NO Scavenging Assay Research Articles

Organosulfur Compounds in Aged Garlic Extract Ameliorate Glucose Induced Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Attenuating Oxidative Stress, Cardiac Fibrosis, and Cardiac Apoptosis.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy has emerged as a major cause of cardiac fibrosis, hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, and heart failure due to uncontrolled glucose metabolism in patients with diabetes mellitus. However, there is still no consensus on the optimal treatment to prevent or treat the cardiac burden associated with diabetes, which urges the development of dual antidiabetic and cardioprotective cardiac therapy based on natural products. This study investigates the cardiotoxic profile of glucose and the efficacy of AGE against glucose-induced cardiotoxicity in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. The cellular metabolic activity of H9c2 cardiomyocytes under increasing glucose concentration and the therapeutic efficacy of AGE were investigated using the MTT cell cytotoxicity assay. The in vitro model was established in six groups known as 1. control, 2. cells treated with 25 µM glucose, 3. 100 µM glucose, 4. 25 µM glucose +35 µM AGE, 5. 100 µM glucose + 35 µM AGE, and 6. 35 µM AGE. Morphological and nuclear analyses were performed using Giemsa, HE, DAPI, and PI, respectively, whereas cell death was simultaneously assessed using the trypan blue assay. The antioxidant potential of AGE was evaluated by DCFH-DA assay, NO, and H202 scavenging assay. The activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase were also investigated. The antiglycative potential of AGE was examined by antiglycation assays, amylase zymography, and SDS PAGE. These results were then validated by in silico molecular docking and qRTPCR. Hyperglycemia significantly reduced cellular metabolic activity of H9c2 cardiomyocytes, and AGE was found to preserve cell viability approximately 2-fold by attenuating oxidative, fibrosis, and apoptotic signaling molecules. In silico and qRTPCR studies confirmed that organosulfur compounds target TNF-α, MAPK, TGF-β, MMP-7, and caspase-9 signaling molecules to ameliorate glucose-induced cardiotoxicity. AGE was found to be an antidiabetic and cardioprotective natural product with exceptional therapeutic potential for use as a novel herb-drug therapy in the treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy in future therapies.

Synthesis and Therapeutic Potential of selected Schiff Bases: In vitro Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, and Computational Studies

AbstractIn this study, three Schiff base compounds, (E)‐N‐(4‐bromophenyl)‐1‐(2‐nitrophenyl)methanimine (L1), (E)‐2‐((mesitylimino)methyl)phenol (L2), and (E)‐N‐(4‐bromophenyl)‐1‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)methanimine (L3), were synthesized and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. The antibacterial activity of the compounds was evaluated against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria, with L3 demonstrating the most significant activity. The compounds were also evaluated for their antioxidant activity using DPPH, FRAP, and NO scavenging assays. While the compounds exhibited concentration‐dependent scavenging of free radicals, their activity was not as significant as that of the reference, Trolox. Furthermore, L1–L3 were tested for their α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity, with L1 showing the highest inhibitory activity among the three compounds. The DFT study showed that L1 is the most chemically reactive among the three compounds, having the lowest energy band gap value of 3.82 eV in acetonitrile, the experimental solvent. Molecular docking predicted that L1 and L2 have very strong inhibition equivalents to the standard drugs against bacteria and diabetes. All the compounds showed stronger inhibition against α‐glucosidase than acarbose, while only L1 and L2 exhibited stronger inhibition against α‐amylase than acarbose. It can be deduced that the theoretical studies corroborate well with the experimental, and compounds with the electron‐withdrawing group displayed better medicinal properties than their electron‐donating counterparts.

Anti-Shigella and antioxidant-based screening of some Cameroonian medicinal plants, UHPLC-LIT-MS/MS fingerprints, and prediction of pharmacokinetic and drug-likeness properties of identified chemicals.

