Citrullus Colocynthis Extract Research Articles

The effect of alcoholic extract of Citrullus colocynthis on the structural manifestations of the parasite Fasciola gigantica and its comparison with the drug pendazole

The current study aims to find out the effect of alcoholic extracts of the fruit of the Citrullus colocynthis plant, as it was during the current study during the period from 12/2/2022 to 24/4/2023 and by 206 livers for cows, including (31) infected livers and 1348 livers for sheep that did not show infection. In the current study, the incidence of giant liver Fasciola gigantica cows was 15.04%, while sheep hadn't infection during the study period. The results of the current study show that there are different effects in the tissues of the treated worms if compared to the control group, which was showing the integrity of the tissues well after 6 hours, as it is observed the layers of the body wall, spines and muscle layers that cover the wall, as well as the parenchyma tissue in which the body systems are embedded, which did not notice any changes in those tissues and structures, which include (for intestinal backfilling, testicles, mules and uterus). As noted, the damages vary according to the concentration of separation and deformation in the longitudinal and circular muscles, and a few cells are seen in the tenderloin. The thorns are still present in the cover, and the effect of the drug albendazole is little practical Clearly.

Effect of Irrigation Cuttings at Different Growth Stages and Spraying with Citrullus Colocynthis Extract on the Leaf Water Balance of two Cultivars of Zea Mays L.

A study in the real world with a Randomised Complete Block Design (R.C.B.D.) utilising a split-split diagrams layout with three separate replicates was carried out at the research facility of the college's water resources and soil sciences department at the Agriculture faculty / University of Diyala in the autumn season 2022. The experiment included three stages of cutting off irrigation: male flowering, milky stage, and three concentration levels of Citrullus Colocoynthis extract. Two cultivars of Zea mays L. were used: AGN720 and JAMESON. The concentration levels were 50 ml L-1 and 100 ml L-1, respectively, and two cultivars were used: AGN720 and JAMESON Citrullus Colocoynthis extract has an anti-transpiration effect on the water balance of leaves and water use efficacy of Zea mays L. grown under water stress conditions. The most important results are as follows: the AGN720 variety recorded the best water use efficiency, with an increase of 9.04% compared to the JAMESON variety. Spraying the extract of Citrullus Colocoynthis as anti-transpiration at a concentrate level of 100 ml L-1 increased the capability of water retention, relative water content, and water use efficiency. The irrigation cut-off treatment in the milky phase stage had the best water use efficiency, saving 2.559 kg of grain m-3 water compared to the no-cut irrigation treatment.

Histopathological effects of the fruit extract of Citrullus colocynthis on the ovary of the tick Hyalomma dromedarii

Hyalomma dromedarii is the predominant tick species parasitizing camels in Egypt which leads to mortalities in young animals that result in economic losses. It can transmit a lot of pathogens to animals and humans, such as the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, the Dhori virus, Kadam virus, Theileria annulata and spotted fever rickettsia. The continuous use of chemical acaricides has negative impact on the environment and almost led to acaricidal resistance, and hence the plant extracts represent alternative methods for controlling ticks. The present study was carried out to assess the histopathological effects on the ovary of fed female Hyalomma dromedarii following immersion in the ethanolic extract of fruits of Citrullus colocynthis (100 mg/mL). Light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy observations provided evidence that Citrullus colocynthis caused extensive damage to oocytes. Destruction of the internal organelles of oocytes, along with delay and/or inhibition of vitellogenesis were demonstrated. This is the first histological study that points to damage in H. dromedarii ovaries following treatment with the ethanolic extract of fruits of C. colocynthis. The data presented suggest that the plant extract affects the ovary either directly by entering the oocytes and/or indirectly by damaging the gut cells and digestion of blood that interfere with the development of oocytes, so it can be used as a promising agent for tick control.

