Biochemical Profiling and Elucidation of Biological Activities of Beta vulgaris L. Leaves and Roots Extracts

Developing multifaceted drug synergistic therapeutic strategy against neurological disorders

Drug synergism can alter the ultimate biological effects and bioavailability of phytoconstituents. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors as symptomatic drugs are potent therapeutic regimen for neurodegenerative diseases. In this context, this study characterized the synergistic antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-AChE effects of the selected phytochemicals including standard drugs followed by enzyme kinetics, structure-based ligands screening and molecular dynamics simulation study. The synergistic interactions were evaluated through Isoradiation and Synergy finder 3.0 methods. The combinations of Quercetin (QCT), Folic acid (FA), and Swertiamarin (SWT) with specific reference drugs were studied. The combinations of SWT + GA (Gallic acid) and FA + GA at 1:1 (γ:0.10 & 0.08, respectively) showed the significant synergistic antioxidant effect via ABTS assay. Further, in combination, QCT + SWT showed the maximum synergistic effect (γ: 0.02-0.13) in anti-inflammatory assay. Moreover, the combinations QCT, FA, and SWT with reference drug, Donepezil (DP), illustrated potent synergistic activity as anti-AChE in 1:1 proportion (γ: 0.18). The interaction pattern of phytochemicals significantly exhibited synergism (γ < 1) depicting their optimum activity in combinations compared to individual components. Enzyme kinetics evaluation showed the competitive binding of SWT with AChE as of donepezil. All the parameters of ADMET study proposed the QCT and SWT as acceptable oral drug molecules. Computational docking study revealed that QCT and SWT with lowest RMSD (1.096, 2.104) and lowest docking score (-9.831, -7.435 kcal/mol) showed maximum binding efficacy. Furthermore, molecular simulation study depicted the stability of protein-ligand complexes. These findings provide novel insight in the development of dietary treatment based on their synergistic effects for neurological disorders as optimum alternative therapeutic agents.

The effects of fermentation by different species of lactic acid bacteria on betalains and polyphenol profile and in vitro bioactive potential of red beetroot juice

In the current study, the effects of fermentation by Lactobacillus acidophilus, Levilactobacillus brevis or Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (La/Lb/Lp, 1-2.5%) and incubation (30/37 °C, C1/C2) of red beetroot juice on the profile of betalains and polyphenols (UHPLC-DAD-MS), and antioxidant capacity using photochemiluminescence (PCL) and spectrophotometric assays (DPPH/ABTS) was investigated. Additionally, anti-glycaemic (anti-AGEs) and anticholinergic (anti-AChE) potential in vitro was analysed. Fermentation distinctly initiated isobetanin and neobetanin formation and enhanced flavonoid concentration, emphasising rutin, kaempferol and (+)-catechin. The fermented juices inhibited protein glycation in the BSA-GLU model and showed high DPPH and ABTS values. LP2.5% juice was the only one indicating anti-AChE potential.

Toxicological assessment of invasive Ageratina adenophora on germination and growth efficiency of native tree and crop species of Kumaun Himalaya

The present study was designed to assess the allelopathic potential of invasive weed Ageratina adenophora leaf extracts on seed germination and seedling development efficiency of native tree [viz. Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus (Oak) and Pinus roxburghii Sarg. (Pine)] and crop [(Triticum aestivum L. (Wheat) and Lens culinaris Medik. (Lentil)] species of Kumaun Himalaya. Pot experiments were conducted in the glasshouse of the Botany Department, D.S.B. Campus, Kumaun University Nainital, following a Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD) with three treatments (C1-25%, C2-50%, and C3-100% of aqueous leaf extract) and one control, each with five replicates. The experiment lasted one year for tree species and continued until the seed maturation phase for crop species. Parameters such as seed germination proportion, root and shoot measurements, biomass, and crop productivity traits were recorded accordingly. Our bioassay results indicated that the inhibitory effect of leaf extracts on the measured traits of the selected native species was proportional to the applied extract concentrations of A. adenophora. Overall, lentil among crops and oak among tree species exhibited more inhibition compared to wheat and pine, respectively. At the highest concentration, reductions of 44%, 34%, 36%, and 24% in biomass production capacity were recorded for wheat, lentil, pine, and oak, respectively, while wheat and lentil productivity decreased by up to 33% and 45%, respectively. These results suggest that water-soluble allelochemicals produced by A. adenophora may impede the establishment of selected crop and tree species in agroecosystems and forest ecosystems invaded by this weed species. However, further studies on the characterization of phytochemicals and their specific role in seed germination and growth are warranted. Furthermore, the allelopathic potential of A. adenophora can be explored for the preparation of biopesticides and nature-friendly option to improve soil health, crop productivity, and reduce environmental pollution and management of this invasive weed.

