochemicals as potent antineurodegenerative drugs by inspecting the interactions between Neurotrophins and target proteins. The current study employs molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation studies to examine the molecular interactions of phytochemicals with respective Neurotrophins. Further inspection of the screened phytochemicals was performed to analyze the ADME-Tox properties in order to classify the screened phytochemicals as potent drug candidates. The phytochemicals of Bacopa monnieri were subjected to in-silico docking with the respective Neurotrophins. Vitamin E, Benzene propanoic acid, 3,5-bis (1,1- dimethylethyl)- 4hydroxy-, methyl ester (BPA), Stigmasterol, and Nonacosane showed an excellent binding affinity with their respective Neurotrophins (BDNF, NT3, NT4, NGF). Moreover, the molecular dynamic simulation studies revealed that BPA and Stigmasterol show a very stable interaction with NT3 and NT4, respectively, suggesting their potential role as a drug candidate. Nonacosane exhibited a fluctuating binding behavior with NGF which can be accounted for by its long linear structure. ADME-Tox studies further confirmed the potency of these phytochemicals as BPA violated no factors and Vitamin E, Stigmasterol and Nonacosane violated 1 factor for Lipinski's rule. Moreover, their high human intestinal absorption and bioavailability score along with their classification as non-mutagen in the Ames test makes these compounds more reliable as potent antineurodegenerative drugs. Our study provides an in-silico approach toward understanding the anti-neurodegenerative property of Bacopa monnieri phytochemicals and establishes the role of four major phytochemicals which can be utilized as a replacement for synthetic drugs against several neurodegenerative disorders.

Investigation of phytochemical constituents, GC-MS, DPPH free radical scavenging assay, and mineral contents of Glochidion sphaerogynum (Mull. Arg.) Kurz bark extract

The aim of the present study was to assess phytochemical constituents, chemical composition, DPPH free radical scavenging assay and mineral contents of Glochidion sphaerogynum (Mull.Arg.) Kurz bark extract. Standard procedures were used to test preliminary phytochemical constituents as well as quantitative analysis for total alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin, tannin, phenolic and terpenoid content. The extract was examined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to know the biologically active compound. In-vitro antioxidant potential was investigated using DPPH free radical scavenging assay and the IC50 value for the antioxidant activity of bark extract was 37.4479 ?g/mL. The qualitative phytochemical investigation revealed the presence of important phytochemical constituents as well as considerable amounts of total alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin, tannin, phenolic and terpenoid content. GC-MS revealed the presence of biologically active compounds like 1,1,6-Trimethyl-3-methylene-2-(3,6,10,13,14-pentamethyl-3-ethenyl-pentadec-4-enyl)cyclohexane; Benzenepropanoic acid, 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethyl ethyl)-4-hydroxy-, methyl ester; Neophytadiene etc which would be important for medicinal industries. Mineral contents were determined by using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). The result revealed the presence of a good concentration of Na (10.552±0.343 ppm) and Ca (8.973±0.310 ppm) elements followed by K, Fe, Mg and Mn and very less concentrations of heavy metals such as Cd, Cr and Pb indicated the species was devoid of harmful metals.

Ammi-visnaga extract; a novel phyto-antiviral agent against bovine rotavirus.

The spread of bovine rotavirus has a great impact on animal productivity, milk products, and human public health. Thus, this study aimed to develop a novel, effective and accessible Phyto-antiviral treatment made from methanolic Ammi-visnaga seed extract against rotavirus infection. Rotaviruses were isolated from raw milk and cottage cheese samples randomly collected from Cairo and Qalubia governorates. They were all identified serologically, however, only three of them were both biologically and molecularly confirmed. The methanolic extract derived from Khella seeds (MKSE) was chemically analyzed with mass chromatography. The cellular toxicity of MKSE was tested on Caco-2 cells and its antiviral activity against one of the isolated bovine rotaviruses (BRVM1) was tested by both the cytopathic inhibition assay and the plaque reduction assay. Our results showed that 17.3% of the total collected 150 dairy samples were bovine rotavirus antigen positive. Three representatives of them were phylogenetically identified to be included in group A based on a 379bp coat protein gene. Visnagin, Benzopyran, Khellin, and Benzenepropanoic acid were the major active components found in the MKSE. The maximum non-toxic concentration of MKSE was 5µg/mL and the CC50 value was 417µg/mL. The MKSE exhibited in-vitro antiviral activity against BRVM1 indicated by inhibition of the viral cytopathic effect (SI = 204.5, IP = 98%), causing a 1.5 log decrease in BVRM1 TCID50 and reducing the viral plaques count by the percentage of 93.14% at MNTC (5 ug/ml). In conclusion, our study showed that bovine rotavirus represents a severe health problem that needs attention in Egypt, and it supports using MKSE as a potential natural anti-rotavirus agent.