The Comparative Effect of Citrullus colocynthis Hydro-Alcoholic Extract and Metformin on Morphometric Ovarian Follicles Disorders in Estradilol valerate-Iinduced Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Rats

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects 6-10% of women in reproductive age. The medicinal values of Citrullus colocynthis extract (CCT) stems from its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. This study evaluated the comparative effect of CCT and metformin on morphometric ovarian disorders in PCOS rats. Materials and Methods: Fifty female Wistar rats having 2-3 consecutive estrous cycles during two weeks were divided into five groups (n=10 each group). The rats in the control group only received sesame oil as estradiol valerate solvent, whereas the rats in the sham group were injected intramuscularly with 4 mg/rat estradiol valerate-induced PCOS. Following PCOS induction, the rats in the metformin group received 50 mg/kg metformin orally for three weeks. Rats in the Extract group were treated with 50 mg/kg plant extract for 21 days following the induction with PCOS. Additionally, the rats in metformin+ extract group were treated with the combination of 50 mg metformin plus plant extract for three weeks. The ovaries were removed and were fixed for tissue processing. The slices were stained by hematoxylin-eosin after clearing and hydration. Follicular count and morphometric changes were evaluated in primordial, primary, pre-antral and antral follicles. Results: The mean diameter of primordial follicle was similar in all groups, but mean diameter of primary follicle decreased in the sham group (145.50± 49.26 µm) compared to metformin (278.76± 156.64 µm), extract (311.70± 147.74 µm) and metformin+ extract groups (265.35± 88.16 µm). The diameter of pre-antral and antral follicles in the sham group were significantly larger than those in the control group, but were not significantly different in all other groups including metformin, extract, and metformin+ extract in comparison with control group (P< 0.05). Conclusion: In this study, the data has demonstrated that CCT like metformin could improve follicular morphometric disorders in PCOS rats. [GMJ.2018;7:e1045] Â

Inhibitory Activities of Methanolic Extracts of Carica papaya, Mentha piperita and Citrullus colocynthis Against Dengue Viruses-2 viability

This study targets the methanolic extracts from the leaves of Carica papaya (Papaya) and Mentha piperita (Mint), as well as the leaves and fruit extracts of Citrullus colocynthis (Tumma plant) for their antiviral activity against dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) in vitro, utilizing the HepG2 cell line. The antiviral activity of the plant extracts mentioned above was assessed through a plaque formation assay on the HepG2 cell line. The methanolic extracts from the leaves of C. papaya and M. piperita demonstrated lower toxicity than the fruit extract of C. colocynthis. Notably, the fruit extract of C. colocynthis maintained the normal morphology of DENV-2- infected HepG2 cells with minimal cell mortality. The cell survival rates were found to be 80-100% for 0.30mg/ml and 0.20mg/ml of C. papaya and M. piperita leaves extracts and 0.08mg/ml of C. colocynthis fruit extract. The most effective inhibition of DENV-2 was attributed to the fruit extract of C. colocynthis, exhibiting 46.55% inhibition at 0.08mg/ml. In comparison, M. Piperita and C. papaya leaf extracts demonstrated 24.14% and 23.33% inhibition against 0.20mg/ml and 0.30mg/ml, respectively. The plaque forming unit (PFU/ml) at the highest concentration ensuring 100% cell survival was calculated as 1.5×106, 1.4×106, and 1.0×106 PFU/ml for C. papaya and M. piperita leaves extracts and C. colocynthis fruit extract, respectively. The study infers that the methanolic fruit extract of C. colocynthis exhibits a high potential for inhibiting DENV-2 compared to the other two extracts.

The Bio-herbicidal potential of some wild plants with allelopathic effects from Tabuk Region on selected local weed species.

