Eucalyptus Extract Research Articles

ENCAPSULATION OF EUCALYPTUS LEAVES PHYTOPRODUCTS INTO LIPOSOMAL NANOPARTICLES AND STUDY OF THEIR ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY AGAINST STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN VIVO

Plant oils are high effective active pharmaceutical ingredients, but the extremely low bioavailability of lipophilic compounds limits their use in drugs. The encapsulation of essential oils into nanoparticles are actively studied. The aim of the research was to prepare liposomal forms of eucalyptus leaves extract and Chlorophyllipt and to study their antibacterial activity. Liposomal forms of Chlorophyllipt and eucalyptus oil extract was prepared using egg phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol by high pressure homogenization and sonication method. The average particle sizes of liposomal Chlorophyllipt and liposomal eucalyptus extract were 156.5 and 210.4 nm, respectively. Active pharmaceutical ingredient encapsulation in liposomal Chlorophyllipt and liposomal eucalyptus extract were at least 85% and at least 90%, respectively. Antibacterial activity of liposomal drugs was studied in white mice with model of staphylococcal infection, initiated by Staphylococcus aureus ATTC 209. The use of liposomal eucalyptus oil and liposomal Chlorophyllipt demonstrates no toxicity in mice. Both investigated drugs demonstrated antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus in mice. A single administration of the liposomal drugs increased the survival rate up to 30-40% compared with model animals. Double administration of liposomal drugs both in liquid form and in lyophilized form increased the survival rate by at least 70 %. Moreover, in the group of animals treated liposomal eucalyptus oil, the number of surviving animals was 100%, while in a group of liposomal Chlorophyllipt it was 80%.

Biogenic fabrication of ZnO@EC and MgO@EC using Eucalyptus leaf extract for the removal of hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) ions from water.

Zinc and magnesium oxide nanoparticles were fabricated using green synthesis method for the sequestration of hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) from the aqueous medium. The biogenically prepared ZnO@EC and MgO@EC nanoparticles were successfully loaded on the Eucalyptus. The prepared nanomaterials were characterized using various techniques such as FESEM, TGA, XRD, EDX, FTIR, BET, and elemental mapping. FE-SEM analysis has revealed the surface morphology of ZnO nanoparticles, which were rod-like and spherical in shape, whereas MgO nanoparticles were of irregular shape. Batch mode was selected to remove the hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution using the prepared nanomaterials. The Cr(VI) adsorption was carried out under optimized conditions, viz., pH (3.0), adsorbent dose (0.05g), contact time (150min), temperature (25 ± 2°C), and initial concentration (50mg/L). The experimental results were compared using the different isotherm models; The observations have indicated that experimental data fit better with Freundlich (R2 = 0.99) and Langmuir (R2 = 0.99)isotherms, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity of ZnO@EC and MgO@EC for Cr(VI) was found to be 49.3 and 17.4mg/g, respectively. The regeneration study of the adsorbents was conducted using different desorbing agents viz., ethanol, NaOH, and NaCl. The desorbing agent NaOH performed better and showed removal percentage of 34.24% and 20.18% for ZnO@EC and MgO@EC, respectively, after the three reusability cycles. The kinetics of reaction was assessed using the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The experimental data of both the nanomaterials ZnO@EC and MgO@EC obeyed pseudo-second-order model with correlation coefficient values 0.999 and 0.983, respectively. The thermodynamic study confirmed that adsorption was feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic. The adsorbents were tested for spiked real water which confirms their applicability and potential in real water systems also. The results indicated fair removal of chromium suggesting applicability of both adsorbents.

Antimicrobial efficacy of different herbal extracts against root canal pathogens - An in vitro study.

