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Objective: To investigate the in vitro antibacterial potential, phytochemical constituents and thinlayer chromatography (TLC) bioautography of Mesua ferrea and Piper cubeba fruit extracts. The antibacterial activities of various solvent extracts prepared were assessed against five multi-drug resistant clinical isolates from both Gram-negative and positive bacteria isolated from human infection. Materials and Methods: The antibacterial activity of solvent extracts from Mesua ferrea and Piper cubeba was evaluated by agar well diffusion method. The antibacterial activity was evaluated using the TLC-bioautographic method. Preliminary phytochemical analysis was conducted. Results: All the evaluated extracts exibited moderate to significant antibacterial activity against all clinical isolates except Klebsiella sp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The maximum zone of inhibition was found to be 22.5 ± 0.90 mm in M. ferrea and17.6 ± 0.80 mm in P. cubeba against Enterococcus sp. The qualitative phytochemical analysis showed the presence of most of the phytochemicals such as flavonoids, steroids, reducing sugars, cardiac glycosides and triterpenoids in all the solvent extract tested. TLC and bioautography agar overlay assay of hexane extracts of M. ferrea indicated flavonoids as the active compounds against multidrug-resistant Enterococcus sp. Conclusions: The solvent extracts of both the plants possessing antibacterial potential against clinical isolates can be utilized in the treatment of microbial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global pandemic sparked by the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants has imposed a substantial burden of morbidity and mortality. Central to the battle against these viral threats is the immune response, with a spotlight on the pivotal role played by neutralizing antibodies. This comprehensive review delves into current research, unravelling the dual functionality of neutralizing antibodies acting as formidable barriers to viral replication and crucial facilitators of adaptive immune memory. Beyond this dual purpose, the review illuminates the nuanced variability characterizing neutralizing antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2. Emphasizing the dynamic nature of these responses, the review advocates for the plausible challenges in targeted therapeutic interventions. This review also attempts to compare various vaccination approaches and their impact on SARS-CoV-2, as well as offer insights into various Omicron variations. Recognizing the ever-evolving viral landscape, this exploration underscores the necessity of flexible approaches to address the diverse challenges posed by SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, contributing valuable insights to the ongoing global efforts in pandemic mitigation and public health safeguarding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present systematic review explored the involvement of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants in periodontitis, drawing from established literature. Materials and Methods: The research approach encompassed an extensive electronic search from 2000 to 2023 across databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, and Wiley Online Library and cross‐referencing using specific keywords. Results: The initial literature exploration generated a total of 766 articles. After thoroughly examining the abstracts, 693 articles were excluded from consideration due to duplication and lack of relevance to the central research inquiry. Following that, 73 articles were left for in‐depth evaluation. Following a qualitative assessment, 35 studies that satisfied the inclusion criteria were chosen, while 38 were removed for not meeting the necessary standards. Within this selection, a meta‐analysis was conducted on 11 articles that provided consistent data for quantitative synthesis. Specifically, the analysis of glutathione (GSH) levels in serum samples revealed a standardized mean difference (SMD) of −5.552 µg/mL (CI 95%: −9.078 to −2.026; P‐0.002). In contrast, the analysis of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzymes in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples displayed an overall SMD of 2.918 ng/µL (CI 95%: 0.372–5.465; P‐0.025), while salivary samples exhibited an overall SMD value of 0.709 U/l (95% CI: −1.907–3.325; P‐0.596) which is of insignificant. Conclusion: The systematic review findings suggest a notable decrease in antioxidant enzymes across various systemic biological samples among patients with periodontitis, contrasting with the results from gingival tissue samples meta‐analysis of GPx enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron alginate (Fe–Alg) nanogel with a diameter of 96–100 nm was synthesized with the water-in-oil microemulsion method. Candida rugosa lipase (CrL) is hereby chosen as the model enzyme and was immobilized for the first time on biocompatible support of iron alginate nanogel. The structural and morphological properties of immobilized CrL were confirmed by dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. A comparative study between Candida rugosa lipase and immobilized Candida rugosa lipase is provided concerning optimum pH and temperature, thermal and storage stabilities. Various kinetic parameters were scrutinized for increasing the stability, specificity, and cost-effectiveness of Candida rugosa lipase. The temperature optima observed was 35 °C for Candida rugosa lipase which enhanced to 50 °C in the case of immobilized Candida rugosa lipase. The apparent Michalis–Menten constant, Km (1.5 mM), and maximum velocity, Vmax (178.57 µmol/min), values of the immobilized Candida rugosa lipase were significantly changed compared to the free Candida rugosa lipase. Immobilized Candida rugosa lipase showed enhanced solvent and storage stability and retained most of its activity after reusing it for 8 cycles. Molecular docking was performed to study the interaction between amino acids present in Candida rugosa lipase and residues of alginate. The novel immobilized Candida rugosa lipase can be a promising biocatalyst with potential applications in