Biochemical and in silico study of leaf extract from Rumex dentatus against Staphylococcus aureus

Rumex dentatus is a medicinal plant with a variety of bioactive components that can be used to treat infections and multidrug-resistant (MDR) microbes. MDR microbes associated with infection pose a real threat and the available antibiotics can no longer be used to control or kill those bacteria. Thus, the study aimed to ascertain the antibacterial activity of Rumex dentatus leaf extract and identify a potent compound that can be used as a drug developmental agent may against Staphylococcus aureus. Disc diffusion method, mortality assay of brine shrimp, and DPPH free radical scavenging assay were carried out for in vitro analysis. Standard computational tools and servers such as Pymol, PyRx, and Discovery Studio were used for carrying out the in silico studies. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from the infected area of eczema sufferers and identified through morphological, biochemical, and 16SrRNA sequence analysis. Rumex dentatus leaf extract was diluted with methanol and it showed the maximum zone of inhibition (14.33 ± 0.68 mm) after applying it against Staphylococcus aureus at the dose of 150µg/disc. Furthermore, the extract revealed remarkable antioxidant activity and the death rate of brine shrimp and leaf extract concentration were positively connected. Finding pharmacological targets with a high affinity for the FosB (4nb2) protein, which controls antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus, was done via molecular docking. 1-Alpha-18O-1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (CID- 5280453), Androstan-3-ol, 9-methyl-(3 beta,5 alpha) (CID- 22215820), Phenylacetaldehyde (CID- 998), and Benzenepropanoic acid, 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxy- methyl ester (CID- 62603) substances had binding energies of -6.8 Kcal/mol, -6.6 Kcal/mol, -5.6 kcal/mol, and -5.5 kcal/mol, respectively. As an organic source of medicines, Rumex dentatus leaf extract could thus be used to combat the antimicrobial-resistant pathogen.

Elicitation of Secondary Metabolites in Aquilaria malaccensis Lam. Callus Culture by Crude Mycelial Extract of Fusarium solani and Methyl Jasmonate

Agarwood is a resinous wood of great economic value produced by trees from the Thymelaeaceae family in response to stress. The natural formation of agarwood can take decades after exposure to the stressors. Artificial agarwood induction by inoculating the stem with fungi has been successfully demonstrated, but resin accumulation occurs very slowly. Cell suspension and callus cultures may serve as an alternative solution to provide a fast-growing plant material to produce artificial agarwood in a short period. Here, we induced agarwood formation in callus cultures of Aquilaria malaccensis by application of crude mycelial extracts of Fusarium solani strains GSL1 or GSL2, or methyl jasmonate (MeJA). After 20 days of treatment with elicitors, all treated calluses had less dry weight than the control group. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis identified 33 different secondary metabolites among all samples, four of which were present in all treatments and control, i.e., 1-docosene and 1-octadecene (alkenes), 4-di-tert-buthylphenol (phenolic), and benzenepropanoic acid (fatty acid). The 6-methoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenethyl)-4H-chromene-4-one, a chromone derivative, was only detected in callus elicited with the F. solani strain GSL2 and MeJA. All treated calli produced more fatty acid derivatives than the control group. We conclude that elicitors used in this study can induce the production of agarwood-related chemicals such as chromone and fatty acid in callus culture.

Nematicidal Metabolites from the Actinomycete Micromonospora sp. WH06.

A nematicidal actinomycete strain WH06 was isolated from soil samples and was identified using 16S rRNA as Micromonospora sp. Through medium screening and fermentation, 10 metabolites were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of its fermentation broth using Sephadex LH-20 and silica gel column chromatography. These compounds were identified as N-acetyltyramine (1), N-acetyltryptamine (2), 1-methylhydantoin (3), benzenepropanoic acid (4), cyclo-(L-Pro-L-Tyr) (5), cyclo(L-Phe-Gly) (6), catechol (7), methyl (4-hydroxyphenyl)acetate (8), 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (9), and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (10). In an in vitro assay against Meloidogyne incognita, a root-knot nematode, compounds 1, 4,&amp;nbsp;9, and 10 show nematicidal activity. Among them, benzenepropanoic acid (4) causes 99.02% mortality of nematode at 200 μg mL-1 after 72 h. Moreover, compound 4 also displays activity in inhibiting egg hatching of M. incognita. This suggests that Micromonospora sp. WH06 is a promising candidate for biocontrol of M. incognita.

