Search

Cancer is a threatening disease that needs strong therapy with fewer side effects. A lot of different types of chemotherapy or chemo-drugs are used in cancer treatments but have many side effects. The increasing number of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms requires more study of new antimicrobial compounds and delivery and targeting strategies. This work aims to isolate and identify Azotobacter sp., and extract alginate from Azotobacter sp. As well as fabricating selenium nanoparticles using ascorbic acid as reducing agent (As/Se-NPs), and loading extracted alginate with selenium nanoparticles (Alg-Se-NCMs). The As/Se-NPs and Alg-Se-NCMs were categorized by TEM, EDX, UV–Vis spectrophotometry, FT-IR, and zeta potential. The antifungal activities of both As/Se-NPs and Alg-Se-NCMs were investigated against some human pathogen fungi that cause skin infection such as Aspergillus niger (RCMB 002005), Aspergillus fumigatus (RCMB 002008), Cryptococcus neoformans (RCMB 0049001), Candida albicans (RCMB 005003), and Penicillium marneffei (RCMB 001002). The anticancer activities were determined against HCT-116 colorectal cancer and Hep G2 human liver cancer cells. UV spectra of As/Se-NPs and Alg-Se-NCMs confirmed a surface plasmon resonance at 269 and 296 nm, and zeta potential has negative charges −37.2 and −38.7 mV,. Both As/Se-NPs and Alg-Se-NCMs were hexagonal, size ranging from 16.52 to 97.06 and 17.29 to 44.2. Alg-Se-NCMs had anticancer activities against HCT-116 and HepG2. The Alg-Se-NCMs possessed the highest antifungal activities against Cryptococcus neoformans, followed by Aspergillus niger, but did not possess any activities against Penicillium marneffei. Alginate-capped selenium nanoparticles can be used as antifungal and anticancer treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an attempt to reduce such decay induced by pathogenic causes, several studies investigated the effectiveness of nanoparticles (NPs) that play a vital role in saving food products, especially fruits. Current research delves into biogenic silver nanoparticles (using marine alga Turbinaria turbinata (Tt/Ag-NPs) and their characterization using FT-IR, TEM, EDS, and zeta potential. Some pathogenic fungi, which cause fruit spoilage, were isolated. We studied the impact of using Tt/Ag-NPs to protect against isolated fungi in vitro, and the influence of Tt/Ag-NPs as a coating of tomato fruit to protect against blue mold caused by Penicillium italicum (OR770486) over 17 days of storage time. Five treatments were examined: T1, healthy fruits were used as the positive control; T2, healthy fruits sprayed with Tt/Ag-NPs; T3, fruits infected with P. italicum followed by coating with Tt/Ag-NPs (pre-coating); T4, fruits coated with Tt/Ag-NPs followed by infection by P. italicum (post-coating); and T5, the negative control, fruits infected by P. italicum. The results displayed that Tt/Ag-NPs are crystalline, spherical in shape, with size ranges between 14.5 and 39.85 nm, and negative charges. Different concentrations of Tt/Ag-NPs possessed antifungal activities against Botrytis cinerea, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Penicillium expansum, Alternaria alternate, and Stemphylium vesicarium. After two days of tomatoes being infected with P. italicum, 55% of the fruits were spoilage. The tomato fruit coated with Tt/Ag-NPs delayed weight loss, increased titratable acidity (TA%), antioxidant%, and polyphenol contents, and decreased pH and total soluble solids (TSSs). There were no significant results between pre-coating and post-coating except in phenol contents increased in pre-coating. A particular focus is placed on the novel and promising approach of utilizing nanoparticles to combat foodborne pathogens and preserve commodities, with a spotlight on the application of nanoparticles in safeguarding tomatoes from decay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation aims to improve the efficiency of fungal mono- and mixed cultures in removing organic pollutants and metals from sewage water (SW) for further maize plant response assessments. The reduction in the organic load from the SW was harnessed using a co-culture consortium consisting of Aspergillus niger (KB5), Sordariomycetes sp. (D10), and Coniochaetaceae sp. (LB3). The testing results had evinced removal of up to 88% of the organic matter and more than 96%, 91%, 80%, and 47.6%, of removal percentages for Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Cadmium (Cd), and Lead (Pb), respectively, with the developed fungal consortium [KB5 + D10 + LB3]. After treatment and lab experiments, a reuse of treated and untreated SW for plant irrigation was evaluated towards improving