Marine algae represent a valuable and still underexplored source of bioactive compounds with significant potential in dentistry. Rich in polysaccharides, polyphenols, pigments, and minerals, these organisms exhibit multiple biological activities, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory,antioxidant, antiviral, and anticancer effects relevant to oral health. Algal-derivedcompounds such as fucoidan, carrageenan, alginate, and ulvan have demonstrated the ability to inhibit oral pathogens, modulate inflammatory responses, and support tissue regeneration. In addition, marine algae-derived biomaterials showpromising applications in several dental fields, including periodontal and bone regeneration, dental impression materials, enamel remineralization, and oral hygiene products. This review aims to highlight the biological properties of marine algae and their potential dental applications, emphasizing their role as natural and biocompatible alternatives or complementary approaches to conventional methods and materials used in modern dental practice.
Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) is renowned for its valuable bioactive compounds, notably Cordycepin (COR) and Adenosine (ADE). However, these compounds suffer from poor stability and low bioavailability, which limit their therapeutic potential. This study successfully developed a self-assembled nano-delivery system based on a Chitosan-polyethylene glycol (PEG) matrix to encapsulate C. militaris extract. The formulation was optimized by evaluating the effects of the Chitosan/PEG mass ratio, surfactant concentration (Tween 80), and processing parameters including stirring speed and phase inversion temperature.The optimized nanoparticles achieved an ultra-small average particle size of14 ± 3.7 nm with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.31. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis confirmed high encapsulation efficiencies of72.4 % for COR and 65.2 % for ADE. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) revealed that the nanoparticles possessed a spherical morphology and a uniform distribution. Stability studies indicated that the nano-system maintained its physical integrity for over 30 days. Furthermore, the encapsulated extract demonstrated significantly enhanced antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, as well as superior antioxidant capacity compared to the crude extract. These results suggest that the Chitosan-PEG nano-platform is a highly effective vehicle for improving the stability and biological performance of C. militaris bioactives in pharmaceutical and functional food applications.
A simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method is described for determination of atorvastatin calcium and valsartan in bulk and tablet forms. The method depends onthe formation of colored chromogen between atorvastatin calcium or valsartan and 1,2-naphthoquinon-4-sulphonate (NQS) and the reaction mixture exhibits maximum absorbance at lambda max 464 and 466 nm for atorvastatin calcium and valsartan, respectively. Under the indicated conditions, this method was linear over the concentration range of 2-14 & micro;g/mL and 10-120 & micro;g/mL for atorvastatin calcium and valsartan, respectively. The results were statistically processed to evaluate the method for determining the drugs in both bulk and tablet forms. Results were compared with reference methods, and no significant difference was obtained. The proposed method was validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision and limits of detection and quantitation according to ICH.
There is an urgent need to explore alternative compounds in order to develop new antifungal medications due to the rise of fungal infections and the attending resistance to some of the existing drugs. Thus, the object of this work was to synthesize and evaluate, for the first time the antifungal activity of eight known aromatic acylals against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Trichophyton rubrum. The aromatic acylals were obtained by the reaction of aromatic aldehydes with acetic anhydride using H2SO4-silica as a catalyst. In vitro evaluation of the compounds against A. niger, A. flavus and T. rubrum, along with ketoconazole as the positive control was then performed. The results showed that all of the compounds were active against A. flavus. Compound 2a demonstrated interesting antifungal potential showing the lowest MIC value among the tested compounds.
Sewage sludge generated by wastewater regulatory plants is an environmental hazard in Pakistan. Along with the soil, if this sewage sludge is mixed in the right percentage during plant growth, it can help in improving the characteristics of the growing plant along with eradicating hazardous sewage sludge. The enhancement of germination with increased chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein, phenolic, flavonoid, and tocopherol contents of Momordica charantia L. is achieved by conducting pot experiments in pure soil and in several soil amendments with varying sewage sludge proportions. Appropriate percentages of sewage sludge in soil are evaluated for plant growth which may enhance not only the above-described factors but also increased antioxidant potential. The plant was grown in separate containers with varying proportions of sewage sludge (20 %, 40 %, 60 %, and 80 %) in the soil while pure soil was taken as control. Growth parameters were highest along with increased phytochemical content and decreased toxicity in 40 % and 60 % sewage sludge soil amendments whereas at higher percentages of sewage sludge in soil, increased the toxicity due to a higher metal content and resulted in less promising results. The proposed sewage sludge percentages in soil for the growth of Momordica charantia L. are 40 % and 60 %.