The antimicrobial activity exhibited by the plant extracts against various pathogens has previously been demonstrated to a limited extent. However, the antibacterial effects of most of them have not yet been clarified in endodontics. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants' methanolic extracts against some root canal microorganisms. In this in vitro study, after gathering the five plants (pomegranate peel, clove, Zhumeria majdae, Eucalyptus galbie and green tea), their methanolic extracts were obtained by the maceration method, and the antimicrobial activity was determined using micro- and macro-dilution methods. The microorganisms tested in this study were Enterococcus (E.) faecalis, Porphyromonas (P.) gingivalis and Fusobacterium (F.) nucleatum. Non-ready-to-use calcium hydroxide (CH), ready-to-use Calcipex II CH and methanol were used as control materials. The nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis and Friedman tests were used to analyse and evaluate the data and variables. In all concentrations and time intervals studied, eucalyptus extract showed the highest antimicrobial activity against E. faecalis. All the extracts showed growth-inhibitory effects against P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum. There were no significant differences between the anti-enterococcus effects of eucalyptus extracts and non-ready-to-use CH (P > 0.05). There was a greater efficacy of Eucalyptus galbie extract than other extracts.

Green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles from Neem and Eucalyptus leaves extract for photocatalytic applications

Green synthesis of Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) from leaf extracts involves simple, stable, cost-effective, eco-friendly, economically viable, sustainable and feasible approach. This method is more beneficial than conventional methods like physical and chemical methods, as they are toxic, expensive, non-biocompatible and causes environmental contamination. The present work focuses on Neem, and Eucalyptus leaves mediated synthesis of ZnO NPs and its photocatalytic capability towards the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. Here, the phytochemicals present in the leaf extract play a binary role by acting as effective capping and reducing agents in the synthesis process. In this work, we have synthesized three samples of ZnO NPs; one is using Neem leaf extract (ZnO-Nee.), second one is using Eucalyptus leaf extract (ZnO-Euc.) and the third one is using both the leaves extract together (ZnO-N&E). The structural, morphological and optical properties were analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis, Raman, fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) techniques. The structural data confirmed single hexagonal phase wurtzite crystalline structure for all the three samples. The absorption spectra showed variation in the band gap of three NPs, evaluated using Tauc method. Mixed morphology of polygon, rod and sphere is observed for all the NPs. The photocatalytic degradation of MB pollutant using ZnO photocatalyst followed green protocol and achieved an excellent result with slight variation in the photocatalytic efficiency percentage. The highest photocatalytic decomposition of MB pollutant is observed for ZnO-Nee. sample as 97.98%. This photocatalytic study can make the synthesised ZnO NP as an efficient agent for water pollution by varying physicochemical parameters.

Evaluation of Fungicides, Phytoextracts and Germplasm Screening Against Lasiodiplodia Theobromae Causing Fruit Rot of Jackfruit

The current study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of different fungicides against the Lasiodiplodia theobromae under laboratory conditions, which demonstrated that all of the fungicides inhibited the pathogen significantly. Carbendazim 50% WP (0.1%) and combi product Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% WP (0.15%) were the most effective fungicide which showed complete inhibition of the mycelial growth of the pathogen followed by Fludioxanil 230 SC (0.15%), Difenoconazole 25% EC (0.1%), combination fungicide Tebuconazole 50%+ Trifloxystrobin 25% WG (0.1%), Mancozeb 75% WP (0.2%) and Copper oxychloride 50% WP (0.25%), respectively over control. The mean percent inhibition of mycelial growth was recorded in adulsa leaf extract (22.03%), eucalyptus leaf extract (19.81%), tulsi leaf extract (19.08%) and garlic clove extract (18.89%) of the nine plant extracts. Among the fifteen germplasm and three varieties of jackfruit tested for resistance to fruit rot in the laboratory, the variety Konkan prolific was found to be resistant to Lasiodiplodia fruit rot disease. Two varieties/germplasm were moderately resistant to Lasiodiplodia fruit rot, while three germplasm were moderatelysusceptible.