Weeds are considered one of the most serious problems limiting global agricultural production. As a result, chemical herbicides have been extensively used for weed control. However, overuse of synthetic herbicides, has resulted in public concerns over the effect of herbicides on the health of the ecosystems and humans. In the food system, innovative approaches are needed to foster sustainable practices that preserve biodiversity, conserve habitats, and mitigate climate change factors. Thus, alternatives are required to control the weeds. This study aimed to determine the impact of some wild plants' (Citrullus colocynthis, Euphorbia retusa, Retama raetam, Artemisia monosperma, Tamarix gallica, and Artemisia judaica) allelopathic potentials (at rates of 0, 15, 25, 35, and 50 g/L) on seed germination of selected local weeds (Portulaca oleracea, Amaranthus retroflexus, and Chloris barbata) collected from different locations in Tabuk region, Saudi Arabia. GC-MS analysis was used to evaluated the main compounds in the wild plants under study. The experimental design was completely randomized block design (CRBD) with three replicates. According to the results, phytochemical screening of the wild plants using GC-MS analysis showed a wide range of phytochemicals. Amaranthus retroflexus exhibited the highest germination rate in the control group. In addition, applying 5 g/L and 20 g/L of Citrullus colocynthis extracts had no discernible effect on the rate of germination of A. retroflexus seed; however, they were able to reduce the germination rate as compared to the control. As the extract concentration of Artemisia monosperma rose to 20 g/L, the germination rate of A. retroflexus dropped. Neither 35 g L-1 nor 50 g L-1 of A. monosperma extract inhibited the germinate of A. retroflexus. The germination rate of Portulaca oleracea decreased with increasing extract concentration of C. colocynthis. The extract of C. colocynthis at 50 g/L had the lowest rate. The germination rate of Chloris barbata decreased with increasing extract concentration of C. colocynthis. The highest germination rate of C. barbata was observed in control, followed by 5g/L, while no germination was observed at 20, 35, and 50 g/L of C. colocynthis extracts. A. retroflexus's root length shrank when the extract concentration of C. colocynthis rose. A. retroflexus's control sample had the most extended root length, followed by 5 and 20 g/L, respectively. C. colocynthis at 35 and 50 g/L showed no root elongation as this treatment inhibited radicle protrusion. High concentration of d-Glycero-d-galacto-heptose and pentane in C. colocynthis aqueous extract may be the cause of C. colocynthis' ability to inhibit Chloris barbata germination. The entire C. barbata plant length decreased when treated with 5 g/L of C. colocynthis extract. No growth was seen at any of the higher C. colocynthis concentrations (20, 35, and 50 g/L). The present work revealed that cultivating allelopathic crops like the selected studied wild plants from the Tabuk region has a promising future as an antagonistic species in a biological weed control program or combined with integrated weed management in agricultural food production.

Evaluation The Ameliorative Effect of Alcoholic Extracts of Citrullus colocynthis and Phyllanthus Emblica Fruits on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in Male Rats

Evaluation The Ameliorative Effect of Alcoholic Extracts of Citrullus colocynthis and Phyllanthus Emblica Fruits on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in Male Rats

Bioactivity-Guided Isolation and Antihypertensive Activity of Citrullus colocynthis Polyphenols in Rats with Genetic Model of Hypertension.

Background and Objectives: Citrullus colocynthis belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is a wild medicinal plant used in folk literature to treat various diseases. The purpose of the current study was to explore the antihypertensive and antioxidant potentials of Citrullus colocynthis (CC) polyphenol-rich fractions using a spontaneous hypertensive rat (SHR) model. Materials and Methods: The concentrated aqueous ethanol extract of CC fruit was successively fractioned using solvents of increasing polarity, i.e., hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The obtained extracts were analyzed for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and total flavonol content (TOF). Moreover, the CC extracts were further evaluated for radical scavenging capacity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays and antioxidant activity using inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation and determination of reducing potential protocols. The phytochemical components were characterized by HPLC-MWD-ESI-MS in positive ionization mode. Results: The results showed that ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) exhibited a higher content of phenolic compounds in term of TPC (289 mg/g), TFC (7.6 mg/g) and TOF (35.7 mg/g). EAF showed higher antioxidant and DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities with SC50 values of 6.2 and 79.5 µg/mL, respectively. LCMS analysis revealed that twenty polyphenol compounds were identified in the EAF, including phenolic acids and flavonoids, mainly myricetin and quercetin derivatives. The in vivo antihypertensive activity of EAF of CC on SHR revealed that it significantly decreased the mean arterial pressure (MAP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressures (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP) as compared to normal and hypertensive control groups. Moreover, EAF of CC significantly reduced the oxidative stress in the animals in a dose-dependent manner by normalizing the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NOx) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Furthermore, the treatment groups, especially the 500 mg of EAF per kg body weight (EA-500) group, significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved the electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern and pulse wave velocity (PWV). Conclusion: It was concluded that the EAF of CC is a rich source of polyphenols and showed the best antioxidant activity and antihypertensive potential in SHR.