Curcuminoids derived from Curcuma longa possess potent biological activities; however, their therapeutic utility is severely restricted by poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability. This study aimed to establish an integrated and optimized protocol for the ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) of curcuminoids and the subsequent fabrication of stable Tween 80-based nano-micelles (MCs). The extraction parameters were optimized using 96 % ethanol at a solid-to-solvent ratio of 1:50 (w/v) and 60 degrees C for 60 min, assisted by ultrasonication at 525 W for 90 seconds, achieving a high extraction efficiency of 76.9 %. Regarding the formulation of nano-micelles, the optimal conditions were identified as a 3 % Tween 80 concentration coupled with ultrasonic homogenization at 450 W for 150 seconds. The resulting MCs were characterized by a spherical morphology, a narrow particle size distribution ranging from 50 to 80 nm, and a Zeta potential of-16.7 mV, indicating colloidal stability governed by steric hindrance. Remarkably, the micellar formulation enhanced the apparent aqueous solubility of curcuminoids to 3.8 g/L, representing a massive improvement compared to the negligible solubility of native curcumin (similar to 11 ng/L). These findings demonstrate a highly efficient and scalable method to produce water-soluble curcuminoid formulations with enhanced physicochemical stability.
Skin cancer is a common illness in many regions of the planet, and indeed a danger to human existence, so we tried to assess the effectiveness of the drug which is copper doped zinc oxide nanoparticles and which might be a beneficial future medication. Copper doped zinc oxide (Cu-ZnO) nanoparticles were prepared using a solvothermal method at 180 degrees C for 12 hours to create a selective drug material for the treatment of skin cancer cells. The crystallite size is 38.081 nm (based on XRD measurements), and the three-dimensional images of FE-SEM revealed that the prepared nanostructures have high regularity, with an average length of 233.3 nm and a diameter of 68.14 nm. The presence of copper, zinc, and oxygen was detected using EDS, indicating that the prepared form (Cu-ZnO) is pure. The IC50 has been determined for skin cancer cells (A375) 520.33 mu g center dot mL(-1) and normal cells (HdFn) 539.3 mu g center dot mL(-1). Weak Cu-ZnO selectivity due to crystal size was expected, as the shape and crystal size, in addition to the percentage and type of doping, play an important role in increasing Cu-ZnO selectivity, so we recommend Cu-ZnO nanoparticles. Smaller sizes to increase surface area in scientific research to find an anti-skin cancer drug, although its toxicity is low on normal cells due to the weak response to this type of cell, while We believe that we can enhance of response and selectivity can be greatly via changing the geometry of the nanocrystals of the same material.
Given that high levels of aromatic amino acids in the human body can lead to cognitive impairment, IQ deficit and neurological function, their selfassembly process should be deeply investigated as function of their concentration. This study highlighted that 2D and 3D fluorescence spectroscopy is a useful technique that can be used to study self-assembly of aromatic amino acids at physiological concentrations and higher incubation times. Overall, our experimental 2D data clearly supports that blue fluorescence is a result of phenylalanine and tyrosine self-assembly and not to tryptophan when concentration of 100 mu M of each amino acids were incubated over days times periods. Phenylalanine behavior in solutions was assessed at 100 and 200 mu M by 3D fluorescent analysis. The blue fluorescent signal at around 443 nm could be assessed using 225 or 315 nm excitation wavelengths. The self-assembly was monitored at concentration of 1 mM phenylalanine which matches that one in phenylketonuria. At higher intensity a violet fluorescence was observed at an excitation of 315 nm. The emission maximum was shifted from 398 nm (after 48 h) to 444 nm (more than three days). Based on intrinsic violet-blue fluorescence of supramolecular complexes or conventional microscopical techniques, the outcomes of this work are crucial for determining the self-assembly capability of more complicated molecules, such as peptide and proteins.