Topical Application of Adenosine A2-Type Receptor Agonists Prevents Contact Hypersensitivity Reactions in Mice by Affecting Skin Dendritic Cells

Adenosine (Ado) produced by skin and skin migratory CD73+ dendritic cells is critically involved in tolerance tohaptens. We therefore investigated the use of Ado receptor agonists for the treatment of contact hypersensitivity reactions. A2A- 4-[2-[[6-Amino-9-(N-ethyl-β-D-ribofuranuronamidosyl)-9H-purin-2-yl]amino] ethyl]benzenepropanoic acid hydrochloride (CGS) and A2B- 2-[[6-Amino-3,5-dicyano-4-[4-[cyclopropylmethoxy]phenyl]-2-pyridinyl]thio]-acetamide (BAY) specific Ado receptor agonists were epicutaneously applied to the skin before sensitization and challenge with DNFB. Both agonists reduced ear swelling compared with solvent controls. This was accompanied by fewer activated T cells in the skin after the challenge and by higher numbers of T cells expressing anergic markers such as LAG-3, CD137, PD-1, CD272, and TIM-3 in the lymph nodes of CGS-treated groups. In ear tissue, Ado receptor agonist treatment reduced the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines as well as the infiltration by neutrophils after sensitization. Moreover, reduced numbers of skin migratory dendritic cells producing less IL-12 and exhibiting lower expression of CD86 were recorded in lymph nodes after sensitization. In cocultures of skin migratory dendritic cells from CGS-treated mice with T cells, reduced proliferation of T cells and decreased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines compared with that of solvent controls were apparent. In conclusion, topical application of Ado receptor agonists to the skin prevents sensitization of T cells against haptens by reducing the migration and activation of skin migratory dendritic cells.

Tryptophan Levels as a Marker of Auxins and Nitric Oxide Signaling.

The aromatic amino acid tryptophan is the main precursor for indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), which involves various parallel routes in plants, with indole-3-acetaldoxime (IAOx) being one of the most common intermediates. Auxin signaling is well known to interact with free radical nitric oxide (NO) to perform a more complex effect, including the regulation of root organogenesis and nitrogen nutrition. To fathom the link between IAA and NO, we use a metabolomic approach to analyze the contents of low-molecular-mass molecules in cultured cells of Arabidopsis thaliana after the application of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), an NO donor or IAOx. We separated the crude extracts of the plant cells through ion-exchange columns, and subsequent fractions were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), thus identifying 26 compounds. A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on N-metabolism-related compounds, as classified by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). The differences observed between controls and treatments are mainly explained by the differences in Trp contents, which are much higher in controls. Thus, the Trp is a shared response in both auxin- and NO-mediated signaling, evidencing some common signaling mechanism to both GSNO and IAOx. The differences in the low-molecular-mass-identified compounds between GSNO- and IAOx-treated cells are mainly explained by their concentrations in benzenepropanoic acid, which is highly associated with IAA levels, and salicylic acid, which is related to glutathione. These results show that the contents in Trp can be a marker for the study of auxin and NO signaling.

Gas Chromatography‐Mass Spectrometry Analysis and Neuropharmacological Evaluation of Aqueous Extract of Aerial Parts of Caralluma dalzielii N E Brown

