Assessing the Migration of BPA and Phthalic Acid from Take-out Food Containers: Implications for Health and Environmental Sustainability in India

The research investigates the escalating consumption of take-out food in India and the associated health risks stemming from the extensive use of plastic packaging. Through a comprehensive nationwide online survey, the study delved into dietary preferences, frequency of take-out food consumption, delivery service timing, and the types of packaging commonly encountered by Indian consumers. To address these concerns, the research team developed an analytical method to detect Bisphenol A (BPA) and Phthalic acid migration from food-contact materials (FCMs) into various food simulants. The investigation revealed that prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures led to increased migration of BPA and Phthalic acid, particularly in polyethylene pouches using 3% acetic acid as a food simulant, with the highest concentrations observed after 45 minutes of exposure. Additionally, a microbial bioassay demonstrated the mutagenic potential of migrated plasticizers, showcasing significant effects in mammalian systems, particularly under metabolic activation. The study underscores the substantial health risks associated with plastic packaging in take-out food, emphasizing potential implications for consumer health and calling for more extensive research and considerations regarding food packaging materials

Autophagy induction by Scutellaria flavones in cancer: recent advances

In parallel with a steady rise in cancer incidence worldwide, the scientific community is increasingly focused on finding novel, safer and more efficient modalities for managing this disease. Over the past decades, natural products have been described as a significant source of new structural leads for novel drug candidates. Scutellaria root is one of the most studied natural products because of its anticancer potential. Besides just describing the cytotoxic properties of plant constituents, their molecular mechanisms of action in different cancer types are equally important. Therefore, this review article focuses on the role of the Scutellaria flavones wogonin, baicalein, baicalin, scutellarein and scutellarin in regulating the autophagic machinery in diverse cancer models, highlighting these molecules as potential lead compounds for the fight against malignant neoplasms. The knowledge that autophagy can function as a dual-edged sword, acting in both a pro- and antitumorigenic manner, further complicates the issue, revealing an amazing property of flavonoids that behave either as anti- or proautophagic agents

Impact of Darker, Intermediate and Lighter Phenotypes of Body Melanization on Desiccation Resistance in Drosophila melanogaster

A possible link between melanization and desiccation resistance can be inferred if within population differences in melanization find significant correlations with desiccation resistance and its mechanistic basis i.e. rate of water loss/hr. Accordingly, darker, intermediate and lighter phenotypes of body melanization were analyzed in wild and laboratory reared Drosophila melanogaster L. (Diptera: Clyclorrapha) populations from highland and lowland sites located in close proximity at five different latitudinal locations (11.15 °N to 31.06°N) within the Indian subcontinent. In large population samples, occurrence of significant within population variability made it possible to assort non-overlapping phenotypes of body coloration (i.e. lighter (< 25%), intermediate (30 to 40%) and darker (> 45%)) for all the populations which were further investigated for desiccation resistance and rate of water loss/hr. Significantly, higher desiccation resistance but much reduced rate of water loss/hr were observed in darker and intermediate phenotypes in all the populations. By contrast, lighter phenotypes exhibited lower desiccation tolerance but higher rate of water loss/hr. A regression analysis between traits provided similar slope values for wild and laboratory populations. For all three physiological traits, predicted trait values from multiple regression analysis as a simultaneous function of annual average temperature and relative humidity, matched the observed values. We infer that parallel changes in melanization and desiccation resistance may result from decreasing annual average temperature and relative humidity along increasing latitude as well as altitude on the Indian subcontinent

Energy Requirement of Wastewater Treatment Plants: Unleashing the Potential of Microalgae, Biogas and Solar Power for Sustainable Development

Sustainable energy legislation in the modern world is the primary strategy that has raised the benchmark for energy and environmental security globally. The rapid growth in the human population has led to rising energy needs, which are predicted to increase by at least 50% by 2030. Waste management and environmental pollution present the biggest challenge to developing countries. The improvement of energy efficiency while ensuring higher nutritional evacuation wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is a significant problem for many wastewater treatment plants. Some treatment techniques require high energy input, which makes them expensive to remediate water use. Pollutants like chemical pesticides, hydrocarbons, colorants (dyes), surfactants, and aromatic compounds are present in wastewater and are contributing to other problems. Israel consumes 10% of the global energy supply, significantly more than other countries. The lagoon and trickling filters are the most widely used technologies in South African WWTPs, where the electricity intensity ranges from 0.079 to 0.41 kWh.m-3 (Wang et al. 2016). Korea and India use almost the same energy (0.24 kWh.m-3). An estimated one-fifth of the energy used in a municipality’s WWTPs is used for overall public utilities, and this percentage is anticipated to rise by 20% over the next 15 years owing to expanding consumption of water and higher standards. In this review paper, we examined the potential for creating energy-self-sufficient WWTPs and discussed how much energy is currently consumed by WWTPs. The desirable qualities of microalgae, their production on a global level, technologies for treating wastewater with biogas and solar power, its developments, and issues for sustainable development are highlighted. The scientific elaboration of the mechanisms used for pollutant degradation using solar energy, as well as their viability, are the key issues that have been addressed

Resveratrol and Its Role in the Management of B-Cell Malignancies—A Recent Update

The growing incidence of B cell malignancies globally has prompted research on the pharmacological properties of phytoconstituents in cancer management. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic stilbenoid widely found in nature, has been explored for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and promising results from different pre-clinical studies have indicated its potential for management of B cell malignancies. However, these claims must be substantiated by a greater number of clinical trials in diverse populations, in order to establish its safety and efficacy profile. In addition to this, there is a need to explore nanodelivery of this agent, owing to its poor solubility, which in turn may impact its bioavailability. This review aims to offer an overview of the occurrence and pathogenesis of B cell malignancies with a special focus on the inflammatory pathways involved, the mechanism of actions of resveratrol and its pharmacokinetic profile, results from pre-clinical and clinical studies, as well as an overview of the marketed formulations. The authors have also presented their opinion on the various challenges associated with the clinical development of resveratrol and future perspectives regarding therapeutic applications of this agent

