Review on Parthenium hysterphorus as a potential energy source

Ethyl alcohol, the oldest synthetic organic chemical is rendered one of the most important alternative sources of energy. Efficient production of ethanol is based on optimized processes where utilization of cheap substrates is highly demanding. Utilization of different types of lignocellulosic materials can be considered for production of ethanol. Amongst the various types of lignocellulosic substances Parthenium [Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae)] is a potential resource available in many tropical regions of the world. A considerable amount of laboratory work is in progress for bioconversion of various lignocellulosic materials into ethanol using sequential steps of hydrolysis, saccharification and fermentation. However, there is very little reported work for bioconversion of P. hysterophorus into fuel ethanol. A comprehensive review on the availability of Parthenium, its composition and impact on human and other livestock, bioconversion into ethanol, the methods of pretreatment and the chemistry of hydrolysis with dilute sulfuric acid has been attempted in this work. The results of depolymerization for a hypothetical pentamer can be predicted through solution of the governing equations through simple integration technique. The series of reactions interplay during the depolymerization of hemicellulose. The same can be successfully used to predict the yield of xylose when parthenium feedstock is hydrolyzed with dilute sulfuric acid. The present report will stimulate the researchers to adopt a suitable kinetic model to study the reaction mechanism for hydrolysis of P. hystrophorus L. and optimization of different parameters such as temperature, time, acid concentrations, alkali concentrations, etc. during pretreatment processes for achieving higher yield of ethanol

Investigations on the kinetics and thermodynamics of dilute acid hydrolysis of Parthenium hysterophorus L. substrate

Parthenium hysterophorus L. commonly known as parthenium weed, is one of the seven obnoxious weed in the world. Being a lignocellulosic biomass, with a composition (w/w) of cellulose: 27.8%, hemicellulose: 21.01% and lignin: 13.9%; as analyzed in the present work, it may be considered as the potential source of fuel ethanol production through pretreatment, saccharification and fermentation route. Batch hydrolysis of P. Hysterophorus L. with 1–5% sulfuric acid at a temperature range of 150–210 °C for 4–30 min treatment time and 2–6 h soaking period has been conducted to study the xylose yield. It is realized through the kinetic plots and analysis of various parameters that the process undergoes through first order kinetics and consequently follows Arrhenius law. It has also been understood that the reaction rate, the activation energy and the frequency factor of Arrhenius equation as well as all other related thermodynamic parameters depend largely on the treatment temperature during hydrolysis, the concentration of acid medium used and the soaking period of parthenium substrate before the actual hydrolysis reaction. The present investigation demonstrated that maximum xylose yield was 46.1% of original hemicelluloses present in the biomass under the process parameters considered, where higher treatment temperature, higher concentration of acid medium and higher soaking time favors the formation of stable depolymerised products

DNA Origami Directed Au Nanostar Dimers for Single-Molecule Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

We demonstrate the synthesis of Au nanostar dimers with tunable interparticle gap and controlled stoichiometry assembled on DNA origami. Au nanostars with uniform and sharp tips were immobilized on rectangular DNA origami dimerized structures to create nanoantennas containing monomeric and dimeric Au nanostars. Single Texas red (TR) dye was specifically attached in the junction of the dimerized origami to act as a Raman reporter molecule. The SERS enhancement factors of single TR dye molecules located in the conjunction region in dimer structures having interparticle gaps of 7 and 13 nm are 2 × 10¹⁰ and 8 × 10⁹, respectively, which are strong enough for single analyte detection. The highly enhanced electromagnetic field generated by the plasmon coupling between sharp tips and cores of two Au nanostars in the wide conjunction region allows the accommodation and specific detection of large biomolecules. Such DNA-directed assembled nanoantennas with controlled interparticle separation distance and stoichiometry, and well-defined geometry, can be used as excellent substrates in single-molecule SERS spectroscopy and will have potential applications as a reproducible platform in single-molecule sensing

OECD-407 Driven 28-day-repeated-dose non-clinical safety evaluation of Tinospora cordifolia (Giloy) stem aqueous extract in Sprague-Dawley rats under GLP compliance

Introduction:Tinospora cordifolia (Wild.) Hook.f. & Thomson (Giloy), has been widely used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. However, some sporadic under-powered case studies have recently reported Tinospora cordifolia associated toxicity. Thus, following OECD 407 guidelines, a 28-day-repeated-dose-14-day-recovery toxicological evaluation of the aqueous extract of T. cordifolia stem (TCWE) was conducted under good laboratory practice (GLP), in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.Methods: 100, 300, and 1000 mg/kg/day of TCWE was given orally to designated treatment groups of either sex. Two separate 14-day recovery satellite groups received either vehicle control or 1000 mg/kg/day of TCWE.Results: In this study, TCWE was found safe up to a dose of 1000 mg/kg/day with no mortality or related toxicological manifestation in terms of clinical signs, ocular effects, hematology, urinalysis, clinical chemistry parameters, or macro- or microscopic changes in any organs. The satellite group did not show any adverse effect after 14-day recovery period. Thus, the No-Observed-Adverse-Effect-Level (NOAEL) of TCWE was determined to be 1000 mg/kg/day.Discussion: In conclusion, this study established the non-clinical safety of the aqueous extract of T. cordifolia stem, which confirms the age-old safe medicinal use of this herb, and also paves the path for future clinical research on formulations containing Tinospora cordifolia

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal whole-plant extracts exhibited anti-sporotrichotic effects by destabilizing peripheral integrity of Sporothrix globosa yeast cells.