EFFECT OF VERMICOMPOST-TEA AND PLANT EXTRACTS ON GROWTH, PHYSIOLOGICAL, AND BIOCHEMICAL TRAITS OF LETTUCE (LACTUCA SATIVA L.)

The vermicompost and exogenous plant extracts as a foliar application can provide as an alternative means to enhance the growth and yield of leafy vegetable crops under low-fertility soil conditions. The objectives of the recent study sought to characterize the effect of vermicompost tea in combining some natural plant extracts to enhance the growth and yield of the lettuce plant. A study on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) took place during two successive seasons, in 2018–2019 and 2019–2020, using foliar spray— vermicompost-tea rates in combination with rosemary leaf extract (RLE) and eucalyptus buds extract (EBE). It sought to determine the effects on growth, yield, and some physiological and biochemical traits of lettuce (cv. ‘Dark Green’) grown on sandy soil with drip irrigation. The experiment employed the split-plot design, with four rates of vermicompost tea (0%, 5%, 10%, and 20%) as main plots and three plant extract levels (without, RLE, and EBE) as subplots. The vermicompost tea and plant extracts increased the growth characteristics, photochemical activity, photosynthetic pigments, relative water content, membrane stability index, excised leaf water retention, vitamins C and E, and total soluble solids in lettuce plants compared with the untreated control plots. The interaction and combined application of vermicompost tea (20%) and RLE proved most effective in enhancing the growth and yield traits and physio-biochemical properties in lettuce. Therefore, the integrative application of vermicompost tea (20%) with RLE comes highly recommended for growing lettuce in sandy soil conditions.

The Effect of Nonnutritive Sweeteners on the Antimicrobial Activity of Eucalyptus Extracts against Salivary Mutans Streptococci (in-vitro Study).

The eucalyptus tree is an excellent source of antimicrobial agents; it is used in many oral cure products. The bitter taste of these agents could compromise their usage. Therefore, fortifying the extracts with non-nutritive sweeteners could be a promising procedure for masking their unpleasant taste. This study was an in vitro evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of eucalyptus (alcoholic and aqueous) extracts against salivary Streptococci mutans. It aimed to investigate the effect of non-nutritive sweeteners on the antimicrobial activity of these extracts against salivary S. mutans. The test microbes were sensitive to different concentrations of eucalyptus alcoholic and aqueous extract, and the inhibition zone increased as the concentration of the extracts increased. All the Mutans isolates were killed at a concentration of 75 mg/ml for the alcoholic extract and 175 mg/ml for the aqueous extracts. In this experiment, the concentration of up to 15% stevia and up to 5% sucralose did not affect the antimicrobial activity of eucalyptus alcoholic extract. While the concentration of up to 1% of stevia and sucralose did not interfere with the antimicrobial activity of aqueous eucalyptus extract against salivary S. mutans.An increase in the concentration of non-nutritive sweeteners in this experiment appeared to interfere with the antimicrobial activity of eucalyptus extract against salivary S. mutans.

Synthesis of Zn-Al layered double oxides using eucalyptus leaf extract as template for efficient and ultrafast thorium(IV) removal

Efficient capture of Th(IV) from aqueous solution is of importance to both solve the radioactive pollution for environmental safety and provide clean energy for sustainable development. However, it still faces huge challenge. In this study, eucalyptus leaf extract was applied as template agent to fabricate Zn/Al-bimetallic layered double oxides (ZnAlLDO), providing more active sites for Th(IV) removal. The removal process of Th(IV) onto ZnAlLDO could reach equilibrium within 5 min and the maximum removal capacity calculated from the Langmuir model was 1153.71 mg g−1 at pH = 4.0 and 298 K. Over 97 % Th(IV) could be removed by ZnAlLDO during the dynamic adsorption process and the removal efficiency still remained at a high level (85 %) after 5 cycles. The Th(IV) removal process on ZnAlLDO was ascribed to electrostatic attraction, complexation and ion exchange. It could be believed that the ZnAlLDO with large removal capacity (1155.5 mg g−1), fast equilibrium time (5 min) and easy desorption (91.76 %) with high recovery (85 %) might be a promising adsorbent for the separation of Th(IV).

