Pharmaceutical Compounds Research Articles

Environmental risk assessment of pharmaceutical pollutants in the Oro River Sub-basin (Colombia)

Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Compounds (PPCPs) are contaminants present in wastewater and in the receiving surface waters, which have no regulations and can bring on environmental risks. In this study, we evaluated the presence of six PPCPs in the Oro River Sub-basin (Colombia) and the environmental risk associated with them. We have verified that the monitored rivers show the presence of Ibuprofen, Cephalexin and Carbamazepine; the first ones (Ibuprofen and cephalexin) were those that presented higher concentrations since they are widely prescribed in Colombia. Pharmaceutical compound concentrations in the rivers downstream of the wastewater treatment plants from Floridablanca were higher than in other monitoring sites being a significant point source of contamination. This wastewater treatment plant receives hospital discharges from the city, including internationally recognized clinics accepting patients from different parts of the country. The environmental risk assessment showed that ibuprofen and Cephalexin have a higher impact on aquatic organisms.

Degradation of pharmaceutical pollutants in different soils by photocatalytic treatment under solar irradiation

Pharmaceutical compounds are chemicals widely applied for the treatment and prevention of human/animal diseases. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are identified as one of their main transfer pathways to aquatic environment since traditional wastewater treatments do not completely remove them. Agricultural irrigation with reclaimed water from WWTP effluents is a growing strategy in areas where water scarcity is a limiting issue. However, the residual presence of these compounds in wastewaters facilitates a new terrestrial route of environmental exposure, increasing the risks of soil pollution and giving rise to dangerous situations for human health and the environment. In this study we have evaluated the effectivity of TiO2 photocatalysis using solar irradiation for the degradation of four contaminants (diclofenac, ibuprofen, ketoprofen and sulfadiazine) in different soil matrices. Influential parameters of photocatalytic process (TiO2 dosage and soil moisture content) were optimized at laboratory scale using UV-LED lamps as light source. Solar remediation trial was performed exposing polluted soils to different treatments (in presence and absence of photocatalyst) during August 2023. After 50 h of solar exposure degradations of these pharmaceuticals reached 97.8–99.5 %, 99.7–100 % and 83.2–97.5 % for soils S1, S2 and S3 respectively. For all compounds, removal followed the order S2 > S1 > S3, in coincidence with the lesser organic matter content of soils. Results suggest that TiO2 photocatalysis under sunlight irradiation could be a useful tool for remediating soils polluted with pharmaceutical residues.

A high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay for therapeutic drug monitoring of 10 drug compounds commonly used for antimicrobial therapy in plasma and serum of critically ill patients: Method optimization, validation, cross-validation and clinical application

Background and aimsIntensive care antibiotic treatment faces challenges due to substantial pharmacokinetic differences in critically ill patients. Individualized antibiotic dosing guided by therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is considered to minimize the risk of treatment failure and toxicity. This study aimed to develop a valid method for simultaneous LC-MS/MS quantification of 10 drugs frequently used in intensive care antibiotic therapy for which TDM-guided dosing is recommended: piperacillin, meropenem, flucloxacillin, cefuroxime, vancomycin, colistin A and B, linezolid, ciprofloxacin and tazobactam. Methods and ResultsThorough optimization of sample preparation and chromatography resulted in a fast and simple method based on protein precipitation of 50 µL plasma or serum and gradient elution using an Acquity UPLC HSS-T3 column. Electrospray ionization-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry in dynamic multiple reaction monitoring was used for quantification, covering the therapeutic range of each drug compound. Validation following EMA and FDA recommendations, including inter-platform validation and inter-laboratory comparison, demonstrated high accuracy, precision and robustness of the new method. The assay was successfully used to monitor plasma antibiotic levels of critically ill patients (n = 35). ConclusionThe established multiplex method covers major drug classes with documented dosing challenges, provides a reliable basis for the implementation of high-throughput TDM, and its application confirmed the clinical impact of TDM in a real-world setting.