Skin cancer is a common illness in many regions of the planet, and indeed a danger to human existence, so we tried to assess the effectiveness of the drug which is copper doped zinc oxide nanoparticles and which might be a were prepared using a solvothermal method at 180 degrees C for 12 hours to create a selective drug material for the treatment of skin cancer cells. The crystallite size is 38.081 nm (based on XRD measurements), and the three-dimensional images of FE-SEM revealed that the prepared nanostructures have high regularity, with an average length of 233.3 nm and a diameter of 68.14 nm. The presence of copper, zinc, and oxygen was detected using EDS, indicating that the prepared form (Cu-ZnO) is pure. The IC50 has been determined for skin cancer cells (A375) 520.33 mu g mL-1 and normal cells (HdFn) 539.3 mu g mL-1. Weak Cu-ZnO selectivity due to crystal size was expected, as the shape and crystal size, in addition to the percentage and type of doping, play an important role in increasing Cu-ZnO surface area in scientific research to find an anti-skin cancer drug, although its toxicity is low on normal cells due to the weak response to this type of cell, while We believe that we can enhance of response and selectivity can be greatly via changing the geometry of the nanocrystals of the same material.
This article describes a comprehensive and detailed study on the simultaneous extraction process of two important compounds, Adenosine and Cordycepin, from Cordyceps militaris powder with the aid of ultrasound. The Plackett-Burman model was used to screen for univariate factors affecting the analyte content in the extract. Subsequently, the optimization process using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with the Box-Behnken design was employed to establish an optimal extraction procedure. Accordingly, the best extraction conditions for both Adenosine and Cordycepin were determined to be a water ratio of 100:0 as solvent, an extraction temperature of 45 degrees C, ultrasound power of 300W, material ratio of 1:20, and ultrasound duration of 30 min. The contents of Adenosine and Cordycepin determined by HPLC-DAD under optimal conditions were 2508 +/- 65 mg/kg and 2454 +/- 37 mg/kg, respectively.
The synthesis of novel antibiotic compounds is a significant area of modern research. This paper describes a method for synthesizing a thiosemicarbazone containing the acetanilide fragment, as well as coordination compounds based on it. The structure of the thiosemicarbazone was confirmed using 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, while the structure of the coordination compounds was indirectly confirmed through FTIR spectroscopy and elemental metal analysis. Biological investigations revealed that compounds [Cu(H2O)(HL)Br] and [Cu(H2O)(HL)NO3] exhibit 38 times and 19 times better antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, respectively, compared to Furacin.
The azobenzene derivative 4-(p-tolyl-diazenyl)-phenyl acrylate (AZD) is studied here from the solvatochromic point of view in order to characterize the interactions from its binary and ternary solutions and to estimate the excited state dipole moment. The molecular descriptors of the AZD molecule were computed using quantum chemical software. The hypothesis of McRae was applied to determine the value of the excited state dipole moment based on both correlation coefficients deduced from the solvatochromic study and computed molecular descriptors of the solute molecule. The new variational method for computing the excited state dipole moment based on McRae hypothesis is applicable to the molecules which show only absorption bands but are not fluorescent. The higher value of the excited state dipole moment of AZD (3.73D) comparative to that in its ground state (1.98D) agrees with the bathochromic shift of its pi - pi* absorption band both in binary and ternary solutions.
This review explores the green synthesis of metal nanoparticles derived from Matricaria chamomilla, commonly known as chamomile, and investigates their potential applications. Utilizing an eco-friendly approach, chamomile extracts serve as both reducing and stabilizing agents in the synthesis process, resulting in the formation of nanoparticles (NPs) with unique properties with remarkable physicochemical and biological properties. Characterization techniques, including UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirm the successful synthesis and reveal information about morphology of the nanoparticles (size and shape), zeta potential, and formed bonds. The synthesized metal nanoparticles exhibit significant antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic, antioxidant, and catalytic activities, highlighting their potential as effective agents in biomedical and environmental applications.