Green synthesis of copper nanoparticles using Citrullus colocynthis leaves extract: photocatalytic, antimicrobial and antioxidant studies

Abstract Considering the ecofriendly aspects of green synthesis, copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were produced using leaves extract of Citrullus colocynthis (Desert Gourd) as a reducing agent and CuSO4 as a Cu precursor. The characterization of synthesized Cu NPs was performed using various techniques including UV-Visible spectroscopy (UVS), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The tested NPs (face centered cubic) were determined to possess an average size of 17 ± 4.2 nm with spherical shape which exhibited highest absorption (λ max) at 560 nm. These NPs were assessed for their potential to function as a photocatalyst in degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under UV light and a significant degradation (65 %) of MB dye was observed within irradiation period of 160 min. The Cu NPs displayed a promising antibacterial activity (ABA) against various bacterial cultures such as P. multocida, Botryococcus subtilis, S. aureus and Escherichia coli. While, appreciable antioxidant potential (AP) of tested nanoparticles was also revealed by various invitro antioxidant assays including total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoids contents (TFC) and diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays. The fabrication of Cu NPs through green route, the use of C. colocynthis extract is recommended as an effective antimicrobial, antioxidant and photocatalytic agent as green route offers various advantages over chemical synthesis.

Bioactive compounds of Citrullus colocynthis aerial parts: characterization and biological properties

In this study, the bioactive components of Citrullus colocynthis extracts were analyzed in view of their potential use as antioxidant/antibacterial agent. The bioactive compounds were extracted in different organic solvents (hexane, ethanol and ethyl acetate) and analyzed by column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS). Three distinct fractions were collected and subsequently examined, one from ethyl acetate extraction (I) and two from ethanolic extraction (II and III). p-Coumaric acid was the major phenolic acid from the ethyl acetate extracts (0.11 ± 0.023 mg/kg) while resorcinol was the major phenolic compound from the ethanol extracts (25.00 ± 3.21 mg/kg). Twenty-four bioactive compounds were identified by GC-MS analysis where 1-docosanol pentafluoropropionate was the major bioactive compound in ethanol extracts. Among the ethanol extracts, the highest antioxidant activity was found in fraction III. The highest anti-bacterial activity values, measured in terms of the size of the inhibition zone (mm) against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus, i.e. 24 ± 1.62 and 22 ± 2.19 mm, respectively, were attained at 24 µg/mL for fractions III and I. From the results achieved in this work, ethanol extracts of C. colocynthis aerial parts could be considered promising as antioxidant and anti-infectious agents.

Three new cucurbitane-type triterpenoid glycosides from Citrullus colocynthis and their anti-inflammatory activity

Three new cucurbitane-type triterpenoid glycosides were separated from the ethyl acetate extract of Citrullus colocynthis by a variety of chromatographic techniques. According to the data of NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and/or comparison with the reported data, the three novel cucurbitane-type triterpenoid glycosides were identified as colocynthenin E(1), colocynthenin G(2), and colocynthenin H(3). The cell inflammation model was established with RAW264.7 macrophages exposed to lipopolysaccharide and then used to determine the anti-inflammatory activities of the three compounds. Compounds 2 and 3 showed mild anti-inflammatory activities with the IC_(50) of 48.21 and 40.11 μmol·L~(-1), respectively, compared with that(IC_(50)=7.57 μmol·L~(-1)) of the positive control dexamethasone.

Pharmacological Activities and In-Silico Studies of Bioactive Compounds Identified in Organic Fractions of the Methanolic Extract of Citrullus Colocynthis.

Medicinal plants have been extensively exploited for their immense pharmacological and immune-supporting potential. Fruit of Citrullus colocynthis has several active secondary metabolites such as phenolics, flavonoids, and essential oils that are used in traditional medicines as antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial agents. In this study, phytoconstituents in organic fractions (n-hexane, chloroform, and ethyl acetate) of the methanolic extract of C. colocynthis were analyzed and identified by FT-IR, HPLC, and GC-MS analysis. Ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest antioxidant scavenging (76 ± .769%) and anti-inflammatory (40 ± .473%) activities at the concentration of 3mg/mL. Similarly, antidiabetic effect was measured by inhibition of α-amylase where, ethyl acetate fraction (77 ± .844%) exhibited the highest antidiabetic activity. Among all organic fractions, ethyl acetate exhibited strong antimicrobial potential followed by n-hexane and chloroform fractions against selected pathogenic bacteria. Various concentrations of the ethyl acetate extract were tested in-vivo for cytotoxicity and results indicated minor morphological changes in liver cells including ballooning, fatty droplets, and slight accumulation of extracellular matrix even at concentrations of 400mg/kg. In-silico study showed that stigmasta-7,16-dien-3-ol had a strong interaction with COX-1 and COX-2 to reduce inflammation. The abovementioned results indicate the pharmacological strengths of C. colocynthis to fight several diseases.