Ethnopharmacological relevanceShigella infection is a public health problem responsible for approximately 700,000 deaths annually. The management of this disease is impaired by the emergence of multidrug-resistant Shigella species, highlighting the urgent need to search for alternative treatment options. In this regard, investigating medicinal plants traditionally used for the treatment of dysentery, diarrheal infections, and/or associated symptoms in endemic regions might provide an opportunity to identify phytochemicals that could be further used as a basis for the development of future anti-shigella drug candidates. Aim of the studyThis study was designed to investigate the anti-shigella and antioxidant-based ethnopharmacological potency of some Cameroonian medicinal plants with an emphasis on pharmacokinetic properties of the identified chemical pharmacophore. Materials and methodsBriefly, plant species were selected and collected based on their ethnopharmacological uses and information reported in the literature. Crude aqueous, ethanolic, methanolic, and hydroethanolic (30:70, v/v) extracts from these plants were prepared and then screened for their anti-Shigella activity against four Shigella strains and cytotoxicity against Vero and Raw cell lines using microdilution and resazurin-based methods, respectively. The antioxidant activities of potent extracts were evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, NO, and FRAP scavenging assays. The chemical profile of potent extracts was performed using the UHPLC-LIT-MS/MS and the pharmacokinetic properties, druglikeness, and likely molecular targets of the chemical scaffolds identified were predicted using SwissADME and SwissTargetPredictor. ResultsThirty-nine (39) plants belonging to 26 plant families were harvested. Out of the 228 extracts tested, 18 extracts originating from 6 plants (15.38 %) were active (MICs 250–1000 μg/mL) and nontoxic toward Vero (CC50 129.25–684.55 μg/mL) and Raw cell lines (CC50 336.20 to >1000 μg/mL). Six potent extracts from the two plants exhibited moderate to potent DPPH (SC50 8.870–54.410 μg/mL), ABTS (SC50 12.020–27.36 μg/mL), and NO (SC50 0.02–195.85 μg/mL) scavenging activities. Later, these extracts showed interesting ferric iron-reducing power (1.28–12.14 μg equivalent NH2OH/g of extract). The shortest onset of action time (4 and 6 h) observed following inhibition kinetics studies was observed with extracts BFSHE, PMSE, and PMSM. The UHPLC-LIT-MS/MS and some databases (Mass Spectral Library (NIST 14), Human Metabolome Database (HMD), MassBank, SuperNatural 3.0, The Food Database (FooDB), and Chemical Entities of Biological Interest (ChEBI)) allowed the annotation of 18 and 17 metabolites in the extracts from stem bark of P. macrophylla and B. ferruginea respectively. Pharmacokinetic prediction of these chemicals showed that compound 6 (4,6a-bis(Hydroxymethyl)-9a-methyl-3-oxo-1a,1b,3,5,6,6a,7a,9a-octahydrobis (oxireno)[2′,3':5,6; 2″,3'':9,10]cyclodeca[1,2-b]furan-5-yl methacrylate), compound 8 (Corynoxeine), and compounds 35 (Stachybotrydial acetate) demonstrated acceptable druglike and pharmacokinetic properties and might act through inhibition of kinase, transferase, protease, oxidoreductase, and family AG protein-linked receptors. ConclusionThe findings from this investigation demonstrated that Cameroonian medicinal plants are suitable reservoirs of anti-Shigella and antioxidant agents with good drug candidate properties.

Nyctanthes arbortristis: In Vitro Efficacy Of Anti-Oxidant Potential And Cytotoxicity Study Of Bark Extracts On Sw982 Rheumatoid Arthritis Cell Line Followed By Phytochemical Profiling By GCMS

Nyctanthes arbortristis, commonly known as the night-jasmine, is a plant rich in bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant properties and cytotoxic effects of Nyctanthes arbortristis bark extracts on SW982 rheumatoid arthritis cell line in vitro. Sequential solvent extraction method was employed to obtain extracts with varying polarities. The antioxidant potential of the extracts was assessed using DPPH, ABTS, NO, and H2O2 radical scavenging assays and total phenolic and flavonoid content determination. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using MTT assay on SW982 cells. Results revealed that the bark extracts exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with the methanol extract showing the highest radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content and total flavonoids contents. Furthermore, the bark extracts demonstrated concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects on SW982 cells, with the ethyl acetate extract exhibiting the most potent cytotoxicity. These findings suggest that Nyctanthes arbortristis bark extracts possess substantial antioxidant potential and cytotoxic effects against SW982 rheumatoid arthritis cells, indicating their potential as therapeutic agents in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and evaluate their efficacy in vivo.