The Influence of Support Materials on The Photo-Fenton-like Degradation of Azo Dye Using Continuous Nanoparticles Fixed-bed Column

This study used a continuous photo-Fenton-like method to remediate textile effluent containing azo dyes especially direct blue 15 dye (DB15). A Eucalyptus leaf extract was used to create iron/copper nanoparticles supported on bentonite for use as catalysts (E@B-Fe/Cu-NPs). Two fixed-bed configurations were studied and compared. The first one involved mixing granular bentonite with E@B-Fe/Cu-NPs (GB- E@B-Fe/Cu-NPs), and the other examined the mixing of E@B-Fe/Cu-NPs with glass beads (glass beads-E@B-Fe/Cu-NPs) and filled to the fixed-bed column. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), zeta potential, and atomic forces spectroscopy (AFM) techniques were used to characterize the obtained particles (NPs). The effect of flow rate and DB15 concentration on the photo-Fenton-like degradation of DB15 in continuous fixed-bed systems was investigated. To optimize both studied systems, the response surface methodology using the central composite design (CCD) was used. The analysis shows that the removal efficiency for GB-E@B-Fe/Cu-NPs was 81% and for glass beads-E@B-Fe/NPs was 62.6%.

Fenton-like degradation of direct blue dye using green synthesised Fe/Cu bimetallic nanoparticles

This study relates to synthesis of bentonite-supported iron/copper nanoparticles through the biosynthesis method using eucalyptus plant leaf extract, which were then named E-Fe/Cu@B-NPs. The synthesised E-Fe/Cu@B-NPs were examined by a set of experiments involving a heterogeneous Fenton-like process that removed direct blue 15 (DB15) dye from wastewater. The resultant E-Fe/Cu@B-NPs were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmet–Teller analysis, zeta potential analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The operating parameters in batch experiments were optimised using Box–Behnken design. These parameters were pH, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) dosage, E-Fe/Cu@B-NP dosage, initial DB15 concentration and temperature. The results showed that 94.32% of 57.5 mg/l DB15 was degraded within 60 min with an optimum hydrogen peroxide dosage of 7.5 mmol/l, an E-Fe/Cu@B-NP dosage of 0.55 g/l, a pH of 3.5 and a temperature of 50°C. The kinetic study indicated that the DB15 degradation kinetics fit the second-order kinetic model, and the thermodynamic factors proved that the process is non-spontaneous, endothermic and endergonic with an activation energy E a of 62.961 kJ/mol.

Untargeted metabolomic profiling of fresh and dried leaf extracts of young and mature Eucalyptus globulus trees indicates differences in the presence of specialized metabolites.

Aqueous extracts from Eucalyptus globulus leaves contain a wide variety of specialized metabolites, mainly polyphenols and appreciable amounts of volatile compounds, which are responsible for their diverse biological activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and allelopathic features. For this reason, several studies have been conducted to explore the composition of E. globulus leaf extracts for multiple therapeutic and commercial applications. However, so far, the available bibliographic reports only refer to the chemical composition of extracts prepared with leaves from mature trees, leaving much to clarify about the composition of juvenile eucalyptus leaf extracts. Furthermore, there is no consensus regarding the type of leaves, fresh or dried ones, to be used in the extraction procedure, considering the highest recovery of biologically active compounds. In this sense, this study aimed to characterize the chemical composition of aqueous extracts prepared with fresh and dried leaves from young and mature E. globulus trees. For this, leaf biomass from young and mature E. globulus trees was collected in three distinct places from a forest area, and after oven-drying a portion of the leaves, an extraction in hot water was carried out, followed by GC-MS and HPLC-MS/MS analyses. The results revealed that the maturity of eucalyptus trees and biomass drying significantly influenced the volatile and non-volatile composition of the aqueous extracts. Accordingly, while fresh leaf extracts of young trees had great levels of hydrolysable tannins, extracts prepared with fresh leaves from mature trees presented a wide range of terpenes. When dried leaf material was used, extracts had notorious contents of amino acids derivatives, C13 norisoprenoids, fatty and other organic acids. Overall, this study showed, for the first time, that plant maturity (young vs mature) and pre-processing (fresh vs dried) of foliar biomass of E. globulus trees need to be considered in the preparation of leaf aqueous extracts depending on the desired purposes, since major changes in what regards biologically active compounds were found.

