Efficacy of crude extracts of Clitoria ternatea for antibacterial activity against gram negative bacterium (Proteus mirabilis)

The Therapeutic Potential of Harpagophytum procumbens and Turnera subulata and Advances in Nutraceutical Delivery Systems in Neurodegenerative Diseases

This review article covers the therapeutic potential of the plants Harpagophytum procumbens and Turnera subulata in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Despite the recognition of their beneficial properties, there is notable shortage of specific clinical and in vitro studies on these species regarding neurodegenerative diseases. Compounds such as harpagosides and vite-xin-2-O-rhamnoside, found in Harpagophytum procumbens and Turnera subulata, respectively, as well as other antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, are associated with mechanisms of action that involve reducing oxidative stress and modulating the inflammatory response, indicating their therapeutic potential in these pathologies. Additionally, the use of nutraceuticals derived from medicinal plants has emerged as a promising approach, offering natural therapeutic alternatives. However, the pressing need for studies focusing on the pharmacokinetics, safety, and pharmacological interactions of these extracts for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases is emphasized. This review also evaluated advances in nutraceutical delivery systems, highlighting technological innovations that can optimize the precise delivery of these compounds to patients. Such findings highlight the gaps in the study of these plants for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and, at the same time, the potential for opening new perspectives in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, providing expectations for innovative solutions in this critical domain of medicine.

A green method for anthocyanin extraction from Clitoria ternatea flowers cultivated in southern Brazil: Characterization, in vivo toxicity, and biological activity

This study aimed to develop a green method to obtain an anthocyanin-rich edible extract of Clitoria ternatea flowers grown in southern Brazil. The extract was characterized by UHPLC-MSn and analyzed for toxicological potential in an in vivo model, total phenolic content, and biological activities. By using a 23 multivariate design to study the effects of temperature, acidified solvent, and time on the total anthocyanin content (487.25 mg/g), total phenolic content (2242.47 mgGAE/g), it was possible to determine the optimal point (45 °C, 16 min, and 22.5 mL extraction solution). Thirteen anthocyanins and nine non-anthocyanins were quantified. In vivo toxicity assay using Galleria mellonella showed a safe concentration when administered up to 2.2 g of extract per body kg. The extract showed antioxidant activity and antibacterial action against food pathogens, the method proved to have a low environmental impact, in addition to producing an extract with potential for application in food.

Effect-Directed Profiling of Akebia quinata and Clitoria ternatea via High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography, Planar Assays and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Two herbal plants, Akebia quinata D. leaf/fruit and Clitoria ternatea L. flower, well-known in traditional medicine systems, were investigated using a non-target effect-directed profiling. High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) was combined with 11 different effect-directed assays, including two multiplex bioassays, for assessing their bioactivity. Individual active zones were heart-cut eluted for separation via an orthogonal high-performance liquid chromatography column to heated electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HESI-HRMS) for tentative assignment of molecular formulas according to literature data. The obtained effect-directed profiles provided information on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging, antibacterial (against Bacillus subtilis and Aliivibrio fischeri), enzyme inhibition (tyrosinase, α-amylase, β-glucuronidase, butyrylcholinesterase, and acetylcholinesterase), endocrine (agonists and antagonists), and genotoxic (SOS-Umu-C) activities. The main bioactive compound zones in A. quinata leaf were tentatively assigned to be syringin, vanilloloside, salidroside, α-hederin, cuneataside E, botulin, and oleanolic acid, while salidroside and quinatic acids were tentatively identified in the fruit. Taraxerol, kaempherol-3-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-glucoside, quercetin-3-rutinoside, and octadecenoic acid were tentatively found in the C. ternatea flower. This straightforward hyphenated technique made it possible to correlate the biological properties of the herbs with possible compounds. The meaningful bioactivity profiles contribute to a better understanding of the effects and to more efficient food control and food safety.

Efficient Antibacterial Dimeric Nitro Imidazolium Type of Ionic Liquids from a Simple Synthetic Approach

Synthesis of dimeric nitro-substituted imidazolium salts under the conventional/solvent-free method is reported. The solvent-free method is more important than the conventional one because of its shorter reaction time, higher yield from easily available starting material, environmental safety, and so forth. Counter anion exchange is carried out using inorganic salt, which is dissolved in deionized water at room temperature. In antibacterial studies, dimeric nitro-substituted imidazolium cations with bromide counter anions showed excellent inhibition against E. coli and P. aeruginosa bacteria. These experimental results were further supported by molecular docking studies. All the compounds (3-6) (a-d) showed excellent antibacterial activity than the standard drugs (gentamycin, nalidixic acid, oflaxacin, ciproflaxacin, and amikacin). Molecular docking studies showed strong hydrogen bonding, polar and hydrophobic interactions between the dimeric imidazolium salts, and Escherichia coli/Pseudomonas aeruginosa/Proteus vulgaris/Staphylococcus aureus receptors.