maize plant growth. Irrigation was conducted in pot experiments with three types of water: clean water (Control), untreated (USW), and treated SW by fungal consortia (TSW) and by station treatment plant STP (TSWP) using the randomized complete block (RCB) experimental design. Results of the pots trial revealed that the morphological parameters of SW-irrigated plants are slightly improved compared to water-irrigated plants. Data regarding assimilating area attributes indicated that the most significant enlargement of the assimilation area was observed with TSW-D (1/4) irrigation by 1051 cm2, followed by TSWP-D (0) by 953.96 cm2, then USW-D (1/4) by 716.54 cm2, as compared to plants irrigated with clean water (506.91 cm2). On average, the assimilation areas were larger by 51.76%, 46.86%, and 29.25% in TSW, USW, and TSWP-irrigated plants, respectively. Thus, SW irrigation supports the required qualities and quantities of microelements and water for plant growth. Oxidative stress assessment showed that irrigations with treated SW caused a significant decrease in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, depicting that the treatment lowered the stress of sewage water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Algae are used as safe materials to fabricate novel nanoparticles to treat some diseases. Marine brown alga Sargassum vulgare are used to fabricate silver nanoparticles (Sv/Ag-NPs). The characterization of Sv/Ag-NPs was determined by TEM, EDX, Zeta potential, XRD, and UV spectroscopy. The Sv/Ag-NPs were investigated as antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial activities against Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus mojavensis PP400982, Staphylococcus caprae PP401704, Staphylococcus capitis PP402689, and Staphylococcus epidermidis PP403851. The activity of the Sv/Ag-NPs was evaluated as hepatoprotective in vitro in comparison with silymarin. The UV–visible spectrum of Sv/Ag-NPs appeared at 442 nm; the size of Sv/Ag-NPs is in range between 6.90 to 16.97 nm, and spherical in shape. Different concentrations of Sv/Ag-NPs possessed antioxidant, anticancer activities against (HepG-2), colon carcinoma (HCT-116), cervical carcinoma (HeLa), and prostate carcinoma (PC-3) with IC50 50.46, 45.84, 78.42, and 100.39 µg/mL, respectively. The Sv/Ag-NPs induced the cell viability of Hep G2 cells and hepatocytes treated with carbon tetrachloride. The Sv/Ag-NPs exhibited antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus caprae PP401704, Staphylococcus capitis PP402689, and Staphylococcus epidermidis PP403851. This study strongly suggests the silver nanoparticles derived from Sargassum vulgare showed potential hepato-protective effect against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver cells, and could be used as anticancer and antibacterial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal diseases have always been a major problem for cantaloupe crops; however, synthetic fungicides are hazardous to humans and the environment. Consequently, a feasible alternative to fungicides without side effects could be by using bio agents and naturally occurring plants with antibacterial potential. This study has achieved a novel procedure for managing wilt and root rot diseases by potentially using Trichoderma sp. culture filtrates in consortium with plant extract of Calotropis procera, Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium oxysporum, and Pythium ultimum, which were isolated from infected cantaloupe roots with identified root rot symptoms. The antagonistic activity of four Trichoderma isolates and analysis of antibiotics and filtrate enzymes of the most active Trichoderma isolate were determined as well as phytochemical analysis of C. procera plant extract using HPLC-UV. The obtained results showed that all Trichoderma isolates considerably lowered the radial growth of P. ultimum, R. solani, and F. oxysporum in varying degrees. The scanning electron micrographs illustrate the mycoparasitic nature of Trichoderma sp. on F. oxysporum. The phytochemical analysis of C. procera indicated that phenolic contents were the major compounds found in extracts, such as vanillin (46.79%), chlorogenic acid (30.24%), gallic acid (8.06%), and daidzein (3.45%) but including only a low amount of the flavonoid compounds rutin, naringenin, and hesperetin. The Pot experiment's findings showed that cantaloupe was best protected against wilting and root rot diseases when it was treated with both Trichoderma sp. culture filtrates (10%) and C. procera extract of (15 mg/mL), both alone and in combination. This study demonstrates that the application of bio agent Trichoderma spp. filtrate with C. procera phenol extract appears useful for controlling wilting and root rot disease in cantaloupe. This innovative approach could be used as an alternative to chemical fungicide for the control of wilting and rot root diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental caries is an infectious oral disease caused by the presence of different bacteria in biofilms. Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major challenge of dental caries treatment. Swabs were taken from 65 patients with dental caries in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Swabs were cultivated on mitis salivarius agar and de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) agar. VITEK 2 was used for the identification of isolated bacteria. Antibiotic susceptibility testing of the isolated bacteria was performed using commercial antibiotic disks. Ulva lactuca was used as a reducing agent and cellulose source to create nanocellulose and Ag/cellulose nanocomposites. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) were used to characterize nanocellulose and Ag/cellulose nanocomposites. The results showed that most bacterial isolates were Streptococcus spp., followed by Staphylococcus spp. on mitis salivarius media. Lactobacillus spp. and Corynebacterium group f-1 were the bacterial isolates on de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) media. The antibiotic susceptibility test revealed resistance rates of 77%, 93%, 0, 83%, 79%, and 79% against penicillin G, Augmentin, metronidazole, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, and cotrimoxazole, respectively. Ag/cellulose nanocomposites and Ag/cellulose nanocomposites with fluoride were the most effective antibacterial agents. The aim of this work was to assess the antibacterial activity of Ag/cellulose nanocomposites with and without fluoride against bacteria isolated from the oral cavities of patients with dental caries. This study demonstrated that Ag/cellulose nanocomposites have antibacterial properties against multidrug-resistant bacteria that cause dental caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A huge amount of textile dyes are released as industrial waste into the environment each year, which alters the water's natural appearance and causes toxicity and carcinogenicity in the human body. Peanut husk is considered an agro-waste and contains many valuable compounds, such as cellulose. Different concentrations of cellulose were extracted from peanut husk and then loaded with bio-silver nanoparticles, which were fabricated using neem leaves (Azadirachta indica) as a reducing agent to form Ag-cellulose nanocomposites (Ag-Cell-NCMs). Different devices were used to characterize Ag-Cell-NCMs. The TEM images displayed that the size of Ag-Cell-NCMs ranged between 13.4 and 17.4 nm after dye adsorption. The Ag-Cell-NCMs were used to adsorb toxic dyes such as crystal violet (CV). Different parameters were applied, such as the ratio of cellulose to Ag-NPs, pH, contact time, adsorbent dose, dye concentration, and the temperature required to reach the optimization conditions to remove CV dye from the aqueous solution. Different kinetics and isotherm models were applied to the experimental data to explain the mechanism of the adsorption process. The adsorption of CV on Ag-Cell-NCMs follows the pseudo-second order, and the best-fit isotherm was the Langmuir isotherm. The new composite was tested for the possibility of dye desorption and ability to be reused several times, and we found that the new nanocomposite can be reused for multiple adsorptions and there is a possibility of dye desorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-based foods may enhance the prevention of cancer. The present investigation aimed to assess the antigenotoxic effects of chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) when loaded with the ethanol extract of C. cartilaginea (CNPs/Cc). Synthesis of CNPs and CNPs/Cc and their characterization were carried out using TEM, EDS, DSC, and Zeta potential. For in vivo experiments, animal groups were treated in the following groups: negative control, ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) (240 mg/kg), CNPs (350 mg/kg), high and low doses of CNPs/Cc, CNPs plus EMS, high dose of CNPs/Cc plus EMS, and low dose of CNPs/Cc plus EMS. Bone marrow chromosomal aberrations and sperm shape abnormalities were examined. TEM results showed that CNPs and CNPs/Cc are spherical particles. CNPs' physical stability was observed to be lower than that of CNPs/Cc due to the presence of more positive charges on CNPs/Cc. EMS significantly enhanced chromosomal abnormalities and sperm shape abnormalities. CNPs showed powerful antigenotoxic properties. For