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The present work aims to understand the effect of chemical treatment on the physical and mechanical characteristics of the natural fibers, namely, areca frond fibers, banana, and flax fibers. Chemical reagents viz. sodium bicarbonate, potassium permanganate, and chromium sulfate were used for surface modifications. Tensile strength of the fibers was determined for analyzing the influence of treatments. Scanning electron microscopy was adopted to visualize the surface morphology. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was performed on the fiber specimen to interpret functional group modifications. The research results indicated a decrease in fiber diameter with increase in density of fibers post treatments. For areca frond and flax fibers, chromium sulfate treatment was the most effective while that for banana fibers sodium bicarbonate based treatment turned out to be most effective over the others. Scanning electron microscopy images confirmed clear visibility of fiber inner cell structure, protruding secondary fibrils for treated fibers, reagent coating on the fiber surface was also observed in the case of chromium sulfate-treated samples. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed distinct bands indicating functional group modifications corresponding to cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.

AbstractThis study focuses on synthesis and characterization of hexa-substituted coumarin based Schiff base derivative of cyclotriphosphazene (Compound 3). The antibacterial activity of Compound 3 was evaluated against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) bacterial strains using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and percentage-killing method. Compound 3 exhibited a lower MIC of 300 μg/mL against S. aureus than 500 μg/mL for P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae, indicating greater efficacy against Gram-positive bacteria. Percentage-killing data confirmed Compound 3 significant bactericidal activity against S. aureus across concentrations ranging from 100 to 500 μg/mL, comparable to ampicillin. In contrast, its efficacy against Gram-negative strains was lower, suggesting a more selective spectrum of activity. These findings suggest that Compound 3 shows promise as a potential antibacterial agent with preferential activity against Gram-positive bacteria, warranting further investigation into its mechanism of action and therapeutic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcumin is a pharmacologically active polyphenol derived from the popular spice element-Turmeric. The therapeutic activity of curcumin has been extensively investigated over the last few decades and reports suggest the role of curcumin in a large number of biological activities, particularly its prominent anticancer activity. Curcumin, being a pleiotropic molecule, is a regulator of multiple molecular targets which play crucial roles in various cell signaling pathways. It is known to suppress transformation, inhibit proliferation as well as induce apoptosis. However, despite all these benefits, the efficacy of curcumin remains limited due to its poor bioavailability, poor absorption within the systemic circulation and rapid elimination from the body. To overcome these limiting factors, researchers all around the world are working towards designing a synthetic and superior curcuminoid by making suitable structural modifications to the parent skeleton. These curcuminoids, mainly analogues and derivatives, will not only improve the physicochemical properties but also enhance the efficacy simultaneously. The present review will provide a comprehensive account of the analogues and derivatives of curcumin that have been reported since 2014 which have indicated a better anticancer activity than curcumin., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195800.].

Background: The present study is aimed to evaluate the physiochemical properties and cytotoxicity of mercury-based formulation for the development of anticancer therapeuticals., Methods: The elemental and morphological features of the formulation were characterized by FE-SEM, XPS and EDS. The described formulation was evaluated for its cytotoxicity on Hek293 and MCF7 cell lines using MTT assay to study the in vitro effects. The in vivo developmental toxicity was also studied on zebrafish embryos and the lethal concentration (LC50) values were calculated as per the OECD regulations., Results: The elemental and morphological characterizations confirmed the presence of mercuric compounds. The particles were spherical and stable with the size ranges between 20 and 80nm. Although the PK formulation contains mercurials it was very effective only to cancerous cells (MCF-7) and it is less toxic to normal cells (HEK 293). The in vivo assessment of developmental toxicity on zebrafish embryo confirmed the safer dosage of 100μg/ml. However, a higher dosage of 1mg/ml led to the malformation of embryos such as pericardial, tail and yolk sac edema., Conclusion: The physiochemical characterization of PK formulation confirmed the presence of HgS. The results of both in vitro and in vivo studies showed that the formulation is less toxic. Although the test sample contains mercurials it was very effective against cancerous cells (MCF-7) and it is less toxic to normal cells (HEK 293)., Future Studies: Further studies on effectiveness of the formulation along with inflammatory response in mice models are to be conducted.

In the recent years, 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU) has been gaining importance, both as an anti-cancer agent and as a dietary supplement. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of 4-MU as a carbon source for potential probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus helveticus 2126. For this purpose, a series of plate assays and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for 4-MU before and after the treatment with L. helveticus 2126. The plate assays indicated an initial inhibition followed by utilization of 4-MU that stimulated bacterial growth. A significant shift was observed in the FTIR peaks, which also have suggested possible extracellular activity of the bacteria for 4-MU utilization., Significance and Impact of the Study: 4-Methylumbelliferone (4-MU) is a widely used chloretic and is currently under research for treating colon cancer. Preliminary studies suggest that it has the potential to be used as an effective and sustainable prebiotic for the human microbiome, as it can be naturally obtained from plants. This manuscript describes the effectiveness of 4-MU as a carbon source for the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus helveticus. Our study also suggests the role of bacterial superoxide dismutase in transforming 4-MU as a possible prebiotic for the human microbiome., (© 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Background: The traditional Indian medicine 'Siddha' uses metals, metalloids and minerals including toxic ones with no proven toxicity. Thalagak karuppu (TK) is remarkably stable over a century and used for treating Suram (Fever), Kaasam (Cough), Elai (Tuberculosis) and Eraippu Erumal (Bronchial Asthma)., Objective: The present study addresses elemental and morphological characterization of therapeutic Siddha formulation: Thalagak karuppu (TK)., Materials and Methods: TK was purchased from the Indian Medical Practitioners Co-operative Pharmacy and Stores (IMCOPS) Ltd, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India. The physicochemical properties were evaluated using UV-visible spectrophotometer, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Zeta sizer and X-ray diffractometer (XRD)., Results: The mixed nature of arsenic was analyzed using UV-visible spectroscopy. The fingerprint region for arsenic derivatives was inferred from IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction patterns. The shape and size heterogeneity in the anisotropic mixture was observed in SEM images and the polydispersity was analyzed by Zeta sizer., Conclusions: The structural, elemental and morphological analyses suggests that the arsenic may predominantly exist either as orpiment (As 2 S 2 ) or realgar (As 2 S 4 ) form. The possibility is less for the toxic arsenolite. Hence, the formulation may be considered safe., (Copyright © 2016 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)