One step green synthesis of Cu nanoparticles by the aqueous extract of Juglans regia green husk: assessing its physicochemical, environmental and biological activities

Inhibitory effects of silver and copper oxide nanoparticles, synthesized using Juglans regia green husk aqueous extract, on human insulin fibrillation

Recent research indicates that nanoparticles can serve as tools for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. This study investigates the inhibitory effects of silver and copper oxide nanoparticles, synthesized using Juglans regia green husk aqueous extract, on human insulin fibrillation. Initially, the formation of amyloid fibrils in recombinant human insulin protein was examined under various buffers and by altering physicochemical conditions, such as pH and temperature, identifying optimal conditions for fibril formation. The nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized for size using dynamic light scattering (DLS), morphology via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and surface charge through zeta potential analysis. Utilizing biochemical and biophysical techniques, including turbidimetry, DLS, SEM, and fluorescence spectroscopy, we demonstrate that both nanoparticle types effectively inhibit insulin fibrillation, with copper nanoparticles exhibiting superior efficacy. Bioinformatics analyses, combined with zeta potential measurements, suggest that the inhibitory effects of the nanoparticles arise from interactions with charged regions of the insulin molecule. These findings highlight the critical role of nanoparticle characteristics in modulating protein aggregation and present promising therapeutic potential for addressing amyloid-related diseases. Future research should aim to optimize nanoparticle design and evaluate their pharmacokinetics to improve their clinical applicability.

The dual activity of CaONPs as a cancer treatment substance and at the same time resistance to harmful microbes

Nanotechnology holds significant promise for the development of novel and necessary products that enhance human health. Pharmacology and nanotechnology have contributed to developing advanced and highly effective drugs for cancer treatment and combating microbial infections. The microbiological effectiveness against the variety of examined microorganisms was assessed using the time killer curve, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), MIC techniques, and the agar well diffusion method. SEM was utilized to enhance the analysis of the mechanisms underlying the bio-interface interaction and intracellular localization of calcium oxide nanoparticles (CaONPs). The MTT test was used to examine the cytotoxicity of CaONP anticancer activity in various cancer cells, including colon, breast, and hepatic cells. The efficacy of CaONPs as an anticancer medication was elucidated by analyzing the gene expression of both treated and untreated cancer cells. MIC and MBC of CaONPs against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis were 150, 150, 150, and 200 µg/ml, respectively. The MIC and MFC of CaONPs against Candida albicans were 200 µg/ml and 250 µg/ml, respectively. The IC50 values of various CaONPs vary depending on the type of cancer cells. The gene expression analysis of breast cancer cells undergoing treatment revealed the identification of several cancer-controlling genes, namely BAX, BCL2, P53, TERT, KRAS1, KRAS2, and RB1. The study demonstrated the notable antibacterial efficacy of CaONPs, highlighting their potential as cancer therapies.

Metallic and Metal Oxides Nanoparticles for Sensing Food Pathogens—An Overview of Recent Findings and Future Prospects

Nowadays, special importance is given to quality control and food safety. Food quality currently creates significant problems for the industry and implicitly for consumers and society. The effects materialize in economic losses, alterations of the quality and organoleptic properties of the commercial products, and, last but not least, they constitute risk factors for the consumer’s health. In this context, the development of analytical systems for the rapid determination of the sanitary quality of food products by detecting possible pathogenic microorganisms (such as Escherichia coli or Salmonella due to the important digestive disorders that they can cause in many consumers) is of major importance. Using efficient and environmentally friendly detection systems for identification of various pathogens that modify food matrices and turn them into food waste faster will also improve agri-food quality throughout the food chain. This paper reviews the use of metal nanoparticles used to obtain bio nanosensors for the purpose mentioned above. Metallic nanoparticles (Au, Ag, etc.) and their oxides can be synthesized by several methods, such as chemical, physical, physico-chemical, and biological, each bringing advantages and disadvantages in their use for developing nanosensors. In the “green chemistry” approach, a particular importance is given to the metal nanoparticles obtained by phytosynthesis. This method can lead to the development of good quality nanoparticles, at the same time being able to use secondary metabolites from vegetal wastes, as such providing a circular economy character. Considering these aspects, the use of phytosynthesized nanoparticles in other biosensing applications is also presented as a glimpse of their potential, which should be further explored.