food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of sixty-four bacterial isolates producing enzyme protease were isolated and screened from soil samples obtained from industries. A new potent solvent stable and alkaline protease producing isolate PI-C4 was isolated from Ghazipur Poultry waste site which was identified to be Bacillus cereus based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Consensus sequence of 1398 bp of the strain PI-C4 has been deposited in GenBank with accession number KM211501. Furthermore, the PI-C4 enzyme was subjected to precipitation using ammonium sulphate (70% saturation), dialysis and was further concentrated by ion exchange chromatography which resulted in purification fold of 2.47 and 57.7% yield. The alkaline protease was found to be 46 kDa. Enzyme PI-C4 was also characterized with respect to temperature and pH and was found to be active at pH 9.0 and 450C. The protease possesses significant stability (64.7-82.2%) in the presence of surfactants tested. The alkaline protease possesses higher stability in solvent DMSO (107%) followed by acetone (91%) and isopropanol (82%). The protease could therefore be useful for various applications like enzymatic leather treatment, feather degradation and recovery of silver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world unprecedentedly, with both positive and negative impacts. COVID-19 significantly impacted the immune system, and understanding the immunological consequences of COVID-19 is essential for developing effective treatment strategies. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively explore and provide insights into the immunological aspects of long COVID-19, a phenomenon where individuals continue to experience a range of symptoms and complications, even after the acute phase of COVID-19 infection has subsided. The immune system responds to the initial infection by producing various immune cells and molecules, including antibodies, T cells, and cytokines. However, in some patients, this immune response becomes dysregulated, leading to chronic inflammation and persistent symptoms. Long COVID-19 encompasses diverse persistent symptoms affecting multiple organ systems, including the respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, and gastrointestinal systems. In the post-COVID-19 immunological era, long COVID-19 and its impact on immune response have become a significant concern. Post-COVID-19 immune pathology, including autoimmunity and immune-mediated disorders, has also been reported in some patients. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of long COVID-19, its relationship to immunological responses, and the impact of post-COVID-19 immune pathology on patient outcomes. Additionally, the review addresses the current and potential treatments for long COVID-19, including immunomodulatory therapies, rehabilitation programs, and mental health support, all of which aim to improve the quality of life for individuals with long COVID-19. Understanding the complex interplay between the immune system and long COVID-19 is crucial for developing targeted therapeutic strategies and providing optimal care in the post-COVID-19 era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the variation in the metal(loid)s composition, phytochemicals, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants activity of pot marigold grown in different treatments of soil and fly ash (FA), i.e., control (soil 100% + 0% FA), 20% FA (soil 80% + 20% FA), 40% FA (soil 60% + 40% FA), 60% FA (soil 40% + 60% FA), 80% FA (soil 20% + 80% FA), and 100% FA (soil 0% + 100% FA). The plant leaves from each treatment were harvested and screened for various metal(loid)s concentrations (Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, Co, Zn, Cd, Mg, Ca, and As). Further, the harvested leaf samples were extracted using three solvents (ethanol, methanol, and water), and their extract yield percentage, total flavonoid, and phenolic profile, total antioxidants (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, ABTS (2,2'-Azinobis-(3-Ethylbenzthiazolin-6-Sulfonic Acid), Ferric reducing power assay (FRAP)), and antioxidant enzymatic activity (Superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT)) were determined. The results revealed that a high accumulation of Fe, Cu, Ni, Co, Zn, and Cr with bioaccumulation factor (BAF > 1) was detected at 40% FA treatment. Furthermore, the phenolic and flavonoid content were increased by 35.44 and 160.13% respectively whereas, DPPH and ABTS activity (with low IC50) was decreased by 82.67 and 31.87% in ethanolic leaf extract at 60% FA application compared to the control. Additionally, at high FA application (100% FA), the parameters such as FRAP value, SOD, CAT, APX, and POD activity were increased by 42.42%, 313.98%, 388.76%, 415.11%, and 177.54% with respect to control soil. The findings suggested that FA application (up to 60%) in soil induced increased production of secondary metabolites, and total antioxidant activity compared to control soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out to determine the impact of FA application on growth performance, biochemical parameters, and antioxidant defense activity of Calendula officinalis. The results revealed that under a low dose of FA (40%) amended soil, the plant growth performance and metal tolerance index (MTI) were increased compared to control plants and further decreased with increased FA application (60%, 80%, and 100% FA). In addition, the incorporation of 40% FA in soil not only improved the physicochemical properties of soil but also increased the biochemical parameters in the Calendula plant, however, these parameters declined under high FA applications. It was also observed that antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, CAT, POD, and APX) in leaves of Calendula officinalis increased at high FA application (100% FA) to combat heavy metal stress from FA. The overall study suggests that 40% FA amended soil is the best suitable dose for growing Calendula officinalis and can be considered as metal tolerant species for phytoremediation of 40% FA amended soil. Novelty statement: Fly ash (FA) management is a major problem nowadays. The present