Current Progress on the Microalgae-mediated Treatment of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds

Current Progress on the Microalgae-mediated Treatment of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds

Environmentally safe chemometric evaluation and data analysis for the kinetic investigation of mirabegron stability

The physicochemical characteristics of different pharmaceuticals may change with transportation, storage, and usage which directly affect their efficacy, quality, and other features. It is crucial to investigate the kinetic action of pharmaceutical compounds to produce predictive data that aid in the computation of their shelf lives. Several conventional analytical methods introduce unwanted dangerous risks, like employing unsafe solvents, that harm both the analyst and the environment. This created the motive for analysts to apply green approaches that consider using safe chemicals and producing as little waste as possible. In this study, powerful green assessment methods were investigated to study the kinetic process of Mirabegron (MIR) in different hydrolytic conditions giving its main degradation product. First, the optimal solvent was identified for the given kinetic procedures with the aid of Principal Component Analysis. Then two advanced chemometric methods were applied to estimate the kinetic parameters of the MIR degradation process namely: Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares and Artificial Neural Networks. By data manipulation, both algorithms could provide an explanation of the MIR kinetic process in different hydrolytic conditions. Moreover, modified National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI), eco-scale, Hexagon algorithm, Complementary Green Analytical Procedure Index (Complex GAPI), and analytical greenness metric for sample preparation (AGREEprep) were adopted to ensure the greenness of the proposed study. Eventually, the presented investigation could successfully present an eco-friendly chemometric approach for monitoring the different kinetic processes of pharmaceutical compounds with minimum effort and solvent consumption and maximum time saving and analyst safety compared to other traditional methods.

Detection of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds in Tap Water Samples by Direct Injection HPLC/MS-MS: A Danger Signal in Deficiency in Residue Management.

To date, there is an increased risk to public health and the environment due to the presence of pharmaceutically active compounds within drinking water supply and distribution networks. Owing to this, a direct injection-HPLC/MS-MS method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 16 active pharmaceutical compounds in tap water samples: amoxicillin, ampicillin, cephalexin, cefotaxime, cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, cyproterone, erythromycin, flutamide, spironolactone, sulfamethoxazole, tamoxifen, and trimethoprim. Limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.2 to 6.0µg/L while quantification limits (LOQ) from 0.3 to 20µg/L. Recovery percentages were between 70 and 125%. Total analysis time was short, with all compounds being resolved in less than 2.1min. Of the 22 tap water samples collected and analyzed, the highest concentrations corresponded to amoxicillin (147µg/L) and ciprofloxacin (44µg/L). The findings could set a precedent for establishing safe levels of these compounds and increasing standards for tap water quality in this region.

Computational drug repurposing effort for identifying novel hits for the treatment of diseases such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and prostate cancer.

This research aimed to identify potential drug compounds from the ZINC15 molecule database that could effectively treat GnRH1R-related diseases. The study utilized molecular docking and molecular dynamics methods to achieve this goal, which is crucial in drug repurposing research. The virtual screening process involved analyzing known drug compounds using molecular docking. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulations and MM-GBSA were employed to evaluate the stability of the complexes and determine the interactions between the compounds and protein structure. As a result, this study provides significant insights for treating diseases such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and prostate cancer related to GnRH1R. The study also involved designing new drugs and identifying necessary molecular scaffolds.

High-Temperature Hydrothermal Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Brewer's Spent Grain and Malt Dust Biomass Using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents.

Aligned with the EU Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (EU SDG2030), extensive research is dedicated to enhancing the sustainable use of biomass waste for the extraction of pharmaceutical and nutritional compounds, such as (poly-)phenolic compounds (PC). This study proposes an innovative one-step hydrothermal extraction (HTE) at a high temperature (120 °C), utilizing environmentally friendly acidic natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) to replace conventional harmful pre-treatment chemicals and organic solvents. Brewer's spent grain (BSG) and novel malt dust (MD) biomass sources, both obtained from beer production, were characterized and studied for their potential as PC sources. HTE, paired with mild acidic malic acid/choline chloride (MA) NADES, was compared against conventional (heated and stirred maceration) and modern (microwave-assisted extraction; MAE) state-of-the-art extraction methods. The quantification of key PC in BSG and MD using liquid chromatography (HPLC) indicated that the combination of elevated temperatures and acidic NADES could provide significant improvements in PC extraction yields ranging from 251% (MD-MAC-MA: 29.3 µg/g; MD-HTE-MA: 103 µg/g) to 381% (BSG-MAC-MA: 78 µg/g; BSG-HTE-MA: 375 µg/g). The superior extraction capacity of MA NADES over non-acidic NADES (glycerol/choline chloride) and a traditional organic solvent mixture (acetone/H2O) could be attributed to in situ acid-catalysed pre-treatment facilitating the release of bound PC from lignin-hemicellulose structures. Qualitative 13C-NMR and pyro-GC-MS analysis was used to verify lignin-hemicellulose breakdown during extraction and the impact of high-temperature MA NADES extraction on the lignin-hemicellulose structure. This in situ acid NADES-catalysed high-temperature pre-treatment during PC extraction offers a potential green pre-treatment for use in cascade valorisation strategies (e.g., lignin valorisation), enabling more intensive usage of available biomass waste stream resources.

