Green Fabrication of Silver Nanoparticles using Euphorbia serpens Kunth Aqueous Extract, Their Characterization, and Investigation of Its in Vitro Antioxidative, Antimicrobial, Insecticidal, and Cytotoxic Activities

The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized via green synthesis approach using Euporbia serpens Kunth aqueous extract. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy and Furrier Transformer Infra-Red spectroscopy to justify the reduction and stabilization of AgNPs from its precursors. AgNPs characteristic absorption peak was observed at 420 nm in the UV-visible spectrum. The SEM and TEM analysis demonstrated the spherical shape of the synthesized nanoparticles with particle sizes ranging from 30 nm to 80 nm. FTIR transmission bands at 2920 cm-1, 1639 cm-1, 1410 cm-1, 3290 cm-1, and 1085 cm-1 were attributed to C-H, C=O, C-C, N-H, and C-N functional groups, respectively. XRD peaks could be attributed to (111), (200), (220), and (311) crystalline plane of the faced-centered cube (FCC) crystalline structure of the metallic silver nanoparticles. The AgNPs showed good antibacterial activity against all the tested bacteria at each concentration. The particles were found to be more active against Escherichia coli (E. coli) with 20±06 mm and Salmonella typhi (S.Typhi) with 18±0.5 mm zone of inhibition in reference to standard antibiotic amoxicillin with 23±0.3 mm and 20±0.4 mm zone of inhibition, respectively. Moderate antifungal activities were observed against Candida albicans (C. albicans) and Alternaria alternata (A. alternata) with zone of inhibitions 16.5 mm and 15 mm, respectively, compared to the standard with 23 mm of inhibition. Insignificant antifungal inhibition of 7.5 mm was observed against Fusarium gramium (F. gramium). All the tested concentrations of AgNPs showed comparable % RSA with the standard reference ascorbic acid in the range sixty percent to seventy five percent. The percent motility at 3 hours postincubation showed quick response and most Tetramorium caespitum were found deceased or paralyzed. Similarly, the percent mortality showed a linear response at concentration and time. It was observed that 1 μg/mL to 2 μg/mL concentration of AgNPs displayed a significant cytotoxic activity against Artemia salina with LD50 of 5.37 and 5.82, respectively

Apitoxin alleviates methyl mercury-induced peripheral neurotoxicity in male rats by regulating dorsal root ganglia neuronal degeneration and oxidative stress

Methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity is associated with extensive neuronal degeneration of dorsal root ganglia (DRG). This study aimed to assess the ameliorative effect of bee venom (BV) on methyl mercury chloride (MeHgCl)-induced peripheral neurotoxicity using DRGs in rats. Forty-eight adult male Sprague Dawley rats were allocated into four equal groups: G I: control (gavaged MilliQ water 1 ml/rat), G II: subcutaneously injected with BV (0.5 mg/kg b.wt), G III: gavaged MeHgCl (6.7 mg/kg b.wt), and G IV: received MeHgCl+BV. Dosing was done five times/week for 2 weeks. Ataxic behavior and visual impairments were significantly increased, whereas the movement behavior and motility gait were suppressed in the MeHgCl group. MeHgCl significantly decreased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in DRG and significantly decreased the serum levels of glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) levels were significantly elevated, whereas interleukin 10 (IL-10) levels were significantly decreased in the MeHgCl group compared with the control group. DRGs of the MeHgCl-exposed rats showed pyknotic shrunken neurons with perineural vacuolations, demyelination of nerve axons, and proliferation of the satellite cells. MeHgCl significantly induced a higher positive index ratio of Iba-1, SOX10, neurofilament, pan-neuron, and vimentin immunostaining in the DRG. BV administration significantly mitigated the MeHgCl-induced alterations in oxidative stress-related indices. BV modified the immunostaining of Iba-1, SOX10, neurofilament, pan-neuron, and vimentin-positive index ratio in the DRG of the MeHgCl group. Our findings acknowledged that BV could enhance in vivo neuroprotective effects against MeHgCl-induced DRGs damage in male rats

The role of nutraceutical fruit drink on neurodegenerative diseases: a review

A changing lifestyle in food consumption due to the frequent taking of junk drinks based on the fastfood and ready-to-eat concept has brought about overloaded oxidative stress, thus weakening the body’s defence mechanism to scavenge free oxygen radicals by destroying antioxidants. Oxidative stress occurs as a result of an imbalance between pro and antioxidant levels in favour of pro-oxidants resulting in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Though researches on the probable cure for neurodegenerative diseases are ongoing, fruits have been found to play an important dietetic role in preventing neurodegenerative diseases and other physiological disorders. Most fruits have their own valuable, unique active ingredients, having tremendous nutraceutical potentials and therapeutic implications. Therefore, people are required to make rational choices on the correct type of food for consumption to engender proper growth and development. The role of fruits or fruit juice in ameliorating neurodegenerative diseases has created a reawakening in nutrition and human health research