IntroductionCaralluma dalzielli (Asclepiadiaceae) is a succulent perennial plant that is widely distributed across the Sahel region of West Africa. Decoctions from the plant are used traditionally for treating infertility, epilepsy and neurological diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate some neurological effects of aqueous extract of aerial parts of Caralluma dalzielii (APCD) in mice and to analyse its components through Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS).Materials and methodsThe effect of the APCD (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg p.o) on motor coordination, sedation and anxiety in mice were assessed using three models, namely, beam walk assay, staircase test and hole‐board test. Its anticonvulsant activity was assessed in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and strychnine (STN)‐induced seizures in mice. Beam walk assay measured the number of foot slips of the mice, staircase test, measured the number of rearing for each mouse over a 5‐min period while the hole‐board test measured the number of head dips of the mice during a 5‐min period. In the anticonvulsant study, the onset and duration of seizures were recorded. Phytochemical screening was carried out according to standard procedures. APCD was subjected to further analysis using GC‐MS to identify its major components.ResultsAn increase in the number of foot slips is regarded as having peripheral muscle relaxant and sedative activities, however, APCD at all doses showed no significant increase in the number of foot slips. Increase in the number of rearing is a characteristic of anxiety. APCD at all doses significantly (p&lt;0.05) reduced the number of rearing suggesting anxiolytic activity. The behavioural episode of head dipping was used for assessing anxiolytic activity. Increase in the number of head dips described anxiolysis. The extract showed a significant (p&lt;0.05) increase the number of head dips at all dose levels. Pre‐treatment of mice with APCD produced a dose‐dependent protection against PTZ‐induced seizures with 100% protection at the highest dose of APCD. APCD also significantly (p&lt;0.05) increased the latency/onset of myoclonic jerks and reduced the duration of tonic seizures dose dependently. In STN‐induced seizure, APCD significantly (p&lt;0.05) prolonged the latency of tonic seizure and increased the survival time before death in a dose dependent manner. Phytochemical analysis of the extract showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, steroids, cardiac glycosides and phenols. GC‐MS analysis revealed 85 compounds of which the major ones were Heptadecene (6.99%), Octadecene (6.83%), 2‐Amino‐5‐methylbenzoic acid (5.17%), 1‐Butoxy‐2,4‐dimethyl‐2‐pentene (4.97%), Benzene propanoic acid (4.89%), Hexadecanoic acid (3.94%), 2,4‐Di‐tert‐butylphenol (3.233%) and 1‐Tetradecanol (2.16%).ConclusionAPCD possesses neuropharmacological properties with anxiolytic and anticonvulsant activities but without prominent effect on motor coordination. The presence of various phytochemical constituents may be responsible. This report validates the ethnomedicinal use of the plant for the treatment of neurological diseases.

Highly Active Biphasic Anatase-Rutile Ni-Pd/TNPs Nanocatalyst for the Reforming and Cracking Reactions of Microplastic Waste Dissolved in Phenol.

Solvent-based recycling of plastic can offer the main improvement when it is employed for pyrolysis-catalytic steam reforming. In this research, plastic waste dissolved in phenol was used as a feed for catalytic cracking and steam reforming reactions for valuable liquid fuels and hydrogen production, which is gaining the attention of researchers globally. Microplastic wastes (MPWs) are tiny plastic particles that arise due to product creation and breakdown of larger plastics. They can be found mainly in several habitats, including seas and freshwater ecosystems. MPWs harm aquatic species, turtles, and birds and were chosen to recover in this study that can be reacted on the catalyst surface. Biphasic anatase-rutile TiO2 with spherical-shaped support for Ni and Pd metals with nanosized particles was synthesized via the hydrothermal treatment method, and its chemical and physical properties were characterized accordingly. According to temperature-programmed desorption of carbon dioxide (CO2-TPD) and temperature-programmed reduction of hydrogen (H2-TPR) results, the incorporation of Pd into Ni/TNPs enhanced the basicity of the support surface and the redox properties of catalysts, which were strongly linked to the improved hydrogen yield (71%) and phenol conversion (79%) at 600 °C. The Ni-Pd/TNPs nanocatalyst, with remarkable stability for 72 h of time on stream, is a promising catalyst for the MPW-phenol cracking and steam reforming reactions toward H2 production for clean energy generation and other environmental applications. Besides, this study has also highlighted the opportunities of overcoming the risk of microplastic waste and converting it into valuable fuels such as decamethyltetrasiloxane, phenanthrene, methyl palmitate, benzenepropanoic acid, benzoic acid, azulene, xanthene, anisole, biphenyl, phthalic acid, diisooctyl phthalate, etc.

Development of a biodegradable plastic film extruded with the addition of a Brazilian propolis by-product

The development of new materials environmentally friendly has become an important market niche for the food industry. The agro-industrial wastes and by-products can be an alternative for the production of biodegradable food packaging. The work aimed to produce biodegradable plastic film extruded with antioxidant and antibacterial properties by the joining of cassava starch and Brazilian propolis by-product (BPB). The volatile profile of BPB, Brazilian propolis by-product film (BPBF), and control film (CF) were analyzed by gas chromatography. The mechanical, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of the films were also assessed. Eighty-seven volatile compounds were detected with aldehydes and terpenoids predominating in the samples. The major terpenoid detected in the samples was the 2-pinen-10-ol followed by α-copaene. Benzaldehyde and benzenepropanoic acid ethyl ester were the major aldehyde and ester classes present in the films. The BPBF exhibited promising mechanical properties showing the highest Elasticity modulus (11.96 Mpa) and excellent antioxidant (8.45 mmol Trolox equivalent/g) and antibacterial (12.5 mg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium) activities. The valorization of agro-industrial by-products following the current trends to environmental care can be a sustainable alternative for the development of a plastic into which the propolis by-product is incorporated in biodegradable packaging.

Antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles phytosynthesized from Glochidion candolleanum leaves

In the present study, Glochidion candolleanum (Wight & Arn.) Chakrab. & M. Gangop. leaf (GCL)-ethyl acetate extract was used for the phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and subjected to antibacterial assay with G+ve and G−ve bacteria. The GCL·AgNPs synthesized were characterized through various spectroscopic and microscopic analyses, while the phytochemical compounds was analyzed by GC–MS. The discrete GCL·AgNPs formed were micron-scale range. TEM images of AgNPs reveal that nanoparticles were spherical and ellipsoidal in shape, dispersed uniformly and capped with secondary material of ≈10 nm thickness. A maximum inhibition zone of 12.2 mm diameter was observed against Salmonella enterica followed by 11.8 mm diameter against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. GC–MS analysis revealed the occurrence of bioactive phytocompounds in GCL extract, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, 2,4,6-cycloheptatrien, benzenepropanoic acid, 2-ethylacridine, benzo[h]quinoline, methyltris(trimethylsiloxy)silane and 5-methyl-2-phenylindolizine. The findings suggest that GCL could be used for developing antibacterial AgNPs against pathogenic bacteria.

Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Oxytropis pseudoglandulosa Plant of Mongolian Origin.

Oxytropis pseudoglandulosa is used in Mongolian traditional medicine due to its numerous reported health-promoting effects. To date, there are very few scientific reports that describe this species. In this article, its volatile oil composition, lipid extract composition, total phenolic and flavonoid content, antibacterial and allergenic properties are elucidated for the first time. Hexadecanoic acid, fokienol and tricosane were determined as the most notable components of the volatile oil, at 13.13, 11.46 and 5.55%, respectively. Methyl benzoate was shown to be the most abundant component of lipid extract at 40.69, followed by (E)-prop-2-enoic acid, 3-phenyl- and benzenepropanoic acid, at 18.55 and 9.97%. With a TPC of 6.620 mg GAE g−1 and TFC of 10.316 mg QE g−1, the plant extract of O. pseudoglandulosa indicated good antioxidant activity measured by IC50 at 18.761 µg mL−1. Of the 12 tested microorganisms, B. subtilis and S. cerevisiae were the shown to be most susceptible to the plant extract, with MIC at 2.081 and 0.260% (v/v), respectively. Bet v 1—a major birch pollen allergen found in plant-based foods—was determined to be at 192.02 ng g−1 with ELISA. Such a wide spectrum of biological activity indicated by O. pseudoglandulosa lends credence for its application in food industry. Its exerted antioxidant and antimicrobial effects could improve preservation of low-processed food dedicated for consumers afflicted with allergies. Hexadecanoic acid supplemented in foods with dietary plant extracts could add to the potential anti-inflammatory impact. The analysis of lipid makeup suggests O. pseudoglandulosa extract could also be considered as natural pesticide in organic farming.

Characterization of Agarwood by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry and a Random Forest Model

Agarwood, resin produced by wounded Aquilaria plants, is widely used in perfume and medicine. In this study, artificial agarwood induced by physical injury, chemical stimulation, fungal infection, and comprehensive stimulation, which are the common induction methods, was collected. After gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis, the total ion chromatogram/mass ion chromatogram (TIC/MIC) and qualitative peak data from artificial agarwood were used as training sets in discriminant analysis to examine the formation modes of natural agarwood by a random forest model which was shown to be superior to discriminate the formation of natural agarwood. The results implied that natural agarwood is likely formed through four formation modes. The discriminant result from random forest model showed that 17.1% of natural agarwood samples were formed by physical injury, 22.9% by chemical stimulation, 2.9% by fungal infection, and 57.1% by comprehensive stimulation. 2-Butanone-4-phenyl-, benzenepropanoic acid, guaiol, baimuxinal, and 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone were the main chemical markers of the agarwood. The apparent abundance from the GC–MS fingerprints was used to distinguish agarwood formed by different formation processes.