Medicinal plants used for cutaneous wound healing in Uganda; ethnomedicinal reports and pharmacological evidences

Background

Wounds have become a major health challenge worldwide, presenting marked humanistic and economic burdens such as disabilities and death. Annually, approximately 14 million people suffer from wounds worldwide and 80 % of these occur in developing countries like Uganda. In Uganda, besides many cases of daily wound occurrences, approximately 10 % of surgical procedures become septic wounds and consequently lead to increased morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, several ethnomedicinal studies have identified plants used for wound treatment in different parts of Uganda and the wound healing activities of some plants have been reported. However, at present, these information remain largely separated without an all-inclusive repository containing ethnomedicinal and pharmacological information of the plants used for wound healing in Uganda, thus retarding appropriate evaluation. Therefore, this review focused on extensively exploring the plants used for treating cutaneous wounds in Uganda, along with associated ethnomedicinal information and their globally reported pharmacological potential.

Methods

Electronic data bases including Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct were searched using key terms for required information contained in English peer reviewed articles, books, and dissertations. Additionally, correlations between selected parameters were determined with coefficient of determination (r2).

Results

The literature survey revealed that 165 species belonging to 62 families are traditionally used to treat wounds in Uganda. Most of the species belonged to families of Asteraceae (14 %), Fabaceae (10 %), and Euphorbiaceae (7 %). The commonest plant parts used for wound treatment include leaf (48 %), root (22 %), stembark (11 %), and stem (7 %), which are prepared majorly by poultice (34 %), decoction (13 %), as well as powdering (25 %). Fifty-four (33 %) of the plant species have been investigated for their wound healing activities whereas, one hundred eleven (67 %) have not been scientifically investigated for their wound healing effects. Pearson correlation coefficient between the number of wound healing plant families per part used and percent of each plant part used was 0.97, and between the number of wound healing plant families per method of preparation and percent of each method of preparation was 0.95, showing in both strong positively marked relationships.

Conclusion

The preliminarily investigated plants with positive wound healing properties require further evaluation to possible final phases, with comprehensive identification of constituent bioactive agents. Additionally, the wound healing potential of the scientifically uninvestigated plants with claimed healing effects needs examination. Subsequently, information regarding efficacy, safety, bioactive principles, and mechanism of action could prove valuable in future development of wound healing therapies.

Multifaceted chemical and bioactive features of Ag@TiO2 and Ag@SeO2 core/shell nanoparticles biosynthesized using Beta vulgaris L. extract

Due to increasing concerns about environmental impact and toxicity, developing green and sustainable methods for nanoparticle synthesis is attracting significant interest. This work reports the successful green synthesis of silver (Ag), silver-titanium dioxide (Ag@TiO2), and silver-selenium dioxide (Ag@SeO2) nanoparticles (NPs) using Beta vulgaris L. extract. Characterization by XRD, SEM, TEM, and EDX confirmed the successful formation of uniformly distributed spherical NPs with controlled size (25 ± 4.9 nm) and desired elemental composition. All synthesized NPs and the B. vulgaris extract exhibited potent free radical scavenging activity, indicating significant antioxidant potential. However, Ag@SeO2 displayed lower hemocompatibility compared to other NPs, while Ag@SeO2 and the extract demonstrated reduced inflammation in a carrageenan-induced paw edema animal model. Interestingly, Ag@TiO2 and Ag@SeO2 exhibited strong antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotia sclerotium, as evidenced by TEM and FTIR analyses. Generally, the findings suggest that B. vulgaris-derived NPs possess diverse biological activities with potential applications in various fields such as medicine and agriculture. Ag@TiO2 and Ag@SeO2, in particular, warrant further investigation for their potential as novel bioactive agents.