Resveratrol, ε-Viniferin, and Vitisin B from Vine: Comparison of Their In Vitro Antioxidant Activities and Study of Their Interactions.

The control of oxidative stress with natural active substances could limit the development of numerous pathologies. Our objective was to study the antiradical effects of resveratrol (RSV), ε-viniferin (VNF), and vitisin B (VB) alone or in combination, and those of a standardized stilbene-enriched vine extract (SSVE). In the DPPH-, FRAP-, and NO-scavenging assays, RSV presented the highest activity with an IC50 of 81.92 ± 9.17, 13.36 ± 0.91, and 200.68 ± 15.40 µM, respectively. All binary combinations resulted in additive interactions in the DPPH- and NO-scavenging assays. In the FRAP assay, a synergic interaction for RSV + VNF, an additive for VNF + VB, and an antagonistic for RSV + VB were observed. The ternary combination of RSV + VNF + VB elicited an additive interaction in the DPPH assay and a synergic interaction in the FRAP- and NO-scavenging assays. There was no significant difference between the antioxidant activity of the SSVE and that of the combination of RSV + VNF. In conclusion, RSV presented the highest effects, followed by VNF and VB. The interactions revealed additive or synergistic effects, depending on the combination of the stilbenes and assay.

Cyclopia intermedia E. Mey protects against ROS-induced liver injury in HepG2/C3A cells.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) represents a significant clinical problem for which no standard treatment currently exists. Most DILI mechanisms center on oxidative stress resulting from glutathione depletion, excessive ROS production, and subsequent cell death. Flavonoid-rich Cyclopia intermedia E. Mey (honeybush) is a commercially important African herbal tea and is traditionally promoted as a restorative treatment. Cytotoxicity evaluation of a fermented C. intermedia extract in C3A hepatocytes confirmed the absence of toxicity up to 200 µg/mL using quantitative fluorescence microscopy with Hoechst 33342-PI dual-labeling. DPPH, NO scavenging, and ORAC assays established a strong antioxidant potential. Antioxidant bioavailability, assessed using the CAPe assay, indicated significant uptake at 100 µg/mL (p < 0.005). C. intermedia extract decreased TBHP-induced oxidative stress in C3A cells and attenuated TBHP-induced changes in thiol group levels at 200 µg/mL (p < 0.005) as confirmed by CellROX® Orange and ThiolTracker™ Violet staining, respectively. Apoptotic cell death was significantly reduced by the extract from 50 µg/mL (p < 0.005) as determined by Annexin-V FITC staining. These results suggest that C. intermedia can function as a hepatoprotectant and has potential as a treatment against DILI.

Evaluation of Pharmacological Potential of Miliusa nilagirica Bedd. Leaves Using In Vitro Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Assays.

Miliusanilagirica, a rare tree species of Western Ghats, belongs to the Annonaceae family, a family with potential antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. This study is designed vividly to establish the relationship between the constituent phytochemicals and their hyperglycemic effects through the antioxidant traits of M. nilagirica in vitro. Phytochemical tests were conducted on dry powdered leaves and extracts of various methods to determine the existence of various constituents. The antidiabetic potential of leaf extracts was estimated by using the α-amylase inhibitory model and the antioxidant potential was estimated with various assays. The quantitative phytochemical screening of leaf parts shows the presence of carbohydrates (88.74 ± 0.65mg GE/g sample), proteins (82.17 ± 2.52mg BSAE/g sample), phenolics (40.44 ± 0.43 GAE/100g), and flavonoids (66.05 ± 0.48mg RE/g extract). Methanol extract of Soxhlet of M. nilagirica registered the strongest antioxidant activity in all assays, 75.66% inhibition (DPPH assay), 795.01µmol/g (ABTS˙+ radical scavenging), 994.33µmol/g (FRAP assay), 362.02mg AAE/g extract (TAC assay), 47% inhibition (NO scavenging assay). In vitro α-amylase inhibition showed a highly noticeable reduction in ethyl acetate extract from Soxhlet (75.19%). HPLC and FTIR analyses on the extracts added strengths to the obtained results on the potentiality of M. nilagirica. From the results, it is evident that phytochemicals from M. nilagirica can be studied further, isolated, and incorporated as an alternative to synthetic supplements for hyperglycemia.

The biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using aqueous leaf extracts of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and their biological activities

ABSTRACT This study aims to biosynthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles using aqueous leaf extracts of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and investigate their biological activities. UV–Vis Spectroscopy, FT-IR, SEM and TEM were used for characterization. The antioxidant properties were determined using H2O2, NO, ABTS, FRAP and DPPH scavenging assays. For anti-inflammatory activities, membrane stabilization, albumin denaturation and proteinase inhibitory activity were assayed. The antibacterial effect was tested using well diffusion method. Statistical analyses were done using ANOVA. Synthesized nanoparticles showed an intensity peak at 378 nm in UV–Vis Spectroscopy. FT-IR shows the presence of O-H stretching, C = C bending, O-H bending and C–N stretching functional groups of the stabilizing action of the plant extract on the surface of the nanoparticles. NPs were shown to be spherical by SEM analysis, and the sizes were 100 nm by TEM analysis. The antioxidant properties of ZnO NPs compared to ascorbic acid standard showed significant antioxidant potential in H2O2, NO, ABTS, FRAP and DPPH scavenging assays. ZnO NPs showed excellent anti-inflammatory activity with the synthesized ZnO NPs performing better in membrane stabilization. Clinical pathogens were inhibited by ZnO NPs when compared with Cefuroxime, a standard drug. These efficient biological activities could be utilized in several biological applications.

A Review on Efficacy of Spices and Herbs as per Ayurveda and Their Role as a Potent Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Agents

Bioactive compounds from spices and herbs play an important role to immunize our body system. From ancient time they are used as Ayurvedic medicine. This review mainly focuses on to the traditional medicinal uses of spices and herbs as per Ayurveda and their efficacy as a natural potent antioxidant and antimicrobial agents over synthetic one. The chemical component of essential oils were analysed by GC-MS and GC-FID techniques. Antioxidant activity was confirmed by different assays like DPPH assay, FRAP assay, ABTS assay, Hydroxy radical scavenging assay, NO scavenging assay etc. Quantitative estimation of phenol and flavonoid from different solvent extracts revealed the proportional relationship between concentration of polyphenols and antioxidant activity. Zone of inhibition (in mm), MIC and MBC were measured to assess the antimicrobial activity against different pathogens like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogensis etc. Spices and herbs can be used as potent and safe Ayurvedic drug along with their use in cooking and seasoning different foods.

Phenolics, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Immature and Mature Blumea balsamifera Leaf Extracts Eluted with Different Solvents.

Blumea balsamifera (L.) DC., belonging to the Asteraceae family, also known as "ngai camphor," is one of the traditional herbs used in Thailand for folk medicine and a component in local food and drinks. There was, however, no evidence indicating the presence of beneficial compounds at different leaf ages. Exploring various extraction solvents, we investigated the phenolics, flavonoids in particular quercetin content, antioxidant capacity, and antibacterial activity of immature and mature leaf extracts. The dried leaves were macerated in 50% ethanol, 95% ethanol, hexane, or decocted in water. Bioactive substances were analyzed by UV spectrophotometry and HPLC. Analysis of antioxidant capacity was done byDPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and NO scavenging assays. The antibacterial activity of immature leaf extract eluted with 50% ethanol was subsequentially evaluated in vitro. Extraction with 50% ethanol proved optimal, yielding 1.2-1.6-fold and 1.5-fold greater immature and mature leaf extracts than other solvents. More phenolics (1.2-fold), flavonoids (1.1-fold), quercetin content (4.8-fold), and antioxidant activity (1.3-fold) were found in the immature leaf extract. There was a significant positive correlation between antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds. The immature leaf extract eluted with 50% ethanol showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.5 mg/mL. The immature leaves of B. balsamifera are a rich source of quercetin and phenolics, and 50% ethanol proved optimal for extracting bioactive components from these leaves.

Evaluation of Total Phenolic Content, HPLC Analysis, and Antioxidant Potential of Three Local Varieties of Mushroom: A Comparative Study.