Chronic topical cases of Sporotrichosis, a chronic fungal infection caused by the ubiquitously present cryptic members of the Sporothrix species complex, are treated with oral administrations of itraconazole. However, severe pulmonary or disseminated cases require repeated intra-venous doses of amphotericin B or even surgical debridement of the infected tissue. The unavoidable adverse side-effects of the current treatments, besides the growing drug resistance among Sporothrix genus, demands exploration of alternative therapeutic options. Medicinal herbs, due to their multi-targeting capacity, are gaining popularity amidst the rising antimicrobial recalcitrance. Withania somnifera is a well-known medicinal herb with reported antifungal activities against several pathogenic fungal genera. In this study, the antifungal effect of the whole plant extract of W. somnifera (WSWE) has been explored for the first time, against an itraconazole resistant strain of S. globosa. WSWE treatment inhibited S. globosa yeast form growth in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 of 1.40 mg/ml. Minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was found to be 50 mg/ml. Sorbitol protection and ergosterol binding assays, revealed that anti-sporotrichotic effects of WSWE correlated well with the destabilization of the fungal cell wall and cell membrane. This observation was validated through dose-dependent decrease in overall ergosterol contents in WSWE-treated S. globosa cells. Compositional analysis of WSWE through high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) exhibited the presence of several anti-microbial phytochemicals like withanone, withaferin A, withanolides A and B, and withanoside IV and V. Withanone and withaferin A, purified from WSWE, were 10-20 folds more potent against S. globosa than WSWE, thus, suggesting to be the major phytocompounds responsible for the observed anti-sporotrichotic activity. In conclusion, this study has demonstrated the anti-sporotrichotic property of the whole plant extract of W. somnifera against S. globosa that could be further explored for the development of a natural antifungal agent against chronic Sporotrichosis

Investigation of crystallinity, mechanical properties, fracture toughness and cell proliferation in plasma sprayed graphene nano platelets reinforced hydroxyapatite coating

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) (0, 1 wt% and 2 wt%) reinforced hydroxyapatite (HA), denoted by HA, HA-1G and HA-2G respectively, coatings were fabricated on titanium substrate (Ti-6Al-4V) through atmospheric plasma spraying. The major parameters such as porosity, crystallinity, mechanical properties, toughness and cell proliferation were manipulated by varying plasma power from 15 kW to 35 kW and content of GNPs. For the coating synthesized at all plasma power, GNPs were found to be retained by Raman spectroscopy. GNPs reinforcement has led to an improvement in the crystallinity of the composite coatings as compared to HA coatings. On the contrary to it, increase in plasma power from 15 kW to 35 kW resulted in decrease in crystallinity for all three individual coating. Further, Increment in plasma power from 15 kW to 35 kW delivered a significant enhancement in hardness, elastic modulus and fracture toughness up to 81%, 149% and 282% respectively for HA-1 wt% GNPs coating, while it improved to 20%, 50% and 173% respectively on the addition of 2 wt% GNPs in HA coating fabricated at 35 kW. Enhancement in hardness, elastic modulus and fracture toughness was due to three simultaneous reasons: (1) Reduction in porosity (2) Uniform dispersion of GNPs and (3) Toughening mechanism offered by GNPs. Further, the addition of GNPs showed a remarkable improvement in the rate of cell proliferation in the HA coating. A detailed discussion over the reasons behind every results have been made profoundly

Unravelling the gut-lung axis: insights into microbiome interactions and Traditional Indian Medicine's perspective on optimal health

The microbiome of the human gut is a complex assemblage of microorganisms that are in a symbiotic relationship with one another and profoundly influence every aspect of human health. According to converging evidence, the human gut is a nodal point for the physiological performance matrixes of the vital organs on several axes (i.e., gut-brain, gut-lung, etc.). As a result of COVID-19, the importance of gut-lung dysbiosis (balance or imbalance) has been realised. In view of this, it is of utmost importance to develop a comprehensive understanding of the microbiome, as well as its dysbiosis. In this review, we provide an overview of the gut-lung axial microbiome and its importance in maintaining optimal health. Human populations have successfully adapted to geophysical conditions through traditional dietary practices from around the world. In this context, a section has been devoted to the traditional Indian system of medicine and its theories and practices regarding the maintenance of optimally customized gut health