the first time, it could be concluded that loading chitosan nanoparticles with C. cartilaginea extract significantly promotes its protective properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial pathogens cause pain and death, add significantly to the expense of healthcare globally, and pose a serious concern in many aspects of daily life. Additionally, they raise significant issues in other industries, including pharmaceuticals, clothing, and food packaging. Due to their unique properties, a great deal of attention has been given to biogenic metal nanoparticles, nanocomposites, and their applications against pathogenic bacteria. This study is focused on biogenic silver and copper nanoparticles and their composites (UL/Ag2 O-NPS, Ul/CuO-NPs, and Ul/Ag/Cu-NCMs) produced by the marine green alga Ulva lactuca. The characterization of biogenic nanoparticles UL/Ag2 O-NPS and Ul/CuO-NPs and their composites Ul/Ag/Cu-NCMs has been accomplished by FT-IR, SEM, TEM, EDS, XRD, and the zeta potential. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) experiments were conducted to prove antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and anti-biofilm. The FTIR spectroscopy results indicate the exiting band at 1633 cm−1, which represents N–H stretching in nanocomposites, with a small shift in both copper and silver nanoparticles, which is responsible for the bio-reduction of nanoparticles. The TEM image reveals that the Ul/Ag/Cu-NCMs were hexagonal, and the size distribution ranged from 10 to 35 nm. Meanwhile, Ul/CuO-NPs are rod-shaped, whereas UL/Ag2 O-NPS are spherical. The EDX analysis shows that Cu metal was present in a high weight percentage over Ag in the case of bio-Ag/Cu-NCMs. The X-ray diffraction denotes that Ul/Ag/Cu-NCMs, UL/CuO-NPs, and UL/Ag2 O-NPS were crystalline. The results predicted by the zeta potential demonstrate that Ul/Ag/Cu-NCMs were more stable than Ul/CuO-NPs. The antibacterial activity of UL/Ag2 O-NPS, Ul/Ag/Cu-NCMs, and UL/CuO-NPs was studied against eleven Gram-negative and Gram-positive multidrug-resistant bacterial species. The maximum inhibition zones were obtained with UL/Ag2 O-NPS, followed by Ul/Ag/Cu-NCMs and Ul/CuO-NPs in all the tested bacteria. The maximum anti-biofilm percentage formed by E. coli KY856933 was obtained with UL/Ag2 O-NPS. These findings suggest that the synthesized nanoparticles might be a great alternative for use as an antibacterial agent against different multidrug-resistant bacterial strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc oxide nanoparticles have many advantages for nano-biotechnologists due to their intense biomedical applications. ZnO-NPs are used as antibacterial agents, which influence bacterial cells through the rupture of the cell membrane and the generation of reactive free radicals. Alginate is a polysaccharide of natural origin due to its excellent properties that are used in various biomedical applications. Brown algae are good sources of alginate and are used as a reducing agent in the synthesis of nanoparticles. This study aims to synthesize ZnO-NPs by using brown alga Fucus vesiculosus (Fu/ZnO-NPs) and also to extract alginate from the same alga, which is used in coating the ZnO-NPs (Fu/ZnO-Alg-NCMs). The characterizations of Fu/ZnO-NPs and Fu/ZnO-Alg-NCMs were determined by FTIR, TEM, XRD, and zeta potential. The antibacterial activities were applied against multidrug resistance bacteria of both gram-positive and negative. The results obtained in FT-TR showed there are some shifts in the peak positions of Fu/ZnO-NPs and Fu/ZnO-Alg-NCMs. The peak at 1655 cm−1, which assigned amide I-III, is present in both Fu/ZnO-NPs and Fu-Alg-ZnO-NCMs; this band is responsible for bio-reductions and stabilization of both nanoparticles. The TEM images proved the Fu/ZnO-NPs have rod shapes with sizes ranging from 12.68 to 17.66 and are aggregated, but Fu/ZnO/Alg-NCMs are spherical in shape with sizes ranging from 12.13 to 19.77. XRD-cleared Fu/ZnO-NPs have nine sharp peaks that are considered good crystalline, but Fu/ZnO-Alg-NCMs have four broad and sharp peaks that are considered semi-crystalline. Both Fu/ZnO-NPs and Fu/ZnO-Alg-NCMs have negative charges (−1.74 and −3.56, respectively). Fu/ZnO-NPs have more antibacterial activities than Fu/ZnO/Alg-NCMs in all tested multidrug-resistant bacterial strains. Fu/ZnO/Alg-NCMs had no effect on Acinetobacter KY856930, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Enterobacter aerogenes, whereas there was an apparent effect of ZnO-NPs against the same strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phlorotannins are phenolic compounds existing in large amounts in Phaeophyta, with this amount differing according