Antioxidant, Hypoglycemic, Antilipidemic, and Protective Effect of Polyherbal Emulsion (F6-SMONSECCE) on Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats.

The current study focused on the antioxidant potential, α-amylase inhibitory activity, and hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and histoprotective (pancreas and kidney) effects of polyherbal emulsion on the alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Polyherbal formulations were prepared from extracts and oils of Nigella sativa (N. sativa), Citrullus colocynthis (C. colocynthis), and Silybum marianum (S. marianum). Out of nine stable formulations, one formulation named F6-SMONSECCE was found to be the best after its evaluation using antioxidant and in vitro α-amylase inhibition assay. The prepared herbal formulations showed significant (p < 0.05) antioxidant activity in terms of radical scavenging as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays and also revealed the presence of a significant amount of total phenolic and flavonoid contents. "F6- SMONSECCE" (prepared with composition; Silybum marianum oil (SMO) + Nigella sativa extract (NSE) + Citrullus colocynthis extract CCE) was selected for an in vivo trial to ascertain its antidiabetic potential. The treatment dose was determined by using an acute toxicity trial on rats. Administration of alloxan (150 mg/kg b.w., i.p.) significantly (P < 0.05) augmented the blood glucose levels and lipid contents as total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoproteins (LDL-c), and very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL-c). However, the levels of insulin and high-density lipoproteins (HDL-c) were found to be decreased, and the histopathological alterations were also found in the pancreas and kidney. The administration of the polyherbal formulation (F6-SMONSECCE) significantly attenuated the blood glucose levels (22.94%), TC (29.10%), TG (38.15%), LDL-c (27.58%), and VLDL-c (71.52%), whereas on the other side, the insulin (-149.15%) and HDL-c levels (-22.22%) were significantly increased. A significant histopathological normalization was observed in the pancreas and kidney tissues of the F6-SMONSECCE-treated rats. The current findings proposed that the prepared polyherbal formulation "F6-SMONSECCE" exhibited significant antioxidant, antilipidemic, and hypoglycemic potential and hence might be suggested as a remedy against diabetes or as a coadjuvant to synthetic medicines to maintain normal physiology.

Systematic induced resistance in Solanum lycopersicum (L.) against vascular wilt pathogen (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici) by Citrullus colocynthis and Trichoderma viride.

The antifungal effects of Citrullus colocynthis extract (Hexane, chloroform, methanol, and water) were tested in vitro on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Sacc.) W. C. Snyder & H. N. Hans (FOL), the causal agent of Fusarium wilt. Of these, methanol and water extract at 10% showed the highest inhibition of mycelial growth of FOL by 12.32 and 23.61 mm respectively. The antifungal compounds were identified through Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The methanol extract was compatible with the biocontrol agent Trichoderma viride. The antagonistic fungi were mass-cultured under laboratory conditions using sorghum seeds. Both T. viride and C. colocynthis methanol extract was also tested alone and together against FOL under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. The combination of T. viride and C. colocynthis showed the highest percentage of antifungal activity (82.92%) against FOL under in vitro conditions. This study revealed that induced systemic resistance (ISR) in enhancing the disease resistance in tomato plants against Fusarium wilt disease. The combined treatment of T. viride and C. colocynthis significantly reduced the disease incidence and index by 21.92 and 27.02% in greenhouse conditions, respectively. Further, the induction of defense enzymes, such as peroxidase (PO), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), β-1,3-glucanase, and chitinase were studied. The accumulation of defense enzyme was greater in plants treated with a combination of T. viride and C. colocynthis compared to the control. Reduction of wilt disease in tomato plants due to the involvement of defense-related enzymes is presumed through this experiment.