Aloe Vera coated Dextran Sulfate/Chitosan nanoparticles (Aloe Vera @ DS/CS) encapsulating Eucalyptus essential oil with antibacterial potent property

The goal of this work is to encapsulate Eucalyptus staigeriana essential oil in biopolymer matrices, to optimize the biological effects and the antibacterial properties of this oil. In this study, Eucalyptus extract was encapsulated in Aloe Vera coated Dextran Sulfate/Chitosan nanoparticles to form a hydrogel with potent properties. In this study, Eucalyptus extract was loaded on to Aloe Vera coated Dextran Sulphate/Chitosan nanoparticles to obtain a nano-hydrogel with potent properties. The characterization of nanoparticles was evaluated using transmission and scanning electron microscopes, dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and antibacterial activity. The E. staigeriana release profile from the prepared nanoparticles was studied in vitro at a pH of 7.4. The results showed that this nano-carrier controls Eucalyptus release. Aloe Vera coated Dextran Sulfate/Chitosan nanoparticles encapsulated with E. staigeriana inhibited the bacteria by 47.27%. These investigations concluded that E. staigeriana loaded Aloe Vera coated Dextran Sulfate/Chitosan hydrogel could be used as a powerful dressing material to accelerate wound healing.

Postharvest Eucalyptus Leaf Extract Application Extends the Sustainable Supply of Strawberries by Retaining Physicochemical Quality during Cold Storage

Strawberry is a delicate fruit with a short shelf life after harvest. High metabolic activities and fungal decay deteriorate its quality. In an attempt to extend its shelf life and maintain its quality while retaining its antioxidant potential, the harvested fruits of strawberry cv. Chandler were dipped in 30% eucalyptus leaf extract (ELE). Weight loss, fungal decay index, percentage of decayed fruits, respiration rate, and electrolyte leakage were all reduced in ELE-treated strawberries. The enzymatic activities of catalase in fruits increased initially until the fifth day of storage but then started to decline during the later period while superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities continued to rise until the 10th day and then declined. With higher contents of total phenolics, ascorbic acid, total antioxidants, and anthocyanin, the application of ELE maintained the general acceptance, firmness, flavor, and marketable fruit percentage. Titrable acidity (TA) and sugar–acid ratio (SAR) were also significantly affected by ELE application. A declining trend was observed in TA during storage, along with an increase in SAR. The pH and soluble solid contents of strawberry juice were not significantly changed by the application of ELE; however, both attribute scores were greater than those for the control. In conclusion, ELE could be used as an environmentally safe method to postpone senescence and maintain postharvest quality for up to 15 days.

Towards the Development of Sustainable Hybrid Materials to Achieve High Cr(VI) Removals in a One-Pot Process.

Rising manufacturing costs resulting from the current global situation make it necessary to economize at all stages of production, including waste management. Cost-effective materials that reduce the release of pollutants into the environment are becoming mandatory. In this work, a sodium silicate polymeric material, functionalized with iron, was synthesized. The material contains iron-rich nanostructures on the surface, which are responsible for the decontamination process. The inorganic material was further treated with a reducing eucalyptus extract to improve its decontamination performance. Both the inorganic and hybrid materials were used for decontamination of Cr(VI), a widely emitted chemical waste product. The hybrid material provided the best results (1.7 g Cr(VI)·g-1 Fe) in a one-pot process combining reduction and adsorption. The Langmuir-Freundlich model and a statistical thermodynamics adsorption model, together with removal rates, were used to study the processes. High adsorption energies were found, especially in the adsorption of Fe(II) on the polymeric base (33.2 kJ∙mol-1). All materials were characterized using SEM, EDS and N2 sorption, TGA, and IR analyses. In conclusion, the hybrid material synthesized in this study is cheap and easy to produce through environmentally friendly synthesis, and it is a promising adsorbent for the prevention of pollution issues in effluent discharges.

