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Rickettsioses, caused by intracellular bacteria of the rickettsia genus, pose a global health threat, particularly affecting underserved communities. Delays in diagnosis and treatment due to limited healthcare access result in severe cases and fatalities. To address this, a multi-epitope vaccine targeting OmpB and GroEL proteins in epidemic and endemic typhus rickettsia was developed using immunoinformatics techniques. T-cell and B-cell epitopes were predicted from OmpB and GroEL proteins, resulting in 5 CTL, 4 HTL, and 4 B-cell epitopes. These epitopes were linked appropriately and combined with suitable adjuvants to construct the vaccine. The vaccine's physicochemical properties and tertiary structure were validated within acceptable ranges. Molecular docking analysis demonstrated favorable binding with TLR4 receptors and MHC molecules, further confirmed by molecular dynamics simulation. Immune simulation analysis predicted T-cell, IFN, and IL-2 responses upon vaccine administration. The vaccine sequence was then optimized and cloned into a plasmid vector pET-23a(+) at the Hind and AlwNI restriction sites. In this in silico experiment, a multi-epitope vaccine derived from OmpB and GroEL proteins is presented, the first validation steps of which have been completed. Subject to successful in vivo studies, this vaccine could prove to be a promising therapeutic strategy against rickettsiosis and address a critical public health challenge.

Aluminum (Al) is known to be a nephrotoxic metal that can cause renal toxicity in both humans and animals. The use of functional foods has been reported to have significance in managing the toxic effects associated with such metals. This study aimed to assess the potential protective effects of caffeine, vanillin, and their combination in mitigating AlCl3-induced renal toxicity in adult male Wistar rats. A total of thirty (30) adult male Wistar rats weighing between 150 and 200 g were randomly divided into five groups, each consisting of six rats (n = 6). Group 1 served as the control, while the remaining treatment groups received a daily oral dose of 100 mg/kg AlCl3 for a duration of 21 days. In addition, groups 3–5 were coadministered 50 mg/kg body weight (bw) of caffeine, vanillin, and a combination (50/50 mg/kg bw) of both substances, respectively. In the results, AlCl3-treated showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in serum biomarkers such as ALT, ALP, urea, and creatinine, and a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in serum total proteins (TPs). The renal tissue's antioxidant system, including SOD, CAT, GPx, and GSH, exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) reduction, accompanied by an elevated MDA level. However, the administration of caffeine, vanillin, and their combination resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in serum ALT, ALP, urea, and creatinine, and a significant (p < 0.05) increase in serum TP. Furthermore, following the treatment, there was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in renal SOD, CAT, GPx, and GSH levels, along with a reduction in the MDA level. In addition, the treatment for 21 days caused a significant (p < 0.05) reversal to the altered histomorphological architecture. These findings suggest that caffeine, vanillin, and their combination could potentially be an effective regimen in managing AlCl3-induced renal toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alarming rate of diabetes mellitus (DM) globally is bothersome and has drawn the search light of researchers on naturally endowed phytonutrients being an alternative in managing the menace. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate some antioxidant parameters embedded in the extract of Dialium indium (DI) fruit pulp and also, to elucidate its antidiabetic potentials through the inhibition of two key carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes such as α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase. Hydro-ethanolic extract of DI fruit pulp was used for the antioxidants and enzyme inhibitory bioassays through various convectional antioxidant assay methods in vitro. In the results, total phenolic content of the extract had; 6.74 ±3.38 mg GAE.g-1, total flavonoid contents; 0.02 ±0.01 mg QE.g-1 and FRAP; 0.84  ±0.47 mg AAE.g-1 dried sample. Also, there was a marked significant (p <0.05) difference observed in the inhibition of α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase by the different concentrations of the extract used in concentration-dependent manner with their different EC50. The inhibition demonstrated against these two carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes possibly could be