Development and Implementation of an Ultraviolet-Dye-Based Qualification Procedure for Hand Washing and Disinfection to Improve Quality Assurance of Pharmacy Preparations and Compounding, Especially in Cleanrooms: A Pilot Study.

Even though, nowadays, most medicines are manufactured industrially, patients may have medical needs that can only be met by a tailor-made approach. This requires the availability of pharmacy preparations made under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions. An efficient hand hygiene practice is essential herewith, especially if sterile products that are prepared in a cleanroom are concerned. The effectiveness of hand washing and hand disinfection procedures greatly relies on adequate training. We carried out an observational cross-sectional pilot study aimed at optimizing hand hygiene training with objective and measurable quality assessments using an ultraviolet (UV) dye. Practical acceptance criteria for qualifying personnel through this method were set and evaluated. In total, 25 GMP-qualified cleanroom operators washed and disinfected their hands with UV dye hand wash lotion and UV dye hand alcohol, respectively. To obtain a proof-of-concept, the results were judged based on adherence to the WHO six-step protocol and associated acceptance criteria. Commonly missed areas were brought to light, and the influence of procedure duration was investigated. UV-dye-based assessments appeared to be more valuable in hand disinfection than in hand washing. In both procedures, the back of the hands and the thumbs were frequently missed. This underpins the need for enhanced and repeated education on hand washing and disinfection. Additionally, a dry skin gave rise to extra cleaning challenges. From this pharmacy practice pilot study with a focus on pharmaceutical product care, it may be concluded that the application of UV-dye-based assessments offers valuable insights for pharmacists to optimize hand hygiene, thereby increasing the safety of tailor-made medicines and on-site preparations.

Analysis of the Physicochemical Properties of Anti-Schistosomal Compounds to Identify Next-Generation Leads.

To investigate the physicochemical properties of anti-schistosomal compounds reported between 2008 and 2023, a simple but extensive literature scrutiny was conducted. Keywords were searched in Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) SciFinder and primary medicinal chemistry and pharmacology literature to locate publications with compounds displaying ex vivo and/or in vivo anti-schistosomal activity. A total of 57 repurposed U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs, hits and their derivatives were manually extracted, curated and compared to known anti-schistosomal oral drugs in view of establishing trends of calculated critical molecular properties. From this analysis, it was determined that more than 65% of the compounds display cLogD7.4 > 3 values, whereas oxamniquine, metrifonate and praziquantel (PZQ), previous and currently used oral anti-schistosomal drugs, possess lower cLogD7.4 values (≤2.5). Furthermore, the lipophilicity associated with PZQ corresponds to a highly permeable and sparingly soluble compound, characteristics that favor drug absorption and compound penetration in the parasite. These physicochemical properties together with PZQ's anti-schistosomal activity make PZQ an essential medicine for the treatment of schistosomiasis and demonstrate the importance of finding the right balance among potency (e.g., EC50 < 5 and 0.5 μM), cell permeability (e.g., Papp > 2 × 106 cm/s) and kinetic aqueous solubility (e.g., >10 μM) to provide high-quality hits and/or leads for the discovery of new oral anti-schistosomal therapeutics.