Functional foods such as mushrooms are rich in polyphenolic compounds and secondary metabolites with health-promoting properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic and immunostimulatory effects. The present study is aimed to investigate the ethanolic extracts of three varieties of mushrooms, namely, G. lucidum, G. tropicum, and C. indica grown in Bangladesh for phenolic and flavonoid content and their antioxidant properties. Moreover, the phenolic composition of the extracts was analyzed by using the HPLC-DAD system. G. lucidum extract exhibited the highest antioxidant potential as evidenced by its lowest IC50 value in all the tested assay models (40.44 ± 2.09 μg/mL, 151.32 ± 0.35 μg/mL, 137.89 ± 1.85 μg/mL in DPPH, H2O2, and NO scavenging assay, respectively) along with the highest phenolic content (81.34 ± 0.68 GAE g−1 extract). G. tropicum and C. indica extracts also showed significant antioxidant properties and a good amount of phenolic content, 52.16 ± 0.25 GAE g−1 extract, and 47.1 ± 0.26 GAE g−1 extract, respectively. The scavenging activity increased with the increasing concentration of extracts in all cases. The total phenolic content of the ethanolic extracts of mushroom species was highly correlated with antioxidant effects with Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) values ranging from 0.8883–0.9851. The α-amylase inhibitory and antibacterial activity of G. lucidum was evaluated by using 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid and disc diffusion method, respectively. The maximum inhibitory activity recorded against α-amylase was 70.98 ± 0.042% at a concentration of 500 μg/mL. G. lucidum extract exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with 23.00 ± 1.00 mm clear zone of inhibition and an MIC value of 3.5 mg/mL. The results indicate that the mushroom species tested in this study could serve as a potential source of natural antioxidants in the development of nutraceuticals and herbal drugs for the management of oxidative stress-associated diseases as well as infectious diseases.

α-Glucosidase and α-Amylase Inhibitory Potentials of Quinoline-1,3,4-oxadiazole Conjugates Bearing 1,2,3-Triazole with Antioxidant Activity, Kinetic Studies, and Computational Validation.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a multifaceted metabolic disorder that remains a major threat to global health security. Sadly, the clinical relevance of available drugs is burdened with an upsurge in adverse effects; hence, inhibiting the carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes α-glucosidase and α-amylase while preventing oxidative stress is deemed a practicable strategy for regulating postprandial glucose levels in DM patients. We report herein the α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition and antioxidant profile of quinoline hybrids 4a–t and 12a–t bearing 1,3,4-oxadiazole and 1,2,3-triazole cores, respectively. Overall, compound 4i with a bromopentyl sidechain exhibited the strongest α-glucosidase inhibition (IC50 = 15.85 µM) relative to reference drug acarbose (IC50 = 17.85 µM) and the best antioxidant profile in FRAP, DPPH, and NO scavenging assays. Compounds 4a and 12g also emerged as the most potent NO scavengers (IC50 = 2.67 and 3.01 µM, respectively) compared to gallic acid (IC50 = 728.68 µM), while notable α-glucosidase inhibition was observed for p-fluorobenzyl compound 4k (IC50 = 23.69 µM) and phenyl-1,2,3-triazolyl compound 12k (IC50 = 22.47 µM). Moreover, kinetic studies established the mode of α-glucosidase inhibition as non-competitive, thus classifying the quinoline hybrids as allosteric inhibitors. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations then provided insights into the protein–ligand interaction profile and the stable complexation of promising hybrids at the allosteric site of α-glucosidase. These results showcase these compounds as worthy scaffolds for developing more potent α-glucosidase inhibitors with antioxidant activity for effective DM management.

