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Ultrasonication method was used in the incorporation of mesoporous silica (mSiO2) on BiVO4 nanoparticles. The average crystallite size of the BiVO4 nanoparticles was controlled at around 2.4–5.1 nm on mesoporous silica surface. The composites were systematically evaluated as photocatalysts for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and brilliant green (BG) dyes as a function of mesoporous SiO2 content. A marked compositional dependence of the photocatalytic activity was evidenced for MB and BG degradation under visible light. Compared with the corresponding bare bismuth vanadate nano species, the mSiO2-involved nanocomposites display enhanced photocatalytic activities. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity of BiVO4 nanoparticles with mesoporous silica was attributed to the synergistic effect between mesoporous silica and BiVO4 which improved the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. Structures and morphologies of the samples were examined by TEM, SEM, XRD, EDS, FT-IR and UV–visible spectroscopy. The effects of operational parameters like dye concentration, mSiO2 content, calcination temperature and reaction time have been analyzed. The results showed that the photocatalytic activity of mSiO2/BiVO4 nanocomposites increases with the modification of BiVO4 by changing the content from 1.0 to 15.0 wt % mesoporous SiO2, the sample of 10.0 wt. % mesoporous SiO2 loaded on BiVO4 showed the higher photocatalytic activity. As the silica in the composites has a very good contact with the BiVO4 nanoparticles it enhances the photo-electron conversion of BiVO4 by reducing the recombination of photo-generated electron–hole pairs based on the band structures of BiVO4. The catalyst is found to be reusable.

Oleuropein (OLP) is a naturally occurring phenolic compound in olive plant with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential and can possibly be used in treating pancreatic injuries. This investigation aimed to follow the molecular mechanism behind the potential therapeutic effect of OLP against pancreatic injury persuaded by ischemia–reperfusion (I/R). Pancreatic I/R injury was induced by splenic artery occlusion for 60 min followed by reperfusion. Oral administration of OLP (10 and 20 mg/kg) for 2 days significantly alleviated I/R-persuaded oxidative damage and inflammatory responses in pancreatic tissue as indicated by the decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and increased glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, accompanied by the suppression of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and reduced levels of interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in pancreatic tissues. Furthermore, OLP treatment markedly restored the serum levels of amylase, trypsinogen-activated peptide (TAP), and lipase, with concurrent improvement in pancreatic histopathological alterations. Moreover, treatment with OLP regulated the pancreatic expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) relative to rats of the pancreatic IR group. Thus, OLP treatment significantly alleviates the I/R-induced pancreatic injury by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation in rats through downregulation of HMGB1 and its downstream NF-κB signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total alcohol extract obtained from the aerial parts of R. stricta and fractions of the liquid–liquid fractionation process were tested against picornavirus-causing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) based on the traditional use of the plant in Saudi Arabia. The most active petroleum ether soluble fraction was subjected to chromatographic purification, and nine compounds were isolated, identified using various chemical and spectroscopic methods, and tested for their anti-viral potential. The new ester identified as α-Amyrin 3-(3′R-hydroxy)-hexadecanoate (1) was the most active compound with 51% inhibition of the viral growth and was given the name Rhazyin A. Compounds with ursane skeleton were more active than those with lupane skeleton except in the case of the acid derivatives where betulenic acid showed 26.1% inhibition against the viral growth, while ursolic acid showed only 16.6% inhibition. Moreover, molecular docking analysis using a glide extra-precision module was utilized for investigating the possible molecular interactions accounting for anti-viral activity against picornavirus of the nine isolated compounds. Molecular docking studies revealed a strong binding of the discovered hits within the active site of FMDV 3Cpro. Compound 1 showed the lowest docking score within the nine isolated compounds comparable to the two known anti-viral drugs; glycyrrhizic acid and ribavirin. The results of this research will provide lead candidates from natural origin with potential safety and efficacy compared to the synthetic ones with lower production costs for managing FMVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to prepare a topical gel containing solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) encapsulating fluoxetine for diabetic wound healing effects. Fluoxetine (FX) was loaded into SLNs by employing an emulsion solvent evaporation technique using stearic acid as a lipid, and soya lecithin as a surfactant. SLNs were then evaluated for particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), percent entrapment efficiency (%EE), percent drug loading (%DL), and in vitro drug release. The optimized SLN (FS3) composed of FX (100 mg), SA (150 mg), and SA (100 mg) displayed mean particle size (467.3 ± 2.2nm), PDI (0.435 ± 0.02), ZP (−32.2 ± 4.47mV), EE (95.8 ± 3.38%), and DL (16.4 ± 2.4%). FTIR and DSC studies denote drug-polymer compatibility and the amorphous nature of FX in the SLNs. The drug release at 24 h was found to be (98.89 ± 2.57%) which followed the fickian diffusion mechanism. SLN (FS3) was further loaded into carbopol gel and tested for pH, spreadability, and extrudability of pharmaceutical parameters. In-vitro release of FX from the SLN gel and plain gel was compared, diabetic wound healing gel (DWH) showed sustained drug delivery. An in vivo study was also performed for DWH gel in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Histopathological examination exhibited DWH gel-treated wounds have increased hydroxyproline, cellular proliferation, a rise in the number of blood vessels, and the level of collagen synthesis. Thus, DWH gel-loaded SLN encapsulated with FX could be a potential carrier for the effective treatment and management of diabetic wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]