A novel approach to l-tryptophan grafting on mesoporous MCM-41: A recoverable heterogeneous material for organocatalyzed benzo[N,N]-heterocyclic condensation

An unprecedented strategy has been developed to introduce l-tryptophan into MCM-41 by binding the indolic NH group of l-tryptophan to modified MCM-41, resulting in the creation of l-Tryp-N-pMCM-41. Initially, 3-Cl-pMCM-41 was prepared by modifying activated MCM-41 with 3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane. Subsequently, the covalent attachment between the indolic NH group of l-tryptophan and 3-Cl-pMCM-41 was achieved using n‑butyl lithium in THF at -78 °C under an argon atmosphere. l-Tryp-N-pMCM-41 has been characterized by FT-IR, XRD, TGA, EDS, BET and nitrogen physisorption measurements. The organocatalytic performance of this chemically stable material was assessed in the synthesis of both symmetrical and unsymmetrical quinoxalines. The reaction involved the condensation of a series of aromatic 1,2-diamines with 1,2-diketones in methanol at room temperature. Overall, the organocatalytic reaction proceeded smoothly to afford the corresponding quinoxalines in moderate to excellent yields. Furthermore, the crystal structure of an unsymmetrical quinoxaline has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. This metal-free procedure offers several noteworthy advantages, including the simplicity of the reaction, minimal catalyst usage, recyclability of the catalyst and environmentally friendly characteristics. Moreover, this green heterogeneous organocatalyst is a suitable candidate for preparing various valuable pharmaceutical compounds under ambient conditions avoiding the use of strong acids and without any possibility of metal contamination.

Pharmaceutical Compounding in Veterinary Medicine: Suspension of Itraconazole.

Itraconazole is a drug used in veterinary medicine for the treatment of different varieties of dermatophytosis at doses between 3-5 mg/kg/day in cats. Nevertheless, in Spain, it is only available in the market as a 52 mL suspension at 10 mg/mL. The lack of alternative formulations, which provide sufficient formulation to cover the treatment of large animals or allow the treatment of a group of them, can be overcome with compounding. For this purpose, it has to be considered that itraconazole is a weak base, class II compound, according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System, that can precipitate when reaching the duodenum. The aim of this work is to develop alternative oral formulations of itraconazole for the treatment of dermatophytosis. Several oral compounds of itraconazole were prepared and compared, in terms of dissolution rate, permeability, and stability, in order to provide alternatives to the medicine commercialized. The most promising formulation contained hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and β-cyclodextrin. This combination of excipients was capable of dissolving the same concentration as the reference product and delaying the precipitation of itraconazole upon leaving the stomach. Moreover, the intestinal permeability of itraconazole was increased more than two-fold.

Visible-Light-Induced Alkoxypyridylation of Alkenes Using N-Alkoxypyridinium Salts as Bifunctional Reagents.

Considering the ubiquitous presence of pyridine moieties in pharmaceutical compounds, it holds immense value to develop practical and straightforward methodologies for accessing heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In recent years, N-alkoxypyridinium salts have emerged as convenient radical precursors, enabling the generation of the corresponding alkoxy radicals and pyridine through single-electron transfer. Herein, we present the first report on visible-light-mediated intermolecular alkoxypyridylation of alkenes employing N-alkoxylpyridinium salts as bifunctional reagents with an exceptionally low catalyst loading (0.5 mol %).

Specific temperature-modulated crab shell-derived porous carbon as a typical recycling material for nitrofurazone electrochemical sensor

Nitrofurazone (NFZ), a nitroimidazole antibiotic, can cause serious toxicity when overused, its quantification is crucial for human health. Herein, crab shell waste is converted into porous biochar at a high temperature, which can be employed for the establishment of an electrochemical sensor for the quantitative detection of NFZ. The morphological and structural properties of the crab shell carbon at different temperatures were characterized by SEM, XRD, FT-IR and N2 adsorption-desorption analyses. The crab shell carbon prepared at 500 °C (C-CS-500) and 700 °C (C-CS-700) is calcite-based and contains micro-fibrillar similar to chitin structure, while the crab shell carbon prepared at 900 °C (C-CS-900) is lime-based and lacks the similar structure. And the synergistic influence of calcite-based composition and micro-fibrillar structure of crab shell carbon offered strong electron-transport properties and a large electrode active at a higher carbonized temperature. The electrochemical signals demonstrated that the crab shell carbon prepared at 700 °C provided enhanced sensing capability for rapid NFZ detection with a wide linear range of 0.40–80 μM, a high sensitivity of 0.55 μA μM−1 and a low detection limit of 0.11 μM (S/N = 3), as compared to the crab shell carbon prepared at 500 °C and 900 °C. In addition, the sensor can also be utilized to quantify nitrofurazone in the real drug (compound cod liver oil ointment) with satisfactory recovery.