Synthesis, structural characterization and in vitro pharmacological properties of betanin-encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles

Betanin, a natural food color and the only betalain, is approved for use in pharmaceutical and food industries as natural antioxidative and preservative agent, respectively. However, the antioxidant power and health-promoting properties of betanin have been disregarded due to its low stability in physiological conditions. Therefore, this study is designed to synthesize and evaluate in vitro pharmacological characteristics of betanin-encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles (ChBetNPs). ChBetNPs were synthesized by ionic gelation method and characterized by DLS, UV, FTIR, SEM and zeta potential analysis. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) and in vitro release kinetics were analyzed using spectrophotometric technique for quantifying the encapsulated amount of betanin in ChBetNPs as a function of time. The antioxidant activity of ChBetNPs was analyzed by DPPH and H₂O₂ radical scavenging assays, anti-inflammatory activity by protein denaturation and human RBCs stabilization assays, and anti-acetylcholinesterase activity using standard protocol with minor modifications. Unloaded chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) were found to be sized at 161.4 ± 5.75 nm while an increase in the size to 270.3 ± 8.50 nm was noticed upon encapsulating betanin. EE of ChBetNPs was measured to be ∼87.5%. The IC₅₀ of ChBetNPs depicted significant free radical scavenging activities as compared to CSNPs. Similarly, a strong anti-inflammatory activity of ChBetNPs was noted. Significant decrease in acetylcholinesterase activity by ChBetNPs was measured (IC₅₀ 0.5255 μg/mL vs. control 26.09 μg/mL). The vegetables coated with 3% ChBetNPs showed decreased weight loss as compared to uncoated control. ChBetNPs was shown to exhibit strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities thus making it a significant therapeutic agent for the management of Alzheimer's disease.

Can Bioactive Compounds in Beetroot/Carrot Juice Have a Neuroprotective Effect? Morphological Studies of Neurons Immunoreactive to Calretinin of the Rat Hippocampus after Exposure to Cadmium

Cadmium ions (Cd²⁺) penetrate the blood-brain barrier and can, among other effects, influence intracellular calcium metabolism, leading to neurodegeneration. In the presented work, we estimated the effect of Cd²⁺ on the expression of calretinin in the neurons of the rat hippocampus and analyzed the reverse effect of freshly pressed beetroot/carrot juice in this context. In the 12-week lasting experiment, 32 8-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into four experimental groups (n = 8): the control group (C) received pure tap water; the Cd group (Cd)-received Cd²⁺ dissolved in tap water (5 mg Cd²⁺/kg b.w.); and two groups received beetroot/carrot juice: the BCJ group was administered only juice, and the Cd + BCJ group received juice with the addition of Cd²⁺ (5 mg Cd²⁺/kg b.w.). The exposition to low doses of Cd²⁺ caused a significant decrease in calretinin-immunoreactive (Cr-IR) neurons compared to the non-exposed groups. Moreover, the addition of Cd²⁺ to tap water reduced the numbers and length of Cr-IR nerve fibers. The negative effect of Cd²⁺ was significantly attenuated by the simultaneous supplementation of beetroot/carrot juice (Cd + BCJ). The study showed that the bioactive compounds in the beetroot/carrot juice can modulate Ca²⁺ levels in neurons, and thus, potentially act as a neuroprotective factor against neuronal damage.

A comprehensive review of beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) bioactive components in the food and pharmaceutical industries

Beetroot is rich in various bioactive phytochemicals, which are beneficial for human health and exert protective effects against several disease conditions like cancer, atherosclerosis, etc. Beetroot has various therapeutic applications, including antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and analgesic functions. Besides the pharmacological effects, food industries are trying to preserve beetroots or their phytochemicals using various food preservation methods, including drying and freezing, to preserve their antioxidant capacity. Beetroot is a functional food due to valuable active components such as minerals, amino acids, phenolic acid, flavonoid, betaxanthin, and betacyanin. Due to its stability, nontoxic and non-carcinogenic and nonpoisonous capabilities, beetroot has been used as an additive or preservative in food processing. Beetroot and its bioactive compounds are well reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, antimicrobial, antiviral, etc. In this review, we provided updated details on (i) food processing, preservation and colorant methods using beetroot and its phytochemicals, (ii) synthesis and development of several nanoparticles using beetroot and its bioactive compounds against various diseases, (iii) the role of beetroot and its phytochemicals under disease conditions with molecular mechanisms. We have also discussed the role of other phytochemicals in beetroot and their health benefits. Recent technologies in food processing are also updated. We also addressed on molecular docking-assisted biological activity and screening for bioactive chemicals. Additionally, the role of betalain from different sources and its therapeutic effects have been listed. To the best of our knowledge, little or no work has been carried out on the impact of beetroot and its nanoformulation strategies for phytocompounds on antimicrobial, antiviral effects, etc. Moreover, epigenetic alterations caused by phytocompounds of beetroot under several diseases were not reported much. Thus, extensive research must be carried out to understand the molecular effects of beetroot in the near future.