The Pharmacological Implications of Flavopiridol: An Updated Overview

Flavopiridol is a flavone synthesized from the natural product rohitukine, which is derived from an Indian medicinal plant, namely Dysoxylum binectariferum Hiern. A deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms by which such molecules act may allow scientists to develop effective therapeutic strategies against a variety of life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, viruses, fungal infections, parasites, and neurodegenerative diseases. Mechanistic insight of flavopiridol reveals its potential for kinase inhibitory activity of CDKs (cyclin-dependent kinases) and other kinases, leading to the inhibition of various processes, including cell cycle progression, apoptosis, tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, tumor metastasis, and the inflammation process. The synthetic derivatives of flavopiridol have overcome a few demerits of its parent compound. Moreover, these derivatives have much improved CDK-inhibitory activity and therapeutic abilities for treating severe human diseases. It appears that flavopiridol has potential as a candidate for the formulation of an integrated strategy to combat and alleviate human diseases. This review article aims to unravel the potential therapeutic effectiveness of flavopiridol and its possible mechanism of action

Computational Docking Study of the Phytochemical Constituent, Silybin (Silybum marianum) against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Spike Glycoprotein: An In-silico Approach

SARS-CoV-2 is continually evolving with the emergence of new variants with increased viral pathogenicity. The emergence of heavily mutated Omicron (B.1.1.529) with spike protein mutations are known to mediate its higher transmissibility and immune escape that has brought newer challenges for global public health to contain SARS-CoV-2 infection. One has to come up with a therapeutic strategy against the virus so as to effectively contain the infection and spread. Natural phytochemicals are being considered a significant source of bioactive compounds possessing an antiviral therapeutic potential. Being a promising anticancer and chemo-preventive agent, Silybin holds a significant potential to be used as a therapeutic. In the present study, molecular docking of Silybin with Omicron spike protein (7QNW) was carried out. Molecular docking results showed greater stability of Silybin in the active site of the Omicron spike protein with suitable binding mode of interactions. The study reveals that Silybin has the potential to block the host ACE2 receptor-viral spike protein binding; thereby inhibiting the viral entry to human cells. Therefore, Silybin may be further developed as a medication with the ability to effectively combat SARS-CoV-2 Omicron

The Role of Natural Flavonoids as Telomerase Inhibitors in Suppressing Cancer Growth

Cancer is a complex and multifaceted group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. While cancer can be challenging and life-altering, advances in research and development have led to the identification of new promising anti-cancer targets. Telomerase is one such target that is overexpressed in almost all cancer cells and plays a critical role in maintaining telomere length, which is essential for cell proliferation and survival. Inhibiting telomerase activity can lead to telomere shortening and eventual cell death, thus presenting itself as a potential target for cancer therapy. Naturally occurring flavonoids are a class of compounds that have already been shown to possess different biological properties, including the anti-cancer property. They are present in various everyday food sources and richly present in fruits, nuts, soybeans, vegetables, tea, wine, and berries, to name a few. Thus, these flavonoids could inhibit or deactivate telomerase expression in cancer cells by different mechanisms, which include inhibiting the expression of hTERT, mRNA, protein, and nuclear translocation, inhibiting the binding of transcription factors to hTERT promoters, and even telomere shortening. Numerous cell line studies and in vivo experiments have supported this hypothesis, and this development could serve as a vital and innovative therapeutic option for cancer. In this light, we aim to elucidate the role of telomerase as a potential anti-cancer target. Subsequently, we have illustrated that how commonly found natural flavonoids demonstrate their anti-cancer activity via telomerase inactivation in different cancer types, thus proving the potential of these naturally occurring flavonoids as useful therapeutic agents

Phytochemical and antioxidant profile of citrus peel extracts in relation to different extraction parameters

ABSTRACTThe citrus processing industry generates around 50% fruit waste, encompassing peels, pulp, seeds, and other residues. Citrus peel, among these by-products, contains significant amounts of bioactive compounds, representing a sustainable and renewable source of phenolics. In this context, the present study was conducted to probe phytochemical profile and antioxidant potency of orange peel extracts. Moreover, the quantification of hesperidin and nobiletin was carried out using HPLC. The extracts were obtained using water and 50% aqueous-methanol and aqueous-ethanol, separately alongside varying time intervals, i.e. 30, 45 and 60 min. The obtained extracts were then investigated for their phytochemical and antioxidant profile. Afterwards, three best treatments, one from each extracts (aqueous-ethanol, methanol, and water), were chosen based on their phytochemical profiling. The phytochemical analyses and in vitro antioxidant assays showed the highest total phenolics (2010 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoids (90 mg/100 g), and flavonols (2.2 mg/100 g) in methanolic extracts obtained at 60 min. Likewise, the highest DPPH (60.55%), antioxidant activity (51.7 %), FRAP (13.6 mg TE/g), and ABTS (7.4 µmol TE/g) were also attributed to methanolic extract of orange peel obtained at 60 min except for antioxidant activity which was obtained at 30 min. Likewise, HPLC analysis depicted maximum content of hesperidin and nobiletin (133.70 and 8.50 mg/g) in methanol extract as compared to ethanol (98.80 and 5.50 mg/g) and water (61.90 and 1.25 mg/g), correspondingly. It was concluded that aqueous-methanol could be used as solvent of choice for isolation of orange peel flavonoids with extraction duration of 60 min. Flavonoid and antioxidant levels in orange peel extracts are significantly influenced by extraction time and solvent type