Rumex dentatus L. phenolics ameliorate hyperglycemia by modulating hepatic key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism, oxidative stress and PPARγ in diabetic rats

Rumex dentatus L. is a flowering plant with promising therapeutic effects. This study investigated the antioxidant efficacy of phenolic compounds isolated from R. dentatus L. in vitro and by conducting density function theory (DFT) studies to explore the mechanisms of action. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects of polyphenols-rich R. dentatus extract (RDE) were investigated in type 2 diabetic rats. Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of R. dentatus resulted in the isolation of one new and seven known compounds isolated for the first time from this species. All isolated phenolics showed in vitro radical scavenging activity. The antioxidant activity of the compounds could be oriented by the hydrogen atom transfer and sequential proton loss electron transfer mechanisms in gas and water phases, respectively. In diabetic rats, RDE attenuated hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and liver injury and improved carbohydrate metabolism. RDE suppressed oxidative stress and inflammation and upregulated PPARγ. In silico molecular docking analysis revealed the binding affinity of the isolated compounds toward PPARγ. In conclusion, the computational calculations were correlated with the in vitro antioxidant activity of R. dentatus derived phenolics. R. dentatus attenuated hyperglycemia, liver injury, inflammation and oxidative stress, improved carbohydrate metabolism and upregulated PPARγ in diabetic ratsThis work has DGI Project no. CTQ2015-63997-C2, a generous allocation of computing time at the Centro de Computación Científica of the UAM is also acknowledge

A critical review on the synthesis of natural sodium alginate based composite materials: An innovative biological polymer for biomedical delivery applications

Sodium alginate (Na-Alg) is water-soluble, neutral, and linear polysaccharide. It is the derivative of alginic acid which comprises 1,4-β-d-mannuronic (M) and α-l-guluronic (G) acids and has the chemical formula (NaC6H7O6). It shows water-soluble, non-toxic, biocompatible, biodegradable, and non-immunogenic properties. It had been used for various biomedical applications, among which the most promising are drug delivery, gene delivery, wound dressing, and wound healing. For different biomedical applications, it is used in different forms with the help of new techniques. That is the reason it had been blended with different polymers. In this review article, we present a comprehensive overview of the combinations of sodium alginate with natural and synthetic polymers and their biomedical applications involving delivery systems. All the scientific/technical issues have been addressed, and we have highlighted the recent advancements

Correction: Ameliorative Effect of Heat-Killed Lactobacillus plantarum L.137 and/or Aloe vera against Colitis in Mice (Processes, (2020), 8, 2, (225), 10.3390/pr8020225)

In the original publication [1], there was a mistake in Figure 5 where subfigure 5E was accidentally replaced by an incorrect image. The corrected Figure 5 appears below. The authors state that the scientific conclusions are unaffected. This correction was approved by the Academic Editor. The original publication has also been updated

Ameliorative effect of heat-killed lactobacillus plantarum L.137 and/or Aloe vera against colitis in mice

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is one of the predominant intestinal diseases associated with chronic inflammation and ulceration of the colon. This study explored the ameliorative effect of Aloe vera extract (Aloe) and/or heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum L.137 (HK L.137) on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Aloe and/or HK L.137 were supplied for 9 days and the mice were challenged with DSS for 7 days. The DSS group demonstrated bloody diarrhea, colitis of high histologic grade, increased nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), myeloperoxidase (MPO), interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and decreased IL-10 expression. These alterations were dwindled in DSS-induced mice treated with Aloe and HK L.137 separately. Aloe and HK L.137 together have augmented the therapeutic e_ect of each other. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that Aloe and/or HK L.137 ameliorated DSS-induced colitis by promoting the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines and suppressing pro-inflammatory mediators. This study indicated that A. vera may function synergistically with HK L.137 to confer an e_ective strategy to prevent colitis

Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Properties of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized from Apis mellifera Honey