study was carried out for FA utilization and to determine the impact of FA amended soil on growth performance, antioxidant properties, and biochemical attributes of Calendula officinalis. This is a sustainable approach in which waste (FA) utilization was done simultaneously with the enhancement in response of the medicinally potent Calendula species. The novelty of this study also suggests that Calendula has phytoremediation potential for remediation of heavy metal polluted soil. Further, the relationship between the growth, biochemical parameters, and antioxidant defense mechanism of Calendula grown on FA amended soil was studied which has not been studied so far. It was found that Calendula is a hyperaccumulator that can adapt to heavy metal stress from FA due to its ability to mitigate oxidative damage. Statistical analysis (ANOVA, Duncan's multiple range test, and PCA) was done for the results obtained using SPSS (11.5) and Origin 8 Pro software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocompatible nanogels are highly in demand and have the potential to be used in various applications, e.g., for the encapsulation of sensitive biomacromolecules. In the present study, we have developed water-in-oil microemulsions of sodium alginate sol/hexane/Span 20 as a template for controlled synthesis of alginate nanogels, cross-linked with 3d transition metal cations (Mn2+, Fe3+, and Co2+). The results suggest that the stable template of 110 nm dimensions can be obtained by microemulsion technique using Span 20 at concentrations of 10mM and above, showing a zeta potential of −57.3 mV. A comparison of the effects of the cross-links on the morphology, surface charge, protein (urease enzyme) encapsulation properties, and stability of the resulting nanogels were studied. Alginate nanogels, cross-linked with Mn2+, Fe3+, or Co2+ did not show any gradation in the hydrodynamic diameter. The shape of alginate nanogels, cross-linked with Mn2+ or Co2+, were spherical; whereas, nanogels cross-linked with Fe3+ (Fe–alginate) were non-spherical and rice-shaped. The zeta potential, enzyme loading efficiency, and enzyme activity of Fe–alginate was the highest among all the nanogels studied. It was found that the morphology of particles influenced the percent immobilization, loading capacity, and loading efficiency of encapsulated enzymes. These particles are promising candidates for biosensing and efficient drug delivery due to their relatively high loading capacity, biocompatibility, easy fabrication, and easy handling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean oil has high contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids and hence susceptible to deterioration due to the presence of lipase and lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes. These enzymes cause the severe impact in the reduction of shelf life. Therefore it is indispensable to adopt a stabilization step to increase antioxidant levels and to decrease the activity of lipase and LOX enzymes. To carry out this study soybean varieties were irradiated by low gamma doses radiation (0.5 kGy and 1.0 kGy) and oil was stored up to 60 days at 40 °C with 45% relative humidity. Results indicated the lowest activities of lipase (20.9%) and LOX (17.1%) at 60 days of storage respectively and also observed significantly low hydrolytic (22.6%) and oxidative rancidity (64%) respectively in Bragg oil under the condition of 0.5 kGy gamma irradiation. Total antioxidants were found to be increased including lipid soluble antioxidants like tocopherols and also found low level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) deposition in Bragg seeds irradiated with 0.5 kGy which suggests that low dose of gamma irradiation is highly effective in enhancing the oil stability and also in retaining antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants claim the largest source of phytochemical constituents which take part in relieving many health problems. So a screening of phytochemical constituents was performed in the laboratory in selected Aloe species.Qualitative and quantitative determinations of phytochemical constituents were evaluated in Aloe species namelyAloe barbadensis, Aloe rupestris, Aloe juvenna and Gasteria pulchra. Phytochemical screening results revealed the presence of almost all the biologically active secondary metabolites like alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, flavanoids, phenolic compounds, reducing sugars, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids in the Aloe extracts.But steroids were absent in Aloe juvenna and cardiac gycosides were absent in Gasteria pulchra. Quantitative analysis of these compounds by spectrophotometry revealed that all the Aloe species possessed significant phytochemical constituents with slight variation. Aloe barbadensis possessed maximum alkaloids (23.83 ± 0.28), flavanoids (18.66 ± 0.57), phenolics (14.26 ± 0.25), tannins (4.53 ± 0.3) and terpenoids (13.5 ± 0.86) than other species except for saponins. Thus the present study justified that Aloe species contain medicinally important bioactive compounds that it is nutritionally as well as medicinally valuedin pharmaceutical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stavudine oral disintegration tablets were formulated to minimize the bitter taste and to reduce the first-pass hepatic metabolism. The various precompression parameters like the angle of repose, bulk density, compressibility index and Hausner's ratio were determined for the powder blend. In this study, 14 formulations of stavudine oral disintegration tablet were prepared by direct compression method. The tablets were evaluated for weight variation, percentage friability, disintegration time, hardness, wetting time and water absorption ratio. The in vitro dissolution study results of the batch S1 (stavudine+crospovidone+sodium starch glycollate) are encouraging as highest dissolution rate (99.2% in 100 min) and lowest time of disintegration (56 s) was achieved. The in vivo drug release studies were carried out in rabbits and the relative bioavailability of formulation S1 was found to be 2.83 times greater than that of conventional tablets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]