Sustainable Dyeing of Cotton Fibers Using Aqueous Extract of Citrullus Colocynthis Leaves: Chemical Characterization, and Dyeing Optimization Process Using Response Surface Methodology

ABSTRACT Owing to their advantageous characteristics, natural dyes are highly needed to replace hazardous synthetic colored molecules. In this work, an aqueous extract of Citrullus colocynthis leaves was prepared, analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and further used to dye cotton fibers. FT-IR results suggested that the studied Citrullus colocynthis leaf is possibly rich in phenolic and flavonoid constituents. The dyeing experiments were carried out at various experimental conditions: dyeing duration (30–60 min), temperature (60–100°C), and pH (5–9). Response surface methodology (RSM), with the help of Minitab 17.1.0, was used to optimize the dyeing process. The optimum obtained dyeing conditions were time = 30 min, temperature = 91°C, and pH = 7. The cationization of cotton fabric with polyethyleneimine and a co-polymer of dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride and diallylamin, and the pre-biomordanting with pomegranate peel and date palm pits significantly improved the color strength (K/S) results. Overall, the dyed cotton samples exhibited good fastness characteristics.

The anticoccidial effect of alcoholic extract of Citrullus colocynthis fruit and Juglans regia peel‌ in experimentally infected domestic chicken

One of the main illnesses within the poultry industry is coccidiosis. Anticoccidial medicines applied in the poultry industry show many shortcomings and new control measures are necessary. The current research aimed to study the effect of extract of Citrullus colocynthis and Juglans regia peel on growth performance, gut bacteria, Haematological, Anticoccidial Index (ACI), and Optimum Anticoccidial Activity (OAA) of coccidiosis-infected domestic chicken. The maximum weight gain was observed in the groups treated with 0.001% and 0.01% C. colocynthis extract. Moreover, 0.01% C. colocynthis extract treatment increased two factors of ACI and OAA by 121.42 and 109, respectively, which were higher than commercial anticoccidial (Sulfaclozine). The extract of C. colocynthis fruit and J. regia peel decreased monocytes and eosinophils haematological factors and increased basophils in birds infected with Eimeria. Both extracts modulated intestinal microbiome haematological factors in birds infected with Eimeria, while J. regia peel extract had better performance than C. colocynthis fruit extract. These results indicate that used C. colocynthis and J. regia extracts have an anti-coccidial effect and the potential to control Eimeria infection.

Biogenic Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Citrullus colocynthis for Potential Biomedical Applications.

Green nanoparticle synthesis is considered the most efficient and safe nanoparticle synthesis method, both economically and environmentally. The current research was focused on synthesizing zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) from fruit and leaf extracts of Citrullus colocynthis. Four solvents (n-hexane, methanol, ethyl acetate, and aqueous) were used to prepare the extracts from both plant parts by maceration and extraction. Zinc acetate was used to synthesize the nanoparticles (NPs), and color change indicated the synthesis of ZnONPs. X-ray diffraction, UV spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were used to study the ZnONPs. UV-visible spectroscopy revealed an absorbance peak in the 350-400 nm range. XRD patterns revealed the face-centered cubic structure of the ZnONPs. SEM confirmed a spherical morphology and a size range between 64 and 82 nm. Phytochemical assays confirmed that the complete flavonoid, phenolic, and alkaloid concentrations were higher in unrefined solvent extracts than in nanoparticles. Nanoparticles of C. colocynthis fruit aqueous extracts showed stronger antioxidant activity compared with the crude extracts. Strong antifungal activity was exhibited by the leaves, crude extracts, and nanoparticles of the n-hexane solvent. In a protein kinase inhibition assay, the maximum bald zone was revealed by nanoparticles of ethyl acetate extracts from leaves. The crude extracts and nanoparticles of leaves showed high cytotoxic activities of the n-hexane solvent, with LC50 values of 42.08 and 46.35, respectively. Potential antidiabetic activity was shown by the n-hexane (93.42%) and aqueous (82.54%) nanoparticles of the fruit. The bioactivity of the plant showed that it is a good candidate for therapeutic use. The biosynthesized ZnONPs showed promising antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antidiabetic, and antioxidant properties. Additionally, the in vivo assessment of a nano-directed drug delivery system for future therapeutic use can be conducted based on this study.

