Search

Brassica is one of the crops sensitive to low copper supply, leading to Alternaria blight. The present study reflects the synthesis of myco-derived copper oxide (M-CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) from Trichoderma asperellum and investigates their effect against Alternaria blight of Brassica in two soil types, alluvial and calcareous. Foliar applications of different treatments were used to treat plants: T1 (mancozeb@0.2%), T2 (propiconazole@0.05%), T3 (T. asperellum filtrate), T4 (M-CuO NPs), T5 chemically synthesized (C-CuO NPs), and T6 bulk phase (BP-CuO @25, 50, 100, 150, and 200 ppm) of each in twice such as protectant and curative method under pot experiments. M-CuO NPs in two protective sprays exhibit up to 75% disease suppression in alluvial soil, compared to 68.9% suppression in curative spray at 200 ppm. Maximum seed yield and seed number were obtained, 1.95 g/plant and 850 seeds/plant in alluvial soil, but in calcareous soil, seed yield (1.14 g/plant) and seed number 414 seeds/plant were recorded in plants supplemented with M-CuO NPs as a protectant. In both soils, maximum plant height was increased by protective applications of M-CuO NPs at 200 ppm. Thus, the present study suggested that among foliar sprays of copper nanocompounds, protective activity shows better results as compared to curative activity. Among all the treatments, M-CuO NPs were found to be most effective in suppressing disease and improving productivity and growth-promoting effects of Brassica.

The present study reports the ability of a fungal isolate Aspergillus ochraceus DY1, obtained from rotten wood, to degrade alkali lignin (AL) and lignocelluloses in an efficient manner. The efficiency of degradation was monitored by measuring the percentage of decolorization and utilizing GC-MS for identifying degradation products at different time intervals (10, 20, 30, and 40 days). The optimal degradation of alkali lignin (AL) was achieved at 0.01% concentration, 25 °C, and pH 7, resulting in 63.64% degradation after 40 days of incubation. A GC-MS analysis revealed significant degradation products, including n-hexadecanoic acid, octadecane, butylated hydroxytoluene, 2,6,11-trimethyl-dodecane, dibutyl phthalate, oleic acid, 3,5-dimethoxy-phenol acetate, and 2-(phenylmethylene)- cyclohexanone. Structural changes in AL were confirmed through HSQC 2D NMR and size-exclusion chromatography, indicating depolymerization and reduced molecular weight. Furthermore, A. ochraceus DY1 demonstrated substantial biomass loss in corn stover (62.5%) and sugarcane bagasse (50%) after 7 days of solid-state fermentation. Surface morphological depletion was observed in the bio-treated corn stover through SEM and confocal microscopy, which was not seen in the untreated one. These findings underscore the potential of A. ochraceus DY1 for efficient lignin degradation, with promising applications in biofuel production, waste management in the paper and pulp industry, and the synthesis of value-added bioproducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tannery effluent waste comprises various potentially toxic metals, including chromium (Cr) with varying acute or chronic toxicity. Cr(VI) is known to be a category‐A carcinogen. Reduction of toxic Cr(VI) to Cr(III), which has lesser bioavailability, is one of the mechanisms used by many microbes to withstand Cr(VI) toxicity in the contaminated effluents. Oxidoreductase (OXRs) reduces toxic Cr(VI) to Cr(III); hence a thorough understanding of the OXRs is important for developing a suitable strategy to minimize Cr(VI) toxicity. Therefore, the OXR‐encoding genes were sequenced using metagenomic DNA shotgun sequencing from the tannery effluent‐contaminated soil. Six OXR‐encoding genes were expressed in Escherichia coli, and OXR activity was confirmed by in situ quantitative assays. The six proteins were subjected to phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis. Further, detailed structural analysis of the two OXRs, namely, OXR3 and OXR8 with lowest and highest activity respectively, were investigated in silico for structural characteristics. The results revealed that both the proteins were soluble FMN‐linked oxidoreductases. Eight conserved active site residues (Pro24, Thr26, Ala59, Tyr139, His178, Tyr180, His219, Tyr221, Arg269, and Lys360) in the enzyme OXR3 were predicted. Similarly, nine conserved active site residues (Pro20, Thr22, Ala55, Glu97, His191, Tyr193, Arg241, Cys334, and Arg335) were predicted in OXR8. The tertiary structure of OXR8 was an aldolase TIM barrel structure, like Thermus scotoductus chromate reductase. Docking with FMN revealed the involvement of all the nine predicted active site residues in FMN binding with Pro20, Thr22, and Cys334 as the most important ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research study aims to formulate, prepare and evaluate transdermal drug delivery system for the purpose of controlled release of Amlodipine Bebesylate as a model drug using different polymers as a rate controlling membraneamlodipine undergoes first pass metabolism and also has easy permeability through skin therefore transdermal system of Amlodipine Bebesylate can be developed. The transdermal patches for the delivery were prepared by evaporation method i.e., solvent evaporation method. A matrix-type amlodipine besylate transdermal drug delivery system was prepared using novel polymers such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC) and Carbopol P 934 as a rate controlling or rate limiting membrane which delivers the drug or releases the therapeutic drugin controlled and a predetermined manner and rate. The formula for the transdermal patch was optimized using the experimental design. On the basis of the Data from drug release studies and the drug content the optimized batch was found to be F14 showing 80.1% of drug release and 95.62% of drug content. The patches were also evaluated forvarious evaluation parameters such as thickness uniformity,weight variation, moisture content determination, hygroscopicity &tensile strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited water solubility and dissolution of drugs classified under the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class II category provide constraints on their oral bioavailability. In the present study, a self-micro emulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) was employed to enhance the aqueous solubility and oral bioavailability of toremifene, which belongs to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class II category. The selection of Oleic Acid, Transcutol-P, and Span 20 as the oil, surfactant combination, and cosurfactant, respectively, was based on the solubility. The optimal composition (Oleic Acid / Transcutol-P / Span 20 in a volume ratio) for toremifene, which exhibits a small droplet size (132.1 nm) and consistent microemulsification was determined by the use of pseudo-ternary phase diagrams. Differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction were employed to identify the loss of crystallinity in lyophilized toremifene. The results indicated that toremifene existed in a molecularly dissolved or amorphous state inside the SMEDDS formulation. The saturation solubility and dissolving rate of toremifene -SMEDDS exhibited significant enhancements compared to toremifene powder when tested in water, simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2), and simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8). The female rats exhibited a 1.94-fold increase in the area under the curve and a 1.80-fold increase in the highest plasma concentration following the oral administration of toremifene-SMEDDS compared to the oral administration of the toremifene dispersion. In summary, the findings of our study suggest that self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS) have promise as an oral formulation for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of toremifene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]