The Effective Concentration of the Crude Extract of Mentha picata and Eucalyptus against the Growth of Fusarium oxysporum

This research aims to evaluate The effect of plant extract concentration as antifungal. Fusarium fungus was isolated from the eggplant and cucumber plants that infested them. These were tested for concentrations of the pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum according to the food poisoning method. The inhibition rate was calculated by measuring the diameter of the colony compared to the control. The results showed that in the crude extract of Eucalyptus at a concentration of 12%, the percentage of growth inhibition was 100% on Fusarium oxysporum, compared to the crude extract of Mentha spicata where the percentage of inhibition was 80.11%. At the same concentration, and the percentage of inhibition of Eucalyptus extract At concentrations 3,6, and 9% ranged between (35.33-79.55) while the inhibition of Mentha spicata extract ranged between (17.20 - 80.11 ) at the same concentrations.

Hepatoprotective activity of Eucalyptus camaldulensis extract in murine malaria mediated by suppression of oxidative and inflammatory processes

Herbal extracts are promising agents against various parasitic diseases, such as malaria. This study aimed to evaluate the ameliorative action of Eucalyptus camaldulensis extract (ECE) against hepatic damage caused by Plasmodium chabaudi infection. Mice were allocated into five groups as follows: two groups served as the control non-infected groups that received distilled water and ECE, respectively; subsequent three groups were infected with 106 P. chabaudi parasitized erythrocytes; the last two groups were infected with the parasite and then treated with ECE and chloroquine. On day 8 post-infection, the parasite count increased inside erythrocytes (59.4% parasitemia in the infected group). Parasitemia was successfully reduced to 9.4% upon ECE treatment. Phytochemical screening using GC mass spectrometry revealed that ECE contained 23 phytochemical components. Total phenolics and flavonoids in ECE were 104 ± 2 and 7.1± 3 µg/mL, respectively, with 57.2% antioxidant activity. ECE ameliorated changes in liver histopathology and enzymatic activity of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. In addition, ECE prevented oxidative damage induced by the parasite in the liver, as evidenced by the change in the liver concentrations of glutathione, nitric oxide, malondialdehyde, and catalase. Moreover, ECE was able to regulate the expression of liver cytokines, interleukins-1β and 6, as well as IFN-γ mRNA. ECE possesses antiplasmodial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity against liver injury induced by the parasite P. chabaudi.

Effect of variation biomass on the properties of iron oxide NPs for hydrolysis of methylene blue dye

Three plants extracts of Eucalyptus, Pomegranate and Oolong tea leaves have been used to synthesize iron oxide nanoparticles. The structure and particle size of the nanoparticles have been investigated by XRD spectrum. The results exhibit the polycrystalline nature of the material with a size around (17-19 nm). FESEM analysis showed that using different extracts as a reduction and capping agent might affect the shape of nanoparticles such as forming of round, polygon and irregular shapes under the same conditions. The photo catalyst activity of the prepared NPs in the degradation of MB dye has been investigated. the results showed a good efficiency reached to 91%, 88% and 80%.