Green approaches for nanoparticle synthesis have emerged as biocompatible, economical, and environment-friendly alternatives to counteract the menace of microbial drug resistance. Recently, the utilization of honey as a green source to synthesize Fe2O3-NPs has been introduced, but its antibacterial activity against one of the opportunistic MDR pathogens, Klebsiella pneumoniae, has not been explored. Therefore, this study employed Apis mellifera honey as a reducing and capping agent for the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3-NPs). Subsequent to the characterization of nanoparticles, their antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties were appraised. In UV-Vis spectroscopic analysis, the absorption band ascribed to the SPR peak was observed at 350 nm. XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of Fe2O3-NPs, and the crystal size was deduced to be 36.2 nm. Elemental analysis by EDX validated the presence of iron coupled with oxygen in the nanoparticle composition. In ICP-MS, the highest concentration was of iron (87.15 ppm), followed by sodium (1.49 ppm) and other trace elements (<1 ppm). VSM analysis revealed weak magnetic properties of Fe2O3-NPs. Morphological properties of Fe2O3-NPs revealed by SEM demonstrated that their average size range was 100–150 nm with a non-uniform spherical shape. The antibacterial activity of Fe2O3-NPs was ascertained against 30 clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, with the largest inhibition zone recorded being 10 mm. The MIC value for Fe2O3-NPs was 30 µg/mL. However, when mingled with three selected antibiotics, Fe2O3-NPs did not affect any antibacterial activity. Momentous antioxidant (IC50 = 22 µg/mL) and anti-inflammatory (IC50 = 70 µg/mL) activities of Fe2O3-NPs were discerned in comparison with the standard at various concentrations. Consequently, honey-mediated Fe2O3-NP synthesis may serve as a substitute for orthodox antimicrobial drugs and may be explored for prospective biomedical applications. © 2023 by the authors.Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, PNU: PNURSP2023R108This research project was supported by the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number (PNURSP2023R108), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Toxicological Activity of Some Plant Essential Oils Against Tribolium castaneum and Culex pipiens Larvae

In the present work, essential oils (EOs) from Schinus terebinthifolius (ripe and unripe fruits and leaves), Origanum majorana (air-dried aerial parts), and Psidium guajava (leaves) were assayed for their insecticidal activity against red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and Culex mosquito larvae (Culex pipiens). Several components were identified in the EOs using Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS), of which Δ-3-carene (25.9%), γ-terpinene (19.4), and γ-elemene (7.1%) were the major ones in S. terebinthifolius ripe fruits, α-pinene (48.9%), germacrene D (12.9%), and α-thujene (7.7%) in S. terebinthifolius unripe fruits, γ-elemene (11.7%), spathulenol (10.1%), β-elemene (9.2%), and p-cymene (9.1%) in S. terebinthifolius leaves, α-pinene (25.5%), (E)-caryophyllene (15.7%), (E)-nerolidol (16.7%), and cedran-8-ol (8.8%) in P. guajava leaves, and terpinen-4-ol (21.7%), γ-terpinene (16.5%), and sabinene (10.1%) in O. majorana air-dried aerial parts. The lethal concentration (LC50) was calculated for tested EOs at different time periods (after 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h). After 6 h of treatment, the LC50 was 33.3 and 6.8 µg/L air for S. terebinthifolius ripe and unripe fruits, respectively, and >40 µg/L air for EOs of S. terebinthifolius leaves, O. majoranaair-dried aerial parts, and P. guajava leaves. After 24 h of treatment, the LC50 was 4.2, <2, 5, >40, and 6.1 µg/L air for EOs of S. terebinthifolius ripe fruits and leaves, O. majorana leaves, and P. guajava leaves, respectively. On the other hand, the LC50 values decreased when the exposed period was increased to 72 h, and were <2 µg/L air for EOs of S. terebinthifolius ripe fruits, unripe fruits, and leaves along with P. guajava leaves, respectively, and 37.912 for EO of O. majorana leaves. The LC50 value after 24 h of exposure of S. terebinthifolius unripe fruit EO was under 2 µg/L air, which means that the EO of S. terebinthifolius ripe fruit had a strong effect on adult T. castaneum adults compared to other tested EOs using the fumigation method. The present data confirm that the EOs of O. majorana leaves and S. terebinthifolius unripe fruits and leaves were more effective as larvicide than the EOs of S. terebinthifolius ripe fruits and P. guajava leaves on C. pipiens at a higher concentration (100 mg/L) when applied by the dipping method. EOs from S. terebinthifolius unripe or ripe fruits and leaves and P. guajava leaves were more effective as adulticide than EO of O. majorana leaves against T. castaneum when applied by the fumigant method

Cadmium cardiotoxicity is associated with oxidative stress and upregulated TLR-4/NF-kB pathway in rats; protective role of agomelatine

Cardiotoxicity is one of the hazardous effects of the exposure to the heavy metal cadmium (Cd). Inflammation and oxidative injury are implicated in the cardiotoxic mechanism of Cd. The melatonin receptor agonist agomelatine (AGM) showed promising effects against oxidative and inflammatory responses. This study evaluated the effect of AGM on Cd-induced cardiotoxicity in rats, pointing to its modulatory effect on TLR-4/NF-kB pathway and HSP70. Rats received AGM for 14 days and a single dose of Cd on day 7 and blood and heart samples were collected for analyses. Cd increased serum CK-MB, AST and LDH and caused cardiac tissue injury. Cardiac malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and MPO were elevated and GSH, SOD and GST decreased in Cd-administered rats. AGM ameliorated serum CK-MB, AST and LDH and cardiac MDA, NO and MPO, prevented tissue injury and enhanced antioxidants. AGM downregulated serum CRP and cardiac TLR-4, NF-kB, iNOS, IL-6, TNF-α and COX-2 in Cd-administered rats. HSP70 was upregulated in the heart of Cd-challenged rats treated with AGM. In silico findings revealed the binding affinity of AGM with TLR-4 and NF-kB. In conclusion, AGM protected against Cd cardiotoxicity by preventing myocardial injury and oxidative stress and modulating HSP70 and TLR-4/NF-kB pathway