Yttrium oxide nanoparticles were conjugated separately to zinc tetracarboxy phthalocyanine (ZnPc(COOH)4) to form Y2O3:ZnPc(COOH)4 assemblies. The triplet quantum yields and lifetimes of the phthalocyanines increased following conjugation. The resulting assemblies exhibited stronger fluorescence with increased quantum yields, reaching up to 33.44% compared to ZnPc(COOH)4 alone, which has a value of 0.3%. The triplet quantum yields increased from Phi T = 14.8% for ZnPc(COOH)4 to Phi T = 29.9% and 30.9% for the Y2O3:ZnPc(COOH)4 assemblies. The lifetimes also became longer for the conjugates compared to ZnPc(COOH)4 alone. These studies open new avenues for the development of next-generation phosphorescent materials with tailored functionalities for both industrial and medical applications.
Thiourea and its derivatives are widely used in various fields of human practice. In this work, we report the development of a new, easy-to-implement and highly productive method for synthesizing N-(2,2,2-trichloro-1-thioureidoethyl)carboxamides. These substances were obtained by interacting N-(2,2,2-trichloro-1-isothiocyanatoethyl)carboxamides with ammonia in a chloroform medium. The target products were obtained with 81-92% yield and 1H, 13C NMR and IR spectroscopy reliably proved their structure. All the obtained compounds were tested for their ability to bind to the active site of the GADD34:PP1 holoenzyme using molecular docking.
In this work, beta cyclodextrin hydrochar was treated using sodium hydroxide for malachite green removal. The adsorbents were characterized for surface functionalities, thermal decomposition and morphology. The functionalized hydrochar exhibits the adsorption-precipitation mechanisms with maximum capacity of 76.9 mg/g, prior to surface neutralization by dye solution that results in the decrease of capacity. The equilibrium curve for adsorption- precipitation regime obeys Freundlich model, while the kinetic follows pseudo- first order model, both suggesting the physical adsorption process. From the thermodynamic perspective, the process is exothermic and spontaneous.
The present research work focuses on the synthesis and evaluation of antibacterial activity of newly developed imidazopyridine analogues arising from 2,3-aminopyridine substructure. Three new imidazopyridine derivatives have been synthesized from the reaction of 2,3-aminopyridine with ibuprofen, naproxen and etodolac employing HCl as both the solvent and the catalyst. The resulting compounds were identified by using (FTIR) and (H-1-NMR). The antibacterial activity of these newly synthesized compounds was carried out against a series of bacteria: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus & Streptococcus mutans by microdilution method of 96 well microplates. These findings revealed that all synthesized compounds possessed pronounced antimicrobial effects against all the bacterial strains studied. The highest antimicrobial activity was registered for compound 1-((-[(1H-imidazo [4,5-b]pyridin-2-yl)methyl)-]-1,8-diethyl-1,3,4,9-tetrahydropyrano[3,4-b]indole that was most effective toward Escherichia coli. Based on these discoveries, it can be assumed that the newly imidazopyridine derivatives synthesized might be of interest for further study, targeting potential antibacterial activity.
Many plants contain bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins, which have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant activity of plant extracts from Malcolmia aegyptiaca and Matthiola livida species. Aerial parts of the plants were collected and dried, and methanolic extracts were prepared from the dried plants. The total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin content of the extracts was determined and the antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated using various in vitro and in vivo assays. M. livida had a higher total phenolic and flavonoid content than M. aegyptiaca. Both extracts showed antioxidant activity in the assays, with M. livida generally exhibiting higher antioxidant activity than M. aegyptiaca. M. livida and M. aegyptiaca are both good sources of bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity. Therefore, these plants have potential for use in the development of natural antioxidants for the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress-associated diseases.