to the season and collection area. There are many pharmacological properties of phlorotannins, such as being antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-cancer. In this work, phlorotannins from the Phaeophyta Sargassum linifolium were extracted, characterized, and identified, for use as an antioxidant and an anti-diabetic in a streptozotocin-induced diabetes rat model. Phlorotanins were characterized using ultraviolet (UV) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis, dimethoxy benzaldehyde assay (DMBA), and Folin–Ciocalteu assays. Groups of rats were tested as follows: normal control (negative control) (G1), normal rats treated with 60 mg/kg body weight of phlorotannins (G2), positive control diabetic rats injected with one dose of streptozotocin (G3), and a diabetic group treated with phlorotannins at 60 mg kg−1 body weight (G4). The biochemical parameters were determined after 4 weeks of treatment. The results demonstrated that the extracted compound was a phlorotannin, which had antioxidant properties. An in vivo study confirmed that the glucose and insulin levels in G4 were relatively similar to those in the normal control G1. The glucosidase, alpha-amylase, glutathione, and catalase levels were 0.11 ± 0.097, 420.5 ± 13, 11.27 ± 3.3, and 8.01 ± 1.31 µmol/min/g in G1, and 0.04 ± 0.016, 184.75 ± 55.24, 12.78 ± 2.1, and 11.28 ± 1.74 µmol/min/g) in G4, respectively. There were no side effects in the kidney function of both G2 and G4, and the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride were also normal. The results demonstrated that phlorotannins have antioxidant properties in vivo and that the diabetic rats had an activated AMPK expression. According to the histological analysis, phlorotannins improved the islet size and reversed necrotic and fibrotic alterations in the pancreas. The results of the present study suggest the use of phlorotannins derived from Sargassum linifolium as an antioxidant and anti-diabetic for an in vivo study. They could be used in developing medicinal preparations for treating diabetes and its related symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most prevalent chronic infectious disorders is tooth decay. Acids produced when plaque bacteria break down sugar in the mouth cause tooth decay. Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus are the most prominent species related to dental caries. Innovative biocidal agents that integrate with a biomaterial to prevent bacterial colonization have shown remarkable promise as a result of the rapid advancement of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In this study, Ulva lactuca was used as a cellulose source and reducing agent to synthesize nanocellulose and Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites. The characterizations of nanocellulose and Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites were tested for FT-IR, TEM, SEM, EDS, XRD, and zeta potential. Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites and Ulva/nanocellulose, both blended with fluoride, were tested as an antibacterial against S. mutans ATCC 25175 and L. acidophilus CH-2. The results of the SEM proved that nanocellulose is filament-shaped, and FT-IR proved that the functional groups of Ulva/nanocellulose and Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites and cellulose are relatively similar but present some small diffusion in peaks. The TEM image demonstrated that the more piratical size distribution of Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites ranged from 15 to 20 nm, and Ulva/nanocellulose ranged from 10 to 15 nm. Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites have higher negativity than Ulva/nanocellulose. Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites and Ulva/nanocellulose possess antibacterial activity against S. mutans ATCC 25175 and L. acidophilus CH-2, but Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites are more effective, followed by that blended with fluoride. It is possible to use Ulva/Ag/cellulose/nanocomposites as an antimicrobial agent when added to toothpaste. It is promising to discover an economic and safe nanocomposite product from a natural source with an antimicrobial agent that might be used against tooth bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperlipidemia is a significant risk factor for atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of this study was to investigate hypolipidemic effects of Lactobacillus, Spirulina and their combination on Swiss albino mice fed a regular or high-cholesterol diet. Rosuvastatin was used as a reference drug The highest body weight, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol LDL-C and