Cadmium-induced lung injury is associated with oxidative stress, apoptosis, and altered SIRT1 and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling; protective role of the melatonin agonist agomelatine

Cadmium (Cd) is a hazardous heavy metal extensively employed in manufacturing polyvinyl chloride, batteries, and other industries. Acute lung injury has been directly connected to Cd exposure. Agomelatine (AGM), a melatonin analog, is a drug licensed for treating severe depression. This study evaluated the effect of AGM against Cd-induced lung injury in rats. AGM was administered in a dose of 25 mg/kg/day orally, while cadmium chloride (CdCl2) was injected intraperitoneally in a dose of 1.2 mg/kg to induce lung injury. Pre-treatment with AGM remarkably ameliorated Cd-induced lung histopathological abrasions. AGM decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid peroxidation, suppressed NDAPH oxidase, and boosted the antioxidants. AGM increased Nrf2, GCLC, HO-1, and TNXRD1 mRNA, as well as HO-1 activity and downregulated Keap1. AGM downregulated Bax and caspase-3 and upregulated Bcl-2, SIRT1, and FOXO3 expression levels in the lung. In conclusion, AGM has a protective effect against Cd-induced lung injury via its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects mediated via regulating Nrf2/HO-1 and SIRT1/FOXO3 signaling

Consumption of Terpenoids-Rich Padina pavonia Extract Attenuates Hyperglycemia, Insulin Resistance and Oxidative Stress, and Upregulates PPARγ in a Rat Model of Type 2 Diabetes

Seaweeds are rich in structurally diverse bioactive compounds with promising therapeutic effects. This study aimed to isolate and identify terpenes from the brown alga Padina pavonia and to investigate its antidiabetic activity, pointing to the possible involvement of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ. Type 2 diabetes was induced by feeding rats a high fat diet (HFD) for 4 weeks followed by injection of 35 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ). The diabetic rats received P. pavonia extract (PPE; 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) for 4 weeks and samples were collected for analyses. HFD/STZ-induced rats showed hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance, decreased insulin, and increased HbA1c and HOMA-IR. PPE ameliorated hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia, and improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in diabetic rats. Treatment with PPE increased hepatic hexokinase activity and glycogen, suppressed glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-biphosphatase, and glycogen phosphorylase, and attenuated oxidative stress, inflammation, and liver injury and lipid infiltration in HFD/STZ-induced rats. In addition, PPE boosted antioxidants and upregulated PPARγ gene and protein expression in the liver of diabetic rats. Phytochemical investigation resulted in the isolation of six terpenes from PPE and in silico analysis revealed their binding affinity toward PPARγ. In conclusion, P. pavonia-derived terpenes attenuated hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and inflammation, and improved insulin sensitivity and carbohydrate metabolism in type 2 diabetic rats. These beneficial effects are mediated via PPARγ activation. However, further studies to explore the exact mechanisms underlying the antidiabetic effect of PPE are recommended

Perinatal Exposure to Tartrazine Triggers Oxidative Stress and Neurobehavioral Alterations in Mice Offspring

The use of synthetic azo dyes as coloring agents in food products has dramatically increased. This study evaluated the effect of perinatal exposure to tartrazine (TZ) on mice offspring, focusing on neurobehavioral alterations and oxidative stress. The female mice received TZ (2.5 and 5 mg/kg) via oral gavage during pregnancy and the first 15 days after birth. At days 21 and 35 after birth, male mice were sacrificed, and samples were collected for analyses. Perinatal exposure to TZ triggered tissue injury evidenced by the histological alterations and neuronal damage in the cerebrum, medulla oblongata, and cerebellum. TZ provoked lipid peroxidation and diminished cellular antioxidants in different brain regions of the newborns. In addition, TZ increased hemoglobin content, as well as erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets count at days 21 and 35 after birth. Both the locomotor behavior and anxiety reflex were significantly altered in mice exposed to TZ. In conclusion, perinatal exposure to TZ within an adequate daily intake range induced oxidative stress and neurobehavioral and hematological alterations in mice offspring. Therefore, consuming foods containing TZ during pregnancy and lactation warrants public awareness