Proximate and Physicochemical Analyses of Citrullus Colocynthis (Bitter Apple) Seed

The aim of this study is to efficiently determine the physico-chemical content and nutritional value present in the extract of Citrullus colocynthis using the best readily available method. Seed oil was extracted using soxhlet extractor and n-hexane as solvent after which it was subjected to physicochemical characterization. The proximate analysis showed that the Citrullus colocynthis seed contained 4.93% moisture, 12. 06% crude protein, 4.35% ash and 45.83% crude fibre, 8.16% lipid and 24.67% carbohydrate. The oil was liquid at room temperature with physico-chemical characteristics like iodine value of 11.33, acid value of 3.86(mg KOH/g of oil), saponification value of 171.09 and specific gravity of 0.92.The result shows that the seed of Citrullus colocynthis is a potential source of valuable oil with nutritional values.

Effects of green synthesized calcium oxide nanoparticles from extracts of Citrullus colocynthis on body weight, plasma atherogenic index, and histology of liver and stomach of high-fat-diet-fed rats

Citrullus colocynthis has been used to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia. Nanoparticles, due to their nano size, phytochemical adsorption, improved systemic absorption and high bioavailability, can potentially improve the bioactivity of C. colocynthis. The present research focused on studying the effects of green synthesized calcium oxide nanoparticles (CaONPs) from C. colocynthis fruit extracts (CCFE) on the body weight, the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), and the histopathology of male albino rats. Ethyl??-d-glucopyranoside was the major constituent of CCFE, along with phenols and fatty acids. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of CCFE were 203.52 and 173.56 mg/g, respectively. Male albino rats (n=36) were divided into six groups (six rats per each group). Rats in different groups received a normal diet, a high?fat diet (HFD), HFD with lovastatin (10 mg/kg), HFD with CCFE (20 mg/kg), HFD with CaONPs (2 mg/kg), and HFD with a synergistic solution of CCFE (10 mg/kg) and CaONPs (1 mg/kg), respectively. When CaONPs were administered in combination with CCFE, significant weight-lowering activity (36.36%), improved cardiovascular health as per AIP (0.12?0.01b), and fewer disturbances in liver function parameters were observed. Histological analysis at the end of the experiment showed that CaONPs were not toxic to the gastric mucosa and were slightly toxic to hepatocytes. It can be concluded that CaONPs synthesized from CCFE can be a potent weight-lowering and antilipidemic agent with fewer side effects.

Apoptotic Cell Death via Activation of DNA Degradation, Caspase-3 Activity, and Suppression of Bcl-2 Activity: An Evidence-Based Citrullus colocynthis Cytotoxicity Mechanism toward MCF-7 and A549 Cancer Cell Lines

The objectives of this study are to investigate the cytotoxic effect of different Citrullus colocynthis extracts on breast and lung cancer cell lines using flow cytometry to gain mechanistic insights. C. colocynthis was extracted sequentially using the Soxhlet method. We first tested the plant extracts’ cytotoxicity on non-malignant L929 cells and cancerous breast (MCF-7) and lung (A549) cell lines. We observed that the IC50 of the methanol extract on the viability of MCF-7 and A549 cell lines was 81.08 µg/mL and 17.84 µg/mL, respectively, using the MTT assay. The aqueous and methanol extracts were less toxic when tested against the non-cancerous L929 cell line, with IC50 values of 235.48 µg/mL and 222.29 µg/mL, respectively. Then, using flow cytometry, we investigated the underlying molecular pathways with Annexin-V, Anti-Bcl-2, Caspase-3, and DNA fragmentation (TUNEL) assays. Flow cytometric and molecular marker analyses revealed that the methanol extract activated caspase-3 and inhibited Bcl-2 protein, causing early and late apoptosis, as well as cell death via DNA damage in breast and lung cancer cells. These findings indicate that the methanol extract of C. colocynthis is cytotoxic to breast and lung cancer cell lines. The total phenolic and flavonoid content analysis results showed the methanolic extract of C. colocynthis has a concentration of 326.25 μg GAE/g dwt and 274.61 μg QE/g dwt, respectively. GC-MS analysis of the methanol extract revealed phytochemicals relevant to its cytotoxicity.