Elite Zingiber extracts as potential free radical scavengers and radioprotectors

ABSTRACT Fresh rhizome extracts of four elite Zingiber species, viz., Zingiber kangleipakense, Zingiber montanum, Zingiber officinale, and Zingiber zerumbet, prepared in 60% aqueous ethanol/60% aqueous methanol solutions were used for assessing their comparative free radical scavenging and radioprotective properties. Various methods, such as ferric ion reducing power assay, DPPH ion scavenging assay, nitric oxide scavenging assay, metal chelating assay, thiyl/sulfur free radical reactivity assay, and hydroxyl ion scavenging assay, were employed for radical scavenging capabilities. Bio-active principles, such as total phenolic, flavonoid, and ascorbic acid contents, were also assessed. Z. officinale showed the highest TPC, TFC, and ascorbic acid content of 650 mg GAE/100 g, 889 mg QE/100 g, and 3.19 mg/100 g, respectively, as well as the greatest efficacy in ferric ion reducing and DPPH scavenging ability having lowest IC50 value of 0.22 mg/mL. Z. montanum showed the lowest IC50 value of 0.91 mg/mL in NO scavenging assay and also exhibited the highest curcumin protection in thiyl free radical scavenging assay. Z. kangleipakense showed the lowest IC50 value of 0.24 mg/mL and 0.25 mg/mL in metal ion chelating assay and hydroxyl radical assay, respectively. 60% aqueous ethanol extracts of Z. officinale and Z. kangleipakense were used for radioprotective assays both for in vitro and in vivo using plasmid pBR322 DNA and bone marrow cells of albino rats, respectively, based on their significant free radical scavenging properties. At the same concentration of 0.25 mg/mL, Z. officinale and Z. kangleipakense showed 71.50% and 56.54% protection, respectively, of DNA from exposure to 6 Gy gamma radiation. Also, Z. officinale and Z. kangleipakense exhibited 51.16% and 38.96% protection from radiation-induced chromosomal damages in rats, respectively, when exposed to 2 Gy. Reduction in the DNA open circular form as well as the chromosomal aberrations in treatments with plant extracts compared to the controls confirmed the radioprotective potentials of the extracts. The results showed that the extracts possessed potential antioxidant compounds having capacities to scavenge radiation-induced free radical species. The accessibility of the extracts in radiation countermeasures can provide immense nutraceutical potentials.

Nyctanthes arbortristis: In Vitro Efficacy Of Anti-Oxidant Potential And Cytotoxicity Study Of Bark Extracts On Sw982 Rheumatoid Arthritis Cell Line Followed By Phytochemical Profiling By GCMS

Nyctanthes arbortristis, commonly known as the night-jasmine, is a plant rich in bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant properties and cytotoxic effects of Nyctanthes arbortristis bark extracts on SW982 rheumatoid arthritis cell line in vitro. Sequential solvent extraction method was employed to obtain extracts with varying polarities. The antioxidant potential of the extracts was assessed using DPPH, ABTS, NO, and H2O2 radical scavenging assays and total phenolic and flavonoid content determination. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using MTT assay on SW982 cells. Results revealed that the bark extracts exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with the methanol extract showing the highest radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content and total flavonoids contents. Furthermore, the bark extracts demonstrated concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects on SW982 cells, with the ethyl acetate extract exhibiting the most potent cytotoxicity. These findings suggest that Nyctanthes arbortristis bark extracts possess substantial antioxidant potential and cytotoxic effects against SW982 rheumatoid arthritis cells, indicating their potential as therapeutic agents in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and evaluate their efficacy in vivo.

In-vitro Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Activity of Bauhinia racemosa Root

Objective: To evaluate cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of the plant Bauhinia racemosa root by in-vitro cell line analysis. Methods: MCF-7 cell lines were used for the study to find the inhibitory concentration of the extract. DPPH and NO scavenging assays were performed to study the antioxidant nature of the extract. Results and Conclusion: In MCF-7 cell line cytotoxicity effect was observed in tested sample concentrations in 48 hours treatment, it also revealed that increased concentration of drug shown increased cytotoxicity over the MCF-7 cell lines. DPPH and NO scavenging Assay revealed a concentration dependent radical scavenging capacity of the tested sample concentrations of Bauhinia racemosa root spectrophotometrically.