the lowest high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were recorded in a positive control group (G5). Treatment with Lactobacillus or Spirulina or by their combination resulted in a significant decrease in body weight, TC, TG, LDL-C and significant increase in HDL-C (p < 0.05) in both mice fed a regular diet or high-cholesterol diet. The treatments induced a significant increase in Hb, MCHC and HCT levels in mice fed a regular diet (p < 0.05). They did not induce a significant effect on these parameters in mice fed a high-cholesterol diet, while treatment with standard rosuvastatin induced a significant decrease in these parameters (p < 0.05). The treatments induced a significant increase in the platelet count and WBC number in mice fed a regular diet p < 0.05), while they induced significant decrease in these parameters in mice fed a high-cholesterol diet p < 0.05. They also stimulated the innate immunity represented by both monocyte and neutrophil cells in mice fed a regular diet, while this immunity was reduced in mice fed a high-cholesterol diet. It also caused a marked reduction in inflammation and an improvement in the congestion of cardiac tissues, the aorta, and the spleen. The treatment of hyperlipidemic mice with combination of Lactobacillus and Spirulina gave similar results to those obtained with treatment by rosuvastatin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a very vital antioxidant extracted from microgreen alga. Chlorella vulgaris has major advantages and requires high yield worldwide. Some microalgae require vitamins for their growth promotion. This study was held to determine the impact of different vitamins including Thiamine (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Pyridoxine (B6), and Ascorbic acid (c) at concentrations of 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, and 0.08 mg/L of each. Each vitamin was added to the BG11 growth medium to determine the effect on growth, total carbohydrate, total protein, pigments content, antioxidant activities of Chlorella vulgaris. Moreover, antitumor effects of methanol extract of C. vulgaris without and with the supplement of thiamine against Human prostate cancer (PC-3), Hepatocellular carcinoma (HEPG-2), Colorectal carcinoma (HCT-116) and Epitheliod Carcinoma (Hela) was estimated in vitro. C. vulgaris supplemented with various vitamins showed a significant increase in biomass, pigment content, total protein, and total carbohydrates in comparison to the control. Thiamine was the best vitamin influencing as an antioxidant. C. vulgaris supplemented with thiamine had high antitumor effects in vitro. So, it's necessary to add vitamins to BG11 media for enhancement of the growth and metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seaweeds can play a vital role in plant growth promotion. Two concentrations (5 and 10 mg/mL) of soluble polysaccharides extracted from the green macroalgae Ulva fasciata and Ulva lactuca were tested on Zea mays L. The carbohydrate and protein contents, and antioxidant activities (phenols, ascorbic, peroxidase, and catalase) were measured, as well as the protein banding patterns. The soluble polysaccharides at 5 mg/mL had the greatest effect on the base of all of the parameters. The highest effects of soluble polysaccharides on the Zea mays were 38.453, 96.76, 4, 835, 1.658, 7.462, and 38615.19, mg/mL for carbohydrates, proteins, phenol, µg ascorbic/mL, mg peroxidase/g dry tissue, and units/g tissue of catalase, respectively. The total number of protein bands (as determined by SDS PAGE) was not changed, but the density of the bands was correlated to the treatments. The highest band density and promoting effect were correlated to 5 mg/mL soluble polysaccharide treatments extracted from Ulva fasciata in Zea mays, which can be used as a biofertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitomycin C (MMC) is an alkylating chemotherapy drug that could induce DNA damage and genetic alteration. It has been used as a model mutagen for in vivo and in vitro studies. The current study aimed to evaluate the protective role of Zinc oxide alginate–nanocomposites (ZnO-Alg/NCMs) against MMC–induced genotoxicity in mice. Animals were treated as follows: the control group, the groups treated with Algin (400 mg/kg b.w), the groups treated with ZnO-Alg/NCMs (400 mg/kg b.w), the group treated with MMC, and the groups treated with MMC plus Algin or ZnO-Alg/NCMs. Pre-treatment with Algin and ZnO-Alg/NCMs was repeated for one or seven days. Zinc oxide alginate-nanocomposites (ZnO-Alg/NCMs) were synthesized with the aim of incorporating the intrinsic properties of their constituents as an antigenotoxic substance. In this study, alginate