Phytochemical Properties and In Vitro Biological Activities of Phenolic Compounds from Flower of Clitoria ternatea L

Phenolic compounds from the flower of Clitoria ternatea L. (PCFCTL) were extracted using a high-speed shearing extraction technique and purified by AB-8 macroporous resins, and the phytochemical composition of the purified phenolic compounds from the flower of Clitoria ternatea L. (PPCFCTL) was then analyzed. Subsequently, its bioactivities including antioxidant properties, enzyme inhibitory activities, and antiproliferative activities against several tumor cell lines were evaluated. Results indicated that the contents of total phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols, flavanols, and phenolic acids in PPCFCTL were increased by 3.29, 4.11, 2.74, 2.43, and 2.96-fold, respectively, compared with those before being purified by AB-8 macroporous resins. The results showed PPCFCTL have significant antioxidant ability (measured by reducing power, RP, and ferric reducing antioxidant power method, FRAP) and good DPPH, ABTS⁺, and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities. They can also significantly inhibit lipase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase. In addition, morphological changes of HeLa, HepG2, and NCI-H460 tumor cells demonstrated the superior antitumor performance of PPCFCTL. However, the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity was relatively weak. These findings suggest that PPCFCTL have important potential as natural antioxidant, antilipidemic, anti-glycemic and antineoplastic agents in health-promoting foods.

Docking and Molecular Dynamic of Microalgae Compounds as Potential Inhibitors of Beta-Lactamase

Bacterial resistance is responsible for a wide variety of health problems, both in children and adults. The persistence of symptoms and infections are mainly treated with β-lactam antibiotics. The increasing resistance to those antibiotics by bacterial pathogens generated the emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), an actual public health problem. This is due to rapid mutations of bacteria when exposed to antibiotics. In this case, β-lactamases are enzymes used by bacteria to hydrolyze the beta-lactam rings present in the antibiotics. Therefore, it was necessary to explore novel molecules as potential β-lactamases inhibitors to find antibacterial compounds against infection caused by ESBLs. A computational methodology based on molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations was used to find new microalgae metabolites inhibitors of β-lactamase. Six 3D β-lactamase proteins were selected, and the molecular docking revealed that the metabolites belonging to the same structural families, such as phenylacridine (4-Ph), quercetin (Qn), and cryptophycin (Cryp), exhibit a better binding score and binding energy than commercial clinical medicine β-lactamase inhibitors, such as clavulanic acid, sulbactam, and tazobactam. These results indicate that 4-Ph, Qn, and Cryp molecules, homologous from microalgae metabolites, could be used, likely as novel β-lactamase inhibitors or as structural templates for new in-silico pharmaceutical designs, with the possibility of combatting β-lactam resistance.

Clean approach for chromium removal in aqueous environments and role of nanomaterials in bioremediation: Present research and future perspective

Chromium is an insidious ecological pollutant that is of huge value for its toxicity. The existing ecological objective to lower the heights of toxic materials in marine systems and to stimulate the existing water to recycle after suitable treatment of wastewater. Chromium is a hazard element that appears in discharges of numerous industries that must be diminished to accomplish the goals. Nearly all of the findings described in the literature related to the usage of various materials such as fungal, algal, bacterial biomass, and nanomaterials for chromium adsorption. The current work evaluates the findings of research commenced in the preceding on the use of a variety of adsorbents to decrease chromium concentrations in contaminated waters. This review article focuses on the issue of chromium contamination, its chemistry, causes, consequences, biological agent remediation techniques, and the detailed process of chromium detoxification in microbial cells. It also lists a description of the in situ and ex situ chromium bioremediation methods used. This can help design more effective Cr(VI) removal methods, thus bridging the difference between laboratory discoveries and industrial chromium remediation applications.

Promising Roles of Alternative Medicine and Plant-Based Nanotechnology as Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are considered to be the most common infections worldwide, having an incidence rate of 40-60% in women. Moreover, the prevalence of this disorder in adult women is 30 times more than in men. UTIs are usually found in many hospitals and clinical practice; as disorders, they are complicated and uncomplicated; in uncomplicated cases, there is no structural or functional abnormality in the urogenital tract. However, obstruction, retention of urine flow and use of catheters increase the complexity. There are several bacteria (e.g., E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, etc.) successfully residing in the tract. The diagnosis must not only be accurate but rapid, so early detection is an important step in the control of UTIs caused by uropathogens. The treatment of UTIs includes appropriate antimicrobial therapy to control the infection and kill the causal microbes inside the body. A long-time usage of antibiotics has resulted in multidrug resistance causing an impediment in treatment. Thus, alternative, combinatorial medication approaches have given some hope. Available treatments considered Homeopathic, Ayurvedic, Unani, and other herbal-based drugs. There are new upcoming roles of nanoparticles in combating UTIs which needs further validation. The role of medicinal plant-based nanotechnology approaches has shown promising results. Therefore, there must be active research in phyto-based therapies of UTIs, such as Ayurvedic Biology.