The Insight of In Silico and In Vitro evaluation of Beta vulgaris phytochemicals against Alzheimer's disease targeting acetylcholinesterase

B. vulgaris extracts possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory along with its role in improving memory disorders. Subsequently, in vitro and in silico studies of its purified phytochemicals may expand complementary and alternative Alzheimer's therapeutic option. Super activation of acetylcholinesterase enzyme is associated explicitly with Alzheimer's disease (AD) ultimately resulting in senile dementia. Hence, acetylcholinesterase enzyme inhibition is employed as a promising approach for AD treatment. Many FDA approved drugs are unable to cure the disease progression completely. The Present study was devised to explore the potential bioactive phytochemicals of B. vulgaris as alternative therapeutic agents against AD by conducting in vitro and in silico studies. To achieve this, chemical structures of phytochemicals were recruited from PubChem. Further, these compounds were analyzed for their binding affinities towards acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme. Pharmacophoric ligand-based models showed major characteristics like, HBA, HBD, hydrophobicity, aromaticity and positively ionizable surface morphology for receptor binding. Virtual screening identified three hit compounds including betanin, myricetin and folic acid with least binding score compared to the reference drug, donepezil (-17 kcal/mol). Further, in vitro studies for anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of betanin and glycine betaine were performed. Dose response analysis showed 1.271 μM and 1.203 μM 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for betanin and glycine betaine compounds respectively. Our findings indicate that phytoconstituents of B. vulgaris can be implicated as an alternative therapeutic drug candidate for cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's disease.

Red Beetroot's NMR-Based Metabolomics: Phytochemical Profile Related to Development Time and Production Year

Red beetroot (RB) is a well-known health-promoting food consumed worldwide. RB is commonly used in food processing and manufacturing thanks to the high content of components that can also be employed as natural coloring agents. These bioactive molecules vary their concentration depending on beetroot seasonality, harvest time and climate conditions. The first objective of this study was to evaluate the variation of the RB phytochemical profile related to the root development during three different harvest times, using an ¹H-NMR-based metabolomic approach. Changes of carbohydrates and secondary metabolite concentrations were observed from July to September. Secondly, we compared the metabolic profiles of the final processed beet juices in three different production years to observe the effect of climate conditions on the RB's final product metabotype. A PCA analysis performed on juice extracts showed that production years 2016 and 2017 were characterized by a high content of choline and betaine, while 2018 by a high content of amino acids and dopamine and a low content of inorganic nitrates. This study suggests that the harvest time and roots growth conditions could be used to modulate the RB phytochemical profile, according to the final requirements of use, food or coloring agent source.

Beetroot as a Potential Functional Food for Cancer Chemoprevention, a Narrative Review

Patients with cancer are prone to several debilitating side effects including fatigue, insomnia, depression and cognitive disturbances. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) as a health promoting functional food may be potentially beneficial in cancer. As a source of polyphenols, flavonoids, dietary nitrates and other useful nutrients, beetroot supplementation may provide a holistic means to prevent cancer and manage undesired effects associated with chemotherapy. The main aim of this narrative review is to discuss beetroot's nutrient composition, current studies on its potential utility in chemoprevention and cancer-related fatigue or treatment-related side effects such as cardiotoxicity. This review aims to provide the current status of knowledge and to identify the related research gaps in this area. The flavonoids and polyphenolic components present in abundance in beetroot support its significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities. Most in vitro and in vivo studies have shown promising results; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying chemopreventive and chemoprotective effects of beetroot have not been completely elucidated. Although recent clinical trials have shown that beetroot supplementation improves human performance, translational studies on beetroot and its functional benefits in managing fatigue or other symptoms in patients with cancer are still lacking.