through the embedded antioxidant potentials of the fruit pulp and this if properly harnessed, it could be helpful in the management of type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.), Viscum album (L.) and Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) are medicinal plants widely used based on their ethnomedicinal properties in the regulation of blood pressure. This study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant activities and compositional constituents of these plants. The antioxidant potentials were analyzed using DPPH and FRAP assays, while Folin-Ciocalteu method was employed in the determination of the total phenolic antioxidant contents. Compositional analyses of the leave extracts were determined using Gas Chromatograghy-Mass Spectrophotometer (GC-MS). The total phenolic contents in Bryophyllum pinnatum, Artocarpus altilis and Viscum album were revealed as; 659.50 ±0.02, 1667.50 ±0.03, 1232.00 ±0.02 mg GAE.100 g-1 respectively. Considering the antioxidant activities, Artocarpus altilis leaf extract showed inhibitory activity on DPPH with IC50 of 2.24 ±0.26 mg.mL-1, Bryophyllum pinnatum and Viscum album with IC50 values 3.63 ±0.07 and 4.65 ±0.06  mg.mL-1 respectively. The FRAP in mg.GAE-1 for Artocarpus altilis, Bryophyllum pinnatum and Viscum album revealed; 2505.20 ±0.04, 1561.80 ±0.01 and 1698.00 ±0.03 respectively. GC-MS identified some vital phenolic components and essential fatty acids in the plants. The findings therefore suggest that; the plants if properly utilized, it could serve as alternatives in regulating blood pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the inhibitory effect of ethyl acetate fraction of Solanum macrocarpon L. leaves on cholinergic, monoaminergic, purinergic enzyme activities and identification of bioactive compounds. 2,2‐azino‐bis‐3‐ethylbenthiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid (ABTS), metal ion chelating radicals scavenging activity, total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined using standard methods. The inhibitory effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of S. macrocarpon on the specified enzymes were determined spectroscopically. Ethyl acetate fraction of S. macrocarpon showed a high ABTS radical scavenging activity and metal ion chelating radical scavenging activity. The fraction showed high contents of phenol and flavonoid. The fraction also inhibited AChE, BChE, MOA, tyrosinase, arginase, ecto‐5′ ‐nucleotidase, PDE‐5, ACE and stimulated the activity of Na+/K+‐ATPase. Bioactive compounds present in ethyl acetate fraction of S. macrocarpon leaves include kaempferol‐3‐rutinoside, rutin among others. Ethyl acetate fraction of S. macrocarpon leaves inhibited cholinergic, monoaminergic, and purinergic enzymes and had a stimulatory effect on Na+/K+‐ATPase. Practical applications: Solanum macrocarpon L. leaves are commonly consumed as vegetable. The enormous medicinal potential of the ethyl acetate fraction is invaluable as it's a probable source of polyphenols characterized with strong antioxidant activity. In addition, the leaves are used as functional foods and may play a crucial role in the management/treatment of diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative diseases, and erectile dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study was designed to put into consideration both the in vitro and in vivo investigations on Talinum triangulare (Tt), an herbaceous perennial plant that is a native of tropical America and one of the most important vegetables in Nigeria., Methods: Total phenolic contents in (mg GAE/100 g), flavonoid contents, the ferric reducing antioxidant properties (FRAP), 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl free radical scavenging ability (OH-) and iron chelating ability were carried out in vivo using standard described methods while GSH, GPx, catalase and SOD were determined in vivo using standard described methods., Results: In the three different solvents extraction of T. triangulare that were studied in vitro, it was noted that ethyl acetate and ethanolic fractions of T. triangulare showed potent antioxidant activity against DPPH and iron chelating property with high phenolic content except Hydroxyl free radical scavenging ability that showed highest value in the aqueous extract, while the Reduced GSH indicated the highest in the parameter determined in vivo., Conclusion: The antioxidant properties showed in this solvent extractable component probably could have been the basis for the enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes at very lower dose in the examined tissue homogenates. Therefore, T. triangulare can thereby serve as a means of Preventing some of major degenerative diseases challenging Humans.