Hepatocurative Properties of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Stem Bark Extract

The research investigates the hepatocurative potentials of Eucalyptus camaldulensis solvents extract on CCl4 induced liver damage using albino rats, partial characterization of the most active extract was done using GCMS techniques. Forty-two rats were placed into seven groups of six rats each. Group I and II were normal control and test control respectively. Groups III to VII were induced with liver damage using 120mg/kg of CCl4 and administered with standard drug, n-hexane extract (E1), chloroform extract (E2), ethyl acetate extract (E) and methanol extract (E4) respectively. 24 hours after CCl4 administration, a significant (p<0.05) increase in mean serum level activities of AST, ALT, ALP with decrease in conjugated bilirubin and albumin concentration was recorded in test control group compared to normal control. This was reversed upon administration chloroform and methanol extract with former been most active. Antioxidant analysis reveals a significant (p<0.05) decrease in level of liver tissue antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and GPx) with concomitant increase in MDA of test control compared to normal control rats. After extracts administration, increase in the antioxidants enzymes (SOD, Catalase and GPx) levels was recorded in methanol and standard drug administered groups.

Antiproliferative Activities of the Lipophilic Fraction of Eucalyptus camaldulensis against MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells, UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS Metabolite Profile, and Antioxidative Functions.

Although a number of pharmacological properties have been linked to Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaf essential oil and extracts, the biological attributes of the lipophilic fraction remain unknown. Moreover, only a limited number of active compounds have so far been identified. This work aimed to investigate the anti-oxidative, anti-aggregation, and cytotoxic properties as well as profile the secondary metabolites in the lipophilic fraction of E. camaldulensis leaf extract (Lipo-Eucam) using UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). It was found that Lipo-Eucam possessed potent antioxidant properties against DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP with IC50 values of 31.46, 32.78, and 10.12 μg/mL, respectively. The fraction was able to attenuate metal-catalyzed oxidation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05) and abrogated the aggregation of amyloidogenic BSA as revealed by the Congo red assay and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, Lipo-Eucam demonstrated potent cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 (IC50 7.34 μg/mL) but was noncytotoxic at used concentrations against HEK-293 cells (IC50 > 80 μg/mL), suggestive of its selective anticancer properties. Spectrophotometric, UHPLC–MS, and GC–MS analysis revealed that Lipo-Eucam is rich in phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids, volatile constituents, and a plethora of active metabolites, probably responsible for the observed activities. These findings indicate that Lipo-Eucam is endowed with pharmacologically relevant active principles with strong potential for use in the amelioration of disease conditions related to oxidative stress, protein aggregation, and breast cancer and therefore worthy of further investigations.

Mechanism for the simultaneous removal of Sb(III) and Sb(V) from mining wastewater by phytosynthesized iron nanoparticles

Since antimony (Sb) is a toxic metalloid cost-effective method for the simultaneous removal of the two major Sb species from mining wastewater has attracted much attention. In this study, phytosynthesized iron nanoparticles (nFe) prepared using a eucalyptus leaf extract were successfully used to simultaneously remove Sb(III) and Sb(V) via an adsorption and oxidation mechanism with removal efficiencies of 100 and 97.7% for Sb(III) and Sb(V), respectively. Advanced analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ion chromatography-atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (IC-AFS), and electrochemical analysis confirmed that Sb(III) was oxidized to Sb(V) by Fe(III) on the nFe surface while Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) indicated that both Sb(III) and Sb(V) were adsorbed onto nFe. Adsorption of both Sb(III) and Sb(V) best fit the Langmuir adsorption model with R2 of 0.999 and 0.989, respectively and both followed pseudo-second-order kinetics with R2 of 0.999 and 0.981, respectively. Furthermore, the adsorption rate of Sb(III) was faster than that of Sb(V) due to inner-sphere complex formation, and the Fe–O bonds in the asymmetric tetrahedron structure of Sb(III) were easier to break due to a lower energy barrier (0.863 eV). Consequently, a simultaneous removal mechanism of Sb(III) and Sb(V) was proposed. Finally, nFe was used practically to remove Sb in mining wastewater with a removal efficiency of 93.5%, demonstrating that nFe have significant potential to remove Sb in contaminated mining wastewaters.