Detection of beta-blocker in plasma and urine

This paper presents a comprehensive overview of beta-blockers, a class of important medications used for treating various cardiovascular conditions like hypertension, angina pectoris, heart failure, and arrhythmia. The mechanism of beta-blockers involves blocking the binding of epinephrine and norepinephrine to b-adrenoceptors. Accurate targeting of beta-blockers is crucial for athletes participating in archery, billiards, and golf as it can effectively lower heart rate and reduce anxiety. To identify drug compounds, various separation techniques, including HPLC, GC, and CE, are commonly employed. Among these techniques, electrochemical approaches have gained prominence due to their significant advantage of not requiring any separation or extraction processes. Electrochemical methods are also advantageous as they remain unaffected by optically absorbing and fluorescent compounds, a limitation encountered in spectroscopy. Additionally, electrochemical methods can be quickly functionalized with nanomaterials to enhance their performance. While optical methods like spectrophotometric and spectrofluorometric techniques offer certain advantages over other analytical approaches, such as affordability, simplicity, and faster analysis times, they may not provide the same straightforward and rapid detection of beta-blockers as the electrochemical methods do. Therefore, considering the specific context and objectives of analysis, researchers can choose between electrochemical and optical techniques to effectively study and detect beta-blockers in different applications.

Improved degradation of oseltamivir phosphate, an antiviral drug, through hydrodynamic cavitation based hybrid advanced oxidation processes: An insight into geometrical parameter optimization

The study focused on using hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) to degrade Oseltamivir Phosphate (OP), a pharmaceutical compound found in sewage and surface water. Eight cavitating devices, including a circular venturi and seven orifice plates with different flow areas and perimeters, were evaluated. The influence of operating factors, including solution pH, inlet pressure, and cavitation number on OP degradation was studied and identifying the optimum conditions for this process. Oxidizing agents like H2O2, Fenton's reagent, and ozone were combined with HC to enhance OP degradation. Using HC with H2O2 at a 1:40 OP to H2O2 molar ratio led to 99.51 % degradation within 90 min, while HC with ozone at a 3 g/h feed rate achieved 95.43 % degradation within 30 min. A 1:3 molar ratio of FeSO4·7H2O to H2O2 with HC resulted in 86.87 % degradation. The highest mineralization rate, 68.3 × 10−3 min−1, was attained using HC and ozone. The per pass removal factor was used to assess the degradation efficiency of the cavitating devices. The study conducted a comparative analysis of the cavitational yield and treatment cost, with the HC+O3 method yielding the highest cavitational yield of 2.67 × 10−4 mg/J and lowest treatment cost at 0.000221US$/(L.mg). The degradation pathway of HC+O3 has also been established.

Efficient synthesis and characterization of imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine‐8‐carboxamide derivatives: A promising scaffold for drug development

AbstractImidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine, a pivotal fused heterocycle with widespread applications in medicinal chemistry, serves as a foundational scaffold for numerous pharmaceutical compounds. This present approach introduces a highly efficient multi‐step synthetic methodology for imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine‐8‐carboxamide derivatives through a condensation reaction between 2‐aminonicotinic acid and chloroacetaldehyde in an environmentally friendly ethanol solvent followed by acid‐amine coupling reaction with a substituted amine. This coupling reaction employs an HATU catalyst and DIPEA strong base and affords excellent yields (93%–97%). A total of ten derivatives have been developed and elucidated by spectral methods, including FT‐IR, 1H NMR, and mass spectrometry. In summary, this synthetic strategy possesses favorable attributes for the synthesis of imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine‐8‐carboxamide derivatives, such as good purity, readily available starting substrates, wide substrate applicability with simple scale‐up and convenient workup procedure. These characteristics render it a promising method for advanced refinement and prospective utilization in synthesizing crucial therapeutic agents.