was extracted from the brown marine alga Fucus vesiculosus, Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by using water extract of the same alga, and loaded in alginate to synthesize ZnO-Alg/NCMs. ZnO-NPs and ZnO-Alg/NCMs were characterized by TEM, SEM, EDX, and Zeta potential. The obtained results confirmed that by TEM and SEM, ZnO-NPs are rod shaped which modified, when loaded in alginate matrix, into spherical shape. The physical stability of ZnO-Alg/NCMs was reported to be higher than ZnO-NPs due to the presence of more negative charges on ZnO-Alg/NCMs. The EDX analysis indicated that the amount of zinc was higher in ZnO-NPs than ZnO-Alg/NCMs. The in vivo results showed that treatment with MMC induced genotoxic disturbances. The combined treatment with Algin and ZnO-Alg/NCMs succeeded in inducing significant protection against MMC. It could be concluded that ZnO-Algin/NCMs is a promising candidate to protect against MMC–induced genotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic selectivity is a critical issue in cancer therapy. As a result of its adjustable physicochemical characteristics, the Au/cellulose nanocomposite currently holds a lot of potential for solving this challenge. This work was designed to prepare a Au/cellulose nanocomposite with enhanced anticancer activity through the regulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling pathway. Nanocellulose, nanogold (AuNPs), and a Au/cellulose nanocomposite were biosynthesized from microgreen alga Chlorella vulgaris. Using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope (TEM), zeta potential analyzer, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the synthesized nanoparticles were confirmed and characterized. In human alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549 cells), the selectivity and anticancer activity of the produced nanoparticles were evaluated. The cytotoxicity results revealed that the inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the Au/cellulose nanocomposite against A549 cancer lung cells was 4.67 ± 0.17 µg/µL compared to 182.75 ± 6.45 µg/µL in the case of HEL299 normal lung fibroblasts. It was found that treatment with nanocellulose and the Au/cellulose nanocomposite significantly increased (p < 0.05) the relative expression of tumor suppressor 53 (p53) in comparison to control cells. They also significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the relative expression of the Raf-1 gene. These findings indicate that nanocellulose and the Au/cellulose nanocomposite regulate cell cycles mostly via the motivation of p53 gene expression and reduction of Raf-1 gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal diseases have always been a major problem for cantaloupe crops; however, synthetic fungicides are hazardous to humans and the environment. Consequently, a feasible alternative to fungicides without side effects could be by using bio agents and naturally occurring plants with antibacterial potential. This study has achieved a novel procedure for managing wilt and root rot diseases by potentially using Trichoderma sp. culture filtrates in consortium with plant extract of Calotropis procera , Rhizoctonia solani , Fusarium oxysporum , and Pythium ultimum , which were isolated from infected cantaloupe roots with identified root rot symptoms. The antagonistic activity of four Trichoderma isolates and analysis of antibiotics and filtrate enzymes of the most active Trichoderma isolate were determined as well as phytochemical analysis of C. procera plant extract using HPLC-UV. The obtained results showed that all Trichoderma isolates considerably lowered the radial growth of P. ultimum , R. solani , and F. oxysporum in varying degrees. The scanning electron micrographs illustrate the mycoparasitic nature of Trichoderma sp. on F. oxysporum . The phytochemical analysis of C. procera indicated that phenolic contents were the major compounds found in extracts, such as vanillin (46.79%), chlorogenic acid (30.24%), gallic acid (8.06%), and daidzein (3.45%) but including only a low amount of the flavonoid compounds rutin, naringenin, and hesperetin. The Pot experiment's findings showed that cantaloupe was best protected against wilting and root rot diseases when it was treated with both Trichoderma sp. culture filtrates (10%) and C. procera extract of (15 mg/mL), both alone and in combination. This study demonstrates that the application of bio agent Trichoderma spp. filtrate with C. procera phenol extract appears useful for controlling wilting and root rot disease in cantaloupe. This innovative approach could be used as an alternative to chemical fungicide for the control of wilting and rot root diseases.