Physical and Chemical methods of extraction of Bioactive Molecules from Lepidium sativum Linn. and Antioxidant Activity-based screening and selection of extracts-Probable Phytochemical, Chromatography and mass spectroscopy analysis-based correlates

Identification and isolation of active principles from Lepidium sativum L. garden cress seeds and their chemical/biological characterization would aid in drug development (templates for synthesizing derivatives or as a value-added product). Initially, this study dealt with the phytochemical, qualitative and quantitative analysis for phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Subsequently, different physical and chemical extraction techniques -Simple Crude extraction (CRU), Ultra Sonication-Assisted Extraction (UAE), Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE) and classical Soxhlet extraction were adopted to select the best Lepidium sativum L. seed extract based on their activity in certain classical, in vitro antioxidant assay systems. The selected best extract was further analyzed for characterization using UPLC, GC-MS. CRU MeOH extracts showed a higher Total phenolic content of 4464.1±349.7mg GAE/100g. The UAE method showed a higher total flavonoid content of 1520.6±182.2mg QUE/100g. CRU-MeOH showed good antioxidant activity based on the free radical scavenging DPPH assay (IC50: 50.61µg/mL). A 100µg/mL concentration of CRU-MeOH was found to be 217.82±12.82 FRAP value. At 400 µg/mL, the NO scavenging assay was reported to be 62.11±4.84%. The present study indicates that extracts from the polar solvents shows better antioxidant scavenging potential than that of the non-polar extracts. Based on the relatively superior performance of the CRU-MeOH extract, UPLC-PDA data was generated. The validity of our chromatography conditions was shown by the presence of quercetin at a retention time 8.555 (validated by our internal standard), apart from the presence of this important bioactive molecule in our extract. As another strand of evidence for the presence of important bioactive molecules, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid were also present in our extracts, following correlation of their UPLC-PDA data with published findings. Also, GC-MS analysis of the CRU MeOH extract showed that 24 compounds (8 major and 16 minor peaks). One of the compounds detected (cis-vaccenic acid) is in consonance with published data. The presence of bioactive components, with known antioxidant and cell death potential, validates our experimental flow for the development and/or refinement of crude extract-based drugs. However, the variability perforce warrants an inter-laboratory harmonization of protocols for making meaningful comparisons.

INVESTIGATION ON PHARMACOGNOSY AS WELL AS THE ANTIOXIDANT, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY POTENTIAL OF THE KATHA POWDER

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the pharmacognosy as well as the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory potential of the Katha powder.&#x0D; Methods: The Coarsely dried chips of Acacia catechu heartwood were treated with 10 % hydro-alcoholic solution to obtain Katha as the final product. The powdered Katha was standardized through pharmacognostic parameters. This Katha power is showing the good solubility in the hot water having astringent in the taste. The powder microscopy of the Katha powder is to be demonstrated fragments of acicular crystals, fibers, and bordered pitted vessels. Katha powder antioxidant potential is to be accessed by using the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl assay and NO Scavenging assay using ascorbic acid as a standard drug. Further, the Katha powder is to be subjected for the assessment of its anti-inflammatory potential by the use of heat-induced hemolysis as well as hypotonicity-induced hemolysis approach by the use of the aspirin or diclofenac sodium as a standard drug.&#x0D; Results: Microscopical investigations were showed that Katha showing the presence of fragments of acicular crystals, fibers, and bordered pitted vessels. In vitro study shows that the Katha powder has excellent antioxidant as well as anti-inflammatory potential in a dose-dependent manner in comparison of the result of heartwood of A. catechu.&#x0D; Conclusion: So from this investigation, it is to be suggested that the Katha powder is rich in the phenolic compound and the experimentation study shows that the drug is to possess a good antioxidant as well as anti-inflammatory property.

Carob Seeds: Food Waste or Source of Bioactive Compounds?

(1) Background: For centuries, carob fruit has been used in the food field, while carob seeds have been mainly considered as food waste. Nowadays, there has been considerable attention toward the recovery of the waste plant matrices as possible sources of functional compounds with health properties. Therefore, our goal was to evaluate the health properties of carob seed extracts, and to study the effects of the ripening process on the chemical composition of the extracts. (2) Methods: After the mechanical separation of seeds from carob fruit, an ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was performed to maximize and preserve the quality of bioactive compounds. Seed extracts were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) for the content of bioactive polyphenols, and were finally analyzed by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), NO Scavenger (NO) and advanced glyoxidation end products (AGEs) assays, in order to estimate the antioxidant potential of the active compounds. (3) Results: Although both seed extracts of carob unripe (CAR-UR) and ripe (CAR-R) showed an interesting antioxidant activity, CAR-R had greater activity due to the procyanidins content. (4) Conclusions: Based on the obtained results, carob seed extracts could be regarded as interesting source of bioactive antioxidant compounds for a potential application in nutraceutical and food supplement fields.