Reactivating Hippo by drug compounds to suppress gastric cancer and enhance chemotherapy sensitivity

The Hippo signaling pathway plays an essential role in organ size control and tumorigenesis. Loss of Hippo signal and hyper-activation of the downstream oncogenic YAP signaling are commonly observed in various types of cancers. We previously identified STRN3-containing PP2A phosphatase as a negative regulator of MST1/2 kinases (i.e. Hippo) in gastric cancer (GC), opening the possibility of selectively targeting the PP2Aa-STRN3-MST1/2 axis to recover Hippo signaling against cancer. Here, we further discovered 1) disulfiram (DSF), an FDA-approved drug, which can similarly block the binding of STRN3 to PP2A core enzyme, and 2) CX-6258 (CX), a chemical inhibitor, that can disrupt the interaction between STRN3 and MST1/2, both allowing reactivation of Hippo activity to inhibit GC. More importantly, we found these two compounds, via a MST1/2 kinase-dependent manner, inhibit DNA repair to sensitize GC towards chemotherapy. In addition, we identified thiram (TH), a structural analog of DSF, can function similarly to inhibit cancer cell proliferation or enhance chemotherapy sensitivity. Interestingly, inclusion of copper ion enhanced such effects of DSF and TH on GC treatment. Overall, this work demonstrated that pharmacological targeting of the PP2Aa-STRN3-MST1/2 axis by drug compounds can potently recover Hippo signal for tumor treatment.

S-COPHY: A deep learning model for predicting the chemical class of compounds as cosmetics or pharmaceuticals based on single 3D molecular images

Non-animal-based in vitro and in silico approaches for the safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients, recently referred to as Next Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA)/New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), are evolving rapidly as approaches to provide a basis for the regulatory acceptance of new materials. However, predictive models should be applied only to chemicals within the chemical space defined by the dataset used in generating the model. Thus, only predictions for new molecules that are relatively similar to the modeling set can considered reliable with strong confidence. In this study, we developed the S-COPHY model, which employs deep learning to classify new compounds based on their structural similarity to a large collection of pharmaceutical and cosmetic compounds. S-COPHY shows high predictive accuracy both internally and externally, and in particular, there were only a few instances where pharmaceuticals were incorrectly predicted as cosmetics. The use of deep learning enabled the automatic generation of input data from SMILES (Simplified Molecular Input Line Entry System) information, resulting in more consistent model outcomes. Furthermore, GRAD-CAM (Gradient-weighted Class Activation Map) analysis provided insights into the specific structures that contribute to the model's predictions. The potentiality of S-COPHY to identify characteristic structures associated with pharmaceutical-like activity indicates its potential value in supporting safety assessments of cosmetic ingredients. Our results indicate that the S-COPHY model is a promising approach to support decision-making in large chemical spaces, thereby contributing to the safety evaluation of cosmetic ingredients. Expansion of the model to other categories, such as pesticides, could further extend its applicability.

Facile fabrication of Ag decorated MnFeO3 catalyst: Comparative analysis of visible light driven antibiotic reduction and antibacterial performance

Photocatalysis is an effective method with the potential to eliminate pharmaceutical compounds from water sources. Manganese ferrite (MnFeO3), a type of multiferroic perovskite catalyst, has attracted significant attention due to its small band gap, however its application was limited due to its high recombination rate and low quantum efficiency. It was therefore aimed to improve the properties of MnFeO3 by doping silver (Ag)-particles. In this study, Ag–MnFeO3 photocatalysts with different Ag content (1–3 mmol%) were synthesized by performing a facile hydrothermal method. The as-prepared samples were characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, showing successful addition of Ag-particles with the MnFeO3 structure. Then, the as-synthesized materials were investigated as: (i) photocatalysts for degradation tetracycline (TC) antibiotic and (ii) antibacterial agents for bacteria. The Ag–MnFeO3 catalyst demonstrated superior catalytic performance (95.7%), which was 1.6 times higher than that of pristine MnFeO3 (59.7%). The positive effect was ascribed to oxygen vacancies, enhanced light absorption ability, and lower recombination rate. The Ag–MnFeO3 catalyst also showed satisfactory removal performances in real water matrices. Furthermore, radical trapping tests depicted that the superoxide radicals played a dominant role in the photodegradation system. In addition, Box–Behnken design (BBD) was performed to determine the optimum conditions, which were determined as catalyst dosage of 0.45 g/L, initial TC concentration of 5.10 mg/L, and initial solution pH value of 3.69. In terms of antibacterial tests, the incorporation of Ag into the MnFeO3 structure greatly increased the antimicrobial resistance against bacteria. Our findings disclose that the incorporation of Ag into the MnFeO3 structure can be regarded as a feasible and promising approach to improve both photocatalytic degradation and antibacterial performances.