Pharmaceutical Advantages of GenoTX-407, A Combination of Extracts from Scutellaria baicalensis Root and Magnolia officinalis Bark.

Background: Extracts of Scutellaria baicalensis root (SBR) and Magnolia officinalis barks (MOB) possess significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties; however, these also exert adverse effects such as cytotoxicity. To overcome the adverse effects, we formulated a combination of the extracts, named GenoTX-407, with SBR and MOB extracts mixed in 5:1 ratio. The antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities of SBR and MOB extracts and GenoTX-407 were evaluated. Methods: To optimize the extraction conditions of SBR and MOB, different ethanol concentrations and extraction times and treatments of the extracts with different solvents for varying time periods were tested. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed via NO scavenging assay and analysis of anti-inflammatory activity-related gene expression in RAW 264.7 cells. Agar disk diffusion and microdilution assays were used to determine the antimicrobial activity. Antioxidant activity was evaluated through DPPH assay and analyses of peroxidation and antioxidant-related protein expression in HeLa cells. Results: Extraction with 0% ethanol for 2 h and 1.5% phosphoric acid for 0.5 h yielded maximum SBR extracts. For MOB, 50% ethanol extraction for 2 h followed by further extraction in hexane for 0.5 h yielded the highest extracts. SBR (46.1 ± 0.9 %) and MOB (48.9 ± 1.0 %) extracts effectively inhibited NO production, and dose-dependently reduced the expression of TNF-α, iNOS, NF-κB, COX2, and IL-6. MOB and GenoTX-407 inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, and Propionibacterium acnes, as evidenced in disk diffusion and microdilution assays. SBR (EC50, 107.7 µg/mL and 38.3 µg/mL), MOB (62.41 µg/mL and 72.45 µg/mL), and GenoTX-407 (7.7 µg/mL and 26.4 µg/mL) exhibited excellent antioxidant potency and could scavenge free radicals of DPPH and lipid peroxidation; additionally, SOD, CAT, HO-1, and Nrf2 expression was increased in HeLa cells. SBR showed more potent antioxidant activity than MOB. Contrastingly, MOB exhibited more potent anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities than SBR. Interestingly, GenoTX-407 was the most efficient in all the assays, compared with SBR and MOB. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that GenoTX-407, the combination of SBR and MOB, is a potential drug candidate exerting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects via the Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB signaling pathways.

In vitro and in silico anti-oxidant, cytotoxicity and biological activities of Ficus benghalensis and Duranta repens

ObjectiveTo report in vitro anti-oxidant activity and cytotoxicity of hydroalcoholic extract of Ficus benghalensis (bark) and Duranta repens (whole plant), and present the probable biological spectrum of major anti-oxidants from both plants. MethodsThe coarse powder of both plants was first extracted with 70% ethanol (maceration) followed by 99% ethanol (Soxhlet-extraction). Anti-oxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated using DPPH, H2O2, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), NO scavenging assay, total antioxidant capacity, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), and metal chelating assay. Cytotoxicity of both extracts was evaluated using MTT assay in both tumor and normal cell lines i.e. Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) and A549 cells. Biological activity of individual anti-oxidants from both medicinal plants was identified using prediction of activity spectra for substances and a docking study was performed by using autodock4.0. ResultsHydroalcoholic extract of F. benghalensis and D. repens showed the highest free radical scavenging (ABTS) and chelating capacity respectively. Both extracts showed minimum cytotoxicity in normal cell lines compared to tumor cell lines. Computer imitation hits reflected the multiple biological activities agreeing with the folk use and some scientific reports. Further, we found the binding affinity of predicted anti-oxidant compounds with multiple protein molecules involved in oxidative stress. ConclusionThe present study reports the probable anti-oxidant mechanism for two folk agents and also presents probable pharmacological activities via computer simulations.